FAQ about kickbiking

Kickbiking, Buitenactiviteiten by Ville J., 7.4.2016

Frequently asked questions and information of the sport

How do I choose the right kickbike?

It is important that your kicking position is ergonomic. The rolling should be easy and light so that you enjoy the kicking.

How do I ride the scooter?

Kickbike is very stable at high speeds because of the steering geometry and big front wheel.

How fast is it?

The speed depends naturally on the strength of the kick but I can give you some guidelines. The energy consumption is quite low during light kicking at 15–20 km/h but it will grow fast when the speed is more than 25–30 km/h, limiting the top speed on flat ground to about 40 km/h.

Do I need to change the kicking foot?

Yes, you do, and do it often. Usually, you change the foot at intervals of 3–10 kicks, 5 kicks at most if you go fast.

What is the most difficult thing to learn?

Being relaxed all the time! Many people kick with too stiff legs. Another thing you should bear in mind is to use both legs equally. Learn to kick only for 3-10 times with same leg in a row. A good kicker can change the leg also by jumping. After a little while your legs will become equally strong, which people don’t usually know.

Kickbike design

Big front wheel and small real wheel, why?

Big front wheel negotiates easily bumps, cobbles and gravel, making riding well controlled and safer. Small rear wheel allows narrow ultra slim design that gives maximum room and freedom to the kicking foot. The relation weight-stiffness of the frame can thus be optimized. Short rear end makes Kickbike agile in traffic.

Why so narrow footboard?

Narrow footboard enables a natural kicking movement as close to the body’s centreline as possible. Turning effects on the frame are quite small because you cannot stand too far from the centre of the longitudinal axis. This has effect also on the rolling.

Is Kickbike maintenance-free?

No, it is not, but it is a lot easier to maintain than for example a bicycle. Enough pressure in tyres is the factor that affects most the riding features and rolling, and it is easy to be checked and fixed. It is recommendable to take the scooter to professional for maintenance every year.

Fitness

What are the major benefits?

Big muscle groups are beings used. You can compare the movement to cross country skiing. Because of the wheels, kicking strains your joints less than running. Riding a Kickbike still raises your heartbeat enough and is an excellent form of aerobic exercise.

Which muscles do I utilize the most?

With a good technique, you use big muscle groups and single muscles do not get tired. The standing leg use mostly the muscles of the front thigh, while the kicking leg uses mostly the muscles in the back thigh and the calf. Buttocks and lower back also get good exercise. Especially women usually like these effects. The movement of the hip joint is larger than it is in other endurance sports, which helps to improve joint mobility.

Could you give me a training schedule?

If you want to be a fast on the scooter you have to kick fast. Interval training is very good: 5 x 2 km at an average speed of 25–30 km/h with 1–2-minute rest is a typical session for a fit athlete. Long aerobic rides are very important, such as 20–50 km with an average speed of 20–25 km/h. Most people tolerate no more than two hard kickbike workouts or races within one week. It is important to have recovery days since kicking is quite hard muscle work.

Can I participate in races?

Sure! There are races on long and short distances. Scooter sport is small but growing, tactically rich and demanding.

Daily use

What traffic rules say about Kickbikes?

Rules vary country by country. Kickbikers can be considered to be pedestrians or bikers. If you kick fast people will think you have a bicycle so ride like a biker. When moving to pedestrian zones match your pace with pedestrians. Riding cautiously and politely is never a bad idea.

What kind of clothes do I need?

Tights or shorts are better than slacks because they don’t catch somewhere (rear hub, brake etc.). For the same reason you should tie your shoelaces short enough. Normal running shoes are very good. Use of bike helmet is strongly recommended.

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Kleding

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Schoenen (hardloopschoenen, trekkingschoenen, Rubberlaarzen, vrijetijdsschoeisel...)

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Fietshelmen

Can I carry luggage?

Yes! Depending on model you can use a rigid front rack or a fixed or quick lock front basket.

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Baskets and Racks

What kind of terrain can I ride?

Depending on model, everything from forest paths to cobblestone streets in cities. But of course, the smoother the terrain, the better the rolling. See the model-specific recommendations on the bottom edge of the product pictures.

Which are the most popular models?

Sport G4 is the most popular and recommendable model for beginners for fitness use. Cross Max is suitable for rougher terrain and kickbiking with a dog. The best model for asphalt is Race Max.

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