Scooter Mania!: Safe, Fun Tricks and Cool Tips for Today's Hottest Ride
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Scooter Mania!: Safe, Fun Tricks and Cool Tips for Today's Hottest Ride
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781250115942 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | St. Martin's Press |
| Publication date: | 03/15/2016 |
| Sold by: | Macmillan |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 96 |
| File size: | 5 MB |
| Age Range: | 9 - 12 Years |
About the Author
Willy and Max Schlesinger* (and their dad) are the authors of Scooter Mania!: Safe, fun tricks and cool tips for today's hottest ride.
Hank Schlesinger is the author of many books, including Digimon Power and How to Become a Pokemon Master.
Hank Schlesinger is the author of many books, including Digimon Power, How to Become a Pokemon Master, and How to Win at Nintendo 64 Games, Vol. 2.
Read an Excerpt
Scooter Mania!
Safe, Fun Tricks and Cool Tips for Today's Hottest Ride
By Willy Schlesinger, Max Schlesinger
St. Martin's Press
Copyright © 2000 Hank SchlesingerAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-250-11594-2
CHAPTER 1
Scooter Components: Parts and Stuff
First off, all scooters have several parts in common. For instance, all scooters have wheels. All scooters have decks — the platform you stand on while scooting. And all scooters have steering mechanisms.
Take away any one of those things — wheels, deck, or steering column — and you don't have a scooter. It's as simple as that.
History of the Wheel
Now, let's take a tour of the scooter from the ground up, starting with the wheels.
Today's scooter wheels owe a big debt to skateboaders. Yeah, it's hard to admit, but true. What happened is this. The first skateboards — called sidewalk surfers — were invented back in the late 1950s. These early boards were basically pieces of wood wider than a two-by-four with skate wheels mounted on the bottom. They were kind of like an old-fashioned scooter, only without the box nailed to the front.
Surfers liked these boards, even though they were noisy and didn't work very well. The boards provided the surfers with something to ride when the waves in the ocean weren't big enough. Surfers could use their balance and surfing skills to ride around streets.
These first skateboards had the standard metal wheels from roller skates. Early skateboarders learned what kids with scooters had known for a long time — the metal wheels were less than great. First off, they had no traction. Secondly, the metal did nothing to cushion the shocks from the bumps and lumps in the street or sidewalk. (Think of riding in a car with metal tires.) And last, the bearings were inferior.
Next came wheels of a hardened clay that had much better traction. They came from the roller-skating industry. Clay wheels were popular for the indoor rinks, because they didn't ding up the floor like metal wheels, weren't as noisy, and gave the skaters a smoother ride. But there were problems with the clay wheels, too. For one thing, they were too fast ... way too fast. People got hurt on skateboards (this was before safety gear was widely used). And for another thing, clay wheels were almost as hard as the metal ones, so you could feel every bump and lump in the road.
Then something cool happened: plastics. Back in the early 1970s, a guy named Frank Nasworthy discovered urethane (that's pronounced: Your-a-thane) wheels. Urethane is a tough plastic, but it has a lot of cool features that make it ideal for street riding. Nasworthy saw this immediately and began making wheels for skateboards.
Frank Nasworthy didn't actually discover urethane. It had been around for a long time. It was invented in Germany at the Bayer company, the same company that makes aspirin.
Polyurethane has some characteristics that make it ideal for scooters and skateboards. First, it has really good traction. The added traction means speed, but it also means control. When you turn your scooter or skateboard, it will hold on to the ground and not slide around. Also, because polyurethane wheels are softer than metal or clay ones, the ride is much smoother. And polyurethane is sturdy, so it lasts a long time. It is pretty resistant to heat and light, so it won't fade, melt, or permanently bend out of shape from use. And finally, because it's plastic, you can mold it to almost any shape you want.
The polyurethane wheels really took off when it came to skateboarding and roller skating and, of course, in-line skates. Then scooters ...
