Fun On 2 Wheels Scooters blog

High Peak Junction, Peak District

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 17:53:53 GMT

Firstly, I will say that this was not remotely scooter friendly! I wouldn’t recommend taking your scooters (or bikes), unless you wish to start your ride here and are ready for a hike to begin.

Some pictures from our ride

Carsington Water, Peak District

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 17:53:52 GMT

Not wanting to waste any time of our trip, we squeezed an early evening ride around Carsington Water on day two of the trip. This is located between Wirksworth and Kniveton, near Ashbourne.

Some pictures from the trail

High Peak Trail, Peak District

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 17:53:48 GMT

Our last adventure of the holiday was to ride the High Peak Trail. This 17.5 mile trail takes you through some of the Derbyshire Dales most beautiful countryside. The advised route if visiting on wheels, is from Middleton Top Visitor Centre.

Some pictures from the trail

Bennerly Viaduct, Ilkeston

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 17:53:46 GMT

We started our 3 day adventure at Bennerley Viaduct, an impressive former railway structure which is known as ‘The Iron Giant’. The 430 meter long viaduct was built in 1877 to carry to the Great Northern Railway over the Erewash Valley, situated on the border of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Some pictures from our ride

Monsal Trail, Peak District

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 17:53:44 GMT

The second day of our adventures started early and we were headed for the infamous Monsal Trail, a former Midland railway line which takes you through the Peak District’s ‘most spectacular limestone dales’.

Some pictures from the trail

Our Peak District trip - the round up

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 17:53:13 GMT

Well, what a fantastic break we had in the stunning Peak District! We spent 3 days exploring the Peaks and fitted as much in as possible. We’re now back in Norfolk and I wanted to add a blog post of our adventures to inspire some of you to visit and enjoy what the Peaks have to offer. I can guarantee one thing; you won't run out of places to explore! I have kept each section brief here, but if you click on each picture of the location it will take you to a longer piece about each route, many more pictures and some useful information links.

Bennerley Viaduct, Ilkeston

High Peak Junction

Monsal Trail

Carsington Water

High Peak Trail

Which kick scooters did we take?

Riding surfaces

Top tips

Take a light waterproof that you can slip on and off easily. I actually ditched my cycling coat in favour of a Joules waterproof which folds up in to a pocket; super easy to pop in your handlebar bag or rucksack and sling on – which you will be doing multiple times a day.

Take a good amount of change . While I was pleasantly surprised how little this whole trip cost, all car parks required a few pounds of change and not all took card payments, so do empty those pockets and check down the sides of the sofa before you set off.

If you’re like me and wish to document every part of the trip, a fully charged battery pack (and cable) may be useful. My phone battery didn’t quite last the hike up and down high Peak Junction, so I was pleased to remember it on the Monsal Trail, where I did have to plug my phone in for a boost. This is a good present idea for those tricky family members too! Mine was a present from David a few years ago (not that I’m tricky to buy for) and although I haven’t used it a lot, it was perfect for this trip.

Write down a few directions or postcodes of where you’re heading as you won’t always have phone signal. Once I had set off to meet David along the route, I released I had zero phone signal or 4G, so tracking him down was interesting! I managed to tell him how to send a location ‘pin’ on WhatsApp (another great tip if anyone is clueless of their whereabouts!), however neither Sat Nav recognised Minninglow and it was sheer luck I came across him as there were no directions or signs to the car park until you got there.

All the normal bits that we should all take on a ride (but I know we don’t), such as spare tubes and tyre levers . A water bottle is certainly needed, but there some stops along the routes for refreshments if you need a top up. Wearing a helmet is of course your choice, but we always recommend to wear one – in fact it feel strange if I don’t wear one now!

Final tip of the day is to find a friend like David who really planned the whole trip – I just turned up and did the driving, lucky me! Thanks, David.

Handy map

Below I have added a map showing the 4 main places we visited. This time we stayed in Ripley, which was convenient for all if not the most picturesque part of the Peaks. During our last visit in 2019 when we visited Carsington Water and rode some of the Tissington Trail we stayed in Ashbourne, which was also nice and accessible.

We had a fantastic trip and covered about 50 miles over 3 days. We took in lots of history, fresh air and Derbyshire views and while I returned home utterly exhausted, I was so glad we fitted so much in and would certainly return to any of the locations again.

