Kade1301 wrote:A recumbent tricycle wouldn't work for you either?
That's right. The kick-style scooter is best, because all I have to do is step up a little onto it, and stand. If a regular bike is out of the question, how much moreso a recumbent, where one has to go thru even more efforts to get from vertical to recumbent position, and back again? Really, I don't want to get into it too far, but this isn't a matter of laziness. I already cited physical issues; they are proving to be insurmountable (at least for now, but they may very well prove long-term), and I've examined all the viable and nonviable possibilities. Let's remember this, take me at my word, and move on, shall we?
Kade1301 wrote:...in the end it might be worth it to pay even a higher price from a decent shop rather then look for the cheapest online offer.
It's something I keep in mind. In my searches it's become quite evident that in this matter, you definitely get what you pay for. But it doesn't end there; let me also add that I'm looking at foldable scooters, and this is non-negotiable. Even the most expensive often prove to be unsuitable because they tend to be much heavier than I'll be able to manage well should I need to carry one - some as heavy as 36 pounds (16.3 kg) - when I can still get some relatively expensive ones that weigh no more than around 16 pounds (7.2 kg). Obviously there are going to be trade-offs, but lightweight is the way to go for me.
Kade1301 wrote:Regarding the "Made in America" thing - my bike is "Made in France" - but all the parts are Chinese. I'm not sure whether assembling them in France changes a lot...
Yeah, in this Global Village foreign-made parts are pretty much a given these days, aren't they. I guess my reluctance is more about buying directly from foreign companies themselves - not so much out of some vague overriding sense of nationalism, but because I have no real experience in doing so and have concerns about reliability and accountability.
As to service, the scooter-using community tend to order replacement parts as needed and do their own repairs, and basically this is easy to do. I'm totally okay with that.
Kade1301 wrote:I wasn't suggesting to rent long-term instead of buying, but just for a day or two for trying out scooters in general or a specific model. Depending on the purchase price of the scooter that might be a worthwhile investment if it helps you make a better decision. Regarding dependability, it might be well worth talking to the places who rent them out, because I'd be surprised if they wanted to spend their time repairing their fleet - a scooter in the workshop doesn't generate income.
All right, that makes sense. I looked into it and from what I can tell, the two largest rental companies in the US (Bird and Lime) use the Xiaomi brand which has a huge presence and reputation among e-scooters, although to date that corporation's far better known for other products. I definitely would be interested in talking to rental agents about the products they use.
Kade1301 wrote:In an ideal world you could rent the model you consider buying from the shop for a period and then buy exactly this scooter, with the rental price deducted from the purchase price (I know a source for spinning wheels that works that way, but in Germany...)
Worth a look, anyway.
AaronFW wrote:Where will you put your harp when you go to the pub?
Normally I would jiu-jitsu the question and snark, "In everyone's way," but in either case I am no longer a drinker with a sessioning problem, so whether obstacle or burden, the harp question is irrelevant -at least to my knocking one back. The actual question, then, is where I would leave it, and that is at home, where it belongs. Obviously one doesn't get a mid-size harp for its ease of transport, so that's what the car is for - should that remotest of days ever even dawn. In the meantime, if I'm ever to play with anyone, I'm afraid the Mountain will have to come to Mohammed.
If anyone's asking themselves,
But why a scooter?, the short answer is less aggravation. It all came about three days ago when I happened to see a woman zipping down my street on an e-scooter.
That's pretty cool, I thought to myself on seeing the novelty, but thought no more of it, nor did I expect to. Later that same day I took a short 2-mile cab ride into the heart of downtown, but on the way back there was a heavily attended sports event (Tottenham Hotspur vs. AC Milan, quite the special occasion for humble wee bucolic Minneapolis), plus it was rush hour - what spectacularly idiotic timing! - and with the massive obstructions of road repair on top of it to compound the gridlock, I wound up paying twice the fare I normally would have. And that's with my cabbie eventually making an illegal u-turn (which I heartily approved) to take a longer route that got me home faster in the end, otherwise I might well have ended up paying even more, bless his felonious little heart.
That does it, I thought, remembering the woman I saw only a couple of hours earlier;
A scooter would have made short work of this mess. And as if to drive the point home, still later that very same day what should I see but some acquaintances - you guessed it - on rentals. It's like I couldn't get away from it. Struck by the uncanny progression of events, I asked them what they thought, and they were pretty enthusiastic about the contraptions. Talk about a string of coincidences ...
or were they?
And there you have it.