Swapping kickboard wheels to fix loud pavement noise
Kickboards (folding kick scooters) are back among kids. Silver folding ones boomed 10+ years ago—then adults carried them on trains. Now my kid’s friends wanted them, so we bought one (goodbye balance-bike trend).
Hard to find in stores
Local sports shops and reuse stores had none or only 3-wheel versions (front/back variations) that looked too toddler-ish. Amazon had 2-wheel models from ~¥3,000:
Friends’ scooters cost ~¥7,000:
Same MSRP (~¥6,000), but the Kaiser above was under ¥3,000—so we bought the cheap one.
It was loud—hard plastic wheels
These “transparent” wheels were actually hard plastic. On asphalt they made a skateboard-like gaaa noise; vibrations were harsh and speed low. Worried about annoying neighbors, I looked for replacement wheels.
Search “4 インチ ウィール” and buy JD RAZOR wheels
Searching “kickboard tire” or “kickboard wheel” brought weird results (Frozen 3-wheelers, wrong sizes). Turns out “kickboard” is a brand; generic is “kick scooter,” and wheels are called “wheels” in skater lingo. Size matters: our originals were 4-inch, so I bought 4-inch JD RAZOR wheels. Watch out for “no bearings” listings—buy ones with bearings.
- Good search: 4 インチ ウィール
- Noisy results: キックボード タイヤ, キックボード ホイール
Other sizes exist (5, 6 inch); check carefully.
Swap succeeded
The scooter included spare bolts and a hex wrench; same size, so swapping was easy. If not, a 5 mm hex from a 100-yen shop works.
Result: JD RAZOR wheels sound like friends’ scooters—much quieter, smoother on asphalt. Kaiser reviews mention “hard wheels, noisy/vibrates”; now fixed.
Cost math: body ¥2,700 + wheels ¥1,600 (¥800 x2) = ¥4,500—about ¥2,000 cheaper than a JD RAZOR with strap, yet rides fine. Kaiser is aluminum and only 1.45 kg; JD RAZOR is steel (strong, but ~2x heavier). For preschoolers, lighter is easier to carry.
If you have a Kaiser KW-451 and hate the noise, swap to any 4-inch wheel. Kids lean back, so even replacing only the rear wheel helps. An extra ¥800 might save your ears.
Update (2025-11-30): likely to size out soon
This model is meant for kids up to ~40 kg, so we may outgrow it in early elementary. Older kids around us ride 8-inch scooters with hand brakes, suspension, and kickstands—basically mini adult scooters. They look comfy, but I’m not sure we’d ride enough to justify it.
Prices have dropped since 2016: even with those features, 8-inch models can be found in the ¥5,000 range. Many are off-brand Chinese makers, but other kids ride them and we’re not doing tricks, so probably fine.
Some even have a big shock-absorbing front wheel and a rear disc brake. I saw one in person for under ¥10,000—kick scooters have gotten pretty affordable.
