Among the electric scooter parts, the electric scooter brakes are one of its most crucial components since they’ll keep you safe on the road.
Whether you’re considering buying an e-scooter or already have one, learning more about the type of brake to use or you’re currently using allows you to choose the safest one for your commuting needs, ride safely during trips, and know how to take care of it.
To help you choose the best one for your lifestyle and learn more about them, we list all the different electric scooter brakes, their pros and cons, and more!
The Two Types of E-scooter Braking Systems
Before getting into the different types of e-scooter brakes, let’s talk about the two main electric scooter braking systems: mechanical and electronic.
Mechanical brakes are the most common type of braking system used in e-scooters, including disc brakes, drum brakes, and foot brakes.
This type of braking system includes mechanical components that work together to create friction with the wheel and stop the e-scooter. They often use electric scooter brake pads to slow down and stop the wheel.
On the other hand, electronic brakes don’t rely on mechanical components and instead, stop the e-scooter electronically by reducing the e-scooter’s power output. These include electronic and regenerative brakes.
However, unlike mechanical brakes, they don’t offer much braking power and are only meant as extra help to the mechanical brakes present in the e-scooter.
Mechanical brakes are enough for an e-scooter, but if you want extra safety and energy savings, consider an e-scooter with an additional electronic braking system.
The Different Types of Electric Scooter Brakes
Here are the different types of mechanical and electronic brakes. See which one suits your commuting needs best.
1. Drum Brake
Electric scooter drum brakes are a type of brake that’s enclosed in a wheel hub. If you can’t see a brake’s rotor on the wheel, then it’s a drum brake.
Many e-scooters, from entry-level to commuter e-scooters, use this type of brake since it provides an effective and safe braking system. Plus, they are easy to maintain since they are free from external factors like dust, dirt, and water.
How Drum Brakes Work
Inside the wheel hub, the drum brake uses brake pads or shoes to push against the wheel and cause friction, resulting in the e-scooter wheel stopping.
Unfortunately, since they’re enclosed, drum brakes are prone to heating, and overheating can reduce their effectiveness.
You can activate them using hand levers that connect to the drum brakes via cables.
Pros
- Provides an effective braking system, especially in wet conditions
- Requires little maintenance
- Safe against water, dirt, and dust
Cons
- May overheat since it’s enclosed
- Offers less braking power than disc brakes
- Difficult to repair due to the wheel hub
2. Disc Brake
Electric scooter disc brakes use a rotor or circular metal disc attached to the e-scooter’s wheel. It’s considered the best type of brake for e-scooters due to its performance, responsiveness, and reliability.
Besides the normal disc brakes, some e-scooters use a fully or semi-hydraulic disc brake.
How Disc Brakes Work
While the wheel spins, the rotor also rotates. Then, when you pull the brake lever, a piston pushes the brake pad to the disc, slows it down, and stops it. These discs usually measure 120 mm, 140 mm, or 160 mm, depending on the wheel size.
Meanwhile, full and semi-hydraulic brakes work slightly differently. Fully hydraulic disc brakes use hydraulic or fluid-filled lines to control the brake callipers. These lines make it easier to control pressure on the brakes, giving a more accurate force as you squeeze down the lever.
Meanwhile, semi-hydraulic disc brakes work similarly to full hydraulic brakes, except they use a cable running from the lever to the calliper. This type of brake offers strong and consistent braking power.
Pros
- Provides a strong and responsive braking system
- Travels well in wet and dry conditions
- Offers excellent braking control
Cons
- Exposed to various factors that can damage it
- May need occasional maintenance
- May reduce its performance with a poor riding style
3. Foot Brake
An electric scooter foot brake is the e-scooter’s rear hinged fender. It's often used simultaneously with other types of brakes to help the e-scooter slow down or stop immediately. It can also be used on its own, but only when you're going at a slow speed.
How Foot Brakes Work
To activate the foot brake, simply press on the fender using your foot until it touches the tyres and slows the wheel down.
Since you'll be shifting your foot backwards to press the fender down, you might lose your balance. We recommend practising pressing the foot brake at lower speeds first until you get the hang of it without losing your balance.
