Growing presence of kick scooters in Singapore

Kick scooters (or skate scooters, footbikes, push scooters whatever you call it) is a growing presence in the streets of Singapore. Blessed with the right infrastructure and with the Singapore government’s long-term plans to develop 700km (!) of bike lanes and park connectors all around this tiny island of 700km2, these bicycle alternatives are sprouting up and the public are taking notice.

Most people may ask, why kick/skate scoot when you can cycle which is a more efficient way of getting around? The answer lies in the experience of the journey. In cycling, esp on road bikes, you are moving at a speed that doesn’t allow you to enjoy views and scenery. Kick scootering, not only gives a better work out/caloric burn rate per km travelled, it allows the rider to “smell the roses”. Its like running, but less stressful on the body. Oh, and ladies can wear a nice dress or skirt while scootering while its abit more challenging on a bicycle.

The latest player in the market is 8-elephants. Newly launched with a website that went live last week, its range of products are the big-wheeled scooters like the Mibo Master and Yedoo (16-26 inches) that can achieve speeds of up to 15 km/h to foldable scooters with smaller tires (12 inches) in the Sidewalker. Of course, they deal in the MYWAY electric scooter too.

The local kick scooter community is very active online esp on facebook and its membership base is growing in numbers every single week. A recent Straits Times online article even highlighted the use of kick scooters in work commute and leisure. One thing is for sure, kick scootering isn’t just limited to child’s play anymore. It is a viable alternative to bicycles as a more compact, more mobile personal transport.