Glion SmartScooter Model 100 vs. EcoReco M3

[jread]

I take the train to work and have about a 1.5-mile trip to the train station from my house, then another 0.5-mile trip from the train station downtown to my office. I'm looking for an electric scooter to speed up my trip, and have narrowed it down to these finalists.

Since I only have a round-trip daily commute of 4-miles, either scooter has plenty of range for me. The Glion is much less expensive at $599 vs $999 for the EcoReco. Also, the Glion weighs in at a whopping 10-pounds less than the EcoReco, so it will certainly be much easier to carry around. For me, it comes down to the power. I weight 210-pounds, so I'm not all that light. I know the EcoReco's motor is very powerful, and while its nominal output is the same as the Glion (250W), it has a max output of 750W which would come in handy on the hills in my neighborhood. The EcoReco is also a little nicer as far as features, such as the LCD display showing your speed, charge, etc. vs the Glion which only has LEDs showing battery level.

If it were you, which would you go for? Will the 250W motor in the Glion be enough to move a 210-pound person around in a hilly neighborhood (not steep hills but more of a rolling terrain)? Are the extra power and nicer features of the EcoReco really worth an extra $400?

Thanks in advance for any input. I don't have a place to test drive these two scooters, so it's a really tough dilemma.

 

[lawesomeness]

in my honest opinion, I believe the ecoreco scooter would be better. although it is more expensive, the quality and power the scooter has is definitely worth the money. i do not own a glion, but i feel i would not be as satisfied with a top speed of 15mph.

 

[Flyhigh]

I believe the glion is a better choice. 250watt motors are similar and I believe the speed/power is about the same between the 2. Plus I know eco-reco is much bumpier with its small 6 inch hard tires. The reason that glion is cheaper is because they don't use distributors and retailers (they make and sell themselves) while eco-reco buys the scooter from a Chinese manufacturer and re-brand it to the U.S. market. They sell through retailers in N.Y. and have to charge a higher price for channel profits.

 

[Punkajay]

jread, I can't comment on the eco, but I've had a glion for a few months now, so I can give you some insight on my experiences....

I'm about 225 lbs, and it is just fine. I suspect it will affect the battery life since it's carrying a bit more weight that average.

My commute is very similar to yours and I think you'll be glad you made the decision. If you're sure you can get the glion for significantly cheaper, say $300-400, it may be worth trying it out first.

I'm happy with my purchase and love the options having a compact scooter offers me...for example, I can park 3-4 miles outside the downtown core of Vancouver, Canada, and ride in on bike lanes. This saves $15-20 in parking charges. I also run many errands in my immediate area (suburbs, tons of strip malls) and not only do I save gas, but it ends up taking about the same time as driving since I don't have to look for parking and wait for as many lights.

I'll list a few cons that would affect my decision on my next purchase:
- The tires do a decent job of absorbing shock, but actual shocks would be much better
- I find the handle bars to be flimsier than they should be. Note that the retractable design is part of the reason for lost stability in the handle bars.
- I'm not completely sold on the engine brake. The wheels are not free spinning because of the hub motor, which helps a bit, but I think I'd prefer actual brakes.

Hope that helps you a bit, let us know what you end up with.

 

[Ann M.]

Any of you 3 have some pictures of yourselves on one of these scooters? And a couple of pics of the scooters to share would be helpful too. I get questions all the time about small portable scooters that could be carried onto one of the buses or trains, but most I've come across seem underpowered for our hills or way to heavy and bulky.

 

[MLB]

1.5 and .5 legs. Why not a regular bike? That's just long enough to stretch your legs a bit. Folding Brompton or similar?

 

[Punkajay]

Just saw this now Ann. I'd be happy too once I get the opportunity.

J

Any of you 3 have some pictures of yourselves on one of these scooters? And a couple of pics of the scooters to share would be helpful too. I get questions all the time about small portable scooters that could be carried onto one of the buses or trains, but most I've come across seem underpowered for our hills or way to heavy and bulky.