Hong Kong
“We’re not dead yet!” cried the niche electronic personal transport industry at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair & ICT Expo yesterday. Heeding their call, this journalist had the pleasure of trying, not one, but three different Segway-esque modes of transport. Needless to say, he was terrible at all of them.
Product: Ninebot-P
Manufacturer: Ninebot Inc
The Ninebot-P, the namesake and flagship product of Ninebot Inc, is a two wheeled ‘gyrobike’ based on the design of the Segway, a product often poked fun at for its unusual design and the fact that the owner of the company died by accidentally reversing one off a cliff in 2011.
To control the Ninebot-P, a rider simply steps on the platform between the two wheels (which then balances automatically using sophisticated sensors and motors to ensure it doesn’t just fall over), and shifts their weight either forwards or backwards to accelerate or reverse. To turn, the rider simply shifts the handlebar left or right. Despite sounding ungainly (and being a bit hard to control without proper training or basic co-ordination skills) the Ninebot-P is a remarkably smooth ride, with a top speed of 20km/h and an operating length of about the same distance.
It is also quite light (being made of aluminium alloy, magnesium alloy and Lexan resin), can charge from empty to full in four hours and has a wide range of optional accessories including handlebar bags, a bottle holder and stylish colour kits.
Product: Ninebot-P (Handless Edition)
Manufacturer: Ninebot Inc
The Handless edition of the Ninebot-P is almost identical to its hand favouring cousin, with one major difference: there is nothing to hang onto for dear life. Instead, turning is handled by a special controller between your legs.
Despite feeling very exposed the Handless edition was actually easier to control, and there is a certain satisfaction to gliding around the showroom floor while still being able to take pictures or, in this journalist’s case, eat a muffin.
Product: Fly Sky Scooter
Manufacturer: Pilot Technology Development Ltd
The Fly Sky Scooter is all the technology of the Segway but with only one wheel: the world’s first gyrobike unicycle. This tiny pocket rocket, weighing just under 10kg and measuring no higher than 35cm, is exceptionally portable and has the longest range (between 40-60km) and a similar top speed of the three.
To use it, the rider places their feet either side of the lone wheel on special platforms and then, once balanced (aided by internal gyroscopes), shifts forwards or backwards to accelerate and reverse, and leans side to side (much like a bicycle) to turn.
This is exactly as terrifying and difficult to use as it sounds.
