Scooter riders are always trying to figure out how to dial their scooters. Unfortunately, spring brakes have been a big problem in this area for many years. No matter what you do to them, they almost always rattle to a certain degree. The best thing you can do to solve this problem is to replace the brake with a flex fender style brake. I recommend the Phoenix Switchblade brake as it is extremely high quality, inexpensive, and made of spring steel for long-lasting performance. In addition to cutting down on the rattle, this style of brake will also make it more difficult to lock up your rear wheel so it offers some protection against flat spots.

Unfortunately, most decks are not built for a Phoenix Switchblade, but the process isn't too difficult. If you aren't comfortable using power tools or being precise with alignments, ask a parent or older friend to help you out.

If you live in the Vista, CA area, be sure to head over to Aura Skatepark on December 7th for an all-night lock-in event. 5Starr Scooters is hosting the event and dinner, snacks, drinks, and breakfast are included for the $35 entry price. There is going to be a raffle ($2 tickets), a best trick contest at midnight, and lots of prizes!

There are only 100 spots for this lock-in, so be sure to pre-register soon to save your spot for a night of fun at Aura Skatepark with 5Starr Scooters.

Entry fee: $35, includes dinner, snacks, drinks, and breakfast
Location: Aura Skatepark, 1074 La Mirada Ct, Vista, CA
Date: Friday, December 7th
Time: 8PM to 8AM (the next morning)

For more information, see the links below.

Even if you're a great scooter rider, you still need to promote yourself in order to get the exposure needed to grab the attention of sponsors and promoters. If you're an unknown rider, you're stuck in a bit of a Catch-22 where you're not a well-known rider to get your videos posted to Inside Scooters or Impact Scooter News, but you can't become well-known if your content isn't being seen. Enter ScootAm.com, your online resource for promoting your own freestyle scooter content to gain exposure and notoriety.

This Saturday, October 20th, is the Indoor Scoot Comp at Epic Indoor Skatepark in Rocklin, CA! If you haven't been to Epic before, it's a great park. It's very clean and well maintained. Best of all, it's indoor so you can beat the California heat! Cash prizes will be awarded in the Pro division and gear prizes will be awarded in the Intermediate and Beginner divisions.

I took my kid to this event in June of 2011 and it was quite a memorable experience. If you're in the area, be sure to check out this comp!

The details for the comp are listed below.

If you're in the Philadelphia, PA area this weekend, specifically on Sunday, September 30th, be sure to head on over the the Black Diamond Skate Park for The Endless Summer Scooter Comp presented by Inward Scooters and Barking Spyder Board Shop. Waivers and helmets are required, so plan ahead. Check out the flyer because they have a TON of sponsors, so you know this event is going to be big and Inward Scooters always kicks down some big prizes!

The details for the comp are listed below.

I get a lot of emails, Facebook messages, YouTube comments, as well as kids and parents in person asking me about parts compatibility. Nearly every question revolves around the compatibility of forks, bars, headsets, and clamps/compression systems. This is by far the most difficult part of building a scooter for people who aren't already deep into the sport. Because freestyle scootering is still a very new sport, a lack of industry standards and definitive best practices has led to a wide range of parts and technology implementations. While innovation and variety are great for the progression of scooter parts, it has made the situation difficult for parents and kids who are trying to learn about building scooters.