Electric scooter or bike: what suits a daily commute

Range and the distance you really cover

The range stated by the manufacturer is measured with a light rider, a flat road and the lowest speed. In reality count on about two thirds, and in the cold season — half.

If your route is five kilometres one way, look for at least twenty-five kilometres of declared range. That way you charge every other day rather than every evening.

Wheels, brakes and city surfaces

Wheel size matters more than motor power in this choice. An eight-inch solid wheel feels every paving joint, while a ten-inch pneumatic wheel makes the same road bearable.

Brakes are not the place to save. Disc brakes work predictably in the rain, while electronic braking alone on a wet downhill bend is an unpleasant surprise.

• 10 inches or more, pneumatic — for city surfaces
• Disc brakes at least at the front
• Suspension — essential if your route has cobblestones

Weight: how many times a day you will lift it

A scooter weighs twelve to twenty kilograms. If your trip ends on the third floor without a lift or starts on a trolleybus, this is the most important number in the whole specification.

An electric bike is heavier and rarely folds, but it never needs carrying — it stays in the basement or at a bike rack. The choice is essentially between what is comfortable while riding and what is comfortable before and after.

Rules and safety

In Lithuania electric scooters may be ridden on cycle paths and pavements at up to twenty-five kilometres per hour, and on the pavement pedestrians always have priority.

Front and rear lights are mandatory in the dark, and a helmet is recommended for everyone and mandatory for those under eighteen. It is the cheapest part of the whole purchase and the one most often put off.