Last updated on June 4th, 2021
The proper way to ride a scooter is standing upright with a slight lean forward, guiding the scooter with the dominant leg. Most people can easily learn to ride a scooter, with some tricks and tips to do it properly. For your first time riding a scooter, start on a flat surface. This allows you to get used to the type of movement, and take control of the scooter at a steady pace.
Always wear protective safety gear, especially a helmet. Scooters are best used on paved surfaces, so falling off hits hard. Protect your head, knees, and elbows to avoid a painful accident. Begin by placing your weaker, non-dominant leg in the center of the deck. Stand facing forward, with a slight bend at the waist. Grip the handlebars tightly in either hand.
To move, push away from the ground with the dominant leg. The other foot should stay firmly planted on the scooter. Push using long, strong kicks – this will give you more control over movement. With the planted leg, straighten to provide momentum, and bend as you prepare to move into a new kick.
Once you’ve reached a steady glide, place your strong leg onto the deck, tucked behind the other foot. Rotate the handlebars slowly to turn, and push again when the scooter starts to slow. Brake using either your foot if you’re going slowly, or the built-in brakes.
How do you ride a scooter uphill?
It takes more effort to ride a scooter uphill, but it can be done by maintaining good form and using quicker strokes to push. Going uphill on a kick scooter can be tiring, but it’s a good way to get in shape and an unfortunate necessity of many riding routes.
To ride a scooter uphill, start by using correct posture. Face forward, with a slight bend at the waist. You also want to be sure you have good, sturdy footwear, as you’ll be required to push the scooter more.
When riding a scooter uphill there’s less opportunity for gliding than there is when you’re on flat ground. Instead, there’s much more need to push. Rather than using long kicks to create glide, use short, sharp kicks. This keeps the scooter moving, and gives the rider control.
You may wish to alternate your legs more. Using one leg solely for pushing can be exhausting, especially on steep climbs. Alternate legs by turning the toes of your feet outwards. When one leg moves off, the other foot can twist around to occupy the deck. This keeps the rider secure throughout the movement.
To ride downhill for long stretches, position your feet next to each other, angled 90 degrees from the direction you’re travelling in. Keep your hands on the brakes, and relax. Where riding a scooter uphill is tiring, riding it downhill is nothing but fun.
How far can you commute on a scooter?
The average person can commute roughly 2 to 5 kilometers on a kick scooter without getting tired (about 1 to 3 miles). Determining how far you can actually commute on a kick scooter depends on the fitness level of the person using it, and the terrain of the commute.
Technically, you can commute however far you like on a scooter, it’s just that the average person will start to feel tired after about 2 km. If you’re particularly fit, you could ride a scooter all day and not feel worn out.
The distance commuted is also affected by the terrain the scooter will have to tackle. If your commute is flat paving downhill you could probably commute very far on a scooter. However, if you had to go uphill, that distance would be greatly shortened (and you may have wished you walked).
If you normally walk your commute, then it should be no problem to start using a scooter instead. However, if you normally use another form of transport you may want to get used to using a scooter before you start commuting.
Scooters are recommended for commutes of anywhere between 1 km to 5 km. A scooter is a good way to get exercise, and avoid creating pollution. Scooters can also glide easily across pavements, making them an adaptable alternative to bikes. They’re a fast and fun way to get to work.
How long does it take to go 1 mile on a scooter?
How fast a scooter travels is generally determined by the user, but on average it takes about 6 minutes to travel 1 mile. For a slower rider, it might be 10 minutes or longer. It is possible to go quicker, if you’re particularly experienced on a scooter. This is assuming the scooter is being used over a flat surface.
Other than the skill of the user, you also have to consider the ground covered by the scooter. A mile downhill on a scooter can be done very quickly. A mile uphill will be much slower. The flat, paved, road that makes up the majority of a route for many commuters is ideal for scooters. A mile across this surface can go very quickly.
If you look at a route on an online map, it will give you an estimated walking time. To get a rough idea of how long it will take on a scooter, cut that time in half.
For a particularly long commute, it may not be feasible to use the scooter the entire way. However, use over just 1 mile can still drastically reduce the time of the commute. It takes the average person 20 minutes to walk 1 mile, compared to only 6 minutes on a scooter. A scooter can be folded away easily, so the rest of the journey can be made using public transport.
How much quicker is a scooter than walking?
On a flat surface, a scooter can go up to 5 times faster than average walking pace. When used over a long distance, a scooter is more likely to cut the commuting time in half. For regular scooter uses, you may find a journey on a scooter takes less than a third of the time that would have been spent walking.
There are a few things you can do to become faster on a scooter. The first is to practice. The better you are at riding, the less time that has to be spent on small adjustments and maneuvers. Regular practice will also teach you the most efficient way to push the scooter. Long, powerful kicks will create the best momentum, and practicing will give you the most control.
Wearing strong soled shoes can also improve your times. This allows you to get better traction when you push, and you can use more force in each kick. Finally, maintain and care for your scooter. Keep the tires inflated and make sure they’re moving cleanly.
No matter how new to scooters you are, they’ll still be a quicker alternative to walking. Roughly half the time, on average. With regular use and practice, you can only get faster. Scooters are easy to use, easy to transport, fast, and fun. Ideal for anyone who’s looking to improve their commute.
