The two-minute pre-ride check that prevents most surprises
Most mechanical scares on a scooter are not bad luck — they are a soft tyre, a loose stem or a spongy brake that a ten-second look would have caught. Cyclists and motorcyclists have run a pre-ride routine for decades; here is the scooter version. It takes about two minutes, and it is the cheapest safety upgrade you will ever make. The full reference is our pre-ride safety check guide.
Why bother
Because the numbers are sobering. US CPSC data link micromobility devices to at least 233 deaths and an estimated 360,800 emergency-department injuries from 2017 through 2022, and those injuries are rising roughly 23% a year, with a near-21% jump in 2022 alone. Not all of that is avoidable, but a working brake and a tight stem move the odds in your favour. And the routine only works if it is a habit: do it before every ride, even if you rode yesterday, because problems can appear seemingly out of the blue.
A is for Air
The cycling world’s mnemonic is the ABC Quick Check — Air, Brakes, Cockpit — done before every ride. Start with the tyres. Check pressure against your model’s recommended figure from the manual or maker’s site — typically somewhere in a 30–50 PSI range, not a guess, because under-inflation reduces stability, raises rolling resistance and shortens your range. While you are down there, do the motorcyclist’s tyre scan from the T-CLOCS inspection: look for tread wear, weathering, bulges, and embedded objects, and check pressure cold.
B is for Brakes
Test both brakes by feel before you trust them at speed. Each lever should operate easily and snap back when released, with at least an inch of space between the lever and the bar when fully squeezed. Then the rolling test: apply each brake in turn as you try to push the scooter forward, and clamp down hard — the wheel should lock or drag without the lever touching the bar. A lever that pulls to the bar, or bites late, means pads or a bleed before you ride. (Why, in depth, in the brake system guide.)
C is for Cockpit — and the stem
This is the scooter-specific one, and the most important. A folding stem with play is a crash waiting to happen, so do the wobble test: hold the front wheel between your legs and push and pull the handlebars forward-and-back and side-to-side — any movement means the clamp needs tightening (but do not overtighten, which can cause the stem to fail at speed). Check the headset too, the bearing the bars turn on: squeeze the front brake and rock the scooter forward and back — a knocking sensation means a loose headset. Finally the controls: borrowing again from T-CLOCS, confirm the throttle moves freely and snaps closed, and the levers are sound, and glance over the fasteners and screws.
Lights, then a test roll
Two last things. Check your lights work — UK police advise using lights and reflectors, especially in low light, and keeping the scooter well-maintained. Then end where the cyclists do: a short, slow test ride as you set off, to confirm everything is working before you are in traffic. Air, Brakes, Cockpit, lights, roll — two minutes, every ride, and most of the nasty surprises never happen.