So, you’ve bought an electric scooter. No, even better, you’ve bought a rhyde electric scooter (right?). You’re zipping around town getting where you’ve got to get, how you’d like to get there and you’re high-fiving yourself for basically spearheading an environmental movement on two wheels.  Though we base ourselves on a circular business model actively looking to close the loop, it’s not our products that we want coming back to us. So, today, let’s look at how to make your scooters last longer. Like a bad tattoo, prevention will always be preferable to correction. Preventing harm from occurring to your scooter will keep you safer on the streets, maintain your riding experience and will even save you money. Though you’ll find many in-depth electric scooter home-maintenance tutorials online, we’ll make it easier for you with our two-step guide. 

It’s called Clean it and Charge it.  Try follow along.  

Clean it. 

First thing’s first: cleanliness. We know, this is not the year you want to read another article demanding better hygiene but a clean scooter, is a happy scooter. Regularly wiping down your scooter between rides with warm soapy water and a sponge will keep your scooter free from grime and other elements that can wear down the materials used over time. A bit of moisture on your sponge or cleaning cloth will help you remove the debris easier, but remember never to hose your electric scooter down, no matter how durable it is. Make sure your scooter is switched off and unplugged when you’re cleaning it and dry it thoroughly when you’re done.  

Semi-regularly, clean the tires of your electric scooter with warm soapy water, as well. This will also give you the opportunity to check your rims and tires for any damage that may require replacement. Keep a look out for punctures or cuts as they may burst during a ride if not previously resolved. Remember to check your tire pressure. Lower pressure can decrease speed and increase danger of damaging your rims, you’re also at risk of using more battery power to compensate for the lack of tire pressure. Higher pressures run the risk of bursting while you ride and can directly impact the ride quality and cornering safety. Here’s a general rule to use: if you’re a heavier rider, you’re looking for pressure in between 42-43 psi, if you’re a lighter rider, 36-37 psi’ll do the trick. A quick trip to a tire-shop can easily sort you out, but if you’ve got a pump at home, here’s a link to a video demonstrating how to take care of it yourself. 

Charge it. 

The steps above will help you take care of the external elements of your scooter, but what about the battery? You’ll be happy to know the chances of you having to repair the actual battery of your scooter are actually quite low. In fact, all scooters sold by Rhyde ship with batteries with the highest capacity and are checked to ensure structural integrity. We got you. But even then, here are some rules you should follow to make sure you’re getting the best out of the one in yours.  

Do not fully deplete your scooter. An electric scooter typically ships with a battery with anywhere between 500-1000 charge cycles, depending on the model. A full cycle starts at 100%, drops to 0% and then goes back up to 100. By charging your scooter regularly before it drops to 0%, you’re preserving the full charge capability of your scooter. 

Use the correct charger. All chargers that ship with our scooters are specifically engineered to maintain the level of current being delivered to the scooter and its battery. Over or undercharging can risk the life of battery. 

Don’t leave your scooter outside. It’ll get lonely. No, but seriously, your electric scooter generally needs to be someplace temperature regulated when its not in use because exposure to extreme temperatures will degrade the cells in your battery faster, causing fluctuations in its power stability.  

Enjoy it! If you follow these steps (and promise not to ride in the rain) we’re happy to anoint you a junior rhyde maintenance specialist. 

Congratulations! We’re proud of you and we’re always here for you, so never hesitate to send us a message if you’ve got further questions. rhyde safe!