Kade1301 wrote:
For it's a maybe not well-enough known fact that rechargeable batteries must be used regularly or they'll deteriorate to the point of dying. I killed two cellphone batteries (only kept if for emergencies which never happened) before I found out. The user manual to my bike states that if it's not used in winter, the battery much be recharged once a month. On the other hand, as far as I know (from the manual to my phone pad and what I've heard about laptops) it's not a good idea to leave the batteries connected to the charger/mains permanently either. Just something to bear in mind...
Thanks. This is stuff that I definitely want to know.
Kade1301 wrote:
Another important point is punctures - flat tires are the bane of cycling. Not sure how prone to flats the small scooter tires are (something the guys in the rental places should know), but I'd say, the easier the wheel is to remove, the better. Easy availability of spares (tires and inner tubes, if any) would help (are scooter tires standardized yet?). You'll probably also want to invest in a good-quality air pump - correct pressure is incredibly important for vehicle performance. Or maybe there are airless tires for scooters? But they'll probably be heavier...
No tire standardization yet, nor do I expect it will ever come about. You see both pneumatic/holiow and solid tires on e-scooters - pneumatics tend to be a bit larger, of course - but solid appears to be the majority by far, and that's what I'm going with. Even if not really pneumatic, hollow tires are still vulnerable to puncture, even though they do cushion the ride more. So it's a trade-off. I'd rather have tires I needn't worry about, even if it means a harder ride. As to weight, size matters. Look again at the pic I posted, and you'll see the size I have in mind: very small. Some are even a bit smaller yet, IIRC. The better scooters of all types have varying suspension strategies to help soften the ride, but with solid tires I won't expect any miracles in that department.
Kade1301 wrote:
I suppose you don't need to worry about kickstands...
Models usually come with a wee little kickstand. Very cute. Also easily replaceable, like the rest, if they fail.
Kade1301 wrote:
...luggage racks (though how do you transport things on them? Backpack?)
Backpack would be the usual if I were hauling several items from the convenience store, for example.
Kade1301 wrote:
...and lights.
LED lights front and back can be expected on most models, certainly on the better ones. They also provide readouts (some lit, some not) of speed and battery charge. As it should happen, just last night I saw an e-scooter going right past me in the opposite direction (I was in the car), and for my money I thought its lighting was sufficient for safety purposes, because while it was technically on the wrong side of the road, thanks to its headlight I saw it coming well ahead of time. I elected not to hit it.
Some of the earlier models had the front light down low with the deck, but that was soon deemed unsatisfactory for street use (I agree), so now the standard location is up where the handlebars are. That's preferable, I think.
A scooterist is hardly less vulnerable than a pedestrian, so naturally I have road safety very much in mind. My chances are best if I stick to bike lanes (and we have a lot of them), but if things get hairy I can always use the sidewalk in a pinch. Also, for night runs it's of course best to stick to well-lit streets.
Kade1301 wrote:
You'll want brakes that work even when wet (even if you don't plan to ride in bad weather, you never know. Or you might get drenched by crop irrigation or a broken hydrant) - I've become a huge fan of disk brakes since I've had my new bike.
I'm less clear on the braking technologies used on scooters. I've seen disc brakes mentioned, so I know they're out there, but while I don't know if that's the industry standard, the implication has been that those are best.
The higher-end scooters all claim water resistance (light rain and small puddles) to keep the battery and wiring from shorting out. It seems to me that this would matter especially for those models where the battery pack coincides with the deck. On the model I posted a pic of, the battery pack is in the upright section ("steering tube" is one name for it), so wiring aside, that might possibly add some extra advantage in water resistance. Hard to say, but it looks like it. None will tolerate full immersion, though, so while I wouldn't know why you'd want to do that, it's to be avoided.
Kade1301 wrote:
That's all I can think of for now...
You've been a great help! Thanks for your input.