I hope this has included enough information to help you plan your trip to the Peaks and help you choose which trails to follow, scooters to take and places to stop at. There are lots more areas to explore and trails to take in the Peaks, but I hope we’ve done some of the hard work for you. Do let us know if you follow in our footsteps (or tyre tracks) and visit yourselves, I’d love to hear what you think! Our Facebook group is full of scooter knowledge, tips and routes from around the UK – we’d love you to join, have a search for your local areas and add any of your favourite rides for others to enjoy. Click - here - to join the group.

Any questions please do give me a shout,

Sarah

Guest blog - meet Team Rider David

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 15:50:33 GMT

After recently completing his fourth century ride on a kick scooter and having finished around 10 charity cycle sportives over the last 2 years, again on a scooter, I thought it was time to catch up with David and find out how he became a kick scooter fanatic, what his motivation is to keep on kicking and what the future may have in store for him and his ever growing scooter fleet.

'I scooted more miles than I drove last year.'

'My health and wellbeing is my motivation.'

'I have completed at least ten

cycle sportives on my kick scooters.'

'Exercise is mainly mental; your body

is capable, it is your mind you have to convince'.

'I find their mileage so inspirational.'

David

'Kick Scooter Rides & Routes in the UK' Facebook group

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 14:51:32 GMT

We have a designated group for kick scooter riders to share the rides and routes they have found to have especially good scooting facilities with other scooter enthusiasts - let's get the UK kick scooting!

Routes could be your local route from home, or ones you have found on your travels that you think people may like to try if they are in the area. The search box at the top can be used to find routes in an area you are researching, so be sure to tag the county in your post for easy finding!

We would love for this group to be well used and form a really good directory of routes and rides, or places which are perfect for exploring on kick scooters.

Simply search 'Kick Scooter Rides & Routes in the UK', or copy and paste this link -

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1760077990783585/

Commuter scooters

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 13:33:33 GMT

As a nation, we are becoming more and more aware of the need to rethink our use of cars and the way we transport ourselves. That has never been more true than over the last few months, where public transport has become something we wish to avoid where we can. With the recent upturn in commuters looking for alternative ways to make their journey, the kick scooter is becoming increasingly popular. No longer are scooters just those small plastic toys children ride, there is a growing selection of quality adult kick scooters and the market is rapidly expanding. Quicker than walking and less obtrusive than bikes, kick scooters are a great way to get from A to B.

If we say the word ‘commuting’, many of you will think of hours spent sitting in traffic jams, getting oh too familiar with someone you’d rather not be on a bus, trying to avoid eye contact with those colourful characters on the tube or waiting for an Uber in the rain. Over the last few months this has changed for many of us and while things are a long way off being ‘normal’, travelling for work is once again becoming a necessary part of the day - but it doesn’t have to be as we know it!

Some of you will be aware of the huge push that has been behind cycling to work over the last few years, but cycling even a short distance in your office attire isn't ideal. Hopping on a scooter in a suit or even a dress, is much easier than trying to navigate a saddle, cross bar and greasy chain. With a scooter you have none of these things to contend with - simply hop on without ungainly swinging of legs over crossbars, no saddle to crumple your tailored suit or expensive dress and no chance of getting covered in grease from your chain - that's the last thing you want just before an important meeting! Now we're not suggesting you might not scoot in different clothes if you have a lengthy scoot for your commute, but a half hour walk could be drastically reduced if you used a scooter and what's more - you'll have much more fun!

If you work in a bustling city, chances are you are already using public transport for part of your journey and that's great! But could you use a scooter to take you to that mode of public transport from home, or to the office at the other end? Commutes aren’t just for people in the ‘Big Smoke’ either, many of our customers are police officers or hospital staff who struggle to park closer than a 45 minute walk to their station or ward. Why waste so much of your day walking from your car to work? Don’t get us wrong, we love walking – but not when you’re late for your shift, or afterwards when your bed is calling!

Why are we different?

You will notice that all of the models available on our website have pneumatic (blow up) tyres – for us, this is what makes them different and puts them in a league of their own! We only list scooters we are happy to recommend and this whole scooter journey evolved from a hard wheeled scooter bought for commuting. It became clear very quickly this scooter was not up for the job and the search and purchase of a larger wheeled scooter with pneumatic tyres was the very start of this adventure we are pleased to be on.

We named our company ‘Fun On 2 Wheels Scooters’, and FUN is most definitely the buzz word when it comes to these great machines. I defy anyone not to ride a scooter with a smile – it’s almost law! Imagine arriving at work with a smile on your face, and the wind in your hair – what a great way to start the day, or way to unwind afterwards. It will also sneak some exercise in to your daily routine – probably without you realising! Sound better than your current arrangement? Check out our top commuter scooters and see which one you fancy.

