Folding Kick-scooter Archives • FreeMotion

Things you should know before you buy an e scooter

ELECTRIC SCOOTER LAW AND REGULATION IN CANADA & USA

Electric Scooters are new in our society. Laws and regulations about them are different from place to place. We suggest a quick check with local authorities about the legality of Electric Scooters in your area. Contact your city or county’s legal office. Here are some suggested questions:

Is it legal to ride an electric scooter in my city?
Do I need a driver’s license or permit to ride an electric scooter?
Do I need insurance or a plate number?
Do I need to register my e-scooter?
What is the authorized speed limit and motor power (PEV)?

IS A E-SCOOTER RIGHT ME?

Usage

Consider the uses you will have for your new e-scooter. Will you be commuting or off-roading? What do you do now?

Cost

Consider the cost of your current method of transportation. There may be gas, maintenance, Bus and train tickets, parking, etc. Uber fees?

Time

Time is the most valuable thing we have. Do you wait on the Bus? Do you have to find a parking spot? Do you get stuck in Traffic?

Contentment

Are you happy with your present method of travel? Is it Fun? Because e-scooters are really fun.

WHICH ELECTRIC SCOOTER FOR ME?

Like above, this question is predicated on your usage model.

• If only for recreation, you may decide on a standard e-scooter that can cost between 600$-1000$

• If used for commuting to school or work, or for everyday rides, you should consider an e-scooter with a higher build quality and solid reliability. Failure of a commuting e-scooter can become a real problem. We would recommend an e-scooter in the 1500-3000$ Range

• If used for frequent group rides of long-distance or off-road activity, consider a powerful e-scooter with a strong support frame. Expect a cost between 2000-4000$

WEIGHT LIMIT

Rider weight is one of the most important factors in the choice of an e-scooter.

The weight of the rider will affect every facet of riding from the top speed of the e-scooter to its ultimate range.

Safety too, is important as a heavy rider on a small wheel is taking a big risk.

Evaluate the upper limits of rider weight when considering an e-scooter and understand that speeds and ranges are given with the average rider weight in mind. Your personal values might be different. If you have questions, reach out to us.

BATTERY

An incredibly important part of the e-scooter is the battery. This is the ultimate power source for your vehicle.

Batteries will affect every part of the vehicle. Look for an e-scooter with an adequate battery to fulfill your needs. Again, reach out to us for more information.

SCOOTER FRAME

The support frame of the e-scooter is the thing that will support you. It is important that the frame be both well made and solid. The frame and the wheels stand between you and the pavement.

Cheaper e-scooters can skimp on the metal of the frame resulting in problems later. Or worse, a fall.

SUSPENSION

Suspended e-scooters have many advantages. While they tend to be more expensive, they are also easier and safer. The suspension will smooth out the ride and relieve the riders’ knees and ankles. The stress on the feet will be much lower resulting in a more enjoyable ride.

However, the safety aspect is the real reason to look at suspended wheels. The suspension takes the shock out of hitting bumps in the road so the wheels are more stable. Much more than this, when the e-scooter moves over bumps at speeds of 15 – 25 mph, the wheels can shortly lift off the road. While in the air, the wheels have no turning or braking friction with the road. A suspension system actively pushes the wheels downward minimizing this effect. On an uneven road surface, a suspended e-scooter will have better turning traction and stopping traction than a non-suspended e-scooter.

BRAKES

It is obvious that brakes are a highly important part of any transportation system.

Electric scooters can come with disc brakes and ABS systems. Cheaper scooters can skimp on the braking systems. (Not a good thing). Again feel free to ask us.

Electronics

e-scooters are electric vehicles controlled and supported by electronics in the form of a circuit board. There can be much variance in the quality of such boards. FreeMotion has experience in many of these types of e-scooters and can give you guidance on which ones have been the most reliable.

LIGHTS

Visibility is another important consideration. The headlight illuminates your path and lets you see obstacles before they affect you. Sidelights are fun but they also increase the visibility of the e-scooter.

Lights can be both built-in or added after purchase. Ask FreeMotion for more information.

Protective (Safety) Gear

While the PEV is both useful and fun, it also transports humans faster than they can run. In some cases faster than a bike can travel.

There are some pieces of gear that are absolutely essential and no one should ride a PEV without. These include:

A helmet (Preferably full-face)

Wrist guards

In addition, FreeMotion recommends adding

Elbow guards

Knee guards

Hip and tailbone guards

We can help you select this gear, ask us

BRANDS

The choice of a brand name in the e-scooter market can be both important and confusing. Many people feel real allegiance to the manufacture of their e-scooters and give apologies for shortcomings.

FreeMotion sells most major e-scooter brands and sees the day-to-day issues that arise and how the various manufacturers respond to these issues. FreeMotion stands behind our customers.

WARRANTY

e-scooters are useful and are powerful. But they too can fail. Be sure your e-scooter is covered by at least a one-year warranty. Also, be aware that many e-scooter vendors depend on the dealer to be their warranty contact. That means your choice of dealer can be more important than the choice of brands.

FreeMotion is happy to provide the names of existing FreeMotion customers who will vouch for the quality of our warranty support.

FreeMotion’s advice
Do your homework. If you know real-world riders ask them. Google e-scooters and their reviews but be aware that there are many paid reviews of these devices. Many of these guys get kickbacks for a sale.