scooters - advice needed

[sphil]

I want to get a new scooter for DS1 (10) as he has outgrown his old one. he is dyspraxic and cannot yet ride a bike, but has recently become much more proficient at scooting (still not exactly smooth and fast, but getting there).

As his balance isnt great I was wondering whether a larger wheeled scooter would be better for him. There is one on ebay - a Monster Extreme Inline scooter - which looks ideal. However, I have no idea if this type of scooter is completely uncool. Most of his friends have got those bug type stunt scooters with the tiny wheels. Don't want DS1 to stick out as the boy with the clunky scooter! He hasnt felt able to go out with his friends on his old one as it has two wheels at the back, and I don't want him to feel the same about the new one. Any scooter experts out there?

Not a scooter expert by any means, but DS2 (12 yo) loves his Micro Sprite scooter that he had for his 10th birthday. He's a bit dyspraxic and has never got on with a bike, but he's very good with this.

puky r2002l?
ds1 (10) uses his puky a lot in the summer, and the boy next door always borrows it... he uses it in the skateboard park too...

fwiw, dd2 (8) has a skateboard with an upright handle welded on as a 'scooter'...

My son has symptoms of dyspraxia, poor balance, cannot ride a bike. He has a Razor Spark and is not doing too badly. The height is easy to adjust and the wheels turn really smoothly. It seems to be very robust as well.

Thanks for all these ideas. So are large wheeled scooters OK then - he wouldnt be laughed at by other kids?

I've not seen any large wheeled scooters for ages. No-one has them in my area. I'm sure you could find a 'cool' one but maybe trail a friend's small wheeled one, see how he gets on?

My 10 yr old ds has this big wheeled scooter and he loves it. It's very sturdy and well made as well as looking the business

www.micro-scooters.co.uk/product/the-micro-rocket/

my DS is 6 and cannot use a bike at all he has one but cannot even master it with stabilisers. But has a JD Bug and loves it. Not sure but the security of being able to put your foot down quick I think helps. Could he borrow a friends or do you know someone with a small wheeled one for him to have a go at over the weekend? At least you then have a chance of try before you buy :)

Coff, try a low rider. Dd2 has a trailmate lowrider and she loves it. Much lower to the ground and so not as scary, and the go kart like look makes it much funkier than an sn trike. all the other kids want to ride it when she's out. She has flags which they are all very green about.

searched the net. Those trailmates look wicked!

I can see DH wanting one himself!

Have a look at the low rider above, mrsM, it's a halfway house if he ever wants to transition to something a bit more bike-like but still needs a go kart feel...