Scooter Pothole Test - Big Wheels vs Small Wheels

[@pauls6963]

Having never used a kick scooter before, I went with Swifty for in town travel and seeing this has made me SO glad I went with this make as it's no doubt saved me many a potential collision. In fact multiple times have I had the base of the scooter scrape against some mound on the ground. Thanks for the video it's reassured me of the safety of this vehicle, providing one still takes care of course.

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Hello Paul thanks for your feedback. Good to hear your safe and sound on your Swifty!

[@aidenmatthias5450]

i dont mean to be off topic but does someone know a tool to get back into an Instagram account? I somehow forgot my password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me.

[@quincyfinnley2653]

@Aiden Matthias instablaster =)

[@UknownWorlds]

I have a Xootr scooter I absolutely love it. Yes the Swifty has its advantages but it also has its disadvantages as well. For example, I use my scooter to go to work and I love the way it folds and how portable it really is. It weighs 10lbs and can hold up a maximum 225lbs. I am careful the way I ride though. I am constantly checking out the sidewalks and roads. I always anticipate my every move that's it really. I can go as fast as I want I just have to be cautious while handling it. I love the Swifty as well. I would definately love to get one for longer distance trips. I currently do 4 miles a day [ round trip] on my kick scooter to work. I can go further but when I do so I relax my legs for at least a day and then use it on one of my days off.

[@treadnokash7598]

I didnt know somebody care for scooter users thanks man 😢❤

[@kimrichmond6308]

It seems most of the comments are from Swifty owners. Also many of the current crop of scooters used for commuting are coming through with 10” pneumatic tires and have suspensions. Solid tires are known to have next to nothing for shock absorption. And the riding style of feet side by side is not recommended by any of the experienced riders I’ve talked to or watched. I understand you’re intent is to showcase your product- you do that well.

[@supernova1976]

I agree with what you said of course they want to highlight the advantage of the 16-in wheels versus the eight and a half inch it's clear you can't beat physics. However coming from owning a xiaomi Pro 2 and a dual motor full suspension scooter with 10x3 inch fat tires . With the Xiaomi s smaller wheels the ride can get unsettled quick, and I can feel my feet bounce around the board . With the bigger scooter it is far less noticeable unless I try to hop a curb . And totally agree about the riding stance and style and shifting your weight according to the situation i.e. if you want to clear an obstacle shift your weight back and hop the scooter up . But this video is showing what can happen if you didn't see the pothole or with an inexperienced rider .

[@CRuM770]

This wasn't a comprehensive test by any means, but physics is physics. The smaller the tire, the more it will be impacted by irregularities in the surface. A major issue with the tests in this video is that speed wasn't regulated. On several of the top/bottom split screens you can see that the scooter with 8" wheels was going faster. It also had a more consistent speed, especially on the downstream side of the pothole. I have only ridden a couple electric scooters and both had 10" tires, one with pneumatics and the other with semi-pliable rubber. In both cases I was very cautious, but did go about 20 km/hr. As a complete novice, both times I had a few big scares where I thought I was going over the handlebars. With all that said, I do ride an electric unicycle and I have to say, when I stepped up from 14" tires to 16" it made a huge difference.

[@paulsteel9127]

Even the most fancy and expensive e-scooters can slingshot you off the handles on nasty potholes. All e-scooters have temperamental motors that kick like mules.

[@davidhunternyc1]

