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The Ultimate Guide to Buying an Electric Scooter

Daniel
26 June 2021

Electric Scooters are becoming more popular by the day. With over 1 million scooter sales annually e scooters are here to stay. So when buying an electric scooter, what things should you consider?

Have you ever considered purchasing an electric scooter?

If not, it’s certainly about time you did. Electric scooters are five times quicker than getting around on foot and are also extremely inexpensive to run, which make them the ideal travel method for short distances.

From the outset, purchasing an electric scooter may seem a doddle – but there is so much more to it than meets the eye, so it’s vital to do your research.

If you’re new to the world of electric scooters and want to know the ins and outs of purchasing your own – you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to give you all the information you need to know about electric scooters to help you get up to scratch.

To some, buying an e scooter might come naturally – it depends on whether or not you are technical or whether you understands the importance of various aspects of scooter ownership from quality of ride through to ride range.

Like cars, motorbikes, pedal bikes, electric scooters have their own qualities as well as technical specifications which sets them apart. So before buying your first electric scooter – the key things you should think about include:

The quality of ride, how powerful the scooter motors are, whether the scooter has one or 2 motors, the scooters battery capacity and charging time, the maximum load the scooter can take and more! Here we delve into the most important specifications you should consider.

Scooter Brands: Before Buying What Should You Look For?

The obvious first choice should be which brand of scooter do you buy.

Well, it depends significantly depending on what you intend to use the scooter for. Brand of scooter is important, because ultimately the brand will also to a degree dictate quality, ease of repair, getting spares, warranty and more.

There’s a simple conclusion to be drawn here.

When choosing a scooter brand, be wary of lesser known / generic chinese scooter brands – primarily because they aren’t likely to have the same level of support if things go wrong.

The internet is agast with rebranded generic chinese scooters which might look good on paper but, will undoubtedly suffer from quality control issues & difficulty in getting parts. Whilst not all unpopular brands are bad (in fact some lesser-known brands like Bronco Motors make exceptionally high-quality scooters).

Buying a POPULAR  brand that is established is generally your best bet.

Different brands offer a different range of scooters – some popular scooter brands like Xiaomi tend to manufacture small, low cost scooters suitable for general all round use.  Other popular brands such as Dualtron make a wider range of scooters from lower performance, high-quality scooters through to high-performance scooters.

Some of the most popular scooter brands include Segway, Ninebot, Dualtron, E-TWOW, Mercane, Emove, Bird, Unagi, Pure Air, ZERO, Weped, Turboant, Gotrax, Glion, Razor, Reid, Xiaomi, Kaabo, Carrera, Apollo, Swagtron, Hiboy, Inokim, Solar AND MORE.

The key things you’ll want to look for include:

  • Does the scooter brand in question have a website?
  • What are their brand reviews like?
  • How long has the brand been around?
  • Is it easy to get parts?
  • Is it easy to return the scooter if faulty?
  • What is the standard manufacturer warranty period?
  • Do they have a point of contact in your country?
  • Do they have CE certification?
  • Do major retailers sell models that belong to the brand?
  • Are they on social media? are they active?

Scooter Brands: What should you avoid?

unbranded scooter

The most obvious thing to avoid is unbranded products.

Ultimately, anything that is a replica or clone or carries no brand should be avoided.

Unbranded scooters may be poor quality, have untested components, be dangerous to ride etc. Unbranded scooters are generally easy to spot on Amazon and eBay – you’ll often see scooters and listings where the branding is missing, or, where the photos show no clear scooter brand.

Unbranded scooters should ideally be avoided, you won’t know if what you are riding is safe, nor are you likely to be able to get spare parts or repairs – that means, once it’s broken it’s broken.

Unless you are experienced with electric scooters, another thing you’ll want to do is avoid brands that take generic scooters and putting their logo on it. Whilst this might seem harmless, a lot of the generic scooters that are re-branded do not go through the same level of quality control that known, established brands do. 

