How to ride an electric scooter for the first time? If you are a newbie to the world of electric scooters, then you need to understand some guidelines. How can you keep your scooter running smoothly and in top shape? Which scooter is the best option for you? We will answer all these questions.
Electric scooters are for you if you seek sustainability and want to reduce environmental impact. In this article, we will discuss how to ride an electric scooter for the first time. You will learn from choosing an electric scooter to taking care of it. You will also learn about riding e-scooter on a hill and much more!
All your questions are valid. It is not difficult to ride an electric scooter and riding it will become your nature after some practice. You do not need training wheels or manual to transition from your regular bike to e-scooter. It is going to be a seamless transition.
The first challenge is to overcome your fear of learning some different and new. In fact, riding an e-scooter is easier than riding a bicycle. You are less likely to fall over.
- Also Read: Electric Scooter Maintenance
- Also Read: 11 Benefits of Electric Scooter Helmet
Electric Scooters are Easy to Ride
Electric scooters are easy to ride, but some people take more time than others to learn to ride it. Our riding tips will make it even easier for you.
The very first thing that you need is a pair of safety goggles. They are very important because they will keep you safe against the unforeseen accidents with pedestrians and mopeds. You should always wear them and stay calm while riding.
Preparing for an electric scooter ride is easy:
- Wear a helmet.
- Use arm straps to attach the scooter to yourself (or you can use a backpack if you are not wearing anything)
- For safety, turn the device off with one of the two fobs. You can also pull a lever to keep it mechanically secure by pulling. It will prevent tampering with the device.
We want you to lock your electric scooter because it is an expensive investment. Take care of it as much as possible. If you lock it tightly, then the thieves out there cannot steal it.
Now let us discuss different parts of an electric scooter.
Parts of Electric Scooter
Electric scooters are beautiful machines that are built to be efficient, easy to ride, and top of class. Before we tell you about the tips for riding, it is worth knowing the parts of an electric scooter.
The main parts of an e-scooter are motor, controller, battery, deck or frame, brakes, lights, and handlebars. The handlebars have two joysticks on both sides with a button. You use handlebars for steering control.
The lights give you visibility at night. Brakes are applied to slow you down or stop your scooter from moving. The motor powers the ride and contains an inbuilt speed limiter knob that limits how fast you can go.
The deck (or frame) is where everything attaches when you are finished assembling it. The stem connects the front fork to the wheel’s axle.
Suspension helps dampen vibrations from riding over rough terrain by acting through metal springs mounted under both wheel axles near the outer ball joints. The tires on some scooters are filled with air.
Electric Scooter Brakes
When you’re riding around the city on an electric scooter, a good braking system can make all the difference. Imagine how unsafe and difficult it would be without one!
The brake calipers above are essential to staying safe and in control while riding an electric scooter. Mechanical braking systems rely on physical mechanisms like drum or foot brakes to slow the scooter down.
There are electronic breaks that use electricity instead of mechanical parts to stop vehicles. Their biggest advantage is smoother braking, less weight for the assembly of individual wheels, and more efficiency at maximum power. They are more efficient because there are no rotating components under a power load, which means no air drag.
For e-scooters, electronic braking systems offer more benefits than traditional mechanical brakes. Metal or copper friction pads in mechanical brakes wear down over time, whereas electronic brake pads are soldered on the metal base and have no moving parts. They provide more powerful braking than other types of brakes.
Electronic brakes need regular maintenance, but this may depend on how often you use them. Generally, they should be checked every six months at the minimum!
Motor
Electric scooters are the perfect choice for adults who want to commute with ease. Electric kick scooters have brushless direct current electric motors that give them more power than traditional skateboards or bikes. You can charge them at any time of the day to get to your destination without sweating.
Electric Scooter Batteries
Electrical scooter batteries store the juice that powers them. They are like gas tanks, but they hold electricity instead of gasoline. Electric scooter battery packs use individual cells to power up their batteries and other parts. E-scooter brands offer lead acid rechargeable batteries with different capacities that range from 200 watt-hours to 1200 watt-hours.
E-scooter Controller
The speed controller is an electronic component that controls the power going to the motor from the battery. It sends the power based on the input from your accelerator and electronic brake controls. The shape of a speed controller is like a rectangular can from which many wires coming out.
Inside the speed controller, there are sophisticated circuits that translate the inputs into the current flowing through lots of copper wire. The copper wire is wound around steel coils, and it creates magnetic fields that can move electrons back and forth. This process is called changing voltage levels.
