Last Updated on May 17, 2023 by Matt
Knowing your ideal scooter handlebar height is a must when buying an electric scooter. You can be wrong about other properties and features, but if you misjudge the handlebar height, your scooter will be next to useless.
Most scooters will have adjustable handlebar heights that will fit most owners. But often, short or tall riders may have a problem here, as the handlebars don’t go as high or as low as they need them to. They will need to do some research before buying.
Luckily, figuring out your ideal handlebar height is very easy. In fact, there are 3 great methods to choose from. In addition, we will also provide you with a table where you can find your body height and the perfect scooters for you.
When it comes to scooter handlebar height for the majority of people, you can use the following rule of thumb.
What height should my scooter handlebars be?
The perfect scooter handlebar height is 2 in / 5 cm below your belly button when you stand on the deck. It is critical that your arms are not getting tired while riding, so the angle between your forearm and upper arm should be between 100° and 120°. This will make controlling the scooter effortless and provide you with the best balance and stability.
That is the general answer. It is entirely possible that your own specific body frame, height, and arms’ reach, require something entirely different.
Read on to learn how to find out your perfect handlebar height.
How tall should my scooter handlebars be?
The best way to figure out how tall your scooter handlebars should be is through experience! Nothing will be better than you trying out a few heights and finding your answer that way.
However, as there’s no one final answer for everyone, and I know that figuring it out through experience may not be possible, we provide three different methods of figuring out your ideal handlebar height.
This is the easiest method to figure out the electric scooter handlebar height for you. It will give you a pretty accurate answer.
Simply put, the handlebar height should be 1-2 in / 2-5 cm below your belly button, up to the same level as your belly button.
Some say a few centimeters above your hips, and some say about the same as the waistline. That’s pretty much the same answer.
Method 2: most comfortable elbow angle
Personally, I believe this is the best method to find out your individual handlebar height.
It is tailored to take into account your exact body measurements, and it works in accordance with your body. It only takes a minute to do.
The way it works is the following:
- Get a pencil or something you can use to note the height (don’t use pens or magic markers if you don’t want to mess up your stuff)
- Stand next to a wall or somewhere you can make a mark
- Let your arms fall down by the side of your body
- Slowly start bending the arm close to the wall. Your arm should be positioned so that your palm is facing downward.
- Try 3 or 4 different angles. At each, move your arm around, see how comfortable you are. Visualize how you would ride your scooter. See and decide which angle would be ideal for that.
- Usually, you will end up with an angle of 100 ° to 120 ° between your forearm and your upper arm.
- Spend a few dozen seconds with your arm at that angle. Make sure you don’t get unusually tired, as this should be a very neutral, natural position for your arm.
- When you are confident you have the correct angle, make a fist. Mark the top of your fist on the wall with your pencil. This is your perfect handlebar height.
Method 3: based on your height
The reason I don’t like this method is that it can be very imprecise. It assumes that your height is the only factor that matters for handlebar height.
The truth is, while your height is important, the length of your arms is equally important. The height of your shoulders is important as well.
Still, the human body follows certain ratios for most people. You may have heard that the span of your arms is your height plus a few centimeters (source).
But that’s not the case for all of us. Some people will have shorter arms, and some will have longer. That’s why I recommend the method above as much more precise.
Anyway, for most people, this table will work great to determine their handlebar height range (you can also use the handlebar height calculator).
| Body Height (cm) | Ideal Handlebar Height Range (cm) |
| 150 | 79 – 87 |
| 151 | 79 – 88 |
| 152 | 80 – 89 |
| 153 | 81 – 89 |
| 154 | 81 – 90 |
| 155 | 82 – 90 |
| 156 | 82 – 91 |
| 157 | 83 – 92 |
| 158 | 84 – 92 |
| 159 | 84 – 93 |
| 160 | 85 – 93 |
| 161 | 85 – 94 |
| 162 | 86 – 95 |
| 163 | 87 – 95 |
| 164 | 87 – 96 |
| 165 | 88 – 96 |
| 166 | 88 – 97 |
| 167 | 89 – 98 |
| 168 | 90 – 98 |
| 169 | 90 – 99 |
| 170 | 91 – 99 |
| 171 | 91 – 100 |
| 172 | 92 – 101 |
| 173 | 93 – 101 |
| 174 | 93 – 102 |
| 175 | 94 – 102 |
| 176 | 95 – 103 |
| 177 | 95 – 104 |
| 178 | 96 – 104 |
| 179 | 96 – 105 |
| 180 | 97 – 105 |
| 181 | 98 – 106 |
| 182 | 98 – 107 |
| 183 | 99 – 107 |
| 184 | 99 – 108 |
| 185 | 100 – 108 |
| 186 | 101 – 109 |
| 187 | 101 – 110 |
| 188 | 102 – 110 |
| 189 | 102 – 111 |
| 190 | 103 – 111 |
| 191 | 104 – 112 |
| 192 | 104 – 113 |
| 193 | 105 – 113 |
| 194 | 105 – 114 |
| 195 | 106 – 114 |
| 196 | 107 – 115 |
| 197 | 107 – 116 |
| 198 | 108 – 116 |
| 199 | 108 – 117 |
| 200 | 109 – 117 |
| 201 | 110 – 118 |
| 202 | 110 – 119 |
| 203 | 111 – 119 |
| 204 | 111 – 120 |
| 205 | 112 – 120 |
| 206 | 113 – 121 |
| 207 | 113 – 122 |
| 208 | 114 – 122 |
| 209 | 114 – 123 |
| 210 | 115 – 123 |
| Body Height (feet and in) | Ideal Handlebar Height Range (in) |
| 4’11” | 31-35 in |
| 5′ | 31.5-35.5 in |
| 5’1” | 32-36 in |
| 5’2” | 32.5-36.5 in |
| 5’3” | 33-37 in |
| 5’4” | 34-37.5 in |
| 5’5” | 34.5-38 in |
| 5’6” | 35-39 in |
| 5’7” | 35.5-39.5 in |
| 5’8” | 36-40 in |
| 5’9” | 36.5-40.5 in |
| 5’10” | 37.5-41.5 in |
| 5’11” | 38-42 in |
| 6′ | 38.5-41.5 in |
| 6’1” | 39-43 in |
| 6’2” | 39.5-43 in |
| 6’3” | 40.5-44.5 in |
| 6’4” | 41-45 in |
| 6’5” | 41.5-45.5 in |
| 6’6” | 42-46 in |
| 6’7” | 42.5-46.5 in |
| 6’8” | 43-47.5 in |
| 6’9” | 44-48 in |
| 6’10” | 44.5-49 in |
| 6’11” | 45-49.5 in |
Why is scooter handlebar height important?
