Scooter Guide 🛴

There are no excuses if you want to become exceptional at flat scooter riding

There are no excuses when it comes to mastering flatland scootering! 💥

When the OG members of FlatGodz started, they didn’t have ramps or skateparks nearby—just curbs, ledges, and street bumps. Yet, through grit and determination, they made insane progress in just a few years.

In this section, we’ll cover how to fine-tune your scooter setup and riding techniques to maximize your skills with whatever you have around. Let’s level up! 🚀🛴

Maximizing Street Obstacles for Skill Development

Curbs: Curbs are an awesome tool for practicing precision and timing, especially for tricks like tailwhips, nose manuals, and spins. Use curbs to work on controlling balance and landing perfectly. Since curbs are just a few inches off the ground, they’re low-risk for trying more challenging tricks with repetitions that help you nail consistency.

Ledges: Ledges provide a bit more height, allowing you to simulate ledges at skateparks. They’re perfect for learning grinds, slides, and jumps. Practice getting comfortable with different foot positions and body lean angles, as ledges add a new level of balance and control. Use them to practice combinations of grinds and hops, mastering one trick before moving to the next.

Street Bumps: Street bumps are great for getting air without a ramp. Use bumps to boost your pop and lift. They’re a perfect place to practice air tricks, spins, and speed control, which are critical for higher-level flat tricks.

Optimizing Scooter Setup for Flatland Riding

Deck Adjustments: Cutting the deck shorter can significantly reduce weight, making it easier to maneuver. A lighter deck allows for quicker rotations and faster tricks without exhausting your legs. Plus, it’s easier to handle during rapid trick transitions. Just be mindful of balance—too short of a deck can make it unstable for certain tricks.

Front Weight Distribution: Shifting more weight to the front (like choosing a heavier front clamp or deck setup) gives you more control in tricks like manuals and nose-heavy spins. Extra weight in the front can help stabilize landings and make nose pivot tricks smoother.

Smaller Wheels: Smaller wheels reduce ground friction, letting you build speed faster. They also bring you closer to the ground, which helps when practicing technical tricks that require precise balance, like manuals and low spins. Small wheels are ideal for responsive, fast movement and can help you develop flow in flat scootering.

Training Tips for Steady Progress

Repeat, Refine, Reflect: Start each session by warming up with basic tricks on each type of obstacle to build muscle memory. Practice with intentionality—each rep should improve on the last, with adjustments for stance, weight distribution, and trick speed.

Build Trick Combinations: Once you’ve mastered individual tricks on curbs, ledges, and bumps, start chaining them together. Focus on linking tricks smoothly, which challenges your balance and reaction time. Trying trick combos with your customized scooter setup will accelerate skill development and teach you to handle transitions with ease.