ELECTRIC KICK SCOOTER BRAKING SYSTEMS
There are several types of brakes available for electric kick scooters:
Disc brakes (mechanical or hydraulic),
Drum brakes,
Electronic brakes,
Regenerative brakes,
Foot brakes
Brakes are important on your electric kick scooter. Without them, riding your scooter would be a disaster. Knowing the basics of your scooter's braking system is highly recommended to make the most of your commute.
BRAKE LEVERS
Most ekick scooter have a brake lever attached at the hand grips on either side of the handlebar. Most have one brake lever, and some have two. This depends on the braking system that has been added to your scooter. To stop your scooter you press on this hand break(pull it towards you). This will slow and eventually stop your scooter. The best way to test your brakes is to ride your scooter. Recommended slow speed to determine your braking distance, and then increase your speed and brake. This way, you will know how much distance to give yourself before you actually need to stop. If you were to stop your fast moving scooter on a dime, you would most likely be thrown over the handlebars and likely sustain injury to both you and the scooter. Testing your speed for braking distance times is a good way to determine your scooter's braking abilities. Braking distance can be affected by other things as well, such as wet surface, type of tire, condition of tire tread, and whether your riding on a flat, or uneven terrain.
BODY STANCE
When stopping your scooter you should use the 'braking stance', which is to slightly bend your knees, keeping your hands on each handlebar grip, and straighten out your arms, and slouch down slightly. Doing all this, will give you a better balance and keep the scooter in a better position for braking.
THE DISC BRAKE
The most common brake type for electric kick scooters is the disc brake which usually is on the back tire, but can also be on the front or both. Alternative brakes are also included on scooters; foot brake, degenerative brake, and electronic brake are most used. They do not have the stopping power of a disc brake but they can slow the scooter somewhat. These are probably most useful when stopping from slower speeds.
Just like your car, brakes wear over time, and the wear depends on how they are used. So if you brake hard and often, your ekick scooter brakes will wear out quicker than if you brake evenly and at a slower rate. Most disc brakes can last 400 or more miles on a ekick scooter, and some top notch brands even longer. The best way to care for your disc brakes is to keep debris especially oily substances away from the rotor and caliper mechanism, and to adjust them when necessary. Small brake adjustments can easily be done by the rider, such as tightening or looseing the cable wire. Online ekick scooter websites, often have videos and tutorials for these types of simple scooter adjustments. The best way to prolong your brake wear is to avoid hard braking unless you have to, and to use your alternative breaking systems when your traveling at slower speeds that don't require max braking power to stop the scooter.
In this article we discuss all types of brakes commonly used on electric kick scooters, including their best features and why you should or should not consider them.
REGENERATIVE BRAKES
With this type of braking system, energy is produced when the brakes are applied, and this energy is then stored in the battery to extend your driving range.
Electronic an regenerative brakes are a support brake system at best, and should not be your goto brake system. Usually kicks in once your remove your hand from the throttle,(common) and you recover energy through the process of braking. It can be activated differently depending on the scooter brand: brake lever, or button. Using this brake type is suitable when your traveling slow, because it can stop the scooter and add energy to the battery which can add more miles to your commute.
ELECTRONIC BRAKES
Similar to the regenerative braking sytem, this is engaged by a switch on your scooter or using the brake lever. However, they do not extend the range of the battery. And, like the regenerative brake, they are bascially maintenance free, but not 100% reliable. This type of brake is suitable for those who scoot at slow speeds and do long commutes.
FOOT BRAKES
This type of braking system on a ekick scooter, requires you to use your back foot, and push it onto the back fender which in turn slow the wheel. This brake type is more of 'just in case' brake. It would not be reliable as your scooter's only braking system. With this brake, you must be careful to balance yourself properly or to not unbalance yourself while trying to apply the foot brake.
DISC BRAKES
Disc brakes - are the best type of brake to have on your ekick scooter. They are found on a majority of ekick scooters. They are lighter than the traditional drum style brake, and they cool better since they are not in the wheel but attached to the outside of it. They have excellent braking power, are easy to replace, and they self adjust. Additionally, they are efficient in both dry and wet road conditions. And, they look nice on the tire. Disc brake cost more than the traditional drum brake.
HOW DISC BRAKE WORK
When the brake lever is applied the piston in the brake pushes the brake pad towards the disc on the wheel. The friction created slows and stops and wheel. Most ekick scooters have the mechanical controlled disc brakes, meaning that a cable runs from the brake lever to the brake mechanism.
HYDRAULIC BRAKES
There is also a hydraulic disc brake which have the best performance.
With a hydraulic disc brake system the lines are filled with a hydraulic fluid, and braking forces the pressure in the line which is connected to the brake calipers. This in turn, pushes the piston on the brake towards the brake disc causing friction which slows down the scooter. This is the best type of braking system you can have but it costs more and is more costly to maintain. There is also a semi hydraulic disc brake system. With this, there is a cable that runs from the brake lever to the caliper, instead of a hydraulic line.
DRUM BRAKES
Most cost effective and little maintenance required. These brakes are enclosed in the wheel hub, and the brakes pads push outward towards the brake lining which in turn contacts the drum which creates the friction to slow the wheel. Not as simple as disc brakes, but it is protected from the elements since it is enclosed in the wheel. Like the disc braking system they are activated when you pull the brake lever on your scooter.
WHAT'S BEST FOR COST AND PERFORMANCE
Hydraulic disc brakes with hydraulic lines is the optimal for braking performance. However, they are costly and mostly found on higher end electric kick scooters. Mechanical cable controlled disc brakes are the most common on ekick scooters of low to mid range cost. They are best overall for cost and maintenance.
For cheaper but still good braking drum brakes would be a good choice. They are not as strong as the disc brakes, and are a tad more complicated to fix. They also add more weight to the wheel and your scooter.
Alternative brakes which can complement your tradtional brake sytem are the electronic, regenerative, and the foot brake. They can add to your scooter's braking power. One or more of the alternative brake systems are usually found on most ekick scooters, however, they are no substitute for the traditional braking system, be it disc, hydraulic disc, or drum types.
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