How Much Does It Cost to Buy a Segway
In this Segway Ninebot Max G30LP review, learn the key differences between this and the original Ninebot Max, and discover how the Max G30LP electric scooter performs in our tests.
Technical Specifications
| Tested top speed: 29.0 kmh* | |
| Tested range: 21.9 km* | |
| Weight: 18 kg* | |
| Max rider weight: 100 kg | |
| Water resistance: IPX5 |
Highlights
| Excellent construction | |
| Solid reliability | |
| Confidence-inspiring braking | |
| Stiff ride | |
| Somewhat boring |
* Based on our performance tests which may differ from the manufacturer's claims.
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Summary
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Our Take: Why It's Better than the M365, But Doesn't Beat the OG Max
This is the Segway Ninebot Max G30LP, a newer model of one of the most popular scooters in the world. It's slightly cheaper and a little smaller than the original Segway Ninebot Max, but is it better?
To be clear, the Max G30LP is not replacing the original Max; it's another option that Segway is offering to consumers. Like the original Max, the G30LP is a beefed-up version of the Xiaomi Mi M365, with the same highly durable, well-designed build quality in a slightly smaller footprint. However, the G30LP doesn't just lose 6.4 centimeters from the deck and handlebar height; it also loses some of its range due to the scooter's configuration.
When it comes to performance, it's generally keeping up with others in its class. However, one of the most surprising things about this entry-level scooter is its braking ability, which is among the top 10 best braking distances of electric scooters we've tested.
The G30LP is an excellent (albeit boring) entry-level scooter as it builds on what the original Max already does well: a dependable, comfortable, user-friendly ride in a stout design.
** Based on our independent testing, which may differ from manufacturer's claims.
Is It Good For Bigger, Heavier Riders? – No.
Big Dawgs are larger riders that are over 200 lb and 6 feet or taller, often favoring oversized decks, tall handlebars, pneumatic tires, and suspension.
Much like the Max, but losing some height and length
For our resident big dawg, the Max G30LP is a lot like the original Segway Ninebot Max, with cool acceleration and good power. It has a well-finished, solid design, but got smaller from version to version, and is just too small for big dawgs (but suitable for average sized dawgs).
The handlebars and deck are 6.4 centimeters shorter than on the original Max, which mean big dawg feet are crowded and big dawg arms are fully extended. This is not an ideal position for riding, and would not be comfortable for longer trips.
The Max G30LP is not big dawg approved.
Segway Ninebot Max G30LP Review
Performance Summary
Results below are based on our independent performance testing and not data provided by the manufacturer.
| Acceleration (0 to 24 kmh) | 6.6 seconds |
| Top speed | 29.0 kmh |
| Braking distance (24 to 0 kmh) | 3.2 meters |
| Range | 21.9 kilometers |
| Hill climb | 17.9 seconds |
Acceleration
The Max G30LP has a 350 watt motor with 367 watt hours of battery capacity, which is 184 watt hours less than the original Max (551 watt hours).
In our acceleration tests, the Max G30LP reached 24 kmh in 6.6 seconds, which is about one second slower than the original Max.
Keep in mind that the Max G30LP, like the original Max, is a kick-to-start scooter, meaning you have to manually kickstart the scooter up to about 3 kmh before you can engage the motor.
Some electric scooters have a zero start mode, which means the scooter will accelerate as soon as you pull the throttle. The Max G30LP does not have a zero start mode, but some riders have unlocked a higher top speed on their scooters using mobile apps.
Hill Climb
The Max G30LP completed our 60 m, 10% grade hill climb test with a 74 kg rider in 17.9 s at an average speed of 12.2 kmh.
The G30LP isn't the fastest hill climber, but is an able one, once you learn how to kick it fast enough uphill to get it going to (about 5 kmh) before the motor will kick in.
Compared to the original Max, the G30LP is just slightly slower up hills.
| Max G30LP | Original Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Hill climb time | 17.9 seconds | 16.0 seconds |
| Hill climb speed | 12.2 kmh | 13.7 kmh |
Top Speed
In our performance test, the Max G30LP has a certified 29.0 kmh top speed, which is slightly faster than the average 24 kmh speed of a shared scooter (like Lime, Skip or Bird). Compared to the original Max which has a tested top speed of 28.7 kmh, it's just a touch faster.
When the team pitted the original Max against the Max G30LP in a quick drag race, the original Max was faster getting off the start line, but the Max G30LP crossed the finish line first because, overall, it's faster.
Range
In our real-world test, we found the Max G30LP has a range of 21.9 kilometers, which is less than we were expecting but still enough mileage for most commutes.
