Comparing Segway i2 to the latest eBikes (2013-2014)

[dangerlampost]

I still have a silly grin on my face when I'm gliding around, and I routinely get some form of appreciation from passers-by. Within the last week, I got "That's the way to travel" from a ped, and "Hey can I try that?" from another. I was happy to let someone else have a try, and it worked out great.

As someone who also bicycles extensively, I was inevitably drawn to compare a Segway I2 with the latest eBikes on the market. eBikes go much, much faster, have a longer range, are lighter, can go without power (pedal assist) and many of them are cheaper than a Segway. But I most likely would not have the silly grin on my face riding an eBike.

I suspect this question has been raised on this forum before, but I was not able to find it searching (maybe I was not searching carefully enough).

Does anyone here have both a Segway and an eBike, and can you comment on your experiences? Also interested in comments from Segway gliders who have also thought about this issue.

When I asked this question on a bicycle forum (not an eBike forum per say), I got quite a lot of anti-Segway sh*t from people that really turned me off.

[SegwayDan]

Originally Posted by dangerlampost

I still have a silly grin on my face when I'm gliding around, and I routinely get some form of appreciation from passers-by. Within the last week, I got "That's the way to travel" from a ped, and "Hey can I try that?" from another. I was happy to let someone else have a try, and it worked out great.

As someone who also bicycles extensively, I was inevitably drawn to compare a Segway I2 with the latest eBikes on the market. eBikes go much, much faster, have a longer range, are lighter, can go without power (pedal assist) and many of them are cheaper than a Segway. But I most likely would not have the silly grin on my face riding an eBike.

I suspect this question has been raised on this forum before, but I was not able to find it searching (maybe I was not searching carefully enough).

Does anyone here have both a Segway and an eBike, and can you comment on your experiences? Also interested in comments from Segway gliders who have also thought about this issue.

When I asked this question on a bicycle forum (not an eBike forum per say), I got quite a lot of anti-Segway sh*t from people that really turned me off.

Welcome to a new glider! Don't be shy. Please include your name next time! :-)

I don't own an ebike, but I've ridden a couple. It's a nice sensation not to have to pedal, and to have a good amount of power and speed--somewhat akin to the motorcycle experience.

If there's one thing I've learned during my own decade of Segway PT gliding, it's: never look or wait for approval or agreement from the hoi polioi (common people, the masses). Just make sure you're not violating any applicable laws, and be respectful and cooperative with any LEOs who may also not be knowledgeable of those laws.

Years ago, I had such an encounter with our county's sheriff's department, but I saw it though to success, the end result being that our deputies were educated to the state's statutes, as well as the county ordinance pertaining to EPAMDs (Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Device). This was a key step towards gaining general acceptance of gliding on a major county bike trail.

There will most likely always be the persistent curmudgeons in spandex who must assert their orneriness on others, but they usually just speed by, avoiding any meaningful confrontation like the cowards they are.

Just pay them no heed and don't let them spoil the fun of gliding.

[PeteInLongBeach]

For me, the Segway usually wins in terms of convenience, utility, and versatility. It is less winning in terms of absolute top speed and range (almost never an issue for my purposes), the cost of certain repairs, and weight.

I do a lot of "multi-modal" transportation (any combination of walking, kick-scooter, bike, segway, bus, train, motor vehicle, etc.). Depending on the environment and destination, I use the tool(s) that seem most appropriate for the anticipated scenario. Other than my daily 60 mile round-trip to work by car, most of the time I find myself using the Segway or combination car/Segway or RV/Segway. Compared to the bike and scooter, it's generally more nimble & maneuverable, stops faster, can usually carry more (especially with optional cargo carriers), can stand/balance in-place, can be used in a wider variety of environments, is less fiddly to operate, is easier to store and transport than full-sized bikes, requires less maintenance & adjustments, *should* be more durable, and can be left outside more securely.

Oh, and it's just plain MAGIC on wheels....

[dangerlampost]

Originally Posted by PeteInLongBeach

For me, the Segway usually wins in terms of convenience, utility, and versatility. It is less winning in terms of absolute top speed and range (almost never an issue for my purposes), the cost of certain repairs, and weight.

