Razor A5 Lux Hands-On Review: A Great Value Adult Kick Scooter (But I Sold Mine Anyway)

Last updated: December 9th, 2023

Day to day, nothing’s better than having a blast while you quickly and conveniently get around town.

And when walking’s too slow but cycling is overkill, adult kick scooters fit the bill.

They’re not unlike what you zipped around the neighborhood on as a kid…

But with taller handlebars, way larger-diameter wheels, and an all-around sturdier build.

The Razor A5 Lux is one of the most readily available adult kick scooters in the US market. Earlier this summer, I picked one up and put it through its paces.

Pros:

✅ A familiar brand that’s readily available

✅ One of the best values around

✅ Fits (most) adults

✅ Light, agile feel

✅ Almost zero maintenance

✅ Braking sucks less than you’d expect(!)

Cons:

❌ Harsh ride on rough pavement

❌ Handlebars and deck may feel cramped

❌ Terrible traction and braking on wet surfaces

❌ Fender brake builds up immense static electricity during prolonged braking

I liked it, I’d generally recommend it, yet I sold it anyhow.

Below are the reasons why.

(By the way, read through to the end for a couple of heavier-duty adult scooter suggestions, both kick- and electric-powered.)

This article might contain affiliate links. As a member of programs including Amazon Associates, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Razor A5 Lux Manufacturer Specs

  • Frame material: aluminum
  • Wheel size: 8″ (200mm)
  • Tire material: urethane
  • Brake: fender (stomp)
  • Weight: 8.38 lbs
  • Max rider weight: 220 lbs
  • Max rider height: roughly 5’10” (but read on)
  • Kickstand: yes (retractable)
  • Folding: yes
  • Collapsible handlebars: yes
  • Price: check

What’s Great About The Razor A5 Lux

This is a simple and time-tested product. And in the right conditions, it’s a lot of fun.

Here’s what I liked and what I think you will, too.

The Razor A5 Lux is a great deal on an adult kick scooter for fun, errands, and commuting

My Razor A5 Lux, out of the box

An established brand you’ve actually heard of

You’ve probably noticed that Amazon is awash in adult kick scooters. For every longstanding name like Razor, there must be a dozen obscure ones. 

Some are good deals and decent quality, and some aren’t. But the bigger question is whether the company will even exist a quarter or a year from now.

Scooters tend to use proprietary parts. When they break, it’s nice to know the brand still exists to replace them. And that’s even more important if you ever need to make a warranty claim.

It’s a fair assumption that Razor will stick around for a good while.

A cheap, low-risk way to try scooter riding

OK, it’s not the cheapest on the market, but it’s tough to find an adult kick scooter for less than the A5 Lux.

I paid $85 or so at Target, and it’s sometimes on sale for even less. For convenience, you can always check prices on Amazon here, too.

Most adults will feel comfortable

With the handlebars at their max height, it’s an almost perfect fit for me at 5’10”.

My arms are rather long. Others of similar height might need the bars an inch or two higher than they can go.

That’s why I say it’s “basically adult-sized.” 

Most children/young teens, most female riders and perhaps half of male riders should be comfortable. Taller individuals would do best to look elsewhere.

The quick, zippy feel is just plain fun

The A5 Lux’s urethane wheels aren’t cushy (more on that later). 

But on the flip side, they do provide an extremely quick ride on smooth pavement.

With fast-rolling wheels, very light weight, and low deck height (easy on the knees!), it takes minimal effort to propel yourself forward.

No need to waste time on maintenance

The best thing about most kick scooters is how quickly you can grab them and head out the door.

No tires to inflate, no brake or shifter cables to adjust, no…nothing.

The A5 Lux fit squarely in this mold.

To be clear, you absolutely should double-check bolt tightness after unboxing and perhaps every couple weeks thereafter. (Pro tip: a little blue Loctite will prevent screws from loosening again.)

But that’s about all. It’s a beautifully simple design. Besides those trivial safety checks, and eventual wear-and-tear replacement (like wheels) there just isn’t much to do.

It doesn’t get any simpler.

Braking is surprisingly confidence-inspiring

If bicycles are your frame of reference, then realize that no kick scooter will stop as quickly.

