Razor EcoSmart Metro Review
Scores, Tests, Measurements
Pros
- Large and comfortable
- Smooth ride
- Environmentally friendly
- Detachable luggage rack
- Adjustable handlebar
Cons
- Weight
- Not foldable
- Noisy operation
- Charge time
When to buy
Consider purchasing the Razor EcoSmart Metro when you need a reliable, environmentally friendly commuting option or a convenient means of making short trips. If you prioritize comfort, thanks to its spacious bamboo deck and pneumatic tires providing a smooth ride.
When not to buy
Consider avoiding the purchase of the Razor Ecosmart Metro if you prioritize a lightweight and highly portable electric scooter. The Ecosmart Metro’s relatively heavy build may be a drawback for individuals who need a more easily transportable option.
In this detailed Razor EcoSmart Metro review, we will find out why this evergreen model is one true adult scooter, and why it makes the other popular scooters look like toys for children in comparison.
Specifications
Razor EcoSmart Metro Specifications
| Top speed | 30 kmh |
| Top speed | 18.6 mph |
| Range | 19 km |
| Range | 12 mi |
| Motors | single chain drive |
| Power | 500 W |
| Battery | 36 V |
| Charging time | 12 h |
| Weight | 29 kg |
| Weight | 64 lbs |
| Weight limit | 100 kg |
| Weight limit | 220 lbs |
| Tire size | 16 in |
| Tire type | pneumatic |
| Foldable | no |
| Foldable handlebars | no |
| Seat | yes |
| Trunk or basket | yes |
| Build material | wood, steel |
| Terrains | urban |
| Brakes | rear disc brake |
| Shock absorbers | no |
| Lights | no (customization possible) |
| Keys | no |
| Warranty | 90 days |
| Return period | 30 days |
| Rider age | 16 |
| Unfolded dimensions (L * W * H) | 146 cm * 51 cm * 109 cm |
| Unfolded dimensions (L * W * H) | 57 in * 20 in * 43 in |
| Adjustable handlebar | yes |
| Notes | lead-acid battery; |
Basics
Razor is one of the oldest and most trusted brands in the electric scooter world. Their scooters were initially intended for children, and the brand is still often associated with children’s scooters. However, they’ve had several models for adults for quite a few years now, and they have proven to be pretty good.
Unboxing and assembly
The scooter will arrive unassembled, in a somewhat heavy box, with the Razor branding on it.
The box contains:
- scooter’s main chassis with the rear wheel
- handlebars
- front wheel
- seat
- basket frame and basket
- screws
- tools required for the assembly (screwdriver, Allen wrench, open wrench, spoke tightener)
- charger
- user manual
- warranty card
The assembly process may take you somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes. The process itself is easy, and it provides that vibe of anticipation while assembling your cool new gadget, so it can be quite fun. The manual clearly describes all the steps in detail.
You should charge the scooter’s battery fully before riding for the first time.
How to use the Razor EcoSmart Metro?
The power button for the scooter is on the rear left side of the deck, which I believe is not ideal, as dirt and liquid can easily end up around it and interfere with its function. The charging port is right next to it as well, and it’s protected by a plastic cap.
The right handlebar has a simple screen with indicator lights for the power, the voltage, and whether the battery level is full or low.
The scooter has a twist-grip throttle that’s used for acceleration, and a brake lever for stopping. This is a zero-start scooter, so you don’t need to kick off the ground to start.
Performance
Let’s take a look at Razor EcoSmart Metro’s performances.
Motor, power, torque
Not too long ago, the Razor EcoSmart was only available with a chain-drive motor, but today, you can also go with the hub motor if you desire.
Most owners still seem to choose the chain-drive motor, which may be understandable, as that’s how the scooter was envisioned to work.
I believe that hub motors are a much better option in general, but for this scooter, it may be better to stick with the chain-drive motor, as that’s how the original design of the scooter suggests. The chain-drive motor will also provide more torque, and the only downside will be the possibility of something going wrong with the chain (you can learn more about the differences between chain and hub motors in the complete motors guide).
The motor power is 500 Watts for the chain-drive, and 350 Watts for the hub-drive, which is another reason to stick with the chain-drive.
Speed, acceleration, and speed test
The advertised top speed of the Razor EcoSmart is 18.6 mph / 30 kmh, and that’s exactly the speed you can expect to get in your everyday rides. My reports showed that this scooter can achieve those speeds even when riding with nearly empty batteries.
The scooter will accelerate mildly and gradually, although you can still feel a nice little kick if you go full throttle.
If you are looking for a faster electric scooter for your daily commute check my article on the fastest electric scooters.
Climb
Razor doesn’t specify an official climb angle for the scooter. Owner reports suggest that the scooter climbs well, and tackles mild to moderate hills fairly well, but it slows down on steeper hills, and it may even stop completely if the hill is too steep or the battery is not full.
