You know kick scooters, like the ones your 6 year old niece rides around the neighborhood park? Can you go places on one, or is it just a toy? As it turns out, it is “yes” to both questions. I will make the case for serious travel later, but let’s get the “toy” thing out of the way. Yes, it’s a toy, because it is easy to ride and fun… who doesn’t want to have fun?

An alternative to driving

We have more alternatives than ever if we choose not to drive. There are bicycles, electric scooters, one-wheels, roller blades, skate boards, and so on. So where does the lowly kick scooter fit in?

I was riding my kick scooter to catch a bus at the train station. I passed by a smirking young man, who offered some unsolicited advice. “You should get something faster,” he said. Because what he said made no sense on multiple levels, I was dumbfounded, and gave no response. Of course, he was suggesting that I purchase an electric scooter, but I had several reasons not to.

Virtues of the kick scooter

• Ease of use – It doesn’t take great balance, knowledge, or technique to ride. Almost anyone can ride a kick scooter on their first try.
• Cost – I think I paid around $55 for my Razor A5 Lux scooter; the price has ballooned up to $70-80. I still think it is a good price, because it is well made and durable. Compare to $300 and up for a bicycle or electric scooter.
• Size – It folds to a very compact package that you can bring on to a crowded bus or train. Once you get to your destination, just bring it with you. No need for locks and chains. Toss it in the back of a car or under your desk, no problem.
• Weight – My scooter weighs 8 pounds. Compare that to an electric scooter or bike that weighs 30 lbs. Which would you rather climb stairs with?
• Speed – It’s not as fast as a bike or e-scooter. But it is at least twice as fast as walking. The average person walks 3 mph. I usually average 7-8 mph on my kick scooter at an easy pace. If I push things, I can go 10 mph for a couple of miles. It’s a workout, though.
• Low maintenance – The kick scooter is so simple, there is virtually no maintenance. No chains to oil, no tires to inflate, no cables to tighten, no batteries to charge or replace. Once in a while, wipe it clean. Change the wheel bearings every year or two, which is simple to do. I have owned mine for 5 years, and commuted daily for 2.5 of them. The headset is sloppier, but it is still 100% ridable.

Limitations of the kick scooter

• Range – Anything is possible, but in my experience, 3 miles is usually the limit. This is about 30 minutes of riding, which is the most time I want to spend getting somewhere. The most I’ve done is 6 miles, but more are possible in a touring scenario.
• No gears – This limits your top speed to about 12 mph in a burst. It’s hard to kick your leg any faster for more speed. Climbing hills is a challenge for the same reason. Short, rapid kicks are best for climbing.
• Need good pavement – The wheels on my scooter are solid polyurethane and 8″ in diameter. I need fairly good pavement for speed and comfort. The pounding you get from rough roads is bad for your insides. Also, you will be taking headers if you hit a large bump or pothole.
• Rain – Solid plastic wheels are downright slippery in wet conditions. You need to slow way down in the rain to avoid a fall, so you might as well just walk.
• Light loads – You can only carry stuff on your back, or hang a small load off the handle bars. Each kick involves lifting yourself (and your pack) up and down. A heavy load on your back will burn out your quads in no time.
• No respect – pretty much everyone will be questioning your choice, or think you don’t belong in their presence.

Technique

• To kick, just put your foot down and push. I found that using the toes is less strain than using the whole foot. Try to push smoothly and avoid heavy impacts.
• To stop, you can use the brake on the rear wheel; some fancier models come with hand brakes. I use the same technique as skateboarders: dragging my foot. This saves wear and tear on the scooter, and you can get more stopping power by bearing down with your body weight. It’s also easier to bail out, because you already have one foot on the ground. Foot dragging has not caused excessive wear on my shoes thus far. When going down hills, start braking before you build up too much speed.
• Changing feet on the fly is a key skill to have for long distance cruising. You don’t want a major disruption to your rhythm to maintain speed. I use the heel and toe method, as shown below. Step 1: Turn the right foot outward, while maintaining contact with the heel. Step 2: Place your left toes on the scooter. Both feet will be in contact for only a brief moment. Step 3: Turn your left foot inward, while the right foot steps off. With practice, this will become a smooth, thoughtless transition. There are other ways to switch feet, but this works best for me.

