Electric Scooter Brakes Knowledge For Beginners

Electric scooters are now part of the street scene. They are hip, agile, and nimble - but not a mobile toy, but a vehicle approved for use on the road. To avoid accidents, here are the most important riding and braking tips regarding the electric brakes installed on an adult scooter.

You are driving an motor scooters, and it needs to be learned. The experts suggest specific adult electric scooter riding tips for you so that you can drive safely and accident-free on the road. Therefore, having knowledge about the brakes installed in your motorized scooter and how to use them efficiently and safely is imperative for an e-scooter enthusiast. Thus, having knowledge about the various types of brakes, the advantage of electric over hydraulic brakes or how do electric trailer brakes work? These are all the aspects that you’ll need to know to ride youradult scooter safely. More so if you've bought your first e-scooter and just beginning to get the hang of this sportive endeavor.

According to the various regulations governing escooter electrics, it is mandatory and sometimes vital that your escooter has two independent brakes. This is the only way you can be sure that in an emergency, you always have at least one brake that will still work if the other one suddenly stops working.

You should not underestimate the permitted speed limits of your city or biking trails at which your motor scooters is allowed to drive. You are faster with it than with a bicycle and, due to the smaller wheels, you also have an increased risk of accidents.

Preparations before an electric scooter ride

You can influence the braking distance and control the braking via your position and posture on the e-scooter. The motorized scooter experts recommend a rear-heavy weight distribution.

Here's how it works: It's best to stand as far back as possible on the footboard and bend your knees slightly – this makes it easier for you to balance and react. Then, at the beginning of the braking process, bend your knees well, stretch out your tense, and slightly bend your arms.

The optimal braking strategy

In order to stop your escooter as quickly as possible, you have to pull the front wheel brake so hard that the rear wheel just doesn't lift off. However, many drivers shy away from it because they fear falling over the handlebars. Unfortunately, motorized scooter, with their small wheels in combination with a high center of gravity, are actually prone to such falls and therefore pose an increased risk of injury for inexperienced drivers.

The rear wheel brake can be applied on the level and straight braking sections until the wheel locks. So an scooter electric rider who relies solely on the rear brake will do just fine, as long as there isn't an emergency situation that requires an emergency stop.

Beware of adult scooter models that automatically decelerate when electric scooter adult reduce the throttle. If the drive control generates a braking torque, switch this function off if possible.

How to practice braking with the electric scooter

Empty parking lots, traffic practice areas, and little-used, large tarred areas are well suited for training braking maneuvers. Such areas are also particularly suitable if your motorized scooter features electric parking brakes.

Be sure to wear suitable protective equipment: knee and elbow pads, sturdy shoes and, of course, a helmet.

In the course of the training, you should step by step pull the front brake lever with more and more pulling force. This way, you approach the maximum deceleration without slipping or lifting the rear wheel. You can see your braking progress using simple markers (sidewalk chalk, measuring tape) to mark the electrical braking's beginning and end of the electrical braking operation.

The small wheels and the short caster on the steering make adult scooter very agile but, unfortunately, also sensitive to bumps in the road. The steering remains largely stable as long as you have both hands on the handlebars. For better balancing while braking or particularly when giving hand signals, both feet should be placed next to each other on the footboard.

The different variants of brakes on an electric scooter

Electric brake

The electric brake is a kind of software solution. If you were wondering how do electric trailer brakes work? Well, here's your answer.

When you operate the lever on the handlebar, your speed is automatically slowed down. In addition, modern "Autoguard" technology ensures that the engine is completely switched off when deploying electric brakes.

Foot brake

This "primitive" braking system is known from simple motorized scooter. A cover over the rear wheel is pressed down with the foot. The problem here is that when driving at full speed, you have to be careful not to get your foot between the brake and the tire. The braking performance is also rather weak and depends on your foot strength.

Disc brake

The disc brake is a friction brake. It is available in two versions. The dividing disc version and the full disc or multi-disk brake. In the divided disc version, friction is generated with the help of a brake disc, brake pads with brake pads and a brake caliper, which reduces speed. In the case of full disc brakes, braking takes place through the mutual pressure of the brake discs on each other.

The disadvantage of this braking system is that when you brake, the speed of your adult scooter is converted into friction and thus heat. Accordingly, brake dust rubs off visibly on the tires.

Drum brake

The drum brake is firmly connected to the wheel and thus follows its movement. If you operate the brake lever, the wheel cylinder spreads the fixed brake shoes. This finally presses them against the brake drum and slows down your scooter.

This braking system was also installed in cars in the past, but disc brakes have now replaced it. There is a good reason for this: drum brakes increase the braking distance on wet roads. This goes so far that manufacturers warn against using the motorized scooter electric on wet and slippery roads.

Regenerative Brake

Braking and charging the battery at the same time is the principle of this braking system. As soon as you apply the brake, the electric motor of your adult scooter switches to generator mode, whereby the kinetic energy, i.e., the kinetic energy of the wheels, causes the generator to turn. This generates electricity, which is fed to the battery and charges it. This technology extends the range of your escooter.

A disadvantage of this system is the very expensive price. That is why you will only find such brakes in high-quality e-scooter models.

Important factors for brake checking

Regularly checking up on the functioning of your brakes will ensure the longevity of your motorized scooter and spare you unwanted maintenance bills.

Before every tour with your motor scooters, you should first check your brakes while they are stationary. To do this, apply the brakes several times and see if they really move. Pay attention to visible wear. If everything is fine, you should check at low speed whether you are getting sufficient braking power.

From time to time, you should also try hard braking on a safe route and at low speed to check the maximum performance of your brakes and to ensure you are prepared for an emergency. In order to minimize the risk of accidents, you should ensure that you have a firm and stable footing on the roller board. But be careful with the front brake.

When braking, also distributing your weight slightly backward will improve your balance. If it rains heavily and the slippery roads, it may be better to push your scooter electric.

Conclusion

As a motor scooter enthusiast, it is important for you to know how to ride safely and avoid accidents. The brake system in your scooter electric might be different from the one you're used to on a bicycle. Make sure you apply the brakes correctly and efficiently so that you can stop quickly when needed. Practice riding in safe areas until you feel confident enough to take your motorized scooter out on the roads. To rest assured about having the best brakes, visit Varla scooter to select a reliable model from our collection. Stay safe, and have fun!

About The Authors

Kaleem Kirkpatrick - Kaleem weaves song and story together with experience from his 12 year career in business and sales to deliver a mesmerizing tale of wealth and anger – the ups and downs of disruption – using his expertise in music and entertainment. His background in philosophy and psychology allows him to simplify the science of why we construct trends, where they come from, and how to alter them to improve outcomes.