They’re not intended for bicycle speeds, either, so this is where reasonable expectations are everything.

That said, I was pleasantly surprised at how effective the A5 Lux’s fender brake worked.

Perhaps my childhood Razor just set the bar too low, but it was entirely decent.

Again, it’s not going to stop on a dime like a bicycle with well-adjusted disc brakes. You still need to plan to brake before it’s urgent.

But halting from sidewalk speeds was not a problem.

What’s Not To Like?

For an inexpensive and ultra-simple scooter, the A5 Lux is well made.

But keeping the price and complexity down did require a few trade-offs. 

Some are obvious and minor, but I’ll also highlight a couple that surprised me.

Road vibration can be intense

The first thing you’ll notice on your maiden voyage is how quickly it accelerates.

But the second thing you’ll notice is how intensely it vibrates on anything less than perfect asphalt.

The foam grips take the edge off. Underfoot, sneakers with cushioned soles (like most running shoes) help deaden the deck’s vibrations.

Even so, there’s no escaping the harshness of an unsuspended aluminum frame with hard urethane wheels. 

It’s a quick ride, but it amplifies rough pavement into Richter-scale vibration.

Beware the static

On my first ride, I kicked up to a good speed on the sidewalk, then braked for a few seconds as I neared the intersection.

As my hand approached the signal button, I felt the hairs on my arm raise up.

Then, the instant my finger touched it, I got the most intense static shock of my life to date.

Not horribly painful, but startling to say the least.

And, unfortunately, it kept happening. Almost every time I braked before touching a metal button or handle, I got some degree of static shock.

My rides always involve a few crosswalk signal buttons, so it’s one of the reasons I ultimately sold the scooter. (Not the decisive reason, mind you, but a factor.)

I’d chalk it up to the friction of the fender brake against whatever particular material the wheel uses. If so, then there’s no easy fix, unfortunately.

There only seems to be one other mention of this phenomenon (see here if you’re curious). It’s apparently not common, but I’m surely not that special, either. 

Bottom line: don’t be “shocked” if you encounter the same thing.

Larger feet are cramped on the deck

My US men’s size 11 feet had enough room on the deck, but none too much. 

To clarify, one of my feet had enough room. The A5 Lux’s is 4.5″ wide, which allows plenty of ankle clearance, not to mention easy carrying and storage. However, that’s only enough space to rest a corner of your kicking foot.

To maximize this space, turn your non-kicking foot a little bit outward. Keep the heel in place, but let the outer edge of the front of your shoe hang off the side.

That should leave a couple inches to rest your kicking foot as you coast. But it’s probably best not to ride rough ground like that, or simply to choose another scooter if foot space is a priority.

As for a maximum shoe size, I’d guess that a US men’s 13 or larger wouldn’t easily fit. I can’t test that firsthand, though, and your preferred riding stance is a big factor anyhow.

Narrow handlebars feel a little unpredictable

It bears repeating that the A5 Lux is delightfully compact. It’s easy to store inconspicuously and to carry unobtrusively.

But part of getting the size down was providing rather narrow handlebars: under 14″, if memory serves. 

In bicycle fitting, there’s a basic principle that handlebar width should be close to shoulder width. That’s the most natural and ergonomic position for general-purpose riding. It also gives good control when the going gets rough.

However, 14″ (or so) is far narrower than any adult’s shoulder. It’s adequate for very young or small riders, but it’s not a good design choice for a scooter marketed partly to adults. 

It’s not like we need massive leverage for stunt riding. Even a bump up to 18″ handlebar width would have given better stability and control on rough sidewalks and the like.

It’s a non-starter for larger adults

First off, Razor gives a rider weight limit of 220 pounds for the A5 Lux.

That’s simple enough, and should cover most riders.

Second, and less clear, is what rider height the A5 Lux works for.

I’d estimate that anyone above 5’10”-ish will have trouble getting comfortable with its handlebar height.

Depending on your arm length and riding posture, it can be tough to stay comfortably upright.

Additionally, taller folks have proportionately wider shoulders. That makes the already narrow handlebars feel even more cramped.