*A Scooter, A Pothole, & Tandoori Lamb Chops* All of us who ride scooters on a daily basis will fall. It happened to me one cold December evening in 2018 in NYC. I was was wearing a suit and a tie under my down winter coat. I had just finished a job interview on 57th street and it went well. I was riding my kick scooter back to the subway for my commute home. The main sidewalks were crowded with holiday tourists and shoppers so I decided to take a different route than usual. Still, everywhere I turned there were more people and more cars coming from every direction. Riding any scooter in NYC traffic is trepidatious but on this night I was extra cautious. At one point the car headlights came from all directions and blinded my vision of the street in front of me. I slowed down to a crawl, literally, no faster than a slow walk. Then it happened. My front wheel hit a pothole and I went flying forward. It happened so quickly I could not get my arms out in front of me. My eyeglasses flew off my face and my head hit the street like a bowling ball. After the initial hit my head bounced off the pavement and came down to hit a second time. Within a blink of an eye there I was, laying motionless, my face planted on the rough asphalt. It seemed like an eternity but I'm sure it was just moments later that I was able to stand up and get out of the street. I tasted blood in my mouth and I realized my entire face was bleeding. My chin and mouth got the brunt of the impact. Then shock set in and I started to shake. My whole body became weak so I sat down on the curb. I sat on the curb for 20 minutes trying to recover. I reached into my coat pocket and for some reason I had a bunch of paper towels and I used them to pat my face and stop the bleeding. Then, trying not to get blood on my clothes, I carefully took off my tie. Even though there were hundreds of people all around me no one stopped to help. To them I was just a guy sitting on the curb. The situation was odd too. I was in an area with bright lights and black contrasting shadows. Was it possible that no one actually saw my fall? In retrospect, I think so. Thank goodness I did not break my arm or hurt any other part of body but my face wouldn't stop bleeding. Once I had the energy to stand up I halfheartedly searched for my glasses but given the conditions and because I couldn't see I knew wouldn't find them. I thought it best to flag down a taxi and pay the $40 to take me home but there is no way a taxi would stop for me considering the condition I was in. I also could not get on the subway with my bloody face. I decided to go to my favorite Indian restaurant and ask for help. So I climbed back on my scooter and rode across Central Park to the other side of town. Imagine the scene, a guy on a scooter riding through Central Park in the night with a face full of blood. It probably looked like something from Young Frankenstein. Once I got to the Indian restaurant I was careful not to scare any of the diners so I held my head low. Immediately the manager of the restaurant saw my condition and reacted with concern and a helping hand. I asked him if I could use the restroom. He immediately took my arm and ushered me through the dining room to the restroom. I thanked him profusely and told him I might be awhile. He told me to take all the time I needed. When I first saw my face in the bathroom mirror it was better than I expected. Yes, there was blood everywhere but I did not need to go to the hospital for stitches. I rinsed out my bloody mouth with water and checked to see if I had any broken teeth. Thankfully, I did not. I spent a good 1/2 hour in the bathroom splashing water on my face and tending to my wounds. I looked like a mess but I was going to be fine. Once the bleeding subsided and I felt comfortable I walked back into the dining room with my head still held low. The wounds were still very fresh. The managers and waiters all surrounded me and told me to sit down and relax. So guess what? I ordered dinner. I sat at a table away from everyone else, kept my head low, and ordered tandoori lamb chops. Despite my condition, or because of it, I ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc too. My lamb, as always, was delicious but it was difficult for me to focus on the taste of my food. I was still more distraught than I realized. Throughout my meal I had to take breaks and go back to the bathroom to tend to my open wounds but after a couple of hours I felt safe enough to get on the subway and go home. My friends at the Indian restaurant took great care of me. Without their help I might have ended up at the hospital which would have cost me thousands of dollars in medical bills. This is America. In return for the incredible hospitality I received I gave every waiter, manager, bus boy, and cook $20 each. They saved my life and I will forever be grateful to them. I then left the restaurant and boarded the subway a block away. I hid my face with the hood of my coat. Head held low, I went home... and, no, I did not get the job.

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Holly Molly! stay safe dude! happy you made it over to us eventually.

[@elise3455]

The fact that just calling an ambulance / going to the ER costs you a small fortune in the US is just absurd. In contrast, I was out walking on the country-side in Sweden and randomly started feeling nausea and had to lie down on the side. A bypasser saw me and called the ambulance. The ER came, checked that I was okay, and then drove me home, at no charge.

[@davidhunternyc1]

​@@elise3455 We in the U.S. are being gaslit. We work for the government and the industrial war complex. They don't work for us. Europe is also under siege from crony-capitalist propaganda. For instance, Tesla's union busting efforts across Scandinavia. You must unite. You must fight like hell or your rights will be taken from you. Business must not profit off the sick. Healthcare must be a human right.

[@terrymonaghan3237]

Stem on smaller wheel scooter is much longer creating a greater "principle of moments" leverage and flexing.

[@jennylf1]

Good point

[@ASDFCH]

Great analysis. It's one of the reasons why I went with a swifty scooter. I certainly feel safer and more in control when riding one.

[@robthompson1399]

Bit of a no brainer really ! The closer the obstacle to the height of the axle, the more likely the accident. A larger pneumatic wheel is safer because the rider need not panic about hitting small holes or lumps. But the larger pneumatic wheel rider would be unwise to ride up a 7" squared obstacle, which is pretty much what you are doing on the small wheels (in relation). Most of us can remember the abject fear of seeing an over spilling gravel driveway as we approached on a skateboard as a kid !!! I do not own a swifty scooter, but I would if I could afford it ! I ride a scooter a lot.