You may have noticed when searching for an electric scooter, you’ll see the same scooters over and over again with different names associated with them – this is a classic example of “model hijacking”. This doesn’t mean the scooter is necessarily bad but it does mean you are more susceptible to having no one to turn to if the scooter goes wrong and the brand disappears.

Here is an example – you’ll see the first result is from a brand called E TRIC and the model is a GTR-2 – put this next to a ZERO 10X and they look almost identical.

cloned brands

Here we see a ZERO 10X and the same model with a different brand.

cloned zero10x 1

Whilst this isn’t always an issue – you should be cautious.

IF you can verify the brand or (rebranded) scooter is from a retailer or manufacturer in your country there is less to worry about – but, you should ALWAYS be cautious buying a scooter that looks like it’s been rebranded, primarily because a lot of scooters in the marketplace are clones – and even if they look like the original, most of the time they’ll be made from lower quality materials.

If you find a brand of scooter and you are unsure, Google the scooter brand, look to see if you can find any reviews, if they have a website and some reviews / establishment then you’ll likely be OK. Just make sure you are able to return the scooter to the retailer and that you have warranty should anything go wrong.

Ride Quality – What are you looking for?

Depositphotos 309254140 xl 2015small

Ride quality is super important – but how important will depend on your own preference and what you intend to use the scooter for.

Ride quality is impacted by numerous factors such as wheel type & size, suspension, scooter weight, size of the deck, handlebar width and stem.

The most obvious factors that impact ride quality are the tyres and suspension.

Where you ride and what surface you ride on is key – if you are going to use your scooter for light commuting on paths than you can get away with solid tyres and no suspension – however if you are going to use your scooter off road or on rough terrain than pneumatic tyres and suspension are a must.

And the final factors relate to you and your weight.

The bigger you are, the more you weigh, the more likely you are going to need a scooter with softer tyres and suspension as well as a wider deck for stability.

Ride quality is super important – you’ll want something that fits your riding style and intended use.

Ride Quality – Solid Tyres vs. Pnuematic Tyres

tyre type

Solid tyres are exactly what they say they are – they’re solid, this means that they are rubber throughout from the tread to the motor rim. Pneumatic tyres however are air filled tyres – these come in 2 types, with an inner tube or tubeless.

Solid tyres are primarily used on slower, budget electric scooters with smaller wheels (typically 6-8″ inches) – they are immune from punctures, last a very long time and are super durable – HOWEVER they are hard, so if your scooter doesn’t come with suspension then the ride quality with be harsher with no tyre impact absorption and no suspension you’ll feel every bump, stone, uneven road or path surface. 

Solid rubber tyres are GENERALLY associated with harsher rides, so if you are commuting a couple of miles a day and you have a lot of uneven paths or surfaces to cover, you may find it fatiguing to ride. Solid rubber tyres also aren’t as grippy in wet conditions, usually because they are more rigid with less tread depth.

Pneumatic tyres are usually found on more powerful electric scooters and offer a much smoother ride.

Because pneumatic tyres are air filled, it means the tyre has more “give” allowing it to soak up some impacts / stones / uneven surfaces. These tyres are often found on larger motor hubs 8″ – 13″ inches on average.

Pneumatic tyres offer superior grip and are better for all round use including off road. E scooters can come with on road air filled tyres (low tread profile) or off road air filled tyres or “knobbly tyres” which have an elevated tread profile to maximise grip across mud and grass.

If you are a commuter looking for a basic scooter, you’ll find most low powered scooters (250w-500w) come with solid rubber tyres. These will generally offer a harsher ride. If your commute is mainly on smooth paths you shouldn’t have any issue.

If you are a commuter looking for something to take some on and off road use, get a scooter with air filled tyres.

You could opt for solid tyres but only if the scooter compensates with suspension.

If you are a speed freak and are looking for a powerful scooter for road use, opt for a scooter with larger air filled tyres (11″ inches). 

If you are an off road adrenaline junkie you’ll want a scooter with air filled knobbly tyres – ideally tubeless as the rubber walls tend to be thicker, making them more puncture resistant.

