9 Best Scooters for Kids and Adults

The “kick scooter” has been around for close to a hundred years now, starting as a homemade adaptation of roller-skate wheels to a wooden frame, deviating in the Eighties to complex tube-frame devices using BMX technology, and then settling on the “Razor scooter” pattern that kids know and love today. Along the way it’s found a place in the lives of everyone from urban commuters to off-road stunt riders. Today’s scooters come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and capabilities. We’ve examined the options to come up with the best choices for scooter-loving kids of all ages.

Best Scooters for Kids and Adults

Choosing a Wheel Size

The first decision you’ll want to make is wheel size. Until recently, most scooters used a urethane wheel on ball bearings with a 100mm diameter. These wheels are cheap to replace, hard to damage, and available in a variety of materials to suit different terrain. The vast majority of “pro” scooters used at skateparks and in trick competition still use this size.

In the past few years, however, some scooter manufacturers have experimented with larger wheels. The benefits are easy to see: They roll faster, they’re less sensitive to cracks in the sidewalk and other terrain issues, and they can offer increased ground clearance which in turn makes the scooter less likely to scrape or grind during a turn. In particular, the 200mm wheel size can make for a very pleasant ride. The downsides: It’s not as easy to get replacement or upgraded wheels, and the folding models won’t be as easy to stash in a car or office.

To Fold or Not to Fold

Which brings us to the next question: Do you want a folding scooter? Chances are that you do. A non-folding scooter can be surprisingly bulky and won’t always be a good fit in a vehicle or even in a bedroom. The most common folding mechanisms are durable and time-proven, even for mild trick riding. And having a folding scooter means you’re more likely to take it with you, which means you’ll be more likely to use and enjoy it.

Riders who expect to “go big” at a skatepark or when doing street tricks, however, will want a scooter with a solid frame and a non-collapsing handlebar. They’re stronger, lighter, and less likely to crack under the pressure of enthusiast use.

Not all the Upgrades are Worthwhile

Your child might want a pro-level scooter like the ones they’ve seen on YouTube or at a skatepark, but be aware that many of the “custom builds” require regular and thoughtful maintenance in order to work correctly. Some scooters with a high-strength steel frame or handlebar can also be subject to rust inside their tubing that won’t be readily apparent but can still result in a failure. Don’t have a custom scooter built, and don’t choose a “pro shop” option, unless you really know how to maintain and repair it.

How We Selected

I’ve been racing on two wheels for 35 years now, and have worked in the bike business off and on since 1986. During that time, I’ve learned more than anyone would ever want to know about multiple generations of cycling technology. For this scooter test, I enlisted my son, who is a USABMX racer and downhill mountain biker, to ride a variety of different scooters. Over the course of a year, he and his friends rode (and broke) multiple scooters in every situation from heavy street riding to light skatepark use. In the course of this effort, I disassembled and examined multiple scooters to evaluate build quality, methods of construction, and various technologies for wheels and headsets. We then took this information and used it to evaluate both the scooters he tested and substantially similar items from the same manufacturers.