Hop into the Future on a Cangaroo?

Assessments of micromobility initiatives have tended to focus on their ability to quickly and efficiently move users distances too far to walk, and too short to warrant automobile usage. However, in practice, much of the appeal of riding a scooter or electric bicycle is the fun of a joyride around town. A new mobility startup is using mobile technology to put fun, whimsy, and exploration front and center, by disrupting the micromobility hardware market with an improbable vehicle.

                On May 16^th, using the slogan “jump into the future,” Swedish startupCangoroo announced that they would be launching their shared pogo stick service in Stockholm and Malmo as early as June, with expansion to London and San Francisco later in the summer. Two days later, CEO Adam Mikkelsen updated the press release to clarify that his venture was, in fact, “100% real.” Cangoroo’s website is sparse, and seems verging on parody, with images of joyous young people hoisting pogo stick and declaring that “Cangoroo was founded for one simplereason: To change our world for the better.” Many of the taglines used on their website are similar to other micomobility companies:  Cangoroo promises to solve the problem of first and last mile transportation, and to with greater efficiency in space and emissions than other modes of transit. Where they differ is in their emphasis on the longer lifespan of a pogo stick (16-24 months) compared to an electric scooter (one month), and their insistence that traveling by pogo stick can bring benefits to mental as well as physical well-being. Psychologist and co-financer Niklas Laninge argues that Cangoroo will “dominate the niche of people who’d like to add friction, joy and movement” to their commute.  Pricing is modest, starting at one dollar per trip and thirty cents per minute of travel. Cangoroo’s initial rollout (hop-out?) is more modest than other micromobility, with only 100 sticks arriving in Stockholm.

                I am skeptical of Cangoroo’s claims to compete with scooters or bicycles as a serious mode of urban transportation.  This does not mean their venture will fail, I am much more optimistic on their ability to compete as fun diversion. My biggest concern is safety. Every promotional image shows hoppers wearing helmets, if scooters are any guide, this will not be the case in practice. Speaking from my own attempts, the skill level needed to ride a pogo stick is considerably higher than a bicycle or scooter, and I worry about mixed traffic on busy sidewalks. Nevertheless, assuming Cangaroo is not an elaborate publicity stunt, I welcome them and new innovations in playful micromobility.