When trying out scooters in the store, you may easily miss the importance of the height of the handlebars.
If you only play around with a scooter for a few minutes, you may not be aware of the potential issues.
But after long periods of riding, you will start to notice them.
Now, there’s no need to panic. You don’t need to get your handlebar height right to the millimeter.
But if you do miss it by 4 in / 10 cm, the problems will start to get annoying, or even uncomfortable.
In fact, these problems have proven so serious for some users, that they’ve had to get new scooters altogether. Let’s learn from their mistakes.
What happens if my handlebars are too low?
When your scooter handlebars are too low for your arms, you will have very poor control over your scooter.
Controlling and riding your scooter requires the handles and the buttons to be within your reach. You should be able to react fast and accurately.
If you have to reach too low, your steering ability will be hindered. Since your arms are extended, you simply have less freedom of movement.
As a result, you will have to ride slower.
Also, you will probably not have good access to the acceleration and brake buttons or levers.
That is not only inefficient, it can also be even dangerous.
Finally, if your scooter handlebars are too low, you will probably slouch to reach them. This may cause you back pain or other postural problems.
What happens if my handlebars are too high?
When your handlebars are too high, your arms will be in a very tense, unnatural position the whole time.
That will tire your muscles sooner. You will probably feel aches and pains pretty often.
The awkward angles of your elbows will reduce your flexibility. Again, you will have less freedom of movement and less coordination.
The combination of muscle fatigue and strange posture will have a powerful negative effect.
Not only will you have poor control of your scooter, but you will also get tired more easily.
Can I make my scooter taller/shorter?
The good news is, even if you miss your perfect scooter handlebar height, you can still ride your scooter.
About 60% of scooters come with adjustable handlebars. You can easily change the height of the handlebar to fit your needs.
Sadly, this will not be every electric scooter out there.
In any case, it is always better to go with a scooter with an adjustable handlebar.
That way, you will find your own perfect handlebar height.
Also, if you wish to lend your scooter to someone else, they can enjoy fitting handlebar heights as well.
If you are set on a specific model, but it has a fixed handlebar that will be too long or too short for you, consider talking to the manufacturer.
They are aware that people come in all different shapes and sizes.
Often, when their scooters have no adjustable handlebars, they may offer their models to come with several different sizes for the stems. Your scooter will still not have an adjustable height, but at least it will be perfect for you.
How to change the height of my scooter handlebar?
Of course, your scooter must have an adjustable handlebar for this to be possible. Adjustable handlebars will most often be one of the two types:
- several fixed height levels
- adjustable fluid levels
If your scooter has a few height levels for the handlebar, it will usually be very simple to switch between them.
There will probably be a latch or a lever in most cases.
Sometimes, there may be some screws that keep the stem in place. You will just need a small wrench or an Allen key to get the job done.
In any case, you will have to choose from some of the predetermined levels.
Some scooters have no levels. They only have a pipe that lets you set the height as you please. Here’s an example of that mechanism on a Micro scooter for kids.
How tall are electric scooter handlebars?
On average, electric scooters have a handlebar height of 99.05 cm (39 inches).
The tallest handlebar in an electric today is 112 cm / 44 in. It’s on the Turbowheel Hornet scooter.
The shortest handlebar height is 73 cm / 29 in. It belongs to the Joyor H1. It is marketed as a scooter suitable for both adults and children. Given their low handlebar height, they are frequently bought for kids.
Check out our full guide for the average scooter handlebar height to learn more.
Electric scooter handlebar width
We’ve talked about the scooter handlebar height, but that’s not the only important handlebar dimension.
The width of the handlebars, while not as important, should still be considered.
Same as the height, it also has an effect on your control and comfort.
A good rule of thumb for scooter handlebar width is for your handlebars to be as wide as your shoulders.
If your handlebars are too wide, you will have to spread your arms too much. That will quickly tire your arms and hinder your control.
On the other hand, too narrow handlebars will make steering very hard. Even small turns of the handles will result in bigger turns of the front wheel. Your overall control of the scooter will suffer as a result.
However, the width of the handlebars is not as critical as the height. You can always choose the point at which to hold on to the handlebars.
Also, many scooters will allow for the width of the handlebars to be adjusted. That’s a much simpler feature to implement, and more scooters will come with it.
