When the ride feels exhilarating and easy-going all at the same time, you know you’ve hit the e-scootering sweet spot. Here are our top tips on how to ace electric scooter riding.
How to stand
Having the right stance will help with balance and stability when you turn, speed up, slow down, or encounter rough terrain. Place on foot at front of the scooter deck with the toes pointing straight forward and put the other foot behind it--turned outwards at about a 70- to 90-degree angle.
How to get started
Jetson electric scooters have one of three accelerator mechanisms:
1. A thumb throttle, which you push down with your right thumb
2. A twist throttle, which you rotate with your right hand
3. A booster button on the deck, which you step on with your foot
To avoid a sudden burst of speed, always apply gradual and gentle pressure to the accelerator. Here’s the scoop on which Jetson models have which kind of accelerator:
- Twist throttle – Globe and Tempo
- Thumb throttle – Bio, Canyon, Echo, Echo X, Element, Element Pro, Eris, Glow, Highline, Knight, Omega, Ora Pro, Quest, Racer, Relay, Rhythm, and the Disney Buzz, Frozen II, Frozen II Folding, and Toy Story 4 e-scooters
- Booster button– Some other kids' e-scooters, including the Marvel Black Panther and Spider-Man editions, and Disney Darth Vader, Encanto, and Villains editions
Engaging the accelerator is enough to get started on most of our e-scooters, with the exception of these, which require some manual motion-activation to start. What that means: Before engaging the accelerator, you have to propel the scooter forward by making a few consecutive pushes off the ground first—similar to how you'd ride a kick scooter.
These are some of the Jetson e-scooter models that require a motion-activated start:
- 1 – 3 foot kicks - Canyon, Eris, Knight, Rhythm, and kids' scooters with booster buttons
- 5 - 8 foot kicks - Bio, Echo, Echo X, Quest, Relay, and Tempo
Important: Always raise the kickstand before starting your ride.
How to move
Functionality is the same for both the thumb throttle and the twist throttle: the more you engage it, the more the motor will kick in.
To maintain speed when traveling on long, flat stretches, hold the accelerator at a steady position.
If your scooter has multiple speed modes and/or cruise control, make use of them to maximize the riding experience.
To turn, rotate the handle left or right—and the scooter will veer accordingly. The larger the rotation, the sharper the turn. Be sure to adjust your body weight to maintain balance while turning.
How to brake
To decelerate gently, you can just ease up on the accelerator. But for a quicker slow-down or stop, use the brake(s).
Jetson e-scooters have three types of brakes: handbrakes and e-brakes, which are located on the left side of the handlebar, and foot brakes, which are located above the rear wheel as part of the wheel fender. For all types, engage the brake gently to slow down and apply more pressure to come to a complete stop.
Here’s a breakdown of which brakes are on which Jetson e-scooters:
- Handbrake only - Canyon, Eris, Globe, Knight, and Quest
- E-brake only - Disney Frozen II Folding, Ora Pro, and Rhythm
- Only a rear foot brake - Echo, Echo X, Tempo, all kids' scooters with booster buttons on the deck, and the Disney Buzz, Frozen II, and Toy Story 4 scooters
- Both a handbrake and a rear foot brake - Racer
- Both an e-brake and a rear foot brake - Bio, Element, Element Pro, Glow, Highline, Omega, and Relay
To use a handbrake, squeeze the lever with the top four fingers or your hand.
To use an e-brake, push down on it with your left thumb.
To use a footbrake, raise the back foot off the deck and use it to apply downward pressure on the brake. Important: If your e-scooter does not have a dedicated rear foot brake, do not press down on the rear fender or you risk breaking the fender.
For more e-scooter know-how, check out our other support articles, which include tips on where to ride, how to charge your scooter correctly, how to fold your e-scooter for storage and transport, and what an error code on your scooter's LCD display might mean.