Riceel R01 electric scooter review: #1 best seller on Amazon UK

The Riceel R01 is the best selling scooter on Amazon so we wanted to know, why is it so popular? On paper it’s inexpensive and has some pretty decent specs but how does it perform in the real world? To find out, we took it out for review to see what all the hype is about. Keep reading to see whether it has the Electroheads stamp of approval before you go ahead and invest in this bit of kit… 

Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: £159.99

Good for:

• First-time electric scooter riders
• Short journeys and everyday trips
• Riders on a budget
• Anyone looking for a lightweight, foldable scooter

Pros:

• Very affordable
• Lightweight and easy to carry
• Decent range for the price
• App connectivity

Cons:

• Small 8.5-inch solid wheels
• No suspension
• Small deck
• Not particularly comfortable on rough surfaces
• Limited performance on steep hills

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Specs:

Components and build quality:

The Riceel R01 is a pretty basic electric scooter, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's small, lightweight and feels sturdy enough for everyday use, although it doesn't have the heavy-duty feel of a more expensive scooter.

The R01 is equipped with a 350W motor and a 38V battery, which Riceel claims can provide up to 15 miles of range. For a scooter at this price point, that's a respectable amount of range and should be enough for short commutes and everyday journeys.

The folding mechanism is simple, with a single clasp on the front of the stem allowing the scooter to fold in half. The clip feels sturdy and is easy enough to unclasp, making the R01 particularly convenient if you need to carry it upstairs or put it in the boot of a car.

There's also an LED display integrated into the top of the front stem. This gives you the basics at a glance, including your speed, mileage and remaining battery life.

The scooter also has app connectivity, which adds a little more functionality than you might expect at this price. Through the app, you can control the lock and unlock function, lights, gears, start mode, top speed and cruise control.

The front headlight and rear brake light are useful additions too, helping you to see and be seen when riding in lower-light conditions.

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Performance and handling:

This is where it's important to remember what you're paying for. The Riceel R01 isn't designed to deliver the acceleration or hill-climbing ability of a much more expensive electric scooter, but for short, everyday journeys, the 350W motor does a perfectly reasonable job.

The motor gets the scooter up to speed in good time and it feels responsive enough when riding on flat roads. It can also handle smaller hills without too much trouble, although you'll notice the performance drop off as the gradient gets steeper.

At its claimed top speed of 15.5mph, the R01 feels quick enough for the type of riding this scooter is intended for. It's not a scooter that encourages you to push your limits; instead, it feels much more suited to relaxed trips around town.

The claimed 15-mile range is also pretty decent considering the price and compact size of the scooter. As with any electric scooter, though, your actual range will depend on factors such as rider weight, terrain, speed and weather. If you're riding up lots of hills or constantly using the motor at maximum power, expect that figure to come down.

Handling is one area where the R01's budget design becomes more noticeable. The 8.5-inch wheels are relatively small, and because they're solid rather than pneumatic, they don't offer the same level of stability and cushioning as larger air-filled tyres.

On smooth tarmac and good-quality pavements, the scooter is easy enough to ride and manoeuvre. However, I found that the smaller wheels make bumps, cracks and uneven surfaces more noticeable, and you need to pay more attention to the road ahead.

Overall, the performance is exactly what I'd expect from a scooter at this price. It isn't particularly powerful or exciting, but it gets you moving and does what it's designed to do without trying to be something it's not.

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Comfort:

I must admit that this is not the most comfortable scooter I have ever ridden… The deck is rather thin and there is no suspension and the 8.5inch wheels are solid rather than pneumatic. The small deck can mean that it is hard to find a comfortable riding position and the lack of cushioning on this scooter can mean that you feel all of the bumps and dips in the road as they are not absorbed by the wheels or suspension. 

That being said, this scooter does not have a huge range and so for the time that you might spend on this scooter the comfort issues aren’t that bad. This is also a scooter that I would use on smooth tarmac or paving stones anyway, rather than any bumpy trails, so the path you take it on might be relatively smooth as well, mitigating the need for any heavy duty suspension. 

Brakes:

One of the most important things on an electric scooter is the brakes. When you are riding on a piece of e-mobility you want to make sure that you can stop safely and reliably when you want to stop. 

The Riceel R01 combines electronic braking with a drum brake, giving you two braking systems working together. For a lightweight scooter designed primarily for urban riding, this provides a reassuring level of stopping power.

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Verdict:

You get what you pay for with the Riceel R01 - but in this case, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

This isn't a high-performance electric scooter that's going to blow you away with its power, suspension or comfort. Instead, it's a simple and affordable way of getting from A to B a little quicker than walking.

At £159.99, I think the R01 makes a good case for itself as an entry-level electric scooter. If you've never owned an e-scooter before and aren't sure how much you'll use one, spending hundreds or even thousands of pounds doesn't necessarily make sense. The R01 gives you the chance to try one out without making a huge investment.

I'd recommend sticking to relatively smooth roads and pavements, though. This definitely isn't an off-road scooter, and the small solid wheels and lack of suspension become noticeable as soon as you encounter rougher terrain.

One of its biggest strengths is its portability. At 12.7kg and with a folding frame, it's relatively easy to carry upstairs, lift into a car or store at home.

So, is the Riceel R01 worth the hype? If you're looking for a cheap, simple electric scooter for short journeys, I can see why it's so popular. It doesn't excel in any one area, but for the money, it does the basics well - and sometimes that's exactly what you need from an e-scooter.

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