An Electric Scooter With Plenty Of Power

By Scott Kramer

“Which do you like better — your electric bike or the electric scooter?,” asks my neighbor. I don’t even have to think before responding: “The e-bike seems safer, but the scooter is exhilarating.”

And I have a feeling many more people feel the same way. After all, I know the use of cars became relatively useless when the pandemic began. Everything was closed, so there were really not many reasons to drive. Thus, there was an uptick in sales of personal transportation devices, such as electric scooters and bicycles. Then as lockdowns began lifting and people tried to avoid public transportation, sales of these alternative transportation vehicles accelerated even further, according to public reports. Plus, they let people get out and experience some fresh air without having to hop in the car. And they’re awesome for running short-range errands.

These days, I can’t help but smile big, as I effortlessly cruise up the hill behind my home — it’s a fairly steep street. Mind you, I’ve mostly used my e-bike to climb it over the past few years. Previously when I tried taking an electric scooter up that road, I had to foot pedal it for about 200 yards before it was able to move on its own. And even then, it puttered along at 5 mph. The incline is that severe. But now, riding the EcoReco L5+, I can move effortlessly closer to 20 mph on the identical patch of cement. No foot power necessary.

I’ve been trying this unit out for two months now and am blown away by its power. And torque. And smoothness. And miles per charge. It’s been an eye-opener, to say the least, and is particularly ideal for journeys as long as 25 or 30 miles round-trip. As much as I take my e-bike out for post-office and FedEx drop-offs, grocery store pick-ups and Redbox rentals, I have quickly replaced it with the EcoReco. It’s super easy to just hop on and off of. It conveniently folds up and can even be locked to a bike rack. Because it weighs 37 pounds, I probably won’t want to carry it around very often. But I could easily see myself taking a train to our downtown area and then using the scooter to get around from that point.

Riding it at first took a learning curve. The throttle is so responsive that I initially kept jerking the machine forward. But after maybe a half-hour on it, I figured out how to subtly get the machine moving much more smoothly. Braking posed a similar challenge: Using the given handbrake can be jolting. So I’ve resorted now to just coasting to slow down, wherever possible. And if I need to brake by hand, it’s kind of second-nature at this point.

The ride is so smooth that I’ve several times caught myself gliding at 25+ mph. Which frankly is a little faster than I feel comfortable. But it just sort of happens so gradually-yet-quickly, I’ve been unaware of the actual speed until I’m maxing out.

The machine is well-built and appointed. It has a bell, which is throwback cool. The telescoping main bar adjusts to people of pretty much any height. The blue-glowing odometer has several modes, and is well lit to display in bright sunshine or dark night. The handlebars even fold inward if you’re stowing the scooter, then lock into place when you’re using it.

If I could only buy this or an e-bike — and because this model sells for $1,000 and e-bikes can commonly be twice-to-thrice that price, that may be the exact choice some people have — I might well opt for this. But I also love my e-bike. So thankfully I don’t have to choose. While both have merit, the EcoReco makes a mighty strong case for e-scooters.

An Electric Scooter With Plenty Of Power

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