Even the best kick scooters for kids and adults will, over time and heavy use, end up needing replacement wheels. The purpose of this guide is to explain how to choose replacement wheels from the many options available. Keep reading to find out more.
It is important to know where to get the correct, authorised replacement parts for your scooter so the ride becomes even more enjoyable. The links on this page will lead you to the best deals available.
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This guide wil help you when it comes time to choosing your replacement kick scooter wheels helping you to be up to date with all the subtle yet important details like bearing types, wheel types, colors, manufacturer, usage types etc.
When you need to actually fit your new wheels, go ahead and check out the other handy guide in our Scooter Maintenance series "How To Replace Kick Scooter Wheels and Bearings".
Types of wheels
Scooter wheels are one of the most important parts of the setup of your scooter particularly if your kid does loads of stunts and tricks. Some top options to consider include the Flashrider 360. Proto Gripper, Slamm nylon and V2 black core wheels. These replacement wheels are designed to fit most scooters with 98 mm wheels.
- Flashrider 360 replacement wheels- Built with dual inclined caster wheels, Flashrider 360 wheels offer the ultimate spinning action for the real street action. They come with compatible RipRider 360 which gives them long-life on the road.
- Proto Gripper wheel 2-pack- Available in many different colors, the core material of this wheel is aluminum (something that makes it quite durable). The wheel diameter is 110mm which is big enough for faster rides.
- Slamm nylon core 100mm wheel complete- These types of wheels come with rubber with high rebound for better grip control on a 12-spoke nylon core.
- Eagle V2 black core wheels complete- These are hand-made wheels suitable as replacement kick scooter wheels for all round usage. Their solid core makes them last longer.
Types of Bearings
There are basically two types of bearings which include sealed and shielded. Shielded bearings make it hard for dirt and grime to get in whilst sealed bearings offers superior protection against so many of the hazards on the roads and sidewalks. Furthermore, there are three kinds of shielded bearings including two shields, two pop-out caps, one metal shield and one pop.
Sealed bearings have a rubber or Teflon lip seal making them impervious to dust or water. They last a very long time without any maintenance at all.
Different ABEC specifications of bearings
Bearings are categorized according to the industry accepted ABEC-specifications.
ABEC describes how good bearings are at transferring the force applied to them
There are no required materials to meet the ABEC specifications so the bearings just have to be made to a certain precision. On the other hand, higher ABEC are the best because they provide greater speed capabilities, better precision and efficiency.
The table below shows the maximum eccentricity allowed:
- ABEC 1 – 0.0075mm – 0.000295inch
- ABEC 3 – 0.0050mm – 0.000197inch
- ABEC 5 – 0.0035mm – 0.000138inch
- ABEC 7 – 0.0025mm – 0.000098inch
- ABEC 9 – 0.0012mm – 0.000047inch
In general, the higher the ABEC classification, the smaller the deviation on bearings and therefore the wheel is transferred more power, meaning a faster and smoother ride.
Different kick scooter uses and appropriate types of wheels
In densely populated areas, kick scooters are practically the best alternative to walking. And since the speed can easily be controlled one does not have to worry about hitting pedestrians.
With the right kind of wheels you can even slide through off road or mountain terrain without much hassle, just like when using a mountain bike.
In general the bigger the diameter of the wheels the faster it can cruise. However, wheels with huge diameters (e.g110mm) tend to be less maneuverable than shorter wheels.
Smaller wheels are best used for performing stunts
Smaller scooter wheels also don’t wear out so quickly although this is counter intuitive, they last longer because they are generally made of tougher material for stunts.
For outdoor use, softer wheels are the best because of their capability to absorb shock. The trade-off with these wheels however is that they tend to wear out fast. Harder wheels are best used indoors because they have less drag.
Available colors
It’s common to find scooters with black wheels and silver frame but that is not the only color combination available. Some scooters shine with metallic paint while others are painted in matte colors.
Whether you are looking for scooters wheels in multiple colors or for single colored only, there is just as many combinations available as with scooter frames. In fact, your own personal taste is probaby going to be the decider because whatever your color preferences, there are so many colors available.
To summarize, replacement wheels come in different many, many different colors ranging from: clear, black, white, purple, pink to blue and green. Both Nylon rims and Aluminum Alloy rims, either spoked or solid may also vary in color.
Manufacturers
There are different scooter wheel manufacturers to choose from. However, if you are using a standard Razor kick scooter I would recommend you get replacement wheels and other parts from them (Razor Manufacturer). Other than Razor, spare parts can be found by MicroKickboard, JD Bug or YAK and several others.
Bottom Line
Sometimes, it is the little things we do that transform a tired scooter into a supersonic, super-exciting device. Changing your wheels might well be enough to bring your ride back to tup-top condition.
Shop Replacement Scooter Wheels
We hope that these tips on how to choose the right kick scooter wheels provide you with enough information to make an informed choice!