Scooters with glowing wheels: what are they and how to choose?

Having learned to walk, the child moves from the stroller to the scooter. This is the first form of transport on which a child tries (and eventually learns) to ride independently. The principle of its operation is as follows: the child takes the steering wheel in his hands, one foot stands on the deck, the other pushes off the ground and starts to move.

Scooters with glowing wheels have their merits.

• A child rolling in a dark park with poor lighting can be seen all the time. He will not fall under the wheels of cyclists and will not crash into other scooters - even when their lights are off, they will all stop and / or turn off his road, noticing that he is riding. The most important thing is the safety of all road users.
• The scooter as a type of child transport is another step in the physical development of a growing child. Contrary to the bikes that are told by myth-makers from the yellow press, walks in the fresh air on a scooter or bicycle are much longer, interesting and developing than just running around on foot. A growing child masters his first transport in his life - he learns to manage wheeled vehicles. And the flashing and glowing wheels will make this process more joyful and funny for him.

The disadvantage of such wheels is that the LEDs in them need to be powered. In general, placing LEDs in the most "shock" part, which accounts for the lion's share of the load, is not the best solution. It would be more correct to place them, for example, on the steering column.

The LEDs in the thickness of the colored transparent polyurethane, from which the "shoe" of the scooter is made, which makes it possible to ride comfortably on it, glows due to electricity, the source of which is not batteries.The coils located in the moving part of the wheel are connected to each other and to the LEDs using wires.

Each of the coils generates current pulses, moving in the field of magnets located on a fixed axis. As old as the world, the principle of the glowing wheel is the simplest "dynamo" on each of them, making the LEDs glow continuously or blink.

Sooner or later, these LEDs stop lighting up. There are several reasons for this.

• A single LED has burned out. This often happens when a child accelerates too fast on a scooter. The faster the wheel spins, the greater the voltage and current. LEDs degrade faster and lose the brightness of the glow from overvoltage and current - color and white have their own limits, which cannot be exceeded. But try to explain this to a child - he doesn't care how long they last, the main thing is speed.
• The magnet has worn off, has broken - a phenomenon due to the fact that the axes have gradually developed. A weakened thinned magnet does not give the same magnetic field. The required power has ceased to be produced, the LEDs light up dimly or not all at once.

To return the glow on the scooter wheels, do one of the following.

• The loosened tightening on the wheel is tightened with hex wrenches that are suitable for their size. This eliminates the spinning of the magnetic sleeve together with the wheel itself.
• The bearings are removed and the magnet itself is removed. A significantly damaged bushing (and the magnet itself) needs to be replaced as soon as possible. Lack of glow of the wheels is half the trouble: a damaged bushing and broken bearings jam the wheel. It is impossible to accelerate on such a scooter.

If the parts of the hub and the entire wheel are intact, they are washed from dust and dirt, the remnants of the old grease are removed and a new one is stuffed into the mechanism. After that, the wheels rotate normally, and the glow will start working again. If the LEDs and coils fail, the wheel cannot be repaired - the entire current-carrying circuit is covered with a special glue, like epoxy. Buy a new (same) wheel.

Scooters are divided into several types according to the number of wheels.

• One-wheeled - has only one wheel. The balance and smooth ride are supported by a specially balanced frame and a gyroscope controlled by a microcontroller with special firmware. Not the last place is taken by the rider himself.
• Two-wheeled - standard construction, the oldest in the history of use. Universal - regardless of the age of the owner. The lowest stability - in return, makes it possible to accelerate almost to the speed of a skier. Requires skill and dexterity, just like riding a two-wheeled bicycle. The scooter, if you drive it to the office, can be left under your desk or next to it. He is an excellent assistant when an adult tries to catch up with a bus, ready to drive away from the stop this minute. Suitable for home storage.
• Three-wheeled - many beginners start with it, who have not yet switched to the two-wheeled view. 3-wheel models include zips, inertial scooters and flickers. The scooter is very reliable. It is also perfect as the main vehicle that allows you to develop the speed of a running person. It allows you to maintain balance - but it has a more cumbersome design, with it you will not be allowed into every office.
• Four-wheeled - also refers to inertial: it is activated either by repulsion of one of the legs, or with the help of rotational movements of the lower body.

