Electric Bikes vs. Electric Scooters

By Guest Blogger Scott Huntington

If you’re a tired pedestrian with a long way to go, life has never been better. Sure, you could hail a cab, but that’s expensive. In the hustle and bustle of the urban jungle, getting a mile on congested city streets can take longer than just walking it.

Enter the e-bike and its close relative, the electric scooter.

While these are relatively new additions to society, you’ve probably become accustomed to one or both of them if you live in an urban setting. Ridesharing companies have capitalized on their promise of convenient and fast transport, but you can also buy them on your own. The question is, which one is better?

The Case for Scooters

Depending on when you grew up, you might remember the rise of the Razor scooter and copycat brands. These were not powered scooters like the ones we have today. They relied on the rider to power them down the road. Oh, so you’ve encountered a hill? Sorry, brah.

Today’s electric scooters may not be as at home at the local skatepark as the Razor, but they offer vastly increased functionality thanks to the presence of a battery. That simple but critical fact means that you can snag one on the side of the road, jump on and be en route to your destination within a matter of less than a minute, assuming you have the required app for the scooter you want to use.

E-scooters offer a comfortable, upright riding position. The steering geometry of the scooter will differ depending on which brand you choose. Jalopnik’s own Matt Farah tested several and has some well-crafted opinions about which of them you should use and which should be left laying on the sidewalk. Of course, most scooter users will have multiple apps and will take advantage of what’s easy and close, but outliers like Wheels scooters, which are essentially mini-bikes, might be a matter of preference.

A scooter’s primary value-add lies in its simplicity. For someone who doesn’t typically ride a bicycle and therefore has no exposure to the balance of riding a bike, jumping on a scooter might seem less daunting. They’re also smaller and much easier to distribute, which has been a contributor to scooters taking over urban areas like San Diego, where multiple e-bike vendors have been forced out by scooters.

If you’re interested in having one of these to own, scooters are much more affordable than e-bikes in nearly every case. Just don’t go the route of pilfering one from your city streets. The advantage of this transportation medium is that you don’t have to know how to ride or exert a lot of physical effort. But if you’re only interested in which of the “mobility” devices to use, read on.

The Case for E-Bikes

The price of entry to get the benefits of an e-bike is low. You’ve got to be comfortable riding a bike. That’s it. As far as renting these for use navigating your local urban jungle, or even a new city that’s large enough to support the “mobility” infrastructure, these are great.

Despite being pushed out by scooters in some areas because of the better packaging of their smaller competition, e-bikes offer a better value through all of the prominent companies renting them, a smoother ride than scooters, and can achieve a higher top speed of 24 mph. They’re also capable of great real-world range, able to travel in excess of 100 miles on a single charge, at speed. And from a cost perspective, they’re vastly cheaper than scooters to rent.

Because they’re fundamentally bikes, e-bikes can function even when out of battery. Sure, they might be a little heavy, but you can still pedal a bike without any assistance from the electric motor. That’s a scenario that might not come up so often when you’re renting one on the curbside, but if you’re looking for a mode of transport to own, it’s a distinct advantage.

All aspects of the ride when on a bike are superior to a scooter. You have larger wheels and a comfortable seat to dampen the shock of road vibration. And it’s not just about comfort. E-bikes are safer than scooters, which can easily be jostled by minor imperfections in the pavement. A bike can soak up a crack in the road or a pebble beneath the wheel much better, thanks to a longer wheelbase and larger wheels. The wheels also come in handy when cornering or descending a hill. Overall, it’s a more stable platform.

Even mountain biking companies have jumped on the bandwagon of battery power. You can now purchase a multitude of battery-assisted full-suspension bikes, complete with hydraulic brakes and many of the same components found on their gravity-fueled cousins. The difference? You can use the assist to get up the hill that much quicker. That means rapid access to the more remote trails of the world or just an easier climb to get to the trails you love to ride.

The Bottom Line

Ultimately, it’s going to be difficult for e-bikes to compete with the compact footprint of the scooter. Despite being more stable, more comfortable, faster and “longer-legged” than their tillered brethren, e-bikes are fighting a losing battle for supremacy in the city center. However, when you consider that the scooter rental business model is propped up on investor capital, e-bikes may have little to worry about.

For those who want to own a practical form of alternative transportation, or who just see the value in using e-bikes when renting over scooters, there’s no comparison. The bicycle has long been known to be the most efficient way to move a human from point A to point B. While there might be some extra money spent on electricity with this new version, this still remains true.

The e-bike is here to stay. Scooters are convenient, but it’s not so clear how long they’ll last. Which should you choose? It depends on your needs. Tell us which is your favorite and why in the comment section below.

About the Author

Scott Huntington is a writer and author from Harrisburg, PA. Check out his site, offthethrottle.com and follow him on Twitter @SMHuntington.