If you've ever ridden on an electric scooter with a shock absorber and one without, you know how comfortable the former feels. Some riders even describe the experience as "...like riding on the cloud."
Suspension systems greatly improve the overall ride quality of an electric scooter. However, this doesn't mean that just any suspension system will fit all use cases.
This guide will help you understand how different electric scooter suspensions work. It will also inform you on how to choose the best electric scooters with full suspension for your needs.
What Is an Electric Scooter With Dual Suspension
An electric scooter with dual suspension has one shock mitigation system in its front and another in its rear. These can be any of the suspension systems mentioned above.
Kaabo's Wolf King is equipped with hydraulic forks in front and coil springs in the rear. An electric scooter with dual suspension will most likely perform better than an e-scooter with just one.
This is because both wheels maintain contact with the road and can independently react to bumps.
Courtesy of voromotors.com
Should I Get an Electric Scooter With Suspension?
This depends on your needs as a rider. If you're looking for a high-performance electric scooter that you can take off-road, then yes.
However, if your rides are limited to flat urban roads, an electric scooter without a shock absorber will perform just fine.
Courtesy of zeroelectricscooter
Why Is Suspension Important for Electric Scooters?
Shock absorbers force an electric scooter's wheels to maintain contact with the road. This improves grip and ensures the rider can make quick bends even when traveling at high speeds.
They also help smoothen out bumpy rides by absorbing most of the energy from road shocks.
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What Types of Suspension Are Used on Electric Scooters?
1) Suspension Forks
These are mostly found on performance electric scooters with front suspensions. Their shock mitigation capabilities and durability make them the perfect choice for high-performance cycles.
Courtesy of voromotors.com
How Do Suspension Forks Work on Electric Scooters
Suspension forks typically consist of an upper tube (which is usually just the stem in electric scooters), two stanchions, an air or coil spring, a damper, and a lower tube/lowers (the part that's connected to the scooter's front wheel).
When the front wheel comes in contact with a bump, the lower tubes drive the stanchions up, compressing the spring (coil or air). In order for the spring not to release the energy immediately (as normal springs do after being compressed), a damper dissipates this energy.
This damper is what controls the extension (or rebound) of the fork. Without a damper, riding an electric scooter with front forks will pretty much feel like riding one with a coil-spring suspension.
They are sometimes called hydraulic forks. However, as mentioned above, not all forks have hydraulic chambers (dampers)
Pros
- They improve grip. The spring in the system maximizes friction between the tire and the road.
Cons
- They aren't cheap: Suspension forks are made up of many complex parts. They are a system of their own and for this system to perform at the highest capacity, each of its components has to be crafted from durable materials. This is why you'll never find a budget electric scooter with suspension forks.
- ii) They are high-maintenance: The tubes have to be cleaned and lubricated frequently. Another thing to keep in mind is that most electric scooters are fitted with inverted — or upside-down — forks.
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2) Coil Spring Suspension
Coil spring systems are one of the most popular forms of electric scooter suspension. Most electric scooter manufacturers use coil springs for their front and rear suspension.
Courtesy of fluidfreeride.comHow Do Coil Spring Suspension Systems Work on Electric Scooters
Coil springs, like other suspension systems, allow an electric scooter's wheel(s) react to surface irregularities without transferring motion to the rest of the scooter.
When force from the ground acts on the wheel, the spring compresses and absorbs the energy. If the coil spring system has a damper, that energy will be converted into heat (which would eventually get dissipated)
However, if the system consists of just a spring (like in most electric scooters), the absorbed energy from the spring's compression will be released as the spring returns to its original state.
Pros
- They are light and don't contribute too much to an electric scooter's weight.
- They are easy to maintain. You won't have to worry about lubricating the coil or cleaning it to remove dust particles (unless the spring system has a damper)
Cons
- They will wear quickly — maybe even break — when subjected to heavy loads.
- Compression is linear. What this means is that it'll take the same amount of force from the wheel to compress a coil spring all the way till it bottoms out. This is unlike suspension forks that become stiffer the more they compress.
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3) Rubber Suspension
Rubber suspension is the least common type of shock absorber you will find on an electric scooter.
They are mostly used in heavy-duty machines and vehicles.
Courtesy of directindustry.com
How Do Rubber Suspension Systems Work
Rubber suspension systems consist of an axle that pushes against rubber or polyurethane bushings (could be any elastomer) housed inside a steel shell. The axle connects to the wheel(s) via swingarms.
When the swingarms compress, the axle rotates and pushes against the rubber bushings located inside the cartridge. This is how rubber suspension absorbs and dampers energy from road shocks.
Pros
- They mitigate shock without making as much noise as other forms of suspension.
- A rubber suspension system will absorb and dampen force from the scooter's wheels. They're a more compact version of suspension forks.
