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Quick Look
Mercane is a Korean scooter company focused on pushing the boundaries of personal electric transportation, and offers a range of electric scooters. We have reviewed already the 2019 model, the Mercane WideWheel, which was one of our favourite scooters we had reviewed so far, so we were pretty curious what the WideWheel Pro has to offer.
The Mercane WideWheel Pro was released in January 2020, and is indeed a major upgrade to the 2019 version of the WideWheel. Thanks to fluidfreeride, who provided a model for this review, we were able to have an in-depth look at this scooter. Purchasing from fluidfreeride offers extensive protection against any problem you might find with the scooter, with the company offering full refunds if the scooter is not as described, as well as a 90 day warranty.
Quick Specs
The Mercane WideWheel Pro has been released as an upgrade to the 2019 version with a larger battery, a clearer and more detailed display, dual front and rear brakes as well as a more durable, stronger, and stable reinforced scooter body. The team at Mercane have also addressed concerns with previous models and have addressed them in this 2020 model.
Motor | 2x 500W base/ 800W peak |
Battery | Lithium-ion 48V 15 Ah |
Est. range | 22+ miles |
Top speed | 26 mph |
Weight limit | 220 lbs / 100 kg |
Tires | 8″ x 3.9″ never-flat foam filled |
Suspension | front and rear springs |
Brakes | Front & rear disc brake |
Lights | front and rear LED |
Display | Smart Display |
Weight | 54 lbs |
Features
This dual brake, dual motor and dual suspension scooter is not only a high-performance scooter, but it also has a great, sleekless design. Switch on power mode and be blown away by the acceleration and power of the scooter. The display, braking and illumination have all been upgraded for this model, with a new intuitive display, dual disc-braking system and integrated front and rear lights operated through the touch of a button. The scooter is foldable and can be stored under a desk or in a closet easily, as well as being carried in one hand if necessary (though certainly not over long distances)!
Design and Build Quality
The Mercane display allows you to easily see your speed, battery stats, total mileage and what mode you’re on. This display also shows battery voltage, which isn’t included on many scooters, but it allows you to understand how healthy your battery is and how the performance of the battery relates to how often you charge it.
The display also allows you to put on cruise control with the touch of a button, and the intuitive cruise control allows you to maintain the speed you’re going without holding down the throttle. The display is also where you can turn the rear and headlights on, and the front light is much stronger compared to the old model, making it both a “be-seen” and “to see” light.
The Mercane WideWheel Pro has two disc brakes, one front and one rear, and makes it easy to stop quickly even if you are travelling at high speeds. While the scooter is quite heavy, it is foldable. To fold it down you just turn the dial at the front, push it inwards and then turn the dial again to secure the scooter in a fold-down position. If you were looking to store the scooter inside, the handlebars also fold in so it would only take up a relatively small space.
This version of the scooter has two solid tyres, which in theory means that the ride is less comfortable than with pneumatic air tyres, but this is mitigated pretty well by the dual front and rear suspension and most of the time we really didn’t notice much of a difference. The tyres are also very wide making it really comfortable for riding, especially over long distances and the tyres are foam-filled which means it’s impossible to get flats. Overall we really like the wide tyres as it also gives a great feeling of security, even at higher speeds.
The downside of this is that a wider radius is required when maneuvring, but this is nothing that bothered us in a normal city-type usage. The scooter has a kick-stand which feels maybe a bit small for the size and weight of the WWP, but it does the job.
For the 2020 version, Mercane decided to revert to the 2018 throttle model, but this doesn’t suit everyone as there is some notable stop-start feel to the throttle due to a pretty narrow travel (< 1 inch), which in combination with the power of the torque it does mean that you have to be careful not to lose your balance.
For this reason there is throttle upgrade with a much larger travel (approx. 2 inches) available for the 2020 model (at an additional cost). This throttle is currently available here on fluidfreeride’s website. We do recommend the throttle upgrade, especially for less experienced riders, as the initial acceleration is as mentioned pretty strong and the handling of the throttle and control of power is much easier with the upgraded throttle due to its larger travelling distance.
