Do you know how to ride a self-balancing electric scooter? If you do, congratulations to you. However, if you don’t, no need to worry. For after finishing reading this article you will have a better idea on how to ride it. However, you should understand that it takes time to become an expert. Don’t expect to see yourself whizzing down the street like a pro in the first few sessions. You also should expect to make several mistakes while at it. This is normal. What matters most is that you put in your best effort and practice as often as possible. Also important is staying safe while doing it. Before you read further also check our article on E300 Electric Scooter Review.
How to Ride a Self-Balancing Electric Scooter?
Step 1: Ensure it’s charged and turn it on
Before you even think about riding the unit, you need to first make sure it is charged. I mean, without power, it will not go anywhere. The unit relies on two hub motors. One is placed on the right well while the other is situated on the left one. They both draw power or charge from a built-in rechargeable battery. It will feature a start button and indicator lights that show the state of charge. How long it will last will depend on many things. These include the terrain/ surfaces, weight if the user, distance covered and much more. When not riding or using it, you should turn off the power.
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Step 2: Get on it
On paper, getting on a self-balancing electric scooter may seem easy. However, in reality, it’s not. It’s a matter of maintaining good balance and posture. The first thing you need to be aware of is where you place the feet. They should not be too close to each or too far away. This may create imbalance and one side will be bearing more weight. You need to be more symmetrical.
You need to know your dominant foot. This is the one you normally make the first step with this one. When getting on the scooter, use it first and then the other follows. Get on the unit gently while looking straight ahead. Do not bend or look down. Once the foot is firmly planted, then lift the other one and place it gently as well. Great, now you are on the self-balancing scooter.
Step 3: Move forward
The next step is moving forward. To do this you need to point your toes downward. This may make you lean forward a bit, which is quite normal. By pressing them downward, they trigger sensors that activate the motors and will start to move forward. It’s always a good practice to apply the pressure gradually. Doing it instantly will give the unit a bust of power. And the next thing you knew, is you will be trying to regain your balance. In most cases, you will simply fall and lose balance.
NB: You can practice digging the toes or leaning forward while on a flat surface. This gives you more confidence to do it when on the scooter.
Step 4: Move backward
Now you have managed to move forward, though with a bit of a challenge. You may have leaned forward too much, or made jerky motions. This is the start and you should be better next time. Now, how about you move backward? In the earlier step, you were pressing your toes downwards and your body was slightly leaning forward. To move backward, it is the reverse of this.
Press your heels downwards or lift your toes upwards. This may cause you to lean backward. The unit will now start to move backward. Just like in the forward movement. Try to be as gentle as passable. Also, ensure that both feet are working in unison and are applying equal pressure.
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Step 5: Make turns
Congratulations! You have just moved forward and backward and this is a big step. You should try it severally until you are more comfortable and the moves are smooth. Don’t worry if you lose balance occasionally. Now, how about we try to make a few turns? I mean, you will need to take turns while riding in the streets, right.
To do this, you need to be fully aware of the motions of your right and left foot. You should be able to vary the pressure exerted by each foot. When you press the toes in the right leg, the scooter moves to the left. When you use the left foot, the unit moves to the right.
This may seem a little hard at first because the right foot turns it in the opposite direction and vice versa. Nevertheless, with practice, you will be able to vary the pressure with minimal effort.
Step 6: Stop Smoothly
Just like The forward and backward movement, you should practice the turns several times. Do not worry if you get confused as you will get better with time. In fact, you will be able to make sharp turns or even do tricks with the self-balancing electric scooter. Now its time to stop and get off the scooter.
To do this, you need to come to a complete stop. And once you do this, you get off with the less dominant foot first. This is in contrast to getting on where you started with the dominant foot. Once it’s firm on the ground, you then get the other foot off the scooter. You can now stop for the day. Don’t forget to turn off the power.
Make sure to read our article on Best Electric Scooter for Adults. I am sure you will love to read it.
Conclusion
The above are the steps on how to ride a self-balancing electric scooter. They are straightforward and should be easy to understand. As we said earlier, you should not expect things to be easy from the start. In fact, you may be a struggle just to get on the thing and stay balanced. You may jump on it instead of getting on smoothly.
Your wrong posture or stance may lead to your toes putting pressure without your knowledge and the thing moving. Also, you may turn left yet you wanted to turn right. However, with practice and patience, you should soon join the leagues of the pros. One thing we cannot overemphasize is safety. Stay safe by adorning a helmet, chest protector, kneepads, elbow pads, and wear good shoes.
