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The Bird app has connectivity issues, and given you use the app to turn on the scooter, deactivate the tamper alarm, see your scooter’s battery and toggle the lights, that’s a huge problem. We frequently found the app seemed convinced it was connected to the scooter when it wasn’t. The scooter doesn’t fold down, unlike most its rivals, which we’ll explore more in the ‘Portability’ section. Firstly, initially connecting the scooter is a pain. The option to do so is well hidden, and we spent a lot of time Googling and searching before we figured out the solution - there’s no unique way to register a personal vehicle, you just scan your own scooter as though it’s a rental one. This could be a lot clearer. Here, we'd usually talk about speed settings, but the Bird One only has a single setting. Honestly, we don't think this is too much of an issue, as we generally only use the most powerful setting on other e-scooters anyway. Reducing the number of settings certainly makes the Bird One simple and straightforward to use. What’s more impressive is that usually, electric scooter makers quote the distance you’ll get on the less-power-intensive slower modes. In this way, while the figures are technically true, they often don’t reflect the real experience of riding a scooter. The Bird One doesn’t have different modes though - we got our distance when traveling at the scooter’s top speed, so the range feels doubly correct.
Adding to its stylish credentials is the sleek and streamlined design, with fully integrated brake wires and a built-in headlight unit. It looks aerodynamic, like an Airstream caravan. Out of the box, not much needs doing to the Bird One; there are just four simple bolts which need securing with an Allen key. These are just the bigger issues we faced with the Bird One - each is enough to deduct a few stars from our score, but together they’re a recipe for disaster. Even if you can look past one or two problems, there are enough more that it doesn't matter. Riding the Bird One was a stressful experience, one we were nervous to embark on every time we took the thing for a journey. It's IP34-rated, which means you can take the Bird One outin showery conditions without voiding the warranty, and it can take a maximum load of 100 kg.
Perhaps even more impressive than its aesthetics, though, is how solidly the Bird One is built. It feels like a tank. This is because it was originallybuiltfor Bird'srideshare schemes, and the hard life of abuse that that entails. Here's where the Bird One gets really interesting – its app – because Bird isn't just an e-scooter company, it's a software and service company. You can also receive regular over-the-air firmware updates, as well as remote-diagnose and update firmware issues. The absence of riding modes, as most scooters have, and the fact you can’t see your speed, gives you much less control over your riding habits than you should have. While on other scooters you can drop into a lower speed mode to cruise through residential areas, or ride in an ‘eco’ mode to preserve battery, the Bird One doesn’t present those important options. It can be harder to guesstimate your speed than you may think. The app was originallydeveloped to help rentalriderslocate Bird One e-scooters in their local area,but Bird’s companion app now alsooffers you complete controlover your e-scooter.
Of course, the inability to fold down might instantly make some people stop reading. We usually review electric scooters by using them as a 'last mile' solution between a car park and our office, but as this doesn't fold, it wouldn't fit inside our car. If you live in a city and plan on using the Bird One as your sole mode of transportation, then this is less of an issue.
One to avoid
In the interest of fairness, we should say the Bird One has one or two redeeming qualities. Its range is one of the best of any electric scooter we’ve tested, so it’ll suit people with longer commutes, and its acceleration speed was perfect for comfortable starts. Central between the handlebars, at the top of the scooter’s stem, is a large plastic box - on most scooters, this would house a display to tell you your speed, remaining battery, and which riding mode you were in - the Bird One just has two LEDs that tell you if the scooter is charging or not. That means when you’re riding it’s impossible to know how fast you’re going, or how much charge you have left. The handlebars also house a bell and the brake on the left side, a light in the central box, and the accelerator and QR code on the right. The latter is used for initially scanning the scooter, after which its purpose is to make your scooter look more like a rental one than a personal one. The presence of a front-facing light is mirrored by a red rear one, which flashes when in use.
This information is available in the app, but we think it's useful to have it right in front of you as well. This assembly issue won’t plague people who are using Bird’s rental scooters, instead of their private ones. So construction and handlebar problems aside, how does the Bird One ride? Well, it’s okay, but nothing to write home about. All models feature a large contrasting Bird logo on the front and Bird branding on the upright beam.The Bird One electric scooter is the same model you’ll find if you use Bird’s scooter rental app available in many cities - this is just a retail version of that same vehicle.
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