Scooter Bar Buyer's Guide: Shape, Size, Material & Fit
The bar is the part you feel the most after the deck. Its shape, height, width and material change how the scooter handles, how much it weighs and which compression it works with. Here’s how to choose.
Shape: T-bars vs Y-bars
- T-bars have a classic T shape: a straight downtube and a straight crossbar, with no backsweep or upsweep. A clean, rigid feel, and a favorite for street. A T-bar with a gusset (reinforcement) under the crossbar is still a T-bar. Example: the Ethic DTC Tenacity V2.
- Y-bars are anything that isn’t a pure T: a Y or V shape, a curved crossbar, or extra reinforcement. The shape spreads the stress along the tube, which often makes the bar stronger. Example: our QC Scooters V-Titanium. Its slight U shape spreads impacts away from the weakest spot.
Some bars also have backsweep (the ends angle back) or upsweep (the ends angle up) for a more natural wrist position, like on a bike.
T-bar: the Ethic DTC Tenacity V2 Butted.
Y-bar: our QC Scooters V-Titanium.
Height
Bar height is the most important thing to get right. Too low and you’re hunched over; too high and the scooter is harder to control.
- Start with our size chart. It gives the right total scooter height (ground to top of bar) for each age and rider height. Size chart
- A bar’s listed height isn’t the scooter’s total height. The deck, fork and wheel add several inches. The easiest way to compare is to measure your current setup and add or remove the difference.
- Park riders usually go lower and lighter for whips and barspins. Street riders usually go taller for stability, and taller bars also suit the bigger street decks.
- Growing riders: go a bit taller. You can always cut the bar down later.
Width
Most bars are about 22 to 24" wide. Wider gives more control and stability; narrower is lighter and easier to spin. A good starting point is around shoulder width. Bars can be cut narrower, but never wider.
Cutting your bars
Most bars can be cut to your height and width. A few rules:
- Butted bars: the walls are thicker at the ends, where the stress is. Cut too much and you remove the strong part, so check with us before cutting.
- Cutting the height (from the bottom) means you need to cut a new slit for IHC and HIC.
- Use a pipe cutter or a fine saw, then file the edges smooth.
Not sure? Bring your bars to the shop and we’ll cut them for you.
Materials
Steel / chromoly
The strongest and most durable, but the heaviest. Standard steel bars have the same wall thickness all along.
Butted chromoly
More and more popular. The outside diameter stays the same, but the wall is thinner where there’s less stress. You save weight without losing strength, at a good price. Examples: the Ethic DTC Tenacity V2, which Ethic calls the lightest chromoly bar (2.03 lb in 26.4"), and the Core Apollo Super Steel, butted steel that Core designed as an alternative to titanium (2.2 lb in 22.8"). What is a butted chromoly bar?
Aluminum
Much lighter, but not as strong as steel or titanium. To make up for it, aluminum bars have thicker walls, so they usually have an oversized outside and a standard inside diameter. Watch for 7075 or “7 series” aluminum, which is about 1.5x stronger than 6061. Example: the Triad Smuggler, 7 series, 1.85 lb. Aluminum grades explained
Aluminum: the Triad Smuggler.
Titanium
Almost as light as aluminum and almost as strong as steel. It’s the most expensive option, and it uses the same sizes as steel. Example: our QC Scooters titanium bars, from 1.65 lb. Tip: if your titanium bar snaps at the slit, you can often save it by cutting it clean and switching to SCS. Prolong the lifespan of your titanium bar
Diameter and compatibility
Bars come in two main sizes:
| Outside diameter | Inside diameter | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 31.8 mm | about 28 mm |
| Oversized | 34.9 mm | about 32 mm |
The outside diameter has to match your clamp, and the inside diameter has to match your compression system.
| Compression | What the bar needs | Compatible bars |
|---|---|---|
| IHC | Standard inside diameter + slit | Standard steel/titanium, aluminum |
| HIC | Oversized inside diameter + slit | Oversized steel/titanium |
| SCS | Nothing special. A slit bar needs an SCS plug or cutting above the slit | All bars (with a clamp that fits the outside diameter) |
| ICS | Standard inside diameter + star nut + slit | Standard steel/titanium (not recommended), aluminum bars |
Good to know:
- Some IHC forks can run oversized bars with an HIC conversion shim.
- Every bar on our site lists its compatibility (IHC / HIC / SCS / ICS) in the specs.
Clamps guide · Compression systems explained
Shop: Scooter bars
Related: What is a butted chromoly bar? · Prolong the lifespan of your titanium bar · Aluminum grades explained · Compression systems explained · Grips guide · Freestyle scooter buyer’s guide
