How good is the Kick scooter by Segway?

Through Gearbest I ordered the Ninebot ES2 by Segway directly in China to test the much-praised electric scooter myself. Whether electric scooter under 500 the import was a good choice and how the Ninebot ES2 asserts itself in the test you can find out here.

If you don’t feel like reading – you can also just look at the advantages and disadvantages in the overview:

Advantages

Obviously fun

Brands

Great value for money

Easy to use

Easy to transport

Different speeds

Disadvantages

Brakes could be stricter

Less suitable in wet conditions

No approval (yet)

No pneumatic tires

I found the best price for the Kick scooter at the electrical dealer Gearbest. Since I wanted to test the platform for reliability and delivery speed anyway, it was a coincidence to combine both things. Ordered at the beginning of January and at the end of January, the doorbell rang. The specified delivery time of up to 45 days has easily beaten the team from Fernorst.

Of course, if you expect orders from now on, you should rather look around at one of the local online retailers or Amazon. Bargain hunters who take some waiting time into account will not be disappointed at Gearbest. In the meantime, however, Gearbest also has a European central warehouse, which speeds up shipping enormously.

Incidentally, the package arrived safe and sound.

Unpacking the individual parts and scope of delivery

The Ninebot ES2 comes in a cardboard box that securely encloses the actual box of the device. The box itself has a practical carrying handle and can be easily transported to the place of assembly. I already enjoyed unpacking, as all components arrived here clean and safely packed. Sensitive parts, such as paint, display, or electronics were enclosed with additional fire foil, bubble padding, and small cardboard units.

Included in delivery:

The Kickscooter Ninebot ES2

The handlebar

4 screws for attaching the handlebar

A screwdriver / Imbus

One power supply

Power cord

Operating instructions

Assemble the Ninebot ES2 and install the app

The assembly is done quickly, as most of the parts have already been pre-assembled. Only the handlebar has to be connected to the frame tube and the power supply plugged in. A piece of cake. Then screw the handlebar and the frame with 4 small screws.

No problem thanks to the included screwdriver. In the next step, the app is downloaded and connected to the scooter. In the operating instructions, you will find the appropriate QR code that leads you to the Ninebot website and provides you with an app for Android and iOS devices.

The installation of the app also worked without any problems. The app searched for updates after setup and everything was up to date. The fact that the app is available in German actually surprised me and pleased me equally.

All in all, the Ninebot ES2 was set up and set up in less than 10 minutes.

First impression

After the scooter was set up in front of me, I was initially pleasantly surprised by the feel and workmanship. For a product under 500 € I expected more “quirks” and definitely a worse choice of material. The display on the handlebar is extremely functional, it shows the status of the Bluetooth connection, the speed and the battery indicator. The weight of the scooter is about 12.5 kilograms even for petite people still decently manageable.

The Ninebot ES2 in the test

Only the test shows whether the Ninebot is a problem solver or expensive electronic waste. Therefore, the device is put through its paces by me. First of all, the impressions of the first trip. “Yippiieehhhhhhh”. As soon as you stand on the kick scooter and get a lot of momentum, you can switch on the engine support. This is triggered by pressing the throttle lever on the right side of the handlebar. The left lever is used for braking.

How much the kickscooter should support you you can be selected by pressing the power button twice. There are three speed modes to choose from.

Since I am usually on 20 – 29 inch large air tires on my adult scooters, I actually have to get used to the small solid rubber tires for a short time. The down-to-earth attitude is definitely different. Even if the ride comfort is successful thanks to suspension, I simply prefer pneumatic tires.

After getting some momentum, I press the throttle and the speed indicator climbs up to 24 to 25.6 km/h. With each km/h, the corners of my mouth also move up by one degree. The acceleration itself takes place moderately. The handlebar cannot rotate around its own axis. This prevents too hard turning into curves.

And yes – the ES2 is really fun. Thanks to the simple operation, a wide running board and a stable construction, the handling of the device is quickly learned and is acknowledged by me with a grin on my face. Thanks to the display, you always have the speed in view.

I like the rubberized handlebar grips. These are extremely grippy and ensure a comfortable hold.

Uphill: Also possible

My test drives also took me over steeper climbs and here the Ninebot also did passably. Although the engine does not manage to drive me and my 95 kilograms up the mountain at 25 km/h, it was consistently between 7 and 13 km/h, although you can tell that the engine reaches its limits here.

Braking with the Ninebot

The brake is located as a rocker on the handlebar on the left. In principle, I like the fact that the device does not apply the brakes. It’s more of a slight downregulation of the current speed. However, if you have to brake abruptly because an obstacle builds up in the road, I find the brakes too weak. I would definitely like a little more grip here to get the device to a stop faster.

In addition to the electric brake for the front wheel, a rear brake is also available. If both brakes are applied at the same time, the braking performance is satisfactory.