[@andythousand345]

Thanks for sharing this footage. Hopefully it helps people stay safe while commuting.

[@MatthewEng2593]

Good testing. I would like to see a down hill test with the 54mm pothole.

[@giacoh]

I am looking to buy my first ebike, and I am quite confused and undecisive about the wheel size and enough power to tackle steep hills ; and even-though I am not fully convinced, this video has given me a big insight regarding the capabilities of the 16" wheel. Now I only need to figure out whether a 400/500 motor will be enough, and I am all set. Thank you!

[@ElaineSimper]

I'm sorry that's actually quite funny, in a sick sort of way. I'm so glad I've a swifty.

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Great stuff!

[@macola1970]

Dear Swifty Scooter & Jason. The video is very clear, a perfect and very simple demonstration to point out a big difference between a small wheeled scooter and a 16 "wheeled scooter. Always a scooter with bicycle wheels will be better. I have not had the possibility to test a swifty scooter, but in the past I bought for a few months a scooter with 12 "size bicycle wheels, an impulse scooter. Clearly it was a change, much more stable and firm. I have also tried several times a small wheel scooter, the famous rental scooters that we see in cities and my impression has been very negative. They are fast, you can have a fun time, but in front of uneven or wet surfaces, driving safety is presented in your mind and feeling in your hands. I did not like the experience and I have never been on a rental scooter again, even more so in times of COVID-19, due to the possibility of contagion. A tip friends. To lead to a peer-to-peer comparison, it would be great to prepare a video using a small-wheeled scooter and a SwiftyZERO-e. Thus, they can make a better comparison between two scooters, both electric, but with wheels of different sizes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmWUh6uHftKsnZI

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Thanks, points noted! 😁

[@tokugagua2008]

Great video!!! what about Shock absorbers?

[@boatman222345]

I am very new to the kick scooter scene so I can't pretend to having any real expertise when it comes to advanced scooter handling techniques. That said I do have a great deal of experience piloting high performance vehicles from racing go karts, hydroplanes, sports cars, motorcycles, upright bicycles, and short wheel based recumbents. So I watched your video on wheel size with what might be called "informed interest." Based upon past experience I was and continue to be very apprehensive regarding the use of the small urethan wheeled kick scooters on anything other than very good surfaces. Thus when shopping for my first kick scooter I ended up opting for a Razor A5 Air with 8" inflated rubber tires. This scooter seemed like a very inexpensive and yet safe means of getting started scooting and I looked forward to mastering the necessary riding skills key to a safe, enjoyable riding experience. It didn't take me long to discover that while the 8” inflatable tires resulted in a much quieter, more comfortable ride, the 8" wheel size still left me very vulnerable to potholes and what Mainers refer to as frost heaves (raised bumps in the pavement of various sizes due to cold temperatures in winter.) In less than 20 miles of scooting I have already come dangerously close to having had two potentially serious crashes. Happily I chanced upon the Swifty website and having spent a good deal of time studying your kick scooters I am seriously considering purchasing a Swifty Zero. Having ridden a very demanding short wheel based RANS Rocket recumbent with dual 20" wheels thousands of miles at speeds sometimes surpassing 50 mph I would totally agree with the conclusions you reached in your pothole tests. Size does matter when it comes to wheels and there is no doubt whatever in my mind that 16" wheels are far more safe when it comes to handling mixed terrain and road surfaces. Your approach to designing, constructing, and marketing a safe, high quality scooter is admirable. As they say here in the US keep up the good work!

[@dalvenable331]

Death on a stick is what I call those 8 inch kick scooters. I built a couple of big wheel electric scooters. One was a 20 inch with rear wheel drive 500 watt planetary gear hub motor and a few using the Schwinn adult Dog runner/Kick scooter frames. mountain bike front suspension forks and the 500 watt hub motor. That frame sports a 26 inch front wheel with the 20 inch rear wheel. I can jump curbs. Not a fan of the awd and fwd systems .