If the climbing capability is important to you and you don’t want to risk it, check my article on the best electric scooters for climbing hills.
Range and range test
The official range of the Razor EcoSmart Metro is 12 mi / 19 km, or between 40 minutes and 1 hour of non-stop riding.
In my tests, I found that the Razor EcoSmart Metro could consistently achieve a range of 10-11.5 mi / 16-18.5 km on a single charge. This is slightly lower than the official range, but it is still enough for most commuting needs.
Battery and charging
This is one of the few electric scooters with a sealed-lead-acid battery. It has a voltage of 36 V, and a capacity of 9 Ah.
Because the battery is lead-acid, charging the scooter fully takes up to 12 hours.
In my opinion, this is one of the biggest weaknesses of this scooter, as it takes too long to charge, yet doesn’t provide you with that much range. Just for reference, lithium-ion scooters that have a charge time of 12 hours will have three or even four times more range.
As usual, the charger indicator light will be red when the scooter is charging, and green when the charging is done.
You should try and unplug the charger soon after the battery is full, as the battery system doesn’t have overcharging protection, and leaving the charger for too long after the battery is full may shorten the battery’s lifespan.
Battery replacement
Lead-acid batteries have less capacity than lithium-ion batteries and take longer to charge, but luckily, you can replace the default batteries on this scooter with lithium-ion ones, and you will get much better performance. You should find batteries with the same voltage unless you’re planning on overvolting your scooter.
Ride experience
The Razor EcoSmart Metro has very large tires, especially for an electric scooter. Since small tire diameter in scooters is the biggest reason for shaking and bumpy rides, it’s only natural that this scooter will provide very smooth and stable rides.
You will typically ride the scooter while seated. The seat is very comfortable and provides a lot of cushioning, which makes the rides even more enjoyable, especially if you’re like me and you’re a bit on the lazier side.
With both a seat for you to rest on and a large basket for your items, the Razor EcoSmart Metro is a fully-featured adult scooter that gives you all the help you need in your daily tasks.
Build quality
The Razor EcoSmart Metro is very reliable. Even though chain-drive motors are typically more prone to defects than hub-drive motors, the rate of defects for this scooter is very low. Plus, with the option to choose a hub-drive motor, you can eliminate that risk, which might be a good choice for riders who don’t plan to be super careful with their scooters.
The scooter has been around for a long time now, and owners frequently report their scooters lasting for several years without a major defect. Also, as time goes by, Razor keeps improving this scooter with every new version and they’re addressing problems swiftly and frequently. If you buy the Razor EcoSmart Metro today, chances are, you will ride it for at least 2 years without a problem.
Its distinct look features the unique bamboo wooden deck, the comfortable Razor seat, and the celebrated basket in the back, which all together make the scooter one of the most useful and practical adult electric scooters ever made.
Features
Let’s dive into Razor EcoSmart Metro’s features next.
Water resistance
The Razor EcoSmart Metro has no official IP rating, and it should not be used in the rain, snow, or other wet conditions.
That said, some owners have gone against that recommendation and ridden in the rain, and the vast majority of them report the scooter handling without any issues (only one water-related defect has been reported).
If you happen to ride in the rain, don’t forget to wipe the scooter’s chassis afterward with a dry cloth, to prevent it from rusting.
Riding at night
The scooter has no lights and is not suited for riding at night. If you wish to ride at night, you will have to get some after-market lights and install them. I recommend checking out an LED front-and-rear system that provides sufficient brightness but doesn’t cost a ton.
Dimensions, weight, and portability
The Razor EcoSmart Metro weighs 65.3 lbs / 29.6 kg.
The scooter does not fold. With dimensions of 57.5 x 20 x 43 in / 146 x 51 x 109 cm, it is smaller than a bike but larger than a typical electric scooter.
As I mentioned before, portability is probably the biggest weakness of this scooter, and you should plan out how you might carry and store this scooter to work around its large weight and volume.
Weight limit and rider age
The official weight limit of the Razor EcoSmart Metro is 220 lbs / 100 kg, and that means the scooter will handle most adults without a problem. Many adults close to the weight limit report either no drop in performance or a barely noticeable one.
The official rider age for this scooter is 16 or older, but many children younger than that successfully pester their parents and convince them to buy them one, so the scooter is frequently used by teenagers and kids as well.
Brakes and safety
The scooter has a single disk brake on the rear wheel that’s engaged by the brake lever on the left handlebar. The scooter is not capable of dangerously high speeds, and the brake is pretty strong, so overall this is a safe scooter. Still, common scooter rules apply, and you should always wear a scooter-appropriate helmet while riding.
