So glad this scooter is an option! We have a 10 year old with some motor skill delays who refuses to practice riding a bike. While he's getting good enough to get around on a razor, obviously the surface types are limited. I love that he can use this scooter to master the basics of two-hand braking (more on this in the "cons"), steering and balance -- all-the-while being on a trick-ready, solidly-built scooter that holds it's own in coolness factor. I know our 12-year old will also love it once she's able to get her hands on it! Assembly was no big deal at all. I was prepared for a fight after reading some of the other reviews, but was pleasantly surprised. Perhaps some points of assembly had been addressed by the manufacturer based on feedback? Interestingly, there were no instructions at all included -- though perhaps there is a link on a website or something if it came to that. However, the photos on the box are great -- even a couple close-ups of how the braking cables attach so they proved all the references you *should* need. As a couple of notes: (1) the handlebar nut as shipped was slightly loose and just needed a half turn to keep the handlebars and front wheel in alignment. (2) pre-loosen the front brake cable at the caliper in order to easily make the connection to the hand lever. Look at how it attaches on the rear brake lever for comparison. (3) I added a zip tie to hold the front brake line close to the front fork. Doing so helped the front brake calipers "open up" on both sides when the brake is released, preventing brake pad rub. You'll see what I mean once you get into it. (4) I opted out of putting on the buddy pegs, they seemed like a ripped up leg waiting to happen. Pros: Packed really well. The box is sturdy and all components are wrapped-up nicely -- had no damage that I've found. Build quality seems strong -- I actually like the weightiness of the steel frame as compared to the aluminum razor. 12-inch, air filled tires will make this a breeze to stay caught up on walks and family bike rides even though our roads are hilly and have a rough asphalt surface. Chews up groomed, unpaved trails and greenways. Wide, sturdy deck. Adjustable handlebars rock. Cool points. Con(s): Not a huge fan of the plastic rims -- I might be tempted to find a steel wheel replacement because I feel like the plastic is significantly hampering the stopping power. Perhaps once the brake pads and wheels get roughed up a little there will be more grip? I would only dock this a half of star though because if you adjust the brakes well, they'll do a good job of at least bleeding off a good amount of speed, but not able to lock the tires into some power skids. In any event, easier to ditch than a bike if things go south fast. Read more
This is a truly great scooter - the best peadal scooter you can buy - by far! Much safer than small wheel scooters that are VERY dangerous to use outdoors. This has pneumatic tires and can be ridden off-road on grass which means it is also great on rough sidewalks. It is also very fast. I am 165 lbs., 5 ft 10 in tall and can ride no problem, it is very sturdy. Kids also love riding it. I don't understand the complaint about hurting ankles, these are rubber caps that come with it to out on the rear axles to protect you, then you just learn quickly how to pedal without striking the scooter. Brakes work well but must be carefully set up or won't work. You need to read instructions and know how to adjust brakes or watch a YouTube video. There is no other scooter in the market in this class anymore. This is the kind they had when I was a child, but even better! I'm a mechanical engineer and I seriously approve of the design. If you have a bike, get one of these too for some variety of exercise and fun! Bought to keep up with my daughter when we took off her training wheels but can still help her over curbs and getting started while on my scooter. Now all the cousins want one too and will get two more for Christmas! Read more
I got this scooter on a whim, to see how it worked. I've ridden electric ones (and bicycle and motorcycles), but never a manual scooter. Now, keep in mind, I'm over six feet tall, and 200 lbs. This little scooter had no problem carrying me! It does what it's supposed to do - you push it, and you can coast for awhile. Going downhill, you can get going plenty fast - wheee!!! Uphill is a great workout for your legs. Now, some caveats. 1. When you assemble this puppy, be sure you take your time, get the tools they advise you to use together, and buy some grease (e.g., lithium car brake grease). Do this before you start, so you don't have to hunt for anything. I spread it out over two nights, took my time, and had zero stress. Total time for me was maybe an hour. 2. The instructions are pretty complete. If you follow them and don't rush, you should be fine. Did I say don't rush? DON'T! 3. Be sure to PAY ATTENTION to the details on the brake cable hookup. This machine has a somewhat complicated "collar" that allows you to swivel the handlebars 180 degrees, and more, for fancy tricks. What that means is that the cables don't physically connect all the way from the hand-grips to the wheels. They go through a swiveling collar. It's a neat engineering trick, but it's also not finely machined. So you'll need to take your time to understand how it works, adjust it, and set it up right - so you can stop safely. 4. Having read horror stories about bicycles and other wheeled beasts shipped out of China, I pumped up the wheels to the full 40 lbs and twirled them after bolting them to the frame. And ... grind, grind, grind. Yes, just as others have noted - the wheel bearings are pretty poor, and worse, there is not nearly enough grease to help them move. So ... you will need to take apart the wheel hubs, front and rear, and SLATHER the grease in there. Put in enough that it literally squeezes out when you screw (don't tighten!) the hub nut back down on the axle. There are no instructions on how to do this. You'll have to Google something like "greasing or lubricating bicycle or scooter wheel bearings". You do this step BEFORE you bolt the wheels onto the scooter - not after, like I did. Basically, you'll need two wrenches, one to hold the nut on one side of the axle, while you unscrew the nut on the other side of the axle. You only need to unscrew one nut on each axle, maybe 1/2" to 1" along the axle - and you can then get to both bearings. Fill each side FULL of grease, then lightly tighten the nut you undid on the axle back to where it was. You don't have to tighten them down. Finger-tight, or just a bit more should be enough. The front axle is just like the rear axle. To find out if you got it right, before you bolt the wheel onto the scooter, see if it spins freely and smoothly all by itself on the axle, without any wobble. If you are afraid to take this on, just bring the wheels to a bike shop, and they can do it for you in 15 minutes or less. The only other cautions I'd offer are that if you are as big as I am, you will have to be particular about where you put your feet. You will only get part of each shoe on the floorboard. It's made for smaller folks. Also, the brakes are OK, but you don't want to depend on them to get you out of trouble. Pretend you are riding a bicycle or motorcycle, and look out well ahead of where you are going, so you don't get surprised into a quick-stop situation. Because you likely won't stop very quickly. The brakes on this scooter are not near as good as most bicycle brakes. So, take your time, be safe, and have fun!!! Read more
