Two weeks ago I attended the Micromobility America Conference in Richmond, CA put on by Rider Guide. The Conference drew thousands of attendees from all around the globe. The vendor booths showcased 500+ brands of e-bikes, e-scooters, e-motorcycles, single occupancy electric cars, electric skateboards, charging infrastructure and more. If you’ve ever wanted to test ride hundreds of different personal electric vehicles on one day, this was your chance. They even had a test track set up for the performance e-scooters and e-motorcycles and a long wide boardwalk to test ride something a little more practical. I’m so glad I attended because I discovered the Swifty Go G500 adult electric kick scooter.

There were so many great companies represented at this conference. I really liked Swiss brand Vmax’s lineup of scooters from practical commuters, unreasonably powerful performance rides. Apollo Scooters from Canada was also very impressive announcing their partnership with Best Buy in the US. They showcased their full lineup of sleek and stylish adult e-scooters that don’t compromise on performance. Vmax and Apollo set the bar high amongst the adult e-scooter companies. With that said there was one adult e-scooter company that really stood out from the pack. Designed in the UK, Swifty Scooters is offering something truly unique. There was nothing else like it at this conference and few similar products if any offered online. The big wheeled electric kick scooter for adults.
UK Designed
Swifty Scooters has been designing big wheeled kick scooters in the UK for more than a decade and unveiled their newest electric model the Swifty Go G500 at Micromobility America. Prior to attending the conference I discovered Swifty Scooters online and their scooter piqued my interest as a novelty. After perusing their website I really liked the vibe of the company but I just couldn’t see myself on the scooter. It didn’t look fun to me. Boy, WAS I WRONG.

Beginner Friendly – Built for an Adrenaline Junky
The ride is AMAZING. The Swifty Go G500 is truly a chameleon. It’s a beginner friendly scooter suitable a adrenaline junky. With 16″ inflatable tires, a wide wheelbase, front and rear suspension, front and rear disc brakes, and wide skateboard style deck with grip tape it was like cruising on an electric cloud that you couldn’t crash even if you intended to. I thought the big wheels would make this thing lumber around like a WWII era tank but once again I WAS WRONG. It was super nimble and easy to maneuver. The wide cruiser style bicycle handlebars are a big improvement over the narrow straight bars on a typical scooter that make steering touchy. This adult e-scooter even glided across the wooden plank boardwalk whereas Swifty’s small wheeled “competitors” made you feel like you were navigating the Rubicon.
Rider Safety
I fell in love with the Swifty Go G500. The 16 inch wheels combined with a front suspension fork and dual dampers to the rear of the rear of the deck soaked up all the bumps on the road. The plush suspension system made the handling damn near impeccable. You still got the really nice feeling of carving but with the bigger wheels, wide deck, and long wheel base. Because it was so stable and there were plenty of places for different footing you could really lean into heelside carves without feeling like you might land on your backside if you skid out an acorn or pebble.
This scooter is darn near impossible to tip over when you are riding it and it feels so stable turning that you never feel out of control. The stability is great for a beginner and the suspension is so responsive that an experienced rider feels great putting their full weight into carving, jumping curves, and smashing small stair sets without breaking a sweat.
On a small wheel scooter I just don’t have that confidence. With 10 inch rubber tires you have to see and avoid every pothole. The 16 inch wheels and plush suspension take the pothole issue out of the back of your mind. You’re not worried about them at all…and when you’re not worried about road conditions, it just equals a better ride. Care free carving, bunny hopping, or cruising. Take a look at this big wheel vs small wheel pothole comparison video from Swifty Scooters.
Utility
Another thing that this scooter had that was eloquently designed was the front and rear racks. The racks were perfect size to throw a grocery bag or two in the front and some pannier bags on the back. This scooter is more fun to ride than 10 inch scooters, its soooooo much more useful for commuting and errands. It is also stylish so you won’t look out of place rocking a suit and riding to the office if that is your jam.
The Swifty Go G500 comes equipped with lights and blinkers so you’ll be seen on the road and/or trail. Even if you are never going to carry any bags on your scooter, the rack is a good option simply for lugging a u-lock around. Right now I always need to throw a lock in a backpack to go on a ride. There is just no good spot for a good lock on a typical scooter.
Service
One of the biggest advantages of this scooter is it is easy to work on. It doesn’t have those tiny innertube that are impossible to buy and harder to install. If this scooter gets a flat or needs brake pads changed it’s easy for a novice to work on or take to a bike shop. If you can change a bike tire then you can work on this scooter.
The Four Focus Points of the Swifty Go G500
The co-founders, owners, and designers of this product expressed that they wanted this scooter to be centered around 4 key tenets:
1. Rider Safety
2. Battery Safety
3. Utility
4. Service
They hit the nail on the head in all four categories. It’s safe for a beginner to ride yet fun for an advanced rider, uses LFP battery chemistry that is a safer alternative to typical adult e-scooter batteries plus its cobalt free, has functional racks for cargo, and is easy to repair and work on.
I love this scooter!
Thanks so much for writing this awesome review! So interesting that you weren’t sure about it….. until you tried it! Have you seen our Scoot Yosemite video on youtube?
I did! That was such a great idea. It really showcased the versatility of the scooter!
Hello!
I found Swifty scooters in early 2021. I thought these would be just great for my kids, especially for the quality (I remember the newly designed “neck/stem” announcement) and some customizing options (i.e., the polka dots paint and decals). I think I can attribute my discovery of Swifty scooters to a review by someone in NYC. I liked that it folded. Actually, I *loved* that it folded. Up to that point, I should say, I was still falling in love with e-bikes, stemming from a 2018 campaign video (a Youtube recommendation) to publicly fund a folding, adult e-bike. Wow! I was hooked.
After hours and hours and hours of video watching, spanning these past… 5, 6 years, I slowly realized that a scooter would be more ideal. It costs less, and no worries to my rear end on attractively pitched “long range” bikes.
So, suffice it to say, I’m virtually invested in the GO G500 model.
I think the article above is a great read, and very flattering. I came here from a Swifty newsletter link, btw.
Those 16” wheels, however, still seem small to me. They actually are much smaller in diameter to my current mistress, the Timberwolf scooter, by BAKCOU. The Grizzley scooter by BAKCOU has full suspension, but, the rear shock is BETWEEN the feet. Horrible design. How will one scoot on *that* if the battery dies before you make the return back home?
I think I’m babbling. Sorry! I just wanted to comment that I liked the glowing article, and I feel, albeit from a distance here in Cincinnati, fairly proud (very proud) of Swifty’s “stand up moped”!! Regardless if/when I become a customer, this whole Swifty storyline is certainly very heart-warming – from any distance!!!
Thank you for your attention, and have a great day!
Thanks for your comment Robert. Swifty scooters are great aren’t they!