Commuting by electric scooter or bicycle? The perspective of a long-term bike commuter.

[@eleventwelves]

ive commuted by minivan, motorcycle, bicycle, and now electric scooter. i agree with all your points and for me, using my scooter already paid for itself being cheap than just the registration and insurance for my van for one year.

[@kurticusmaximus]

I’ve been seeing a lot of escooters while bike commuting. I must admit, the lack of sweating is a very nice advantage.

[@bybikeboston1334]

In my eyes they both have a place! I still regularly commute on both of them. Almost at 1600 miles on the scooter, too!

[@zztop7000]

People buying electric scooter this days because is much safer never get stolen unlike ebike they're EASILY STOLEN! Bike thieves are everywhere! Riding a electric scooter is soo much better the view is better because you're standing

[@Tunguska2008]

No, that just means you have bad stamina. If you would have good stamina you could ride with 60% energy and be fast enough to get wherever you are going

[@RockyAptera-xo3dd]

​@@Tunguska2008I must have really bad stamina as I sweat with 0 effort during summers around here.

[@pal8492]

​@@Tunguska2008some of us are just sweaty. Plus where I'm at summer days hit 100 regularly

[@g--stef4756]

I live in a very different part of the world compared to Boston but this video was still an excellent review of the ups and downs of bikes vs. scooters for commutes. I take a bike to work every day where I live but have been mulling having a scooter as well because high winds are common and I anticipate that bad weather will be a major challenge. I watched to the end, 'cause this video was a good one- thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@Adamm17004]

I live in Boston, just the one in the UK, i just scoot everywhere as i cant be asked to deal with the constant sweating from cycling

[@stevegelman7838]

I really like your comparison between your bike and the scooter, I travel everywhere by bicycle, but I also want too get an electric scooter, for commuting, and have the best of both worlds.

[@bybikeboston1334]

I'm still regularly using both! I have close to 3300 miles on my electric scooter at this point!

[@paulrevere1479]

Hot summer day/night going to work on a scooter is great. No sweating profusely!!

[@eliparker8472]

I would love to have a commute in such a calm neighborhood :)

[@bybikeboston1334]

Haha, sadly my commute was along busy roads, but those same roads make for a noisy youtube video so I opted to film elsewhere.

[@pentiuman]

I don't know if your needs, abilities, or wants have changed. But I think taking a bicycle you already have, and adding a Bafang mid-drive motor and a battery, for about $600, gives you some of the best of both worlds. Stability and safety, comfort, ease, self-repair, and standards and low parts cost of a bike, with the electric assist of a scooter for greater range, when you turn it on and as you want and use it.

[@FeelItRising]

Well done. I have no car and scooter/bike everywhere and makes life so much less aggravating. Obviously if your scooter had shocks it would be hugely beneficial for you and most do now

[@bybikeboston1334]

Thanks! Yeah - I do have a car but I don’t think I’ll be buying a new one after it bites the dust. Between my bike and scooter I’m completely set on transporting myself - also huge savings. Agree on the shocks - but admittedly with a bit of care the scooter is a great tool for commuting even with the bumpy ride.

[@kristendawn7103]

I really appreciate this video, thank you!

[@citizenscience]

I have a Cowboy 3 ebike. Looking at the Max2 scooter. I don't ever break a sweat using the adaptive power. Price is an issue for some of course. My biggest issue against it is the size for tossing in the car. My biggest pro over a scooter is having a rack and saddle bags since I do my shopping when possible without a car.

[@iamsemjaza]

There are little cargo racks you can get for most scooters. I got one for my Aovo and it is nice

[@michaelsprinzeles4022]

If you already have a bike you like an electric motor & battery are only a little more than the scooter. With an e-bike you can get as much or as little workout as you want. With an e-bike it's a hybrid so you can, with some effort, get more range from the same size battery. You can, if you want, ride an e-bike in the rain. The only advantage you mentioned that an e-bike doesn't offer is the ability to to store it in your office (unless you have a folding bike).

