My roommate and I absolutely love this Razor scooter. I'm one of the many, many people who had a scooter as a kid, were sad when they outgrew it, and eventually came across this one years later, which is built for bigger/older riders. My life has been really rough lately, but when I'm riding this scooter, I am so happy that I forget everything else around me. Granted, I've only had this thing for two days, but my roommate and I have ridden it about 4-5 miles between us in that amount of time. I will try to update my review as time passes, because I hope this scooter will last me a long time.
Pros: For me, I am not picky. I honestly love everything about this scooter, but I know a few details might annoy others, so I will try and list those in the cons. I love the height of the handlebars, and the width, as well. It suits me well, and I'm pretty short (5'1"). The wheels surprised me, in a good way. They have a lot more grip than I was expecting, and I haven't had any problems with slippery wheels on smooth surfaces or anything. I was shocked at how smooth the ride was. I expected hard, rattly plastic and thin-feeling metal like on my old scooter from 15-ish years ago, but the Razor A5 LUX feels solid to me. It glides very, very smoothly across various kinds of paved surfaces. It also continues to roll very smoothly over long distances with very few kicks. My roommate, as well, is amazed at how smooth it is to ride. The grip tape is also very nice, not as rough as on a skateboard, but gritty enough to make me confident that I'm not going to slip right off if the scooter gets wet or if I wear shoes with less grip. My feet fit on it nicely, with room to spare (I wear a women's shoe size 9 1/2 wide.) If I start rolling with one foot off to one side of the deck, then I can even stand on it with both feet side-by-side after I pick up some speed. It's very quiet and the steering is easy and smooth. The entire scooter is simple to break down, as well, for easy transport while walking or driving elsewhere. I have mine in a medium-sized cloth bag, shaped like the bags you can use at grocery stores if you don't want a bunch of plastic bags. I also love the scooter's color, and its design! I have already gotten several compliments on it at a few of the parks I've ridden it through. It requires no assembly; just take it out of the box, unfold/click all its parts back into place, and you're ready to roll! The blue version also comes with a kickstand, which is wonderful for when my roommate and I stop to take pictures of something or look at the wildlife or whatever. I've heard that the red version does not include a kickstand. My scooter, by the way, was manufactured in July of this year, 2015. Therefore, it's one of the most recent models.
Cons: These are not necessarily "cons", but they are definitely things you should be aware of. For starters, if you wish to adjust the tightness on the steering column or the quick-release tension, you will need a 3 mm and a 5 mm Allen wrench, respectively. These tools are listed as coming with the scooter if ordered new in the box, but as many others have noted, they do not. You will need to acquire your own. I knew this ahead of time, so it was a non-issue, but I have not needed to adjust anything yet. Everything was perfectly tightened straight out of the box. Also, keep in mind that a scooter is not a bicycle; just as you wouldn't ride a skateboard through rough terrain, do not try and ride this scooter through rough terrain. Gravel is a no-no, and any major bumps in the pavement (debris, wide cracks, or tall seams in the pavement) cannot be safely ridden over. It even says as much in the manual: "Scooters are intended for use on solid, flat, clean, and dry surfaces, such as pavement or level ground without loose debris, such as rocks or gravel" (Razor A5 LUX Scooter Owner's Manual, printed in 2014). However, I was very curious about what would happen if this scooter was ridden in the rain. I am considering using the Razor A5 LUX as an alternate mode of transportation to my workplace, less than 2 miles down the street from my home. What would happen if it started to rain as I was leaving work, or on my way back from the grocery store a mile down the road? It just so happened that last night and this morning, we had our first rainstorm since earlier this year, so I decided to ride it for a bit through some wet pavement, to see how scary of a ride it could be. Surprisingly, I could tell no difference. My personal fear of riding quickly over a wet surface slowed me down way more than the scooter ever did. It seemed to lose no traction whatsoever, and I never lost control of it. Here's the catch, though, which I also knew about ahead of time thanks to previous reviews: back-splatter. If you absolutely must ride this scooter in the rain, then please remember to go slowly, and DO NOT use the brake. Muddy water from the back tire will thoroughly coat the back of your legs from your ankles nearly up to your back. A small bit of back-splatter still happens even if you do not use the brakes at all. In conclusion, try your best to do as the manual says: don't ride it in the rain. :) About the brake, now... it will not actually stop you instantly if you tap on it. Nor should it do so. If it did stop you instantly, you'd go flying off your scooter and into a wall or something. The brake will instead gently slow down your speed until you can safely step off. Do not expect a quick stop, so be mindful of your surroundings. Finally, make sure every component is securely locked into place before riding. The handlebars each pop out via a spring-loaded button and dangle down from a stretchy cord for easy storage. The handlebar height (T-bar) is also adjusted via a spring-loaded button, as well as a quick-release lever. When adjusting height or re-securing handlebars, it is very important to make sure the buttons are fully snapped into their "lock" positions and the quick-release lever is tight and closed. If any of these are not secure, the entire steering system is compromised, and could fail during your ride (ending in obvious pain).
