Ninebot Sighting
 

I was at a big South Florida outdoor art festival over the weekend, The Delray Affair, http://delrayaffair.com/. As I was ridding around on my 12 year old P133 with my dog ridding with me I saw my first Ninebot. The gentleman who was on it came up to me to talk. I'm sure a lot of you have seen one but for me it was the first one I've seen. I got to ask him all the questions I've been answering for the last 12 years; How much does it cost? What kind of range do you get from you batteries? What does it weigh? We've all answered those kind of questions. One of the interesting things he asked me was, he asked if I've heard anything about the news Segway is suppose to make in a few days? I ask if he heard it was good news or bad news. He said good news. He also said that with the Lithium batteries on the Ninebot you can fly with them on the machine. Anybody hear that? It was a good looking PT. Lighter than even the P's. More range too. Anybody out here ever ride one, or hear what Segway might be working on?

Which Ninebot model you saw, the single wheel one or the Segway look alike? Haven't heard anything about a new Segway model coming soon.

The ninebot owner probably referring to the Segway i2 SE or maybe even the Segway electric bike......


Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

The Ninebot I saw this weekend was the Ninebot-E. Looks like our 2 wheel Segways. Here's a link to the model I'm talking about.

http://www.ninebotus.com/ninebot-e/

That's a lot of coin for a China knock off!!!!
I was expecting $1500..... Well I guess there is a sucker born every day!!!

Airdale, that is the price from a US distributor. If you wanted to buy a few direct from China, it would be closer to your price of $1500.

I saw one at the Gadget Show last week. There was one store selling the Ninebot and Airwheel and one selling the Robstep. They were both (almost) adjacent to the Segway UK stand!

I had a quick look but to me they looked like toys compared with the Segway - especially the Camo x2SE on display and the Segway Patroller.

Segway UK didn't seem too concerned.

Ninebot FAQs
 

From:
http://www.ninebotus.com/faq/


Question: How far can I travel on a Ninebot?

Answer: On a fully charged battery (dependent on rider’s weight) travel can range between 14 to 18.5 miles.

Question: How does Ninebot Inc. provide Warranty service?

Answer: Warranty service is provided by the Vendor (seller). If the vendor does not offer Warranty services you will need to contact Ninebot Inc.. You may be required to ship you Ninebot to China for warranty service or repairs.

Question: How many batteries does the Ninebot-E use/have?

Answer: One

So, even though they claim redundant / backup electronic systems, the machine depends on 1 battery. Segway is truly redundant with 2 batteries.

Well, like hem or not, (the Ninebot), they're now family. Just announced today, Ninebot acquires Segway.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...s-rival-segway

Wow!
Guess the price of segways will finally come down. WAY down.
...so will the quality and reputation??

Oh well, the writing was on the wall.

I'm curious, how would you describe Segway's current reputation?

An american company with a product unmatched, even after all these years, in reliability and technical innovation. hence, all the chinese knockoffs.

The $3199 price is still at least a couple thousand less than an a Segway-branded equivalent (in the US. Other places, Segs are MUCH more expensive), and that price is from the previously exclusive NineBot dealer in the US.

With regards to quality and reputation, keep in mind that it is likely that your smart phone is produced in China (not to mention a significant fraction of the components in your car or truck). If Chinese factories can produce smart phones, they can easily produce the Seg, which is 10-year old "yester-tech" by today's standards.

But cell phones don't run on wheels, and have crappy aluminum wound motors?...
I would say....Look at a ceiling fan made in China, then look at the innards of a Casablanca....

Every corner will be cut, the cheapest products used...all to increase one thing profits!!!

Well, Segway was, until late 2013, a UK-owned company.

Serious "technical innovation" of the HT/PT products essentially ended in 2006, with the release of the I2. There's been nothing since that qualifies as "technical innovation", in my book. The basic concept of a balanced inverted pendulum is AGES old. Engineering students sometimes have to create their own inverted pendulum control systems as part of their curriculum. To his credit, Dean Kamen/Segway patented the implementation of the inverted pendulum into the two-wheel, self-balancing products. That, and LeanSteer, form the basis of their patent protection, and have (largely) protected Segway from competitors building two-wheeled self-balancing rides.

