Easy Scooter Tricks to Master

 

There’s so much more to riding than just commuting and making our way from point A to point B. It can be an engaging and challenging sport that offers something for everyone, from the little enthusiasts keen on having fun outside to the adults after tapping into a childlike joy mastering new skills. 

 

From urban environments to skate parks and specialised ramps, there are many areas where you can experiment and show off tricks. Speaking of which, this leads us to the subject of our topic - tricks to master. There are various to try out, but the ones you’re often going to come across are: 

 

• Bunny Hop (Ollie)
• Manual (Wheelie)
• Tailwhip
• Barspin
• Grinds
• 360 Spin 
• Backflip

 

Out of these, the first two are beginner-friendly, the following four are great for riders of intermediate skill level and the last one is ideal for those who are already pros and confident in their stunts with the scooter. 

Beginner Tricks

Starting off with the simpler tricks, we have the bunny hop, also called ollie, and the manual, also known as wheelie. While they’re not as challenging and physically demanding as the following ones, it’s essential to master riding the scooter at a comfortable pace to be able to do them. 

 

To perform the ollie, as you ride, bend your knees and jump upward, pulling onto the handlebars to lift them and the scooter in the air. When landing, you’d be able to do so smoothly by bending the knees slightly to absorb the impact. 

 

Once you master this, you can incorporate it to move across small obstacles, get over ramps, and even use it as the foundation to do a nollie (the opposite of ollie with back wheel lift) and learn some more complex tricks like tailwhip and barspin. 

 

Performing the wheelie is all about mastering control and balance. It involves riding on the back wheel while the front wheel is up, off the ground. To be able to do it, you should roll at a steady pace, then lean back with both feet at the back wheel and lift the front wheel up. 

 

The key is to lean in with moderation; lean too much and you can tip over, lean too little and you won’t get off the ground. When we’re at balance, it’s crucial to start off with the right scooter. 

 

For children, it’s a 3 wheel option. Browse through our range, from the blue scooter 3 wheel option to pink and many other colours and designs. Some models of kids may come with and without seats, so find the perfect fit that gives kids the starting point they need before moving on to pro models like the Envy Colt S3. As the pro completes aren’t adjustable, you pick them based on height and not the child’s age. 

 

Regardless of the model you try these tricks with, the key is in opting for a model with an efficient braking system. The brakes are an essential safety element that can save you from accidents and falls, and you must learn to use them properly, anticipating the need for speed control for smooth landing when doing tricks like wheelies, for example. As you get confident in your skills, you can lose the brakes like all pros. 

 

Intermediate Tricks

Mastering the basics to move to the intermediate tricks takes time and practice, and it’s important to try out and push your limits only when you feel confident and comfortable doing so. When you feel like you’ve truly mastered the basics at your own pace, then you can challenge yourself with tailwhip, barspin, grinds and 360 spin. 

 

You’ve learned how to jump with the ollie already, now to do the tailwhip, you can use this knowledge - jump as high as you can, and as you’re mid-air, kick the deck with the back of the foot, spinning it 360 degrees. As the spin is quick, you need to be careful with this to avoid kicking your ankles. Once done, you can get back on the deck, slightly bending the knees as you get down on the ground to reduce the impact and count on a smooth ride. 

 

It’s different from the tail grab you get to do when going uphill at a faster speed, jumping with the knees bent and leaning back a bit to grab the tail. Next up, the barspin, as the name implies, is when you do the 360-degree bar spin mid-air. Same as with the tailwhip, you can start off with the bunny hop, then do the handlebar spin quickly with one hand and use your other hand to catch it when the rotation is complete. 

 

To master this, try one hander and no footer riding, testing on solid ground how they feel before you get to try them out mid-air. Also, taking the sport to the next level requires a reliable option, like the Grit Elite 6 wide body scooter approved by the pros for extreme riding as it’s equipped with a wider deck and comes with alloy dropouts for easy and enhanced grinds. 

 

While we’re at grinds, they're another way of levelling up your riding skills. As they’re done by sliding the deck or pegs on rails or ledges, they can seem rather difficult and intimidating, but it’s nothing that can’t be done with a little practice. The key is to master balance and focus on doing an ollie on a rail rather than the grind itself. 

 

Starting off with lower rails and keeping your weight centred with the feet a little further apart, shoulders and head forward, can provide you with the success you’re after and help you avoid tipping as you learn how to do backside board slide, frontside board slide and lip slides. And lastly, we’ve come to the 360-degree spin, which is basically a combination of the barspin and tailwhip, as it involves flipping the body and the scooter mid-air. 

 

It’s best to start off with speed on a flat surface to be able to bunny hop and twist your shoulders in the direction of the spin you want. As your body spins in the air, so will the scooter. Once you’re done, be aware of where you’re landing, and focus on absorbing the impact with the knees slightly bent. If it feels like too much at once, try the 180-degree spin instead. 

 

Pro/Master Tricks

Considered the ultimate achievement in stunt scootering, the backflip is one of the most challenging tricks you can do. To master it, it’s necessary to first have fun doing trampoline flips to get a feel of how to do them and overcome the fear. Once comfortable, you can try out with the scooter on a foam pit or resi ramp before moving to a concrete surface. 

 

The key is in riding with speed before throwing the head backwards, tucking the knees and launching off the lip. Committed to the rotation, keep it tight to your body and spot the landing to extend the legs timely for smooth landing. To manage the flip, it’s essential to not only have the knowledge and practice but also be backed by a pro like the Envy One S3 complete scooter that can withstand what you put it through. 

 

What sets this kind of model apart from the rest is in the top-notch components chosen for the pro tricks. While it’s lightweight, it’s also sturdier, equipped with a robust, reinforced steel or aluminium frame, wider handlebars, solid wheels from high-quality polyurethane, threadless forks and shorter deck with superior grip tape. 

 

Safety

Safety is important when performing jumps and turns, even if it’s a pro model. Besides avoiding damaging it, you also protect yourself and others around from harm. It all starts with getting protective gear such as a helmet, gloves and pads that meet the suitable standards. 

 

As part of protection and safety too, it’s important to regularly inspect the equipment for damage, especially with bearings, grip tape and handlebars as they take a beating. In case of need for replacement, always buy from a suitable brand to ensure quality for utmost compatibility and optimal performance. 

 

If you want some help or advice on anything scooter related, please contact our team today.