Best model for you

Small, folding models are ideal if you’re still hopping on public transport for some of your journey or have limited storage at the office. They’re great to throw in the back of the car so you can park a few miles away from the hustle and bustle, bus lanes and congestion charges. A smaller-wheeled scooter (in comparison to say a road or fitness scooter), a 12/12” or 16/16” wheel set up is small enough not to be offensive to pedestrians while speeding up your journey time considerably.

• A top pick is the MIBO Mastr, a folding model with a 16/16” wheel set up. With BMX-style handlebars it gives an incredibly stable ride for both small and taller riders and having a weight limit of 23.5 stone this is a great option. It comes in an array of colours so you can stand out from the crowd and has an inbuilt kickstand and bell in case people miss you the first time. There is a MIBO carry bag as an optional extra. As with all MIBOs, this is handmade in the Czech Republic and comes with a 5 year frame warranty. A very trusty, durable machine with 2 brakes – just like a bike.

• Equal in wheel size and ability to fold is the Kickbike Clix. Having an alloy frame and weighing in at just 7.8kg, the Clix has the weight advantage if your journey involves getting on and off a tube or train. It also has a 16/16" wheel set up and folds down well, so again is the ideal size for commuting. The white Clix comes with a 2 brakes, bell and mudguards as standard and has a 2 year frame warranty.

• The lightest of all our adult scooters is the 5.8kg Boardy Original. This has a sleek, stylish design and is known for its fibreboard and beech wood layered board; ours has a bamboo coating. You can personalise both the colour of the wooden board and the metal handlebar clamps – you choose the combination! This scooter feels very different to the other designs as it has a flexi board – the footboard gives a lot more movement and feels a bit like a skateboard, which seems to be like Marmite! This folds at the base of the stem with a simple turn of the joining mechanism, allowing you to wheel the scooter along on its back wheel. It has 1 brake lever and 12” inch tyres, making it the smallest of the models so far.

Of course, if you don’t need your scooter to fold, there are more options available to you.

• Yedoo’s S1616 has been very popular since its launch in 2019 and as its name suggests has a 16/16” wheel set up. Having a strong steel frame and adjustable, wide handlebars, this compact little scooter is great for all builds of rider and is the ideal size for town and city riding. With 2 quick releasing wheels, you can quickly reduce the size of the scooter, for office storage or ease of transport. A touch larger you have the S2016 – with a 20/16” wheel set up, this size is a good compromise if you have a little more road work to do, you’re scooting straight from home or your commute isn’t so crowded.

• You definitely won’t be missed on the CRUSSIS Active! A colourful, nippy little machine with a 20/16” wheel set up, the city is where this is scooter is most at home. Like the Yedoo this will also perform well in short rides on unpaved roads, cycle paths or lighter terrain. With a weight limit of 18.9 stone, the CRUSSIS will add some fun to your day!

A handlebar bag would make a useful addition on any scooter, but even more so on a commuter scooter; somewhere to store your oyster card so you’re not rummaging to find it at the turnstyle, last minute breakfast and of course a few #FO2W business cards! You can purchase a travel bag for the MIBO Mastr and another sized MIBO travel bag fits the Clix too.

If you would like any more help choosing your ideal commuter scooter please do get in touch via the contact form on our homepage, or info@funon2wheels.co.uk and we will be happy to help answer any questions and share our experiences of the mentioned scooters and others we offer. If you would like to try a MIBO Mastr or Boardy Original give us a shout, we have one of each as demo models. We specialise in guiding you to the right scooter; we don’t want you riding any scooter, we want you riding the right scooter.

Check out some ideal commuting models here - <https://www.funon2wheels.co.uk/commuter-scooters>

PS - How many times can you say ‘commuter scooter’ in a minute?!

Dog Mushing on a scooter

Sun, 10 May 2020 13:14:06 GMT

Everyone has heard the term ‘you can’t teach old dogs new tricks’, but here at #FO2W we think otherwise! Have you heard the term mushing? Mushing is a term many people in the UK won’t be familiar with, but it’s a popular and ever-growing sport here, and we hope you’ll see why!