[@JuCarlos-ex8ip]

Great review 👏 I'm thinking of buying in electric scooter but the mile range is a big issue.. although i love riding bicycles I'm 45 now is time for a scooter,,, yeah definitely u save money riding your electric scooter or bicycle doing errands,, gas is pretty expensive

[@bybikeboston1334]

Thanks! Yeah, getting a scooter has definitely helped me save money, especially given gas costs right now. I love my bike and my scooter, but having them as a pair really minimizes how much I even need to use m car - not a bad deal to me.

[@iamsemjaza]

I can't do that climb on a bike ;) Good work, man :)

[@SergeRychkov]

It's also the only scooter that can be used in rain with IPX5 protection. To improve water resistance it's possible to remove the battery cover and isolate it with silicon. You can expect this life of components: - tires 4000 miles, - electric motor and battery at least 15000 miles, - motor bearing 6000 miles, - front wheel standard bearing 1000 miles (or SKF 2000 miles), - front drum brake needs to be cleaned every 1000 miles, in this case their life will be 2500-3000 thousand miles. Bearing and brake life is indicated for dirty roads, so life could be longer with better infractructure. Other parts do not need servicing. I took the information from this video made by a scooter mechanic in Moscow, it's in Russian: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYS2iKiAbZyaock He considers MAX to be the best commuter scooter.

[@bybikeboston1334]

Wow, this is an amazing overview! I’ll check this video out. I do my best to maintain the scooter like I would a bicycle - it certainly hasn’t skipped a beat in 500 miles, 15,000 would be a dream come true.

[@bobmason1361]

You can auto translate to English

[@flowild]

smooth street, 200 pot holes xD

[@NorGtz]

Could we say that an electric bicycle would be the best of both worlds?

[@AntGamer007]

Can you ride it on sidewalks? Do you have to get turn signals? Do the police ever bother you

[@bybikeboston1334]

I wouldn’t ride it on the sideway, the sidewalk is often uneven where I live and with the little wheels that could cause a crash. Additionally, it may be illegal in your municipality. I don’t have turn signals and I haven’t once had trouble with police. If you live in a city where cycling and scooting is common I doubt you’ll have any trouble with police but I can’t guarantee it.

[@deleteduser3455]

Scooters aren't good for high speeds but they are much lighter they aren't as stable for high speeds though

[@harrison00xXx]

nonsense, if they are built as they should be they are stable at high speed as well. Vsett10+, with steering damper there are no issues going 75 km/h.

[@NextNate03]

You can't compare a electric scooter with a non-electric bike. You would need to compare a electric scooter with an E-Bike. *Edit* Yes, you can take a electric scooter off-roading. I saw a video years ago that a person was riding there scooter up a mountain. Yes, they do make weatherproof scooters. *Edit 2* There are people out there that had put 30,000+ miles on there electric scooter. *EDIT 3* Not everybody can ride there bike for miles at the time. You would need to be in fit in the 1st place to do so.

[@bybikeboston1334]

1. Sure you can, why can't you? They're both modes of transportation and they're largely a different experience. Even an ebike is a different experience than an electric scooter. I have one of those too. 2. The most capable scooter is a heck of a lot less comfortable than an average bike off road. 3. Gaining fitness through cycling is one of the key advantages of riding a bike rather than scootering.

[@Schaudochnochmal]

I Destroyed my Knee after one year Xiaomi Scooter...

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

Most e-bikes have 26-28" tires so it will go places the scooter can't. Most e-bikes can go at least 18-20MPH and have a range between 30-60 miles / charge. Most e-bikes can ride in the rain without getting ruined. E-bike's electrical components have an IP rating of 65. What that means is the 6 is for dust proof and the 5 out of 9 for resistance to water droplets ie rain. Puddles are nothing for a ebike with 26-28" tires. E-bike often have shock absorbing forks, and shock seat posts making it very comfortable going over rough roads, pot holes etc. Peddling the bike while also using the electric motor will enable you to get some exercise, lose some weight over time, strengthen muscles in legs/arms etc, and increase cardiovascular/pulmonary fitness. E-scooter for $500-800 or E-bike for $500-1000+. The bike seems like the easy choice because of all the benefits. They even make folding bikes for easy storage although mine isn't the folding type.