[@JohnstonRobare]

I'll add my scooter experience in case it's helpful to anyone. I own 3 scoots: (1)Razor A5 with 8" polyurethane wheels, (2)Razor A6 with 10" polyurethane wheels, and (3)Kickbike Sport G4 with 29" front and 18" rear bicycle wheels (and pneumatic tires). I bought the A6 wondering if it would truly handle bumps and jolts more smoothly than my A5. It does! The difference is pronounced and it also rattles a bit less, though dogs still hate is as I roll by haha The Kickbike is a whole other ballgame. It rides smoothly and very quiet with the bicycle tires absorbing vibrations and preventing rattles. It makes bumps such as in the video a total non-event. Your only concern would be a bump so high you scrape the bottom of the deck on it. Of course, the Kickbike is almost as big as a bicycle, so trade offs... (thus my research on the Swifty!) I'm not sure what the physics or engineering term would be, but I think intuitively, if your scooter deck height is bellow the height of the front axle, you're going to have a more confident and comfortable time hitting obstacles like in this video. If your deck is a foot bellow the front axle, as on my Kickbike, you'll likely become drunk on power ;)

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Yes we describe this design feature as "DECK DROP", ie when the deck is below the height of the front axle the ride is significantly more stable. For this you need 16 inch wheels!

[@tonyofarrell7318]

Personally I would never use a micro scooter ,on a comfort and safety view .I regularly scoot 10k on my swifty Air and now know how to shift my weight to the rear of the scooter if on a bumby road also correct tyre pressure is important ,micro scooters are sold as a good last mile alternative to buses ,and while thats fine on a smooth surface ,anything else is deadly.I find the long handlebars on micros very unstable ,but scooting like cycling requires tuition to be a good scooter

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Good points thanks for your comments and well done on those scooting miles!

[@jaytc3218]

I own a Xootr Cruz AND a Swifty One. I am very much aware and much more cautious about large potholes and cracks in the road surface when riding my Xootr than with my Swifty. That is not to say that I'm careless when riding my Swifty. But the ride seems much more stable and less prone to getting thrown off. In my experience, scooters with smaller wheels are probably fine on very smooth surfaces. But the Swifty, however, is the clear winner by practically any standard.

[@codeplaywatch]

Please do same experiment with a scooter with suspensions. I'm wondering suspensions can be substitutes for larger wheels.

[@patricksteele4594]

That was a great test. It'd be interesting to see the results for a fat tire 8 inch wheel scooter with front and rear suspension .

[@GardenonTube]

Inflated tires are great. Swifty scooter is the best scooter I ever had.

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Thank You for your comments! Super happy your happy!

[@christill]

It’s scary to see how easily your feet will come off the small wheel scooter. Interestingly, I don’t feel like I’ve had that on my Micro Suspension scooter but with the heavier electric ones it does make a big difference. It would be good to see some science on how rough surfaces effect different wheel sizes of scooter in terms of maintaining speed. Even just scooting a mile to the station, it feels like I’m constantly losing speed on every crack and uneven paving stone. It makes me just consider walking instead and save the hassle of carrying it around. If the Swifty is a lot better which I think it probably is, I’ll have to swap.

[@tonyofarrell7318]

Definitely swap ,I own two swiftys ,one folds and its very nifty ,the othet is a Swifty Air ,its all terrain with bigger tyres and its great fun

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

@@tonyofarrell7318 Thanks of the comments gents!

[@nicthedoor]

OMG, Jason this is awesome. You have the only scooter that will protect you from being assassinated by small potholes.

[@patrickmckowen2999]

Good info 👍 I ride an EUC so extra attention needed. Cheers

[@JakeM218]

This took me the longest time to adjust to! I had a micro scooter with 8” wheels for years and you have to be hyper aware of every pebble - you couldn’t even ride up a dropped kerb from the road to the pavement without falling flat on your face. The Swifty just manages it all no problem!

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Yes even twigs seem to give small wheels trouble. Its very surprising this is not more commonly known. Thanks for your comments.

[@bluedeva]

Don’t forget drain coverings and grates or the textured paving at traffic lights! 😬 never had these problems with my SwiftyONE

[@wingsounds13]

It's amazing how much better the 400mm wheels navigate the potholes than the 200mm wheels do - especially when the rider is sitting back when riding the 400mm scooter and forward when riding the 200mm scooter. Oh... wait... sitting back like that helps considerably. On the 400mm rides, his shoulders were over his heels and on the 200mm rides his shoulders were over his toes - pushing his weight onto the front wheel. Sorry, not a good comparison if you look at the difference in rider form. 🤔 Kind of disappointing with this observation. Not saying the Swifty is not good - it looks very good. It's just that this comparison is an apples to bananas comparison based on the rider's different form on each of the scooters.

