My wife is thinking of buying a TravelScoot

David M asks:

Q. My wife is thinking of buying a TravelScoot. She tried one out which had a 150 watt Lithium-ion battery, which seemed underpowered except on flat ground. What motor & gearing options are available, and what would you recommend for a 70Kg person who wants to use it on undulating ground?

A. David, my best suggestion is to contact the experts at TravelScoot with your questions. Their website is at http://www.travelscoot.com/. If you're not in the United States there are links there to locations in the European Union, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.

The specifications for the TravelScoot in the U.S. are at http://travelscoot.com/specifications.htm. There you'll see that the lithium ion battery is 24V, 9.6Ah and the motor specification is 24V, 150 or 200 Watt DC with integrated controller.

70Kg is the equivalent of 154 lbs., and at that size your wife should be in great shape on any available configuration. The TravelScoot is at its best on flat surfaces, but it works well on many inclines too. For someone your wife's size she shouldn't have any problems at all on almost any incline. The tips that I suggest to help with performance on inclines are: 1) approach the incline head on; 2) Start the incline going as fast as you reasonably can; 3) Lean slightly forward on the incline and it will change your center of gravity, improving performance.

I hope if you haven't already that you'll take some time to read through my blog. You'll see people all shapes and sizes successfully navigating with their TravelScoots. My scoot has opened up the world to me. In the past 2 years in addition to using mine almost every day (including at work), I've been to Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Hawaii. I ride it to the door of the plane and they store it with the baby strollers and deliver it back to me when we land. I've folded it up and carried it in car trunks, loaded it fully assembled into my van, I've even stashed it under my seat at a bar for a surprise party. I didn't miss out on seeing the zoo with my great nieces and nephews, and I got to be there when my younger sister was recognized for donating a kidney to my older sister. I can shop the mall, do my own grocery shopping, run my own errands, and because it only weighs 35 lbs. (including the battery), I can lift it in and out of my van without assistance.

Has anyone seen my hinge bolt?

From Elford

On my last ride on my Travelscoot, I lost my hinge bolt. I didn`t realize it until I tried to fold it up and put it into the trunk of the car. I sent an e-mail to Hardy and he sent me another one immediately. So from now on I wiil check the bolt for tightness so I won`t lose it again. Enjoy reading about your cruises with Travelscoot.

Elford lives in Helsinki and has had his TravelScoot for almost 2 years. He's sent in many wonderful posts and pictures of his adventures. If you'd like to read them, click the link below.

http://mytravelscoot.blogspot.com/search?q=elford

Changing the TravelScoot Belt

Changing the TravelScoot Belt
	As part of preventive maintenance we decided to change the belt on my TravelScoot. Melissa came so she could help and learn more about how to perform maintenance on her own scoot. In this picture Alan is reading the belt change instructions. Click any picture to see a larger version
	This is the hex tool that came with the scoot.
	Alan and Melissa decided the wheel needed to be propped up, so they turned the seat upside down and propped it on the u-bar part of the yoke.
	Melissa is rolling the old belt off.
	Tada!
	Now they're working together (each with a hex tool) to get the wheel off.
	There was some cursing involved because they were having a hard time getting the wheel loose.
	Alan went and got the big guns -- his ratchet set.
	Success!
	Now Melissa is rolling the new belt on.
	Alan is putting the pin back that holds the wheel on.
	There's that ratchet again.
	All done!

TravelScoot in a Tokyo Taxi

My TravelScoot fits in a Tokyo taxi. Yesterday it experienced an earthquake and no damage. On to Hong Kong. Dean

Dean Rescued in Hong Kong by Nat of Rugged Tree

Recommending Nat if you're in Asia

I'm not sure why Dean has so many belt problems. I've had my scoot for almost 2 years and have never had a belt break. --Elizabeth

I have learned a few things about TravelScoots having taken mine around the world numerous times this year and one of them is watch the inclines you try and take them up. In front of the Intercontinental Hotel in Hong Kong, the hill is a killer. Today I was at a store at Harbor Centre and I noticed the 'click' which signals your belt is slipping. That is the kiss of death for the TravelScoot because it means you are about to lose your belt. When I changed hotels to the other Intercontinental, the belt stretched and it was over. Luckily I had one more belt (2nd one I've changed in 7 days) but I was now without any backup belts. I went to http://www.travelscoot.com/ and learned that they have an agent in Singapore so emailed Nat at http://theruggedtree.com/ and told him of my plight. He doesn't take credit cards but we figured out we can do it via paypal (http://www.paypal.com/) so he went to the postoffice and express mailed it to me. For those of us who depend on their TravelScoots being without it would be a disaster. It should arrive in 2 days and I'll feel relieved. Anyway, I would like to recommend Nat as a good person to know if you travel in Asia and especially Singapore. He is my 'angel' this week. I will continue running around Hong Kong secure in the knowledge that I have another belt if this one breaks. Dean http://www.eggman.cc/

Beautiful Views in Kauai

Everywhere we went in Kauai there was another beautiful view. Some are natural beauty and others are manicured into perfection. In the last picture I couldn't resist capturing Melissa and Greg sharing a moment while we waiting for it to stop raining.

 

Rental van holds all our luggage and two fully assembled TravelScoots

	The lobby at the Kauai Beach Resort. It was breezy, cool, and tropical.
	We rented a Chrysler Town and Country. All our luggage and two fully assembled TravelScoots fit in the back.
	It was about 25 miles from the Kauai Beach Resort to the Princeville Westin. This was one of the random pictures I took through the van window on the trip.
	We're home! (For a week at least.) This is the main building for the Princeville Westin. This picture was taken from the TravelScoot vantage point.