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scooter

An scooter or Kick scooter or (especially in Switzerland) ScooterScooter or (in southern Germany) Bike slide (also in the construction of the seesaw scooters) is a muscle-powered, two-wheeled small vehicle with a running board close to the ground, on which a person can move while standing. It is driven by pushing off with one leg (with the seesaw scooter by weight-shifting rocking movements via a mechanical drive) and can be made of wood, carbon fiber reinforced plastic or metal (aluminum, steel).

Invention of the kick scooter

In 1817, the inventor from Baden, Karl von Drais, presented a running machine that came very close to the scooter. Based on this vehicle, it was Carl Ferdinand Langhans who developed a standing position from a sitting position and thus invented the first scooter. In contrast to today's single-track models, the first scooter had a two-wheeled rear axle.

models

A distinction must be made between mini folding scooters and larger scooters for everyday use and sports. While mini folding scooters mostly use hard tires like inline skates, large scooters generally have pneumatic tires like those on bicycles. Smaller rear wheels are mostly used on sports scooters. The typical wheel sizes in sports and everyday life are e.g. B. 28/18 ″ or 26/20 ″ (front / rear). The classic sports scooter "Kickbike" was invented around 1990 by Hannu Vierrikko / FIN as a summer training device for a kick sled. While z. For example, the scooter scene in Holland is comparatively large, but the German racing scene only became more popular again in 2007.

In the years 2000 and 2001 the mini folding scooter became a fad for urban private transport and English Scooter or kickboard named (these are sometimes also three-wheeled). In Germany, many visitors to the EXPO 2000 in Hanover bridged the walking distances there in this way and made the vehicle more and more popular. Before that, scooters were only used as children's toys.

Because of the single-lane construction, riding a scooter is a suitable preliminary exercise for later learning to cycle. Due to the proximity to the ground, it is less prone to falling or accidents for children or adults to stop or brake.

microscooter

The mini folding scooter, also known as a microscooter, was developed in 1992 by master teacher Edmundo Duarte from an idea of ​​his apprentices in the Sulzer training workshops in Winterthur. One of these models is now in the National Museum in Zurich. The scooter was brought onto the market in 1999 by the manufacturer Micro.

Kickboards

Unlike classic scooters, kickboards have three rollers and the handlebar is a round knob similar to the gear lever in a car. The kickboard is a combination of a skateboard and a scooter. You steer by tilting the knob to the side and shifting your weight. Kickboarding requires some practice in skateboarding.

Wave board / wave scooter

The properties of a wave board imitate those of a surfboard. Children should have the feeling of lightness and weightlessness on the street. Combined with an ergonomic shape that is fun for everyone, nothing stands in the way of "street surfing".

Downhill scooter

Downhill scooters (also: downhill scooters or in Switzerland (downhill) scooters) are more stable and designed for downhill driving. Monster scooters are one of them, characteristic of which are the thicker balloon tires.

As sports equipment

The compact, foldable scooter (also known as a stunt scooter or “freestyle scooter” in sports) is used for tricks such as BMX or skateboarding.

With the large, pneumatic scooter, races such as Kriterium (circuit races), marathons or relays are held at European or World Championships. In the case of a relay, the scooter is handed over as a "relay stick". Average speeds of around 42 km / h can be achieved in the marathon (31 km). The biggest racing scene is in Holland, followed by the Czech Republic, Italy and Finland. In Germany, scooters are allowed to ride in the field of inline skaters / handbikers at some marathons (mostly not yet officially listed in the tenders), e.g. B. Cologne Marathon, Karstadt Marathon, European Marathon, Damp Marathon etc. The scooter is an ideal endurance training device that is placed between running and cycling. Even long-distance journeys are possible with the scooter (Alpo Kuusisto with 84:36 h near Paris – Brest – Paris, 1 km with approx. 200 vertical meters or Joachim Sternal near Alb Extrem 10 km / 000 vertical meters in 190 hours ( 2 hours of pure driving time, 800 km / h downhill)). The German Scooter Cup (DTC) is popular. The DTRV (German Scooter Association) was founded in March 10.

The current 24-hour world record was set in July 2012 by Peter Groeneveld on a 400 m running track (545 km). The Dutch Hermies Koers set the women's 2015-hour record in 24. This is 430.82 km.

The 2012 World Scooter Championship in St. Wendel (Saarland) reached a new maximum in participants. About 300 participants were registered. The next world championships took place in the Czech Republic (Pilsen) in 2014. The World Cup in 2016 was held in Australia. In 2018 it took place in the Netherlands. European championships are held in the years between the world championships.

In 2013, 6 strong scooter riders rode the Tour de France route. The project was called "Kickfrance 2013". They started one day before the racing cyclists and arrived on the Champs-Elysées one day before them. With it you have ridden over 3 km and approx. 3 meters in altitude in 400 weeks.

With the scooter there are also dog sport races from the VDSV (Association of German Sled Dog Sports Clubs), called mushing.

As a means of transport

On the car and bicycle-free island of Helgoland, scooters are the main means of transport.

Scooters without an electric drive have to drive on footpaths according to the German road traffic regulations - if available. (In contrast to e-scooters!)

Motor-assisted scooters, electric scooters, increasingly established themselves as means of transport in large cities from 2015, mainly in rental systems and intended to cover short distances quickly and without traffic jams.