Today, scooters, if they do not occupy a leading position in comparison with bicycles, then they are in serious competition. And we are talking not only about children's entertainment, but also about scooters for adults choosing this method of transportation over relatively long distances. For example, on scooters it is very convenient to move around the city, as the vehicle is characterized by compactness, ease of operation, and the ability to ride on sidewalks avoids traffic jams.
Having stopped on the choice of such equipment, it is necessary to optimize the ride quality (especially for children). And here it is better to pay attention to models equipped with good cushioning.
Features
Interest in this type of transport is due to the compactness of the device, ease of operation. In addition, scooters develop and improve many skills and abilities, especially in childhood. For example, coordination of movements, agility, stamina and strength.
But despite these advantages, scooters, unlike bicycles, are extremely “sensitive” to rough roads, which affects the ride itself, safety and creates an unpleasant crackle throughout the movement.
On models that are not equipped with cushioning, depending on the quality of the road and wheels, it will be difficult to drive even while riding on a seemingly flat sidewalk.
Often the reason for this is the connection of paving slabs, which determine the roughness of the surface. Such a ride will not only be unpleasant, it can hardly be called safe, especially for a child. And without broken knees the young user is definitely not enough.That is why when choosing equipment, taking into account the quality of the road, it is recommended to pay attention to the depreciation of the device.
The shock absorber is a spring that allows the wheel to rise or fall, depending on the surface difference, smoothing out road irregularities. In principle, this function can be ignored if the equipment has large rubber inflatable wheels that can independently soften jumps along a relatively uneven track.
In specialized stores you can find models with this system on one wheel, and you can also on two wheels.
But the front wheel is of great importance, since it is it that accounts for the entire load that the device encounters during movement. Depreciation of the rear wheel is considered secondary, its role is due to the quality of the road.
In fairness, it should be noted that on fairly good quality roads, the amortization of the rear wheel is considered superfluous. The installation of depreciation is the manufacturer's prerogative, but nevertheless it can be removed as unnecessary, which, if performed incorrectly, can affect the operation of the equipment in the future, often being the cause of the malfunction.
Device selection
Since the front wheel plays a significant role in almost any technique, it was originally equipped with a shock spring. But progress does not stand still, and today on sale there are models of scooters with shock absorption on two wheels: front and rear.
Typically, devices for adults are equipped with cushioning if the wheel in diameter is about 230 mm (with a user's weight up to 100 kg), and children's models - with a diameter of 80 mm (weight 60-70 kg). Here you need to understand - the greater the load on the wheel, the harder the ride, which can be mitigated by installing a shock absorber. And vice versa, at minimum loads it is quite possible to do without installing such additional components.
The quality of riding scooters endowed with a cushioning system is better, but at the same time it can cause a lot of problems both during riding and during operation.
Advantages and disadvantages
In principle, the advantages of depreciation systems have already been presented above:
- safety during movement (the front wheel does not “cling” to differences on the road);
- the quality of the ride itself changes significantly (it becomes softer);
- devices equipped with the mentioned system are much easier to control, which affects, for example, cornering or when working with the steering wheel (pressure on the steering wheel decreases, it is easier for them to turn).
But such a system has some disadvantages.
- This is an additional weight that will be noticeable for children.
- Adults, having endowed their device with cushioning, will feel a significant decrease in speed.
- Often, the installation of a shock spring causes a scooter to break.
- If the spring is not correctly adjusted (in a loose position), it will feel a constant shaking during movement. And the degree of comfort in this case largely depends on the weight of the driver.
- A scooter endowed with such a system will cost significantly more than a model without it. The price depending on the manufacturer and the quality of the system can vary from 2 to 5 thousand rubles. Naturally, the lower the quality of the additional system, the more likely it is that the whole device will become unusable because of it. And the cost of replacement in some cases is so high that it is easier to buy a new scooter (we are talking about imported models).
- It is not recommended to put the depreciation system on stunt scooters at all, since with its help the weighted device will become “slow”, which can cause a fall and injuries.
In addition, in order to properly configure the device for comfortable movement, it is necessary to adjust mainly the rear spring. This is done using a hexagon.The spring has a special bolt that, when tightened, “fetters” the system, and when loosened, it relaxes it.
In addition, the shock spring must be lubricated with technical oils at least 1-2 times a season.
This is especially true for operation in rainy weather. As a lubricant, solidol is more often used, which prevents the creak and rust.
It should be noted that the depreciation system can also be removed as unnecessary, but such a procedure is best performed in specialized salons, as this can cause damage to the steering wheel or deck (scooter frame).
User reviews
According to user reviews, the presence of depreciation in some cases becomes not a virtue, but the cause for many problems (see above). For example, if you plan to use a scooter on city roads, then a device with amortization will be an extra waste of money, as equipment with large rubber wheels can easily “soften” the roughness of city sidewalks.
Users who prefer a fast ride, note that the shock absorbers have become the cause, hindering to gain speed. Moreover, it becomes difficult to control the device to some extent, and this is felt mainly at bends.
More often they need this design of a device for children, where the road quality is far from good, but here it is necessary to take into account the age of the child, since it is quite possible that the weighted device will become unbearable for him.
Depreciation will become relevant if you plan to use it on rural, field or forest roads.which are famous for their unpredictability and low quality.
About the scooter with disc brakes and two shock absorbers is described in the video below.
