A question I often get asked is; “E-scooter or E-bike, which is better?” Well, it depends on your requirements, but the scooter is a no-brainer for me.
Firstly, my scooter (a Segway Ninebot Max G30 – or Max for short) folds up small enough to fit into my campervan. My plan for this winter was to take the campervan on a tour of Spain and Portugal, where scooters are commonplace.
The scooter was going to be perfect for exploring the towns and countryside by day, whilst leaving the van parked up. Of course Covid has scuppered this plan for the time being, but as my next blog on touring Anglesey will illustrate, the scooter does this job perfectly.
There’s no need for an expensive bike rack and the ball-ache of getting the bike on and off it. With the scooter, it’s a 20 second job to lift it out, unfold, and start moving. What’s more, I can charge the scooter from the van leisure battery using a simple inverter – you simply plug it in.
But you don’t need something the size of a campervan either. The scooter will easily fit in most car boots – it even folds small enough to fit across the tiny back seats of my coupe. That would be a non-starter for a standard frame E-bike, and is a big plus for me.
Secondly, its ease of use. Riding the E-scooter requires no effort whatsoever. This may seem lazy (and probably is), but for commuting trips this is a huge plus. Scooting a couple of miles in work clothes means not turning up sweaty – no need for lycra and a change of clothes on arrival.
I thought it might result in trouble for my suspect back on longer journeys, but I haven’t felt a twinge. The Max has very robust tires – they’re 10” tubeless pneumatic, therefore no fiddly punctures to deal with, and so no repair kits to buy and carry.
In urban spaces the scooter is much more manoeuvrable, it can turn in less than half the space a bike would need, and it’s less width too – in Anglesey I was able to ride it straight into the house and plug it in in the hallway. In town it is super easy to ride around objects, especially other people.
Don’t get me wrong, bikes are a great idea too, but when it comes to choosing between an E-scooter or E-bike, the scooter will always win. They are simply far more practical for my needs.
Objections
When it comes to the E-scooter or E-bike discussion, people who swear by bikes like to throw in a few objections, or perceived reasons why a bike is better. Let’s explore them:
“Yes but… you can’t carry anything without a pannier”
A rucksack works better with a scooter than with a bike and carries everything I need.
“Yes but… you can’t go so far on a charge”
That may be true, but the Max has a range of 65km in eco mode – more than enough for me. I can charge the scooter from the van leisure battery using a simple inverter. You simply plug it in.
“Yes but… what about safety?”
The scooter is ultra stable with its broad platform and low centre of gravity, I haven’t fallen off yet. Deep potholes are a hazard to be avoided, but that goes for bikes as well. Check out How to Ride an Electric Scooter Safely for my safety tips.
“Yes but… what about difficult terrain?”
The Anglesey trip proved the scooter could cope with most surfaces. Gravel drives are tricky at first, and sand was a problem, but then again, it is for a bike too.
“Yes but… you can’t get up hills”
Actually, the Max gets up most gradients – provided you use sport mode.
“Yes but… your E-scooter is illegal on British roads”
Ok, you’ve got me there – but not for long hopefully!
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