What do you guys use your electric scooters for?

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Mayojojo

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Wannabe Geek

#280568 24-Dec-2020 07:42

What do you guys use your electric scooter for ? Especially the high powered ones?

From some of the posts I've read here it seems the laws around electric scooters are kinda ambiguous, even when I got my zero 9 the retailer said I could ride it on the footpaths even when I showed him the NZTA laws so anyways...

The reason why I ask this is just in case I need to sell it. Say if my zero 9 is no longer applicable to be ridden on the roads because of some new nzta laws.....what would I do with it? Sell it? But who would buy it if it can't be ridden on the roads?

Thanks and have a good one!

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#2626178 24-Dec-2020 08:13

My wife wanted a scooter so I brought her one about a year ago. Since then it's done a great job of protecting an outdoor shed from armed intruders - there hasn't had a single one!

Mayojojo

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2626180 24-Dec-2020 08:20

Dratsab:

My wife wanted a scooter so I brought her one about a year ago. Since then it's done a great job of protecting an outdoor shed from armed intruders - there hasn't had a single one!

HA, I thought about installing some security cameras around the house but that seemed too expensive...now I have a cheaper option :)!

Handsomedan

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#2626204 24-Dec-2020 09:15

I use mine for the first and last mile section of my commute to the city (when I work at the office, which is rare at the moment).

Fold it and carry onto the bus - put in luggage rack if there is one and then grab it on the way off the bus.

I also use it for trips to the dairy, or if my car is at the mechanic (which is often these days) I'll chuck it in the boot and ride home from there, only to return by scooter when I pick the car up.

It's handy but not essential. I couldn't be without it.

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jonathan18

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#2626224 24-Dec-2020 10:02

I too have a Zero (a 10). When it doesn’t have a flat tyre (and isn’t raining) I use it daily to commute - about 3km each way. I ride solely on the road. My problem is the &#*&* punctures I get on such a frequent basis - this is driving me crazy to the point I’m keen on swapping it out for an e bike. (Though that’s a pipe dream at the moment, as a bit of research showed it’s probably $5k for an ok one and more if I want something decent).

Handsomedan

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#2626241 24-Dec-2020 10:30

jonathan18:

I too have a Zero (a 10). When it doesn’t have a flat tyre (and isn’t raining) I use it daily to commute - about 3km each way. I ride solely on the road. My problem is the &#*&* punctures I get on such a frequent basis - this is driving me crazy to the point I’m keen on swapping it out for an e bike. (Though that’s a pipe dream at the moment, as a bit of research showed it’s probably $5k for an ok one and more if I want something decent).

Solid tyre option not on for the Zero?

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jonathan18

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#2626258 24-Dec-2020 11:06

Handsomedan:Solid tyre option not on for the Zero?

Thanks, a good reminder to investigate this further.

I had made a perfunctory look earlier and found some that could work, but my concern has been what solid tyres would do for ride comfort. Then again, given my puncture history (last two times within a day or two of repair/replacing inner tube) this is probably an acceptable trade-off.

Black Sheep sell them for $115 incl shipping, which seems fairly steep; Falcon PEV has them for $42 SGD each, and I guess Ali etc may have them cheaper. Given how many inner tubes I won't have to buy these may even save me money!

Mayojojo

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2626547 24-Dec-2020 20:34

Handsomedan:

I use mine for the first and last mile section of my commute to the city (when I work at the office, which is rare at the moment).

Fold it and carry onto the bus - put in luggage rack if there is one and then grab it on the way off the bus.

I also use it for trips to the dairy, or if my car is at the mechanic (which is often these days) I'll chuck it in the boot and ride home from there, only to return by scooter when I pick the car up.

It's handy but not essential. I couldn't be without it.

What scooter do you own? My zero 9 is too big to carry onto the bus...

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Mayojojo

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Wannabe Geek

#2626548 24-Dec-2020 20:35

Handsomedan:

jonathan18:

I too have a Zero (a 10). When it doesn’t have a flat tyre (and isn’t raining) I use it daily to commute - about 3km each way. I ride solely on the road. My problem is the &#*&* punctures I get on such a frequent basis - this is driving me crazy to the point I’m keen on swapping it out for an e bike. (Though that’s a pipe dream at the moment, as a bit of research showed it’s probably $5k for an ok one and more if I want something decent).

Solid tyre option not on for the Zero?

Why does your tyre puncture so often? Have you tried slime? I put some slime in mine.

How much do you usually spend on punctures? Do you just need to swap out the inner tube?

djtOtago

1149 posts

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#2626575 24-Dec-2020 21:41

I use my Zero 9 for the 3km each way ride to work. Mostly when it is raining or the weather is just faecal. Including 2 twice when it was snowing.
The rest of the time I use my MTB.

I replaced the tyres that came with the Zero 9 with these https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33009333398.html

I’ve so far managed 1000km with out a puncture.