If you are looking for an all round “good ride” quality opt for a scooter with air filled tyres over solid tyres.

If you are looking for a comfier ride, choose a scooter with air filled tyres. Solid tyres offer the benefit of puncture resistance but generally offer a more uncomfortable ride.

Ride Quality – Suspension

scooter suspension

Suspension on an electric scooter will help to significantly increase ride quality. Suspension effectively compensates against harsher, uneven road / off road surfaces. Suspension absorbs the shock, preventing the transfer of shock to other areas of the scooter.

Suspension is often found in higher end, more powerful electric scooters – however some cheaper scooters feature suspension (albeit more limited).

If your scooter has no suspension it’s likely to offer a poorer ride quality on imperfect road/pavements. 

Depending on the type of scooter you opt to buy – will depend on the type of suspension it’ll come with.

Suspension significantly increases ride quality & increases e-scooter durability

Ride Quality – No Suspension

GXLV2BlackHero21500x1500

Most budget scooters come with NO suspension. 

This means that the ride quality is likely to be much poorer when compared to a scooter with suspension. Whilst having no suspension might sound like a bad thing – if you are using your scooter in areas with good quality pavements/roads/byways – you are unlikely to need suspension.

However, ANY form of road/pavement/path quality issue will make for uncomfortable riding. If your scooter has no suspension and solid tyres, it will likely be unsuitable for use away from town/city centres.

Ride Quality – With Suspension

Kaabo Mantis scooter

If your scooter has suspension the ride quality is likely to be MUCH better. 

Suspension will improve the ride quality significantly – even cheaper scooters with suspension will see much better ride quality than those without. If you are looking for a great all rounder scooter – opt for one with suspension.

When buying an electric scooter with suspension, always opt for a scooter with front and rear suspension.

Some electric scooters use different suspension types from basic spring suspension through to rubber cartridge suspension and gas / air suspension.

How and what you use your scooter for will depend on the kind of suspension you need.

Off road electric scooters like the Kaabo Wolf Warrior or Dualtron Ultra 2 use high quality suspension (predominantly spring suspension). The Dualtron 2 uses a rubber cartridge suspension system which offers superior flexibility in changing dampening settings.

Performance on road scooters will generally use a mix of spring / gas / air suspension.

Scooters such as the Bronco 11 Xtreme use gas suspension which offers superior ride quality whilst being adequate for shock absorption.

Opt for Cartridge or Gas / Air Suspension where possible – it offers the greatest all round flexibility when it comes to configuring your suspension setup and ride quality

Ride Quality – Deck & Stem

Apollo Ghost electric scooter

The deck and stem are intrinsic to a scooters ride quality – mainly because the amount of deck space you have will dictate how you can ride and your stem will impact on things like agility and overall comfort.

What a lot of people fail to take into consideration is deck length and stem height.

If you are tall, the last thing you’ll want to be doing is battling finding a comfy riding position or “stance”, equally if you are tall with a scooter that has a short steering stem you’ll find yourself in an uncomfortable riding position.

How tall you are, your size and weight will all dictate the kind of electric scooter that you should buy.

Deck & Steering Column Size are so important – they will ultimately dictate whether you can ride in a comfy position.

 

 

Ride Quality – The Deck

dualtron ultra top view image

Scooters come in all different sizes from small (Xiaomi M365) through to stupidly large (Dualtron X). 

Choosing one with a sufficient deck size is important. You have to factor in your size, potential standing position and whether you will be using the website for speed, commuting or all round use.

Most budget scooters tend to be smaller – they’ll typically come with a narrower deck and often do not come with any rear foot rest. Medium performance scooters tend to offer the best of both worlds with a wider, longer deck but are usually without any rear footrest.

High performance scooters tend to have the largest decks, primarily because the batteries they need to carry are significantly larger. Most high performance scooters also have rear footrests so that riders can maintain a lower stance when riding to combat speed wobble / wind resistance. 