[@MoPoppins]

After flying over the handlebars of my classic Razor kick scooter and injuring a shoulder each time (3x total), at such slow speeds, I would *_NEVER_* want to be on a MOTORIZED scooter with such tiny wheels! Is it 15 - 20 mph that they can reach? That's freakin' scary. SO not worth the injuries that the rider is sure to sustain from rolling over a small branch, pebble, pothole, or dip. Nothing smaller than 12". 16" is still good, since it's still very portable, but 20" is a bit large, IMO.

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

I agree, it's the combination of small wheels and high speeds that's very unsettling!

[@PANTHER_PLAYA]

Segway es4 rider here. Can definitely say the small wheels and front wheel driven design are absolutely horrid in terms of safety. Generally with a scooter you can wheelie over deep ones, being that it's front wheel driven, that severely increases the chances of a wreck when it comes back down.

[@noexplanation4343]

Great video... would love to see more. Stay safe!

[@flitsies]

The problem I have with your tests is this. I ride both large wheel scooter and small wheel scooter, and yes the small wheel scooter you do have to pay attention to where you are going a little more, but with a nimble rider at the controls pot holes are not that much of a problem if you are riding in the correct position. I simply tilt back a little and raise the front end thus the front wheel never enters the pot hole, such action is not so easy on my big wheel scooter, and often I have to to just take the impact of the pot hole and hope it doesn't bend the wheel. Avoidance is the key but when you can't avoid you have to know how to negotiate them. It's the same as riding a bike and bumping up the kerb, if you are a reasonably good rider you don't stop for kerbs you simply raise the front wheel slightly enough to get mostly over the main part of the kerb and the rest of the bike follows. So this is the problem I see with your tests, you could easily say that 16 inch wheels are too small if you had a bigger bump and compared it to a 26 inch wheel and so on. but good riders learn to negotiate these issues, new riders learn that it's in their interest to learn or stop and go around. I also ride a small wheel bike, with 14 inch wheels again very bumpy worse than my small m365 for handling but where as everyone is so concerned about the scooters I can have a bicycle with whatever size wheel I want no restrictions on the road. And take it from someone who rides all of these, probably the worse for handling of the lot is the small wheeled bicycle, which I ride all the time now just for the fun of learning to handle it over bumps, pot holes idiotic drivers the lot. Actually saying that where I ride most drivers tend to be OK perhaps it's the bike as one driver almost crashed into a parked car gazing at my bike in wonderment. But the wheels are small and I'm not, so it's like I'm hovering on nothing, it's great fun and perfectly legal, but all my scooters are considered illegal which is madness.

[@kudosbudo]

Some potholes near me are so deep and curved i can use my swifty to bump jump off them! You let the wheel dip and its just small enoguh to fit in completely but then ride back the up side and you use it to jump.Also. I recently got into stunt scooter and on my first commute i went OTB cos i was so used to the swifty rolling over eveything easily! Since then i have played around with my stunt scooter setups and found a nice compromise with 120mm wheels and a longer deck and conversely on teh short deck putting heavy handlebars up front made it more stable. Its ajust a case of balancing BUT small wheels do still limit what you can do with them which is why dont' understand commuter socoters with small wheels.

[@rico_cavalierie]

I fixed the break on my Son's scooter (8" tyre) and took it for a test ride. Needless to say, I hit what I thought to be a minor obstacle. I didn't quite go over the bars, but rather through them. I didn't even notice the fairly deep road rash on my knee. Not because I'm that tough but because it felt like Conner McGregor used my scrotum as a speed bag. Just like me Ma always used to say "Clanking your scrotum off a handlebar trumps a skinned knee every time".

[@theWZZA]

Wow, larger wheel roll over obstacles better than small wheels. Amazing!

[@rico_cavalierie]

Your experience shows. If it were me that hit the board on the small wheeled scooter I would have gone arse over tea kettle and probably ended up on a Fail Army video... again.

[@yousefnaseer5759]

Hi i was just wondering could you reccomend a swifty kick scooter (not electric) for adults which has some handlebars that are higher because i have lower back pain Im 15 years of age and live in UK THANKS

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Hi Yousef, we have TALL versions of all our adult kick scooters that are suitable for riders up to 6'5''! You can find more info here - swiftyscooters.com/blogs/journal/a-kick-scooter-for-taller-and-heavier-adults-swiftyone-tall :)

[@Scootertuner420]

Thanks for this video mate. From now on I will recommend all my scooter enthusiasts to install at least a front fork on theyr scooters. Maybe you could repeat those test with front suspension?

