[Bob.Kerns]

Thanks for the info, Lil. My wife is currently looking at transportation alternatives for getting around LA -- she just got a Razor scooter (non-electric) to try out. She found the eBikes she looked at to be too heavy, but I'll have her take a look at the Yike Bike.

She's a shade under 5' 2" (I'm 6' 6", if you can picture us together!), so your size-related observations are relevant.

But a Segway wouldn't work for her, because of size and space and stairs. The issue for her would be more the security at her weekday apartment than at the office.

(But it would sure be nice to have a second Segway back here when her job ends!)

I notice that Segway of Central Florida is a dealer, if some of you Floridians wanted to check it out.

We have a dealer in Walnut Creek, so we might try checking it out if she's interested, but it may be hard to schedule into her limited time at home.

But a lightweight, folding Segway is what I'd like to see. I'm thinking four small wheels -- yes, still a self-balancing Segway, as odd a that sounds -- a vastly smaller platform, lower speed....

I've mentioned four-wheels in the past, but probably nobody has any idea what I'm talking about. You're used to thinking of four wheels ganged together in a rigid aragement, perhaps slightly decoupled with a suspension.

But picture a platform attached at the midpoint of the two wheels on each side. (You can do better than that -- much better -- but let's keep it simple).

You still have the self-balancing platform. What you get is MUCH smaller wheels, MUCH less wheel weight as a result. You can use narrower, hard-rubber wheels for more efficiency, without crushing toes (within limits) by transferring weight to the rear wheel and opposite front wheel.