E-scooters have been around for a while now, and you may even have apps like Bird or Lime on your phone. Electric scooters provide an easy and convenient way to get around when you’re going a shorter distance.
Back in 2018, I was one of the first charges for Bird scooters in Santa Monica, and I ended up testing and driving a bunch of different scooters. I think if you use an electric scooter enough, you may be able to benefit from just owning your own. This could potentially save you money in the long run, too, by cutting out daily rental fees.
While there are other electric scooter options out there on the market, all of them are not made equal. I was glad to see that Bird stepped up and recently launched their own high-quality and compact electric scooter called Bird Air.
In this Bird Air review, I’ll be going over everything from the specs to the look and feel of this scooter and how well it rides.
Bird Air Overview
Bird Air is Bird’s newest, high tech, foldable e-scooter. It’s only available on Bird’s website and Target right now and retails for $599. It’s unique in that it’s lightweight and folds up, unlike the Bird scooters that are available for rent.
Bird Air has more than 30 U.S. and international safety certifications, which is more than any other personal e-scooter on the market. It has a long-lasting battery and I like the “stow and go” vehicle design so it’s easy to store or bring with you.
Say you’re commuting somewhere and want to ride your scooter back home. It’s pretty easy to do this with Bird Air due to its lightweight frame.
Other Specs
The scooter only weighs 30 pounds so like I said, it’s easy to carry if needed. It can go 15.5 miles if fully charges and tops off at a speed of 16 mph. It’s not that fastest on the market, but it’s still pretty fast. It also comes with an LED headlight and tail lights for convenient evening and night riding. Here are some other important specs to consider:
- Dimensions – 38.6 Inches (L), 45.1 Inches (H) x 18.1 Inches (W)
- Includes rechargeable Battery
- Bluetooth compatible
- Aluminum and steel frame with rubber wheels
- Estimated charge time is 4 hours
- Wheel diameter is 8 inches
- Cruise range is 15.5 miles
- Holds up to 220 pounds
Overall I think the price point is pretty reasonable considering all that you get. This scooter is going to last a long time and due to its Bluetooth connectivity, it can update its software automatically via the Bird App.
Putting it Together
Bird sent me a scooter so I could test it out but first I had to put it together. I’ve put together scooters before so it wasn’t too hard, but I feel the process would be pretty simple for the average person anyway.
The scooter comes in just a few main pieces with 4 screws and all you’ll possibly need is a basic Allen wrench to put it together. Everything locks in place and you could go from unboxing your scooter to getting ready to take it out on the road in just a few minutes.
How It Rides
I took my Bird Air out for a spin in my neighborhood for a few minutes and it was a pretty smooth ride. First, I synced up my scooter to the Bird app via Bluetooth and set it to the fastest speed. There are 3 options for speed so you can control how fast you want to go.
My first impression was that it was riding and braking pretty smoothly when I was going 14 -16 mph. When you press on the brakes you don’t come to an immediate stop (it’s gradual), but you do have a stomp pad if you need that emergency immediate stop.
Other Reviews
While this scooter is fairly new, I tried to find some other reviews aside from mine from people who’ve given it a try so far. For the most part, this scooter has decent reviews. Some people have commented about wanting to be able to lock the scooter up without using a bike lock since the scooters you can rent can lock easily all over the area.
“Overall, I love this scooter! It is super fun and a great way to get around. There are only 2 downsides that I’ve noticed. The first is that the range only seems to be about 7-8 miles when the ad states up to 15. Also, I’d love if there was a way to lock it up besides a bike lock. Although the folding aspect can come in handy. It is still a great purchase and if you’re in the market for a scooter, you will not regret buying it!” – Target customer
“As a frequent Bird scooter user, I was quite surprised to see that they’re selling in Target now! I am a big fan of the shared scooter and use it almost daily for getting around my neighborhood, so thought I’d give this a shot to save money in the long-run. After using it for a day, I’m hooked. I can get around without needing to find a rideshare vehicle and unlock it everytime. The folding mechanism is a gamechanger as I can now safely bring the scooter with me when I am done riding. The build quality is very high and the product feels sturdy. Acceleration is great (you can toggle it on the Bird app if you prefer a slower acceleration). Would highly recommend to get around, especially during COVID times.” – Target customer
“The design is nice but it makes a lot of noise. It is impossible to drive it in the street with it, it seems like its about to break when you drive with it.” – Target customer
I’m not sure if I’d want to lock my scooter up at a public Bird scooter station where other people may try to unlock it for their own ride. I just don’t think the personal Bird scooters should be mixed in with the public models you can rent.
Other people also had some issues with getting the scooter up to speed or putting it together. In my video, I don’t really read through the directions because I’m used to putting together these types of things. However, if you’re brand new to the electric scooter world, I’d highly recommend going through the directions as a guide to make sure you get it set up correctly.
Final Thoughts – Who is Bird Air Best For?
I’ve always been a fan of these micro-mobility scooter options, so I feel like this would be best for urban commuters or even someone who is looking to go a few miles up the road in their neighborhood.
Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by the Bird Air scooter and how it handed on the road. Of course, I can compare this scooter to others that I’d tried in the past so it just goes to show that Bird has definitely stepped up their game in terms of delivering a solid electric scooter with better technology and smoother rides at a mid-price point.
This is definitely a scooter I’m going to look forward to riding around now as we’re all still in the midst of a pandemic and a lot of people aren’t sharing as many rides.
What’s your first impression of the Bird Air electric scooter?
-Harry @ RSG with additional reporting by Chonce Maddox-Rhea
