Who will love this:
The Horizon Fluid Free Ride electric scooter is a fantastic scooter for the price of around $700 that will far exceed the expectations for entry to intermediate e-scooter riders. It covers nearly all the bases but does have a few flaws as we will discuss below.
- Top Speed: 23-25 mph
- Range: 20miles(10.4Ah) / 25miles(13AH)
- Weight: 40 lbs (10Ah) / 42 lbs (13Ah)
- Max load: 265 lbs / 120 kg
What I think:
Our family has enjoyed the Horizon Scooter by Fluidfree Ride which is very similar to the Turbowheel Swift that I reviewed and that our family has been using over the last year.
My 15 year old son, who loves riding electric scooters, has recently been using the Horizon as his primary mode of transportation to get to and from his friend’s homes, church activities, school activities, and cross country practice.
In the past I’ve recommended the Turbowheel Swift as a great well rounded scooter that outperforms most scooters at its price point. Unfortunately, the Turbowheel Swift is often sold out and I’m always getting asked which electric scooter I recommend.
Well, my family has been testing the Horizon and here are our thoughts.
Appearance:
The Turbowheel Swift and Horizon electric scooter are essentially clones except for a few differences. Like the Turbowheel Swift, the Horizon is a rugged looking scooter and will not get mistaken for those cheap rental scooters or budget scooters. The design used by the Horizon is the same used in the Zero 8 and the Turbowheel Swift with rear drum brakes, suspension, and lights that make for a great looking scooter.
Acceleration and Top Speed:
The Fluidfree ride Horizon does not have the punch that many electric scooters have but our family actually appreciate the more gradual acceleration which made for a smoother and more controlled ride.
Don’t get me wrong, the Horizon electric scooter is no slouch and after the smooth initial acceleration from start, the Horizon comfortably gets to a top speed that will zip you past most other cyclists on the bike trails.
The top speed of 25 mph was perfect for the needs of my family and could easily pass the Onewheels while keeping up with most electric unicycles during family group rides.
Climbing hills and riding light off-road trails was also no problem for us.
Ride Feel:
The Horizon feels safe and stable. Scooter height is not one size fits all. Being able to adjust the stem height is a big key to rider comfort especially when sharing the scooter with riders of various heights such as in our family.
The front tubed pneumatic tire along with the front and rear suspension provides a smooth ride while the rear airless tire decreases the risk of getting a flat tire.
Braking:
The rear drum brakes worked very well. My daredevil son did miss having the front and rear hand brakes found on the Turbowheel Swift when he goes flying downhill at top speed, but the rear drum brakes performed well and the regenerative braking makes for a more efficient ride.
The braking is even and we always felt safe and in control.
Safety:
As a safety first guy, I actually like the smooth and even acceleration even if the Horizon have punchy acceleration.
The scooter is heavy but it feels balanced and sturdy which helps the rider to feel safe during rides.
Portability:
The folding handlebars and the ease to fold the scooter for storage is fantastic.
The scooter is heavy at 40 lbs and I did miss having a rear handle like the one found on the Turbowheel Swift.
The Flaws:
While I’ve listed a few flaws below, please understand that most of them are fairly trivial. I just want to make sure you understand some of the potential drawbacks to this otherwise well rounded scooter before you buy it.
The wired look: Like the other electric scooters that share a similar design, there are wires that run from the handlebars to the body and wheels of the Horizon scooter. The wires are wrapped and bundled together nicely but some may not like the wired look.
Loose handles: The screw mechanism to lock the handlebars in place loosen over time. While the handlebars never accidentally folded on their own while riding, just remember to tighten the handlebars every now and then to reduce rattle while riding.
Slow acceleration: some say slow, I say smooth. Regardless of the word choice the acceleration of the Horizon is similar to the Turbowheel Swift which most in my family liked because they never felt like the scooter was going to throw them off.
Low lights: The lights are nice and bright for what they are but the positioning low on the scooter does not provide much illumination for night rides and makes it harder for drivers to see you.
Kickstand: The kickstand being too short is a common complaint with this model, but we had no issues with it.
Charge port: A flaw that all scooters with this design share is the positioning of the charge port. Because of the proximity to the front tire, it is really easy to hit the charge cable with the front tire if you try to move the scooter while it is plugged in.
We missed the rear handle: The biggest flaw that our family agreed on was the lack of a rear handle like the one found on the Turbowheel Swift. We missed the convenience of having something quick and easy to grab on to while moving the Horizon up and down stairs or in and out of a car trunk.
Conclusion:
Anyone looking for their first electric scooter or to upgrade from a budget entry level scooter should consider the Horizon by Fluidfree Ride which is a great scooter for the price. For current pricing on the Horizon, check out Fluidfree Ride.
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