An electric scooter is a good choice if you want to be environmentally friendly, but you don’t want to get to your destination all sweaty like you would arrive if you would use a bike. While using an electric scooter, it might be a good idea to use an HT reflex or some other form of foot massage so that you can enjoy your rides at a deeper level.
A short introduction
While living in a crowded city, the means of transportation could get pretty tricky. Getting around by car could take hours of your time and public transportation is usually very crowded. Besides, they contribute to polluting the air you breathe. So, a good idea is to look for an alternative to these means of transportation.
Electric scooters are a great choice and we’ll tell you all about what you need to consider before buying the best one for you. We’ve gathered everything you need to know about features, prices, and maintenance and, after you read this, you will have the knowledge you need to choose like a pro.
Electric scooter features
While it seems easy to pick an electric scooter, you have to remember that there are a lot of models and types of scooters, and their differences are important when you have a clear purpose for using one. You may also want to consider the price range, but we’re going to talk about that later.
The electric scooter features are various, but the most relevant and the ones you should consider before buying one are the range, motor power, top speed, weight, wheels, suspensions, and brakes. Here is all you need to know.
Range
The range of an electric scooter is how much you can travel before your battery runs out. Every time you buy something, all manufacturers claim that their product has the best features, in this case, that the battery they provide will last longer than it usually does.
A good thing to do is to think that it will last about 30% less. Manufacturers always paint a picture of the best-case scenario: a lightweight person riding on a flat surface. A good practice is to always carry a charger with you and have an extra one to keep at your destination. This way you will never run out of power.
If you want to use it for traveling to work, for example, consider the distance between your home and your office and purchase an electric scooter that has the right range for you.
Motor power
The motor power makes a difference when it comes to the speed you want to travel at and the terrain features on your way to your destination.
If you live in an area with a lot of hills, you should consider a motor power as high as 500 watts. One with 350 watts would probably do a good job but never go under that value. A value that is above that is suitable for flat routes and maybe small hills.
The smallest power to start from, for an adult, is 250 watts. Your weight is important as well – the higher the weight, the bigger the motor power needed.
Top speed
The speed of your ride depends on the motor size and your weight. The top speed manufacturers give is based on a person who weighs 150 pounds and travels on a flat surface. Most of the time, if you just want to ride to work and use a commuter, not a high-performance electric scooter, you will need up to 10 mph
Most of the countries have regulations on how fast you are allowed to travel and if you just want to go from home to work you probably don’t want to use additional protective gear. Anything above that compels you to use protective gear for your safety, meaning you will have to use more than a helmet.
Weight, wheels, and suspensions
The scooter’s weight, tires, and suspensions are the ones that make a difference when it comes to the quality of your ride. Even if you are on a scooter, you can improve the quality of your ride and feel comfortable.
The scooter’s weight makes a difference when you have to transport it. Most of them are not heavier than 30 pounds. Think about the distance on which you have to carry your electric scooter. For example, if you have to carry it to the 5th floor without an elevator, a greater weight puts extra pressure on your muscles.
The wheel size gives roughness or smoothness to your ride. Usually, bigger wheels make your ride smoother so it is a good choice to go for wheels with a diameter greater than 7-8 inches.
When it comes to tires, you have to take into account that they have a big role in shock absorption. Pneumatic tires have a better shock absorption than the airless ones, but if you want low-maintenance tires you can buy an electric scooter that has airless tires.
Unlike cars, some electric scooters come with suspensions and some come without. The tires are the ones that make a difference here.
If you have large pneumatic tires, your ride will be smoother without suspensions, but if the wheels are small or have airless tires, you should buy one that comes with suspensions so that you are not uncomfortable while riding on a bumpy road.
Brakes
You wouldn’t want to ride any vehicle without the right set of brakes. That is essential when we talk about electric scooters as well. Depending on your road and traffic conditions, if you know that you have to make quick stops, the electrical brakes won’t be as helpful, but they are low maintenance.
Foot brakes need time to master if you don’t have experience using scooters for children. The brakes that people consider the best are disk brakes and drum brakes. The downside is that they will need mechanical service at some point to ensure your safety, but they are worth it.
Electric scooter categories
Now that we have talked about electric scooters’ features, we can talk about their price range and their functionality. Even if you have a restrictive budget, if a low-priced scooter doesn’t apply to your needs, it might be a good idea to wait until you have enough money so that the electric scooter meets your necessities.
Depending on their performance, there are three categories of electric scooters: high-performance scooters, commuters, and budget scooters. As you may know, their price range is different depending on their features, but we are going to talk about that later in this article. For now, we are going to tell you how their price ranges depending on their purpose.
High-performance electric scooters
High-performance electric scooters are the best at everything, but not when it comes to portability. They are very heavy because sometimes they come with two motors. Before buying one, consider if it is ok for you to transport them. Their price is usually above 1200 dollars, so before buying one, make sure that you need all its features.
Commuter electric scooters
Commuter electric scooters are what most people are looking for. Their price ranges between 300 and 1200 dollars. They usually have all the features you need for traveling through the city without any special needs, but, as the price rises, their features get closer to the high-performance ones.
Look closely at their features and make the right choice for you considering the distances you have to make and your budget.
Budget electric scooters
Budget electric scooters are usually above 300 dollars and are best suited for easy recreational use. If you want to use it occasionally on short distances and flat surfaces, they are a good choice to make. You can buy one if you want to see if electric scooters are the right choice for you and, afterward, but a higher performance one.
Conclusions
Big cities come with a lot of traffic, which is good neither for your time nor for your air quality. Therefore, people nowadays are looking for better means of transportation. The way you travel has to be in tune with what you want to accomplish and where you want to go, so choosing the right features is essential.
Most of the time the choice can be overwhelming, but after you have read this article, we are sure it will be easier for you to make the right choice.