Cons
- They are not adjustable. You might have to replace the entire cartridge if its shock-absorbing ability is not soft enough for your chosen terrain.
What Is the Difference Between Shock Absorbers and Suspension
In most cases, a vehicle’s suspension and its shock absorbers work hand in hand to promote a smooth riding experience. When a vehicle’s suspension, let’s say a coil spring, compresses to react to road irregularities, the shock absorber — usually a cylinder filled with oil — controls the rate of expansion of the spring.
It does this by converting the spring’s kinetic energy into heat energy. So, instead of the spring compressing and expanding, probably even throwing the vehicle off-balance, the shock absorber dissipates all of that energy and controls the speed and power with which the spring expands.
Best Electric Scooter With Suspension 2023
#1. Emove Cruiser
This full-suspension electric scooter is equipped with a 1000W BLDC motor that puts out up to 1600 Watts of power at peak performance. It is capable of clocking top speeds of 33 mph and can reportedly climb up 20-degree inclines efficiently.
The scooter's high-capacity battery — a 52V 30 AH pack — guarantees up to 62 miles (100 km) of travel on a single charge, which, in my opinion, sounds like a pretty decent range considering the scooter’s budget-friendly price of $1399.
Also installed on the Emove Cruiser are two different kinds of suspension systems; dual coil springs in front and an Air shock at the rear. These shock absorbers help mitigate the effects of riding on rough, bumpy roads, promoting smooth ride quality and ensuring that users enjoy comfortable rides.
The only gripe I have with the Cruiser’s front suspension is that it limits the wheel’s travel range. So while the electric scooter might perform well over smaller bumps, riding over bigger irregularities will send feedback to the rider.
One thing for sure is that the Emove Cruiser will most likely be more convenient to ride than almost any electric scooter without suspension.
Another thing riders might like about this electric scooter is its adjustable handlebars. The scooter’s telescoping stem allows users adapt the handlebars to different heights. Riders can also fold the handlebars, making it a lot more compact than other foldable electric scooters.
Pros
Cons
Main Features:
#2. Dualtron Mini
If you’ve always wanted to own a Dualtron electric scooter but find it hard to fork out $2000 (or more) for a two-wheeler, the “Mini” might just be the answer to your prayers. This full-suspension e-scooter can reach a top speed of 31 miles an hour, ranking it as one of the fastest electric scooters on the planet.
Although not as powerful as other Dualtron models, this scooter's rear hub-motor can put out up to 1450 Watts of power. That's more than enough power to climb moderately-steep hills.
To absorb feedback from road irregularities, Dualtron equips this e-scooter with a pair of spring shocks that attach to both wheels. These shock absorbers are a bit different from the rubber suspension systems we're used to seeing on other Dualtron models but they do a great job in smoothing out bumpy rides.
The scooter's 9” by 2" air-filled tires also help in mitigating the effects of riding over small road irregularities, making the Mini an ideal off-road electric scooter. Other features that come standard with this electric scooter include a rear drum brake (with ABS functionality), full-length fenders, a kickstand, forward-facing deck lights, taillights, etc.
Pros
Cons
Main Features:
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#3. Dualtron Victor
This beast is a massive upgrade from every other electric scooter on this list. It comes with dual motors that each put out 2000W for a combined 4000 Watts of continuous power.
All this power propels the Victor to top speeds of up to 43 mph (69 km/h). It is also capable of climbing hills with high incline rates (up to 23 degrees).
The scooter comes with adjustable rubber shock absorbers that allow riders modify the stiffness to their preferences. So, if you’re looking to do some heavy off-road riding or just want to cruise around city roads, this electric scooter’s suspension can be adjusted to meet your needs.
The estimated range of the Dualtron Victor sits somewhere between 40 and 56 miles per full charge. This is all thanks to the scooter’s high-capacity, 60V 30Ah LG battery.
Pros
Cons
Main Features:
Top 10 Best Electric Scooters With Suspension
E-scooter Name | Suspension Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|
Front: Hydraulic forks | Urban and Off-road riding. | |
Quadruple spring suspension | Urban and Off-road riding. | |
Front hydraulic suspension forks and rear coil springs | Off-road riding, racing, etc. | |
Front: Dual coil springs | Urban commuting. | |
Dual spring suspension | Urban and Off-road riding. | |
Front forks | Urban commuting. | |
Dual single-swingarm rubber suspension | Urban and Off-road riding. | |
Triple spring suspension | Urban commuting. | |
Front and rear coil-spring suspension | Urban commuting and light off-road riding. | |
Dual Rubber suspension | Urban and Off-road riding |
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Overall Rating
Which Electric Scooter Has the Best Suspension?
There's no such thing as an electric scooter with the best suspension. What will work off-road might send vibrations through your body when you jump off curbs.
You want to select a suspension system with a range of motion suitable for your riding style.
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