Let’s take you through what mushing is – mushing simply means ‘a sport or transport powered by dogs’. The practice of using dogs to pull sleds dates back to 2000BC, and when someone mentions dogs pulling something, you will probably think of Huskies pulling a snow sled. Well, how things have evolved! Urban, or Dryland Mushing, originally came about to keep winter sled dogs fit during the off season – so this is done on dry land. A dog can be attached to you (Canicross), or be attached to and pull a bike (Bikejoring), cart, sled, rig – or what we’re talking about, your best four legged friend, hooked up to the scooter you’re riding and going for a blast round the countryside! This is known as Scootering, or commonly Mushing.

If you’ve ridden a scooter, you’ll know how cool it is and how much fun you can have exploring on your scooter. Well, throw your pooch in to the mix and you’ve got yourself a new sport you can both enjoy! It’s a great way to keep you and your dog fit, stimulated and exercised and gives you another way to spend time together in the great outdoors.

‘What equipment do I need to get started?’

Dog scootering (or mushing) requires very little equipment, aside from the obvious scooter. You’re looking at sourcing a racing harness, a long line and a lead adapter. We suggest avoiding some cheap harnesses, opting for a professional grade piece of kit instead. These are adjustable to your dog to utilise correct pulling points while keeping their airways clear.

A long running line (like a lead) is used to keep your dog a safe distance away from the scooter – keeping everyone safe; in case of a sudden stop you will have time to stop the scooter and avoid your four-legged-friend!

Lastly, the lead adapter attaches to the front of your scooter (via the handlebar stem) for the running line to be fed through. This takes the line away from the scooter tyre to prevent it getting tangled. Some will feature a spring or built in shock absorber to absorb movement, encouraging a smoother and safe ride.

‘What types of dogs can be used in mushing?’

In fact there are no breed of dog that wouldn’t take to mushing! You don’t have to worry about being competitive (unless you want to!), but if you’re just looking for another fun activity to do with your dog, any breed can be put in front of a scooter. Large, athletic breeds that have an instinctive desire to pull, like Huskies or Malamutes are a common choice for competitive Mushing, but really, any dog weighing upwards of 30lb would be an ideal size. If you put a small breed in harness, just be aware you may not ask them to pull the weight of you and the scooter, but as a fun activity to enjoy together, your dog in harness with you kicking behind, no breed need miss out.

‘What type of scooter do I need?’

Many types of scooters can be used for mushing and there are different sized lead adapters for various scooter models. You might find your current scooter would suit you for an entry in to mushing, but ideally, scooters should be large, off-road types, geared up for terrain. Check out our designated mushing page for our range of ideal scooters - https://www.funon2wheels.co.uk/store1/Dog-Mushing-c50654840.

‘Where can I find more information?’

The British Sled Dog Sports Association features 5 main disciplines in sled dog sports, and scootering is one of them! Did you know the UK has a number of international champions? Something new to set your sights on maybe. Their website is a great place to start researching in to the sport of Mushing; https://www.thebssf.org.uk/. This page shows you your local scootering clubs https://www.thebssf.org.uk/get-started/find-a-club-near-you, though the community is much bigger than you realise and there is lots of advice on hand for newcomers to the sport. While of course a Husky is not essential for mushing, The British Siberian Husky Racing Association is a great resource – it was founded at the end of the 1995/6 season, so these guys know what they’re talking about!

Could you be our next Brand Ambassador?

Wed, 06 May 2020 16:02:53 GMT

AMBASSADOR SEARCH

To celebrate the approach of our first year in business, Fun On 2 Wheels Scooters are now looking for a Brand Ambassador who will be with us for the 2020-2021 season!

The successful Brand Ambassador will be supplied with a brand new Yedoo Trexx! This is a white, 2019 model Trexx, worth £440.

Are you already a passionate and regular scooter rider, keen to cover miles, explore new routes and document your adventures? You could be who we are looking for!

Our new Brand Ambassador will;

• be keen to promote scooting in the UK

• be a friendly and enthusiastic person, happy to chat to others you come across who are interested in scooting

• promote #FO2W and give out our business cards wherever possible

• regularly post on social media tagging #FO2W when they post (minimum of 2 x month)

• map and share their routes on our Facebook group ‘Kick Scooter Rides & Routes in the UK’

• send us pictures and routes from their travels, for use on our social media platforms

• practice safe scootering at all times

How to apply;

Write a short introduction about yourself, telling us why you think you would make a good ambassador for #FO2W. Include a bit about your scooter history, your favourite scooter and the best ride you have been on. Include any social media handles (i.e. your Instagram name) if you like. Email us at info@funon2wheels.co.uk; closing date is 31.05.2020.

