Segway Ninebot MAX Review
$853.00
Segway makes a sturdy scooter. Up to 220 pounds may be supported by the aluminium alloy frame. It is not a lightweight scooter; it weighs about 40 pounds. However, because of its folding design, it is more portable than many other scooters on the market.
It collapses in a single motion and takes only a few seconds. It may be carried on a bus, a train, or kept in a car’s trunk. The platform is another notable aspect of the building. It fits both adults and younger people well because it is pretty broad. You’ll feel safe because it features a non-slip surface.
Summary
Ninebot Max is still a very dependable, solidly built, low maintenance machine that rivals the Xiaomi Mi M365, the undisputed king of electric scooters, which we previously evaluated in December 2019.
With a proven real-world range of 45.2 kilometres, it can travel twice as far as the M365. With a peak speed of 28.7 kilometres per hour, it is also a bit quicker than electric scooters available on the rental market. The Ninebot Max can accelerate larger riders up steeper climbs more quickly thanks to an increase of 100 watts in the rear hub motor over the M365.
With a wider deck and huge, air-filled tyres to ease long journeys, the Max also boasts 22% more standing area than the M365. It offers so many comforting, user-friendly functions that it is possible to ignore the Max’s somewhat unremarkable appearance. The Max is a sturdy vehicle made for dependable commuting but neither its performance nor design make it an exciting racer scooter.
For those who adore the Xiaomi M365’s basic aesthetic but yearn for a more robust, longer-range electric scooter, the Ninebot Max is a great option.
Performance Overview:
I like the smooth ride the Kickscooter Max’s 10-inch tyres provided while I cruised about my neighbourhood. It handled potholes and sidewalk cracks like a champ despite lacking shock absorbers.
The Max has a single 350-watt engine in its back wheel as opposed to the Unagi I rode, yet despite this, the Max was able to propel me up steep inclines just as quickly. I believe Segway when they say the Max can manage 20-degree inclines. The Kickscooter Max was able to sustain a speed of about 9-10 mph up one gradient that forced other, less potent scooters to drop down to 5-6 miles per hour or less. Dual 250-watt motors on the Unagi made some progress.
Speed & Acceleration:
The tested peak speed of the Ninebot Max is 28.7 km/h, which is fast enough for the majority of riders to go in traffic at safe speeds. The Max’s peak speed isn’t very high, but it is still quicker than the typical shared scooter, which cruises around at about 24 kilometres per hour. In the United States, 24 km/h is a reasonable pace for shared riding with other cars, usually in the bicycle lane. However, state and regional laws governing electric scooters vary widely.
Due to its second-generation motor and presumably its reduced weight, the Ninebot Max G30LP has a slightly quicker max speed of 29.0 km/h (its around 1 kgs lighter and does not have a built-in DC converter).
A 350 watt motor with a 700 watt max output powers the Max. The 250 watt motor from the original M365 and other scooters in the midrange commuter class have 40 percent less power than this one.
The Max was quicker than the original M365 in our acceleration testing, reaching 24 km/h in 5.4 seconds. The Max also accelerates more quickly than both its smaller brother, the Max G30LP, and the Gotrax G4, which has a greater peak speed of 32.2 km/h.
The Ninebot Max lacks a zero start option, like several other scooters in the entry-level and midrange price ranges. Zero start refers to the motor starting as soon as the throttle is opened.
The Max is a kick-to-start scooter, so you must get it up to a speed of roughly 3 km/h before you can use the throttle to turn on the motor. A typical safety feature on shared scooters is kick-to-start mode, which prevents the scooter from reversing if you accidently press the throttle when it is turned on but at a complete stop.
Although kick-to-start is excellent for novices, it may be a little unpleasant when attempting to accelerate from a stop or kick your way up a hill. If you’ve ever used a zero start scooter, you’ll anticipate an instantaneous surge of power when you hit the throttle but won’t really experience it.
Hill Climbing:
In our hill climb test (60 m, 10% gradient, 74 kg rider), the Ninebot Max finished in 16.0 seconds at an average speed of 13.7 km/h. The M365 maintained an average speed of 13.7 km/h, whereas the Max climbs nearly as well as the M365 Pro and is substantially quicker than the M365.
Without some practise, it could be difficult to ascend uphill rapidly since you have to accelerate the scooter. It took us many efforts to build up enough speed to open the throttle on a somewhat steep incline. For smaller (shorter) riders, going uphill could be particularly challenging since you have to kick, push, get on the deck, and apply the throttle before you know if you’ve got it quickly enough to power the throttle.
