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Why does self-balancing Segway need kick stand?

Answer...

Letter Buster Blocker, of Muscatine, Iowa, USA, writes:

Perhaps I am being overly critical, but I did notice something in the Segway story appearing in The Register.

I thought the Segway had been touted as self-balancing, but then I note in the picture there is what we Colonials would call a "kick-stand" on this Segway, near the left wheel (as looking at the picture, not as if riding the thing). So this begs the question of from whence the "kick-stand" comes. So, would anyone care to shed light?

Carlton Reid, editor of Bikebiz.co.uk and author of the article, replies:

I've seen the Segway in action and it's nifty, self-balancing and all the rest. But switch it off and it becomes a big lump of plastic. Most users lean their Segways against walls, lamp-posts or anywhere else you'd lean a bike. I've never seen one with a kick-stand but I believe many bike-trade companies in Taiwan are gearing up for making Segway bolt-on accessories.

The Register says: At $5,000 a pop, you'd think Segway would throw in a kick-stand for free. (Actually , it does - we have some comments from SegwayChat.com. But first, the following from reader Ed Wensell III, of Tennessee)



At $5,000 a pop, you'd think it would have a built-in kickstand that would automatically extend/retract, and would automatically level the device (placing it in perfect photographic poses) on any surface. Leaning the Postal-carrier version of the Segway on a lamp post would seem to be quite cumbersome.

Funny thing is all the pictures of the Segway on the Segway website show some sort of protrusion propping up the device. Is it a kickstand? Could they not be bothered to take pictures with the unit running in 'standing' mode? (most likely answer is the pictures are of a non-running prototype mockup) They could have at least Photoshopped it out to keep us from asking the question.



Frank Troppea of

SegwayChat.com

, an independent forum, has the last word.



Just read your Q&A regarding the Segway kickstand - or lack thereof. It actually *does* have one, and it should be utilized when the power is off. The kickstand is cleverly tucked away beneath the vehicle, and you extend in by flipping a small lever located on the top of the base plate on which you stand.

So that's one add-on accessory which comes "standard" with this model :) ®

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