RAZOR SCOOTER !
Written: Oct 23 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: doesn't weigh much, is shiny, folds down to be small
Cons: to much effort to get anywhere unless you are going downhill
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| mattjoe's Full Review: Razor Scooter |
I had a scooter way back when I was younger and they started to become a fad, so I was intrigued by this new manifestation of an older method of transportation. Last night, I finally got to try one at a place other than a mall.
My friend Marc bought his son, Brian, a Razor Scooter. Brian was happy to show it to me since I hadn't been by his house in at least two weeks. I've been neglecting the poor little guy, so he had some catching up to do.
His new scooter does do things that mine didn't. Namely, mine didn't fold up. That's really about it, this is a scooter, so it has to have 2 wheels, a plate to stand on, and some handlebars.
The Razor Scooter is interesting in it's simplicity of disassembly, or collapse-ability, if that is even a word.
The Razor Scooter collapses down into a small, very compact amount of shiny aluminum with tiny wheels.
This is done just by undoing a latch, dropping the handle bars down, grabbing the handles themselves, pushing in a point and yanking out, they then drop to be slimmer.
Then, just grab another little latch and you're able to fold the entire front half down to the size of about a skateboard. This could fit in even those little mini half size lockers that some schools are cruel enough to force the kids to keep their stuff in.
The Wheels
The wheels on the scooter seem to be the same kind that are on many roller blades. They are tiny, and this is all right when you line 4 of them up on either foot, but the scooter only has the front and back wheel. Realize that the wheels are smaller in diameter, and therefore more effort is required to actually get anywhere. The older scooters with larger air filled wheels were able to go farther with less effort. I suppose the added effort required of the kids to get anywhere is a good thing, after they get where they are going, they will be to tired to cause any trouble.
These wheels will also wear out fairly quickly when ridden on pavement. They will wear out faster than the same wheels on roller blades would, because the weight is distributed down to only 2 wheels.
The Ride
Of course I had to take Brian's new wheels out for a spin around the block. I went at night, night is a wonderful time to take a scooter out into the neighborhood. It is harder to see a person on a scooter which has no reflectors or lights on it, and therefore it is far easier to be hit by a car while on one. Being hit by a car can result in a profitable lawsuit for all involved. If it weren't for that pain thing, and that possibility of death, I'd highly recommend it.
The Razor Scooter has no reflectors on it. This is a very bad thing.
In some states (Massachusetts being one) it is a sign of comparative negligence if you are out riding at night without a light affixed. What this means is your award of damages may be completely denied. Now that's no good if you got hit by a car to begin with.
The ride itself was smooth on the downhill slope of Marc's driveway. But when I entered the street, the vibrations from the pavement immediately made themselves known to me through the handlebars.
The wheels of the Razor Scooter are semi-hard rubber. They have no air in them which cushions the feel of the road, this is a bad thing.
These wheels would be all fine and dandy if you were riding the scooter only on tennis courts (Hard courts, not clay or grass) but on the street, the vibrations are a drawback. Depending on what kind of sidewalks you have in your area, you could ride the scooter on them with minimal rough riding. Of course these scooters feel very fast when ridden in the store, and also in the kitchen (linoleum floors are great) but the street isn't paved with linoleum.
Light
The Razor Scooter isn't very heavy, it only comes in around 5 pounds. This is a good thing for anyone who has decided they need one to ride around then seeks to carry it with them.
Shiny
It's shiny chrome like aluminum.
Effort
Like I said, the effort required to get anywhere is more than I needed when I had my old one, and both are still far more dependent on leg work than a bicycle. A mode of transportation is supposed to make it easier to get somewhere, not harder. Granted it is quicker and easier than either running or walking, but a bicycle will use even less energy, and be safer.
Riding the Razor Scoot also requires back effort as you lean down and push, backs get tired quick from the effort required using this.
Going uphill really stinks. I felt like getting off and walking back, but for the sake of experiment, I rode on.
Safety
Did I read there was a great increase in emergency room visits from accidents involving kids falling off these scooters and hurting themselves?
I sure did. Although I didn't think they were very hard to balance and ride around on, apparently some people are falling off them and ending up with broken arms and bumps, scrapes and bruises. Accident prone children should have bike helmets and knee pads on. People may think these are safer than bicycles, but it's still the same hard pavement that splits open your head.
Enjoyment
I suppose you can't put a price on enjoyment, and I bet it is worth even more to have your kid stop whining about wanting one. Of course, once the kids start riding these more and more, they will very likely turn back to their bikes.
The Razor Scooter, it'll be disposable.
Recommended:
No
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mattjoe
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