At Ryde, safety is not just a checkbox. It is a core part of how we design and improve our vehicles. A few years ago, Trond Andresen, an associate professor at the Department of Engineering Cybernetics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), reached out to us after noticing the scooter was so unstable that he could not take a hand off the handlebar to scratch his nose without wobbling. That observation sparked a project that ultimately led to a meaningful improvement in how our scooters handle, balance, and keep riders safer.

The Challenge: Stability at Speed

One of the most critical, and often overlooked, factors in e-scooter safety is a geometric property called trail. Trail refers to the horizontal distance between the point where the front wheel touches the ground and the point where the steering axis meets the ground. In simple terms, it is what gives a scooter its self-correcting steering behaviour. Too little trail and the scooter feels twitchy and unstable. Get it right and the rider experiences a safer ride.

What the Testing Showed

Andresen’s starting point was well-established bicycle stability theory, with the concept of trail. He had experienced first-hand that a Ryde scooter was too unstable. With help of his department’s workshop, he modified a scooter by flipping the front wheel 180 degrees, which significantly increased the trail. He then brought both scooters, the original and the modified version, into his classes at NTNU.

Since the autumn of 2022, hundreds of cybernetics students have ridden both versions as part of a practical teaching exercise. The goal is to give students a hands-on feel for stability in dynamic systems – and a bike is a dynamic system where everyone has experience.

The modified scooter was consistently perceived as more stable and easier to control. The data pointed clearly toward increasing the trail from 10 mm to 40.6 mm, an improvement that strengthens the self-stabilising properties of the vehicle. In practical terms, riders get a scooter that is easier to control, more forgiving of uneven surfaces, and less prone to the kind of sudden handling surprises that can lead to accidents.

“My first trip: I had to stop the bike to scratch my nose”

From Research to Real Streets

The findings from NTNU have been directly applied to our latest scooter generation. The updated trail specification of 40.6 mm is now part of our vehicle standard, backed by documented research and engineering analysis.

This is a good example of what responsible micromobility development can look like. Andresen brought curiosity, engineering knowledge, and initiative. And Ryde listened. The updated trail specification of 40.6 mm is now part of our vehicle standard.