Tires and wheels
The Razor EcoSmart Metro has large 16-inch air-filled tires, which almost puts it in the electric bike category. Given how typical electric scooter tires range somewhere from 6 inches for the smallest models, to 11 inches for the biggest scooters, we can say the Razor EcoSmart Metro has some of the biggest tires in the scooter world.
The big tires do wonders for ride comfort, and naturally, the rides will be much more stable than the rides of most commuter scooters, which come with 8.5-inch tires. Flats are not very common with this scooter, and if they happen, they are not a nightmare to replace, as the same rules for bike tires apply.
It is a good idea to check the tire pressure frequently. I recommend a light kick before every ride, and a detailed check and re-inflating once a week.
Deck and chassis
The scooter’s chassis is made mostly from steel, with some other metals used in the build as well. The steel frame gives the scooter great reliability and stability, although it does so at the cost of portability.
The large, wide wooden deck, made out of bamboo wood, is one of the most unique features of this scooter. It has the green Razor logo on it, which is extra-grippy and will prevent slipping. The kickstand is actually kind of small, but it still gets the job done and the scooter is nicely balanced when leaning on it.
Accessories
Even though the scooter is not capable of insane speeds, you will definitely not want to ride without your helmet. See my guide on the best electric scooter helmets to find the right choice for you.
Additionally, while this is not an expensive scooter, it still might be the target of theft, so you will probably want to see some of the best electric scooter locks if you decide to buy.
One of the coolest things about the Razor EcoSmart Metro is that it comes fully equipped, with all the accessories that most adults need. I’m talking about the seat and the basket of course.
The seat of the scooter is ergonomic, comfortable, and most importantly, plenty soft. It is not removable, or rather, it’s not easy to remove, which means the scooter is a fully-seated scooter.
The basket is quite large, it can carry several full shopping bags or a backpack without an issue, with a weight limit of at least 33 lbs / 15 kg, and probably more.
Still, you might feel like you need to customize your scooter further. In that case, check out my detailed guide on the best electric scooter accessories. Most of the parts recommended there are generic and will fit most scooters, including this one.
App
The scooter has no Bluetooth connectivity features, and there is no app available for it.
I recommend the Universal Scooter Helper App by EScooterNerds as an alternative. The app provides many other features that owners might find useful, including checklists, calculators, guides, hacks, tips, etc. The app is available for iPhone and Android.
Downsides and tradeoffs
One of the most concerning issues with this scooter in the past has been the squeaking noises that the area around the motor has made, reported by a significant number of owners. Fortunately, Razor has paid close attention to the complaints, and that issue seems to no longer plague this scooter.
The scooter has a lot of strong suits, but it comes with one pretty big tradeoff that’s not found in most of the popular electric scooters today, and that’s its lack of ability to fold the stem. With quite a large weight and no folding features, the Razor EcoSmart Metro is not a portable model at all. It will be more portable than, say, a bicycle, as it occupies a lot less space, but it will not be nearly as easy to carry as some lightweight electric scooters.
Another major issue is its lack of water protection, so you can’t ride the scooter anytime it rains, or snows, nor wash it down with water if it gets all dirty and muddy.
FAQs
The Razor EcoSmart Metro can sustain a weight of up to 220 lbs / 100 kg, meaning it can handle almost all adults, as well as some extra small loads like grocery bags.
Yes, you can replace a worn-off battery of a Razor EcoSmart Metro scooter, and it’s a fairly easy process too. Visit the official Razor battery maintenance webpage for a detailed guide on replacing the battery of your scooter.
It is not advisable to ride the Razor EcoSmart Metro out in the rain, as it does not have an official IP rating. Water intake can damage the electronic parts of the scooter, especially the battery, which is stored in the deck, right above the ground.
Should you buy the Razor EcoSmart Metro?
There are a few categories of scooterists that I believe may not find the Razor EcoSmart Metro to be the best choice for them.
The biggest one may be commuters. With its large weight and the lack of foldability, this scooter will not be ideal for anyone who needs to take their scooter on public transport. Related, anyone looking for a scooter that’s portable, easy to fold, carry around, and store in smaller spaces, will probably not find this scooter to be a good fit. If that’s what you’re after, you’ll want to check out the guide on the most portable electric scooters.
However, many other groups of scooterists will simply fall in love with the Razor EcoSmart Metro, and the insanely high customer satisfaction is proof of that.
Casual riders who need a strong and reliable scooter, adults looking for a fun ride for cruising, senior citizens or anyone who enjoys the support of a comfortable seat while riding, and pretty much every adult who needs a small vehicle for getting things done throughout the day, all of those use cases are exactly what the Razor EcoSmart Metro is made for.
If you fit into any of those scenarios, you should get yourself the Razor EcoSmart Metro, you will be making a wise choice.
