Scooter skins: what are they for, what are they and how to choose?
The skin for a scooter is similar to an analog for a board, differing only in shape. It can be industrial and home-made, while performing not only a decorative, but also a practical function. The material in this article will tell you about what these consumables are for, what they are, and how to choose them correctly.
What are they for?
Scooter skin implements the function of trajectory control, promotes fast and safe driving. It gives the perfect roughness for the feet to grip the platform. Basically, this is sandpaper or gritty sandpaper with an adhesive backing, which is attached to a deck (consists of paper, abrasive and an adhesive layer).
It is considered a consumable item and, with frequent aggressive riding, requires frequent replacement.
This is the most easily soiled place on a scooter where you put your feet. It covers the deck, is small in size, follows the contours of the base, and is an anti-slip sticker on the deck. Without it, it is almost impossible to stay on the scooter.
Varieties
The skins are homemade and industrial. The models differ in the type of surface. It can be not only rough, but also ribbed. The obverse of industrial products is usually decorated with the manufacturer's logo. It can be located both in the center and on the side, at one of the edges.
Surface abrasives are small particles of hard materials of different sizes. It is called grain, the grains are glued to a paper base. Abrasive sandpaper can be different (coarse, medium and fine grained). In addition, it can be transparent or black.
The classic version of the adhesive anti-slip sticker is made in black.
However, in the lines of well-known manufacturers there are also black and white models decorated with prints. The theme of prints is different - it can be light bulbs, lettering, stylized drawings, beautiful background images, skulls, vector and abstract motifs. Sellers rarely have modifications of marsh and gray-beige colors.
Why change?
Unfortunately, with constant use of the scooter, the skin is erased very quickly. In addition, it becomes clogged with dirt and dust. The anti-slip pad needs timely maintenance. The glued sandpaper is cleaned with a special eraser. This, to a certain extent, makes it possible to extend the service life.
You cannot wash it: from this it quickly deteriorates.
How to choose?
The question of replacing a consumable arises when the skin is erased. When buying, you need to pay attention to the ratio of paper and abrasive.
You need to purchase the product with less paper layer and more roughness.
When buying a pad for a child or adult scooter, you need to pay attention to its size. There are often cases when the sizes indicated in stores do not correspond to reality. For example, the standards for domestic and imported products differ.
It is better to buy a product from a trusted manufacturer. Large companies care about their image, their products are of high quality and best performance. These pads are made from a material that has excellent grip. When purchasing, select the preferred stiffness type. The price of the product ranges from 500 to 900 rubles.
The price of the skin is practically the same as for a skateboard. Sometimes buyers take the second one, adapting it for a scooter. However, this is unjustified: with the same price, there is no point in unnecessary work and adjusting the product to the shape of a scooter.
How to change?
Replacing the anti-slip pad is easy. This service is offered in specialized stores, but if you wish, you can learn how to solve the problem yourself. Let's consider the simplest way.
For sticking the skin, prepare the sandpaper itself, scissors, a ruler, a pen, a soft rag.
Initially, the old coating is disposed of. It is not difficult to remove the worn-out skin. Pry it off from one of the edges and gently tear it off the deck. If it holds well and cannot be removed with your hands, you can use scissors.
There are times when the old skin sticks tightly to the deck. To make it easier to remove it, you can take a rag, place it on top of the lining, and iron it with an iron. This helps to remove the coating very quickly. After the skin is removed, it is necessary to clean the surface of the deck, remove the remnants of the glue with a prepared rag. To better clean the substrate, use a solvent. Someone is cleaning the deck with an iron brush.
Next, prepare the pad: measure the required length and width, prepare a template and cut along the lines drawn. Industrial scooter skin has an adhesive layer. It will not be difficult to stick it on. When the skin is made from sandpaper, you have to use glue. Someone prefers to use double-sided tape or Moment glue for this purpose.
Before gluing, you need to outline the position of the lining. She should lie flat.
After that, it is slowly applied to the deck and glued with simultaneous smoothing. The industrial product is glued correctly: you cannot immediately remove the backing, this is done gradually in order to prevent poor-quality gluing. The material has a high-quality adhesive base. The skin adheres very well. However, after it has been smoothed, you need to walk over the surface with a rag again. Superfluous control will not hurt: a snug fit is the key to safe riding.
What to consider when changing?
The scooter consumables are sold in small rolls. Before sticking, it must be straightened. While in a roll, the skin takes on a rounded shape, which can complicate gluing.Straighten it after being cut using something heavy.
They glue the overlay into an interference fit, while someone prefers not to risk it, but to cut off the excess after the material has already been fixed. When glued from the middle to the edges, it is possible to reduce air ingress between the pad and the deck to nothing. To reduce friction when fixing, you can put a sheet of paper on top of the sandpaper. If the template extends beyond the edges, after fixing, you can walk over them with a file (at an angle).
In the next video, you can watch the process of replacing the skin with a scooter.
