Tires are your scooter's only contact with the road. Pressure, tread type, and tire condition affect everything: from range and dynamics to your ability to stop safely. Here's everything you need: from choosing the right rubber type to fixing punctures in field conditions.
Tire Types: Pneumatic, Tubeless, Solid
🟢 DIY | ⚡ Basic
The Essence
Properly chosen tires determine handling, comfort, and safety. For Scootify ecosystem electric scooters reaching speeds over 40-60 km/h, road grip is a critical factor. There is no single ideal tire for all conditions — choice is always a compromise.
How It Works
Pneumatic (with inner tube): Classic option (e.g., basic Hiley Tiger 10). Rubber tire protects, inner tube holds air.
Pros: Smooth ride, excellent grip, cheap tube replacement.
Cons: Highest puncture risk, especially "snake bite" (when tube gets pinched by rim hitting curb at low pressure).
Tubeless: Standard for premium segment (Nami Burn-E, Kaabo Wolf, HYSCO). Tire sits tightly on sealed rim.
Pros: Less prone to punctures, stable pressure, impossible to pinch flat, works perfectly with anti-puncture sealant.
Cons: More complex mounting (requires compressor or booster).
Solid (Solid / Honeycomb): Solid piece of rubber or polyurethane.
Pros: Never puncture.
Cons: Terribly harsh (all vibrations go to suspension and battery), dangerously slippery on wet asphalt. Scootify strongly discourages them for powerful scooters.
Pressure: Tuning for Road and Conditions
Tire pressure is a free tuning that dramatically changes your scooter. Most beginners ride on under-inflated wheels, losing up to 20% battery charge, while over-inflated tires can cause skidding during emergency braking.
Optimal Pressure (for 75-80 kg rider on 10" tires)
Smooth asphalt: 50-55 PSI (3.4-3.8 bar) — minimal rolling resistance, maximum range and speed
Rough city roads: 40-45 PSI (2.8-3.1 bar) — balance of comfort (tire absorbs small impacts) and rolling
Wet road / Rain: 40-45 PSI — larger contact patch = better water evacuation and grip
Off-road / Dirt: 35-40 PSI (2.4-2.8 bar) — maximum grip, scooter doesn't "dig in" to sand
Puncture Repair and Tube Replacement
Puncture is an inevitable part of a rider's life. If you continue riding on a flat tire (even 500 meters), you will destroy the tire, tear the tube, and bend the aluminum hub motor rim. The ability to quickly replace a tube will save you money and time on a tow truck.
FAQ
How often to check pressure?
Minimum once a week before riding. Rubber naturally passes air molecules, losing 1-2 PSI per week.
Can I use tires from other manufacturers?
Yes, size (e.g., 10x3.0) is a standard. Upgrading to premium rubber (PMT) is highly recommended, just follow the mounting diameter and width so it doesn't rub against the swing arm.
How does pressure affect range (specific numbers)?
Pressure drop from 50 PSI to 30 PSI increases rolling resistance so much that the battery drains 15-20% faster (instead of 50 km you'll ride 40 km on one charge).
Can I ride with a puncture?
Absolutely NOT. Even 100 meters of riding will "chew up" the tube, destroy the tire, and can seriously bend the expensive aluminum hub motor rim.