The speed controller serves as a heat sync because it transfers wasted energy into thermal energy. It does that through conduction with the help of its external surfaces. The heat dissipates from the inside using natural airflow that is created when air flows over fins protruding outward along the surface of the controller.
The speed controllers are the most unnoticed parts of an electric scooter. They do their job creating no issues or problems, so they are often taken for granted.
Keep in mind that poorly designed controllers can cause immense frustration for you. This is one thing that electric scooter owners do experience.
The best way to avoid controller failures, we suggest you buy a quality device that is put together by the experts in the field. The top priority of experts is always your safety.
Electric Scooter Handlebars
The primary component that connect electric scooters are the handlebars. Portable electric scooters have foldable handlebars that reduce the scooter’s width and make it easy for you to transport them in your car or bus.
The Deck
The place where you stand on an electric scooter is on the deck. The decks are made of a durable material, and they are textured to provide a better grip between the deck’s surface and soles of your shoes. This provides more traction while you ride the e-scooter.
The decks of some electric scooters have a sloped design. It provides elevation from the ground, allowing riders to put their feet down to make sure they don’t get clipped by car bumpers as it drives past.
The standard size of the electric scooter deck is 14 inches by 5 inches. There is a ground clearance of 4 inches when extended on its side. This allows electric scooters to pass underneath during crosswalks.
Tires
The tires on your electric scooter are the link between the scooter and the road. They play a major role in the quality of your ride, range of motion, and braking power.
Pneumatic tires perform well than airless tires because pneumatic tires do not have any weight to them. There is no force that is pushing them back when you accelerate or suddenly apply brakes.
Basically, electric scooters have two types of tires:
- Pneumatic (air-filled)
- Solid (non-air-filled)
Another type of tires that is used for electric scooters is honeycomb polymer tires. They perform better than solid tires if they are inflated with compressed nitrogen gas at low pressure. They offer a smooth ride on surfaces like bumpy sidewalks, pavement cracks, etc.
Pneumatic tires perform better than all other types of tires, especially on bumpy roads.
Stem
The long tube you see on an electric scooter that connects the front wheel to handlebars is called a stem.
There are two functions of stem. The first function is to provide support and stability to riders that do not want to use their feet on an uneven or unstable surface. The second function is to protect the rider from being thrown away on a bumpy road.
The stem of an electric scooter is also called neck sometimes. The structural integrity of your e-scooter also depends on its stem. If you want an electric scooter that is both strong and lightweight, we suggest you buy one that is made of aluminum alloy instead of steel. It will be easy for you to carry it around.
Most electric scooters these days have a folding mechanism that is built into their stems. It allows you to easily carry and store them. Stem is one part of an e-scooter that people discuss a lot.
The folding mechanism of your scooter has its own advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes the stem can get loose or unstable. The whole stem will rock back and forth when you apply full force to the handlebars. This condition is called stem wobble.
Just like any other device, electric scooters also come with some downsides, and the stem wobble is one of them.
Electric Scooter Lights
The lights of some electric scooters are not so bright. Good lights are very important, especially for riding at night. Most e-scooters have headlights and taillights that are brake-activated. However, some scooters come with multi-colored LED lights that shine around the handlebars or bottom of the deck.
Your electric scooter is more visible if it has deck and swag lighting. Remember that lights on most e-scooters are not powerful; therefore, we recommend you get extra lights for your safety at night riding.
Now you are aware of different parts of an electric scooter. It’s time to discuss riding tips for beginners, so you can ride your electric scooter with no problem.
9 Simple Tips for Beginners for Riding Electric Scooter
If you are new to riding an electric scooter, then the best way to begin is to become familiar with it.
Start slow and take your time. You don’t need to feel any type of pressure to go quick or do something that you are not comfortable doing. This may sound like common sense, but you need to follow this advice throughout your journey of learning to ride an electric scooter until you become an expert.
It will help you learn a lot about riding electric scooters. You will not get unexpected surprises while you learn to ride. Following are the tips for riding an electric scooter for the first time:
Wear Appropriate Gear for Your Trip and the Type of Riding
The proper gear is essential when you are riding an electric scooter. Start with a CPSC-certified helmet and then decide what else you need depending on your speed or how short the trip will be.
When you plan gear for your riding, it is important that you also consider the type of your trip and your riding speed. If you plan to go faster, you will need protective gear. You will also need gloves with wrists guards and long-leg pants. You will need a full racing suit if you plan to ride in traffic on roads.
Your safety starts with the helmet, but it does not stop there. The clothing that you will wear is of utmost importance.