If you are a taller / larger rider than you’ll typically want to try and avoid budget / lower end scooters as most come with a narrow deck width (5-10 inches) on average – primarily because the battery isn’t that big & budget scooters have lower manufacturing costs and therefore do not require a larger deck.

If you are a commuter but not a speed junkie, a small deck will likely suffice, even if you are taller, if your commute time isn’t overly long you won’t need to worry too much about finding a comfortable riding position – it will come down to your budget.

If you are looking for speed, you’ll generally want a larger deck, mainly for finding the perfect riding position – which, is important at high speeds.

Ride Quality – The Stem / Steering Column

zero 11x front

The stem height and rigidity are important and again can be overlooked when purchasing an electric scooter. 

Most scooter buyers seldom care about the type of steering tube they have nor the height – but, it’s of the utmost importance. Buy a scooter with a short steering column and you’ll find yourself leaning to find a good enough riding position.

There are a few considerations before buying your next electric scooter (or your first) and that’s

Are you tall? if yes, you’ll want to opt for a bigger scooter with a longer stem (steering tube). A longer stem height will mean you aren’t having to lean down when riding.

If you are heavy then you’ll ideally want a scooter that offers a rigid steering column – the same for if you intend on riding at high speed.

Larger, heavier, taller riders are better off with medium budget scooters – ones that are either a re-enforced single column or dual column steering. 

Lighter, average height or shorter riders will generally be fine with almost any scooter stem height.

Things to look out for – some scooters are known for having steering column wobble / play issues where there is excess forward and backward movement at handlebar level.

You’ll also want a scooter with a reinforced folding clamp – When you buy an electric scooter, you’ll almost certainly be expecting to fold the steering tube up and down. Scooters will have a clamp system that locks the steering column up – make sure you get a scooter that doesn’t have weak clamp issues.

Choose an electric scooter with the right height dimensions to suit your height – avoid budget scooters if you are tall as most budget scooters tend to have shorter steering stems.

Weight & Portability

Apollo Ghost electric scooter

Some electric scooters on the market are portable, meaning they are easily manoeuvrable and ideal for bringing along with you on holidays or day trips.

If this is an important factor when purchasing your own e-scooter, stay on the lookout for those which are lightweight, foldable and can be easily stored.

One of the questions you may be asking yourself is how small electric scooters are when they are folded up.

This aspect may be high on your priority list, especially if you’re planning on transporting the scooter from A to B; whether it be travelling needing to carry it throughout the working day.

On average, an electric scooter measures 40 inches long and 17 inches tall when folded up, which is roughly the same measurements as a standard guitar.

A guitar is an object that is carried around quite easily, so you shouldn’t have any problems.

While all scooters have different measurements, it’s important to determine whether portability is a key factor before purchasing.

If so, it would be wise to make comparisons between different makes and models to ensure the scooter is the correct size for your daily lifestyle.

Most budget e scooters are portable. Higher performance scooters (1000w) onwards start to become less portable due to their size and weight.

Portability – Weight

word image

Most people take weight into consideration – especially those who commute and have to carry their scooter at different points in their journey.

Scooter weight is also a factor for people who live away from ground floor accommodation i.e. in flats. Commuters and those who live in hard to access locations will generally want a scooter that weighs 15-20kg or less.

This heavily limits the kinds of scooters available, most budget scooters between 250-500w will weigh around 15kg on average.

When you start heading towards mid-range scooters (500-1500w) the weight increases progressively 20-30kg. As you move up the power range, the battery size and weight as well as the scooter size increases – decreasing portability.

Performance scooters such as the Dualtron Ultra 2, Dualtron X, Bronco 11 Xtreme, Weped FF etc. can weigh as much as 40kg-50kg making them extremely heavy and non portable.

If you’re commuting, for example, you’ll need to consider whether the scooter needs to be carried long distances or up the stairs, which of course, means a lightweight option would be more practical.

What’s more, you’ll also need to think about the maximum weight a scooter can hold from both the rider and any additional load. At a rough average, scooters are designed to hold a maximum load of 100kg – but this can often be the weight of the rider only. While many riders do go over the maximum, be aware that if you may not be covered in your warranty if issues occur.

