Growing up, I never owned a scooter. I never had plans to want a scooter – didn’t dream of it. I happened to be more into my big wheel and eventual BMX bike. Scooters just didn’t have the appeal to me that other options happen to offer. However, after Atomi sent me their Atomi Alpha Electric Scooter to test out, my mind is changed and arguably blown. Times have certainly changed for the better.
Putting the scooter together took me all of ten minutes. It comes about 90% assembled for me, and I simply need to connect the handlebars to the main deck. This two-wheeler includes instructions, but assembly is so intuitive and obvious they basically aren’t necessary.
I love the pine green color of the Atomi Alpha Electric Scooter. It doesn’t shout to everyone with obnoxious design, but the included RGB LED lights might. It looks sharp and I’d almost say professional, but it feels hard to separate work from play on this one. The aluminum frame feels sturdy and quite heavy. Additionally, large wheels keep me from being terrified to hit small potholes.
Lights and features
There are a host of options built into the Atomi Alpha Electric Scooter, and I took advantage of many of them in my test. This thing has become my nightly routine to hop on and take a quick tour of the neighborhood. It is quiet and so peaceful to cruise around and enjoy the leaves changing this fall here in Minnesota.
Built in cruise control is handy if not a bit dangerous if you don’t familiarize yourself with it. It automatically engages once the machine maintains a certain speed. This is certainly a scooter meant for teens or adults as it will require braking to ensure safety in certain situations. I personally leave the cruise control off to avoid mishaps. Atomi includes three speed option settings for safety as well. I can simply press the power button two times to adjust the speed from Eco, Standard, and Sport modes. Sport mode can reach a speed of right around 19 MPH.
Atmospheric lights adorn the front and underside of the Atomi Alpha Electric Scooter. These make for a cool soothing effect for a decent ride when it’s dark. Yes, you can ride this in the dark, as it does include a headlight and a rear light activates when the headlight is on. It even has turn signals in the rear for safe travelling as well.
There’s an app for that
The display on the scooter is a bit dim in the daylight, but still visible. Most of the aforementioned settings display on the LED screen depending on how you choose to toggle. The display also lets me know when I’m connected to Bluetooth with the app on my phone which offers additional options as well including the ability to lock the scooter’s wheels right from my device.
The app actually allows me to change multiple settings. I can adjust the speed, cruise control, toggle between Km/Miles, see my range, adjust the atmospheric lighting, and even lock and unlock this two-wheeled beast. I don’t find myself using the app a ton, but for heavy users, I’m sure a phone mount would go a long way.
What I really find unique about this machine is that it includes a built-in combination locking mechanism. My first thought when I opened the scooter up was “how on earth would people prevent this from being stolen?” Atomi’s design let’s me lock the wheels and attach the scooter with the combination lock – deterring theft at the very least.
Performance
Needless to say, I’m more than impressed with the number of features offered on the Atomi Alpha Electric Scooter. The real question is whether it performs at a level worthy of a purchase. I find the scooter is incredibly user friendly and easy to hop on and get going. I simply move it forward a tad for minimal momentum, press the throttle, and off I go on a joyride.
As I mention early in the article, speeds can get up to 19 MPH, and honestly it feels like I’m really moving. I weight about 175 pounds, and the scooter doesn’t have any issue cruising while I’m on board. I will say that the Alpha slows down significantly on slight inclines. It still keeps forward momentum, but even at full throttle it drops to 8 MPH or so. I did not try it on any steep inclines. Stopping is simple and works very well with the handbrake, and I didn’t have any concerns about safety while braking. Storing and moving the scooter is a breeze as well because I can unlock and fold it to reduce its bulk.
One thing worth mentioning however is the kickstand. It is a solid kickstand for sure, but I have two main issues with it. First It doesn’t balance super well – and if bumped can easily be knocked over. The scooter definitely needs to be on a completely flat surface before the kickstand is engaged. Second, the rubber foot that fits over the kickstand did not stay on for me. This is purely aesthetic, but it’s only a matter of time before it gets lost.
Summary
To conclude, I want to be clear. The Atomi Alpha Electric Scooter is the most fun I’ve had testing a product and writing a review in a long time (though this was a lot of fun). Sure, it has a few minor flaws in the kickstand and slows down a bit heading up an incline, but the overall enjoyment I get riding this thing helps me overlook some things I believe Atomi will correct on future iterations. It also feels safer to ride one of these than an electric skateboard. Cheers Atomi – and thank you for the experience.
