Key Specs
Motor:400W x 2 | Speed: 10 mph |
Battery: 238 Wh | Range: 13.7 miles |
Capacity: 220 lbs | Weight: 28 lbs |
Waterproof: IP54 | Incline: 15% |
Tire Size: 10.5″ | Position: Affordable |
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
A relatively fast speed | A bit expensive |
Large wheel for comfortable ride | |
Premium designed-outlook |
Segway Ninebot S Scooter Overview
Self-balancing electric scooters once upon a time became very hot around the world, because adults finally have their own scootering toys. The Segway company always took one step more at the forefront of the world. They improved the design of self-balancing scooters with a handlebar in the middle for holding and gave it a new name – personal transporter.
The Ninebot S is not the latest generation of the Segway’s personal transporter, but an upgrade for its first generation. However, this does not affect its popularity to be the most favorite self-balancing personal transportation tool.
It might the best budget option, even it’s a bit more pricey than those average models on the market. It has very appealing features like ultra-large wheels, moderate speed, reasonable range, and great ability to go uphills. We are sure that you can’t wait to give it a test after reading this Segway Ninebot S review.
Power Performance – Dual Motor for Top Performing
Motor and Speed
From the motor size, it seemed that the Segway value more on self-balancing electric scooters than its kick models. Two available smart-balancing personal transporter models – both Ninebot S and S-Plus pack dual motor, with each of nominal output of 400W and peak output of up to 800W.
Nevertheless, the dual-motor does not enable the Segway Ninebot S to reach a top speed as fast as the kick electric scooters. Not surprisingly, it runs at 10 miles per hour, which might be a very high speed among the self-balancing scooters.
The self-balancing scooters are not allowed to ride at a very fast speed. The manufacturers limit this because they are less stable than the kick models, and less controlled by the riders, even though you can ride it forward and turn around.
Actually, the speed limit is on starting from you prepare to ride the Segway Ninebot S. The scooter requires you to start from a very low speed of 4.3 mph (7 km/h) after you complete the New Ride Tutorial; another speed limit is 6.2 mph (10 km/h) for your first 0.6 miles (1 km) after completing the New Ride Tutorial. Then you can disable the speed limiter via the App and reach a maximum speed of 10 mph (16 km/h).
Almost every self-balancing electric scooter needs to customize and control via an app.
Acceleration
The acceleration method for self-balancing electric scooters is very different from kick electric scooters. They generally support from zero starts, as you need to put your feet on it for gliding and speeding up. There is no slag on the acceleration, as you don’t need to control the start with an electric throttle like kick electric scooters.
If you have unlocked the speed limit, it’s supposed to need just several seconds to accelerate the Segway Ninebot S to the maximum 10-mph speed.
Hill Climbing
The Segway Ninebot S is capable of climbing hills below 15% – equal to 15-degree based on the vehicle’s specs, even it comes with dual 400W motors. This means that you can ride it over gentle slopes, not conquer steep hills. Based on the Segway’s user manual for Ninebot S, it’s not recommended to ride the scooter for climbing 15-degree hills. This grade level might reduce the balancing ability of the self-balancing scooters.
Battery and Range
Due to the purpose of self-balancing electric scooters, they generally don’t allow traveling around for a long distance, typically around 10 miles. The Segway Ninebot S is able to run as far as 13.7 miles on a single charge, thanks to the built-in equipped high-performance Lithium-Ion battery pack that outputs 236 Wh power.
The charging time is not stated on the Segway Ninebot S’s specs. But it is supposed to need 2-4 hours to charge it fully, based on the remaining battery level the scooter has.
Ride Quality – 10.5-inch Tires for Ultra Comfortable
10 mph is quite relatively fast for a self-balancing scooter. But you don’t need to worry much about the road conditions, the Segway Ninebot S is capable of various terrains: flat roads or pavements, tough roads with potholes, grass, slopes of less than 15 degrees, steps not higher than 1 cm, and dips no more than 3 cm wide.
The Segway Ninebot S has two 10.5-inch air-filled large tires, making it one of the electric scooters with big wheels. Thanks to the wide and fat tires, you can enjoy every smooth comfortable ride on the Ninebot S, without feeling much about bumps on the roads. But it’s not a good idea to ride it off roads.
It’s not a good idea to ride the Ninebot S on mud roads, as the fender is not large enough to avoid mud splash effectively.
