When I was growing up, older kids got to speed around on mini-bikes powered by lawnmower engines, while I pedaled furiously on my Big Wheel. Thanks to cheap electronics, children now have access to a wealth of motor-driven vehicles, such as the Razor E100 Glow electric scooter.
Yes, Razor: the same company that made all those lightweight push scooters everyone seemed to be riding at the turn of this century. The company has since expanded its lineup, offering a range of electric scooters.
After unboxing the E100 Glow, Razor's smallest scooter, I had it assembled in minutes using the included hex wrench. I snagged its charger from the box, found the port on the side of the E100, and plugged it in. While it sat there, I admired its black, tubular construction. I couldn't wait to grab the handlebars and put my feet on the deck, covered with non-skid rubber. As a bit of decoration, Razor includes a strip of blue LED lights around the edge of the deck, hence the "glow" in its model name.
Those LEDs are about it for extras. The E100 lacked much of anything beyond its brake, accelerator and kickstand. I looked in vain for a charge indicator or any kind of front or rear lights, which would make this scooter a little safer to ride in the evening.
The front brake was a simple caliper, similar to that on bicycles. Under the deck, the specifications noted that there were two lead-acid batteries. The E100's motor turns the rear wheel with a chain drive. Lead-acid batteries, the same type used for decades to power starter motors in cars, seemed a little primitive to me in this era, when lithium-ion appears in most electronics.
Perusing the manual, drinking in specs such as its maximum 10 mph speed and 40 minute ride time on a full charge, I was dismayed to read that the maximum rider weight was 120 pounds (54 kg). I left that weight behind many decades ago.
