September 5, 2014

Yesterday we were waxing poetic about two-wheeled fun, both human and electric powered.

Today – well, school has started around the U.S., and so we’re just looking for some Friday fun, no matter how few or many wheels it involves. And we found it, at the Skate Crate Kickstarter page.

Skate Crate is, according to its creator Dave Bergthold, a “retro-cool cruiser designed for fun and creative expression.”

Skate Crates have a retro feel.

Bergthold, a long-time skateboarder who previously founded the skate company Blockhead Skateboards, looked back at the history of skateboarding and found that more than 100 years ago, American kids were making their own scooters from roller skates’ (invented in 1760) wheels, old boards for handlebars, and lightweight wooden fruit crates.

Called kick scooters or skate scooters, these were great inter-neighborhood transportation, and especially good for impromptu races along the sidewalks, alleyways, and streets. This kick scooter era was well before skateboards got popular sometime after WWII. (The actually inventor of the skateboard is unknown – it seems several youth came upon the ideas at the same time.)

Hey, where are all the girls? Photo courtesy Western Springs Historical Society.

Bergthold has re-created skate scooters with his Skate Crate project. As Bergthold describes it, the Skate Crate, is: “for families and friends of all ages.  It’s for those of us who wouldn’t be caught dead on one of those folding metal scooters.”

Well, that seems a little harsh – those metal folding scooters can come in mighty handy. The Skate Crate is a little more upscale (or downscale, depending on how you want to look at it) and looks like a lot of fun. We’d certainly agree with Bergthold that Skate Crates are cool enough – and the Kickstarter allows you to get a DIY kit so you can customize – that you’ll want one hanging out in the living room rather than hidden in the garage.

A basic Skate Crate at Kickstarter rates starts at $179.

Whatever number of wheels you are using this weekend, have fun, and be safe.