I’ve done my final walking
My friend, keep pavements clear,
I’ll overtake, and avoid congestion charging
I’ve whizzed through my high street
I've traveled each and ev'ry highway;
No more, will I use my feet
I’ve bought a Segway.
The Segway could be described as an electric bicycle. It’s got two wheels but there the similarity ends. It’s the brainchild of Dean Kamen, who having made his fortune in medical equipment – including a yet to ship stair climbing wheelchair – has turned his attention to personal transport.
Like a one-person Roman chariot but without the horses, the wheels are side by side and not front and back. The real cleverness is in that it balances for you, leaving memories of learning to ride a bike firmly in your past.
The wheels are plastic with a design that hints at early Countach, but the low speed ride is better. You stand on a deck you stand on holds all the motors, batteries and computing power. Handlebars rise from the deck – not height adjustable – and they are there to hold, not for steering. It’s all a bit plasticky and done so in an unfortunate C5 grey. Still in it’s native New Hampshire it doesn’t have the stigma of Sir Clive’s failed electric trike to contend with.
The whole thing weighs 85lbs (38Kg) so it’s not something you want to carry when the batteries go flat. There is a ‘motor assist’ mode to help you drag it up stairs but it’s still quite a weight. The instrumentation and controls are simple. A mobile phone like power gauge, an off switch, and lock for the three different keys. A twist grip provides the steering.
To head off any problems each one is sold with some training which is part of the reason it’s not yet sold in the UK. Not a very good reason, learning to control a Segway is so easy even an American president can do it. One of the special things about the US training is that they teach you how to teach other people to ride a Segway. Sort of viral marketing but necessary since everyone you meet wants a go.
To go forward you lean forward and to slow down or go backwards you lean back. This works very well on slopes where your natural tendency to stand upright helps control the speed. Fortunately you can’t run away down the hill as the Segway applies braking to prevent colliding with street furniture and old ladies.
Turning is controlled with a motocycle-style twist grip. It’s an odd sensation to find that you don’t need to be moving forward to turn. You can pirouette on the spot as easily as you describe an arc at speed. With real effort, a good run and a sharp turn you can get it to lift a wheel but the centre of gravity is so low it won’t topple (I did once roll a C5!).
The battery holds enough charge to cover about ten miles and recharging is simply a matter of plugging it into the mains socket. That said, you will want to plan your journey carefully as you really don't want to be stuck with a flat Segway. That unfortunately puts a damper on any long journeys. Also - with Britain in mind - there is no weather protection so you’d need to think hard if you plan this as a regular form a transport rather than just a cool alternative to walking.
Perhaps the best applications for it are public service, it makes sense for the US postal service where the pavements - sorry, sidewalks - are empty and post boxes live at the end of people’s drives. In the UK it’s more likely to be a rich kid's toy.
There is a strong sense of nannying about the Segway. It’s hard to tell if this is reflected in the users or amplified by them. There is an active internet community of users, they will get together at fests and marvel at the technology but they won’t race them or compete. The Segway is crying out for Segway Polo. But such excess isn’t for the Segway community. Hot-rodding is definitely out.
It’s top speed is 12.5mph, and for those times when you let one of the curious passers by have a go – actually passers by rarely pass by, they stop and stare – you can limit their speed. The ignition key contains a passive radio transmitter which dictates the speed of the vehicle. A black key limits the speed to 6 mph, the yellow to 8 mph and the red key to 12.5mph (rumours abound of purple key, available only to Deam Kamen and capable of over 20mph!)
Like most of the Segway, the key is technically wonderful and over-engineered. It’s electronic with a 64 bit encryption system. Lose the keys and they cost a staggering $300 to replace!
The self-balancing mechanism uses five gyros and the strongest power for weight electric motors available. Much like an aircraft's fly by wire systems, there is a voting system for the control with three computers independently deciding what they'd do before the majority decision is actioned. There's no doubt that it’s a technological tour de force which explains why it cost a reputed one hundred million dollars to develop.
For detailed technical boasting look at the Amazon site (link at end). The finance was almost as complicated as the device with venture capitalists, merchant banks and inventor celebrities including Steve Jobs and Jeff ‘Amazon’ Bezos being played off against one another.
To the hardcore of Segway fans this is blasphemous: you have to wonder if it was worth all the money and effort. All they have created it a not particularly fast, self-balancing electric scooter. Since human beings have been self-balancing for thousands of years this may seem rather pointless. The need to balance hasn’t exactly held back the bicycle. What would have held back the bicycle was an outrageous price - a Segway costs at least $4,500 plus tax and shipping.
The inventors thought that this device would change the world. They thought they would sell millions and cities would be designed with the Segway in mind. What they should have done was look at the last attempt to do this: the Sinclair C5 was launched with similar hype and promises, just applying technology to a problem which didn’t exist hasn’t made the solution any more world altering.
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