Build – Clean and Premium Look
Self-balancing electric scooters commonly feature a simpler and cleaner design with fewer necessary parts, as most smaller components have been stacked into the scooter deck, like the battery and motor. Not like other models on the market, the Segway Ninebot S has an additional steering bar for better balancing and easier carrying.
The Ninebot S features a very simple and clean design, even it has a bulkier body than most self-balancing electric scooters, as there requires a place in the middle to screw the steering bar and locate the dashboard.
Mobile App
You need to download a mobile app developed by the Segway company to control and set up the Ninebot S, just like other self-balancing electric scooters. This is very different from the kick electric scooters, which are generally controlled by the electric parts on the handlebar.
The scooter is typically connected to the mobile app via Bluetooth. After you power on the Ninebot S, the Bluetooth icon on the dashboard blinks, indicating it is waiting for a connection to the app. After installing and opening the app, click Vehicle, scan, and select your Ninebot S. You’ll hear a beep sound and see the Bluetooth icon stop blinking but remain illuminated if the connection is successful.
Via the mobile app, you’ll have complete control for your Segway Ninebot S – read vehicle data and diagnostics, adjust the steering sensitivity and speed controls, customize LED lights, and more.
Lights
The Lights are located under the deck. They can be customized for different moods:
Ultra-bright ambient LED lights are used for increasing ground visibility in case of any low light conditions. Blue tail lights are shining blue to get you noticed by others around you for safety. Turning lights are yellow, reminding others that you’re going to turn left or right. If you want to stop, the braking lamp will be on with red color, warning the people following you.
Deck
The deck is wide enough for riders to put feet on. Not like the kick electric scooters with the whole feet on the deck, the self-balancing electric scooters just need to provide enough standing room with a good width for the riders to put their foot on.
It’s better to put your feet at the middle of the foot mat, even the platforms have a textured surface for no-slip standing on the scooter to ensure stable and safe riding.
Portability
Without a doubt, Segway Ninebot S is very portable, just like other self-balancing electric scooters. The scooter is lightweight, only 28 pounds. This is slightly heavier than other common self-standing scooters, but still within the weight range of one-hand carrying.
And it’s much easier for you to hold the scooter with grips on top of the steering bar. This is very useful when you want to lift the Ninebot S upstairs or downstairs. Lifting the scooter by the fenders or mainframe is not allowed for your safety.
You don’t need to fold the scooter for storage, as it’s compact enough to store under your desk or car trunks. But it’s not that convenient to hold it in a crowd as the size of the scooter is not small.
Is Segway Ninebot S Waterproof?
No. But it features a basic water-resistance of IP54 rating, meaning that you’d better not ride the scooter on rainy days. However, it’s inevitable to ride the Ninebot S on wet roads, just keep in mind to protect the major parts like the deck from water damage.
Even the 10.5-inch large tires offer a higher clearance from the ground, the charge port is located a bit lower on the dashboard under the standing platform. It’s better to avoid riding the scooter through deep puddles.
Is Segway Ninebot S suitable for heavy riders?
No, not really. All the Segway Ninebot scooters do not support big guys riding, according to the scooters’ specs. The Segway Ninebot S has a maximum load capacity of 220 lbs. It’s just for the average adult riders.
The real riding conditions might be different. Slightly heavier riders around 300 lbs can still have a smooth riding on it. But this might be at the cost of the scooter’s power performance, as the speed or range. If you don’t want the speed to be sacrificed, electric scooters for big guys around 300 pounds are good options.
Segway Ninebot S Specs
Motor | Dual 400W motor with a 2 x 800W peak power output |
Battery | 236Wh |
Charging time | 2-4 hours to 100% |
Distance | Approx. 13.7 miles |
Dimensions | Length x width: 260×548(mm)Height (with wheel height included): 595(mm) |
Weight | Approx. 28 lbs (12.8 kg) |
Tire Size | 10.5-inch rubber |
Color | Black and White |
Top Speed | 10 mph |
Max Incline | 15° |
Applicable terrains | Hard roads. flat concrete roads, slopes of less than 15 degrees, steps not higher than 1 cm and dips no more than 3 cm wide |
IP Rating | IP54 |
Recommended age | 16 to 50 years old |
Max load | 100kg/ 220 pounds |