Drive Medical Zoome Flex Review and all you need to know about it
ZooMe Flex Specification:
- Speed: 4 mph
- Distance: 13 miles
- Recharge time: 3-5 hours
- Maximum weight: 300 lbs
- Climbing ability: 6 Degrees
- Warranty; Frame: lifetime limited, all other components: 1 year
- Automatic folding is a blast and eliminates the daunting task of manually folding the scooter together
- A lightweight unit that most people would have no problem hauling into the back of the trunk
- Delta tiller is good and highly adjustable, giving it a more custom feeling
- Anti-tip wheels that prevent the unit from tipping over when accelerating hard
- Comfortable, priceworthy and easy to use
- Detaching the battery from the scooter was somewhat complicated at first
- Manual was easy to read and understand but some pictures made explanations confusing
Drive Medical has released a new mobility scooter called the Zoome Flex. Those of us who know the disability scooter madness know that Zoome from the beginning is their recreational 3-wheeled unit. The flex is, however, nothing like that unit. It is a much more stable, comfortable and portable mobility model. If you are interested in know exactly what we think about it and where the Zoome Flex outperforms its competition, keep on reading the review.
Reviewing the ZooMe Flex
The Zoome Flex are Drive Medicals new 4-wheeled unit that has been stripped down in weight and has a whole new folding function, a function that we have never before seen on any of their previous scooters. This ZooMe Flex is a result of their efforts to try and grab a spot as a viable option for those in need of a lightweight and easy to fold mobility scooter.
Drive Medical is already famous for their well-built and affordable models, like the Scout which is by far one of the most popular models amongst people suffering from a disability. There is no question that the Zoome flex is a good contender and it will probably win over more than a few hearts within the travel scooter community.
Specifics and numbers
- Going through the numbers are not always that interesting, but we have tried to make it simple and easier for you to digest by adding a few comments on each part.
- Top speed: 4 mph, a decent enough speed to get you around comfortably and safely.
- Distance per charge: 13 miles, the maximum distance you can get on a fully charged battery under optimal conditions.
Weight Capacity: 300lbs, just like most other travel scooters they do not accommodate anyone above 300 pounds. - Brakes: Electromagnetic, an electronic braking system that uses the magnets of the electric motor in order to slow down the scooter.
- Maximum climb: 6 degrees, this is enough to get you up most mobility ramps.
- Total weight: 60 lbs, the unit can not be disassembled into multiple pieces except for detaching the battery which weighs only 5 lbs. This leaves you with a unit of 55 lbs that you need to make sure you are able to lift in order to transport it by car.
- Turning radius: 47.2”, how much space you need in order to be able to turn the whole scooter around without knocking things over.
- Ground clearance: 1.6”, is the standard of mobility scooters and it gets you over most thresholds except for unnecessarily high ones.
- Motor: 24v x 120W, a small but lightweight motor that fits perfectly on your mobility scooter. It uses rear wheel drive which provides you with increased grip due to the nature of weight distributed on the scooter when riding.
- Battery: 10ah 29.6V, this gives you a nice speed and good distance without adding much to the weight of the unit. Also, the battery is airline approved.
Features that it possess
A fully electronic folding system which is beautifully crafted to aid those with problems folding and unfolding a scooter on their own. With the press of a button on the remote control, they can easily fold it together in as little as 15 seconds with minimal effort.
Utilizing an aluminum frame to lower the weight giving the end user a lightweight scooter that is much easier to handle without the need for a helping hand.
Since this is a travel scooter they’ve gone the extra mile and equipped it with an airline approved lithium battery of 10ah and 29.6V. To charge the unit you use a 2ah lithium UL approved charger that will recharge your scooter fully in about 5 hours, give or take an hour. The battery can only be charged while mounted correctly to the mobility scooter, meaning you can’t charge the battery off-board.
Using a delta tiller to steer with is perfect for people with less arm strength and it really makes steering a lot softer and easier. The delta tiller is also highly adjustable so you can sit comfortably while still being able to maximize the steering capabilities.
It is equipped with a locking mechanism so you need to use a key to be able to drive it. It also comes with a key fob to fold and unfold the scooter.
Who benefits from the Zoome auto-flex compact mobility scooter
The conclusion I make after taking it for a test spin is that there are little to no early-stage problems, we’ve consulted with a few other clients and they’ve had the same experience as we have. The battery is a bit tricky to detach from the scooter at first, but you’ll get the hang of it. That is basically it, we discovered nothing more that we felt was out of order.
So who would benefit the most from the Zoome auto-flex?
I think this is a great choice for seniors and those of us who might not have a helping hand around at all times. It folds with ease in less than 15 seconds and the lightweight frame makes it very easy to handle and taking it in your car won’t be a problem for most people. It provides you with a decent speed and good range at a really good price point, combining that with the Drive Medical brand and after-sales service. You have yourself an excellent scooter that will stand by your side for years to come.