Performance and Range
Compared to the earlier WideWheel, the 2020 or Pro version has an updated 48V 15Ah high efficiency li-ion battery and more efficient controls, increasing the amount of distance you can expect to travel on one charge. The scooter will carry you up to 30 miles on one charge if you are riding in eco mode and going at a slower pace. If you know you’ll be riding at the top speed all day, you should estimate that you’ll get about 22 miles out of a single charge riding at 26 mph, a 15% improvement on range from the predecessor. Of course, distance can vary depending on the weight of the rider, head wind, speed and the surfaces you are riding on.
This model has two motors, each omitting 500 watts at normal power and up to 800 watts at peak power, making it an incredibly powerful scooter omitting up to 1600 watts at any one time. This power makes it the perfect scooter for hills, and it has been tested on some of the steepest hills in San Francisco (30% inclines are no problem) with the user reporting that the scooter managed just fine.
As mentioned above when we spoke about the throttle, the strong acceleration of the scooter can be overwhelming when you are going from standing still to starting off. It takes some practice and we recommend starting off in eco mode when you first get the scooter. This is not a beginner scooter and does require some experience to handle the acceleration and power.
What Has Changed Compared to the 2019 Model
The following is a list of the features that have changed from the 2019 version of the WideWheel, compared to the 2020 WideWheel Pro.
- Larger battery with 14% additional range
- Reinforced fork with improved materials for the overall body
- More intuitive display
- The pre-programmed speed limit has been removed
- Original 2018 throttle and removed the key lock (there is the option to purchase an upgraded throttle)
What We Like About the Mercane WideWheel Pro
The WideWheel Pro is a powerful, efficient all-round scooter, ready to go straight out of the box. With dual front and back braking systems, alongside in-built lights, you feel safe whatever time of day you are riding. We would recommend this scooter if you’re looking for a punchier commute time, or you’re thinking about using the scooter for fun over the weekend. The wider tyres feel great, especially when you’re going straight, and although the wider tyres mean you have a slightly larger turning radius, you quickly adapt to the new radium when making sharp turns.
Mercane have come out with a fantastic design, with a wide, comfortable platform that accommodates both feet easily. They have also given a lot of detail to the body and composition of the scooter, with a sleek clean look. The best thing about this scooter is the range, acceleration and speed. It’s a great, comfortable scooter that really allows you to explore and have fun to your heart’s content. If you have been using rental scooters, or are looking to upgrade, this long-lasting, well built model comes highly rated, and well priced.
What We Don’t Like About the Mercane WideWheel Pro
While the scooter has lots of features, including long mileage and top speeds, it unfortunately makes the scooter quite heavy. The scooter weighs 54 pounds or 24 kgs, so while you can pick it up, you don’t want to be travelling far with it folded. We found that it was okay if you were commuting and you could set it down on the bus or train, but it’s not a great option if you are looking for a highly portable scooter.
Although there is dual suspension, the tyres are foam rather than air-filled which means you tend to feel cracks in the road more than with other scooters. However, the foam-filled tyres mean you never have to worry about punctures, and changing a puncture on a scooter can be a real pain. The throttle can feel a little bit jerky due to the immense power and acceleration capacity of the scooter, and if you haven’t ridden a scooter before you may want to start off in eco mode while you get used to starting the scooter.
Final Thoughts
The 2019 version of the Mercane WideWheel Pro was already an excellent commuting scooter and Mercane have relied on customer feedback to make improvements to this year’s version and come up with an even better product. They have considered safety while also improving the range and speed of the scooter, and adding elements like a stronger body that make for a longer-lasting scooter. This scooter is definitely worth the investment if you are a consistent rider looking for a reliable ride, while also wanting to have a lot of fun!
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