The Ninebot Max can successfully climb hills in general. Only the hardest hills prevented us from continuing at a speed of roughly 11 km/h on some magnificent slopes.
Battery & Range:
The company claims a staggering range of 64 kilometres for the Ninebot Max. The Max has an excellent range for its class, although its claimed range of 45.2 kilometers has not been verified (64 kilometers). Given its cost and weight, the Max’s tested range continues to be among the finest.
We recreate real-world situations in our testing by using a 74 kg rider, stopping frequently, climbing hills, and riding the scooter as quickly as is safe in its maximum setting until the battery runs out.
The rider’s size and riding style will determine the actual range.
Battery Management System:
The Max has lithium batteries with a huge capacity of 551Wh. Additionally, it has a Smart Battery Management System that carefully checks battery health and guards against overheating, overcurrents, and short circuits. Simply said, this extends the Max’s service life by ensuring that the battery is protected.
Charge Time:
You can recharge on the road with the Ninebot Max thanks to its built-in charger. Given the extensive range, it takes roughly 6 hours to achieve full charge. Additionally, the built-in battery charger eliminates the trouble of charging your scooter while you’re out and about. You won’t need to carry along a separate charging adaptor any more.
Motor Configuration:
With a 350W brushless motor and rear-wheel drive, the best electric scooter on the market offers improved acceleration and stability. The motor is powered by 551Wh lithium batteries, and if you’re concerned about safety, you’ll like the Smart Battery Management System.
Construction & Quality:
The Ninebot Max’s exceptional build quality makes it clear that it’s all about the construction. The scooter is a strong competitor in its class and, thanks to its incredibly durable construction, feels like a real commuting vehicle.
Clean, rounded lines, a unified form, and a rock-solid feeling give it the illusion that it was carved from a single piece of metal. This is especially true when you can be sure that the scooter is upright or folded thanks to the zero-wobble safety collar folding mechanism. Simply put, everything seems nicely crafted. After being in our care for more than a year, the Ninebot Max has performed well over time with little cosmetic wear.
The Ninebot Max includes a slip-resistant rubberized deck and an IPX5 water resistance certification, which means that it can withstand splashes but not complete submersion.
Although riding in the rain is normally not advised, the Max’s pneumatic tyres function surprisingly well on slick surfaces. Practically speaking, if you get trapped in the rain, you can ride the Max home.
Our Ninebot Max’s performance is constrained in comparison to more recent versions with second generation motors since it has a first generation motor.
Suspension & Comfort:
By now, you should be aware that the Ninebot Max lacks suspension. The sturdy frame and thick tyres, however, are part of the scooter’s general design, which makes you feel secure and in charge of it.
Although I must agree that it can feel a little rattly when going over particularly uneven areas, most scooters without suspension do. Your ride is cushioned by the 10″ pneumatic tyres. The Ninebot Max’s self-healing tyres, which make driving over rough terrain less terrifying, will at least give you peace of mind.
Riding modes and app
You have complete control over this electric scooter thanks to the LED display. To personalise your ride, select one of three riding modes: Eco, Standard, or Sports. When you are not riding, the scooter is pushed by a power-assist feature. Use the display to check your maintenance signals and power levels. Additionally, the Segway-Ninebot app has Bluetooth capabilities, allowing you to connect to it and view statistics such as mileage. Both iOS and Android support it. Install any programme updates as soon as possible.
Ride Quality:
The Max has a smoother ride than other scooters with dual suspension, despite not having any suspension, because to its substantial 25.4-centimeter tyres and strong chassis. The Max handles well overall across most terrain, however you will surely get a head massage on the roughest roads.
The Ninebot Max seems more like a serious commuting machine than a toy-level kick scooter as a result of its wider deck, thicker stem, and beefier structure as a whole. Although it has a very strong, well-built frame, the slower ride makes it seem like a safe rather than exciting decision. On the Max, you won’t frantically carve the roadways. Using the convenient thumb throttle, you may pass slowly between motorists and cyclists while keeping a fair pace.
Having said that, the Max is a well-rounded everyday commuter with adequate capacity and comfort for travelling beyond. Given the evaluated stats and features, we believed that the original Max is a better choice for the extra $100 when compared to the Max G30LP since it has a more steady ride.
Lights:
On the side opposite the LED display, the Ninebot Max sports a high-mounted front LED light. This is the perfect place for a headlight since it will cast a wider light so you can see where you’re going. On the back fender, it also sports a little red LED brake light.