Pros
- Easy to use
- No need for any maintenance
- Lightweight type of brake
Cons
- Doesn’t perform well in wet conditions
- Provides a relatively poor performance than other e-scooter brakes
- Requires a bit of practice to use effectively and safely
4. Electronic Brake
As its name suggests, an electric scooter electronic brake doesn’t use any mechanical components to stop the e-scooter. Instead, it reduces the amount of energy or charge the e-scooter produces.
Like the foot brake, it’s often used simultaneously with other types of brake to give the mechanical brakes better support. It can also be used on its own at slow speeds.
It’s a fairly new technology in the e-scooter industry, and not a lot of e-scooters have an electronic brake. However, if you encounter one, it’s worth having it as an additional braking system.
How Electronic Brakes Work
When you press the switch on your dashboard or handlebars, the electronic brake shorts the terminals in the motor, resulting in increased resistance to the motor’s rotation. Then, the e-scooter will slow down or lose its power.
Also, unlike mechanical brakes that are controlled with a throttle, you don’t need to put much pressure on the switch since it’s programmed to reduce the e-scooter’s power at a specific charge.
Pros
- Has no mechanical components that need replacing
- Adds no extra weight to the e-scooter
- Easy to use
Cons
- Not as effective as other types of e-scooter brakes
- Some electronic brakes are not reliable and easily fail.
5. Regenerative Brake
Electric scooter regenerative brakes are another type of electronic brake. It works like a regular electronic brake, except it returns the kinetic energy from braking back to the battery to save on charge.
Like the regular electronic brake, not many e-scooters have regenerative braking systems. However, if you find one, it’s a good addition to your braking system since it’ll help you save on battery energy.
But note that it doesn’t offer enough braking power, and you won’t save significant energy or mileage using it.
How Regenerative Brakes Work
A regenerative brake activates in various ways depending on the e-scooter model. You can trigger it via a switch, brake lever, or as you turn the throttle.
As you decelerate, the motor slows down and converts the kinetic energy to stored energy. Then, it stores it in the battery.
Pros
- Saves battery energy
- Requires little maintenance
Cons
- Produces little stopping power
- May not work on a full battery
What Type of Brakes Do EleKtro Electric Scooters Use?
EleKtro e-scooters use two types of brakes: drum and disc brakes.
The e-scooters that use drum brakes include the EleKtro City, Ultra 8, and Ultra 8 Pro. This type of brake works well on these e-scooters, given its responsiveness and effective braking.
Since these e-scooters are meant for city commutes, rest assured that the drum brakes are enough to help you slow down smoothly and respond quickly to emergencies on the road.
Meanwhile, the EleKtro Ultra 10 Pro is the only EleKtro scooter with disc brakes. The disc brakes add extra safety to this off-road e-scooter. Disc brakes are known for their strong bite and quick response, making it the ideal type of brake for the Ultra 10 Pro.
Regardless of which EleKtro scooter you choose, rest assured that you have a reliable braking system to keep you safe for every trip.
If you need help fixing your brakes, EleKtro also offers electric scooter spare parts online. Just contact our team for help or check our official reseller Scooteroo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Best Braking System for a Scooter?
Many consider disc brakes as the best type of brake for e-scooters due to their responsiveness and strong bite.
Specifically, hydraulic disc brakes provide the best kind of disc brake due to their advanced braking system, powerful output, and excellent level of control.
What Is ABS in Electric Scooters?
An Anti-lock braking system (ABS) is an electronic brake control system that prevents e-scooter wheels from locking up during emergency braking.
It uses a sensor attached to the brake disc to detect movement and override the system to help the wheels regain their grip if it locks up.
Should Electric Scooter Brakes Be Front or Rear?
E-scooters offer a front brake, rear brake, or both. Front brakes generally provide a stronger stopping power, while rear brakes produce a gradual and steady braking force.
Regardless of your choice, your e-scooter should have at least one braking system to keep you safe on the road.
Which Electric Scooter Brake Should You Choose?
The best type of e-scooter brake is the disc brake due to its responsiveness and power. However, take note of its cons as it’s not entirely the perfect braking system. Plus, if you don’t need an off-road e-scooter, you don’t need a brake as powerful as a disc brake.
As a result, choose the braking system that corresponds to your commuting needs. Remember that any of the brakes listed above will do well in keeping you safe during emergencies.
If you need help with electric scooter motor parts or any electric scooter parts in Australia, EleKtro offers repair and maintenance services for any e-scooter brand and model. Just book a repair and service online!