What to look for in a scooter

• Large wheels – if you are going to cover distance, big wheels will be safer, due to their ability to roll over bumps and divots. I would not go smaller than 8″ for the front wheel. The rear wheel can be slightly smaller.
• Narrow deck – A scooter with a wide deck looks comfortable, but it will be a pain for long rides. First, you will find it hard to kick without bumping into the deck. Kicking with your foot out wide will cause more strain on your body. Second, going places involves constant kicking, so you’re not going to coast for any length of time. Even on the narrow deck of my Razor A5 Lux, I can find a toehold if I want to coast for brief periods.
• Deck length – I wear size 13 men’s shoes. They barely fit on my scooter. If you have large feet, make sure the scooter has a long enough deck.
• Low clearance deck – It sounds counter-intuitive, but a lower deck is easier to propel. Each kick is a lunging motion. The higher your deck, the deeper you will lunge to reach the ground, and the faster you get tired. Even though you sacrifice ground clearance, you will save energy with a low deck.

• There are more upscale features, such as hand brakes, suspensions, pneumatic tires, and so on. My scooter has none of these, but these features may be worth the extra cost and weight to you.

Getting in shape

Riding a kick scooter takes more effort than riding a bicycle, which means you burn more calories. You will need to build up strength in your legs. Covering any distance will feel difficult at first. If you want to get a head start, doing lunges should help. I used to be preoccupied with speed, trying to keep up with bicycles. Now I just ride at a relaxed pace so I don’t pull any muscles or strain any tendons. When I was commuting daily, I was able to go 1/2 mile on one leg before switching, but that is a sort of masochism. Remember to have fun and don’t torture yourself too much.

Safety

Whenever possible, I ride on the road, like a bicycle should. When you share the road with 2-ton monsters, a little protection is prudent.

• Helmet – Just a run-of-the-mill bike helmet. On a kick scooter, you are going slower than a bicycle or e-scooter, which will save you some broken bones. Because you are going the same speed as a runner, you can almost argue that a helmet isn’t needed. Does anyone wear a helmet for running? Maybe I’m just paranoid, but I feel better wearing a helmet on when riding around cars.
• High visibility vest – Yes, it is dorky and inconvenient, but I feel like it has saved my bacon at least once. The go-to excuse a driver uses is, “I didn’t see you.” When you are wearing one of these, there is no excuse, unless they were flat out not looking. If you are wearing a backpack, wear your vest on the outside, so it is actually visible. Yes, that is extra dorky, but it’s better to be seen than sorry.
• Lights – On short winter days, head and tail lights are a must. Get ones that attach to your helmet. I tried affixing head lights to my handle bars, but the vibrations just destroyed them in a few days.

I ride on sidewalks when the road is too narrow or in disrepair. When I do, I slow down. As a pedestrian, I don’t like sharing the sidewalk with wheeled vehicles going a lot faster than me. I don’t want to get hit, and it’s just plain obnoxious. Also, drivers are constantly popping out of driveways; some of them are looking, some of them aren’t. If you are going too fast to avoid them, you will get hurt.

I have taken a fall, when I didn’t see a pothole in the dark. This was before I purchased adequate lights. You are more vulnerable than bikes because of smaller wheels, so it’s important to always look for hazards on the road.

Conclusion

I used my kick scooter, in conjunction with public transit, to commute to my last two jobs. I was able to enjoy time outside, get exercise, avoid sitting in traffic, and have fun. That’s a lot of wins right there. Because it is so easy to use, I will grab my scooter any time I need to get somewhere within a couple of miles. My scooter has held up to the rigors of daily commuting with virtually no maintenance, which is no small feat. In an urban or campus environment, it’s hard to beat a kick scooter for personal mobility.