Not getting the ride you’d hoped for? Certain conditions and situations can affect the power output and performance of your Jetson, and prevent you from hitting the maximum speed or range achievable by your model.
Read on for tips on how to go faster and farther on your next adventure.
Riding Conditions
When, where, and how you choose to ride can affect how well your motor’s power turns into movement.
- Riding surface – You’ll roll easier and faster on a smoothly paved road than one with bumps or rough terrain, which give your wheels friction with which to contend. Your motor has to work harder to combat the friction in order to reach and maintain your desired pace. If it’s able to do that, it comes at a price: Drawing more power from the battery will deplete the battery faster. If the motor just can’t handle the roughness of the road, your roll will be slower.
- Slope – Likewise, the motor also has to work harder and will drain the battery faster when you’re working against gravity riding uphill. Traveling downhill or on flat stretches will make it easier to go faster and for longer before you need to recharge.
- Weather – For the same reason, wind can affect power and performance. If you’re riding into it, that’s an opposing force that your motor and battery have to contend with. Pay attention to the air temperature, too: Battery performance will be at its best when you ride your Jetson in moderate temperatures. (Check your model’s user manual for specifics—but we don’t recommend riding when it’s below 50°F outside for most of our electric products.)
- Starts & stops – Starting and accelerating drains more power from the battery than riding at a steady pace. As such, you might not be able to cover as many miles on a single charge in an urban environment than you would on a long, obstacle-free expanse of road.
Bike Conditions
The state of your bike—and also what’s on it—affect performance, too.
- Battery charge level – You may notice that you’re not able to ride as fast at the end of a ride as you were at the beginning of it. There’s a whole lot going on inside your bike’s rechargeable battery, and its voltage—its potential to push out power—inherently declines when the battery charge depletes. Keep your battery’s power output strong—and your achievable speed higher—by charging your bike between every ride.
- The state of your tires – The treads in your tires give them grip on the road. When tires wear down from use, the tread pattern becomes less pronounced—and it’s harder for them to get a handle on the ground beneath them. Slipping, however slight, creates an inefficiency that may prevent you from reaching optimum speed. (Replacement tires for some models are available for purchase.) Keeping your tires properly inflated also helps: When they’ve got the right amount of air inside, the tread patterns are more pronounced. (Your Jetson recommended PSI—pounds per square inch—is listed in its user manual.)
- The motor – An overheated motor simply won’t work as well to power you along on your journey. If you’ve been riding for a long time, take a break so that it can cool off.
- Carrying weight – Our products have a recommended weight limit, which you can find in the user manual for your model. That weight includes both that of the rider and additional cargo, such as a backpack or heavy clothes that you’re wearing, something you’ve got stowed on a rack or in an add-on basket, or the added heft of JetKart that is attached to a hoverboard. A lighter load is easier on the motor, which can help you maximize speed and riding range.
Use of Certain Functions & Features
- Speed – The battery and motor work harder when you pick up the pace—so the faster you ride, the fewer miles you might be able to achieve before the battery drains.
- Speed modes & pedal assist levels - There are multiple pre-set speed modes that you can toggle between on many of our e-scooters, hoverboards, and e-bikes (where they’re also referred to as pedal assist levels.) Riding in the higher levels can take you to higher speeds, but it also drains the battery more quickly, so you might not cover as many miles before you need to charge up.
- Lights – Headlights and many taillights on our products draw power from the main battery—so riding with them on means the battery charge will drain more quickly than riding with them off.
- Bluetooth speakers – Using a built-in Bluetooth speaker to stream tunes will undoubtedly make your ride more vibey—but, like lights, also consume battery charge.
Proper care of your Jetson
You battery’s ability to deliver power—and your product’s ability to translate it into speed and distance—can be optimized if you take good care of your Jetson.
- On bikes, keep your chain and all moving parts properly greased and ready to roll smoothly.
- Ensure that brakes are properly aligned so they’re not causing friction that could slow down your wheels.
- Keep wheels free of debris and dust away from everything. (Cover your Jetson!)
- Follow best-practices in battery care.