GoPed I-Ped 2 Review

Goped I Ped 2 Electric Kick Scooter Review
Goped I Ped 2
Goped I Ped 2 Motor Heat Dissipation Blades Kickstand
Goped I Ped 2 Folded Right Side View
Goped I Ped 2 Led Console Trigger Throttle
Goped I Ped 2 Grips Display Turbo Econo
Goped I Ped 2 Folded From Above
Goped I Ped 2 Chain Drive Replaceable Sprocket
Goped I Ped 2 Kenda 200 50 8 Inch Tires
Goped I Ped 2 Mad Dog Disc Brake Front
Goped I Ped 2 Wood Deck Above Friction Fender Rubber Pads
Goped I Ped 2 Metal Friction Fender Rear Wheel
Goped I Ped 2 Scale Shot
Goped I Ped 2 Electric Kick Scooter Review
Goped I Ped 2
Goped I Ped 2 Motor Heat Dissipation Blades Kickstand
Goped I Ped 2 Folded Right Side View
Goped I Ped 2 Led Console Trigger Throttle
Goped I Ped 2 Grips Display Turbo Econo
Goped I Ped 2 Folded From Above
Goped I Ped 2 Chain Drive Replaceable Sprocket
Goped I Ped 2 Kenda 200 50 8 Inch Tires
Goped I Ped 2 Mad Dog Disc Brake Front
Goped I Ped 2 Wood Deck Above Friction Fender Rubber Pads
Goped I Ped 2 Metal Friction Fender Rear Wheel
Goped I Ped 2 Scale Shot

Summary

  • A classically styled electric kick scooter with upgradable motor, sprocket sizes, deck, paint color and grips, solid disc brake up front and friction fender-brake in the rear
  • Built around comfortable air-filled eight inch tires and an enlarged wooden deck so you can "sidewalk surf" or stand facing forward
  • Surprisingly light weight at ~28 lbs with the Lithium-ion battery option, the handle bar folds down parallel with the deck for storage or transport but the I-Ped is larger than most other electric kick scooters I review
  • Because it's chain driven, there's more noise and friction produced so you won't coast as far as some of the hub motor driven e-kick scooters

Video Review

Introduction

Make:

GoPed

Model:

I-Ped 2

Price:

$1,919 (Optional 2539)

Body Position:

Upright

Suggested Use:

Neighborhood, Commuting

Electric Bike Class:

Throttle on Demand (Class 2)
Learn more about Ebike classes

Warranty:

90 Day Comprehensive, 2 Year Frame and Fork

Availability:

United States

Model Year:

2016

Bicycle Details

Total Weight:

28 lbs (12.7 kg) (31 lbs for Larger 16 ah Battery Option)

Battery Weight:

6.2 lbs (2.81 kg)

Motor Weight:

6 lbs (2.72 kg)

Frame Types:

Folding

Frame Material:

4130 Chromoly Steel

Frame Colors:

Gloss Black, Custom Colors for $40

Geometry Measurements:

44" Height, 14.5" Width, 34" Length, 4" Ground Clearance, 16.5" Deck Length, 11" Deck Width

Frame Fork Details:

Rigid, Chromoly Steel, 3/8" Axle

Frame Rear Details:

7/16" Axle

Gearing Details:

1 Single Speed

Stem:

Folding, Fixed Height, 6061 Aluminum Alloy

Handlebar:

Flat, 6061 Aluminum Alloy

Brake Details:

ESR Mechanical Disc Brake on Front with 130 mm Rotor, Mad Dog Caliper, Friction Fender Brake on Rear

Grips:

Flat Rubber, Black

Rims:

ABS Plastic, Split Rim

Tire Brand:

Kenda, 200 x 50

Wheel Sizes:

8 in (20.32cm)

Tire Details:

50 PSI

Tube Details:

Schrader Valve

Accessories:

Reflective Wire Wrap on Stem, Carry Strap (Loops Around Back Fender), Optional Alternative Grips, Optional Alternative Billet Parts, Optional Carry Bag $50, Optional Motor Upgrade to Torkinator by Torkmotion $549

Other:

ESR Programmable Electronics, Onboard Charger and 3 Amp Offboard Charger for Reconditioning Battery, Billet Milled 6061 Aluminum Lower and Upper Hinge, Birch Wood Platform with Weather Coating and Grip Tape

Electronic Details

Motor Type:

Rear-Mounted Gearless Motor (Canister Style, Brushed, Chain Drive)
Learn more about Ebike motors

Motor Nominal Output:

750 watts

Motor Peak Output:

1000 watts

Battery Voltage:

25.9 volts

Battery Amp Hours:

8 ah (Optional 16 ah)

Battery Watt Hours:

207.2 wh (Optional 414.4 wh)

Battery Chemistry:

Lithium Polymer

Charge Time:

4 hours (6 Hour for Larger Battery)

Estimated Min Range:

7 miles (11 km)

Estimated Max Range:

20 miles (32 km)

Display Type:

Fixed LED Console

Readouts:

Battery Level (Green, Yellow, Red)

Display Accessories:

Power Level Toggle Switch (Econo/Turbo), System On/Off

Drive Mode:

Trigger Throttle

Top Speed:

18 mph (29 kph) (Up to 20 mph With Custom Gearing)


Written Review

The I-Ped 2 builds on the strengths and simplicity of the original I-Ped 1 which used caliper brakes and had solid tires. It was the first electric kick scooter from GoPed to introduce light weight – long range Lithium batteries. With the I-Ped II you get a more comfortable ride thanks to eight inch air-filled tires and stopping is greatly increased with a Mad Dog disc brake on the front wheel and friction style fender contact brake on the rear. It’s a relatively light weight electric kick scooter at just 28 lbs (with the two battery Lithium option) but even though the handlebar folds down for portability it’s still a bit wider and longer than some of the other kick scooters I’ve reviewed.