So, why is all this stuff important? First of all, because you're learning something. Second, because there are manufacturers and stores who sell proven products. These stores can include larger sporting goods stores that have in-line skate and skateboard supplies or specialty stores that have only in-line skate and skateboard supplies. If you have an in-line skate, skateboard, or scooter shop near you, then we suggest you go there for wheels and other supplies even if you didn't buy your scooter there. The reason for this is simple — the guys in the skate shops usually know their stuff. They know the differences in wheels and bearings and all the rest of it. Plus, if you run into any problems, then they can probably help you out. They're the experts.
Wheels
Okay, we're discussing just the Razor and scooters like the Razor for now. Wheels have several different characteristics to consider.
Yay for the Mesopotamians!
If it hadn't been for the Mesopotamians who were hanging around at about 3500 B.C., then we wouldn't have scooters. That's because they probably invented the first wheels. Before that, people would just drag stuff around. Try a scooter without wheels some time — it's no fun. If you thought wheels were invented in caveman times, then you've been watching too many cartoons.
SIZE
First the sizes. The standard Razor wheel is 100 millimeters in diameter. The word diameter means the size of the wheel in cross section. Basically it means how big the circle is from the bottom through the center to the top. Millimeter is abbreviated mm. Most Razors can fit a wheel up to 110 mm, except for the one that has a shock absorber system. That particular model will fit only a 100 mm wheel.
Why would you want a larger wheel? Well, it is slightly faster than a smaller wheel. You might also be able to find different hardnesses and colors in the larger wheel that are not available in the standard wheel.
There is hardly any advantage to the larger 110 mm wheel against the 100 mm wheel.
PROFILE
When you look at a wheel from the front you can see how it is shaped and that it is either thick or thin. This shape is called the profile. Some wheels are more blunt and offer a more stable ride. Other wheels are skinny at the bottom and top and offer a less stable ride, but more maneuverability. Naturally, the thicker wheels last longer than the skinny wheels.
But if you ride your scooter where there are a lot of bumpy sidewalks with cracks, then the skinny wheels will not only wear out much faster but may cause you to crash more often.
HARDNESS
In addition to different sizes, wheels come in different hardnesses, too.
When you look at a wheel or its package, you'll see what is called a durometer rating. A durometer is simply an instrument that measures the hardness of something. The out-of-the-box Razor-type scooters have wheels with a hardness rating of about 85A or so. The ratings go all the way up to 100A, so an 85A is a medium-hard wheel. A lot of serious in-line skaters go for a hardness rating in the 90s at most.
Now remember, the harder the wheel, the faster it goes. So what's the big deal? Why not just get the hardest wheel you can? Well, for one thing, the harder the wheel, the bumpier the ride is going to be. Believe it, with a really hard wheel you'll feel every single pebble as you ride along.
So if you're not into speed, why not go with a softer wheel? Unfortunately, the really soft wheels won't last as long. They get chewed up by cracks in the sidewalk and get chunks taken out of them. They also bend out of shape more quickly if you ride a lot.
A larger wheel with the same hardness rating as a smaller wheel will have more bounce and cushion than the smaller wheel. You can prove this to yourself by dropping a smaller wheel and a larger wheel on the ground and seeing which one bounces higher.
Choose your wheels carefully. A lot of kids just pick their wheels for color and don't pay attention to the ratings, but those ratings are important. If you just want to ride along smoothly with friends, then go for an 80. If you want to speed around and even do a few tricks, then go for an 85 or higher.
HUBS
The hub, which is also called the core, is the center of the wheel that holds the bearings in place. The hub is made of a stiff material that also keeps the wheel straight. It is particularly important for softer wheels because they bend more easily and thus need more support at the center.
If you need new wheels, always buy wheels with cores or hubs. Some very cheap wheels do not have hubs. There are two kinds of hubs: open core means you can see the spokes and supports, and closed core means that the spokes and supports don't show. With more spokes you have a lighter wheel but a harder ride. However, wheels with more spokes will not bend as much.
Also, many in-line skaters believe that open core wheels keep the wheels from becoming too hot and softening the urethane.
Bearings
Next to wheels, the bearings are the most important part of the scooter. You may not realize this, because you never see the bearings, but they're there. Bearings are fitted into the center hole part of the wheel core. Most wheeled toys have bearings. Bearings make the wheel turn easily and smoothly.
