Best Scooter for Teenagers
Great scooters come in all forms. There are different-sized scooters and manual and electric scooters. All these different types of scooters for teenagers, children, and young adult riders are designed differently, and each comes with varying purposes in mind.
Some scooters have strengths in being compact, comfortable to ride, and able to travel long distances efficiently powered by electric motors. Other scooters are simple kick scooters that allow for learning tricks and stunts. These may have a lot of durability and different design features to allow for different types of tricks, but they would be impractical to kick around for several miles every day.
So which model will be one of the best scooters for teenagers? We’ll make it easy! To answer this, we have compiled a list of potential uses your teenager might have for a scooter and the best features and indicators of quality to keep an eye out for in each category. It’s a good idea to verify with your teenager before you start researching, do they need a scooter or bike to provide a means of transportation, to start performing stunts, or just to have fun? What are the pros and cons of each? Answering the question of what is the intended purpose of the scooter is the first step to finding the best scooter for teenagers you happen to be buying for.
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The Best Scooter is Practical
The scooter that meets the needs of your teenager is the best scooter, of course. Some teenagers just want something they can coast around on, and some want the best electric scooter that will take them across town with ease and be put away neatly with a great folding mechanism. These two purposes require exceedingly different (and nearly opposite) designs of scooters for teenagers and kids to be able to use them practically. You can find a scooter that is one of the best scooters in its category for either of these purposes.
The Right Scooter for Teenager Heights
To scoot around and manually push the scooter, you will need a tall enough scooter for your teenager. Riding an electric scooter for teenage riders that is too short or too tall can be problematic as well. Having a scooter that a teenager has to bend down to touch the handlebars will potentially cause back issues over time. Find your teenagers one that is made the best height for them. You may measure them from their feet to their arms (held out straight) to get an idea. Most high-quality scooters that you find online will have dimensions. These dimensions are meant to help you find one that works best for the rider’s height.
Manual or Electric Scooter Wheel Size
The wheels are an important component of the scooter as well. There are different kinds of wheels for diverse terrain and different purposes for the scooter. Find out what terrain your teenager will be looking to ride on to guess your proper wheel type best. The pneumatic tires or wheel style is filled with air to go over all kinds of terrain but is heavy and bulky in comparison to the non-pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires or wheels also tend to be a bit pricier (often 10-inch or so). Solid tires or wheels are best on smooth surfaces such as smooth sidewalks, roadways, and driveways. There are pros and cons to solid types of front or rear wheels. Sometimes, the front tires and the rear may even be a different type from one another. These wheels make for a more rough ride than that of the pneumatic design but are very popular due to weight, size, and cost.
Basic Kick Scooters
The most inexpensive scooter option you’ll probably find is a basic kick scooter. A kick scooter is typically the folding type and has either a brake controlled at the handlebars or (most commonly), an aluminum mudguard brake located at the back, just above the rear wheel. A kick scooter is very simple to operate, and learning how to ride it takes almost no time. There are pros and cons to this kind of scooter, as the simplicity makes them easy to use, but they are not the top practical tool for use outside of pure sport. For teenagers and kids who are looking for a fun, basic hobby but don’t need the best stunt scooter, a basic kick scooter comes as an affordable option, and there are many high-quality varieties to choose from.
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Folding Mechanism Electric Scooters
If they are planning to ride the scooter to work or something similar, they will probably want a frame-folding mechanism electric scooter. These are scooters that actually fold onto themselves, and they are similar to a basic kick scooter when it comes to riding them around or learning how to maneuver them. The frame-folding mechanism is simple in design and features, as opposed to larger, moped-like scooters, meaning they can be ridden just as easily on sidewalks or paths as on roads and streets. A good example of one of the best types of frame-fold anti-lock electric scooters like these is the Razor e300 or the Super Turbo Elite 36v (the Razor e300 commonly appears in electric scooter share programs, and has a comfortable easy-to-ride deck).