What GoPed delivers here is a light electric transporter that’s repairable and upgradable with different sized sprockets, billet decks and grips. It offers a classic all-American look and is built domestically in Minden Nevada. This introduces a longer wait time to get one in some cases and a definitely a longer lead time to have a custom one built (six to eight weeks for a custom order, you can pay $40 for the color of your choice). Big thanks to Sam Townsend of Electric Bicycle Center in Fullerton for his involvement with the video review and in-stock GoPeds to review. Sam shared the history of Go-Ped and the origin of what is now the I-Ped 2 which began as the Hoverboard in 2007… this was the very first electric kick scooter of its kind produced by the company which had full suspension, regenerative braking and used a friction drive system similar to the GoBike (also by GoPed). This first model was sometimes called the Hoover-Board because it “sucked” like the Hoover vacuums of the time. From what I’ve heard, it was just trying to do so many things and had some issues with the key but was otherwise very unique and groundbreaking for the time. The name Hoverboard is now being used for a large-wheeled full suspension electric kick scooter which will be reviewed separately.

There are definitely some trade-offs to make with the I-Ped 2 including the larger footprint which might not stow as easily on trains or busses (still way smaller than a full sized bicycle). I noticed that the handlebars can feel wobbly if you don’t tighten down the slide-collar but doing so on the go requires an allen key vs. a quick release lever. It’s also louder than most electric kick scooters I’ve reviewed recently due to the chain drive and this also adds friction and drag which limits how efficiently you coast. Still, this is one of the only 750+ watt scooters around and the ride is satisfying. It’s up to you to swap out sprocket sizes to match your weight and achieve the desired power vs. speed but note that forcing the scooter to climb under load may lead to overheating and damage. This system doesn’t seem to have a smart-switch to automatically shut things down if the motor is struggling. For scooting around the neighborhood, across town and even up light hills this is one of the better, more capable scooters I’ve reviewed and even though you don’t get a fancy LCD display showing speed, distance and precise battery level, the simple 3 LED console feels right… it matches the look of the scooter and is simple to use. You get to pick from Economy or Turbo mode for less and more power/speed respectively at the top and otherwise there’s just an on/off red button. It’s that simple, but note that this also means it’s a bit less tamper resistant. There’s no ignition key or other locking mechanism that I saw.

Pros:

  • The GoPed line of scooters is very “fixable” and extensible because most of the components can be purchased individually through their official website including tires, tubes, disc brake parts, batteries and even frame parts
  • This product is hand made in Mindin Nevada USA including the battery packing, there’s a fun video from “How it’s Made” showing the process
  • The deck is much wider than a lot of the other kick scooters I’ve taken out for test rides, this means you can stand with feet side by side facing forward if you’d like
  • In addition to the large wooden deck (made from Maple I believe) the motor has a rubber step pad on top and you can push down on the metal fender for increased braking power! So lots of room to stand and additional brake options… pretty cool
  • I was surprised and impressed with how light weight the scooter was but it’s still bulkier than many of the other kick scooters I test which could make carrying awkward
  • I love that the handle bar folds flat but to really feel secure it’s nice to tighten the stem collar (which may be an aftermarket part, requiring a hex key)
  • The large 8″ pneumatic tires provide a lot of comfort compared with some of the solid tires I’ve tested on other scooters but you risk getting flat tires if you don’t keep them inflated properly or run into thorns
  • The trigger throttle is super simple to understand and use, it offers variable power output so you can go slow if you’d like, the Economy and Turbo options further refine power output and top speed
  • I like that the scooter features an onboard charger so you don’t have to lug a large brick around (though they do provide a separate charger for quicker fills), all you really need is wall plug (Nema 5-15p) cable
  • GoPed is an all American company with a fun history dating back to 1985, starting from Pleasanton California and continuing to build and hire locally for quality, one of the original GoPed gas powered scooters is in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC
  • For those who want even more power and speed, you can upgrade the motor with a Torkinator which reaches up to ~30 mph, GoPed will sell this pre-installed for $500 additional

Cons:

  • The wheelbase is too short to put a seat on the I-Ped 2, it may become unstable and tip backwards depending on the rider, some of the older versions could handle a seat
  • There’s an 8 Week lead time to have a GoPed electric scooter produced due to the hand-made nature of the product and options
  • Limited dealer network including Electric Bicycle Center, Carroll Stream Motor Company, Gomeyer, Black Beard Power Sports, Falcon PEV in Singapore, Jetfun in France, Line 1 in the UK, Chiqui Cars in Mexico
  • The I-Ped 2 unit I tested didn’t feel as immediately powerful as I was expecting, perhaps the sprocket size was geared more for speed than torque, it was still impressive but not as much as the larger Hoverboard (even though they use the same ESR750 electric motor)
  • The chain drive system is noisy, much more so than a gearless direct drive hub used on some of the other electric kick scoters, there is also a lot of drag when coasting since the chain keeps turning (no freewheel)
  • The display panel is very basic… no speed readout, no odometer, time or other special features – just a basic three-led light system to approximate battery charge level
  • The ESR750 motor used on this kick scooter doesn’t have an automatic shutoff if it’s working too hard, it can overheat and get damaged if you force it to climb steep hills (just take note if it’s struggling and help it out)

Resources:

More GoPed Reviews

June 16, 2016

GoPed ESR750 Hoverboard Review

  • MSRP: $1,529
  • MODEL YEAR: 2016

One of the largest, most powerful and comfortable electric kick scooters I've tested... Offers front and rear suspension with about three inches of travel, large pneumatic tires that span cracks and absorb bumps. Extra wide wooden deck provides ample space for people with big feet, optional locking cuff…...

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