[@Bekesam]

Thanks for the visual. I have always thought that escooters need to have large wheels like a bicycle as the vertical height of the c of g is just as high. Small wheels bad, except for luggage.

[@bolttracks]

With the potholes around Boston, riding an e-scooter is a medical bankruptcy waiting to happen. eBikes any day.

[@bluedeva]

The way your feet moved back so far when they come off the footplate would mean you would hit the back brake and flip on some scooter models, just as you did 😳🤕 So glad you did this post 🤗 me personally, smaller wheels equal lots of jarring through the wrists, they just feel really twitchy and unpredictable. My SwiftyONE has no problems even on rougher terrain like cobbles, country or canal paths as you recently showed with your moor descent post a couple of weeks ago. I’m craving to get out on my swifty soon 🤗

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Yes yep and yep! Thanks for the feedback! Happy scooting lady!

[@MrMoneyHelper]

I thought about getting a Swifty scooter but the decks are too high. What is the deck height of a non-motorized Swifty scooter in 2024? Three and a half inches is about the maximum comfortable height for me. My Xootr was designed with a two and a half inch deck height. It was great, but I want bigger wheels so that I won't crash on uneven pavement.

[@chela66613]

What kind of scooter do you recommend and wat brand.

[@saleemmuhammad649]

Nice watching comparison test before buying it, I had the idea about small wheels challenge compared with 16 inches wheel swiftly but your video answered all questions of mine. I hope you will upgrade it charge able electric motor where I am more interested due to my physical limitation.

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

We already sell E-kits to convert into electric. We are currently sold out but expecting more stock soon.

[@Sim-Rig]

is it just me or does scooting f up your leg hip area. Tried it the other day on a Ofsprey 20" wheel scooter and im still hurting 48 hours later

[@JayGee6996]

Shame they’re so expensive

[@kieronmoore1688]

I love how the co-founder decided he should do the testing due to all his experience, and not because it would make for an bias test. Your posture on the 8 inch scooter is like you're made of cement, and who rides a scooter with their feet adjacent? My biggest concern is that 16 inch wheels will just give ebike manufacturers reign over the pricing, making it elitist at best. I ride my 8 inch scooter in Northamptonshire, arguably some of the worse roads and bike lanes in the country, 200+ miles and zero issues.

[@evolution0016]

100% this!! Guys trying to be bart simpson, and when he goes over the bars you can see his position is crap leaned back on the swifty and not on the escoot.

[@Drunken_Hamster]

We definitely need big wheel E-scooters. Not just for stability/safety and comfort, but also for power delivery and efficiency. Small wheels are a part of the reason EUCs can seemingly run forever while even the best E-scooters are gassed after 50kms

[@orionsquare]

May I know if this test was performed using the Swifty folding or non-folding scooter? Thanks.

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

It was performed with a SwiftyAIR, however all our geometry and wheel size is the same or very similar so this test stands for all the scooters we supply. 😁

[@mazecentric4124]

Edited: More appropriate if this post was emailed to Swifty. Thx for addressing concerns.

[@bluedeva]

Maze Centric I’m sure if you emailed them they maybe able to help 😉

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

We have noted your points!

[@kitcatmeeow571]

There are two other factors that put you at risk much more often than SMALL WHEELS navigating potholes. (1) the centrifical force of a top heavy human body vs small wheels that don't take much to tip over (ouch) (2) e-scooters with a NARROW & SHORT FOOT DECK, causing the rider to ride with one foot flat & one on it's toes, heel in a raised position. This UNNATURAL "one foot on it's toes in an uncomfortable" position, forces the rider's body to sway side to side which increases an imbalance of weight against the tiny wheels. But when the foot deck is wide enough to place the feet "in a comfortable & natural position" the rider's weight is balanced, making it more safe. These e-scooters with small wheels and ridiculously short & narrow foot boards, need to be outlawed. These are deathtraps and nurses are posting videos on social media of seeing young people paralysed and in a coma with severe brain injuries in their hospital. Thank you for this video. This video was uploaded 4 yrs ago, and now 2024, there are even more e-scooters being sold. No one was talking about this when you posted this video and no one is talking about it now. It's high time this issue is a MAIN FOCUS not a "footnote." THANK YOU ! From Southern Californoa USA ⚘️⚘️⚘️

[@Donkylips]

What if you did a wheely or bunnyhop on the small scooter?