I do a lot of "multi-modal" transportation (any combination of walking, kick-scooter, bike, segway, bus, train, motor vehicle, etc.). Depending on the environment and destination, I use the tool(s) that seem most appropriate for the anticipated scenario. Other than my daily 60 mile round-trip to work by car, most of the time I find myself using the Segway or combination car/Segway or RV/Segway. Compared to the bike and scooter, it's generally more nimble & maneuverable, stops faster, can usually carry more (especially with optional cargo carriers), can stand/balance in-place, can be used in a wider variety of environments, is less fiddly to operate, is easier to store and transport than full-sized bikes, requires less maintenance & adjustments, *should* be more durable, and can be left outside more securely.

Oh, and it's just plain MAGIC on wheels....

Thanks Pete - I'll put my name in my profile but it's David.

Those are some great reasons you list there. I think the part about being able to carry more is really key for me in my current lifestyle. Hard to do grocery shopping on a bike. Easy with a Segway. Also the ability to operate in a wider variety of environments is something I'm looking forward to realizing, but haven't yet discovered environments I'd like to glide around but can't effectively bike around. Do you have any examples of that?

Also you list another reason that appeals to me: More secure to leave outside. Bicycle theft is a HUGE problem in San Francisco, as it is in many other areas. I feel that if I U-Lock the Segway to a bike rack, leave it in alarm mode and take the key, with the weight of it and general thickness of the metal - it's going to be hard to steal.

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by dangerlampost

Also the ability to operate in a wider variety of environments is something I'm looking forward to realizing, but haven't yet discovered environments I'd like to glide around but can't effectively bike around. Do you have any examples of that?

For me it would mostly be indoor and offroad environments. I live in a highrise building and travel to hotels frequently, so when not prohibited I just glide through the lobby, into the elevator, and down the hall. I also have an X2 conversion kit, so I can use it offroad when camping and other excursions. And, when sightseeing or running errands, it's much easier to just hop off, set security mode, run off for a few minutes, and hop back on again.

[JohnM]

Hard to do grocery shopping on a bike? You have the wrong bike....

[Bob.Kerns]

Originally Posted by JohnM

Hard to do grocery shopping on a bike? You have the wrong bike....

Those would be fine for the street.

They'd be pretty much chaos and destruction inside the store. Like those awful powered versions the larger grocery stores provide.

But yes, cargo bikes are a growing category in the US, though still very small. I've seen a few in San Francisco. It does make sense to transfer the groceries from the short-range shopping cart to a longer-range transport.

There's a bike sharing facility outside my office. Which also happens to be more or less across the street from a Safeway (large chain grocery). There might be an opportunity there to expand their offerings... (The problem, though, is that groceries travel in one direction -- away from the store.

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by PeteInLongBeach

For me it would mostly be indoor and offroad environments. I live in a highrise building and travel to hotels frequently, so when not prohibited I just glide through the lobby, into the elevator, and down the hall. I also have an X2 conversion kit, so I can use it offroad when camping and other excursions. And, when sightseeing or running errands, it's much easier to just hop off, set security mode, run off for a few minutes, and hop back on again.

I forgot the obvious: sidewalks and other footpaths (where approved). I encounter many places where it is hazardous or uncomfortable riding in the street, whether you're on a bike, segway, or whatever. In these instances, the Segway is often legally and physically better able to navigate paths off-street than a bike. This also applies to sightseeing on other footpaths, facilities, etc, where a bike would either not be allowed, not interact well with other pedestrians, or would not be useful at such a leisurely stop-and-go pace.

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by JohnM

Hard to do grocery shopping on a bike? You have the wrong bike....

Outfitted with both factory bags, my Brompton folding bike can hold a fair amount of groceries, but not quite as much as a fully outfitted Segway, and it's a lot more fiddly to manage:

[iWaybattery]

Hi,

We could not compare Ebike and Segway in China. Ebike is a normal transpotation tool. But Segway is more or less luxury toy.