YVolution make a range of scooters and ride-ons for children all the way from toddlers right up to teens. Lara was asked to try out the Y Fliker which is one of YVolutions eye-catching Y-shaped scooters; it is quite unlike anything we have ever tried before and Lara LOVED it. Because the Y Fliker is so different to anything Lara had tried I was worried that she might struggle to balance or propel herself but I was proven wrong - Lara jumped straight on and showed a confidence and enthusiasm I could barely keep up with. There were "woos" and "waaays" and after about 15 minutes of warm up Lara was rushing up and down the street, over obstacles and turning curves like some sort of skater pro!
Lara's Y Fliker is one of the YVolution Air Series, designed to offer your child the chance to make their own carving and drifting moves on a scooter. The Air series is available for ages 5+ (the A1) and ages 7+ (The A3) - because Lara is so tall she is already riding the A3 and my, does she look grown up when she is riding it. I think this scooter is a great way of encouraging older children outside and early experiences show it is amazingly good exercise, I think we were all worn out after our Fliker sessions this weekend!
The Y Fliker can be used as you would a traditional scooter, by using your feet to push down on the floor and propel yourself along but once you are moving you can continue to propel the scooter without putting your feet back on the ground by wiggling your hips from side to side and using the handlebars to encourage the scooter from left to right. The further out you swing your feet, the more fluid the movement... a little bit like skiing in fact! I was worried that this new form of movement would take a while for Lara to pick up but somehow she just 'got' it instantly. I didn't even need to explain it to her, she just started wiggling off her own accord and moving all around the place!
So far Lara hasn't quite got up to the speeds needed to require use of the handbrake but it is there should she need it and, as she masters her moves and drifts I can see the brake actually coming in handy to perform some stunning turns.
Our YVolution Scooter came in one piece but collapsed for transport; you can also collapse it down if you need to when you store it as the foot bars easily unscrew and fold flat. When constructing the scooter you also have to screw in the handlebar but I don't think you would regularly need to adjust this.
The Y Fliker Air currently costs from £65 - £75. You can find out more about YVolution on twitter and facebook. There is a countdown on their website which shows how many days there are left to order in time for a Christmas delivery (and delivery is free on all orders).
