Scooter grips: why are they needed and how to change them?

One of the most important components of any scooter, which are responsible for its control and maneuverability, include grips. These units absorb vibration when driving on rough roads, and also prevent the sliding of palms along the handlebars. In this article, you will find out what role grips play in the construction of any scooter, as well as get information on how to change these units at home.

Scooter grips are additional padding on the steering wheel and perform the same function as grips for a bicycle - they fix the athlete’s hands in a static position, protect them from impacts of the metal handle of the steering wheel, reduce vibrations coming from the wheels to the frame, and also prevent the hands from sliding on steering wheel. Athletes who professionally ride scooters use hard and hard grips to ensure a minimum degree of glide.

If we are talking about grips for a child, then it is advised to choose the most soft models that can qualitatively absorb vibration when driving on an uneven surface. Improper scooter grips can cause serious injury.

All varieties of influenza can be divided based on their material of manufacture - it is he who is responsible for the rigidity, softness and reliability of the scooter steering wheel.

• Rubber. This is the most common and affordable option - it has a budget price, an excellent degree of softness and a long service life. As a minus, you can highlight the fact that the rubber in the sun heats up very much, because of which the hands will sweat and slip out. From the cold, rubber freezes and can unpleasantly chill hands.
• Neoprene This is a soft and porous material based on high-quality synthetic rubber. Grips from such a material is always very soft and extremely pleasant to the touch. In addition, neoprene has an incredibly light weight and is able to qualitatively absorb vibration from the frame and steering wheel. If we talk about the minuses, then neoprene absorbs moisture due to its porous surface, which greatly complicates the washing of such flu.
• Kraton. Such grips are characterized by a high degree of elasticity and resilience, in addition, they are well resistant to shock and vibration. This material is used in the manufacture of grips for stunt scooters (with the addition of silicone), since it does not allow hands to slip even in wet weather. In addition, during the cold seasons, the craton does not cool like rubber and does not heat up from sunlight in the summer. Even despite its uneven rough surface, the craton does not absorb moisture and repels dirt.
• Silicone This is one of the most pleasant and flexible materials used in the manufacture of flu - it is lightweight, durable, perfectly absorbs vibration and perfectly adapts to the shape of any hand. In many professional scooters, silicone pads are used as additional inserts to the steering wheel, which provide perfect grip on the athlete's hand. Unfortunately, standard silicone is extremely sensitive to direct sunlight and is able to completely lose its shape after 1-2 months of use in the open sun.

Sometimes there is an urgent need to remove old flu or replace them with newer ones. Depending on the material your flu is made of, you can use several methods for removing this unit.

• Just cut it off. If the grips have already lost their appearance and functionality, or you are not going to use them in the future, the easiest option is to simply cut them off with a regular stationery knife. Unfortunately, with this method you are sure to permanently spoil the state of the flu and can damage the integrity of the steering wheel grips.
• Trying to take off by force. Another simple method for removing the flu without special tools is to simply pull them off the handlebars using brute force. Such a procedure, if it is carried out 1 time or 2, will not cause severe damage to the aggregate, however, from frequent withdrawals, the grips will lose their elasticity and will glide freely on the surface of the steering wheel grips. This option with sufficient strength is suitable for removing even the toughest and hardest flu.
• We use a syringe with water. This is a great method for relieving soft and semi-rigid flu, for which you need a syringe with plain water. The needle of the syringe should be pushed into the gap between the handle of the steering wheel and grips, and then let the water out until they begin to move freely along the axis of the handle - then they can be removed without hindrance.
• Using hot water. This method is great for removing both elastic and hard flu, however, it can greatly harm the unit and make it unsuitable for subsequent use. For this method, you will need a volumetric container with hot water.Put the scooter so that the grips with grips fall into a container of water and hold it for 3-4 minutes, then try to remove the flu.
• We use a compressor. In this case, the fitting from the hose is applied to the gap between the handle and the flu and a gradual air supply is carried out until the flu is removed without any special difficulties.

When choosing a particular influenza model, you should pay attention to a number of important factors.

• Exactly diameterand not the length of the flu is the main indicator that affects the maneuverability and usability of the scooter. The standard diameter for adult influenza models is 22.2 mm. The same size as the flu that is available for adult bicycles. These models hug the handle very tightly and block any hint of slipping. Models with a diameter of up to 20 mm should be suitable for a small child and adolescent.
• Length influenza is the second most important indicator among all. In order to determine the optimal length of grips for your hand, you should measure the width of your palm, and then add up to 3 cm in length. The result that you get will be optimal for your hand. Flu lengths for children's scooters are selected in an identical way.
• Thickness - One of the most important factors when it comes to choosing the flu for professional scooter models. For those who ride scooters amateurly, it is recommended to choose thick and soft models of grips - they will provide better cushioning and protect your hands from bumps when riding on poor-quality surfaces. If you are a professional athlete, then you probably know that hard grips with a standard thickness are suitable for performing complex tricks - in this case, it is the material of manufacture of the flu that is important, and not the thickness. Attention to the thickness of the flu should be paid to overweight people, as well as with wide brushes - this will make it more convenient to distribute the load across the entire palm area.
• From a factor such as flu form depends on the effectiveness of vibration absorption from shock, the likelihood of slipping hands, as well as the convenience of using a scooter. In total, two forms are distinguished - anatomical and ergonomic.

If you want to change old grips and don’t know how to put new ones on the steering wheel, The following recommendations will help you correctly and tightly pull the grips on the scooter handles, regardless of their type.

• Be sure to check the size of the grips you purchased - they should ideally fit the diameter of the handles for your scooter. The standard and most frequent diameter indicators are 22.2 and 23.8 mm.

• To make the process of putting flu on the handles faster, right before the procedure, they should be slightly moistened inside. This will avoid strong friction and speed up the whole process. For wetting, ordinary or soapy water or a few drops of sunflower oil can be selected. Unfortunately, after putting on the flu in this way, the scooter should not be touched in the next day - it is likely that the moisture has not had time to dry yet. To make it evaporate faster, use alcohol-containing fluids to lubricate the flu or hair spray - it will simultaneously reduce friction and, after drying, will serve as an adhesive.
• In order to put on tight models of flu, they should first be heated for several minutes in boiling water or simply heated under a hairdryer. This will slightly soften the structure of the flu and allow you to quickly pull them on the handles.
• If you have foam rubber at your disposal, you can pull it with long knitting needles. To do this, put several knitting needles directly into the flu around its entire circumference and pull the unit onto the handles with force, using the needles as guides. At the end of the knitting needles, just pull it out.

If we talk about brands that produce the best and highest quality grips for scooters, then Here you can distinguish such companies: Chilli, Lucky and Tilt. They are engaged in the production of both budget flu for amateur riding a scooter, and the production of professional models for stunt scooters like Hipe or FOX PRO.

See how to put on and take off the flu.