Hi all
I am seeking a two-wheeled folding scooter for my ten-year-old niece. There are numerous options available online, but I am still undecided which one to purchase. I am seeking a sturdy scooter that will withstand regular use and has a reasonable lifespan. My budget is between $100 and $160.
If anyone has come across a reliable scooter that meets these criteria, I would be grateful for their recommendations.
Cheers mate Any links to those ones please ?
https://www.microscooters.com.au/collections/scooter-for-tee… - these are fine. We have a couple of them (hand me downs from older cousins), and they've been kicking along for a few years.
I actually picked up https://crazyskates.com.au/products/sydney-city-series-commu… (off gumtree) to ride around with the kids, and it too is fine
I've had the Classic for a few years (so I could keep up with the kids through their scooter and early bike phases). It's pretty good. Handy that it folds up so you can put it in the boot or take it in a shop / bus etc. It's stable and the bigger diameter wheels help protect againt stacking when you hit a stone, twig or uneven paving slab. There isn't much clearance under the footplate though.
But for the price I expected a bit better - the front wheel always wants to twist about 10-15 degrees out of alignment with the handlebars, the front mudguard doesn't fit properly (looks like they might have changed it on that link), and I lost a couple of bolts - one didn't seem so critical, but the other was one of the large press button screws (the opposite side of the blue one visible in the picture) for folding the scooter. Without it the scooter wouldn't 'lock' open properly. You can order replacements from Micro Scooters website, but I think the two pieces cost $15, then $10 for postage.
They also need a bit of maitenance - I was never really hard on mine, nor took it in dirt, grit or sand, yet I had a few issues with the spring-loaded 'tubing lock' pins not springing back out.
For comparison, my wife has a $50 Aldi one. It's pretty good until you try it side-by-side with the Micro Scooter which just feels more stable and has better geometry. The Aldi one has never had any problems though.
You might look up ones with pneumatic tyres for a quieter, comfier ride (these MicroScooters rattle like crazy and the foam grips do little to reduce the vibrations to your wrists). You can get bigger wheels and dual brakes - this is just an example (Note: that example doesn't fold, and has only one brake)
Whoops, I forgot the OP was enquiring for a ten-year old.
Those Razors from Kmart & Big W are alright, aren't they?
Nope, they fall apart very quickly. My son has been through two of them and I would never buy them again
Why folding? Generally lower quality than non folding. Razors are nasty quality
Quality and folding dont really go together.
Micro Scooters are good, my kids have held up for a few years