Does anyone here have cerebral palsey and use a Segway?

[wwhopper]

SegSurfer and POLO

We plan to steer clear of the Horse Polo fields.

In Annapolis we have a nice selection of park and private sports fields.

And for next summer's (Oh I forgot, I can not mention that quite yet!)

[segsurfer]

Sounds good, I live a fair drive away from Annapolis but I will try to get up there and play with you guys a bit. Only on weekends though as I have obligations with school.

[segsurfer]

Originally Posted by polo

Just a word of warning, the last Woz World Cup was played on a polo field, and it significantly affected play. The horses churn up the turf alot, and Gen 2 segways go into reduced performance mode quite often due to the bumpy ground. Everyone involved with the tournament admits that the NZ Poleblacks were at a significant disadvantage on their i2's (though it was obviously not intended to happen in any way).

Simply put, this was our first and last game we'll ever play on a real polo field.

ps - Liability issues didn't seem to be too much of a problem, but I may not know all the facts about this. I know SegAmerica was originally going to cover the event with their liability insurance, but unfortuantely that organization dissolved. After that happened, I got the impression that it wasn't too difficult to get the "Polo in the Park" event organizers to cover the polo match for liability. Again...some one else with more information might be able to give us more details on this.

Polo, would you say that the gen ones are better suited for polo or the gen twos?

[polo_pro]

Originally Posted by segsurfer

Polo, would you say that the gen ones are better suited for polo or the gen twos?

Everyone here will tell you that I'm biased towards Gen 1's. I'm not sure if this is really the case, but I thought I should toss that out first.

Up until recently most polo players used Gen 1's for many reasons. However with that said, there's been some trail blazers willing to ignore the risks and perfect their game on Gen 2's. I play alot with these folks, and I've seen them really improve and create some great moves. I definitely think we're entering the "golden era" of polo on Gen 2's.

Oddly enough, this weekend I had a bit of a epiphany on this topic. While the polo matches down in the Bay Area are mainly Gen 1 machines, our weekly practices in Sacramento has drawn newer gliders with Gen 2 machines. When a few polo players from the Bay Area came up for the practice, I suddenly found myself as the "lone Gen 1" glider on the field! It was a very different experience...

Anyways, with all that said, if you're new to segways, on a limited budget or have a disability of some sort, then I recommend a Gen 1 for polo. That stable control shaft makes all the difference. From a polo perspective, I can lean lower and farther than someone on a Gen 2 (and the proof of that was in my last match where I nabbed the ball from a whole slew of people...nothing fancy...no powerful swing to steal...just a simple little nudge at the crucial moment at full extension). And in this last match, I risked a hard swing going full tilt which put me into an oscillation where each wheel was lifting up slightly in turn. The stable control shaft and handlebars sure came in handy as I brought everything under control (and eventually decided to just slip off the back while holding the handlebars...let's see someone on a Gen 2 do that without putting the segway into a turn).

If you don't fall into any of the categories described in the above paragraph, then you're probably an experienced Gen 2 glider who can slalom on any type of surface with no need for that stabilizing control shaft. And you'll do wonderous things on the polo field with the tightest of turns, and if you're have a light build you'll be accellerating past alot of the players (once you learn to control the reduced performance issues on bumpy ground).

ps - Another issue that might help you decide between buying Gen 1 and Gen 2 is your tolerance for damage. First, I have to say, my damage during polo matches has been limited to just the plastic guard of my handle bar guard and an inch long crack in the bottom of one fender. And I've honestly lost count of how many polo matches I've played in...probably 40+ at this point. So as much as everyone quivers in fear about how polo is going to destroy their machine, realisticly, serious damage rarely if ever happens. BUT, if you're a person who can't deal with a scratch on your ride, then you shouldn't play polo with a new Gen 2 machine. Buy a Gen 1 machine, and you won't get bent out of shape whenever folks bump into you.

The good news is empirical evidence shows that Segway INC has probably beefed up the hub plates of the i2. No one's stepped forward to say that they've measured the thickness of an old i2's triangular hub plate and compared it to an x2's. But I've heard reports of how they've been improved in some way...either thicker or a better way of attaching it to the gearbox output shaft? So, I'm not as worried about suggesting a Gen 2 glider take up polo (and possibly coming away with wobbly tires).

[segsurfer]

Polo, I am using the segway as a mobility device more than anything else so that is part of the reason I went with an i2 as opposed to the gen one. I enjoy the steering system and I glide using a leanseat high most of the time (yes I know that they are not reccomended for gliding while seated, but they work for me). So the LSF is not a problem for me. Plus by using the i2 as opposed to the gen 1 my core is getting stronger everytime I ride. Polo is just kind of an afterthought, while I may not make the world cup team, I love my i2 just the same.

[polo_pro]

If you've settled on an i2, then I'd suggest that after 2 months (or in other words 20 hours) of gliding you should get a mallet. By that point, you'll be use to handling bumps and dips on your segway (and recovering). Swinging the mallet at the ball while traversing a grass field will give you an idea of how much leaning you have to do in a polo match. Making sharp turns as you come in for a swing makes it that much more realistic. Once you feel comfortable doing this, you'll be all set to play in a polo match!

ps - Read the rules at www.segwayhtpolo.com, of course. Putting the "right of way" rules into practice is the next step once you have other folks to play with. And that's when you'll have learned that polo isn't an afterthought...it's the primary mission!

[segsurfer]

Sounds good. Keep in mind that if I were to play polo I would be most likely gliding seated, because it is in that gliding "stance" that I am most agile. If I didn't know better I'd say don't like i2s very much I'll have you know that I had the option of purchasing a brand new i180 and looking at the bigger picture (replacement parts), and the fact that I like the LSF I decided to go with the i2.

[hellphish]

To be honest it is probably too dangerous to play polo while seated. It gets really, really bumpy out on the field.

[segsurfer]

Actually if I leave the leanseat down, I can use it to help steady me. If anyone can come up with a solution to a mobility problem it's me

[segsurfer]

I also alternate between standing and sitting