Slidgo X8 electric scooter review: Solid tires, removable battery pack, and water resistance Review
Pretty much 3 many years ago I examined out my very first electrical scooter, the Mi Electric Scooter, and given that then have seasoned flat tires, lifeless batteries, and a need to have to experience in the rain. The new Slidgo X8, marketed completely by Adorama, addresses these difficulties with a starting up price tag of $499.99.
Throughout this time of coronavirus with increased distant do the job chances and minimal community transportation you could not imagine an electrical scooter makes a lot sense. Nevertheless, it is best for taking you even further when bus or prepare service is minimal and when you need to have to get about city to entire necessary duties. With an electrical scooter you can get locations with a reasonable lengthy-expression value and have pleasurable as properly.
Also: Mi Electric Scooter critique: Full that final mile commute with simplicity
Tires, batteries, and weather conditions
If you have at any time owned an electrical scooter with pneumatic tires that failed you then you can enjoy the use of reliable tires. I found some recommendations on YouTube, but even with some sage advice, eradicating and setting up 8.5-inch tires on a scooter is a hard process to entire. Right after dealing with 3 flat tires, I bought and installed reliable tires on an more mature electrical scooter so I never ever had to fear about flat tires once again.
Fortunately, the Slidgo X8 arrives with ten-inch reliable tires so you shouldn’t at any time have to fear about switching them out. The reliable tires have openings fashioned into the sidewall in order to help strengthen the consolation of the reliable tire and I honestly did not come to feel any distinction in the experience among these reliable tires and pneumatic tires. Men and women ordinarily never spend hours driving a scooter to and from do the job so the benefits of reliable tires considerably outweigh any perceived consolation of a pneumatic tire.
The batteries on scooters I have examined in the past had been all positioned beneath the system deck and had been not simply replaceable. This meant you could experience until eventually the batteries had been expended and then had to wait hours for them to cost back again up.
The Slidgo X8 has a person-replaceable battery pack that suits into the entrance bar of the scooter. Adorama offers a ten.4aH pack for $179.99 and a 12.8aH ability pack for $279.00. The much larger ability battery pack is rated for just 4 extra miles for every cost so I am not positive that an excess $100 is worthy of it.
The battery packs can be charged specifically with the scooter charger so you can cost up the one particular connected to the scooter and then cost up a spare. Only slide the excess battery in your backpack and maintain driving for hours. These battery packs weigh in at five kilos.
Scooters I have ridden in the past contained guidelines and guidance to not use the scooter in the rain. In Washington State that has been tough as we see typical drizzle and mild rain all through the year. Delayed braking is really the main issue when driving in the rain, but if you approach for that then it is good to know that the Slidgo X8 has an IP54 dust/water resistant score so you can rely on it working for you in significantly less-than-excellent conditions. The protection notes in the guide evidently condition you should really not experience the scooter when it rains so maintain that in brain.
Slidgo X8 technical specs
- Motor electrical power and torque: 350W peak output
- Body construction: Aviation aluminum alloy
- Max load: 250 kilos
- Battery: 36V, ten.4aH or 36V, 12.8aH battery pack possibilities. Four hours of charging from empty to full.
- Dust/water resistance: IP54
- Flooboard width: 6 inches
- Braking process: Rear disc brake, entrance e-brake, and back again fender brake
- Lights: Entrance LED and rear LED brake mild
- Folded proportions: 1083 x 420 x 460 mm
- Extended proportions: 1083 x 420 x 1186 mm
- Excess weight: thirty kilos
- Max pace: 19 mph (dependent on rider weight and street conditions)
- Selection: Up to 22 miles w/ Eco mode and 18 miles in Sport mode (dependent on rider weight, driving surface, and weather conditions)
Also: Juiced Bikes CrossCurrent X electrical bicycle critique: The entire commuter encounter
Walk about the Slidgo X8
The Slidgo X8 is out there completely at Adorama and arrives with a thirty-working day no-questions asked return plan so the business is assured in its attractiveness. It arrived in an outer Adorama labeled cardboard box with an internal Slidgo black box. I was sent the X8 scooter and two battery packs to exam out for the duration of my evaluation interval.
To setup the scooter for use, merely rotate the entrance pole of the scooter into vertical placement, flip up the spanner lever, and rotate the fixing ring into placement to secure the spanner lever. Attach the brake lever to the still left side using the incorporated hex wrench. Screw in just about every of the two handlebars, paying awareness to the appropriate rotation to secure the handlebars in position. The brake lever and handlebar attachment actions are only expected for original setup.
You can cost up a battery pack with it connected to the scooter or independent from the scooter. To attach the battery pack you merely insert it into the battery slot and then slide it down until eventually the latch locks it into position.
When you want to fold the scooter to keep it or have it for the duration of your commute, rotate the fixing ring, flip down the spanner lever, and then secure the handlebar down into the rear fender notch. You can then pick up and have the scooter by the entrance pole.
Starting off at the top we see the brake lever on the considerably still left with a bell connected to the brake lever. On the right side of the central LED exhibit we uncover a inexperienced rotating dial that serves as the throttle button with a electrical power button and purpose button positioned on the top of the throttle dial. The purpose vital is used to toggle among eco/novice, regular, and athletics modes. Push the purpose button swiftly twice to toggle the entrance headlight on and off.
The center LED exhibit is huge with an simply readable exhibit. It is very basic with pace, mode, and electrical power amount proven to the rider. The battery standing indicator on the dashboard shows a complete of five bars.
On center and beneath the LED exhibit is the battery pack. The run entrance wheel and reliable tire have an enough fender to avert rain and mud from flying up onto you and the scooter. A 6-inch extensive and lengthy standing deck is supplied with a textured surface to maintain you from sliding about. I have measurement 12 footwear and was ready to simply stand on the scooter and move about the system.
Moving to the back again of the system we see a exceptional characteristic, a quite huge rear fender that you can stand on to activate a third brake. There are grooves match underneath the fender to help sluggish down the scooter when you action on the fender. The LED brake mild is on the back again side of the fender.
A disk brake process is positioned on the still left side of the rear wheel with the rear wheel also currently being reliable rubber material. There is also a kickstand on the still left side of the scooter deck.
Also: EcoReco L5 Furthermore electrical scooter critique: Wide system, twin wheel suspension, superior torque, and enough pace
Using the Slidgo X8 electrical scooter
I am 6 ft, one particular inch, tall and weigh 250 kilos so electrical scooters and bikes I have examined in the past present significantly less pace, significantly less assortment, and lessen efficiency than we see in the technical specs. On sport mode on a flat concrete surface I seasoned speeds averaging fifteen-sixteen mph with speeds in the 5-8 mph in the eco mode. I was unable to experience the scooter up hills with 5-8% quality, but I am also at the maximum weight ability of the scooter so maintain that in brain.
The rubber coated handlebars have good texture and had been quite comfy right after many miles of driving. I felt quite comfy driving the scooter and the battery pack positioned on the entrance pole did not affect my stability in any noticeable way. Holding down the throttle for 6 or far more seconds initiates a seem that signifies cruise handle is activated so you no more time need to have to maintain down the throttle button.
Braking took a bit more time than I anticipated, but I was shifting forward at far more than ten mph and am at the maximum ability of the scooter. I never ever felt terrified or in hazard although braking and also appreciated the excess back again fender action brake that could be handy if a unexpected impediment appeared in entrance of me although driving.
There is no smartphone connectivity for updating the firmware on the scooter or any other innovative controls, but the style and design options of reliable tires and removable batteries make this a good scooter to consider. $500 for the ten.4aH battery pack model is a reasonable price tag for a quite capable scooter.
