Segway MAX G3 Electric Scooter Review

My fourth electric scooter is a keeper.

Electric scooters are a great way to get around urban landscapes. Whether it’s the last commuter mile or just bopping around the neighborhood, an electric scooter is a great way to get around.

But I’m a big guy, sadly, with post-pandemic pounds being added to an already athletic frame, I was pushing the limits of the maximum weight of most popular electric scooters. They didn’t keep me from giving them a try, riding them juuust on the edge of their rated capacity.

I had a Segway where the logic board failed. I got it replaced at a third-party repair shop, but that also meant it no longer connected to the Segway app. I then “upgraded” to a Segway F2. It worked pretty well, but being at the threshold of its capacity meant that it fought to get close to its top speed and it’s range was nowhere near advertised. I then bought an off-brand, a Turboant X7. That seemed to accelerate a bit better, and seemed a bit more responsive, but it struggled to hit full speed, especially in a breeze of a headwind.

And the flat tires. The bane of any scooter rider’s existence, at least, those without solid tires. Flat tire after flat tire after flat tire, with repair being a not-inconsiderable expense, was making me long for something better.

And then the Segway MAX G3 popped on the scene. Sadly, I did not discover it when it was being offered for $900, and its $1500 list price is a bit eye-popping (although Segway seems to always have it available for $1200). Finally I found a “Used: Very Good” one on Amazon for a pretty reasonable $950 and pulled the trigger.

Outside of all of the extra tape on the box, I would have sworn it was brand new. All of the original tags, decals and stickers were neatly in place, the styrofoam packing seemed entirely untouched, and the platic bag containing the manual and parts was pristine.

Segway MAX G3 TLDR

Pros

• Great acceleration
• Tackles slopes well
• Reaches top speed of 28 MPH well
• Charges fast
• Solid construction
• Easy controls

Cons

• Heavy
• Accelerator can be sensitive
• Can’t make custom button activate cruise control
• Just a bell for warning
• Latch for folding comes open too easily, is just bad design

Segway MAX G3 Review

Assembly of the Segway MAX G3 is easy. Slide the handlebars onto the up tube and secure with 4 bolts. An additional plastic fender attaches below the tail light with 2 bolts. That’s it.

Connecting to the Segway app in an iPhone is a breeze. Configuration is mostly clear with mostly well-labeled options.

Charging is done with just a cord, which means the transformer was added to the scooter. This has a benefit of being able to just carry a cord when you need to plug in somewhere, but it does add some weight to the scooter. I’d take the tradeoff.

But the first thing you really notice is that this scooter is BIG. Not only is the deck higher, in part because of the 11-inch wheels, but the handlebars are higher as well. The handlebars also angle back rather than being a strishgt bar across.

The throttle is in the right, and it both a thumb lever and a grip that can be twisted. In more than 200 miles, I have found the thumb level to be a bit sensitive and finicky, but nothing I couldn't handle.

On the left is a 4-button pad. Left and right buttons control turn signals. The bottom button controls both power and headlight. You press the top button for at least 2 seconds to activate cruise control.

Next to the button pad is a 5th button that can be customized. The options include:

• Park Mode
• Automatic Hill Hold
• Walk mode
• Emergency Flashers
• Energy Recover Level
• BOOST Function
• Custom Sound Effect

None of these are anything I found useful or interesting.

The scooter has 4 speed modes:

• Eco
• Drive
• Sport
• Walk

Of course, there are tradeoffs: the faster your max speed, the shorter your range. Because I generally want to get where I’m going, the first thing I did was select Sport mode. Eco gets you the maximum range, 50 miles, under also optimal conditions (someone pretty skinny riding, basically).

In addition, you can select a maximum speed for each mode. The Eco max is 10 MPH, which gets you 50 miles, the Drive max is 16 MPH, which gets you 40 miles, and the Sport max is 28 MPH, which gets you 25 miles. However, out of the box, the latter is set to 20 MPH, which gets you 34 miles. One of my first changes was to boost that to the full 28. I also set the Energy Recovery to Standard, which is the maximum.

