How To Choose a Electric Scooter

• Electric scooters in the city

Electric scooters for use in the city usually have smaller wheels, which make the machine more agile and easier to control. You will be able to ride fast through narrow streets, along the sidewalk and be better able to avoid pedestrians. You can also choose solid polyurethane wheels for riding on a sidewalk without having to worry about hitting small bumps.

The performance of the electric scooter engine in the city may not be too high, because driving too fast in the city/ on a sidewalk isn’t a good idea. For many users, models up to 350 W are enough. Electric scooters for the city are lighter and many models can be folded, which is suitable, for example, when driving in public transport.

• Electric scooters for longer trips

Wheels on electric scooters for longer trips are usually bigger, because you will probably often ride on a bike path or on the road where you can go faster. For greater safety and a comfortable ride, choose rubber wheels. Trips can end up being quite long and even a small bump on fixed wheels could really bother you after a while. Rubber inflatable wheels ensure a comfortable ride, even if you are not riding on completely smooth asphalt. In addition, they will pass over more demanding terrain, such as gravel or sand, much more easily.

Electric scooters with a motor power of at least 350 W are more suitable for longer trips. Outside the city, you are likely to go up bigger hills and weaker electric scooters would not be able to handle it.

• Electric scooters for leisure

Electric scooters don't just need a powerful motor to be fun. You can choose from models with a smaller battery, which makes them lighter. These types of scooters are best if you want to buy one for your child “for play”.

Electric scooters with higher engine power will go faster. For this reason, get ones with lower powered motors for your children, and also for yourself if you do not have enough experience of riding scooters. The speed should never be higher than what the rider can handle.

Tip: Powerful electric scooters can handle uphill rides better. So if you often ride in more mountainous terrain, choose more powerful models.

The range (distance an electric scooter can travel off one charge) is usually between 10 to 40 km. Some manufacturers state their range in minutes. Choose a scooter according to the range, especially if it will serve you primarily as a means of transport and not just for fun. Although some models can be pushed along using your foot (like a normal scooter), you certainly don't want to run out of battery when riding to work in the morning. Conversely if you plan on using your scooter purely for leisure then running out of battery in front of your house or while riding for fun in a parking lot won’t be much of a problem.

The range depends mainly on the battery capacity. You can extend its endurance per charge as follows:

• Drive tentatively and slower, not aggressively or too fast
• Ride on the flat, not hilly terrain
• Do not bring any, or only the lightest possible load with you
• Avoid windy weather and wet roads
• In the case of inflatable wheels, keep them sufficiently inflated

With larger wheels you will be able to ride faster, but the scooter will be harder to control. So you need to be aware of where you will ride the scooter and keep in mind that you are not alone on the sidewalk or bike path. Even an experienced rider can have a problem with larger wheels, which creates a risk of endangering pedestrians. For the less experienced, we recommend wheels with a size of 5 - 6.5 inches. Scooters with larger wheels are more suitable for skilled and experienced riders.

The material of the wheels affects speed and comfort while riding not only for ordinary but also for electric scooters.

• Fixed wheels are made of polyurethane, which is also used for the wheels on roller skates. The main advantage of fixed wheels is that they do not need to be inflated and cannot be punctured. But you will feel every small bump or stone. In addition, the entire wheel must be replaced after they have been used.
• Although the rubber wheels have to be inflated and there is a risk of their puncture, riding with them is much more comfortable. You will ride over smaller obstacles without major problems and you will hardly feel the bumps. In addition you only need to replace the tyre, not the entire wheel. Electric scooters with rubber wheels are usually a bit more expensive than electric scooters with fixed wheels.

Tip: Some manufacturers choose to use both and the front wheel will be made of rubber and the rear one made of hard plastic.

The scooter’s construction needs to meet certain criteria. The frame of the electric scooter should first and foremost be firm and secure. When it meets these conditions, the other features are purely for your convenience.

• Material – scooters are most often made of strong and light duralumin, or heavier steel. These materials are very strong and safe and should be the ones you look for first. If you know that you will often have to carry your scooter, find one that is made of duralumin. It will be lighter, and duralumin is definitely a better choice than choosing a smaller battery if you want the scooter to be lighter.
• You will appreciate the folding feature if you frequently carry the scooter or even if you do not use it much but want to store it somewhere. By folding, you get an electric scooter with much smaller dimensions and it can be better carried, for example, on public transport.
• Anti-slip treatment is a very useful safety feature. It can often happen that you get on the scooter but the soles of your shoes are wet and slippy and this could cause a bad injury.
• Load capacity is another piece of information that you should be mindful of. Also, keep in mind that if you ride with a heavy backpack on your back, it will add a few extra pounds, which could put you over your scooter’s load capacity.

Electric scooters also offer many different technologies and functions for those who want something extra.

• Some scooters can be connected to a phone, so you can measure the distance you’ve traveled or even control the scooter remotely.
• A popular technology is recuperation, which returns excess energy from the brakes back to the battery. If you brake often and for a long time, you can save a few kilometers. However, if you drive mostly smoothly, this technology will not be so important to you.
• You can use cruise control on long journeys. After a while, your hands will start to hurt, so it's nice to just press a button and give them at least a little rest. The cruise control maintains the set speed for you.