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The Segway Ninebot ES1L electric scooter is fun to ride, but is very heavyIBTimes/Bob Fekete
The Ninebot ES1L is ideal for cutting commute times in half
Aside from practical uses, the ES1L is pure fun to ride
Segway is most famous for their iconic two-wheeled personal transporter, but the company also has a number of other products available like the Segway Ninebot ES1L electric kick scooter. While the ES1L does not feature the signature self-balancing technology of other Segway products, it does include a virtually silent, powerful motor to make scooting around your neighborhood a breeze.
The Segway Ninebot ES1L scooter comes in a massive box and requires almost no installation. The handlebars do need to be attached before use, but thanks to the included allen wrench this is as simple as plugging two wires together and tightening a handful of screws. Nothing else is required in terms of construction.
Once the handlebars have been attached, the ES1L electric scooter needs to be charged. The charge port is located towards the base of the scooter's pole, making it easily accessible if the scooter is folded or unfolded.
Speaking of charging, the ES1L seems to charge in bursts. I noticed the battery's charge rose about 20 percent in 30 minutes of charging, but a full charge from zero to 100 percent took over four hours.
Solid Construction
The Segway Ninebot ES1L scooter has a decent amount of power hidden in its sleek design. The scooter is capable of going up to 20 kilometers per hour on a regular basis, which is about 12.5 miles per hour. This isn't going to allow you to keep up with most cyclists, but certainly is much faster than an average walking speed.
The ES1L box states that the scooter is capable of going 12.4 miles on a single charge, which I haven't found to be the case. In my usage, I got roughly four miles into a trip before the battery level started to severely dip. The ES1L does have an economy mode to limit the motor's power consumption and the scooter's top speed, so that should help extend mileage on a single charge. I'm not sure if it is good enough to triple the distance the scooter can travel, though.
The ES1L electric scooter also includes a kickstand that is built into the scooter's base. This kickstand is surprisingly durable and easy to use. With the kickstand engaged, the ES1L stands almost perfectly upright, and is very stable.
As previously mentioned, the ES1L can be folded in half like many other scooters. The ES1L uses a locking system to hold the pole upright, and includes a foot pedal to press down on when you want to fold it up. A hook on the pole locks into the rear wheel's brake, keeping the scooter folded for easier carrying. The ES1L isn't exactly compact when it is folded in half, but it can at least be stored a little easier than when it is unfolded and upright.
A Fun, Quick Ride
The best thing about the ES1L electric scooter is that it is fun to ride. The controls couldn't be more simple: the toggle on the left is the brake and the toggle on the right is to go. Additionally, the back wheel has a brake you can step on, which is similar to many other scooters. The motor-controlled brake doesn't seem to be that effective, so I found myself using the manual brake much more frequently.
The scooter's max speed is the perfect point between being quick and going too fast. At max speed I am able to zip around my neighborhood running chores quicker than ever before, but I've never been concerned for my safety or the safety of those around me. Because there is virtually no set-up time, the ES1L gets me out of the house and on the road very quickly.
The ES1L is pretty capable on the road, but larger bumps or cracks can be a little jarring while riding around. It's definitely best to stick to the flattest road or sidewalk surface you can. The scooter does go up inclines, but will noticeably slow down if the incline is even a little steep.
Turning while on the scooter is a hit-or-miss affair. When riding around, it's easy to make large, rounded turns around street corners, and it can be easy to swerve out of the way of objects once you get the hang of riding. However, turning from a standstill or making sharp turns isn't that easy. Often, I found myself stopping, getting off the scooter, lifting and turning the whole thing, and then getting back on for the really tight turns.
There are also some nice safety features included with the ES1L scooter. While everyone should wear at least a helmet when on the scooter, the scooter also includes built-in reflective strips to be more visible at night. Additionally, there is a pretty bright LED light built into the front of the pole to make it easier to see the road.
This Thing Is Heavy!
The most obvious issue with the Segway Ninebot ES1L is that the scooter is very heavy. It weighs almost 25 pounds. That makes carrying the scooter up and down a flight of stairs extremely annoying. In fact, it makes moving the scooter just about anywhere an annoying task.
The worst part about the ES1L's weight is not its impact on arms, but on ankles. Because of the scooter's lack of maneuverability mentioned above, I found myself turning the scooter while not riding it frequently. This often led to the scooter's base swinging directly into my ankles. That much weight hitting your leg hurts.
Security Is Needed
The ES1L scooter's other major negative is there are no security features built in. There are no easy ways to lock the scooter up outside, like a bicycle. There isn't even a key or anything like that to turn on the scooter, so leaving it out means anybody could come up and ride off with it.
Because of the lack of security features, I found myself taking the ES1L scooter with me whenever I used it, even if it meant a quick run into the bank to get money from an ATM. With the scooter's weight and limited mobility, this made simple tasks that much harder to complete.
Final Thoughts
The Segway Ninebot ES1L electric scooter is ideal for quick trips around the neighborhood or for cutting down on commute times. It would be perfect as a way to quickly get to and from the subway, and can be folded up and tucked under a desk for work commutes.
The lack of security features and the overall weight of the scooter do make the ES1L less desirable, but with a price tag of $399, it's right about in the middle of price points for electric scooters.
