Micro Scooter Hardware Terminology
Because there are so many parts that build up a scooter it can sometimes be confusing to know the official names of each item and what does what. Hopefully this guide will give you an insight into the push scooter world.
Axle Spacers
These small cylindrical washers are found on the back axle of a Scooter. They fill the space between the inside of the deck and the wheel/bearings. Without these your wheels would have far too much movement along the back axle and make your scooter unusable. This tiny part is often missed off peoples shopping lists when building custom scooters by mistake. You can now buy separate spacers for the different wheels available now such as 12 standard and eagle supply Radix wheels as they are up too 30mm wide instead of the standard 24mm wide.Bars
These come in many shapes and sizes and are like the handle bars found on a bike or BMX. Depending on the model of scooter these could be fixed or adjustable in height. Most fixed bars come in a range of sizes of heights and widths and most can be cut down to any size depending an the construction. There are many different styles of bars available on the market so you will often see the names vary, ie T Bars, Y Bars etc. This indicates the rough outline of the bars.Bar Ends
Bar ends fit inside the end of your handle bars and on the end of your handle grips. These help protect your bars when your scooter hits the ground. It also prevents your grips from getting scuffed up and damaged. Most bar ends are constructed for Steel bars. We are now seeing newly designed alloy bar sized bar ends which fit perfectly and making your life 10x easier not having to cut your bar ends down.Bolt Kit
A bolt kit is required to fix a folding JD Bug or Razor scooter in the upright position. It is recommended to do this if the scooter is being used for jumping or tricks as it strengthens the front of the scooter and helps to eliminate some of the movement that you get as standard from the folding mechanism.Brake
The brake sits above the back wheel and is used for slowing down your scooter. It is more advisable to foot brake when travelling at speed as applying the brake heavily or often will result in wheels becoming degraded and possibly getting flat spots on the urethane. Most people riding trick scooters have the brake on the scooter to act as more of a wheel guard than as a means of stopping.
Compression Kit
A compression kit is used on a scooter to connect threadless forks to your handle bars. There are different types of compression system available so make sure you use the correct method for your scooter.
Cheddie/Foot Fender
A Ched is basically a substitute for a brake that does not allow your foot to get caught in your wheel, some people prefer to ride brakeless and these give you that brakeless feel without ruining those fresh riding trainers.
Deck/Footplate
The deck is central item of a scooter where you stand. These come in many different shapes, sizes and styles. Most freestyle scooter decks have an integrated head section which is welded onto the deck.Double Clamp
A double clamp is a two bolted system which wraps around the bottom of your bars, by tightening the bolts on the clamp each one a turn at a time the clamp tightens around the bar and top of the forks to keep the bars in place on the scooter. Most double clamps now come with 6mm bolts and are great value for money.Flex Fender
This is a form of springless brake system for a micro scooter. The advantage of this type of brake is the reduced noise and wearing parts as there is no spring to rattle around. This results in a much quieter and smoother ride whilst performing tricks.Forks
The forks are fed through the head section of a scooter, through the headsection and into the base of the bars. The front wheel is attached to the base of the forks with a front axle bolt and can turn 360 degrees for whip and barspin tricks. Forks come in a few options, HIC, IHC, SCS to fit the corresponding compression system and also some forks are Threaded.Front/Head Section
The front section of a scooter is the part which connects the deck to the forks/headset/bars. Depending on the model of scooter the front section maybe integrated onto the deck. This would be referred to as a one piece deck where the headsection is welded on. On folding scooters such as the JD Bug Pro Street the head section is a separate part. This is less strong than a one piece option but can be bolted in the upright position to add strength.Front and Rear Axles
The front and rear axles are the thin bolts that screw through the middle of your wheel bearings and wheels and keep the wheels attached to your deck and forks. We are now seeing more brands using 6mm bolted high tensile axles to keep your axles from snapping.
Grip Tape
The grip tape is the sand paper like material which is fitted to the deck of your scooter to provide grip whilst riding. Extra course griptape is available if you want your feet to be even more plated to your deck. It comes in many shapes and lengths and can be cut down to fit any scooter. The grip tape is sticky backed so you just peel off the back and fit it onto the deck. Do not fit new grip tape to a damp deck or over old grip as it will not stick.Handle Bar Grips
The handle grips attach to both ends of the handle bars and give a firm, and grippy hold to the scooter. Most handle grips will fit most scooters, they are available as foam and rubber options with the later being more durable. Some handle bar grips also come with separate end caps which go inside the end of the bars to protect the grips when the scooter is dropped. Some skate parts require grips with bar ends to protect the ramps.Headset Bearings
These are what makes up a standard headset on most entry level/intermediate scooters such as the JD Bugs, Razor Ultra Pros, Madd Teams and more! Unfortunately they are normally the cheapest part on most complete scooters and like all moving parts will require regular maintenance or replacements. For such a small part they do most the work on your scooter.HIC
Hidden internal compression is where a starnut is placed into the top of fork. A HIC shim is then placed over the fork, a top cap then sits on top of the shim where a bolt is then fed through and tightened down. Most HIC Compatible forks now come with an integrated starnut.Inverted Compression
This form of compression involves a starnut that is fitted into the inside of your handle bars, a long threaded nut is then fed upwards through the base of your forks, through your headset and into the star nut. Once fully tightened this gives you a really secure and direct ride for your scooter.Metal Core Wheels
Alloy wheels refer the the inside material used for the "hub" of your wheel. Metal core wheels are much stronger than standard plastic wheels and are designed for maximum performance on trick scooters and in skate parks. If you often bust plastic wheels or pop spokes we would advise these as a much stronger option. These are available in 100mm, 110mm, 120mm and 125mm and also come in a few widths now.Plastic Core Wheels
Plastic wheels are the standard for most entry level scooters. Although the outer PU is to the same standard as the metal wheels the insides are much weaker. If you are doing tricks on your scooter we recommend upgrading to metal core wheels. These are available in 100mm and 110mm.Quad Clamp
A quad clamp is a four bolted system which wraps around the bottom of your bars, by tightening the bolts on the clamp each one a turn at a time the clamp tightens around the bar and top of the forks to keep the bars in place on the scooter. Because the clamp is bigger and contains more bolts than smaller single and double clamps you can get an even tighter grip around the bars.