Portability – Size

minimotors dualtron mini electric scooter portable foldable 1

The actual size of the scooter you may purchase is absolutely key.

If you plan to store your scooter in your home or garage then no doubt if space is tight you’ll want a small scooter, of course, if space is plentiful a bigger scooter is fine.

Again, a lot of it depends on where and how you intend to use your new scooter.

If you live in a small apartment or flat and you need something portable and compact then most budget scooters will fit the bill, there are lots of small, compact scooters including the Gotrax XR, Hiboy S2, The E-Twow GT, Swagtron Swagger 5, Xiaomi M365, Ninebot Segway E25E & loads more.

Most SMALL electric scooters will have dimensions around the 110cm x 40cm by 120cm mark (unfolded) and 110cm x 40cm by 40cm (folded).

This means they’ll fit comfortably under your desk, in a hallway, in the boot of a small family hatchback, on the train etc.

When checking the dimensions of your scooter the 2 key things are width and length (FOLDED). If in doubt, get the tape measure out and check the size/dimensions of your scooter manually.

Most MEDIUM / LARGE scooters will have bigger dimensions ranging in excess of 150cm x 60cm by 150cm + (folded and unfolded).

If you are using your scooter for fun, have plenty of storage room and aren’t as concerned about hiding it under your desk at work or carrying it on the train – then you can opt for something bigger & more powerful.

If however you are a last mile commuter or someone in tight living spaces, than you’ll want to opt for a scooter with a much smaller set of folded dimensions.

It’s not just the weight you should consider before buying your scooter – you should also consider how big the scooter actually is.

Speed, Power & Gradeability

Nanrobot D6+ scooter

Speed, Power, Gradeability – one of the first things new scooter owners tend to want to know – that’s mainly down to the majority audience being young, adrenaline junkies & those looking to speed up their commute.

Speed is pretty self explanatory – does the scooter go fast or slow?

Power – can the scooter accelerate quickly and does it offer sufficient torque?

Gradeability – can the scooter climb hills?

Electric scooters have come an incredibly long way in the last 10 years, with top speeds of 80+ mph and ridiculous torque outputs & gradeability of over 50% possible – it’s no wonder more and more people are choosing an eScooter as a form of transport.

Speed & Power are down to the motors, controllers & battery, finding one right for you can be tricky.

Speed

The main image of the WePed SST electric scooter

Speed, some people love it, some people hate it – either way, it’s important to understand how fast your scooter is designed to go. 

Buying a scooter on speed alone is nonsensical as there are so many things to take into consideration, however, speed does play a key part in many first-time (and repeat buyer) buyers decision-making.

So fast or slow? well, it depends on what you define as slow or fast – for some, 15mph might be considered quick enough, for others 15mph could be considered very slow. So to put things into context:

 

 

Whilst power rating itself isn’t an absolute guide to top speed – the table above gives you an idea of the kind of speeds you can expect based on the motor power output (measured in watts or kw – killowatts).

Most budget electric scooters (£200 – £400) will generally have top speeds around 15mph – 20mph.

Most base scooter models (£400 – £800) will have top speeds around 25mph.

More powerful (intermediate) electric scooters (£1000 mark) will have top speeds around 30-40mph.

Higher-end performance scooters (£2000-£3500) will have top speeds around 50-60mph.

Extreme racing scooters (£3000 – £7000) will have top speeds ranging from 60-100mph.

For most people, 20-30mph tends to be the sweet spot as travelling faster than this starts to seriously increase the risk of major injury if a rider were to fall off or hit anything.

If you are buying an electric scooter with speed capabilities of 30-40mph plus you SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER a steering damper, full-face motorcycle helmet, jacket and kneepads.

Also keep in mind that SPEED is a factor that needs to marry up with battery capacity – the faster you travel, the shorter your range will be.