If the weather outside is cold, then you should ensure your arms and legs are protected. You should also wear elbow guards and knee pads, especially if you are a newbie because you lack experience in handling an e-scooter and could fall. The knee pads and elbow guards will protect your knees and elbows from most impact in case you fall while riding.
The type of clothing you should wear while riding an e-scooter depends on the weather and your location. You should wear something which is comfortable and breathable while you ride at high speeds.
Rent an Electric Scooter for Your First Ride (You Do Not Need License for it)
In case you do not have funds to buy a new electric scooter, but you want to master riding it. Then there is a way to solve this problem.
You need to practice and be patient until you become a master of riding e-scooters on roads and zip through traffic at a fast speed.
If you are not sure that electric scooters are for you, then we suggest you rent one for a short time to find it out. Renting an electric scooter is easy because there are so many rental options out there. You can rent an e-scooter for hours instead of renting it for days or weeks. Such offers give you lots of flexibility.
After you try out an electric scooter for your trial run, you can decide if the e-scooter is something that suits your needs, and you want to buy one.
Renting an electric scooter gives you the opportunity to experience an electric scooter ride. This will give you an idea about your natural skills to ride it.
Practice is Must
It is a good idea to practice riding your rented electric before you go on riding it on the streets. For this purpose, you need to find a traffic-free place that is close to your house. It should be big enough, so you can take risks with your e-scooter and make mistakes.
Once you find the right place to ride your electric scooter, it is time to start your practice. You should practice riding it there until you are fully familiar with how it works. Only after that you should go on riding it on public streets.
Remember Each Part of Electric Scooter
You should remember each part of the electric scooter you are using. Keep in mind that the design of all electric scooters is not the same. Therefore, you should know the name of each part, and where it is on the scooter.
You must know where all the controls of your e-scooter are before you ride it. This will ensure you do not have an accident on a sidewalk or a busy road.
In most scooters, the control buttons for different parts are on the handlebars while the throttle is in the cockpit. The horn is usually near the left hand when you are riding the scooter. However, some e-scooters have the horn mounted under the handlebars.
You should always test an electric scooter before riding it to avoid problems or accidents. We recommend you follow the below steps before going for a ride:
- Test your electric scooter like a kick-scooter to find it out how maneuverable and balanced it feels. Do not use it with power on until you have completed this step. We also encourage you to get feedback from an expert rider on mobility devices to see if the e-scooter needs any adjustments.
- Make sure to check out both folding mechanisms. They should be locked into the place and the safe features should be engaged while you ride the e-scooter.
- Make yourself familiar with every feature of the e-scooter before you ride it on the streets. This way you will enjoy your ride!
You should make a pre-flight check before you go on your first ride on an electric scooter.
You should check the condition of the e-scooter and see if any it needs any adjustments. Make sure the tires have proper air pressure and locking in folding mechanisms is working. The folding mechanism can get loose during storage or transportation.
You should also make sure the brakes work when applied. There should be no dragging across surfaces like sidewalks because it can wear down the braking pads. The wheels and motor should not make any unusual sounds because it is a sign of a serious fault. If that is the case, then immediately go back to place from you purchased the electric scooter.
Another safety gear that you should get is the tire slime, which prevents accidents when the conditions outside are wet. Make a habit of keeping an eye on the battery life. Once your battery dries, you will have no other option but to walk back home with your scooter.
Kickoff and Ride
It will surprise you how easy is scooting. Kicking off and riding your e-scooter is a simple process that you can do in three simple steps:
- The first step is the place your foot on the deck
- Kickoff and the movement will jumpstart the scooter
- Gently push down the scooter’s throttle, which will help you propel forward with speed. During this time, you need to maintain the balance for which you need to tilt right or left. It will give you a lean angle control. Within a few seconds, you will be riding at a faster speed than you started.
If you are wondering how to turn on your electric scooter, then do not worry because it is a simple process.
You need to press and hold the scooter’s power button for up to 2 seconds, and it will turn on. After you are moving faster than 2 miles per hour, you need to press the throttle button. This feature helps the scooter to consume less battery power because it automatically reduces power consumption when it is not in use for a set period.
However, if you want more power from the battery all the time, then you can change this setting.
If you are a novice rider, you may want to use the conventional stance to start your ride. The conventional stance is that your one foot is in front of the other one. You could do it with your non-dominant leg if you used to do skating two feet side by side or upright.
This position has some advantages and disadvantages. It will keep newbie riders from falling over in the beginning, but it will not give them much stability. You will easily fall, especially when you cross busy streets at night and are hit by another vehicle.
