Do Tricks on a Scooter

A scooter is a wheeled vehicle with a deck, handlebars, and two wheels. Some have low CC motors, but most are powered with by kicking and pushing, much like a skateboard. Riding a scooter is easy and fun, and you can take your skills to the next level by learning basic tricks. Start with a jump, then learn more intricate tricks for the skate park or the street.

Steps

Learning the Basic Jump

1. Start with a basic jump. Jumping on a scooter is a little easier than jumping on a skateboard or snowboard because you have handlebars to help you pull the scooter up. Still, you'll want to know the basic jump backwards and forwards, because it's the basis for other tricks. This trick is also called a bunny hop due to its simplicity.
2. Position your feet. The stance is very important when performing a jump because you need solid footing to push off of the ground. Your back foot will become your kicking foot, and your front foot will hold your weight. Which leg you choose depends on your own comfort and stability.
   • Put your non-dominant foot on the front of the deck, facing straight towards the handlebars. This foot is your supporting leg and holds the majority of your weight.
   • Your back leg is your pushing leg. When you're not using your back foot to push off, rest it on the deck next to your front foot or a bit behind it, facing out at a 45-degree angle.
3. Push off. Get a little bit of speed by pushing yourself forward with your back foot. Having some speed while learning the basic jump is important, because the more momentum you build going forward, the more you'll be able to translate that momentum into height.
4. Bring your kicking foot back to the deck. Place it beside your front foot or behind it. This will depend on how long your deck is, or which version feels more comfortable. Make sure that your stance is stable and that you are still moving at a moderate pace.
5. Crouch down. Continue to hold the handlebars while bending at the knee. The lower you get to the ground, the more upward “springing” action you'll get when you jump up. Maintain your stable footing with your front foot facing forward and your back foot next to it or just behind.
6. Jump upward. Kick upwards with both feet, jumping as high as you can. Continue to hold onto the handlebars, and make sure that they're still facing forward. Keep your feet in their same positions, and don't move them.
7. Pull the handlebars up as you jump. If you're already maintaining a good grip on the handlebars, the scooter should come up off the ground as the rest of your body does. Keep holding them tight and pull the bars up as you launch into the air.
   • To get more height, pull the handlebars up further and draw in your knees. This extra momentum will help you get a little more air and clear obstacles.
8. Land. Let gravity pull you back down to the ground. Keep your feet in their places on the deck, then bend your knees as you hit the ground to absorb the shock of the landing. Continue riding forward, and adjust your handlebars if you accidentally moved them during the jump.

Learning the Tailwhip

1. Position your feet on the deck. Again, place your front foot on the front of the deck and rest your back foot slightly behind your front foot. Make sure your stance is solid and you feel well balanced.
2. Get some speed. Push off with your back foot and get moving at a comfortable pace. Stay relaxed and make sure that you're heading straight forward. The more speed you build up now, the faster and more impressive looking your tailwhip will be.
3. Perform a jump. Do the simple jump trick by crouching down, jumping up and pulling the scooter behind you. You'll need plenty of air time to perform the tail whip, so make sure you jump as high as you can.
4. Kick the tail of the scooter. With your back foot, kick the tail of the scooter out, either right or left. The direction doesn't matter, choose what is most comfortable to you. Since the scooter deck is attached to a pivot point (the handlebars), it will move away from you on a circular path.
5. Move the handlebars. Once you're airborne and you've kicked the tail to start the circle, you'll need to make sure the deck returns under your feet so that you can land. Momentum will do most of the work, and the deck will continue to rotate back to you, but you'll need to help it out by moving the handlebars. Push them in a circular motion, moving in the same direction that the board is moving in.
6. Regain your stance. The deck will continue turning, so you need to catch it with your feet. When the deck returns to its original position, catch it with your front and back foot. Return to your original stance, with front foot facing forward and back foot just behind it.
7. Land. Stay relaxed as you fall to the ground, and make sure your stance is solid. As you connect with the pavement, let your knees buckle a bit to absorb the shock. Straighten up your handlebars a bit if you need to, you may have changed course in midair on accident.