Regarding reliability, how reliable ARE Segs? Anyone who visits this site regularly can point to known issues that have affected reliability in the past, so Segs are not perfect. The radio killing the rear battery is a good example!

I am not aware of any published quality reports, such as Dead-On-Arrival or Customer Initial Quality Satisfaction reports. How does Segway reliability compare to their competition? Is there anyone on this forum who has facts to substantiate "unmatched reliability", or is this just an individual perception?

Finally, there are a lot of complaints about service. Many dealers seem to be incapable of actually working on Segs. Far too many issues require the Segs to be sent back to the factory, instead of being fixed locally.

...keep in mind that it is likely that your smart phone is produced in China (not to mention a significant fraction of the components in your car or truck)

Your observation is correct, but your conclusion is not.
Segway INC would not allow dealers to repair Segway products.

Sure, dealers were allowed to bolt on a new fender to replace a cracked one, but they were not permitted to any serious service work.
That alone, was a deal-breaker in this part of the world.

It will be interesting to see what the new company line will be.

Michael
www.dgbint.com

In my opinion, the perception of everything Chinese being junk is basically just racism at this point. When it comes to working with Chinese manufacturers, you get what you pay for. Apple's iPhone is produced in China, and the people who use them consider them to be of the highest quality. Apple pays for this level of quality control. When Home Depot has one of their cheap fans or fixures made in China, they probably aren't very selective.

Racism? You due understand the definition right?

Its about the all mighty dollar! Period end of story....If you can pay someone $1.25 and hour with no benefits....
You get a few CEO's and stockholders reaping the benefits of the slave labor camps....I mean factory's!

Americans have become so cheap and its only about price!...

An IPhone has no moving parts a Segway does...Apples subs out there product to a company that builds there products, over works there employee's and has netting outside so the people who try to kill themselves, fail....Then get fired!

Its been a long time policy for American manufactures to go to China, Japan, and other countries and get tax breaks...

Have you seen the market flooded with Chinese cars yet?

In my experience, a lot of racists truly believe they are not racists. They rationalize their racism right out of their pointy little heads.

Everything Chinese is NOT junk. To be sure, there is a lot of crap made in China, and one has to be VERY careful, in my opinion.

You keep ranting that iPhones don't have wheels, but you refuse to acknowledge that Chinese companies make a lot of components for almost every car company, worldwide. Engines, transmissions, wheels, brakes, etc., etc., etc.

You're right that YOU haven't seen Chinese cars, but I have, and you will too. In the early 1990's, Korean cars started showing up in the USA. US manufacturers laughed, but they weren't laughing at the Koreans a few years later when they started taking market share. As good as the Korean companies have become, Chinese car manufacturers scare them.

Every one of those Korean car company's that showed up had and have DEEP pockets!

Most were giant ship building companies....

Many if not all Chinese parts are made out of garbage scrap metals!!!

It goes and starts in the late 90's when US scrap metal was being shipped there at unbelievable amounts....and to this day its still happening....

Those China cars were suppose to be here 10 years ago.....In China the whos who drive American cars for status....Its now Fords number one expanding market in the world....

Not everything made anywhere is junk, nor is everything made somewhere else always high quality.

You do not always get what you pay for, in that often you do get junk for an expensive price, but you rarely get high quality for the price of junk.

China has a well earned reputation for not respecting intellectual property. Choosing to not do business, or to be very wary of products from China is not automatically a function of racism, it can easily have several other legitimate reasons.

Most all absolutes have exceptions. This topic is no different.

This sounds like it came directly from scripts at Faux News. Where to start?

Yes, car companies have deep pockets. They ALL have deep pockets. It's a business where developing a single new model can cost upwards of a billion dollars. So what? Your point was that Chinese car companies make junk. I pointed out that people once said that about Korean car companies, but they do not say that any longer. Now, those very capable and successful Korean car companies are concerned that Chinese car companies will soon build better vehicles at a lower price than the Koreans themselves.

'Many if not all Chinese parts are made out of garbage scrap metals!!!" To me, this patently false statement demonstrates that you really have no personal awareness of the situation. Automotive parts are made to stringent specifications. Chinese manufacturers follow those specifications, or they lose the business. Again, Airdale, try popping the hood on your pickup and start counting Chinese-built parts. Keep in mind that almost every car company and major supplier have been building parts in China for 20 years. If you have a car made since about 1995, you are almost certainly personally depending on on "Chinese junk".

