Compression Explained

Although very different from the others, a threaded set up is the most widely used. It’s the most simple and will come with the majority of pre-built scooters on the market, for example the ‘Team Dogz Pro 3 X-GEN’.

It works in the same way a normal nut and bolt would, the forks themselves screw into the headset, tightening everything around the head tube. The bars and clamp then attach to the top of the steerer tube/down tube that protrudes out of the top.

Specific parts for this kind of set up include the forks and headset- both must be threaded for it to work. Also a pair of bars with a slit in the base is essential in order to allow them to be attached properly.

Pros:

• Comes standard on most scooters.
• Easy to swap parts out.

Cons:

• Difficult to swap to a different compression system without many new parts.
• Not easy to tune and can take some time to get right.

Next up- SCS compression or a ‘standard compression system’ to give it it’s full name. This is probably the next most common type of compression in the market; it’s used on some pre builds, including the ‘Team Dogz Pro 4 X-GEN’.

This set up utilises a special clamp with a ledge about half way down, by placing a washer on this and a threaded insert such as a starnut in the forks, you can pull your forks and clamp together using a small bolt. Your bars are then tightened into the top half of your clamp. This all makes it really easy to make minute adjustments to your scooter that will allow you to enjoy really smooth feeling steering while maintaining a solid build.

The list of specific parts for SCS is quite extensive, firstly you’ll need threadless forks with a threaded insert near the top of the steerer tube/down tube - some come with one, others will need you to add one, known as a ‘starnut’. Next, you’ll need the specific SCS clamp and bars- these ones don’t have a slit in, allowing the clamp to tighten without needing to grip anything else. Lastly the SCS washer and bolt, these sometimes come with the SCS clamp.

Pros:

• Easy to tune.
• Really solid and professional look and feel.

Cons:

• Swapping from other types often requires changing a lot of parts.
• Forks/bars can more easily come out of line.

An inverted compression system is another popular option, it’s not used on quite so many complete scooters but you don’t need much in the way of special parts- just forks and the compression system its self- so it’s reasonably easy to upgrade to from standard.

  It works by using a long bolt that runs from the forks all the way up into the bars and tightens onto a starnut inserted into the base of the bars, this means that everything, including the bars, is held in place together and can all be adjusted from the base of the forks. This sort of compression could also be used in conjunction with the threaded type to further secure your bars.

Seen as an easy upgrade from a threaded system, ICS requires little in the way of parts. Basically, just the long bolt and starnut as many forks have a well/hole in which the head of the bolt can sit, although some will require a washer. You can use either type of bars, with the slit or without, as it won’t make a difference in this case. You can also choose which type of forks to use, however threadless forks make things a lot simpler and more accessible, so we would recommend using them for a really clean build.

Pros:

• Versatile and easy to add in.
• Easily accessible for out-and-about tweaks.                                     

Cons:

• Can be fiddly when first installing.
• Can’t be used with some forks due to proximity to the wheel.

Finally, Hidden internal compression- despite slowly gaining popularity this is the least used type of the four. It’s another system that can work really well as an easy upgrade from factory parts on some scooters, however you’ll need to make sure certain parts are the correct size.

This type of compression works by using a shim and top cap (washer) to mimic what an SCS clamp would do otherwise, by pushing against the top of the headset to pull simultaneously pull the forks up and hold everything firmly in place.

Specific parts needed for this can vary- one of it’s drawbacks is that, because of the extra width created by the shim being over the forks, you will need to be using HIC oversized

bars to fit. Hence, you also need an oversized clamp.  Other than this, you’ll need threadless forks and the compression system its self- so, depending on what you already have, this can be a simple upgrade.

Pros:

• Often won’t require many parts to upgrade.
• Larger parts make it a really strong setup.

Cons:

• More parts can make it fiddly to install.
• Risk of costs mounting if not properly researched.