Trying a Grind

1. Find a rail. You'll need a decent rail to grind on before you learn this trick. Look for rails over five feet long, preferably close to the ground. Local skate parks often have grind rails made just for tricks, so check there. You can also grind on curbs, but they'll need to be painted or waxed.
2. Get some speed. Start about 10 feet away from the rail, or as far away as space allows. Push off and get some speed, making sure to line up your feet in their correct stance. Stay relaxed as you get closer to the rail.
3. Jump up. Once your front wheel is even with the rail, jump up and towards the rail. Jump as you normally would, crouching down and springing up to get a lot of height, but spring slightly towards the rail so you can position yourself over it. More height isn't necessarily better here, just jump high enough to get over the rail.
4. Land on the rail. Let gravity pull you and your scooter down to the rail. You'll want to land so that the bottom of your deck lies across the railing, either perpendicular or at a slightly smaller angle. Keep your foot position solid as possible, which will make balancing a lot easier.
5. Slide on the rail. The momentum that you built up will carry you across the rail, pushing you forward to “grind” along it. Keep your balance by actively shifting weight either left or right. Your foot placement will be essential here, because your feet are anchoring you to the deck and to the rail. It might take a couple of practice runs to get comfortable balancing.
6. Jump off. You can either ride to the end of the rail or jump off mid-rail; it depends on your preference or any trick combo you have in mind. Pick your point to jump off, then plant your feet firmly on the deck. Continue to maintain your balance, then perform the simple jump up and out away from the rail. Don't make this a super high jump: you only need it to clear the rail a bit and make sure your wheels don't get caught on it.
7. Land. Land the trick with solid foot placement, keeping them in the same places they were when you jumped from the rail. Bend your knees to absorb the shock of landing. Correct for any changes of handlebar positions, then continue on.

Getting Air

1. Try riding some ramps. Skate parks are pretty all-inclusive, and most welcome scooter riders as well as skateboarders or BMX riders. There are also some parks made specifically for scooter riders. Look for a park near you, then pick out some ramps to practice getting some air. Once in the air, you can use “flair moves”, or tricks that you do in the air while before landing.
2. Use the ramp to get some air. Ride up the ramp or the bowl, making sure you've got enough speed built up. Once you hit the coping, or the metal railing around the lip of the ramp, jump. Jump as you normally would, putting both feet on the deck and jumping straight up. You'll be in the air, ready to try some tricks.
3. Try “The X-Up”. Once you're in the air, twist the handlebar so that your left handle is on the right side and the right handle is on the left side. Keep holding onto the handlebars, and your arms will create an “X”. Make sure to turn the handlebars back before you land.
4. Try the Barspin. While in the air, let go of one handlebar and use your free hand to grab the opposite handlebar. Begin to spin the handlebars all the way around. Use your other hand to reach around and grab the handlebar you first let go of. Return the handlebars all the way around to their starting position.
5. Do a Tail Grab. The tail grab is a trick borrowed from skateboarders, and it looks just as cool on a scooter. Once you're in the air, bend slightly at the knees, then take one hand off the handlebars. Use that hand to grab the back of your deck. Hold on for as long as you can, then let go before landing.

Choosing the Right Scooter

1. Choose a quality scooter. Razor is the most famous scooter manufacturer, but many of their scooters are built with simple riding in mind. Stunt or trick scooters require better quality materials and construction, because they take more of a beating when you jump, land and grind.
   • Make sure the deck is steel. Many low-end scooters feature aluminum or wood decks. While these are light and work for simple commutes, you'll want a steel deck for your trick scooter. It will be heavy, but it will stand up to more stress.
   • Check online reviews. Online reviews are a good indicator of quality. Look for reviews that mention quality and durability. If people mentioned a scooter breaking or falling apart easily, be wary of that model.
2. Select the right size. Try out different scooters in a store, or measure yourself if you're buying online. The scooter's handlebars should come up to your waist when you stand on the deck. Also, make sure that the handlebars are fixed and not adjustable. While adjustable handlebars are great for young riders, they could become unstable if you put a lot of pressure on them when you land jumps.
3. Pick a wheel size. Scooter wheels come in a variety of sizes, ranging from a standard 98mm to a large 200mm. While the larger wheels are good for cruising, professional stunt-scooter riders prefer 110mm wheels. They're fast, last longer than smaller wheels, and allow for better brake-control.

Tips

• Always practice new tricks. Each trick will take a while to learn, and basics like the jump have to become part of your muscle memory. Do them over and over again to make sure you've got a solid handle on the tricks.
• Check out a skatepark with friends. You may meet other scooter riders there who can help you or show you some new tricks.
• Don't wax any type of rail.

Warnings

• Watch out for cars if practicing on the street. Make sure you practice on a low-traffic street and watch for drivers.
• Never try tricks beyond your skill level. Only you know your abilities and skill levels, so don't push too hard before you learn the basics. You may feel tempted to try hard tricks to impress others, but keep it simple at first.
• Always wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads. There's always a chance that you could fall when messing up a trick, and protective gear will keep you safe.

Things You'll Need

• A scooter
• A helmet
• Some pads (knee pads, elbow pads, etc.)

Related Articles

• Do a Tailwhip on a Scooter

Quick Summary

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See also

• Replace the Battery Fuel Cell on a Razor E300s
• Rent Electric Scooters in Paris
• Select a Mobility Scooter for a Short Person
• Charge an Electric Scooter
• Build a Kick Scooter
• Buy a Scootee
• Add a Seat to a Razor Kick Scooter
• Perform a 360 Barspin on a Scooter
• Operate a Segway
• Replace the Scooter Grips on a Razor Scooter

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What links here

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• Do a One Foot Bunny Hop
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• Ollie on a Razor Scooter
• Land a Jump on a Scooter
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