The lights are enough to provide you some visibility, but if you ride at night frequently, check our instructions on adding more lights to increase visibility.
LED Dashboard:
With the Ninebot Max, you can select from three different riding modes, including Eco, Standard, and Sports, and keep an eye on your maintenance signals and power levels. If you’re one of those riders who likes to look at the raw data from your ride to delve deep into those figures, you’re in luck since the Max also has Bluetooth connectivity and an intuitive smartphone app.
Even error messages are shown on the LED dashboard when something goes wrong. This is a highly useful function since it allows you to receive real-time information about your scooter, which makes troubleshooting much simpler. In comparison to many other electric scooters, the dashboard itself is larger and located better.
Charging port:
You may use any cable with this connector to charge your scooter since the Ninebot Max includes a built-in DC converter with a standard IEC 320 C5 “Mickey Mouse ears” power connector. There is also a conventional DC port that may be used with the supplied charger.
This implies that you may use a reasonably inexpensive and common power cord for portable charging instead than carrying a bulky charging pack with a DC converter.
Although it was absent from the Max G30LP, this is one of the Max’s best features.
Braking:
The Ninebot Max performed admirably during our 24 km/h braking test, although not as well as its
lighter-weight sibling, the Max G30LP, in more recent testing. Re-testing revealed that the Ninebot Max had powerful brakes with a short stopping distance of 3.4 metres. Braking distances of less than 4 metres are ideal in this situation.
The Max features a single brake lever that operates both the rear electronic brake and the front drum brake. Should one of the brakes fail, they work together to create a backup braking system. Drum brakes have minimal maintenance, which is something we truly like. The whole braking system is housed inside the wheel, shielding it from the elements and accidental harm.
There is no drag since the brake wire is short and travels almost directly from the wheel to the lever. The rider doesn’t have to exert much effort when braking; it feels easy. We changed a tensioning screw on the front drum brake of the model we were given to position the brake where we wanted. Overall, even when braking with full force, the Ninebot Max’s brakes offer a lot of stopping power and have required little maintenance over time.
Some riders wonder whether putting a drum brake on the front wheel will prevent them from falling over the handlebars while braking. This never happened to us throughout our testing, not even when we used heavy brakes. However, for more stability while stopping in an emergency, we often advise that you stoop and move your weight to the back wheel.
Portability:
The scooter weighs 19 kg, which is a bit much but still workable. According to our knowledge, a scooter cannot weigh more than 20 kgs and yet be regarded as portable. We wouldn’t want to carry it more than a city block or a couple of flights of stairs. With the stem fastening to the back fender, it collapses quickly.
The Ninebot Max is 117 cm long, 48 cm broad, and 53 cm tall when folded. When it comes to scooter
proportions, the Max is on the longer, higher side, so fitting it into your trunk can need some angling. We tested it in the spacious trunk of a Honda Accord, and it fit there rather effortlessly.
The folding stem of the Max features a clasp that retains a lever, which keeps the stem upright and makes it rock solid. To secure the folding lever into position, it incorporates a safety collar that spins. This folding mechanism is quite sturdy, and the Max G30LP also uses it.
With handlebars that attach to a deck that is 6.4 cm shorter than the Max G30LP and a weight difference of 1.5 kg, both Maxes are quite portable.
Cockpit:
The Ninebot Max boasts a fantastic cockpit with an LED display that is bright and gives all the essential data you want, such as speed, battery life, and riding mode. The central display automatically dims at night and is bright enough to read in the sun (when front lights are on). You can control the lighting, mode, and power with a single button located below the display, or you may download the corresponding mobile app.
All the decorations on the handlebars, including the texturized handgrips, rubber-covered thumb throttle, brake lever, and twist bell, seem to have been carefully designed and made from high-quality materials.
Despite barely deterring autos, the bell is loud enough to warn pedestrians. The thumb throttle includes a rubber pad that is sticky and keeps a strong hold on your “trigger thumb.” The drum and electronic brakes are activated simultaneously by the brake lever, which is sturdy and free of play or extra friction.
Tyres:
The 25.4-centimeter tubeless pneumatic tyres of the Ninebot Max are effective in reducing road vibrations.
Segway refers to the tyres as “self-healing,” which simply means that tyre slime has already been added to the air-filled tyres. We’ve noticed more scooters with pre-slimed tyres for easier comfort, especially in the low- and mid-range commuting classes. Tire slime makes the tyres more resistant to flats.
