Tips for newly hatched kickbike commuter

May 13, 2020 2:09 PM

In a fit of desperation I tried one of te electric scooters plaguing our city and, reader, I loved it. So I bought a Segway Ninebot G30.

Out of the box and haven’t had a chance to ride yet but I would love to know if there are things I should tighten or waterproof or throw away? What should I do or never do? How do you secure yours? The app is necessary or not so much? And so on. I will be traveling about ten km each way with stops in both directions, am a middle aged woman and have a helmet.

posted by J.R. Hartley to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (1 answer total)

Best answer: Bit late on this answer, but I was hoping someone who's actually tried this model would chime in!

Not sure what kind of conditions you'd be riding in or what your local micro-mobility infrastructure is like, and given that you've had it a week I'm sure you've already put it through its paces. With any kind of new thing to ride it's always good to spend some time practicing starting and stopping safely, and practicing turning to avoid obstacles. I'd suggest practicing riding in different weather conditions, but the manual says that you shouldn't ride in the rain or get wet. Not sure how realistic a restriction that is, but if you think you might chance it, spend some time figuring out how the brakes and tires perform when it's wet out. Drying your scooter off when you get to your destination should help keep it in good condition.

The Segway Ninebot G30 has lights, but I'd recommend getting a clip-on rear light to attach to your backpack or helmet or something. I always find that rear lights so close to the ground can be hard to see and identify as a person moving, so adding something closer to eye level is useful (and cheap). If you find that you have a hard time seeing or having people see you, you can always add an extra bicycle headlight to the handlebars.

For securing it: I'd probably never leave one unattended outside anywhere. Too small and relatively easy to carry off, and probably there's some way to defeat the electronic PIN lock if you've got possession of it.

Make sure any bags you carry don't flop around. A backpack that fits you well or a messenger bag with a chest/waist strap to keep it from sliding off your back are good ways to go.

I had fun trying a similar model a while back. They're so fast and simple! The only downsides from my perspective were that they're less stable than my bicycle, can't carry anything so I'm stuck carrying things on my back instead of in a basket or panniers, and my hand got sore holding the throttle in a very short time. I had a hard time maintaining a constant speed other than full throttle, because it hurt my thumb! Still, super convenient and totally a great way to get around if you don't need to carry much and you've got smooth cycle (et cetera) lanes. And if you have a strong right thumb. Hope it serves you well and you have a great time riding it!
posted by asperity at 5:29 PM on May 20, 2020