Amazon also had 50% off the Ninebot-brand Skateboard Bike Helmet. And I’ll tell you something: a helmet of some sort is an absolute necessity if you’re going to boost this scooter to its maximum speed. Whether on a trail, a sidewalk (sub-optimal choice), or the street, you need head protection when going that fast. This is non-negotiable.

The alleged maximum range in Sport mode with 28 MPH selected as the maximum speed is 25 miles. And while I’m getting this heavy rider up to 28 MPH pretty quickly, I’m paying for it in range. My most common ride is a 4.1-mile trek to a group of (very) affordable ChargePoint electric vehicle chargers. The ride is mostly along a paved bike/recreation trail where I can maintain 28 MPH comfortably. Consistently, when I finish this trip, I have 16–18 miles of range remaining. This suggests that under these conditions, I could get 10–12 miles on a single full charge.

I was having a bit of trouble starting from a stop. I would push the scooter and the throttle would not always engage cleanly or quickly. Turns out there’s a setting for this: Start Speed. Setting this to 0 MPH (there’s also 0.6, 1.2, 1.8, 2.4, and 3) seems to have “solved” this niggling little issue.

The relatively short ramp from the below-ground garage to street level challenged my other scooters, to the point where I had to occasionally manually push the rest of the way. The MAX G3 barely notices. Equally, slopes up from the below-grade road crossings along the trail barely make a dent in the set speed.

Both front and real wheels have shock absorbers. So far, I’m finding little bumps don’t get transmitted. The larger tires also contribute to the generally smooth ride — but also to additional weight. The trade-off is worth it.

Braking is also very strong. I’ve not needed any strong braking often because I tend to anticipate fairly well, but when I have needed strong braking, it has been there without fail.

The turn signal lamps were places at the ends of the handlebars. Anyone coming toward you will see them with no problem. Anyone coming from behind you very likely won’t. Small lamps perhaps on the rear of the deck on each side of the rear wheel would likely have been a good design option. There’s also a lever on the left side for the warning mechanism. Which is merely a bell. When a scooter has the capability to move this fast, something louder than a bell as a way provide warning ahead of your path is essential.

To fold the scooter, there’s a slightly fiddly latch on the front of the up tube. And there is a small latch that unfolds and slides into a notch on the back of the deck. Unfortunately, the security of this connection is one of the scooters weakest design choices. This comes apart fairly easily, and when you try to pick up the folded scooter, if you don’t test that this is latched securely, you could be in for an unpleasant surprise. There is a handle in the front, so actual carrying is not difficult.

But make no mistake, this is a heavy scooter. 54.2 lb. to be exact, about 20 pound more than many of the common best-selling scooters. Between the weight and its size, this is not a scooter that you’ll be able to take on trains and buses as easily as lesser models.

When I’ve used about 1/3 of the battery on one of my regular trips, it takes about an hour to charge to full, which tracks with the Segway estimate of 3.5 hours from empty to full.

The bigger battery and the more powerful motor combine for a great riding experience. If you’re coming from lesser scooters that max out at 15–18 MPH, you will feel like you’re really getting places fast. In urban environments, you’ll often feel like you’re getting places almost as fast as cars, and even faster than buses and light rail.

The deck itself is longer and wider than most common scooters, which is a big help to those of us with extra-large feet. There’s a hook on the back of the up tube to hold bags, but I would say it’s placement is at least 6–8 inches too low.

The connected app allows control of a wide variety of settings. It includes a locking function and can work with Apple’s Find My network. There’s available traction control system, some adjustable sound effects (although not the warning bell), and scheduled charging.

The display on the scooter is bright and easy to read. The head lamp seems significantly bright, but I’ve tested only in a dark garage so far. The headlight does have an auto mode, that is, will illuminate automatically when it gets too dark. Even with the headlight off, lights in front and rear stay illuminated to enhance visibility.

Make no mistake: This is no scooter for kids. Or even teenagers. The power and speed suggest too much risk for minors.

But for everyone else, as long as you’re willing to suffer the weight, this scooter is a top pick. Highly recommended.