Winter Scooting

One of the great things about kick scooters is that they can be used all year round, yes, even during the cold and dark days and nights of the winter months. Okay, it might not be as pleasant as a warm summers day but with a little careful forethought and the right clothing, some amazing scooter adventures can be had.

First thing I would advise it to make sure your Swifty is fit for the task at hand. Check that everything is working correctly, that the brakes brake, all bolts are bolted, tyre pressures are correct and most importantly that the tyres have a decent amount of tread for good grip. If in any doubt buy a new set.

Next on the list is the matter of clothing. Personally, my winter clothing does not differ that much from that worn throughout the year. I wear the same clothing but add a few extra layers, such as a long sleeve t-shirt and/or a light fleece. Because scooting is a energetic activity I soon find myself warming up and usually discard clothing. For example, last month in January, I was down to t-shirt and shorts on evening. If you wear lots of thinner layers rather than fewer thicker layers, it is much easier to add or discard clothing as you warm up or cool down.

Safety is also important in the winter months, as it should be throughout the year. Always plan your scoots, let someone know where you are planning to ride, when you will set off and when you aim to return. Carrying a mobile phone is a good precaution. I have an app running on my mobile phone that keep track of my location. Should a problem occur, my partner will at least know approximately where I am and can direct emergency services to my location.

The winter months are not all freezing cold weather, frosty morning and winter storms, though they do occur and can put a stopper on scooting activities. Deep lying snow is fairly difficult to scoot on, if not impossible, and icy footpaths are best avoided. However, if you pay attention to the weather forecast, you may find that temperatures change throughout the day. On some days, the day will start of at freezing, yet my mid-day, temperatures can almost be into double fingures, dropping down again as evening approaches. There was a few days last month in January where the night time temperatures were around 10 Degrees C. That’s shorts and t-shirt weather!

Daylight hours in the winter months are short, yet this should not stop you getting out on your Swifty scooter. All that is needed are a decent set of lights and away you go. The LED lights available these days can change night into day, and while the best are rather expensive, decent lights are available a reasonable prices. My preference is for two Knog Blinder Road 400 lights mouted on the handlebars.

Winter scooting at night is not without its hazards, particularly when scooting off-road. My best advice is to keep you speed down and be able to stop in within the spread of you lights. Trails debris is more of a problem in winter as storms tend to bring down more twigs and branches and leaf litter can be very slippery as well, particulary on wet tarmac paths.

However, don’t let all the above put you off taking your Swifty out for a ride in winter. With proper clothing, some attention to your scooter and some care on the trails, some amazing rides are there for the taking. And you may also find you have the place to yourself. What could be better than that.

Copyright ©2020 Gary Buckham. All rights reserved.

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