If you are someone that gets complacent with speed very quickly – save and buy a higher end model if you want to be able to make your electric scooter go faster – higher end scooters offer more options for speed hacking. If speed is absolutely a key in your scooter purchase decision making – then we’ve also put together a list of the fastest electric scooters that money can buy!.

Power (Torque)

minimotors dualtron mini electric scooter portable foldable 1

Power or “torque” is ultimately how much power the motors can put out based on a number of factors. 

Torque is important because it will dictate how able the scooter is to accelerate. If your buying decision is based on speed and power and acceleration is a must than you’ll want a scooter with much higher power output (with better controller capabilities).

Torque (power) isn’t really of that much importance to most people just looking for a scooter to commute on, or to use locally for the shops or even pottering around.

Torque / Power tends to be a consideration for the power hungry – accelerate to 30,40,50,60 mph as quickly as possible – however, it is worth noting torque is an important factor even for commuters.

If you buy an electric scooter with a low WATTAGE output, it will likely have very little torque. This issue is compounded if the electric scooter only has one motor.

If you are a larger / heavier rider and you are looking to purchase a budget electric scooter you may find the motor(s) may struggle getting up to speed, or acceleration may feel overly sluggish and boring.

Torque is predominantly important to:

Larger / Heavier riders & riders who want fast acceleration and power on demand. For example, a 250w-350w electric scooter with a 15-20st rider will struggle to accelerate efficiently, especially if there is any gradient.

Torque / Power output will ultimately dictate how quickly your e-scooter accelerates – this also applies to heavier riders looking to buy a lower wattage scooter.

Reliability, Robustness & Warranty

Depositphotos 444932736 xl 2015

Buying a scooter, cheap or expensive – no one wants the burden of buying something that’s broken out of the box, breaks soon after first use, or proves to be unreliable.

But, unfortunately the global electric scooter marketplace is littered to the hilt with cheap electric scooters, many of which are clones, unbranded or are made from poor quality materials with no quality control checks.

Depending on what scooter you buy and where you buy it – will impact on the likelihood of it being either unreliable/reliable. Where and what you buy will also impact on warranty options.

Buy a cheap clone online – and you’ll likely find yourself out of pocket if the scooter breaks, what’s worse, most clones will have no warranty or heavily limited returns warranty, usually provided by the seller.

Be careful what you buy and where you buy from. Only buy branded scooters with warranty from sellers online with good feedback/reviews

Reliability

e scooter being fixed by man reliability

Buy an electric scooter, part with your hard earned money – the last thing you’ll want to be doing is trying to send a faulty scooter back to where you brought it from.

Scooter reliability is a hugely important factor when it comes to any purchase – you’ll want to know that your scoot will be ready for ride after ride – and to be sure you don’t end up stranded miles away from home.

Scooter reliability also extends to safety – buy a scooter with known defects and that reliability is soon thrown into question.

Scooter reliability will typically come down to:

For Better Reliability

 

tickicon Buy known & established brands of scooter

tickicon Buy popular scooter models

tickicon Buy a model that’s been around for more than 1-2 years

tickicon Opt for manufacturers with better warranty terms

tickicon Buy a scooter that’s suitable for what you want to use it for

Try To Avoid

 

red Unbranded Scooters

red Hard to find scooter models

red Scooters with recalls/lots of online complaints

red Buying from non-reputable online sellers

red Scooters with “hard to find parts”

red Cheap Chinese replicas/clones / fake imports

Buying an electric scooter that’s reliable isn’t too hard – you’ll want to opt for a known brand that has lots of positive reviews, a great warranty policy and of course – some form of distribution in your country – after all, if it goes wrong, you don’t want to have to ship something back internationally.

Scooter reliability comes down to the frame, battery, controller & electrical components, motors & charger.

You’ll want to buy something that tends not to have issues with batteries that don’t last, motors that are faulty, poor quality controllers, poor quality braking systems.

Robustness

scooter off road robust

Robustness is often an overlooked factor when buying an electric scooter. How many people ask themselves – is this scoot going to be able to tolerate pot holes, off road use, constant folding and unfolding? wet and cold conditions? excessive heat?.

