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(More customer reviews)I've been a long time Xootr owner. I bought my first over 9 years ago. I have probably owned in excess of 20 of them. I don't keep buying them because they break; I typically donate them to some worthy child I meet on vacation.
Originally I bought a bunch of Razor scooters to take and donate with me while I'd travel to some relatively poor areas of the world. I'd take a few with me and give them to deserving kids I'd meet. At the time I had a Razor scooter myself. It was pretty crappy to ride unless on very smooth pavement and it wasn't really big enough for my large feet to ride comfortably.
One time I returned to where I had previously "donated" a few Razor scooters and met up with the kids I had given them to. Every one of them was broken. I tried to fix them best I could but I had noticed they really didn't last that long in some of these areas.
At this time I searched for a replacement for my "big wheeled" Razor and encountered a little article on the Xootrs. At first I was struck by the thought that would anybody pay THAT much money for a scooter. What were they thinking? I read another good review and another and finally I opened up my wallet and bought a shiny new Street. After 4 days of waiting the UPS truck pulled up with my Xootr.
My first push and then glide seemed to go on forever. I was hooked after that first push. I immediately got rid of all my Razors and I never looked back. The Xootr has been an amazing traveling companion for me. I have Xoot'rd all over the world. I have taken my Xootrs to Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Holland, France, many other countries. Never once I have had to worry about a flat or any other problems while on traveling.
I have now donated quite a few Xootrs over the years. They are more expensive so I don't only donate 1 a trip. I have gone back and seen kids riding the same Xootr 2 or 3 years later. They were a little worse for wear but everything was still working fine with likely no maintenance done to them at all.
Only one recurring issue I see with current Xootrs is that the handlebar alignment pin seems to be off a few degrees so they are not lined up exactly right on any of my scooters. It is a minor thing and doesn't really affect the handling.
I have owned every model of Xootr including the carbon fiber ones they previously made and the eX3 (electric scooter no longer in production and that is a shame!). The magnesium one is a great scooter and a lot of bang for the buck. I love the street as it is incredibly tough. It also has the highest weight capacity if you are on the hefty side like I used to be. The Roma is my favorite. It is narrow (more efficient kick) and the fastest.
Keep in mind that your speed is limited to how fast you can kick. There is no mechanical advantage you get like on a bicycle that has gears. As a result you are going to be limited to going about as fast as you can run but with less effort. I find on level ground I can easily keep up a 10-12mph pace. In the city I am about as fast as on my bicycle but a lot easier to carry with me.
For commutes over 3-4 miles I'd suggest a bike. A Xootr folding bike is a great option too. In heavy traffic the Xootr can allow you to scoot through pedestrians much easier than I can on a bike. It is much more portable.
It is very quick to fold and put away. I also found that while some metro (subway) systems charged me to bring my bike on; they never once charged me for my Xootr. The quick release pin allows you to fold it down in about 5 seconds or less.
If you've read this far I'd like to give a few quick words of advice. Don't ride your Xootr on ice, snow or wet roads. This is a recipe for disaster in short order. The reflective road dividers are slick when dry and absolutely treacherous if even slightly moist. Take time to get use to the braking characteristics. While the brakes work they are not incredibly efficient. You will NOT stop on a dime and get change. They are not efficient at all when damp. Absolutely AVOID puddles. Also watch the bigger holes that could swallow a wheel as well as grates that have long longitudinal gaps. Always try to cross things perpendicularly (right angle). Pretty much the only wear item is the wheels and they are amazing. Bad roads accelerate tire wear.
While riding your Xootr is fun, it can also be fun to customize it too. There are some very neat accessories now. They have carrying bags, handlebar straps and even pretty cool quick-detachable luggage. With the magnesium version you can even get a few different colors. I've added a quick detachable 3 watt LED headlight to mine and a rear light as well. I use a Garmin Nuvi as a nav system on a RAM handlebar mount. I use a luggage carrier up front to carry groceries. All in all it has been one of the best purchases I've made. It is also a great conversation starter when I travel. I feel like I have become a Xootr ambassador when I travel to places around the world. Almost all my friends now have bought them. At first they cringed a bit about the price but after buying them they are incredibly happy and have no regrets. It is the exact opposite of buyer's remorse!
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