All in all, I love this scooter. I love that its wheels are grippier than I imagined. I love that my feet fit comfortably on it. I love its color, and its clever design. I love that it rides smoothly, and feels safe. And, most of all, I love how happy and relaxed I feel when I'm riding it out and about. I bought this scooter to have fun with, and boy, I am sure having a blast. I highly recommend this scooter. We'll see what the future brings, but for right now, all I want to do is ride this thing absolutely everywhere! :)
*UPDATE*: One(ish) year later! I have to say, this little guy still exceeds my expectations. I haven't gotten a chance to take it all the way to my workplace and back yet, but I have gone on some practice runs out that way, and it sure is a great workout! :) Lots of hills and narrow sidewalks, and it handles them so easily. Between me and my best friend, we have put over 20 miles on it just in town, and I have no idea how many more I put on it when I started using it as a primary form of exercise over this summer. I would do laps around a local park's paved trail while my friends power-walked. I discovered that it's pretty good for cardio, getting the ol' heart pumping hard to keep pace with my legs that are pushing me along. It also proved to be a workout for my arms, as well. You don't usually have to constantly steer something when walking, so more muscles are used, and balancing on a scooter in general helped my legs feel stronger.
Even my 65-year-old dad gave it a whirl while he was up visiting me this summer, and he had a blast! He took it around the park several times, building up so much speed that I was worried for his safety, but I forget that he used to ride motorcycles "back in the day", so he's competent at balance and speed. He's pretty tall, too, but not super-heavy. He was able to ride my scooter with no difficulty.
As far as handling goes, this scooter is still phenomenal. The ride is still very smooth, and I have gotten brave enough to not be afraid of every leaf and small twig in my path; it always glides right over them. The steering is still tight and smooth (goodness, pretty much everything about this scooter is "smooth"). Its tires are still in great shape. Of course, like I said before, this thing is not meant for gravel--use a bike if you want to go off-roading. The grip for my feet is still grippy--I don't feel like I'm going to slip off of the thing, ever. I never break down the handlebars when I store it, simply because I don't need to; folding it up and shortening the steering column is all that's needed for it to fit in my hall closet. So nothing new to report on handlebar assembly/disassembly.
I have noticed a black grease-like substance around the handlebars at times, and I haven't really investigated to see what/where it originates from. Is it actual grease from inside the steering column, or is it the result of moisture on the black foam handles? Nevertheless, be wary of it. It probably washes out of clothing, but if you're wearing something delicate and hard to wash thoroughly, try not to rub it at the base of the black foam handles. It's never been a real issue for me, and just to be extra-safe, I have a large plastic cover over the handles during storage and vehicle-transportation so the mystery grease won't get on anything it's not supposed to. Problem solved. :)
I think I may have only needed to tighten one part of the scooter once... It's hard to remember, so it's obviously not a common problem for me. No part of the scooter as a whole has broken or fallen off or anything. I really enjoy taking it on birdwatching trips at one of our nearby paved trails; the trail covers about 60 miles with few access points, so getting anywhere quickly on it used to be a challenge. Not anymore, though, with this awesome Razor scooter! :) I can glide the 2 miles down to my favorite birdwatching spot in no time flat, and with the blue-version-exclusive kickstand, I can just set it off to the side while I'm photographing all the wildlife. When I'm done, I just sling my pack over my back, hop back on my scooter, and zoom the 2 miles back to the car. So simple and exhilarating! If the weather is exceptionally nasty, I will sometimes just ride it back and forth inside the house to get my fill of gliding around on it for the day. :)
In summary: after over a year of riding, I still love this scooter. I would still recommend it in a heartbeat to someone. It's so much fun, and with proper use, I expect this amazing piece of equipment to last--and bring joy to me--for a very, very long time.
| Brand | Razor |
|---|---|
| Color | Black Label |
| Age Range (Description) | Adult |
| Special Feature | Adjustable |
| Weight Limit | 220 Pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 33.9"L x 18"W x 38.6"H |
| Number of Wheels | 2 |
| Model Name | Black Label A5 Lux |
| Wheel Material | Polyurethane |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Item Weight | 4.81 Kilograms |
| Handlebar Type | Adjustable |
| Handle Height | 38 Inches |
| Wheel Size | 200 Millimeters |
| Wheel Type | Solid |
| Grip Type | Contoured |
| Brake Style | Rear Braking |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 30 x 12.2 x 4.9 inches |
| Package Weight | 4.81 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 33.9 x 18 x 38.6 inches |
| Brand Name | Razor |
| Warranty Description | 90 day Limited Manufacture |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Suggested Users | unisex-teen |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | Razor USA, LLC |
| Part Number | 13013292 |
| Model Year | 2021 |
| Style | Scooter |
| Included Components | A5 Scooter and product manual |
| Size | One Size |