Scooter “robustness” is important – because ultimately what you intend to use your device for should shape what you buy. You need to think about what you want to use it for and then to understand if the brand/model you are thinking of will meet those needs.

You wouldn’t choose a Xiaomi M365 if you wanted to go off-roading, equally you wouldn’t opt for a Kaabo Wolf Warrior for your last mile commute across London or New York.

Robustness lends itself to both “on road only” and “off road” models – on road models are more likely to be used in such a way that they are folded and unfolded far more – therefore if you buy an escooter, you’ll want one with a strong folding mechanism and not one that succumbs to constant use.

Equally if you are buying something bigger and heavier for dual use / off road use, you’ll want to buy something with a strong frame, strong motors and suspension.

How robust a scooter is will ultimately, dictate, to a degree how long it’s likely to last.

Purchasing a scooter? make sure you find one that’s robust & going to last whatever you may use it for.

Your Height and Weight

scales img

Buying an electric scooter has many considerations – your weight and height should also be one.

Taller riders may find short stem scooters uncomfortable to ride, heavier riders may find lower power scooters struggle on inclines, lighter or smaller riders may find big heavy scooters unwieldly to ride and transport.

Scooters come in a plethora of different configurations as do riders.

We’ve compiled independent lists of scooters suitable for different rider weights and sizes.

If you are looking for the best electric scooters for heavier riders or lighter riders we can help.

In general – heavier riders should opt for scooters with motor power exceeding 500w to ensure their scooter provides sufficient power to scale inclines, equally lighter riders should consider the implications of buying a heavy scooter such as the Dualtron X or Dualtron X2.

Before you purchase your first or next electric scooter – take into consideration how weight and height may impact ride quality & performance.

Heavier Riders – What to Buy?

The hero image of three of the fastest electric scooters

Heavier riders may be better suited to scooters with sufficient motor power for inclines. 

When buying a scooter be it for fun, a commute, off-roading or a bit of everything – you’ll want something that will be able to get you along including inclines.

Heavier riders 100kg + will likely find that scooters with motor power below 500w will struggle with any inclines. Additional weight will also mean scooter range is impacted.

Better Rideability & Range

 

tickicon Buy at least 500w, 1000w recommended

tickicon Battery capacity of 10ah minimum recommended

tickicon Opt for dual motor scooters

tickicon Opt for a scooter with suspension

tickicon Ideally Pneumatic Tyres (air filled)

Heavier Riders Should Avoid

 

red Single Motor 250w

red Scooters with Low Capacity Batteries

red Scooters with weak stem/stem clamps

red Scooters with single drum brakes

red Scooters thin/narrow decks

Smaller Riders – What to Buy?

The main picture of 3 of the top electric scooters for kids

Smaller riders can either mean (younger) or just smaller from a height perspective. 

Younger riders are far more suited towards low powered scooters (50w – 250w) whilst smaller stature riders technically can ride any scooter, but, may be suited to lighter scooters depending on their use.

Smaller (younger riders) can ride anything, but obviously limiting power will mean younger, move novice riders build up experience as they grow. Kids should start off with (age dependent) from 50w onwards. As kids grow older, they may become suitable for scooters up to 500w.

Here we’ve put together a list of the best electric scooters you can buy kids.

Better Rideability & Range

 

tickicon Buy a scooter with a suitable stem height

tickicon Make sure the stem is adjustable

tickicon Opt for single motor scooters

tickicon Opt for a scooter that is robust

tickicon Ideally solid rubber tyres

Smaller Riders Should Avoid

 

red Larger power output scooters (500w+)

red Large or heavy scooters

red Scooters capable of more than 15mph

red Riding without full gear and protection

red Scooter Clones / Fake copies

To Summarise

There’s a lot to take in, buying an electric scooter off the shelf when you’re unsure what to buy can be a bit of a minefield. 

If you are buying an electric scooter for your kids or as a gift & you have no idea where to start it can feel like a bit of a minefield – hopefully our guide above helps.

 
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