Scooters that are Ideal for Commuting
These scooters are made for people in busy areas for commuting, and they are perfect for teenagers and kids to get around with. One of the significant advantages of an electric scooter like this is that you won’t get caught in the traffic, making getting to work or high school in the city take so long for most people! One of the top features of these is that one of these small Razor anti-lock electric scooters often comes with handles on the frame or deck that make them easy to carry into buildings, and they are usually small enough to fit under a desk for storage while at work.
Simple Electric Scooter How-To
Here’s how they work: Usually, your scooter has a little twist-grip accelerator on the handlebar. As you kick and push your scooter to gain speed, you gently turn the twist grip to release power from the motor and gradually pick up speed until you can ride freely. Your brake may also be on the handlebar (with a lever you squeeze) or on the rear wheel (under an aluminum mudguard, you push down with your foot). There are pros and cons to the different types of brakes or batteries your scooter comes with.
Small and Lightweight
This type of scooter is typically lightweight, easy to use, easy for a teenager to carry, and is motorized by a small electric motor. The battery is on board and its long-lasting will depend on the brand and model. Having a high quality, light electric scooter is practical and smart, because in case you run out of battery along the way and need to push it, or you need to carry your scooter over areas of terrain that it cannot travel, you don’t want to have to lug something super heavy.
Top Speed of the Best Electric Scooter
Having a great electric scooter doesn’t necessarily mean you need to have the fastest one. The top level of speed you find in a scooter can be a trade-off with other features. Suppose your electric scooter doesn’t go extremely fast. In that case, you may find your teenager running it at top speed all the time and wearing it out, so if the scooter for teenager use is going to be traveling far distances frequently (and you know your teenager tends to be running a bit behind schedule some days), you’ll want to make sure your scooter has enough high speed to be practical and long-lasting (but not so much as to be dangerous). Most electric scooters have a good, safe range of speed that still gets you where you’re going pretty quickly (usually around 15 mph is ideal).
Additional Features
Perhaps your teenager is planning to ride around after dark (maybe while coming back from work, or after a long day of high school and tutoring. We know your teenagers are out there being every bit as good and responsible as ours!). If night riding becomes a habit, having an led headlight on the scooter will be essential for safety. Some of the best scooters (particularly the best electric scooters) out there actually have a light. If your scooter comes with a light, try it out to see how powerful it is, or check out customer reviews about it. If your scooter for teenager use doesn’t have one of these features, or if it is not strong and runs on the same battery as the motor, you may want to purchase a light separately for the scooter. There are pros and cons to sticking with the basic lights that come with some scooters versus getting a different one.
Having a lock for the scooter can also be a big priority, especially if teenagers or kids cannot keep it with them at every point throughout the day. Theft is a serious issue, especially in urban areas that rely on transportation other than cars and vehicles. A scooter is a great way to get around town; you’ll want to protect yours from theft. Having a good quality electric scooter is essential too, especially if you plan to travel far for a long time (usually at around 15 mph is reasonable, such as a folding Razor). A several-year-old scooter should remain in good condition and have a long-lasting, strong battery, among other great features.
Trick or Stunt Scooters
Does your teenager like to do tricks and stunts on a scooter or skateboard? Stunt riding has grown in popularity over recent years, and owning a stunt scooter means you need to know your scooters. Making sure you get the best size, quality, and model (among other features) of the scooter for tricks and stunts requires looking at a few specific scooter features in greater detail. This will affect the level of performance and skill you can achieve on your aluminum scooter, to some extent. These will likely not run on battery power, as stunts can risk damaging a battery. The first thing you should do is put together a list of must-haves that you need to get.
Finding a Durable Scooter Model
You need something that is strong and sturdy, as you do not want to come down and snap it in half. There are different entry levels with this style of scooter. Riding a stunt scooter involves a very different level of intensity in the activity you’re doing, and your scooter and its deck need to be able to handle the bumps, jumps and falls as easily as you do. An aluminum stunt scooter is designed to provide high stability and sturdiness as you ride and complete these stunts, not breaking easily at the deck or becoming loosened like many cheaper models tend to be. Some models might even be frame-folding.