Yes, Chinese cars were supposed to be in the US 10 years ago. The largest reason they are not is domestic consumption. At the moment, the Chinese are buying every car their companies can make. When the Chinese market starts nearing saturation, exports will start in earnest.

Cars purchased for status in China are purchased for the same reason rich people purchase status symbols everywhere else. Imports into China are whacked with exorbitant duties. Rich people there buy imports to demonstrate their wealth and power.

With regards to China being Ford's #1 expanding market, where do you think those Fords are made? Detroit? HA! Here's a quote from the NY Times, from 2012.

"BEIJING, CHINA — Ford Motor has chosen China for its largest factory expansion program in a half century, announcing on Thursday that it would build a $760 million assembly plant in Hangzhou, two weeks after announcing another $600 million plan to expand an assembly plant in Chongqing and less than six weeks after completing a third assembly plant in Chongqing..."

In my opinion, it is much better to do some research before posting.

Your opinion can bite me....because your the reason with your opinions, we have lost are edge on the world due to the all mighty greed and $!!!

Maybe you should look at the big picture that has happened over the last 40 years?

Funny no response on the slave work force that has to have nets on there windows at apple plants so workers don't commit suicide?...or there great living wage and retirement those workers get??? Interesting....but expected....

I think this discussion has gone to a different path. :)

We cannot deny the fact that many manufacturers have chosen to invest in China. If you put the numbers down, it makes sense. If you manage to keep quality level at high standards then you have a killer combo. ;)

You can't have the best of both worlds, but that's the beauty of life. :thumbsup:

Samuel Clemens once said that every man is entitled to his own opinion, but no man is entitled to his own facts. That's not much of an issue here, as airdale hasn't offered many, and is unwilling to speak to the facts that are offered.

The problem with an opinion that isn't substantiated by fact, is that every time it is offered, it diminishes the reputation of the person with the opinion. Done often enough, it eventually completely trashes their ability to convince anyone of anything. Stick with what you can substantiate. Just for example, to substantiate his opinion that Chinese cars are junk, airdale stated that Ford is the fastest growing car company in China. I pointed out that Ford-made cars for the Chinese market are mostly made in China. Step up the plate, sir, and admit your errors.

Regarding the Apple/Foxconn slave labor question. AGAIN, the sweeping original claim was that Chinese companies make junk, and now, with that claim destroyed, airdale hopes to deflect to "Well, they're all slavers!" Let me be clear: Bullsh*t. Some surely are. Many are not. Specifically, Apple has been under public pressure, and says it has addressed the sweat-shop environment at Foxconn. I don't know how accurate this is, but it is this all-inclusive "Chinese business sucks!" which begs the question of racism, or bigotry, or at the very least xenophobia.

Let's TRY to stay on the subject of manufacturing quality, which was airdale's original complaint. Chinese manufacturers run the gamut from high quality to crap, just as do manufacturers everywhere else. Companies which take the time to establish their own manufacturing protocols and quality control system with a Chinese supplier get high quality results. Full stop.

I DO understand your complaint, airdale, but it's not the fault of Chinese companies. Focus your anger on the real culprits, who are much closer to home.

Indeed! As is often the case before a thread gets locked :(

Anyways, I have to wonder, if when I spoke to Segway UK at the Gadget Show, when their store was next to stores selling Ninebots, that they already knew about this. As they were very laid back about it.

However, I think it might not have been a Ninebot - but just something similar. This is what Airwheel were selling/demoing:

http://www.theairwheel.com/wp-conten...014/12/s35.jpg

And this is a Ninebot:

http://www.insportline.eu/p20610/Ele...light-E-05.jpg

These are different looking products.

If Segway UK knew about the upcoming 'merger' then that might explain why they were so laid back about it all. It means that the Ninebot will not be competition - but instead just some additional products that Segway UK become licenced to sell. And other retailers in the UK will have a tougher sell. Especially if Segway/Ninebot choose to enforce their patents in the UK and elsewhere.

Ninebot Sighting
 

Nice That looks like the rear end of the Saloon. Did you manage to see the front of it?