Balance Your Electric Scooter
You must learn how to balance an electric scooter, but keep in mind that it is not the only thing that should be on your mind.
When you practice learning how to balance an e-scooter, do it at a slow speed. Once you gain some confidence with balancing, then practice turning right or left at a quicker speed.
It is important that you keep handlebars of the scooter at an angle of 45 degrees while riding it. You should use handlebars for balance and not as crutches for stability.
If you want to know you are correctly balancing yourself on the e-scooter, then you should check out how straight your arms are when you hold the handlebars. Your arms should be slightly bent in a way that no one can see any signs of overly stiff or instability.
The lever arm of handlebars is very long. Although electric scooters are designed for easy handling, they are not designed for high speed and frequent cranking and turning of handlebars. It can cause strain on your body.
You can use handlebars as leverage points to turn at low speeds. However, you should normally keep them straight while riding; otherwise, it will put stress on your body.
Be Cautious When Braking
The right way to stop your electric scooter is the shift back and keep both of your hands on the handlebars. Then bend at the knees, so your body distributes the weight evenly between the rear and front legs when you apply the brakes.
As a newbie, you may not be aware of the power required for an emergency brake. Whenever you need to execute a sudden braking maneuver, we recommend you straighten up before executing it.
Keep in mind that most crash happen when a rider takes the hard decision of executing sudden turning motion while stopping. You should never try to do two things quickly, like steering the wheel and using the brake.
You can avoid this situation of crashing if you straighten your body, and then apply the brakes. The brakes of an e-scooter are more powerful than you think, especially when you apply them suddenly.
The front wheel is a lot more power than the rear brake when you sharply apply brakes. We recommend you skid the back tire for maximum stopping power. You should never lock both rear and front brakes because it is how most accidents happen. The chances of accidents are even higher if your e-scooter has disc brakes.
If you want maximum braking power, then try sliding out for a small distance without skidding. Keep in mind that the front part of the scooter does not slide, and grabbing too much pressure can throw you over the handlebars.
It is best that you practice gradual application of brakes without releasing full pressure on either of them. It will help you learn how to gradually apply brakes without losing control and traction.
Time to Accelerate
Now it is the time to put your foot on the gas pedal because you are going to accelerate down the highway.
There is nothing difficult about accelerating. You just need to do two things. First, fill up maximum air in the tube of tires because it will give your maximum airflow for better velocity. Second, use your both hands to squeeze hard on either side of the scooter’s throttle control.
Keep yourself stable during this time because you must have a firm grip on the handlebars. Sometimes the road can get bumpy or something out of nowhere can come flying at you.
Thoroughly Check the Mileage and Battery Life
While you ride your electric scooter, it is important that you keep an on the battery life and mileage. If the battery is reaching its maximum limit or the mileage is approaching towards its recommended limit, then you should stop riding.
You should not wait until your e-scooter dies before charging or a flat tire from getting too close to maxing out. If that happens, then plugging a charger will not be enough because you will need to replace the parts.
Conclusion
How to ride an electric scooter for the first may make you feel nervous but it is quite simple. All you need to do is to follow the 9 simple steps that we just told you, and you will be riding an e-scooter in no time.
Before you take off on your journey, we recommend you ensure that your battery is fully charged. If you have some friends that know how to ride an e-scooter, then get help from them. They can explain different things to you while you learn to ride.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to ride an electric scooter legally?
Using electric scooters is on the rise because they are eco-friendly, but you must also know where you can and where you cannot use them.
You can only rent those electric scooters on public roads that are backed by government trials or demonstrations. This option may not be always available for you because of government regulations.
If you are not legally allowed to use e-scooters on roads, then it is best for you to use them on a private land such as driveways. This will keep you safe from getting fined by the police.
Although electric scooters are around for almost a decade, but they are still a recent phenomenon on the roads. In general, they fall under the same law as motorbikes, but there is no specific law for electric scooters.
Currently, you cannot legally use e-scooters on the roads because they lack visibility with other drivers. The biggest reason behind it is the absence of number plates and rear red lights.
How to ride an electric scooter on an animal crossing?
The fact is that you cannot use an electric scooter on an animal crossing. You should look for designated areas for riding rented electric scooters in your city or town. You can ride an e-scooter on your private land without worrying about anything.
What mistakes should you avoid when riding an electric scooter for the first time?
Following are seven mistakes that you should avoid when riding an electric scooter:
- Not wearing protective gear
- Accelerate at a fast speed
- Place both feed side by side
- Improper distribution of body weight
- Not leaning in when turning
- Wear headphones while you ride
- Riding with one hand