Scooter bars are one of the most essential parts of your scooter, and choosing the right one is important as it will determine your ride and safety. Without scooter bar, your scooter won’t be complete nor will you be able to ride it. Before you buy one, be sure to determine how you’ll ride your scooter – for doing tricks, or solely for street rides. Here are a few things you need to consider when choosing bars for scooter.
Scooter Bar Height
One of the first things to consider when buying scooter bars is their height. In general, the bars should be about hip or waist height when you stand on the deck. If you’re only buying bars, the height measurement doesn’t take into account the other scooter parts such as a deck, headtube, wheels, etc., which is why you need to add at least 18cm to bar measurements. Bar height is important for balance, comfort and performance.
If the bars are too high, you’ll have a problem controlling the scooter or even hit your face on the crossbar. If the bars are too low the scooter will be uncomfortable to ride. The bar height depends on your type of riding and preference. Choose shorter and smaller bars for park tricks, whips and flips; higher bars are better if you’re mainly a street rider (they feel more comfortable).
Bar Width
If you’re searching for new bars for scooters, don’t forget to check the bar width. Go for bars that have the same width as your shoulders. If you plan to do technical tricks, such as barspins, it’s best to choose a narrower bar. If you aren’t into hand-doing tricks, wider bars are a safer choice. Measure the bar width from one end of the crossbar to the other. Some bars are a bit wider than your shoulders and can be cut down and narrowed if necessary. Wider and high bars aren’t very stylish and comfortable, especially when you try to transport your scooter. Let’s not forget about the diameter which can be standard or oversize.
Standard Bars
Standard bars have an internal diameter of 28mm and an outer diameter of 32mm. Standard-sized bars match best with ICS, ISC, IHC and SCS compression setups. They also fit standard clamps and forks and threaded forks. The standard scooter bars are usually made from chrome steel.
Oversized Scooter Bars
These bars have an internal diameter of 32mm and an external diameter of 35mm and are made for HIC compression. Oversized scooter bars go best with oversized clamps and forks, but also with standard forks. They can also be a good choice for SCS compression clamps.
Bar Rake
Not all scooters have a rake or back sweep which refers to when the bar handles are slightly bent back like bicycle bars. This can give you more comfort to your ride, but you might need time to get used to it, especially if you are used to straight bars. Most riders who prefer back sweep bars are ex-BMX riders. Rakes can range between 2 and 5 degrees.
Scooter Bar Slit
The slit is the incision at the bottom of the downtube which makes it possible for your clamp to stabilise the downtube on the fork. The height of the slit should be at least the height of the clamp. If you use an ICS, HIC, IHC compression system or a threaded fork, then you need to have a slit in the downtube. If you’re using SCS compression, however, the downtube shouldn’t have a slit.
Scooter Bar Grips and Ends
Adding grips to the bars is a smart way to make them more comfortable and more secure. They have various textures and colours to match your style. Grips absorb shock when you land. You can also get an end plug or your grips, to secure your safety. They will protect the ends of your bars in case of a crash or accident. End plugs extend the lifespan of your bars, especially if you use aluminium bars.
Scooter Bars Material
Alloy Scooter Bars
Alloy scooter bars have standard and oversized diameters, that gies them a wider range of compression options. Cheap scooter bars shouldn’t be your choice when shopping for alloy bars, because they don’t always mean a good deal if the bars wear out too soon.
Aluminium Bars
To ensure strength, aluminium bars usually come with a standard inner diameter and an oversized external. This makes them ideal for IHC and SCS compression; they demand an oversized clamp. These bars aren’t compatible with HIC compression. Aluminium is excellent because it’s lightweight and durable.
Titanium Scooter Bars
Titanium bars are oversized, which makes them ideal for SCS compression. If you add an oversized clamp, titanium bars will be compatible with HIC and IHC compression. They’re super strong and lightweight which makes them great for riders who demand the best. However, cutting titanium is challenging because it’s a reactive metal and changes its chemical properties when exposed to heat. This means it has to be cut cold, which means keeping the metal cool during the cutting process.
The Essence of Australia 