Maintenance Tips
Bearings
Like headsets, bearings are a moving part and need to be kept free from dirt, water and grime. This can be helped with a purpose made lubricant.
Bolts
When scooters are ridden it is important that you perform some maintenance by checking all the bolts are tight and also the compression. This video gives some good info on how to maintain your scooter: HERE
It is important that when tightening bolts to make sure you are using the correct tools ie: allen key. DO NOT over tighten bolts and ensure the correct amount of leverage is used.
Brakes
Brakes by their very nature will wear, but this is not helped by over braking or braking with too much force.
Clamp Tightening
To make sure the clamp is holding the scooter deck to the bars, the clamp needs to be sitting right on top of the head tube, which will enable it to tighten against the shim* on the inside of the scooter.
*The shim inside is a metal tube with the slit.
If bars are spinning after you have tightened your clamp, you may need to replace the shim and/or the headset. This video shows how to take that section apart (first 1minute), to help you change out the shim and clamp parts of your MADD GEAR Scooter. Here is a video: HERE
Grip Tape
Grip tape will wear, if it didn’t it wouldn’t be doing its job. However, to prolong the life of your tape try to keep it dry, and away from extreme temperatures. To remove your grip tape and replace with a new one is best done by applying heat (eg a hair dryer) to loosen the glue of the grip tape on the deck. To re-stick the replacement you will need to make sure the deck is completely clean and free of any dust or residue, to enable the replacement tape to stick.
Handlebar Grips
These will wear through use and will have to be regularly changed for the safety of the rider, but damage can be caused trying to put them on, you can use hairspray to assist with this. Also make sure you have 'bungs' in the end of the bar as this provides protection if you were to land on the bar.
Headsets
Headsets have several moving parts, and can be quite delicate, therefore require some looking after, it is important to keep them clean, free of grit mud or water. If a headset starts to become less effective, it is important to take them apart and clean them (remembering the order of assembly) we also recommend using a purpose made lubricant and not grease.
If it sounds like a there might be a rattle in the front end of the scooter from the headset, then it's likely that it needs the compression tightened. The video below shows how to do this (about 50 seconds in): HERE
Wheels
Wheels are a wearing part, and will need to be replaced after time, but can prematurely “de-hub” or “chunk” if they are bashed on curbs.
A flat spot is from a brake lock up - sometimes by accident or deliberate by the rider when doing skids. We have to make the PU (rubber) of the rear wheel of a mix of soft and hard rubber - soft enables grip and hard to last longer. Under normal riding, wheels last for a good amount of time, but we can't build a wheel with a PU that will last when it is skidding on concrete or hard surfaces.
Wheel Replacement
In short you will need to use an allen key on both sides of the axle, one holds it in place and stops the axle spinning while you undo the bolt. Once the bolt is off you may need to give it a tap to push the axle through. Make sure to check the product after a few weeks and tighten the axle again. If you need more help this video will walk you through it: HERE
You should replace wheels with the same size that you are currently running on your scooter e.g. 110mm diameter. But you can size down if you want - but it means you would have to replace both the front and rear wheels to the same size. This also means you would have to push down harder on the brake to connect it to the wheel.