Bearings are round metal cases with metal balls (ball bearings!) in them. When the axle is put through the bearing case it is touching only the tops of the metal balls, which spin. This means that very little surface area of the ball bearings is touching metal, but the axle is still being moved smoothly around by the tiny balls. Cool, huh? Very cool, because if the axle or other metal was spinning in a metal sleeve and touching metal all around, then the axle and whatever held it would not only spin more slowly, but would get really hot because of the friction.
Another reason why bearings spin so freely and create little friction and heat is that they are oiled. A thin layer of oil on the tops of the balls keeps the metal sleeve that goes around the axle from directly touching them. Instead, the sleeve is riding on a tiny layer of oil.
If you can't picture what a bearing looks like, then do this: Draw a circle on a piece of paper. Now, inside that circle, draw another circle made up of seven or eight little circles, like a necklace. That's a very basic bearing.
Now, if you want to see how bearings actually work, find a cheap bead necklace — please, don't use your mom's pearls! — and make a small loop with the beads big enough to fit your finger through, but snug. Now move your finger around inside the loop. It should move pretty easily. That's because the beads are turning with your finger. Try the same thing with a piece of rope and you'll see that the rope will not only turn with your finger, but your finger may even start to get warm. It gets warm because of friction. That's what bearings do — they reduce friction!
There are two different types of bearing cases: enclosed and open. In the enclosed shield type of bearing case, the case is sealed and you can't get at the little ball bearings. In the removable shield type of bearing case, you can open the case to clean and lubricate the ball bearings.
Most high-end — expensive — bearings come with a removable shield to let you clean the bearings. However, enclosed shields work fine, too. When it comes to scooters, either type is fine. It just depends on how technical you want to get.
Bearings, like wheels, are rated, but they are rated with what is called an ABEC number. ABEC stands for the Annular Bearing Engineers Committee.
And who is in charge of the committee? That's easy: the Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association. Now, aren't you glad you asked?
Bearings are rated from 1 to 9, softest to hardest. A lot of the scooters out there today have ABEC ratings of 5, which is fine for most people. There are also some bearings that have ratings higher than 9; these are made out of super-space-age ceramics.
Before you get crazy and start begging your parents for the super-fast ceramic bearings, let's be calm and think about it. The ABEC ratings were created not for scooters, but for factories. Many expensive and high-powered machines use bearings to run smoothly. The guys who make bearings — the Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association (remember, them? A cool bunch of guys!) — developed ABEC bearing ratings so that the companies who made the machines would use the right kind of bearing in their machines. ABEC measures how precisely the bearings are made, whether they are being used in super-high-speed turbine engines or in scooters.
ABEC is what is called an industry standard rating. This means that whatever company makes the bearings, they are measured and rated in the same way. Another industry standard, for instance, would be shoe sizes. There may be small differences between a size 6 1/2 shoe from one company and one from another company, but all size 6 1/2 shoes are pretty much the same size. This makes shopping for shoes a lot easier. The same is true for bearings. An ABEC 5 is going to be pretty much the same, no matter who makes it.
However, when in-line skaters and skateboarders started paying attention to bearings, they noticed the ratings. "Hey, ABEC 9 has to be better than ABEC 5!" they said. Whether this is true or not, at least it gave them something to talk about. Because, let's face it, a huge machine working in a factory needs more precision than a kid doing Ollies in the schoolyard.
Caution
REMEMBER, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF SCOOTERS OUT THERE. MANY ARE NOT MADE WITH IN-LINESKATING-TYPE WHEELS. CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL SCOOTER SHOP ON THE BEST WAY TO TAKE CARE OF THESE WHEELS.
Types of Scooters
There are two basic types of scooters out there now: the ones that have the in-line type wheels and a narrow deck and those that have a larger wheel and a wider deck.
Why do the scooters with larger wheels have a wider deck? The answer is easy. Because the wheels are larger, they have a longer glide or coasting distance. That means your feet are spending much more time on the deck resting than on the ground pushing.
Which type of scooter you decide to buy depends on a lot of things, like your budget and where you plan to ride. If you buy more scooter than you need, then you are wasting money. If you buy less scooter than you need, then you won't have a good time.