Mayojojo

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2626576 24-Dec-2020 21:57

djtOtago:

I use my Zero 9 for the 3km each way ride to work. Mostly when it is raining or the weather is just faecal. Including 2 twice when it was snowing.
The rest of the time I use my MTB.

I replaced the tyres that came with the Zero 9 with these https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33009333398.html

I’ve so far managed 1000km with out a puncture.

Do you mean you ride when it's raining? Is the Zero 9 ok to ride in the rain?

Yeah I was just looking at the tyres the other day and wondered if I should buy a spare one just in case..thanks for sharing!

Scott3

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#2626580 24-Dec-2020 22:20

Mayojojo:

What do you guys use your electric scooter for ? Especially the high powered ones?

From some of the posts I've read here it seems the laws around electric scooters are kinda ambiguous, even when I got my zero 9 the retailer said I could ride it on the footpaths even when I showed him the NZTA laws so anyways...

The reason why I ask this is just in case I need to sell it. Say if my zero 9 is no longer applicable to be ridden on the roads because of some new nzta laws.....what would I do with it? Sell it? But who would buy it if it can't be ridden on the roads?

Thanks and have a good one!

Laws are not ambiguous:

https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2018-au4674

Prior to that 2018 declaration there was no exemption from motor vehicle laws for e-scooters.

That declaration came through weeks prior to lime's Auckland launch, I get the feeling they did some aggressive lobbying, possibly threatening to launch regardless. Kinda disappointing how it is vehicle specific, and vehicles like electric skateboards are still illegal (but common)

I don't think a zero 9 was ever legal to ride on the road (assuming it is not registered as a motor vehicle with number plate, mirrors, horn etc).

However it seems that as with greater than 300W ebikes, there is no / minimal enforcement. Frankly if you cleaned the branding off it would be quite hard for a police officer to tell a 300W & 600W one apart (especially as some allow power level to be edited in firmware) unless they had a dyno with them. As such it seems there are large numbers of people that have no issue using similar e-scooters on roads and footpaths.

Frankly I think we need to free up the laws around personal mobility devices. Especially given the climate change emergency. Quite a policy failing if you gave up taking you e-scooter to work and went back to driving a 1100kg+ vehicle, simply because your e-scooter is the wrong side of an arbetory power threshold.

djtOtago

1149 posts

Uber Geek

#2626582 24-Dec-2020 22:25

Mayojojo:
Do you mean you ride when it's raining? Is the Zero 9 ok to ride in the rain?

I don't know if it is OK, but I do ride it in the rain. I would say 75% of its use is in the rain. I have use a bit of kiwi ingenuity, duct tape and wire to extend the front and rear mud guards so I don't get sprayed with water off the wheels. 8 inch wheels spin fast at 35+ km/h :)

edit: Added quote for context.

djtOtago

1149 posts

Uber Geek

#2626587 24-Dec-2020 22:41

@Mayojojo

e-scooters are covered here https://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/vehicle-types/low-powered-vehicles/

MarkM536

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2626589 24-Dec-2020 23:12

Mayojojo:

What do you guys use your electric scooter for ? Especially the high powered ones?

From some of the posts I've read here it seems the laws around electric scooters are kinda ambiguous, even when I got my zero 9 the retailer said I could ride it on the footpaths even when I showed him the NZTA laws so anyways...

The reason why I ask this is just in case I need to sell it. Say if my zero 9 is no longer applicable to be ridden on the roads because of some new nzta laws.....what would I do with it? Sell it? But who would buy it if it can't be ridden on the roads?

Thanks and have a good one!

I got a Zero 9 from FreedPEV (They’re the only main seller of Zero in NZ).

I use mine for a 1.8km trip to school each day, I ride one the foot path and use pedestrian traffic lights. Occasionally (usually on the way home after busy rush is over) I will jump onto the road and fly at 40kmh.

The road is safer than the foot paths since it doesn’t have so many cracks and holdes.

Mayojojo:

My zero 9 is too big to carry onto the bus...

I’ve taken it on the bus when it rains. It’s the heaviest I’d lift and carry on.

One bus driver was a bit hesitant with the size but he saw I was being careful not to hit anything and was holding it while the bus was moving.

MarkM536

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2626594 24-Dec-2020 23:27

jonathan18:
Handsomedan:

Solid tyre option not on for the Zero?

Thanks, a good reminder to investigate this further.
I had made a perfunctory look earlier and found some that could work, but my concern has been what solid tyres would do for ride comfort. Then again, given my puncture history (last two times within a day or two of repair/replacing inner tube) this is probably an acceptable trade-off.

I am hesitant to switching from pneumatic to airless.

I’ve used this ‘type slime’ tube liner. It’s a thick plastic with gel in the centre.
I was the same and got many punctures, always on the back wheel too. After this liner I haven't had any punctures (so far in 1.5 months).

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