Armand.at.Boston - 1 year ago
originally posted on gotrax.com
Hi -here are my notes on the Gotrax Xr Ultra after a month of commuting with it! * Pricing: This is a solid entry level scooter. It’s priced low enough that- if you hate it- at least you only spent a few hundred dollars. If you love it after a year, then go back and get a nicer/ more expensive one. * Size weight: It weighs about 30 lbs, and it fits into the back seat of my tiny Chevy Spark. * Bumpy ride: The ride is fairly good, but you definitely will feel bumps, even small ones. I would not off-road with this thing. Having said that, the tires are tough and they can stand up to the abuse of bumps, cracks, and small potholes. * 15 MPH is basically your limit: In many ways it’s good that the speed tops out at 15 MPH, as you (or I) are very unlikely to hurt yourself at that speed. I’ve had to bail out a few times at maximum speed, and at 15 MPH I am able to jump off, land on my feet and keep the scooter handlebars in my hands. If I was going 20 MPH, it’s more likely that I would fall off and maybe hurt myself. * Also- Don’t let go of the handlebars: Many of us are used to letting go of the handlebars of a bicycle, but scooters are much more tippy (due to small tires), and letting go of the handle bars (even with one hand) could result in a fall. If you need to dig into your pocket or push a button on your phone, I suggest you stop first. * Go green: Get an escooter for the environment, please! Every trip on an escooter reduces carbon emissions. Yes, I know that a lot of electricity still comes from carbon based fuel, but you can’t compare. Riding on a 30 lb electric scooter still uses a lot less energy than driving a thousand pound car the same distance. Also- when people see you riding a scooter, they’ll be so impressed that they’ll want one too. Soon the world will be cleaner and greener! * On short trips, it’s faster than driving, especially in a city. Example: Our favorite take-out burrito place is about 1 mile away from home. When I drive there, it takes me about 20 minutes round trip when you factor in finding a spot (no, they don’t have a parking lot), then walking to the store, then walking back to the car. When I scooter there, the round trip takes 10-15 minutes, because there is no parking involved. I literally scooter up to the diner door, walk in, grab my burritos, and then scoot home. Actually, I don’t even leave the scooter outside. I bring it in with me and nobody gets mad at me because (as compared to a bike) it’s actually pretty small. * It’s great for hybrid trips: My commute is one of those hybrid commutes. There is no parking where I work, so I drive to a spot 3 miles from my office and then park and find some other way to make those last three miles. In the past I have taken a bus, walked, or even taken Uber to make those last three miles. I can say that (on most days) a scooter is better than any of those other options. In fact, I would say that escooters are almost perfect for those kind of hybrid commutes , as you can fold them, throw them in the back of your car, and go. * Battery life: Keep the battery charged. It rated for 16 miles of travel (something like that) , but when I have a lot of hills, it’s really closer to 12 miles before the battery dies. If you have a regular commute (like to work) I recommend getting a second charger and leaving it at work, so you can charge there as well. * RE weather: I don’t think an entry level scooter will work well in snow or ice (or heavy mud), so it’s unlikely I’ll be able to use it much between December and March. So during the worst parts of winter, I’m back on the bus! * Speaking of busses, my God electric scooters are so much more fun than public transportation! Public transportation may be vital and generally a good thing, but who likes being trapped in a metal box with a bunch of strangers? If you’re lucky, you can find a seat and listen to your headphones. If you are unlucky, you can wind up standing next to a person who can’t stop talking to themselves in a very angry, loud voice (and possible threatening the people around them). This has happened to me more than once. Honestly, busses are typically so slow and stop so often, that riding an electric scooter will get you there faster, and you don’t have to be stuck in a metal box with a bunch of strangers! * Escooter vs Cars: Cars may go faster than an electric bike (but not always), but there is much less of an anger factor. There are few human activities more enraging than driving. Everyone who drives gets yelled at, flipped off, honked at, cut off, all the time. There’s something about the act of driving that makes people a little crazy, but it’s generally the opposite with scooters. When you scoot, you have the whole outdoors. You don’t get stuck in traffic jams because scooters are skinny and highly manageable. You don’t need to fight over a spot, or even find one! If you are waiting for a walk or light signal, the person behind you isn’t breathing your neck, filled with rage, or if they are they can just go around you. It’s like you're surfing, just flowing along. You get to experience nature, sunlight, the wind on your skin, ducks quack at you, dogs sniff the air as you gently pass them by. It’s just a nice, refreshing experience. If you’ll excuse me for being poetic, scootering is a kindly and connective experience, you can feel like you are part of the world. * Tire inflation: Invest in some extra Flexible Extension Tire Valve Adaptors, they will let you connect a bike pump to your tire valves. The valves are at a funny angle and it’s almost impossible to connect a bike pump unless you get those adaptors. You do get one with the scooter, don’t lose it! * Escooters vs bikes: Electric scooters (especially in cities) offer some great flexibility that bikes don’t give you: when I need to retreat onto a crowded sidewalk, I can instantly get off the scooter and walk it along. It’s less intrusive than walking a stroller or a dog, and I don’t feel like I am getting in people’s way. You can bring them into stores or delis and people generally don’t mind, a scooter is small enough that won’t impede other customers. When I go to work, I can bring it into my office, fold it, and tuck it under a desk. Unlike a bike (which I have to leave outside) it won’t be stolen there. Same at home, Boston (like most major cities) has a major problem with bike theft, so I keep my scooter and bikes inside, in my basement. Having said that, the bikes are a pain to take OUT of the basement. I have to open the metal bulkhead door and drag them out into my backyard. I also keep my Ultra scooter in the basement, but unlike the bikes, it’s very easy to bring outside, I just fold, grab and go. So much more accessible. Also, my bike won’t fit inside the back seat of my tiny commuter car, but- of course- my Gotrax fits perfectly. *
