For the previous few years, the doorway of my New York Metropolis house has been suffering from one or two electric scooters for testing, together with a folding ebike. My spouse has been thrilled. She and I’ve tripped on the handlebars, knocked into the wheels, and—nicely, let’s simply say I am shocked she did not cite these every day hazards in our vows once we tied the knot.
Escooters are, sure, extra handy to stow away than a bicycle (to not point out a automobile), however they don’t seem to be as compact as scooter producers may need you consider. When folded up, they’re usually too tall to roll underneath a sofa. You possibly can steadiness them upright by leaning them in opposition to a wall, however, talking from expertise, they will come crashing down once in a while. That is the place the Taur received me over. It is the primary escooter I’ve examined that has no hassle standing upright by itself. My spouse and I are very grateful.
It’s uncommon in different methods, too. There isn’t any conventional “deck” on which to position your ft. As an alternative, two pedals flap out from the tubular body. You place your ft on these, and the Taur makes you trip together with your legs parallel, as an alternative of 1 in entrance of the opposite, which the corporate says is extra of a pure stance. This additionally helps shave down weight and the general measurement of the car. Sadly, my total expertise has been blended. The Taur does a number of issues proper that I would like to see prolong to different scooters, nevertheless it very a lot looks like a piece in progress. You in all probability do not wish to really feel like a beta tester after spending $1,195.
Two-Horned Bull
{Photograph}: Taur
The Taur is attractive. It has a clear and minimalist design, with an off-white powder-coated aluminum tube that runs all the best way from the handlebars all the way down to the rear wheel. There is a entrance mild, a taillight, a motorbike-styled middle stand, and a decently loud horn that is certain to get the eye of that dolt in a automobile blocking the bike lane.
There’s a bit latch on the backside of the body you’ll be able to twist to make the stem fold down. Align the metallic peg on the stem with the opening on the rear fender, and the Taur stays folded. You should utilize the middle kickstand to present it extra stability or put the entire scooter upright. The latter is arguably probably the greatest options of the Taur. It is not solely space-saving at residence, nevertheless it was immensely useful in not taking on an excessive amount of room on a crowded subway (extra on that later).
It is not my favourite folding system—the latch feels clunky and may require some drive to maneuver. Pushing down on the rear fender to unhook the stem additionally is not intuitive if you aren’t utilizing the middle stand, as a result of it is easy for the entire thing to fall on its facet. I ought to add that when it is folded up, the Taur is comparatively light-weight to hold at 37 kilos, however the thick stem makes it unwieldy. I want there was a slim seize deal with affixed to the stem, like on Fluidfreeride’s Mosquito.
Energy is not an issue with the Taur. It has a 500-watt motor that had no hassle taking me up and down bridges and different slopes. The twin 12.5-inch air-filled tube tires are bigger than what you’d usually discover on an electrical scooter, and so they assist present a clean trip regardless of the shortage of suspension. The hydraulic disc brake does a pleasant job of coming to a halt, although I did need to initially tighten the brake lever.
