Electric powered scooters have become increasingly popular in cities across the country. Used to cruise around town, commute to school and work and also to make trips to the market.
However most scooters are designed for standing which can make it difficult to maneuver for some people especially when trying to carry items such as groceries or bags.
The sit-down Razor EcoSmart Metro Electric Scooter alleviates those problems and in this article I’ll give a full review of it’s features and reasons why I think it’s one of the best electric scooters on the market.
Table of Contents
Delivery & Assembly
The scooter arrives in a large box and requires the assembly of the front tire, handlebars, seat stem and rear basket. My battery arrived fully charged but its best to plug it in just to make sure. Assembly took about 20 mins and required a 3/16 & 7/32 Allen wrench and 15mm wrench for the front tire.
Features
It has 16 inch pneumatic tires that hold air just like any typical bicycle, which provides a smooth, comfortable ride and allows it to ride on a variety of surfaces.
It also has an electric 36 volt lead acid battery system that comes with a 110v plug-in charger, making it easy to plug into any household outlet and recharge the battery when not in use.
The battery compartment is sealed and the deck covering it makes prevents water from entering the battery compartment when riding through water or in rain. It’s not exactly safe to ride the scooter or any bicycle in the rain but there have been times when I was caught in a down pour and the scooter held up great.
The right side of the handlebar is fitted with a twist-grip throttle that is very responsive and quickly engages the 500 watt high torque electric motor. The motor is surprisingly strong and although the instructions list the weight capacity at 220 pounds, I found that it was able to function well with my 260 pounds on it.
Its also possible to customize and decorate the scooter with things like cool lights, drink/phone holders and even upgrade to more rugged BMX tires.
It can reach speeds of up to 18 mph and boasts an up to 12-mile range, although in my experience I’ve noticed that depends on the weight of the rider and riding conditions.
Registration or License
And since it doesn’t exceed 20mph, it does not require special licensing to operate. With the exception of Pennsylvania and Delaware (as of 2022) the scooter can be driven on U.S. roads and is considered street legal. However, its best to always abide by the rules of the road remember that pedestrians always have the right of way.
Scooter Transportation
Transporting the scooter can be a little tricky but it can be done. The scooter weighs 76 lbs and measures 55 inches long so in order to fit it in small spaces the front tire and handlebar need to be removed to reduce the length allowing it to fit.
Also, by loosening and lowering the seat steam, it reduces the height. And by swiveling the basket inward, the overall length of the scooter can be reduced to 46inches allowing the it to fit snuggly into a trunk.
Alternately a bicycle rack thats hitch mounted can be used but it requires lifting the scooter and flipping it over which can be a little heavy. And the same goes for loading it in the back of a pickup truck or cargo carrier.
Locking Up Scooter
Whenever leaving my scooter outside of a store or other location, I usually lock it up with a standard bicycle chain. Any chain and lock combination will work fine but one thing to consider when choosing a chain is the additional weight added, which ultimately affects the draw on the motor and battery.
For quick trips I use a half inch steel wired chain with a combination lock. I prefer this because it is lightweight and I don’t have to worry about carrying keys. If I plan on leaving it over night somewhere and want a little more protection then I use a thicker steel chain with pad lock.
Conclusion
Overall the EcoSmart Metro Electric Scooter has been a great buy for me and I love using it for cruising around the campsite with my family or more practical purposes like picking up stuff from the market.
