R.I.P. Segway

R.I.P. Segway

The Segway will cease production next month, ending what was once a dream of a revolution in personal transport. Dean Kamen's invention only ever sold 140,000 units in its almost two decades of production, becoming mostly notable for carrying tour groups around cities such as Berlin, and security guards around malls. Although the sort-of-iconic original product is now terminal, the Segway company lives on (under the umbrella of China's Ninebot) as a producer of electric scooters, hoverboard and other personal transportation devices. Fortune

 

it was supposed to be a revolutionary, like 1 in 100 year invention.

Not.

 

Got kicked out, by electric scooters. Lighter, cheaper, faster, smaller.
(even two passengers available, e.g adult with kid.)

 

Tried, over complicated, not very portable and expensive, I want Electric Scooter £300 area be great for popping to a mates or into town or jumping on a train, no locking it up outside and wondering if it's still there 6hours later.

 

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=segway_more_complicated_than_it_needs_to_be

 

I remember how they made such a big deal about it - had a televised reveal and everything. They pulled back the curtain and I thought "what the f*ck is that?"

The irony is that e-bikes really do have the potential to be revolutionary, since it makes biking feasible over long distances or up hills for those who aren't athletes and don't want to put in a massive workout on the way to the office - but they get very little attention, at least here in the USA.

 

Bikes are expensive, fine for 10mile each way commutes ( 15.5mph limit a pain UK Law ), but £1000 for something quite cheap looking, fine if you can take into work and secure.

Normal Road and MTB Resisting here, no real work as Lockdown barely use the car use the Road bike when I can. When I was 20 I'd cycle 40miles per day to work and back, get home and go out for a ride as bored or see some girlie before I had a car.


Scooter on the other hand, fit under the desk at work, travel on the train, much easier to get out of the house for a quick spin, fold and take into a shop or 3. Be Great for @3mile in town trips.

 

Breaking the hearts of countless door to door pest control salesmen.

 

"You'd think all of this technology would be able to do something useful like cure cancer or make an episode of "Will and Grace" funny, but alas, all it does is balance a pole."

 

So many copy cats killed it.... too bad. Glad to see Apple iPhone survived and prospers.
By the way, I heard it's inventor died while he rode it. Found his body in a lake with his Segway years ago....