One of the lightest weight electric kick scooters I've ever tested, it's so light you can scoot around without any power and still have fun, the carbon deck and stem are also semi-flexible for comfort
Solid rubber tires are durable and flat-proof, the deck isn't especially wide or long but the rear fender acts as a friction brake as well as a place to hover your back foot
Awesomely bright and large integrated LED strip headlight, neat micro-display with clean primary readouts of speed, power level (1-3) and battery level, you get regenerative braking and throttle triggers
Super compact charger, removable grips (that could be easier to misplace but feel solid when twisted on), quality folding mechanism with safety pin, impressive price point
The Momas Carbon is one of my favorite electric scooters… not because it’s super fast or powerful or even especially comfortable. It’s actually on the slower side of most newer electric kick scooters I test with a max speed of ~16 mph. The motor operates at an efficient 250 watts and there’s no suspension or inflated tires to take the edge off of cracks and bumpy roads. Instead, what you get is an extremely light weight, quiet and surprisingly cush ride that won’t get flats and doesn’t rattle or feel loose. It’s the kind of scooter that’s fun to actually kick around because it only weighs ~16 lbs. I’m starting to think someone on the Momas team just really likes the number 16? Anyway, the price tag of ~$1,200 is much lower than I was expecting given the unique all-carbon deck and stem and this is a company with an established track record in the scooter space, offering the very popular standard Momas for just under $900 but exactly twice as heavy ~32 lbs. You’ve got a lot of choice with this brand and both units look cool but I’m a big fan of the new display and integrated light on the Carbon… both are very bright and well-designed.
Charging the scooter is pretty easy, there’s a plug near the top of the stem, just below the handlebars facing the deck. When you fold the scooter this port ends up facing the ground so you might need to tip the thing sideways a little to plug in but from there it’s fairly protected. Unfolding can be a little messy (I’m guessing) because after a while you’re probably going to have some dust and maybe even water underneath and that’s where the little lever is to unlock it. Thankfully, the folding down process is much cleaner. There’s a pin to release on the right side of the folding mechanism and then another latch that you can activate with your foot. Once folded, the long carbon stem acts as a sort of handle and inside is where the batteries are all stored. It’s a beautiful designed product with woven carbon patterns covering most of the frame and a few black Aluminum connectors and some plastic coverings. The motor is built into the front wheel and there are plastic covers on either side protecting the axle and wires running from the controller and battery. If you tip this thing, the bar ends might smack the ground but they are plastic and all of other sensitive bits seem well protected too. It’s a sleek, thin looking product that almost seems delicate at first but upon closer inspection, is pretty well thought out and durable. The rear wheel is one of my favorite design elements because it’s hollowed out with a cast bladed rim inside and a thin rubber tire surrounding. This tire cannot get flats because it’s solid and it acts as a secondary brake if you step down on the rear fender. This sort of friction braking has been popular on traditional kick scooters for years and will always work no matter if your primary brake, a regeneration system built into the front motor, is turned off. Again, the scooter can be used fairly successfully with our without power and it’s just so quick to accelerate when kicking and easy to lift when transporting that it’s a joy to use for me.
So comfort is something I always consider with kick scooters and part of that has to do with deck size and the rest is about the grips (how wobbly they are) and the actual wheeling and riding comfort. The Momas Carbon is slightly below average on some of these points but the trade off can be worth it. The deck isn’t huge but you get the fender as a sort of gentle resting spot. The wheels are hard but the carbon deck flexes enough to sort of act as a suspension. The grips feel very solid and because they screw on instead of folding up, they don’t rattle around or feel jittery the way many other products do. I really like them to be quite honest but would worry about misplacing them once taken off… so be mindful. There’s no height adjustability in the stem but that goes back to the solid feel of the handle bars, there aren’t any shaky parts on this kick scooter and since the top speed is slightly lower, it just feels more solid than competing offerings. No, it doesn’t accelerate as quickly, especially for larger riders like my friend Sam who weighs ~250 lbs. We actually tested this kick scooter alongside other more powerful models at his shop in Fullerton. There are trade-offs but I still came away impressed. The model we tested offered a more basic 24 volt battery but you can pay $200 extra and get a more zippy 36 volt model. Both have three levels of power to choose from using the display pad and are activated with a little trigger throttle on the right. Everything is so custom looking at the cockpit and I really like that. The triggers match and are symmetrical, the display is compact and tight, the light is built right into the stem and runs off the main battery as mentioned earlier. It’s just a sweet ride all around. The one area it’s really lacking is with a tail-light. Consider using a helmet with integrated light like the ones from Torch that Sam was demoing or using a little USB light on your backpack or belt to stay visible.
At the end of the day, which scooter you get will really depend on how you intend to use it. With a scooter like this that might not be as comfortable going over lots of cracks and isn’t as powerful or fast as many other electric kickscooters you might wonder if it’s worth the money vs. just getting a cheap, light weight unpowered scooter? As someone with sensitive knees who tends to go further to catch busses and trains when I’m traveling, this is a really sweet option and one that is so beautifully integrated that people might not even know it’s electric. That means less hassle getting on the bus, carrying it into the office etc. It’s small, it looks professional and it’s still way easier than kicking for several miles. If you have huge feet and weigh a lot this might not be the product for you but as a smaller guy at ~135 lbs it felt just right for me.
