I haven't spent much time riding this scooter yet but I am enjoying every minute of it so far. I've ridden Bird/Lime rental scooters before so I have something to compare from as far as performance goes. Overall, the main advantages with the rental scooters are slightly better power and range, but at the cost of being heavier, not to mention that you never really know what condition the scooter will be in before riding; the battery level, brakes, other adjustments may be less than ideal since these things are getting a lot of use and bearing the elements outside. I can see why people like these because it is a low commitment option compared to having your own scooter (although over time it's obviously cheaper to have you own). Personally, I much prefer having my own, where I can maintain it myself and always know it's ready to go when I am. That being said, just like any machine (even bicycles) there is some self maintenance that is unavoidable.
Performance: ( I am a 160 pound rider)
On my last ride I went about 5 miles through a hilly college campus with lots of elevation change, starting from a full charge. The scooter performed well with good acceleration and only struggled on the steeper hills (not sure what angle the hill was, but it's difficult to walk up these hills for a long period of time). The brakes worked great as well and I always felt like I was in control (see suggestions below). When I returned I still had 3 out of 4 bars, even though I suspect that it may be approaching 2 bars (see cons below). The handling was nimble enough to move around other pedestrians with ease, and yet still sturdy at higher speeds. I did not get a reliable top speed measurement since I wasn't able to find a stretch of flat road that was long enough, but even so, I reaching about 16 mph easily without full throttle. (rider weight, hill angle, and battery level will be the main deciding factors for top speed)
Pros:
-Great performance/quality for the price
-Sturdy construction, without being too heavy
-Simple/ergonomic design
Cons:
-Battery gauge could have more bars to help show battery level more accurately. *It will also dip down temporarily while going up steep hills and then back up once you get to level ground. This is normal! Every battery powered device will do this when there is a high demand for electricity. You are fighting gravity going up hills which takes a lot of power depending on your weight.
-Throttle is very sensitive, which makes it hard to engage the cruise control. To enable cruise control, hold a steady (very steady) speed for a few seconds and then you will be able to remove your hand from the throttle while it maintains that speed. To disengage, bump the throttle and it will immediately turn off. (I did not know about this feature before I got this scooter but it is very nice to have)
Suggestions:
-This scooter comes with a "safety pin" which screws into the scooter (near the red latch which folds up the scooter). I would definitely use this pin, especially if you are going on a long and/or bumpy ride. It's not technically necessary, but it gives me piece of mind knowing there's an extra solid piece of steel keeping the scooter from folding up when I don't want it to. The only problem is that it's annoying to have to do frequently. The next design should have a quick-release safety pin.
-The first thing I did when I realized that the magnetic brake and disk brake were controlled by the same brake handle was add another brake handle on the other side next to the throttle (see picture) so that I could control them separately (like the version 1). I just used a standard bicycle brake handle and it worked like a charm. They probably went with a simpler design like this to make it more ergonomic/easier for the rider, but I like having the option to use either brake independently or together. As a side note, the magnetic brake works great overall and provides good stopping power, but works less and less as you slow down. This is why I typically only use the disk brake at lower speeds and when I need to come to a complete stop.
***Only do this if you are comfortable/competent with making such modifications and know that your safety is your own responsibility (not mine).
Clarifications: (almost lost one star for this)
-One thing that annoyed me was the implication that there was a gearing system included with this scooter and that "gear" 1 would climb hills better while "gear" 2 would be better for top speed. I COULD BE WRONG, but I'm preeettty sure(99.99%) that this is B.S. and the 1 and 2 refer to an electronic power limiter. Don't get me wrong, I think this is a great feature to be able to bump it down to 1 for someone who is learning and/or a young rider, but let's call it what it is and not be misleading. I do not plan on opening it up to confirm this, but I have tried going into "gear" 1 to go up hills better and have noticed that "gear" 2 is better for both hill climbing and top speed.
*Update 4/1/19: There is a weird resonance vibration that happens at one very specific speed/throttle. It doesn't really bother me, but it is strange to go from almost completely silent to a louder vibrating sound. I think this might just be a thing that happens with variable electric motors, since this also happens with my electric bicycle. I will update again if anything else develops.
*Update 4/23/19: I'm still commuting daily on this scooter and enjoying every ride. My tire pressure was getting low so I had to pump them both up. The back one is easy, but the front one is quite difficult to get just right. The tire valve adapter that comes with the scooter works fine, but it is hard to remove it fast enough to not let air out of the tire. I had to practice several times to try and do it as fast as I could and eventually got it.
What I would recommend: pump it up above 50 psi ( I did around 60) and then remove the adapter as quickly as you can. It will let some air out and hopefully stop around 50 psi. I gave the back tire a squeeze with my hands after setting it to 50 psi and then compared it to the front to make sure it was close enough.
This scooter definitely rides different depending on tire pressure. I can go faster with normal pressure, but also feel more bumps. Lower pressure will give you a smoother ride, but limit your speed (and range). I would check this at least every two weeks, but just know that if you release air for more than a second then you will likely already be too low and need to pump it back up. I can fill up the whole tire in about 5 or so pumps.
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 39 x 14 x 8 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 13.68 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 43.75 x 17 x 42 inches |
| Item Weight | 26.98 Pounds |
| Brand Name | Gotrax |
| Warranty Description | 180 days limited warranty |
| Model Name | GXL V2 |
| Color | Black |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Suggested Users | Unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | ZHEJIANG TAOTAO VEHICLES CO., LTD |
| Part Number | GXL V2 |
| Style | V2 |
| Included Components | User Manual, Charger |
| Size | 39.37x7.87x15 |
| Grip Type | Ambidextrous |