Manufacturers are attempting to provide riders with a more convenient (read: puncture-resistant) experience by offering a cushioned ride on air-filled tyres that have been pre-slimed, frequently without the addition of suspension, which leads to fewer experiences with flats because the slime repairs punctures as they occur.
Deck:
A deck measuring 7 inches by 20 inches seems like the ultimate luxury. Well, Max the Ninebot makes this fantasy come true. The Ninebot Max’s roomy deck provides for a pleasant ride, especially for riders with large feet, unlike the Unagi Model One’s slightly constrained 5-inch foot deck. As a result, you can stand with your feet in a straight line rather than being constrained to having one perpendicular, which enables a range of pleasant riding postures.
The anti-slip construction of the deck also gives you the necessary control for navigating both smooth pavement and more uneven, hilly terrain. The broader, more durable foot deck also gives you more headspace to enjoy the ride because you have to pay less attention to maintaining balance. This is great news for people who like to go long distances, which you may be if you’re thinking about purchasing the Ninebot Max given the scooter’s fantastic range (did I hear someone mention 40.4 miles?).
The deck has a modest rear brake light and a bright LED front light, which are good for riding around well-lit streets at night but less useful for off-piste exploration.
Additionally, the deck has 7.6 cm of ground clearance, which helps keep the scooter from scraping when rolling off curbs and other obstacles.
The deck of the Ninebot Max is excellent, with lots of room for standing and a grippy, raised rubber surface. The deck is 50.3 cm length and 17.4 cm in width. Most riders will be able to stand with both feet together (snowboard or skateboard style) since it is roomy enough for a range of pleasant riding positions.
Ground clearance under the deck is 7.6 cm. Deck height from handlebars is 102.1 cm.
Controls & Display:
In terms of feel, the Ninebot Max’s handlebar grips are thick, feel sturdy, and textured to make sure you feel fully in control of your scooter. The sleek, centrally-integrated LED display on the handlebars screams modernity. Not only is it a feast for the eyes, but it’s also incredibly simple to check your ride stats on the go: from current speed to battery level, to engaging your front and rear lights for added visibility.
Did I ever imagine that I would label an electric scooter as “edgy”? Not really, no. But then I ran into Max the Ninebot. It seems like a “cooler” version of the well-known Xiaomi M365 thanks to its clever, oversized black finish and hefty tyres, which give off an urban, modern atmosphere.
But this isn’t just for looks; the bulky frame’s added solidity makes the Ninebot Max more resilient. more durable and better looking? Win-win. It also means that the Ninebot Max’s strong frame helps to offset its lack of suspension, but uneven ground might make the ride a touch rough.
Water Resistance:
Although the IPX5 water resistance certification of the Ninebot Max will withstand some rain, it’s crucial to remember that IPX ratings are not a completely reliable IP rating (unlike the IP54 rating).
Reliability:
Machine that rivals the ever-popular king of electric scooters in terms of reliability, durability, and inexpensive maintenance.
Warranty:
There is a restricted warranty on the Segway Ninebot Max. The car body is covered by a one-year warranty. The charger and battery pack, among other parts, have 180 days. The lights, handlebars, and other wear-prone parts are protected for 90 days. You may get in touch with customer care, service and technical support, and other departments on the Segway website. You can also contact that number if you need technical assistance.
Known Issues:
However, you obtain a heavier weight when the engine and battery system are more powerful. If you ever need to move about with your scooter, that’s an issue. Also inferior to earlier versions is the
weight load capability, which is just 220 pounds. Beyond that, this e-scooter doesn’t have any obvious problems.
Maintenance:
In our hill climb test (60 m, 10% gradient, 74 kg rider), the Ninebot Max finished in 16.0 seconds at an average speed of 13.7 km/h. The M365 maintained an average speed of 13.7 km/h, whereas the Max climbs nearly as well as the M365 Pro and is substantially quicker than the M365.
Who should buy the Segway Ninebot MAX?
The Segway Ninebot Max could be the ideal scooter for you if you liked the earlier Ninebots but wanted more from your scooter. You may enjoy both exhilarating and restful journeys because to its high peak speed and extensive range. It makes sense that Segway advises users to be at least 14 years old. Younger individuals would have a hard time lugging the scooter around because it is rather hefty. The Segway Ninebot Max is a fantastic option if carrying the scooter is not a frequent part of your journey.
Specification: Segway Ninebot MAX Review
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Abigail John –
I like the smooth ride the Max’s while i cruised around my neighbourhood. It handled potholes and sidewalk cracks like a champ despite lacking shock absorbers.