By the size of the wheels, scooters are divided into products with large (200 or more millimeters), medium (145 or more) and small (125 or less, up to 70 or 80 mm) rotating parts.The larger the front and rear wheels, the more comfortable it is to drive on uneven roads, alleys and paths.

By gender of the child - scooters for boys and girls. Here, the colors and graphics applied to the product at the factory are mainly decided. Theoretically, there should be no restrictions on the sex of a child or teenager on scooters - there are also "unisex" models.

Regardless of which of the colors (pink, blue, orange or green) is more often used to paint the frame, steering wheel or wheels, the product itself should be comfortable and safe for the child. Let him choose the colors for himself - it is up to you (as a parent or donor) to control the safety. However, there are also rules: Giving a boy a pink scooter is not particularly welcomed by most people: choose more neutral shades, for example, between orange and blue.

Among the leading suppliers, companies stand out: Stels, Scooter, Scoot & Ride, Midi Orion, Globber, Trolo, Pulsan, Kugoo and dozens of others. If you do not put design and special comfort at the forefront, such inexpensive samples can become good options for children and younger adolescents.

• 100LO. FOXX. RD7 - children's two-wheeled scooter for riding in the courtyards of residential areas and in parks. Stainless steel frame, for 4-6 year old children, child weight - up to 60 kg. Foldable model, foot brake, 100 mm diameter polyurethane wheels (each), ABEC-7 class bearings. The rear wheel is doubled.

• Buggy Boom Alfa Model - for children 2–3 years old. The maximum weight of a child is 25 kg. Foldable model with foot brake. Front wheel - 12 cm, rear - 10 cm in diameter. Handlebar height - 67 cm. Product weight - 1.8 kg.

• Tech Team TT Duke 303 - for teenagers from 7 to 10 years old. Weight - 3.3 kg. Steel frame and deck, two wheels with a diameter of 11 cm and a thickness of 24 mm. The weight of a teenager is up to 60 kg. Designed for several years of active everyday use. The height of the steering wheel is from 58 cm, the width of the transverse steering stick is up to 49 cm. The footrest is 50 * 11.5 cm.

The scooter is the first type of independently used transport, which even a one and a half year old child starts with. Often, children, having barely learned to walk, use scooters with seats: it is still difficult for them to stand all the time and push off with their feet while riding. Already at the age of 3, a child, possessing an energy rushing out, knows no obstacles, directs it to ride a scooter. The scooter is the best alternative to the balance bike. At 2 years old, a model with a 60-75 cm steering wheel height is suitable for a child. A three-year-old baby will fit both a sample with one wheel in front, and with two in the same place - this is a three-wheeled sports equipment that helps beginners easily maintain balance. Can be supplemented with a seat. The steering wheel remains at the same height.

At 4–5 years old, a child is suitable for a product designed for a weight of up to 30 kg and with a steering wheel height of 75–85 cm. It has a 120… 125 mm wheel in front, while the rear wheels have a diameter of 70–80 mm. For comfort, they can be made of wear-resistant polyurethane or silicone. The handlebars are up to 270 mm wide. This is, for example, the Scooter Mini model. At 4 or 5, you can freely switch to two-wheeled scooters - the child is already running confidently and will learn how to safely jump off the scooter.

At the age of 6-10, the main differences are already erased - the most universal option would be a scooter for 6-year-olds with adjustable steering wheel... This is the first scooter "for growth" in a child's life - it will allow you to use it up to 10 years old. The size of the deck (supplies for the legs) should not be less than 10 cm wide - with a too narrow platform, you can fly off at full speed and be injured or be thrown out of the scooter when hitting stones or cracks in the asphalt, chips and sagging sections of paving slabs, etc. etc.

If a model with a plastic frame reinforced with metal structural elements is suitable for small children (up to 5 years old), then a scooter for 6 ... 10-year-old children should be durable. And this is achieved only through the use of steel, aluminum-magnesium alloys and titanium parts. Being made of metal or alloy, the supporting structure will not add so much weight that it would be difficult for a child to roll such a scooter back to the starting point, to bring it home. Scooters for children and adolescents of primary school age are quite light - they weigh no more than 3-4 kg.

In the next video you will find an overview of the 21st Scooter Maxi Micar Ultra children's folding three-wheeled scooter with glowing wheels.