The range of the original Ninebot Max is still one of our favorite things about it, as it provides an ample 45.2 kilometers of tested range, more than enough for most to run errands without having to charge.
Our range test simulates real-world conditions with a 74 kg rider, frequent stops, hills, and completed in the scooter's highest performance mode.
Braking
In our 24 kmh to 0 kmh test, the Max G30LP demonstrated amazing stopping power, with a braking distance of 3.2 meters. Braking actually feels kind of effortless.
In fact, the Max G30LP is among the top 10 best braking distances for electric scooters tested by us. It has comparable braking ability to high-end, well-known scooters, some that are more than triple its price, including the Apollo Pro, Qiewa QPower, and Weped GT 50E.
Like the original Max, the Max G30LP has a front drum brake and rear electronic brake, which are both controlled by a hand lever on the left handlebar. This is a nice dual braking configuration for a midrange commuter, providing a backup braking system should one fail. Also, drum brakes are completely enclosed, making them less susceptible to damage (and easier for new riders to maintain).
As the drum brake is on the front wheel, riders may worry about toppling over the handlebars. We did not experience this issue when applying brakes from a high speed, but recommend keeping an active rider stance (sitting back and lowering your weight over the rear wheel) for better braking.
Ride Quality
The Max G30LP is very beginner friendly, with a smooth ride, good amount of standing space, cruise control feature, and comfortable acceleration and braking. With the responsive thumb throttle and single brake lever, you're able to control your speed very accurately without much effort. It could be considered rather average, given its average size (handlebar height, deck length, weight, and so on) with an average ride that's good for an average sized rider.
With large 25.4-centimeter tires and a rock solid frame, the ride feels very comfortable even without suspension. The air-filled tires do a good job of damping most cracks and bumps, but aren't going to keep your brain from getting a message over super rough terrain.
The ride is quiet given that there's zero wobble in the stem and no creaks coming from the build. But when it comes to this versus the original Max? The original Max appeals to a wider audience with its "longer" features. Just ask the Big Dawgs.
Segway Ninebot Max G30LP Features
Portability
At 18 kgs, the Ninebot Max G30LP is a manageable weight, just a few pounds lighter than the original Max. It's not an ultraportable scooter, but is light enough to carry for short periods of time. For a scooter to be considered ultraportable, it must be under 14 kgs with a folding design, including folding handlebars.
The Ninebot Max G30LP has folded dimensions of 112 cm long by 48 cm wide by 53 cm tall.
Compared to the original Max, which has 6.4 cm taller handlebars that latch onto the deck that's 6.4 cm longer, and with 1.5 kg weight difference, both Maxes are portable.
The Max G30LP has a folding stem with a safety collar that holds the stem very secure when upright, with a lock that rotates and holds the lever in place. When folded, you can conveniently latch the metal hook to the rear fender for easier carrying.
Cockpit
The Max G30LP has a simple cockpit with a centered LED display, texturized, rounded rubber handgrips, a twist bell and brake on the left handlebar and a rubberized thumb throttle on the right handlebar. The brake lever and throttle are easy to operate and in fairly ergonomic, fixed positions.
The easy-to-read display features one button and provides the basics (speed, battery, riding mode). Unlike most other electric scooters, you can read the actual percentage of charge on the Max G30LP's display (even while charging), so you know exactly how much battery you have left.
To the right of the display is a spring-loaded metal hook, which attaches to the fender when folded. The minimal cables are routed nicely into the stem, as the cockpit is like the build: very clean and complete.
Lights
The Segway Ninebot Max G30LP has a high-mounted front LED headlight and a small rear red LED brake light mounted on the fender. This is an ideal position for headlights, as it provides a wider projection area for better visibility, both for you to see where you're going and for others to see you.
The lights are sufficient for providing some visibility, but if you're regularly riding at night, see our guide on additional lights to improve visibility.
Tires
The Max G30LP has 25.4-centimeter tubeless pneumatic, pre-slimed tires that do a good job of damping.
Segway calls their tires "self-healing," and that means they come pre-slimed for easier maintenance. Tire slime can be added inside air-filled tires as a preventive measure to combat flats. With pre-slimed tires, you might not even notice that your tire got punctured because the slime filled the hole before it caused the tire to go flat. Also, since the G30LP has tubeless tires, you won't have to replace inner tubes.
Deck
The Max G30LP has an average sized deck and grippy, rubber-covered surface that measures 43.9 cm long by 17.1 cm wide, which is good standing room for most riders.