Solid tires are scary when wet

This isn’t a fault of the A5 Lux, but an issue with every urethane-wheeled scooter on the market.

And although the static shocks weren’t pleasant, the wet-weather danger is the main reason I sold mine. (That may not matter where you are, but it’s a big deal here in the Pacific Northwest!)

Those rock-hard wheels are quite fast, but they’re downright sketchy in the wet. 

For instance, it’ll easily slide out from under you around corners. Likewise, metal plates and even painted road markings remove whatever traction remains. Leaves and debris also bury hazards that small, hard wheels can’t handle.

And braking? Forget about it!

To be fair, it’s possible to scoot safely in the rain even with urethane wheels. That’s a topic for another article, but the short version is to go so slowly that you might as well be walking. 

If rain is inevitable, then simply opt for a scooter with inflatable tires and rim brakes. Keep reading, since I’ll mention a few below.

Answering Some Common Questions About The Razor A5 Lux

What’s the height and weight limit?

The weight limit is 220 pounds, according to Razor. 

As for height, it’s not a hard limit but a question of comfort. As I mentioned earlier, riders up to about 5’10” should be comfortable enough, but it depends on how you’d like it to fit.

Who should and shouldn’t buy one?

You’ll like the A5 Lux if you:

  • Prioritize portability
  • Are on a budget
  • Are no larger than an average-sized adult
  • Take mostly quick trips (under a couple of miles, roughly)
  • Won’t ride in wet weather or on rough surfaces
  • Can accept harshness and vibration in exchange for light weight and efficiency

You should consider something else (see farther down this page) if you:

  • Need to ride on bad pavement, debris-covered routes, or off-road
  • Expect to use it on wet surfaces
  • Exceed the weight or height range (see above), have particularly broad shoulder, and/or have very large feet
  • Want something smooth and vibration-free
  • Are especially concerned about the occasional static shock (yes, really, as mentioned above!)
  • Don’t mind spending more for added features or an altogether more capable ride

Can you ride it off-road?

Any scooter with hard urethane wheels really needs to stay on hard surfaces.

More specifically, it needs to stay on smooth, debris-free hard surfaces.

Cracks and gravel are annoying. With any speed, they’re downright dangerous.

There’s a good reason that bicycles have large wheels with relatively soft tires. And that reason will be obvious the first time you scoot over a little bump.

What other models should I consider?

After spending way too long(!) researching this exact question for myself, here’s where I would start.

Micro, Hudora, and Oxelo are popular brands that sell similar scooters with higher build quality. They also fit taller and heavier riders than most Razor products. Some even have suspension and a hand brake!

Micro is easy to find, but Hudora and Oxelo (two European brands) can be hard to find in North America. 

All three brands cost a bit more than Razor in general, but the European ones may demand extra patience and/or shipping expenses to get hold of. 

Arguably, they’re more refined due to a more developed adult scooter market in Europe, but it’s hard to say. There are many to choose from, and despite what some slick-looking “review” sites claim, almost nobody has ridden all of them.

What’s a bigger/sturdier/more rugged alternative?

In North America, the 10″-wheeled Razor A6 is a slightly smoother-rolling option.

For rougher streets, consider something like a Razor A5 Air (be careful of its low deck!) or Micro Flex Air. Both have inflatable 8″ tires that provide great traction and low vibration, but are noticeably slower to ride.

However, there’s a whole category of big-wheeled kick scooters that borrow more from bicycle design than from kick scooter. These are often called kick bikes, and they’re a significant step up in every way.

The huge, air-filled tires and excellent brakes are ideal for tall adults, long rides, rougher terrain, heavier loads, wet weather, and everything else that micro scooters struggle with.

However, they’re much larger and heavier. Many do not fold, and all cost quite a bit more than anything from Razor. They’re essentially bicycles without pedals. Whether that’s good or bad all depends on what you need it for.

If you’re interested in exploring the kick bike segment of the market, then my personal recommendation is a Swifty. They cost a pretty penny, but the folding and non-folding models both ride as well as can be.

Many small adult e-scooters are equally practical, too. They’re much larger and costlier, but they’re worth considering if a) you need some portability and b) most of your trips are on the upper end of reasonable kick-scooter distance.