When buying any piece of athletic or sports equipment, one of the most important details is the size of the equipment in question. Ill-fitting sports and athletic gear isn’t just uncomfortable and difficult to use, but potentially unsafe. This is one thing when you buy yourself a bat or a bike that doesn’t fit perfectly, but when you’re buying something for your children, you really want it to be set up perfectly.
You purchased a kick scooter for your son, daughter, niece or nephew, and now you want to make sure it is set up in a way that is safe and comfortable. When setting up any kick scooter, the answer is simple.
Perfect Handlebar Height
First, the handlebars should sit somewhere between the hips and waist of the rider, when they are standing on the deck. Exactly where depends on the preferences of the rider. The key is the rider should not be stooped all the way forward over the handlebars, nor should the handlebars be too high.
The details to which you should pay attention are as follows. First, make sure it’s not too high because in the event of a quick stop, the rider could collide with the handlebars with their face or chest. Second, if the handlebars are too low, the rider will have to lean so far forward that in addition to discomfort the rider will run the risk of falling forward over the handlebars in the event of a quick stop.
Your best bet is to start by purchasing a safe, adjustable kids kick scooter. The GOMO Kids Scooter is a happy medium for children ages two to five, as in addition to having a reinforced deck that can bear the weight of children within that age bracket, it has a widely adjustable handlebar rack, allowing it to move up and down to the exact height to which you want it set. With its sturdy hand grips, the GOMO Kids Scooter won’t make the rider feel the need to hug the handlebars to their body, because they will feel in control.
Handlebar Width
Height isn’t the only detail you should take into account when sizing a kick scooter for a child. The handlebar width (and age-specific scooters really shine here) is equally important. The handlebars should be roughly shoulder width. Much wider than that and they run the risk of needing to move one’s body to turn the handlebars. Doing this could throw the rider off balance and risk toppling the scooter altogether.
As long as you are making sure the scooter is sized correctly, be sure to check the weight tolerances for the scooter. Often scooters are marketed to specific age brackets, but the primary reason for this is they assume a certain size. Just as how adult kick scooters often assume adults weigh no more than 200 lbs, meaning larger adults need to get specially reinforced kick scooters, kids kick scooters are built within tolerances of the expected sizes and weights of kids within the stated age brackets. If you have a larger child or a smaller child relative to their age group, make sure you read the fine print in the kick scooter’s user manual so you’ll know it will safely accommodate your child’s mass. Zipping down a hill at speed is no time to discover that one’s scooter isn’t built to handle one’s mass.
Scooter Recommendations for Kids
1. Arcade Defender Pro Scooter
The Arcade Defender Pro Scooter is the ideal height for pro scooter riding. At 32.5" tall, the short, fixed-height bar is meant to assist in trick performance .
2. Cityglide C200 Commuter Scooter
The Cityglide C200 Scooter is a popular commuter scooter. It features a height-adjustable bar from 32" to 41" tall for a custom fit.
3. GOMO 3-Wheel Scooter
The GOMO 3-Wheel Scooter is built for kids ages 2 to 5 years old, with a max weight capacity of 110 pounds. The adjustable T-bar allows for a height of 26” – 31.5” tall.