[@harrison00xXx]

The whole story turns a lot as soon you want it... "faster". I would rather buy a premium performance scooter going up to 80 km/h for 2000$ than a at best lower midclass E-Bike for >2000$.

[@TheCray98]

Thinking a bicycle is going to get you into good shape is grossly over exaggerated. In better shape than doing nothing at all like scooter would? Sure. But into good shape? From riding a bicycle alone? No lol. Great video tho

[@zztop7000]

Why are you comparing that cheap scooter to your bike ? Hyper scooter is different way faster than bikes i bet you never riden a high performance scooter. The problem with ebike is they easily get stolen my bikes got stolen twice that's 2 bikes I'm much safer with electric scooter with swappable batteries. If i want to exercise i just go to my gym with my scooter i can take my scooter inside the gym. If you have bike you have to leave it outside those are targeted by bike thieves.

[@Libragod]

I agree This was a great video but terrible comparison of the 2

[@jclyntoledo]

Exactly why I'm getting an electric scooter

[@ElectricVRoom]

are those the state of the roads in the united states? wow, how bad! holes everywhere, uneven, bumpy! why americans have to live like that?

[@jclyntoledo]

Not everywhere is like that, it depends where you live. There's only a small area that is even similar to what they showed around me. Outside of that 3 block area it's mostly okay but yes there are random potholes.

[@ChrisHirner]

"An electric scooter cant do this" funny ive watched a dozen vids of folks who did. This guy is comparing whats close to a walmart gotrax to a electric mountain bike.

[@bybikeboston1334]

The Ninebot max is the standard for reliable scooter commuting. Also the bike in this video is not electric. The two are comparable in price, and both entry level, but high quality, models. The comparison is more than fair.

[@harrison00xXx]

@@bybikeboston1334 "The two are comparable in price" And there is the issue already... you can not compare them in the same price range. Also, as a commuter, the Ninebot doesnt have enough range or power or suspension. Compare a proper E Scooter (aka >3000W peak, >1 kWh battery) to a proper E-Bike and the scooter will be a lot cheaper to maintain and to buy anyways. Also, this type of scooter will also do some things you said are "impossible" or "i cant to that on a scooter", or "the scooter cant do that"...

[@bybikeboston1334]

@@harrison00xXx You can't compare two items that are the same price? If someone has $800 and is comparing an E-scooter and an E-bike they're going to look at ~$800 models. I'm sorry to break it to you, but they're very comparable.

[@harrison00xXx]

@@bybikeboston1334 maybe next time compare a reasonable good scooter with a e bike in the same price range. Maybe your road bike compared to a lets say 2000-3000$ performance scooter with huge battery? ;)

[@harrison00xXx]

@@bybikeboston1334 when it comes to my bicycle, my demands are pretty low, i still ride a midclass mtb from like 2009 or so which costed once around 900€, just maintained properly and im fine with it. But when it comes to an e scooter (and its systematic downsides such as small tires/low comfort, etc) my demands grew very fast… from a scooter similar to yours (garbage…) to a somewhat „nice“ 1000w 45 km/h offroad scooter with 12“ tires and full suspension. This 1000W scooter is ok enough, but since i ride a Vsett10+,… no budget scooter anymore. In fact, as spoiled i am with my Vsett10+ and how good it is, im even thinking about the new Roadrunner RX7 while the Vsett becomes the spare or friends scooter to ride together. Whoever i borrow or let my old offroad scooter ride and if they also know my actual higher end Vsett, they absolutely understand why i even began to hate this otherwise not too bad budget offroad scooter. When it comes to scooters, depending on your demands, you can easily end within the 1500-3000$ price range when you want something proper. Its not much different with E Bikes, if you want power, speed and a throttle, they even tend to get much more expensive than higher quality performance scooters