It has 7.6 cm of ground clearance. The deck-to-handlebar height is 102.1 cm, and is a little short for taller riders.
Warranty / Post-Purchase Support
Segway is generally regarded as having amazing quality control with rare manufacturing issues. The Segway Ninebot Max G30LP comes with a 12-month warranty if purchased through an authorized dealer.
Build Quality
The build is what makes this scooter a widely appealing standout, even though it's a little boring. Segway nailed the big things and the small things when it comes to build quality, as the Max G30LP feels like it's built out of one piece of metal. The overall construction is that sturdy, with welded, fully finished pieces. Some electric scooters feel pieced together, held in place by glue and zip ties. The G30LP is the exact opposite, looking and operating like a well-built machine. Let's say it's on par with a heavy duty, high volume office printer: muted color, rounded edges, consistently functioning components, and a build capable of running for miles (of road or paper).
All Max G30LP models currently come with second generation motors, which allow you to maintain maximum use of the motor until the battery drops below 10%. They are also supposed to get around 32 kmh top speed, which is close to what we got in our tests. Although it's good that you're getting maximum output from the battery for speed, you could abruptly lose power and end up doing the scooter walk of shame if you're maxing out speed on a longer commute, and not paying attention to your battery level.
Our original Max has a first generation motor, which is limited to around 29 kmh and reduces the speed of the scooter when the battery is below 70%. Read more about first and second generation motors and how to identify them in the original Ninebot Max review. If you want any upgrades for your Max, here's a shop dedicated to upgrades.
If you see anything you like, here's an exclusive $5 off coupon code (ESG4NORD).
When it comes to safety features, the Max G30LP checks all of the boxes, with dual pneumatic tires, an audible warning device, high-mounted light, and a rear braking light on fender. It can also handle inclement weather conditions given its IPX5 water resistance rating. Although we don't generally recommend riding in the rain, the raised rubber texture on the deck of the Max G30LP provides great traction in both dry and wet conditions, and it performs relatively well on wet roads.
Unlike on the original Max, a DC converter is not built into the deck, so there's only one way to charge the Max G30LP. The door on the charging port is not quite as easy to secure as the spring-loaded battery door on the original Max, which was wider and locked down a bit easier.
The built-in converter was one of our favorite features on the original Max, as it meant you could charge your scooter with a standard IEC 320 C5 "Mickey Mouse ears" power connector (which is the same type of power cable that you find on large office printers with a DC converter).
Segway Ninebot Max G30LP: Review Conclusions
So, is the G30LP better than the original Ninebot Max? Overall, it's just not, but that's really only because the original Max was so amazingly good. The Max G30LP retains the industry's best build quality and dependability, but we already had that with the original Max. It's slightly higher top speed do not make up for its smaller size and much shorter range, but if those are not important factors for you and $100 is, then the G30LP is a great mid-range commuter.
The G30LP is a seriously solid electric scooter, with a very complete, thoughtful design featuring an easy-to-read display, good range and speed for daily commuting, and a slightly lighter, smaller build than the original Ninebot Max (at a slightly lower price).
If you would buy a Honda Civic for its industry-recognized, long-term reliability, comfort, and low-maintenance cost, consider the G30LP as the Civic of electric scooters, providing a great option for riders up to 100 kgs. With that in mind, the original Ninebot Max would be a Honda Accord, with a slightly longer range and longer build but overall the same excellent dependability. It's not visually exciting and isn't a speedster, but is boring in the best way as it fulfills all of the most important elements when it comes to a safe, dependable mid-range commuter scooter for daily travel.
If the Ninebot Max doesn't appeal to you, look at our alternative scooters. You can also check out our Editor's pick of best electric scooters.
Our content is independent, but buying through our links may earn us a commission.
Segway Ninebot Max G30LP Technical Specifications From Manufacturer
Note: This may differ from our tested specifications.
| Make | Segway |
| Model | Ninebot Max (G30LP) |
| Weight | 18 kg |
| Folded dimensions | 112 by 48 by 53 cm |
| Motor power, continuous | 350 W |
| Top speed | 31 kmh |
| Range | 40 km |
| Battery capacity | 367 Wh |
| Battery recharge time | 6.5 hrs |
| Max rider weight | 100 kg |
| Brake type | Drum + Regenerative |
| Tire type | 25.4 cm Pneumatic (Tubeless) + Pneumatic (Tubeless) |
| Built-in lights | Front + Rear |
| Water resistance | IPX5 |
How Much Does It Cost to Buy a Segway
Source: https://electric-scooter.guide/reviews/segway-ninebot-max-g30lp-review/