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MEGAWHEELS S5 Review

If you have a need for speed and you don't care as much about folding and stowing then this general purpose scooter is a ticket to a fun ride
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MEGAWHEELS S5 Review
Price:  $400 List
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Manufacturer:   MEGAWHEELS
By Nick Miley and Austin Palmer  ⋅  Jun 12, 2019
60
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Range - 25% 5.0
  • Power - 25% 6.0
  • Ride - 20% 7.0
  • Portability - 15% 5.0
  • Braking - 15% 7.0

Our Verdict

The MEGAWHEELS S5 is a good all-around scooter with a price tag that won't break the bank. The S5 is swift, too. In fact, it's one of the fastest in the fleet. What held the scooter back from greater accolades is its portability issues and so-so travel radius. The main issue is that the latch which transforms the steering column into a caring handle has an abysmally poor design that is hard to hook and easily comes undone when unweighted. Additionally, the model is limited to just ten miles on a charge.
REASONS TO BUY
Fast
Powerful brake system
Relatively inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Shorter travel radius
Poorly designed folding latch

Our Analysis and Test Results

The S5 crushed much of the competition in the max speed tests by flying through our course at 16.2 mph. It has an average travel radius, a sound brake system, and a smooth ride provided by pneumatic tires. What kept this scooter out of the running for awards was its limited travel range and poorly designed portability features. It's a bit bulky, and testers complained that the latch securing the scooter in its folded configuration easily comes undone.

megawheels s5 - the megawheels s5 electric scooter
The MEGAWHEELS S5 electric scooter
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Performance Comparison


Our endless curiosity and healthy sense of competition lead us to buy all the top electric scooters on the market and test them side-by-side. We tallied the results of the competition and quantified which products rock and which simply roll. Below are the results for the MEGAWHEELS S5.

megawheels s5 - the magawheels suffers in the range rankings due to its shorter...
The MAGAWHEELS suffers in the range rankings due to its shorter travel radius.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Range


Our range tests look at both travel radius, and the time it takes to charge a depleted battery. For accuracy, travel radius is split into two parts. These are the effective range and maximum range. The effective range is the amount of flat ground a scooter can cover at the scooter's maximum speed. The maximum range is a measure of how far the machine will go at any speed; many scooters decrease in speed at the end of their battery's charge.

The S5 has an identical effective and maximum rage that is slightly above average at 10.1 miles. The battery recharges in an impressive 3 hours.

megawheels s5 - cruising and carving. the s5 is the fastest scooter in the fleet.
Cruising and carving. The S5 is the fastest scooter in the fleet.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Power


For this review, we define power in an electric scooter as hill-climbing ability and maximum flat ground speed. The hill tests were carried out on a 3.5% and a 10.5% slope. While the S5 was the top performer in speed assessment, maxing out at ~16 mph, it struggled with the hill climbing. The 3.5% grade slowed the scooter to ~12 mph, and the 10.5% grade stopped it in its tracks.

megawheels s5 - megawheels' pneumatic tires make for a smooth ride.
MEGAWHEELS' pneumatic tires make for a smooth ride.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Ride


Ride is an appraisal of the feedback a scooter delivers when rolling over rough terrain such as cracks and bumps. After reviewing a number of these scooters, we know that this metric is in large part an evaluation of the tires. The MEGAWHEELS are pneumatic, and as such, they offer a relatively cushy ride.

megawheels s5 - single handle dual brake system (front electronic, rear disk) makes...
Single handle dual brake system (front electronic, rear disk) makes for powerful and reliable braking.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Braking


Given the power this scooter packs for flat ground ripping it's a good thing that it has a good brake system. Sporting both front electronic and rear disk brakes that are actuated with a single hand lever, testers were pleased with the control afforded on steep descents and in flat ground situations. The S5 was a leader in this series of tests.

megawheels s5 - the s5 is easy to fold and reasonably comfortable to carry.
The S5 is easy to fold and reasonably comfortable to carry.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Portability


Weight, collapsibility, transporting ease, and folded dimensions are the focus of the portability assessment. The S5 does poorly in a number of these, particularly the folding latch and transporting. The latch tends to unhook itself, and the carrying handle is an odd trapezoidal shape that isn't ideal.

Value


Considering that the S5 is around a hundred dollars less than the top scooter models and shares many of the same features, we think that it's a fair value. You get what you pay for, no more and no less.

Conclusion


The MEGAWHEELS S5 is an excellent product if speed and braking power are what you desire. However, this product lacks the attention to detail in the portability department that makes it less than convenient if you need to fold and carry it regularly. If you need a commuting workhorse, other scooters are better suited to the task.

Nick Miley and Austin Palmer