Compact, self-folding, and effortless to transport, the Freestyler® scooter is one of Cubro’s newest product offerings and has made all the difference for one UK couple on holiday in New Zealand.
Jim and Margaret Templeton visited their Christchurch-based daughter, Helen Murray, in January 2026. For 82-year-old Jim, who has peripheral neuropathy and early-stage Alzheimer’s, walking even short distances can be exhausting and risky.
“He can’t feel his legs from his thighs down; he has no sensation in them,” explains Helen. “And on top of that, he can’t pick up his toes. He’s a very high falls risk so walking any distance is incredibly fatiguing for him.”
Luckily, Helen is a Cubro Solutions Specialist and her parents’ visit provided the perfect opportunity for her to put the Freestyler® mobility scooter to the test. “My parents are the perfect candidates to test this scooter out because they’ve got experience using scooters at home. They needed something that was small, compact and fully transportable that could allow them to enjoy all that New Zealand has to offer.”
At home in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Jim uses a traditional three-part scooter, which requires lifting a heavy seat and battery back onto the base each time he wants to transport it somewhere. “It’s genuinely quite hard work to reassemble. But the amazing thing about this little fold-up Freestyler® scooter is you literally press a button and it folds itself up.
“It’s 23kg and I can lift it really easily as an able-bodied person. But Mum and Dad can also take a handle each and lift it into the boot between them. It makes it really easy for them to take it places and use it without the effort of rebuilding it every time.”
The Templetons used the Freestyler® while touring Christchurch, Kaikoura, Twizel, Tekapo and the West Coast during their five week holiday. It is so compact that it easily fitted alongside two suitcases in their Honda Fit car boot.
Despite Jim’s six-foot-tall frame, the scooter’s design accommodated him comfortably. “I was worried about his feet getting stuck in the front wheels when turning, but it hasn't been a problem at all, even with his long legs,” Helen says.
Jim says the scooter is easy to drive – he simply pushes a button with his index finger forward or backwards. “It’s been very good and very straightforward,” he says.
Optional accessories include flip-up armrests, a cup holder, and a front basket which Jim’s wife, Margaret, says is very handy. “Jim can store his fold-up walking sticks, his jumper and his phone and things. They go quite easily into that basket, no trouble.
“At home we’ve got a scooter that’s supposed to go into the back of our car but it’s gotten too heavy for us. It’s a nightmare trying to reassemble it. So one that just folds up is ideal. It’s lighter and easy for us to get in and out of the boot which is the thing we really love about it.”
The Freestyler’s small wheels are best suited to firm surfaces such as tarmac, compacted gravel and smooth grass. This scooter is also packed with practical features: it folds and unfolds at the push of a button, stands upright like a suitcase on wheels for easy manoeuvring, and can even be charged while folded, saving storage space.
Helen notes another useful feature is it automatically slows down when you turn a corner. “Because it’s got a small footprint, this is a great safety measure.
“The main win is Mum’s world has been shrinking because Dad can't walk far, and Mum can’t leave him because of his Alzheimer’s. This scooter enables them to get out together – strolling around parks, shopping malls, along the Esplanade – and access the places they want to go,” Helen says.
“Mum and Dad love this scooter so much. They’re honestly thinking about selling their scooter at home in the UK and buying one of these because it’s so much easier for them to use.
“For me as a Cubro Solutions Specialist, it’s been great to trial the product. If you’re needing an easily transportable scooter and you’re happy to go on firm-ish surfaces, it’s absolutely perfect.”