Why do I ride a scooter?

 

I've posted about my scooter rides. I got my Xootr kick-scooter for Christmas and have been riding it as often as I can. It provides a legit workout and gives me a chance to experience the joy of outdoor motion and exploration that I so often crave.



I wanted something that I could put in the trunk of my Miata, drive places and go! Generally, there are 4 choices of common “locomotion” that I could transport via my car: bikes, skates, skateboards and scooters. These allow you to cover the “last mile”. Drive your car to a location, park, explore an area, get back to where you parked. I’ll go over what I think the benefits and drawbacks are of each of these alternatives.

Bikes: Although I LOVE riding bikes, a bike takes too much time to load and prep and I can’t carry one on my Miata. On our other car, I’d need to install a bike rack each time. Tires can go flat. Brakes and gear shifters need maintenance, lots of moving parts. I love to ride bikes and they certainly deserve consideration and serve their purpose, but they’re not nimble enough for my needs. Bikes can ride over rough pavement, even dirt and have mechanical advantages that will let you go a lot farther than skates, skateboards or scooters. Although a long ride can leave you saddle sore. Bike are a lot less nimble compared to scooters: you can't easily or safely ride on sidewalks shared by pedestrians.

Skates: I used to inline skate a LOT. I was even a sponsored inline speed skater long ago in another life (did you know that about me?). There are a few drawbacks to skates though. For one, you have to “wear” them. You can’t easily go into a store or get on busses and trains. Getting in and out of your car to go to a new place is a hassle. You can’t hop off if things get dicey. Most have heel brakes though, so that’s a plus.

Skateboards: I love skateboarding, but it requires more commitment for a beginner to learn how to ride. Even if you know how to skateboard, learning how to push with your alternate foot (pushing switch) takes a lot of practice. I’m a decent skateboarder, but am still struggling to learn to push “switch”. If you can’t push switch, one of your legs is going to get more tired than the other. No brakes: Get going too fast (down a steep hill) and you could be in trouble. Smallish wheels that sometimes get snagged on road debris. Certainly a close 2nd.


Handbrake on the Xootr

Scooters: This is my choice for this article. They have brakes which allow you to scrub off speed or quickly stop. Most use a rear fender brake. Some even have handlebar brake levers just like a bike. Scooters have bigger wheels than a skateboard and skates, better to go over cracks and debris on the pavement. A handlebar speeds the learning curve. It’s much easier to learn how to switch feet to push. A scooter can pretty much go anywhere a skateboard or skates can go. Like skateboards and skates, you can’t go off-road on dirt and they’re not very comfortable on really rough pavement. (Update, actually, I have a new scooter that is quite comfortable on rough pavement and dirt roads.) Another advantage: on a recent scoot, I stopped by a grocery store. I folded up my scooter, and went in, you could do the same with a skateboard. With skates you'd have to take them off and walk around barefoot and with a bike, you'd need to lock it up. Scooters are quick and nimble this way. Although it varies depending on location, I found that scooters are allowed on sidewalks, an advantage over bicycles, which often are not.



In December, 2013 we got our first scooters: the Razor A5 Lux. Rattly, inexpensively made and mass produced, but they lasted over 7 years and still counting. If you’re on a budget, I’d recommend these.


Since I intended to spend more time scootering, I searched online to find the best kick scooter available. After spending HOURS researching, many reviews and testimonials led me to the Xootr Mg. A bit pricey for a scooter, but WORTH IT!


The scooter fits in the trunk of my car, a Miata, no bike rack needed! A helmet and a few scootering gadgets (I'll write about them in future posts) and I'm good to go! A quick, nimble and easy way to get outside, explore and get a nice workout. 

Scootering family in San Diego

Bikes are an excellent form of transportation. Generally they can be faster and go farther than scooters. But ...


If a bike and scooter arrive at a store at the same time ...


Bike

  1. Locate a safe place to lock the bike
  2. Take off your backpack, get out the lock
  3. Lock your bike
  4. Put your backpack on
  5. Walk into the store


Scooter

  1. Fold up the scooter
  2. Walk into the store


Leaving the store:


Bike

  1. Unlock the bike
  2. Take off your backpack
  3. Put the lock away
  4. Put your backpack on
  5. Ride away


Scooter

  1. Unfold the scooter
  2. Ride away






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