[@Maykay1312]

The biggest problem is the pot holes mby fix them first and there shoudent be a scooter with tires under 10inces

[@michaeldemetriou1399]

6 inch aluminium wheel with 1inch of tyre flattened from the drop into the hole would give 3.5 inch from centre of the hub to the edge of the hole even that can flip them if you are taken by surprise and don't lift the front wheel.

[@FrankRipkoski]

I went to sleep before the test started !!

[@jasondavid3969]

I really fancy on of your 16 inch scooters look and sound cool! 😎 But blimey they're more expensive than I thought! If they were cheaper I'd prob get one But one I like is £499.00😳

[@aleksandarmijajlovic4804]

Maybe to compare Dualtron X and Swifty? No any word about suspension? Bigger wheel is for sure safer but then 25" is better than 16". Where is a limit of size when e-scooter becomes something else. Best of all is when you know the limits of your vehicle no meter what you drive. Always wear protective equipment and drive safe.

[@stinkycheese804]

The odd thing is that small wheel scooters ever became popular except in situations where high portability was a primary requirement. Otherwise it's blatantly obvious to anyone whose every ridden a bicycle, what the tradeoffs are of terrible small wheels, not just over an obstacle but for overall stability from the gyroscopic effect. It's easy to see where it all started, smaller rotational mass made sense for children with limited strength and for the old SLA battery, low powered scooters, but times have changed, now young/adults ride them and electric models have over 4X the power of the early market models.

[@K1989L]

Very concerning! That steering tube flex is massive! How long is it even going to last that rate? Also the swifty seems to clear the obstacles so effortlessly. Good job! 👍🏻

[@BohmanderTCG]

Was planning to buy an e-scooter thanks for the video, wont be getting one. Looks very dangerous to ride on one. Belgium has very bad streets (potholes,tram rails...)

[@nelsonlopez9617]

can you do a test with 12 inch tires?

[@HellGod67]

It's an advertisement of their "superior" scooters, they won't do a normal scooter tests for our amusement.

[@sed6]

17:10 Over the bars!

[@rfishrfish4242]

I LOVE MY 2 SWIFTY SCOOTERS, I AM CANADIAN.... SWIFTY IS #1

[@terrymonaghan3237]

Wheel sizes for bikes are very confusing. On web site how about putting all dimensions on the diagrams of all scooters? Wheel sizes rim to rim diameter and then including the tyre fitted diameter? ie. rim to rim size and them outside of tyre dia.? Balloon tyres as wide as 2 inches with a snow and mud tyre tread? Standard fork widths across the range of scooters would allow a smaller width of wheel/tyre as an option to reduce weight and be "pretty".

[@АндрейПроцков-ж4н]

thank u for review! cool company!

[@batissta44]

Electric scooters with wheels less than 11 inches are a death trap in urban settings

[@rolandwhittaker8933]

An Engineer would only buy a large wheel scooter, while the feeble minded will chose small because that's what they do!

[@kitcatmeeow571]

😂

[@Ростов-й1т]

Kick scooter is not only a toy. But a vehicle. Also a vehicle good for leg exercises!

[@oddity4650]

Yes they definitely need a test to avoid them accidents

[@evermore9291]

Any lip 1" or more hit at an angle will cause front wheel to turn sharply & slam rider to ground. Smaller the wheel the more this happens. Less suspension more slams. Broke right wrist 2wice, left hand 1nce. I am old & ride careful . . . . 6 bones total

[@JamesEvans-ow1wc]

I wonder how hard polymer wheels would have done

[@wettuga2762]

I would love to see a few more tests with other wheel sizes and scooter models, not just against a scooter with small 8" wheels with no suspension. My scooter came with 8.5" wheels and has no suspension, I'm planning to change it to 10" wheels for a little more stability/comfort, and I might add a suspension kit down the road. It will certainly not be a Swifty Scooter, but it will also not behave like the 8" wheels scooter in the test...

[@paulvanzweel]

It's called a bunnyhop haha.

[@KismetMookz]

On 16 inch the rider is leaning backward while on 8 the weigh force's in front of the scooter

[@AzogDefilerFromMordor]

Well good job but I think everybody can figure out that smaller wheels are less stable even without much thinking. Otherwise bicycle manufacturers would use kids size wheels on adult bikes. Bike industry already figured out many things and scooters should just copy them when its applicable. Not just wheel size but geometry of head tube etc. Scooters have too steep head ang le and small wheels on top of that. If you are unable to ride scooter quite safely with just one hand or even without hands (if scooter has seat), there is something fundamentally wrong with design.

