Gotrax GXL Review – A price-worthy commuter from Gotrax
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Gotrax has been expanding their line-up of electric scooters lately in a process to be aid most customers needs. Whether you’re an adult, a young child or a raging teenager Gotrax has a scooter that fits the bill — including this one the GoTrax GXL.
Their latest addition, the Gotrax GXL is first and foremost built for those who need to go a bit further but doesn’t feel that the price-tag on the Mijia nor Segway by Ninebot scooters are fair.
So many have failed to push the Xiaomi m365 off its throne as one of the most price-worthy scooters. Will the GXL be the first one to actually succeed?
Review
The Gotrax GXL electric scooter has a lot to offer in terms of speed and distance. But the best part is that, instead of ripping the Mijia’s design straight off the bat. Just like Swagtron tried to do with their model 5, which for the record failed big-time. It actually has a lot of uniqueness to it.
One thing I want to highlight here is the rear brake. I hate the friction brake on most scooters and I rather just put my foot down to make a hasty stop. But in order to do that I would have to switch shoes about once or twice a week, and with my feet needing special built-in insoles that wouldn’t be the most cost-effective way.
However, the GXL’s rear brake is a disc brake, nothing special with that. No, but what’s special is that there is a pedal on which you put your foot down in order to brake, and it works wonders. How come nobody thought of that before. Just amazing how simple things like that can get you all warm inside. It also has an electric motor brake which is controlled with a push throttle.
In terms of speed and distance, it is similar to the ES1 and M365. The 36V lithium-ion battery provides a decent 12.5 miles per charge and it has a recharge time of about 4 hours.
It boasts a 250-watt front hub motor that can propel the scooter at speeds of up to 15.5 mph.
The led-display is nicely positioned in the top of your handlebar, and on it, you can see how fast you are going and how much juice you got left. Battery life is indicated with 4 bars and it fluctuates some while riding.
It folds down nicely and locks on to the rear splash guard just like the Xiaomi scooter. This makes it more stable while carrying it and with a total weight of 26.5 lbs, most adults will have no problem at all carrying it, so stairs will not be an obstacle. The scooters size while folded is small and you can easily fit it inside most car trunks, on the bus or subway without a problem.
Specifications:
Top speed of up to 15.5 mph
A distance of up to 12.5 miles per charge
250W hub motor
Lithium-ion 36V
Weight 26.5 lbs
8.5” pneumatic tires
Can tackle slopes up to 10 degrees
Up to 4 hours recharge time
Riding experience
The Gotrax GXL is a very comfortable and smooth electric scooter to ride on. The 8.5” pneumatic tires do a good job in reducing bumps and the grip from the tires are good.
The stem reminds me of the Glider, but an updated version. I really like that they started using rubber cushioning instead of the foam type used on the Glider. They can handle a few blows without getting ripped to shreds.
I got a decent 8 miles out of it riding with my 178 lbs. I went up a few hills and tested it on some hard packed gravel roads. However, I did help it out with a few kicks going uphill. I’ve made it a habit when riding the more lightweight options since it dramatically increases the distance I can get out of them on a single charge.
A very stylish, yet simple design that makes it very appealing to the eye. Not a lot to say about the ride except that it gets the job done and for the price tag I think it might be one of the best options out there for shorter commutes and/or just plain fun. With the astonishing fact that the Independent has published the results of a survey that states that: Short commutes is better than having sex. I rest my case.
Features
- Good led-display nicely integrated to the top of the stem.
- Folds down effortlessly and locks on to the rear splash guard.
- Sweet 8.5” pneumatic tires with good grip.
- Unique rear disc brake system.
The review test data
Distance: 8.3 miles
Speed: 15 mph
Avg speed: 9 mph
Battery Consumption: 100% to 0%
Surface: Flat surface, hills, off-road
Last words of recommendation
If you’ve been considering getting the Gotrax GXL I’d say go for it. It is a very capable electric scooter with a somewhat unique design even though a lot of inspiration has been taken from the Mijia.
At the beginning of this post, I said that this might have a shot at overtaking the throne. I can surely say that it does provide a similar riding experience. I would say were 85-90% there and with its price-tag, it makes up for the loss. The GXL really delivered a good comfortable ride for the money. A simple and stylish scooter fit for adults and teens both.
There’s several newer versions that have been released now. Take a look at the GoTrax GXL V2 which is a great scooter for not a lot of money. If you don’t mind paying a little more for a newer scooter, check out the GoTrax XR Elite. The XR Elite has a wider deck than both the GXL and the GXL V2 so it’s worth investigating.
If you are looking for a replacement charger for your GoTrax GXL go here.
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