Why we chose to stock and sell Segway Ninebot scooters in Malta.
As popularity increases we start to see many more electric kick scooter companies emerging onto the market, lots of scooters which vary in price and also in quality. with so many options out there it can become a little confusing for the buyer, especilly when most of these companies are pretty much startups with no track record.
Brief history
We started early, back in 2017 with our first Segway ES1 and then the ES2, at this time the only competitor was the equally as capable Xiaomi m365. Early on it was evident, Segway will be in this for the long haul and so their rapid development commenced. We saw the introduction of the ES3 and ES4, here Segway added an external battery and re designed some other mechanical elements which made the scooter slightly more robust and usable.
Our kick scooter store is located in Sliema, Malta.
Ninebot D Series kick scooters, buy now!
To have witnessed first hand the constant improvements, both inside and out, I am confident in Ninebot’s ability to deliver a quality and safe product to its users
Purchasing your Ninebot scooter knowing it can be repaired locally.
When looking to purchase an electric scooter, one of the most important things to consider is reparability when needed. We are a fully equipped electric scooter repair shop in Malta, which means we stock most parts and possess the knowledge to enable us to repair your scooter in a timely manner.
The more inches, the better!
Segway Ninebot tires have increased in size over the years, early models were solid airless, low profile 7 inch tires which didn’t make for a comfortable ride. Later more recent models started to incorporate 10 x 2 and even 10 x 2.5 inch tires which are pneumatic. This increase in diameter means there is a greater distance between the road and the rim, this reduces the shock and hard impacts from travelling through the scooter and ultimately to the riders knees and wrists. Segway G series scooters introduced for the first time a 10 x 2.5 inch self healing tire, this means there is a wider footprint for better traction as well as the ability for the tire to heal itself if a foreign object had to pierce it. Competing brands within the same segment of micro mobility scooters are still using 8 inch tires on the most part.
Ninebot ES series kick scooters, by Segway.
Build quality of the Ninebot kick scooters by Segway
We initially started repairing kick scooters in Malta back in 2018, to date we have seen countless variations and clones of kick scooters. Having accumulated so much knowledge, it is quite easy for us now to spot a poorly built scooter and it is even easier for us to appreciate how good some scooters are compared to others.
Kick scooter frame construction.
Ninebot scooter frames are made from high grade metals, some models opt for aluminum and now more recently with the ‘D series’ kick scooters we started to see the use of other types of metals, Ninebot call it, ‘high toughness structural steel’
‘The D series has a double tube frame that forms a triangular shape and thus ensures high stability of the KickScooter. This robust frame has a load capacity of up to 120 kg on both the D28 and D38.’
Segway use a very strong aluminum for the construction of a number of their scooters, this is were we start to see differences in build quality from one brand to another. Aluminum is a blend of different metals, the process involved in producing aluminum for scooter frames widely varies from one manufacturer to another. One of the greatest risks when purchasing a clone or sub standard scooter is structural failure due to the poor quality of metal used. It is not common for us to receive clone scooters with frames which have literally snapped in half between the fork and main body whilst the user was riding. To date we have never had a single Segway scooter brake in this manner!
Ninebot’s constant development
Ninebot’s early days and struggles
Having repaired hundreds of kick scooters in Malta, we gained volumes of knowledge and throughout this time we saw the complete re-design of Ninebot kick scooters. The first ‘ES’ series scooters were great but this doesn’t mean they were perfect. Early models did struggle with some inherit problems which did effect sales, throughout this time, Xiaomi were producing an affordable scooter which didn’t share the same problems as early ES models.
Re-design, completely changing the Segway Ninebot scooter from top to bottom.
The Segway Ninebot ES series of scooters are incredibly difficult to work on when compared to Xiaomi or similar electric kick scooters. As an experienced technician I can tell you that even after having repaired so many scooters, I still find these to be my least favorite, the way in which the battery and main controller are so well tucked away and also the fact that a 5 minute repair job on a Xiaomi can take upwards of 90 minutes on an ‘ES’ scooter definitely means a re design was well overdue.
Ninebot learning from their mistakes
Ninebot have clearly learnt from their mistakes, the new design now means it is far less time consuming for a repair to be conducted, moreover the new design found on the D, F and G series scooters incorporates totally different internal components which almost 2 years in have definitely resolved previous faults. We have written a separate post highlighting the previous problems we encountered with the ES series scooter.
As time passed, user feedback helped Ninebot improve their platform, one major change was the introduction of larger 10 inch tires, the rest of the market was mainly focused on 8.5 inch tires. Larger tires make for a more comfortable ride and also a larger surface area in contact with the road for better grip.
previous electrical faults were solved by changing the thicknesses of cables used within the scooter as well as the complete re-design of their main controllers. As of October 2022, it is safe to point out that the D, F and G series Ninebot scooters haven’t yet shown mainboard failures. Yes there aren’t as many of them on Malta’s roads when compared to scooters which have been sold for over 5 years in Malta.
As 2022 progressed we saw Ninebot introduce more and more mobility scooters, now even mentioning entering the moped market, this for me is testament that Ninebot are focused on growing within this fast expanding market.
To conclude, I am confident to say, Ninebot have convinced me that their product is world leading, quality has only improved over the years and I cant notice any shortcuts or expenses being saved.
By Kevin Pisani
