The summer of 2020 is winding down, meaning outdoor scooters will be used less and less. Luckily there have been some huge developments in travel scooter size and portability over the past few years. Today we’re going to talk about the 2 best travel scooters for 2020.
Mobility scooters have been becoming smaller and lighter. This makes the scooters easier to travel with. Fitting a mobility scooter into a car or onto a plane has never been easier.
Two of the most travel-friendly scooters were released earlier this year: the Golden Buzzaround CarryOn and the Pride iRide. Both scooters weigh under 50 lbs. without the seat and with the battery taken out—amazing considering most standard mobility scooters weigh almost double that!
We’re going to look at each of these scooters and evaluate their pros and cons.
Golden Buzzaround CarryOn Features & Specs
Let’s take a look at the Buzzaround CarryOn features and specifications first.
Golden Buzzaround CarryOn Features
- Designed for minimal storage space
- 4 built-in handles for easy carrying
- Infinite adjustable tiller
- Front & rear lights
- Easy disassembly
- USB port and cup holder on tiller
Golden Buzzaround CarryOn Specs
- Total Weight: 65.5 lbs.
- Part Weights: Body 47.5 lbs. | Seat w/arms 12 lbs. | Travel (COMING SOON!) 6.5 AH Battery 3.8 lbs. | Standard 15AH Battery 6 lbs.
- Dimensions: 38”x19.5”x34.5”
- Folded Dimensions: 38”x19.5”x12”
- Wheel Size: Front 6” | Rear 7”
- Turning Radius: 48.75”
- Ground Clearance: 4”
- Weight Capacity: 300 lbs.
- Maximum Speed: 3.6 mph
- Battery Life*: Standard 7.8 miles | Large 18 miles
- Colors: Blue | Red
*May vary due to user weight or use on inclined surfaces.
Golden Buzzaround CarryOn Pros & Cons
That’s a lot to go over, so let’s break it into pros and cons.
Pros
- 300 lb. weight capacity allows larger users or more weight in bags & baskets
- Large 15AH battery option allows for 18 miles of use—almost standard scooter range
- Folds up and stands on the rear wheels to minimize space taken up during storage
- Great warranty: Lifetime frame, 2-year drive train, 2-year electronics, 1-year batteries
- 4” ground clearance allows great maneuverability over uneven terrain
- USB charging port allows you to charge small electronics in a pinch
Cons
- Total unit weight of 65.5 lbs. is unmanageable for some users
- Only 7.8-mile range with the travel battery
- Large turning radius is not optimal in tighter spaces
- 4 wheels mean less foot space for the user
- Seat size cannot be adjusted
The Golden Buzzaround CarryOn continues the Golden tradition of fitting standard-size scooter features into a small package. This travel scooter is fairly heavy but can be taken apart to make traveling more manageable.
One of the biggest upsides to the Buzzaround CarryOn is the 4” ground clearance. Most compact or travel scooter models give 1-2” of ground clearance, which can catch on rocks or other objects. 4” grants some breathing room, letting users veer off paved paths with no issues.
The Golden Buzzaround CarryOn is recommended for anyone who wants the smallest possible mobility scooter while maintaining as many features as possible from a standard scooter.
Consensus: Great for longer outdoor trips or vacations. The Golden Buzzaround CarryOn is the perfect complement to any mobility scooter user who needs portability and all the standard scooter features they’re used to.
See the Buzzaround CarryOn brochure
Pride iRide Features & Specs
Below is a list of the iRide features and specifications.
Pride iRide Features
- Digital odometer & display
- Hand & foot brake
- Height-adjustable seat & tiller
- Power-saving on/off switch
Pride iRide Specs
- Total Weight: 46.5 lbs.
- Part Weights: Base 32 lbs. | Seat 10 lbs. | Battery 4.5 lbs.
- Dimensions: 38”x19.25”x33.5”
- Wheel Size: Front 7” | Rear 6.5”
- Turning Radius: 33.5”
- Ground Clearance: 1.3”
- Weight Capacity: 250 lbs.
- Maximum Speed: 3.7 mph
- Battery Life*: 10.3 miles at 201-250 lbs. | 12.7 miles at 200 lbs. or less
- Colors: Arctic Ice | Blackberry | Lime | Mango
*May vary due to user weight or use on inclined surfaces.
Pride iRide Pros & Cons
First the Pros, then the Cons.
Pros
- Only 46.5 lbs. total weight, 32 lbs. heaviest part. This mobility scooter is light.
- A 33.5” turning radius allows this scooter to deftly maneuver through tight areas
- Foldable, adjustable tiller and an adjustable seat allow for some height customization
- A digital display allows users to easily see their speed and the scooter battery life
- The iRide has a foot brake and a hand brake providing extra safety to the user.
- Folding the tiller down allows the unit to be propped on its side for storage.
Cons
- 250 lb. weight limit excludes larger users
- 3” ground clearance doesn’t give much room to maneuver ‘offroad’
- Battery life is relatively low, especially for larger users
- No seatback or armrests can be dangerous for unsteady users
- The twist-grip throttle may be hard to manage for users with dexterity issues
The Pride iRide is a seriously small scooter. The iRide lacks several hallmarks of standard scooters while lightening the overall weight to under 50 lbs. Taking the battery out of the iRide takes the weight down to just 42 lbs.—which is crazy for a fully functioning mobility scooter.
The iRide is meant to be an ‘event’ scooter. What this means is it is much more suited to driving on sidewalks and paths. The 1.3” ground clearance is really low, making uneven or rocky terrain an issue.
The Pride iRide is recommended for anyone who needs a light, easy-to-transport scooter for going to indoor events on a regular basis. Using the iRide for outdoor events is fine as long as there are paved paths to be used.
Consensus: The Pride iRide is small while still maintaining the quality standard Pride mobility scooters are known for. Ideal for indoor events or outdoor events confined to a path, the iRide is one of the easiest scooters to travel with.
Test the Golden Buzzaround CarryOn or the Pride iRide Today
As always, we have portable scooters, standard scooters, heavy-duty scooters, and more ready to test on our Medical Equipment Showroom Floor.
Golden Buzzaround CarryOn Product Page
Our team members will be happy to answer any specific questions you have about either of these units or any other models from manufacturers we carry.
If you have any immediate questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We always like seeing you in the store as well. If you haven’t been by recently, you may want to swing by sometime soon—we just rearranged the entire Medical Equipment Showroom!
Stop by and see the difference as soon as you can.
