TOP 5: The best indicators for retrofitting an e-scooter

Not every e-scooter is equipped with indicators as standard – especially older and cheaper e-scooters often do not have an integrated direction indicator because they are not required to have indicators. If there is no indicator, it is necessary to announce the direction change in a timely and clear manner using a hand signal. It is important to ensure that the driver of the e-scooter does not put himself in danger by taking his hands off the handlebar and that he remains in a safe position. This is clearly stated in Section 11, No. 3 of the Small Electric Vehicle Ordinance eKFV.

Problems in practice: The steering wobbles with only one hand and the throttle lever cannot be operated at the same time. If you raise your hand to signal a turn, the energy supply is interrupted and the scooter brakes. This can immediately lead to dangerous situations in traffic, which is why hand signals are often not shown in practice or are only shown for a few seconds. This also creates the risk that the hand signal will be easily ignored. According to the Federal Ministry of Transport, it is also not allowed to lift your foot to indicate that you want to turn.

Turn signals on e-scooters are not currently required by law, but they are a tried and tested and effective means of preventing accidents. If you are not traveling alone in a wide area, you can participate in road traffic in a more comfortable and safer way with retrofitted turn signals. Retrofittable indicators are available to be mounted either on the ends of the handlebars or above the rear wheel. The former are usually plugged into the ends of the handlebars and then activated by tapping or using a remote control. At the rear, the indicators are mounted either on or next to the rear wheel and activated via a remote control on the handlebar. Both variants have their own advantages and disadvantages, which we will discuss in the respective placements.

Here are our test winners Indicators are integrated into the handle From Fxinruia For 36 EurosWhich we bought from Amazon. Here the indicators are not screwed into the ends of the handlebars, but completely replace the handles. Two orange indicator modules are located at the ends of the round, convenient handles. Although they are removable, in testing they fit reliably and firmly. Batteries for power supply are easily charged via USB-C. If you don’t want to do this directly on the scooter, remove the indicators.

Activating the indicators works in two ways. Operation by touch is very intuitive – if you don’t want that, use the included remote control. It is simply attached to the handlebar with a rubber band and can also be charged via USB – our remote control has already survived a few rain showers, but we would still like a cover for the charging port. To control the lights remotely, you must first turn on the remote control and activate the indicators by touching them. If the turn signals do not show turn signals, they either burn permanently, become alternately brighter and darker or turn off completely. Other indicators do not offer this option.

The model also scores points with bright and clearly visible LEDs and a presentable USB-C port for recharging. If you want to control the handle by touch anyway, you can get handle indicators without a remote control under a different company name – but then 39 euros.Handles are available in grey and black.

The biggest drawback of the test winner: If you are accustomed to ergonomic handles on your scooter, you first have to get used to the round handles. In addition, the handles fit properly, but they can be bent with too much force – in the worst case, the indicators point up and down instead of forward and backward. It’s also a shame that there is no lock for accidental activation. Thanks to the bright lights, accidentally triggered turn signals are the least noticeable here.

Winglights Pop For the surrounding 23 Euros Leave a good impression overall – but there are also points that we like less. What we like most is the highest brightness by far and the resulting highest visibility in the test area. The Winglights Pop are also easy to install. First the grips are pulled off the handlebars, then the screw adapter is inserted into the ends of the handlebars. Now you have to push the handle back and screw in the indicators – done.

The orange winglights are activated by touching them – it works reliably and intuitively. However, the indicators have only two operating states: off or flashing – they cannot be lit constantly. There is also no way to turn off the indicators, so one touch is enough to make our scooter flash when we move forward. It is immediately noticeable due to the bright LEDs, but it comes at the cost of battery power. This type of button cell is used here instead of durable batteries CR2032 For use. They last for several months even with regular use, but we would have liked a much better battery.

Turn Signal from Fututec there is Amazon for just under that 20 Euros. In some cases we also like these turn signals that are mounted on the ends of the handlebars better than winglights – although the LEDs are not as bright and therefore less visible. They are bright enough in cloudy skies, at dusk and in the dark, but when the sun is shining you can easily miss the orange LEDs.

iPhone 15 and 15 Plus: Outdated after just one year

We liked the power supply via battery and the charging option via USB. The fact that you can turn the indicators on and off is also a plus. Accidental activation is not possible here, which saves energy.

Fxinruia Rear Indicator For 27 Euros The battery and USB charging it offers leaves mixed feelings. It starts with the attachment – which unfortunately is not suitable for all types of e-scooters. With our outdoor scooter Joyor Y8-S (Test report) The rear mudguard is too wide to select the screw attachment. The indicator stays in place with the included rubber band, but it covers parts of our license plate. The rear indicators are therefore mainly suitable for classic city e-scooters with narrow tires.

We really like the bright and easily visible orange LEDs and the practical handlebar remote control. In addition to flashing right and left, hazard warning lights and constant illumination are also possible. The main problem with this model: These rear indicators not only flash, but also emit an annoying warning sound. The horn, which is reminiscent of a truck in reverse gear, may attract extra attention, but it really annoys us. Although the warning sound may not be noticeable when flashing in fast city traffic, we would still like to disable it. The rear turn signal is definitely too conspicuous for us!

The cheapest indicator by far is the no-name model, which… aliexpress around 4 Euro Cost – for good reason. Basically, the model is reminiscent of the Winglights Pop, but here the lights are screwed directly into the handlebar, similar to the Fututech turn signals. At the beginning of the tests we liked the compact and inconspicuous size – but more on this later.

To activate the turn signals, simply touch the ends of the handlebars. The second contact switches to intense flashing, the third tap deactivates the indicator again. It’s not very intuitive and distracts your attention from traffic. The second disadvantage is the power supply via button cells – you have to figure out which type you need – there are simply no instructions. Apart from stability, this cheap indicator has a big problem: due to the compact and flat design in combination with the LED that is very weak, these indicators are difficult to see even in the evening and in the dark. Here we have a lack of visibility, which comes at the expense of safety.

In principle, there is not much to take into account when buying such retrofitted turn signals. It is important to note that the indicators are suitable for e-scooters and the width of the handlebar including the attachment should not exceed 70 cm. In addition, the indicators must have their own power supply via rechargeable batteries or batteries.

According to the TÜV inspector responsible for the ABE approval, the operating license does not expire as long as the indicators have independent circuits. The insurance coverage is also retained accordingly. It only becomes a problem when you tamper with the electrical circuit of the scooter – then its operating license expires. Without a complex personal inspection, there will no longer be any approval for the electric scooter. We therefore advise against working on the circuit yourself and prefer to recommend variants with their own power supply.

However, handlebar-mounted e-scooter indicators have the advantage that you can check directly whether they actually work.

To increase road safety, retrofitting an indicator to the e-scooter is definitely worth it. These are always worthwhile if they are easy to use and can be easily seen by other road users. For example, very compact turn signals on the handlebars are not as visible as sweeping turn signals or turn signals mounted on the rear wheel.

When turning or changing lanes, turn signals give other road users clear information about your intended intentions. Hands also remain on the handlebars, which guarantees a stable driving style. This builds confidence and reduces the risk for you and other road users.