It looks so sleek that it screams "As seen on Maxim, Stuff and FHM." Any gadget lover would want to own it. I took the plunge and bought one when I was in search of a portable "vehicle" for short commute to and from train station. This is arguably the lightest (20lb) and most compact (foldable to not much bigger than a skateboard) electric scooter on the market.
However, is this practical or simply a fancy gadget? After using it for a week, I could tell you the answer lies somewhere in the middle. I hope this article helps potential buyers understand its capability and limitations.
First, ask yourself:
- Do you live in a city that rains often?
- Is the road you plan to use it on relatively flat and smooth?
- Do you need to carry it a lot during your commute? (e.g. lots of stairs, part of the street is too crowded for riding)
- Are you a somewhat handy person (i.e, uses screwdrivers/wrenches to fix things yourself occasionally)?
- Do you need to go farther than 7 miles?
If you answer NYNYN, you could consider it. Let me elaborate:
- By design it could not be used on wet surfaces. The road has to be completely dry.
- By design it could not handle slope steeper than 10%. Also, because of its hard wheels (not filled with air,) you will feel every bump/crack/groove on the road. When I rode through pavement covered by tiles (or are they called bricks?), it feels very rough and bumpy.
- 20lb doesn't sound like much but if you have to carry it more than a few blocks, you'll feel the weight.
- It requires maintenance, similar to the level of bicycle but not as much as a car. For example, you need to wipe off dirt built up on the real wheel periodically or the drive mechanism will be damaged since it drives by clamming the real wheel between 2 spinning rods. You will also need to check the thickness and shape of the wheels and replace them when they get worned out. And my unit arrived with the brake handle assembled a bit awkwardly (long story) so I had my wrench taken out of the toolbox where it stays 364 days of the year and fixed it myself.
- It is not clear how far it is supposed to go on a single charge. The range is not listed on the manufacturer's website. Some sellers mention 11 miles, some advertise 8. I've also seen 7. Obviously it depends on the weight of the rider and how steep the roads are. I tested it on a flat 2 mile track that surrounds a lake. The battery indicator turned from "hi" to "mid" during the first lap and became "low" and beeping near the end of the 2nd lap. However, it did lasted thru the third lap and some more. BTW, I'm 200 lbs. So you get the idea. One nice feature is that when you run out of battery you could still ride it as a kick scooter without being hindered by the motor/drive mechanism (just need to keep it switched on)
The bottom line is: this design is chosen to keep it light and compact. If it were to be made more powerful, a different drive mechanism, most likely bigger motor and heavier battery would be required.
BTW, I suggest to check out comments left on Amazon just to get a more balanced view other than the hi-raves you found from the manufacturer and sellers.
To sum it up: do I have buyer's remorse? A bit. Is it fun to ride? A lot!
For those who hesistate to buy one without seeing it in action:
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