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Agreed. There are already many safety standards in the bike industry that are tried and tested for road safety. Our scooters follow these, but many scooter manufacturers don't. Like you said, wheel size and geometry are the big ones.

[@TheMoises1213]

Small wheels, small scooter, lower speed. 15mph max shouldn’t be so bad and also it be the solid tires

[@esaflaka9155]

This was pretty common sense. Just like a bicycle will be faster and clear more object than any scooter will bc it has bigger wheels and built stronger. So ig i was just here to see when the person would fall over and laugh 😬 But i will say i want y’all’s swifty scooter one day lol when i can afford it :)

[@wildandbarefoot]

Got more chance to miss a pothole with smaller wheel as they're more flick able.

[@terrymonaghan3237]

What was the tyre pressure on each scooter?

[@Phil.Hawkins]

Simple fix the roads, also make privately owned Escooters legal!!!

[@rgayda]

It depends on the rider if he knows how bunnyhop it doesnt matter even the wheel is small..

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Bunny hopping can help you get over some obstacles but can't be relied on as most accidents are caused by the potholes and obstacles we don't see until the last second, so wouldn't have time to hop!

[@craigwallace6326]

Not really a fair test. Much of it depends on the riding technique. You obviously have your weight much further back on the Swifty. Maybe you need someone who knows how to ride a small wheel scooter?

[@SwiftyScootersTV]

Are you suggesting I should have bunny hopped over the pothole or something?

[@ASDFCH]

I found the test to be perfectly fair and reasonable. I've ridden both of these scooters plenty of times. I also see people riding those rental scooters every day. How he rode it is no different than how anyone else would.

[@sharee_eso6873]

@@SwiftyScootersTV That's actually what i am doing. When the front wheel is about to hit the front edge of the far end of the pothole, i pull on the handlebars to get the front wheel a bit higher and move some of the weight off it by "jumping" - not so much that my feet would completely leave the board, just to reduce the weight the scooter is carrying at the moment of impact. This allows me to ride over potholes that would otherwise possibly cause a sudden stop. That being said, your test is completely fair for cases where the rider does not see the pothole in time to react and just rides straight over it at full speed.

[@JacanaProductions]

Man a big important test and and bad slow mo video.

[@konaboyz1690]

I'm thinking this 10 year veteran would do a extreme faceplant if it would have been on a skateboard

[@berneysharp3940]

Nice video but in every test you are going in with a lower centre of gravity and bent legs.

[@jingjing132]

Great battery life

[@roderickrobledo6373]

You won't encounter that problem with a Nami scooter! 8 inch skinny tires are not a good idea for riding for me.

[@geog26]

good intention overall ,but highly biased study as many have pointed out

[@Bekesam]

Escooters should be bicycles but with a platform to stand.

[@Orwell2024]

What are you lying about? Doesn’t matter how big the wheel is, if the lower middle part of the scooter goes over an obstacle, as big as a shoe is just throws you off of it 😢😢😢

[@wowowow7694]

17:20

[@HellGod67]

Woudl like a fairer comparison than to a sh*tty $300 xiaomi they have.

[@annawilson852]

Ok so, if this isn't a marketing stunt and this video is to raise people's safety awareness on scooters, could anybody recommend a girls 16inch scooter under £100. Thanks

[@marksallai2289]

check amazon but the quality and engineering will not be as good

[@insanogeddon]

Yet skateboardering children have managed the streets with sub 2 inch wheels for decades .. 'merican upsize logic UK edition lols

[@HellGod67]

Well only a dumb*ss would get into a pothole that size with that speed on a cheap, no suspension scooter.

[@del5606]

Bigger wheels always better!!

[@selfie183]

someone shuld do sumthing to fix the potholes

[@waktosha7378]

Riding with your feet side by side is incorrect and dangerous! If you stood on it correctly, your feet would have not gone airborne!

[@Belnick6666]

just get a moped instead, they are too dangerous and need to be banned

[@supremespanker]

This is an extremely poor riding form. Should not be in safety study video.

[@scramjet4610]

This guy just talks and talks. Better to just get on with the testing.

[@dstaop]

lime scoots and its cousins should be banned. its simply dangerous. beside, the gig scoots have a life-length of 3-5 months. crap , bad for environment