Monday, November 26, 2007

Well, It Was Fun While It Lasted - 3,936 Miles

In what might be the shortest life ever of a $5,000 Segway, my Segway has ceased to function as a commute vehicle. I used it for about 20 months every workday.

It has some sort of hardware problem that causes "Emergency Shutdowns" during my commute rides. Last Friday it would not restart like it normally had in the past, and it left me stranded. The Segway does not do this in the afternoon as much as in the morning, so SOMEHOW I think it is related to temperature. But to repair it outside of warranty is not a financially sound decision, because it needs tires ($279) and new batteries ($1200) and the shipping ($200) to Segway Corp for repair (more hundreds of $$ for labor and parts) so it can no longer be my commute vehicle.

SO:

I have purchased an IZIP Electric Bike to replace the Segway as my commute vehicle of choice. I live in Phoenix, so during the hot summer months I cannot just "ride a bike" because it would mean showering at work in the morning and again in the afternoon after the commute. I'm too old for that hassle - so an electric bike, which allows me to pedal "WHEN I WANT TO" is almost a perfect choice. It will allow me to exercise a small bit as I can pedal when I want to and use electric assist when I want to, something the Segway could not provide.

Putting the IZIP together tonite (November 26th, 2007) and will keep this Blog updated with the tales of my new-fangled commute vehicle.