Remember, we are not looking for someone who scoots huge distances or has lots of Instagram followers, rather someone passionate, who scoots a minimum of once a week (even just with the family!), wants to promote the growth of scooting throughout the UK and is happy to share their journey. You must be 18+ years of age and live in the UK.

Good luck!

Spring Classic Sportive

Mon, 13 May 2019 09:17:29 GMT

The Spring Classic Sportive

Well we've had a fantastic day here at the Spring Classic Sportive!

A huge 'well done' to our featured rider, David, who completed the challenge he set himself on his big birthday last year (he'd not be happy if we gave his age away ��) - riding 50 miles on a scooter. With his next birthday in just 10 days, he completed it just in time and CONGRATULATIONS are in order. Oh, and a sit down.

David chose his #Kickbike

#Racemax20 to complete the ride on and will be giving you a full run down of how it performed.

This very bike will be available to test ride around Norfolk and Lincolnshire and our website is well on the way to being finished if you'd like to view this, or similar products!

My favourite part of today? The reactions of fellow cycle riders as they passed - some jaws literally hit the floor ��! So much interest in the Kickbike, and I think amazement he was attempting the 50 miler on it! People's faces were a picture as I was biking behind ��. Many thanks to the #norfolkcyclingevents team for letting us loose on a scooter and for hosting another great event. See you later in the year!

#funon2wheels #funon2wheelsuk #FO2W

The start of FO2W

PAR002_123@heg.com — Sun, 05 May 2019 20:18:43 GMT

I’m sat here on a wet and little bit miserable Sunday afternoon, musing over how Fun On 2 Wheels came to fruition.

Crazy really, that what started with an impulsive Swifty Scooter purchase, has ended up an exciting and slightly ‘blind leading the blind’ business venture. Fear not, we’re learning quickly and it’s our business knowledge having to catch up - our scooter knowledge is bang on, you’re in safe hands!

A friend, David, sparked our interest in scooters. Honestly, we thought he was mad using a scooter to get to work - a grown man on a scooter was an unusual sight in a small Norfolk market town! Unusual maybe, but not for long if our prediction is right.

After a few weeks of a raised eyebrow at David’s chosen mode of transport, throwing caution to the wind and with much laughter I jumped on one of his scooters in my local park - the feelings of pure nostalgia he promised would hit me, hit me. The sense of freedom and fun that as an adult you seldom feel, had me hooked from that very first ride. Why were the other adults in the park sat watching their children play instead of letting off a bit of steam themselves, and actually, why should children have all the fun?!

Partner of Fun On 2 Wheels, Nikki, visited a well known holiday park where her 9 year old son, Charlie, was too young to ride the hire bikes. A throwaway comment a few weeks prior to this, having mentioned our thought that scooters would be the next biggest mode of transport in the UK, she immediately thought she wanted to spread the joy of scootering far and wide, and we started playing around with names of a business one Sunday night. Before we knew what was happening, we had jumped in with both feet, buying an email address and compiling a list of manufacturers to contact!

So, David is to thank for his interest in (currently) unusual and different hobbies, and the foresight to say how popular scooters are becoming. His knowledge and technical brain will certainly be put to good use. Nikki is the only one to blame for giving us the huge push to invest in something we love, and I am at the root of all the rambling blogs which are sure to appear. We’d love you to get to know us, follow us on our two wheeled adventures, and we hope to spread the fun in scooting!

Sarah, FO2W

Fun On 2 Wheels Scooters blog

High Peak Junction, Peak District

Some pictures from our ride

Carsington Water, Peak District

Some pictures from the trail

High Peak Trail, Peak District

Some pictures from the trail

Bennerly Viaduct, Ilkeston

Some pictures from our ride

Monsal Trail, Peak District

Some pictures from the trail

Our Peak District trip - the round up

Bennerley Viaduct, Ilkeston

High Peak Junction

Monsal Trail

Carsington Water

High Peak Trail

Which kick scooters did we take?

Riding surfaces

Top tips

Handy map

Guest blog - meet Team Rider David

'I scooted more miles than I drove last year.'

'My health and wellbeing is my motivation.'

'I have completed at least ten

﻿ cycle sportives on my kick scooters.'

'Exercise is mainly mental; your body

is capable, it is your mind you have to convince'.

'I find their mileage so inspirational.'

'Kick Scooter Rides & Routes in the UK' Facebook group

Commuter scooters

Dog Mushing on a scooter

Could you be our next Brand Ambassador?

Spring Classic Sportive

The Spring Classic Sportive

The start of FO2W

cycle sportives on my kick scooters.'