Wheels, Weight, and Suspension
The weight, wheels, and suspension all are important components in purchasing a trick scooter as well. The size of your wheels makes a significant difference in how maneuverable your scooter is, and big wheels tend to get in the way, making it harder to perform many of the tricks teenagers and kids aim to achieve. The weight of your scooter matters too since a heavy scooter with a big, awkward aluminum deck and the battery will be harder to handle as easy (but you don’t want a scooter that is too lightweight and flimsy either). Suspension is important since you will likely find small, hard wheels on this scooter. Suspension can make the ride more comfortable for a teenager and compensate for the high impact on ride quality caused by the size of the wheels it comes with.
Make sure you check the weight capacity of your aluminum scooter deck, meaning how much weight the scooter frame and deck can bear. You should avoid exceeding the weight limit, as damage from going too high over the weight capacity can void warranties offered with the scooter (most require that you stay within the recommended weight guidelines).
Good Quality Brakes
Having good brakes on your scooter comes with is essential to some degree. With stunt scooters, you are less likely to have the danger of being in an accident on the roads or streets. However, there are pros and cons to different brake styles for how any scooter comes. Being able to stop or control your scooter’s speed can affect your teenager’s ability to perform stunts easily on the scooter. Rear brakes, located at the back of the deck, are a common type of brake that comes with this type of scooter, but the level of quality, even for rear brakes like this, can vary widely.
Style of Scooter and Handle Bars
There are a few other things to consider, such as the bars of the scooter. A scooter with “T” bars instead of “Y” bars is easy to use and easier for teens to learn on. Once your teenager has mastered the “T, ” they could move up to a more challenging handlebar configuration. Many scooters like these have a strong aluminum alloy frame and aluminum deck that will last for a long time and holds up under a lot of pressure and rough use (the aluminum deck needs to be strong enough for you to jump off of and onto repeatedly). Your teenager may be interested in progressing to more challenging handlebars on their scooter. Still, they can also learn the same stunts and tricks with basic bars, not being required to advance and get a different configuration.
Scooters typically have a Higher Price.
Trick scooters come with a higher price tag, but your teenager will get way better quality with this type of scooter. Scooters like these are made to take a bit of a beating. However, keep in mind that just because a scooter is costly doesn’t mean it is the best one for you. Take a close look at the features of the scooter if you are considering a trick scooter for your teen, and ensure that it comes with the characteristics and level of quality your teenager is seeking before you buy it.
Are There Other Scooters?
Various other scooter options not previously listed are out there, such as a moped type of scooter, mobility scooters you can sit on, or even 3 wheel scooters. Some scooters have a 3 wheel design that changes how riders balance on the scooter. Electric scooters or gasoline-powered scooters that you can ride and sit on are also an option and are usually designed strictly for use on the roads and streets. Although these options exist, they tend to either be less common for teenager use, or they are less ideal due to their similarity to a regular vehicle. Owning a moped has pros and cons, and it can require teens to have a license and can cost a lot more money (there will be a cost for insurance, and if the vehicle is gas-powered, your teens will also deal with the expense of gas).
Ready to Find the Perfect Scooter?
If you need a detailed buying guide that lists the pros and cons for determining the ideal scooter for you or your teens when looking at a few of the best scooter brand and model options, we have resources and insights for you! When finding the best scooter for your teenager, ask them what they will do on the scooter and look at the options you have for scooters with the proper features for your intended purposes. These questions are good to investigate whether you are looking for a scooter for teenager, child, or adult use. If you want some additional guidance or pros and cons on finding the best electric scooters for teenagers and kids, we are here to help you!
At Scooter McGoo, we offer some of the best scooter brands and models available, and while you’re shopping for the best scooters, you have a host of insights and tips at your fingertips for how to determine the right style of scooter for you or your teens, how to ride properly, and even all the ways scooters can benefit you. If you have any inquiries about the best scooter for teenagers, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
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