Every once in awhile I see something that brings the kid out in me – poprocks and gold rush candy, plush stuffies, and Lego are just a few of my favourite things, but nothing makes me want to gear up and get outside to play more than a power toy.
The good news is that Gio has an amazing lineup of electric scooters and electric bikes that are fun, fun, fun, for both you and your kids, and they’re now available on Bestbuy.ca. Just in time too, because spring and summer are right around the corner.
Not many people have the chance to tour a factory where fun is literally put together and shipped out the door, so when I had the opportunity to head down to the Gio factory in Vancouver I jumped at it. My hope was to get my hands on an electric bike and see if they were as cool as they looked online, and let me tell you, I wasn’t disappointed. Here’s a peek at what I saw when I visited the Gio factory:
Gio EVE Electric Toy Scooter 
Because we live on a cul-de-sac and we’re outside as much as weather permits, we have a lot of toys in our garage. From bikes to inline skates, we’ve got them all, but the one go-to toy my kids always head for is a scooter.
When I was in the Gio Factory I saw the Gio EVE Electric Toy Scooters up close and personal, and I knew right away that this was a toy my kids could really get into. Unlike other electric scooters we’ve tried out with limited power, limited speed, and limited battery life, the Gio EVE Electric Toy Scooter has a 100 watt electric motor and can cruise at speeds up to 16km/h. The battery lasts for 40 minutes too, so if the kids are commuting to school or to the park you won’t need to worry about pushing it back after the battery has run out.
Some electric scooters have touchy front brakes, and when the kids try to stop they’re jolted off the scooter. That’s what I really like about Gio products. The front handbrakes are easy to grip and they make it even easier to glide quietly to a stop, so I definitely feel comfortable with my kid’s ability to control it. The Gio EVE Electric Toy Scooter is rated for kids 6 and up.
Want to see the Gio EVE in action? Take a look at this Youtube video courtesy of Gio Motors:
Gio Super Max 200w Electric Scooter
When kids get a little older, their need for speed increases. Gio has the perfect power toy to keep up with your tween or teen – the Gio Super Max 200w electric scooter. It has a high-torque 200-watt motor and it can go a super speedy 21 km/hr. The 12V battery will last 40 minutes, and for most kids that’s enough power to get to school or practice at the local field.
The Gio Super Max 200w electric scooter also has 8” pneumatic front and rear tires and a full size frame, meaning if you want to go for a spin your kid just might let you borrow it.
Gio H2 Volt Foldable Electric Bicycle 
The Gio H2 Volt Foldable Electric Bicycle is what I had my eye on from the minute I walked into the Gio factory. That’s because I had already heard about Dan Halmo, and you might have too. He’s a 53 year old who completed the world’s longest e-bike ride, and he did it on a Gio ebike.
Riding from English Bay in downtown Vancouver to the Halifax Harbour, he did the entire 6,721 kilometer ride going no faster than his Gio ebike’s 30 km/hr limit. That record beats the old record of 3,044 kilometers.
eBikes are one of the newest crazes to hit the biking world. They’re equipped with more than just the usual bike pedals and gears – the Gio H2 Volt Foldable Electric Bicycle has a speedy 250-watt brushless motor, so when you need an extra boost while out riding the bike, all you have to do is pull the throttle.
Vlad from Gio pulled out a Gio H2 for me and I took it on a cruise through the parking lot. I’ve ridden a lot of bikes in my time, from road bikes to mountain bikes and I’ve tossed in a few cruisers in between, but I wasn’t prepared for what it was like to pull the throttle and take off like I did on the Gio. It takes you a few minutes to get used to it, but once you do? It was seriously so much fun.
The Gio H2 has a top speed of 25km/hr and you can drive up to 30 km on a single charge. Trust me when I saw that 25 km/hr can feel quite fast when you’re cruising down the street. You can choose to pedal or use the full electric throttle, and once you get cruising, your mind really does start to race with possibilities of where you could go and what you can do with it.
The Gio H2 has a digital LCD display on the handlebars so you can see your speed and RPM, and the alloy handlebars are adjustable to find the perfect fit for you. There is also a LED headlight included so you can ride at night (a must for safety) and the portable battery source can actually be used to charge your other devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops when you need an extra boost.
You can take your Gio H2 electric bike with you anywhere, because this power toy easily folds up and stores in your trunk when you don’t need it. The Gio H2 is rated for age 15 and up.
I always tell my kids that adults are really just little kids grown up, and they shouldn’t mind when I take off on their scooter or cruise away on an electric bike without them. That doesn’t mean that they don’t mind, but there’s nothing like a power toy or electric bike to help me kick back, relax, and remember to have fun again. I’m just glad Gio has so many to choose from that the fun will keep on rolling.
Check out all of Gio’s power toys including scooters and electric bikes right now on Bestbuy.ca.