Scooter Tip #2
WHEN RIDING IN GROUPS, BE SURE TO LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM BETWEEN YOUR FRIENDS IN FRONT, TO THE SIDE, AND BEHIND YOU. IT IS MUCH HARDER TO RIDE IN GROUPS WITH SCOOTERS THAN IT IS WITH BIKES BECAUSE SCOOTERS GO FAST, THEN SLOW, THEN FAST AGAIN, AND EVERYONE DOES NOT MOVE AT THE SAME SPEED.
Big Wheels on Scooters
Good Because They Are:
• ARE FASTER
• OFTEN HAVE A BETTER GRIP
• ALMOST ALWAYS PRODUCE A SMOOTHER RIDE
• ALWAYS HAVE A LONGER GLIDING RANGE
• DON'T GET CAUGHT IN CRACKS AS EASILY
Small Wheels on Scooters
Good Because They Are:
• MADE IN MORE COLORS
• LESS BULKY, MEANING THE SCOOTER FOLDS UP SMALLER AND WEIGHS LESS
• MORE EASILY REPLACED
• EASIER TO CLEAN
• VERY MANEUVERABLE AND ALLOW FOR SHARP TURNING
Why Larger Wheels Are Faster
Why do larger wheels go faster? Here's an explanation that starts with an experiment. A bike wheel and a scooter wheel are good for this experiment because the middle metal part (axle) around which the wheel turns is about the same size.
Take a piece of tape and tape a straight line from the axle (axis) to the outer edge (perimeter) of the wheel. The line the tape makes is called the radius.
Now, line both wheels up so the tape lines are both straight down pointing to the ground. Mark the ground below both lines with a piece of chalk, basically just continuing your tape line on the ground. That's your starting line.
Then slowly roll the bike wheel forward until the tape line has gone once around, back to where the tape meets the ground again. Make another chalk mark and connect the marks. Do the same thing with the scooter wheel; line the tape up with the ground; slowly roll the scooter forward until the line meets with the ground again; and mark the spot with chalk and connect the marks. The bike wheel traveled much farther, right?
Now, if the bike wheel and the scooter wheel both go around, say, ten times in five seconds, what do we know? We know from our experiment that the bike wheel is going farther, but it is also going faster because the bike wheel covered a greater distance in the same amount of time — that's called speed. Speed is just measuring any distance traveled by using time to do the measuring.
In physics, speed is called velocity (v), and it is measured by the distance (d) traveled in a given or set amount of time (t). So velocity equals distance divided by time: velocity = distance ÷ time. Or v = d/t.
You're doing physics. Linear velocity, or how far you go in a given amount of time, is usually expressed in cars, bikes, and scooters as miles per hour (mph). Like 5 or 60 mph, sound familiar? Let's do just a little more physics so we fully understand our wheel speed or velocity. Every time a wheel goes around once, it's called a revolution. When measuring the speed of a spinning object (wheel), people talk about revolutions per minute, or rpm's. Again, sound familiar? How many times a spinning object goes around is called angular velocity. Angular velocity is different than linear because a spinning object goes around its own middle (axis or axle). This basically means you can turn your bike or scooter upside down and spin the wheel forever and it won't go anywhere. However, if you are measuring the speed of a spinning object that is in contact with something else — say, the ground — you can measure the linear velocity in relation to the angular velocity or the relationship between miles per hour (mph) and revolutions per minute (rpm). In simple terms: how fast the car wheels (angular velocity) spin determines how fast the car goes (linear velocity). Easy, right?
Now, linear velocity (v) equals angular velocity, or times a wheel goes around (w), multiplied by the radius (r) of the object, or the length of that piece of tape that travels from middle of the wheel to the outer edge. Or in scientific terms, v = wr.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Scooter Mania! by Willy Schlesinger, Max Schlesinger. Copyright © 2000 Hank Schlesinger. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Title Page,Copyright Notice,
Important! Read This Now!,
Introduction: How It All Began,
1. Scooter Components: Parts and Stuff,
2. Which Scooter Is Right for You?,
3. The Best Places to Ride (Safely),
4. Scooter Reviews,
5. Taking Care of Your Scooter,
6. How and Where to Buy Your Next Scooter,
7. Accessories,
8. Tricks and Activities,
Glossary,
About the Authors,
Copyright,