Using a Travelscoot Junior Mobility Scooter

What's it like to ride a Travelscoot Junior mobility scooter? If you're elderly or have a disability, would a Travelscoot be suitable for you?

From the few experiences I've had now, I have to say, though I'm delighted with my travelscoot, I can see it isn't for everyone. Below I list the reasons why.

You need to have reasonable mobility to ride a travelscoot. I have difficulty standing for more than a few minutes and trouble walking any distance. Other than that, though I'm no longer young, I am reasonably fit.

For a travelscoot to work for you, you need to be able to do the following:

1. Get on and off the travelscoot by lifting one leg across the main v-shaped frame of the scooter. I achieve this easily by placing one hand on the centre of the steering column, and the other on the top of the back rest, to help stay balanced. Alternatively (I haven't tried this though others have), you can remove the backrest and mount the scooter from the back.

2. Once seated, you have to be able to lift your feet onto the foot rests located on either side of the steering column. I have added the foot plate accessories to the foot rests on my scoot (see in image above) because of chronic discomfort with my left foot.

3. You need to be able to hold the handlebar grips and twist the throttle on the right grip in order to operate the travelscoot. There is an accessory available, a Crampbuster, which can be attached to the throttle to reduce hand fatigue. I bought one when I bought the travelscoot but haven't felt the need to use it yet.

4. You need to have enough strength in your hands to apply the brakes, and you need both hands to apply the brake locks as demonstrated in the video below.

5. It also helps to be able to lift the travelscoot if needs be. I don't have a car to lift the travelscoot into, but I do sometimes need to lift the scoot over a kerb. I get off the scoot, lift the front wheel over the kerb and onto the pavement first, then gripping the backrest, I lift the back of the scoot and put it on the pavement.

6. Most importantly, when riding the travelscoot you have to be able to lean-in towards a bend as you're cornering. Also, you must also be able to lean forward when going up slopes. These upper body movements are vital to keep the travelscoot from toppling sideways or tipping backwards. 3-wheeled mobility scooters are not as stable as those with four wheels but provided you're able to lean-in and forward, the travelscoot is pretty stable.

It seems to have helped that many years ago I had a bike and also drove a car. More recently I've had to negotiate pavements and pedestrians with a Sholley shopping trolley so I'm used to manouvering. The result is I quickly overcame the initial nervousness I had about riding the travelscoot and now feel completely at ease with it.

'Scooting on the Travelscoot at Stratford-upon-Avon

Rode the Travelscoot deluxe junior mobility scooter down to the banks of the River Avon at Stratford-upon-Avon this afternoon.

A Bank holiday weekend so many, many people around which meant having to ride slowly and carefully. Really enjoyed being out on such a lovely day - not walking or standing, and able to stop, sit and watch whenever.

Adding Lights to a Travelscoot Junior Mobility Scooter

As the nights are slowly drawing in, it seemed a good time to buy some lights for the travelscoot ready for the dark evenings. Though the travelscoot is only for pavement use, it makes sense to have lights when crossing roads.

I chose a set of Balhvit LED lights available on amazon.

They were easy to fit - one on the back, attached to the seat u-arc yoke, the other on the steering column. The front light could also have been fitted on the handlebar.

These LED lights are re-chargeable. Two short USB cables are supplied for this purpose. There are different light settings available - I will be using the static lights. I think flashing lights on pavements could be inappropriate for pedestrians especially anyone with epilepsy.

Fitting a Travelscoot Junior Bell

Travelscoot accessories: fitting a new bell on a Travelscoot Junior

Having had difficulty with the mini-bell supplied with the travelscoot - it rang sometimes but at others, just made a clunking sound - I decided to buy a new one.

I bought a triggerbell in order to ring the bell and brake simultaneously.

First, the original travelscoot bell had to be removed. This was tricky at first because the screw was underneath the handlebar.

Of the Allen keys supplied with the travelscoot, the one third from the left (below) was the right size to use.

Once the screw had been loosened, it was easy to swivel the bell around to finish unscrewing it.

The new triggerbell was easy to fit once I worked out how to use the screw to loosen the strap. I assumed I would undo the screw and the strap would slide out. Not so! As the screw is turned, it moves the strap itself - no need to pull it.

The triggerbell works well. The thumb is used to flick the triggerbell mechanism. It provides a medium dinging sound - not so loud that it startles people. I did, however, have to place the bell on the handlebar grip, as it wouldn't have worked fixed on the chrome part of the handlebar, due to the positioning of the brakes and starter mechanism.

The triggerbell can be bought direct from triggerbell.com or purchased on amazon.

Buying a Travelscoot Junior From Germany

The process of buying a Travelscoot Junior mobility scooter from Germany and having it shipped to England.

Buying my Travelscoot direct from Germany in July 2019 took about two hours to achieve online. You might be able to do it faster. I'm slow and I didn't know what the process would involve. Hopefully the information below will help speed-up the process if you decide to go this route.

This is the webpage (in English) to make your purchase:
escootershop.de. This is the EU central distribution point for the TravelScoot.

Scroll right down the page to see the travelscoot models available, the full range of accessories, and spare parts. Click on the items you want to buy to add them to the shopping cart. On the main product page be sure to select the model you want from the drop-down menu: the travelscoot deluxe or the travelscoot deluxe junior.

1. BEFORE YOU PRESS THE BUY BUTTON at the shopping cart, the first thing is to establish if you are entitled to buy a travelscoot VAT free. Basically, if you have a recognised chronic disability you can qualify. Full details can be found on the UK Government website.

When you order from escootershop.de in Germany there is a VAT form for UK buyers on their website with the escootershop company details already entered. Here's the link:

travelscoot VAT relief form

Scroll down the page. NOTE WELL the instructions below the form. Download the form, print it, fill in your details, sign it, photograph the form, then upload it to your computer. When you have placed your order (you'll need your order number) email the form to escootershop.de. The email address is on their VAT form.