Driving comfort

The Ninebot from Segway is my first scooter with solid rubber tires in the test. Small bumps swallow the built-in suspension well away, also down the sidewalk I came down well. Overall, I would describe driving as comfortable, although I would prefer pneumatic tires. However, only very few e-scooters have pneumatic tires. The big advantage of solid rubber tires is, of course, that they can not catch plates. Only the wear and tear could eventually bring the tire to its knees. To be honest, I would rather wish for pneumatic tires for future models, such as bpsw. installed in the predecessor (e.B. Xiaomi M365).

The lighting

The LED headlight is installed in the frame. It looks a bit inconspicuous, but does a good job and illuminates the road in front of you sufficiently. The rear light is typically very low and attached to the sides. The light is perceptible from behind.

To activate the lighting, press the power button on the dashboard once briefly.

The underbody lighting, which can be adjusted via app in all colors of the rainbow, may be a nice gimmick, but it does not contribute to road safety. Here you can choose from different modes from monochrome to multicolored. Basically, the presented model is currently only approved on private roads anyway – like all other scooters. However, the change in the law on legalization is imminent.

Charging the battery

Unfortunately, I was supplied with an English plug, which gives a trigger in the B-note. Fortunately, you usually have the necessary cable (inline power cord on Euro 8) in every household. In a little less than 4 hours, the battery is fully recharged. For the nerds: The charger absorbs 75 watts. Filling up the scooter once costs just under 8 cents at an assumed electricity price of € 0.27.

Operating costs of the Ninebot

Who hangs his scooter 3x per week at the charging station and

is on the road for 60 kilometres per week (3,160 kilometres)

must expect about 12.64 € electricity costs.

A kilometer then costs about 0.004 €.

The Ninebot app in the test

All essential information is contained in the tidy app. Even driving videos are included and can be downloaded free of charge into the app. Essentially, the app can be used to adjust the lights, view information regarding speed, activate KERS, perform firmware updates, read information about the battery level and make slight adjustments.

The range of the Ninebot ES2

The manufacturer states that the range is 25 kilometers on one battery charge. In my test drives I could not yet achieve this value, but a good 20 kilometers are in it. However, I also live topographically rather hilly, currently we have temperatures outside around 0 degrees and I weigh over 90 kilograms (maximum load is 100 kilos). Therefore, the maiden trips were quite passable.

The Ninebot ES2 in the rain

Involuntarily I was allowed to test the ES2 even in the rain. A rather slippery affair that I cannot recommend. In particular, higher speeds are really not recommended on wet roads. Here you can make better use of the folding mechanism of the scooter and carry your device or push it next to you. The manufacturer himself advises in the manual not to use the device in the rain.

Always with you – thanks to the folding mechanism

If the scooter has to be stowed away or worn, it can be folded up to a comfortable packing size. By clicking on the footrest on the handlebar, the handlebar can be folded down and locked on the rear mudguard. This makes it easy to carry in one hand. In addition, it can be accommodated in any medium-sized trunk or can be transported under the seat in public transport.

Parking and locking

Once you have reached your destination, you can practically park the scooter thanks to the side stand. The electronics can be locked via app. However, it is not a real theft protection, as the scooter could be carried away in no time. Therefore, I do not leave my little electric friend anywhere unattended and prefer to take him to the office or put him in the garage.

The instruction manual

A manual that deserves its name. The important information is well illustrated. The usage instructions and tips for operation have definitely helped me with the training, even if many points on the scooter are initially intuitive and well implemented.

Does the Ninebot ES2 have an approval in Germany?

According to the current status, unfortunately no. So far, the change in the law for micromobility is not yet in force, so all e-scooters that accelerate faster than 6 km/ h motorized are prohibited. Whether the Ninebot ES2 will be legally usable in the future also depends on whether the manufacturer will lock the speed at 20 km/h via software update. This is – according to the current status in February 2019 – necessary in order to be able to use the scooter on German roads.

What accessories are available for the ES2?

You don’t need any accessories to start. If you want to bridge longer distances from the outset, you can optionally purchase a second battery. This is mounted on the handlebar, the devices and holes are already available. As a further accessory, a handlebar bag for small errands is available. Spare parts, such as a new dashboard or new solid rubber tires could be easily found on the Internet.

Conclusion and opinion

Most e-scooters worldwide are likely to come from ninebot. In other words, the company knows what it is doing. With the ES2, cheap electric scooters the Chinese have launched a truly urban, high-quality and inexpensive scooter on the market, which obviously gives me pleasure. The quiet motor works reliably, the batteries create a good 20 kilometers range. By means of a software update, one can at least hope that the scooter can also be driven in Germany – as of today, this is only possible on private property. There is slight criticism for the solid rubber tires, the missing German power plug and the sluggish brakes. Overall, however, an absolutely serious product with a high fun factor.