Pros:
Amazingly light weight at just ~16 lbs… the Momas Carbon body is made predominantly from woven carbon fiber including the deck and stem (which houses the batteries)
This thing looks like an unpowered kick scooter because the motor and battery are so well integrated and it performs like one too because it’s so light, you can kick and get pretty good performance without even turning it on (great in case you run out of battery)
The rubber tires are solid so you don’t have to worry about getting flat tires or maintaining a set pressure for maximum rolling efficiency, they just are…
The grips unscrew and completely remove from the scooter which makes the thing super compact when folded but also less wobbly when the bars are in place, many folding-bar style kick scooters feel wobbly
I really appreciate that both grips unscrew by twisting forward (the thread on the right one is reversed) this is designed to make sure you don’t accidentally unscrew them while riding as you bear down for balance
The deck is actually somewhat flexible, one of the neat qualities of carbon is that it dampens vibration (at least on bicycles I’ve tested) and I feel like this results in more comfortable riding here even though there’s no suspension built in
Offers two braking systems which combine for “all wheel braking” to stop you faster, the front motor will use regeneration to slow you down when you press the left trigger and the rear skid plat fender uses friction when you step on it… very cool, you can still stop even if regen isn’t working!
The charger is super small and light weight… easy to fit into your backpack or even a pant pocket if you have cargo shorts or something similar, makes topping off at work or a friend’s house easy
Two-part folding design is extra safe, you have to twist a safety pin on the right then you can use a foot to unhinge and fold the bar down towards the deck
The Momas Carbon features one of the coolest looking, brightest integrated lights I’ve seen on any kickscooter! You will definitely be seen, at least from the front
The main stem bar piece stays straight when it’s folded so you can actually pull it along like a little dolly and it will “skate” behind you, this means you don’t have to lift it if you don’t want
It just looks really cool with the carbon lace layer and black finish, even the alloy cast rear wheel looks nice and futuristic compared to thicker, plastic rattly stuff that’s cheaper
The display is pretty intuitive and well laid out considering it’s small and tightly integrated, I love that it has six battery bar segments and three levels of power for slow or faster riding
Because this kickscooter uses a gearless direct drive motor it runs extremely quiet but there is some cogging… that slows you down just a little (as shown on video) but gives you the regenerative braking
There are two versions of the Momas Carbon and for an extra $200 you can get the more powerful 36 volt version that could be better for climbing and heavier riders
Cons:
The stem doesn’t get higher or lower but that results in a nice solid feel, for people who are extra tall or short this might not feel quite as comfortable (one size fits all here)
As mentioned in the pros, the grips actually unscrew and while that works alright for compact storage it can result in lost parts… there’s just no easy way to attach or stow and keep track of those bar ends once you’ve taken them off unless you get a bag
Not a major con here but given how nice the headlight is, would be nice to have some sort of rear facing light as well… though it might be positioned way down low, just clip a rechargeable light to your backpack or helmet
Given that the main stem part stays facing straight down when you fold the scooter, the charging port ends up facing down as well and can be a little difficult to reach to plug into, thankfully the unit is light so you can just prop it up or roll it sideways for a moment
In order to unfold the scooter you seem to need to use your hand to unclip near the head of the deck and this is where dust, dirt and water will be as you use the thing so your hand may get a little dirty
The display unit seems to be always backlit and it’s very bright, I could see it being a little distracting when you ride at night, would be nice to adjust down the brightness (not sure if that’s possible)
You can’t really take the battery pack out of this scooter (except with some work for replacement) and that means the entire thing might need to come inside to be charged… thankfully it’s light and small but that could bring dirt inside, the flip side is that if you leave it out in the heat or cold the batteries might wear down quicker or not hold as much of a charge (specifically in extreme cold weather)
The top speed on this e-kick scooter is a bit lower at ~16 mph but given the tiny wheels and lack of suspension that works out alright, it might also help to extend your range a bit not going so fast
Extremely well priced considering how nice the display is, the light, the carbon fiber body and the folding mechanism, I was really surprised and impressed with the ~$1,200 price point
This is not the most powerful kick scooter, the motor wattage and battery voltage are both limited, I heard the torque might be as low as 7 Nm and even though the official word is max weight of 275 lbs I think it’s probably best suited to lighter riders or those who don’t mind kicking along a little on steep hills
A powerful, smooth and quiet electric kick scooter with large 10 inch pneumatic tires that span cracks and absorb bumps well, solid 120 mm mechanical disc brake with traditional lever. Solid construction with a simple folding latch design, long stable handlebar and extendable stem to…...
Looks like rebrand of existing scooter. Anything unique about this one? Can you review some of the branded models? thx.
Court Rye
7 years ago
Hi Matt, it seems like many scooters, bikes and even some skateboards are being sold direct unbranded these days but I’m usually not able to find those for review (and can’t afford to buy them then sell at a loss just to do a video etc.) the unique qualities about this branded Momas one is that it probably uses the most recent technology or design and comes with support and the ability to buy in person and try first if you live near a shop. Sometimes it seems like the older generation of products or some rejected designs will sell for less online. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what else might differentiate this? The price still seems great to me :)
Matt
7 years agoLooks like rebrand of existing scooter. Anything unique about this one? Can you review some of the branded models? thx.
Court Rye
7 years agoHi Matt, it seems like many scooters, bikes and even some skateboards are being sold direct unbranded these days but I’m usually not able to find those for review (and can’t afford to buy them then sell at a loss just to do a video etc.) the unique qualities about this branded Momas one is that it probably uses the most recent technology or design and comes with support and the ability to buy in person and try first if you live near a shop. Sometimes it seems like the older generation of products or some rejected designs will sell for less online. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what else might differentiate this? The price still seems great to me :)