2. So, you've placed your order and you'll be looking for the pay button on your screen. You may not see one depending on the total cost of your order. If it's above a certain amount (I'm unable to recall exactly what it is - approx £2500 maybe £2600) you can't pay by credit card or paypal. If you don't see a payment button, follow the on-screen instructions to set up an account with transferwise.com (recommended by escootershop.de) so you can transfer funds from your bank via transferwise to escootershop.

3. You will need to supply transferwise with a copy of an identity document. I used my passport. I photographed the internal page which included the photograph, then uploaded it to my computer.

4. All the information you need so you can make the transfer, you will see on-screen.

5. Go to your online bank and make the transfer. Within about 24 hours (can't remember exactly) transferwise will email you with acknowledgement that they have received your funds. 2-3 days later escootershop will notify you that they have received your payment from transferwise.

6. escootershop.de will then notify you that your travelscoot is being shipped via UPS. By signing up for an account at UPS you can track the progress of your delivery.

7. Happily accept delivery of your travelscoot Junior mobility scooter!

In summary, Have your VAT form (if entitled to VAT relief) ready and your identity document. This speeds up the process.

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Use this coupon code to receive a free, small LED light set when you buy a travelscoot: 24175. (Disclaimer: If you use the coupon code, I get a small credit to my escootershop account to set against future purchases.)

Why I Bought a Travelscoot Junior

I compared several lightweight, folding, portable mobility scooters before deciding to buy a Travelscoot Deluxe Junior.

The other makes of similarly priced mobility scooters that I looked at were:

1. The Di Blasi R30
2. The eFoldi
3. The Atto
all of which had 3 wheels, and
. 4. The TGA Minimo Plus 4 with 4 wheels

I chose the Travelscoot Junior above the others for several reasons:

1. It weighs the least.
2. There is excellent ground clearance which is important where I live since many of the pavements are uneven and the kerbs, even though lowered in places, are still too high.
3. The Travelscoot can climb a 15 degree incline.
4. The tires are solid which means no punctures to deal with.
5. It has a tight turning circle making it highly manoeuvrable which is desirable for shopping in a small supermarket and traveling along crowded pavements.
6. Despite being lightweight it is sturdy, reliable and rarely breaks down according to other users.
7. It is easy to maintain and service at home.
8. The handlebars, seat and seat back are all adjustable to suit the rider.
9. A wide range of accessories is available.
10. It is small enough (without folding) to fit into the available storage space.

Additionally the Travelscoot has lightweight, lithium batteries which are easy to remove and bring indoors for charging with the included battery charger and cable. Also, it's easy to attach two batteries, thereby extending the distance that can be traveled.

It must be said however, the travelscoot is not entirely ideal. I would have preferred a flat footplate to rest my feet instead of straight bar-like foot rests, but I did buy a pair of foot plate accessories to alleviate that problem. It would have been better if the motor had a lock instead, it was necessary to buy a separate lock. I would have liked the seat to have had suspension instead of having to buy a separate suspension seat post. Fortunately, the seat is well-padded and quite comfortable without using the extra seat post. I bought the extra wide front wheel accessory to improve grip but wonder why it isn't included as standard. Finally, I would have liked armrests!

Despite the above issues, I feel sure I made the right choice. I'm happy with my purchase.

The Travelscoot Battery

On the Travelscoot Junior mobility scooter the battery stands upright unlike on the full-size model where it lies flat.

It is possible to carry two batteries on the Travelscoot Junior as there is sufficient room on the supporting bracket as shown in the photo below:

I bought two Travelscoot batteries. The yellow one came with a single connecting cable which is why it is placed closest to the battery socket on the motor. The second, black battery was supplied with an extension cable. If I need to switch to the second battery, it's simple to swop the connectors. However, I don't know if receiving an extension cable is standard. See below:

Travelscoot Deluxe and Deluxe Junior

The Travelscoot Deluxe full-size is intended for people 5' 3" and above, whereas the Travelscoot Deluxe Junior is best suited to those under 5' 3". I bought the Travelscoot Junior as I'm 5' 2" and I didn't think I would be comfortable reaching for the foot rests on the full-size version.

One of the many benefits of the Travelscoot, when compared to other lightweight, portable mobility scooters, is how adjustable it is. The handlebars can be raised to a comfortable height, as can the seat and the seat backrest.

The side-by-side comparison video below illustrates some of differences between the Travelscoot Deluxe and the Travelscoot Deluxe Junior:

As you can see the main difference is the size of the frame which is 3" shorter on the junior model as is the seat support. Also the battery stands upright and the red canvas trapeze is shorter (not shown in the video).

Travelscoot Junior - Price UK

The price of the Travelscoot Junior ranges from £2000-£3000. The cost depends on:

1. the accessories you choose to buy with it,
2. the price the retailer is asking,
3. any special offers available at the time,
4. and whether or not the price is VAT exempt due to medical conditions. The VAT rate was 19%. Travelscoot.com have a UK VAT exemption claim form on their website.

I bought my Travelscoot Junior direct from travelscoot.com in Germany. This was cheaper than buying from a UK retailer even taking into account the cost of shipping which was 109 euros. There was also a reduction of 28 euros for pre-payment by bank transfer. Also buying direct from Germany (the Travelscoot is German designed and engineered) meant the full range of accessories was available.

Second hand Travelscoots for sale at a lower price, can be found on ebay but they are most often for the earlier versions which had no reverse mechanism, and had a drive belt on the motor which needed replacing periodically.

Be advised I bought the Travelscoot Junior in July 2019. If/when the UK leaves the European Union, such a purchase may not be as straightforward as it was at that time.