As the weather gets nicer going out and enjoying more rural areas is a great way to spend the day. Whether its trekking across some fields or rambling in the woods, soaking up a bit of nature has a way of lifting the mood. However, if you’re a mobility scooter user you may be discouraged from enjoying the open space in case your scooter can’t handle the variable terrain. Fortunately, many of the best all-terrain mobility scooters have characteristics to help get over the rough stuff. Here are the features you should keep an eye out for if you want an all-terrain mobility scooter.
Big Wheels
The most important feature for any all-terrain mobility scooter is to have big wheels. By having large set of wheels, a number of areas are improved for off-road capabilities.
The first of these is the increase in traction. Typically, scooters with big wheels will have large grooves that help with pulling the scooter along on muddy or wet surfaces. Usually, the more all-terrain focused the scooter is the bigger these grooves. Big wheels also have other benefits; they can help increase ground clearance and keep you out of divots.
More ground clearance reduces the likelihood of the scooter getting stuck on top of a bump, which keeps you moving and preventing damage to the underside. The increased wheel size also reduces the chance of one of them falling into a divot, useful for avoiding smaller sized potholes. Usually, these bigger wheels are found on 6-8mph scooters due to their size and weight, such as the Abilize Ranger.
Suspension System
The benefit of suspension on an all-terrain mobility scooter is significant. Its primary advantage is that it increases the amount of control you have when travelling over an undulating surface. Each coil spring can react independently to each bump it hits, which means that if one wheel is affected the rest won’t be.
This reduces the chance of the scooter lurching away from you if you hit an unexpected bump, giving you more confidence and stability as you drive. An all-terrain mobility scooter with suspension also has the added bonus of increased comfort. Driving off-road is one area where the uneven ground can cause discomfort as you drive, but even some paths and roads can be a bit bone shaking to travel over.
By having suspension, the ride is smoothed out as each wheel reacts independently, keeping the body of the scooter more stable. Suspension can be found on various categories of scooters, but when it comes to all-terrain mobility scooters a 6-8mph model like the Corvus Rapide or Adventurer X8 Mobility Scooter is better suited to the job.
All-Terrain Mobility Scooter Frame
If you’re looking to tackle the toughest of terrain you’ll need an all-terrain mobility scooter built to handle more than just a bit of uneven ground. An all-terrain frame will give the mobility scooter extra strength and stability making it better suited to handle the shock from the jolts that happen when off road. It also has less cosmetic body work that might get damaged on rocks.
If you’re going a long way away from the beaten path then there’s a good chance you’ll get muddy. Fortunately, an all-terrain frame is also easier to clean than the typical bodywork found on mobility scooters. The simple construction means there are less nooks and crannies for dirt to accumulate and wiping down the steel is easy to do with some warm, soapy water. So, if you’re planning to see more of the countryside this summer make sure you keep an eye out for these features.