It seems that everyone is praising electric scooters these days and that’s because they’re truly worth it. Even though electric scooters happen to be the next big thing, you can’t just go ahead and buy any brand or model without considering some factors. Most of the negative reviews you find online regarding electric scooters are from users that have made the wrong choice when choosing their model. So in this article, we will answer “What To Know And What To Look When Buying Electric Scooter” questions.
Electric scooters are designed for different purposes. Some are designed to carry heavy loads and some are designed only for kids to have fun. So imagine you bought an electric scooter designed for kids and you expect to ride and enjoy as an adult, or even carry loads on it. There is a need to identify your needs before choosing an electric scooter. Figure out whether you’re looking for something that can handle heavy loads or do you want to travel long distances? In this electric scooter buying guide, we’ll take a look at some of the things you need to look for when buying an electric scooter.
What To Look For When Buying An Electric Scooter
Quality
You don’t want to be moving from one brand to another brand, quality will determine everything. You want to a durable device that will last for long and won’t require replacing components every now and then. Generally speaking, electric scooters don’t require a lot of maintenance. If you go for low-quality models you’ll find yourself replacing brakes and tires often.
To ensure that you’re getting the best quality you should aim to buy from a well-established and reputable manufacturer. Avoid new brands because if they disappear in the future you won’t be able to find spare parts for your device. Avoid cheap electric scooters, you may think it’s a great offer. They’ll hardly last for long. Most of the cheap electric scooters aren’t designed for adults. They’re mainly for children to ride in the house. Replacement parts are also hard to get in the market.
Braking systems
This will determine the safety of your device, most people don’t care about checking the quality of the braking system when buying an electric scooter. Some breaking systems instead of slowing down the device comfortably. They can land you into accidents, or some will wear out in a short period of time. Generally, you should avoid front band brakes. They’re dangerous due to the fact that they’re known to lock up your front wheel. This will cause the rider to stumble over the handlebars.
The best breaking systems to look for in any scooter are the ones with both front and the rear v-brakes, or the disc brakes, these are so far the best. You should also make sure the scooter has two brakes, avoid the ones with only one brake.
Frame and the fork construction
This is an important detail that shouldn’t be missed because the right frame will ensure that your machine lasts for long. You should avoid frames and forks that are made using thin steel sheets. They’re well known to bend or even break when riding your scooter. What you should look for are the ones made with tubular steel and thick plate steel. This is the strongest frame you could get and they’re more reliable than any other piece of the metal sheet.
Chain or belt drive
You have the option to choose between these two drives. In our opinion, the chain drive is better and that’s because it lasts
longer. One of their downsides however is that they make a lot of noise than belt drive. The noise on the other hand can be an advantage since it will warn people on the road or sidewalk that there is a machine coming so that they can clear the way.
If the noise is big deal for you, you can consider choosing an electric scooter powered by a belt drive. It’s very silent as opposed to the chain drive. But you just have to keep in mind that belt drive doesn’t last long. You’ll need to replace it over time. When it comes to choosing between a chain or belt drive. It all comes down to whether you want your scooter to be silent or not.
Chrome plating quality
Chrome comes with different quality, the low-quality one will start to rust the moment you start driving in the rain or when it’s stored during winter. You want to make sure your chrome quality of the best. Most of the reputed brands are aware of the low-quality chrome and hence they tend to use the best especially for the expensive electric scooters.
Based on a review from another, they’ve used the eBoarder which is chrome plated and for almost 10 years it hasn’t shown any rust. That’s the type of frame you should be looking for as well. As mentioned a while ago, most of the cheap electric scooters available have a chrome plate that’s of low quality. So do yourself a favor and invest some money.
Body parts material
The presence of plastic in some portions of your electric scooter isn’t a bad thing. Plastic is needed to cover sharp areas and make them smooth and attractive. But on the other hand, if the scooter is completely covered with plastic. You’re assured that it won’t take long before you see the parts start splitting. In other words, your scooter will have a short life span than a scooter with a strong metal casing with the edges covered with plastic. These types of electric scooters are sturdy and durable. In most cases, they’re the most expensive ones in the market.
Battery duration
If you’ll be using the electric scooter to travel long distances. You should make sure that a good battery is installed on the machine that can travel the miles you intend to cover on a single charge, not only that. Also, make sure the battery has a long life span. You can know this by checking online reviews.
Finding good deals
I know you’ll want to jump online and start looking for options. I wouldn’t recommend that as a new user, going to your local store is the best option. This is because when some parts need replacement you can easily find them. In some cases, you can even negotiate and exchange your old electric scooter for a new one.
Secondly, you don’t need to worry about shipping, and more importantly, you can get a free consultation from the store owner on the right electric scooter that’s suitable for you. You can also check craigslist to get the best deals for used electric scooters. You have to make sure it’s in good shape.
In conclusion, I’ll recommend that most of the cheap options available out there aren’t reliable. They’ll look good and the manufacturer will boast about the features, but in the end, they’re not worth it. I am talking of electric scooters that are no more than $200. A decent electric scooter that has a good value for money should cost about $500, $1000, or even higher than that. This is the end of our guide to “What To Look When Buying Electric Scooter”.