Ninebot One Review

Product overview

The Ninebot One E is an excellent all-rounder electric wheel which effortlessly combines style and comfort with uncompromising performance.  At first glance you may be forgiven for mistakenly thinking the Ninebot One has just arrived from the 24th century or an episode of Stat Trek. With its suave porcelain-white shell and tens of thousands of colour choices – in the form of iridescent atmospheric LEDs – the ‘Bot’ looks great off the shelf and can be heavily personalised. 

Inside the box:

• Ninebot One
• Charger with EU plug
• User Manual
• Training belt

Design and ergonomics

A cross between Starship Enterprise and something out of I-Robot, the 'Bot' is a true beauty to behold. The design of the Ninebot is ultra-futuristic and is very iconic as far as aesthetics, especially when compared to other wheels.

Beautifully shaped white casing with inset atmospheric LEDs. A handle which extends out of the O-shaped casing, has the word ‘Ninebot’ elegantly etched into it. A superbly designed handle, although initially there were some trapping issues with fingers which is easily avoided after a time. The handle does seem to be the weakest link in the Ninebot One’s design.

Non-standardised large pedal size – the majority of wheels have these small pedals designed for Hobbits in the shire. My feet are size 12 (uk) and they fit ever so comfortably on the Ninebot. Combine this with the in-built non-slip lattice, I haven’t slipped off yet! – Con: Like most wheels be careful in the rain, as they get a little slippy.

Modular composition – every external part of the Ninebot can be replaced. So when your Ninebot decides to slide across the concrete (as mine did – thankfully, I was not on it) you can restore it to its pristine condition. You’ll be happy to know that the parts are inexpensive too.

Ninedroid App – There are a few YouTube links about the Ninedroid app, but what they all fail to tell you, is that after tweaking this app you turn into a superhero! I’ll explain shortly. You can monitor the motor temperature, power output, odometer (measuring distance travelled), update firmware, and choose from tens of thousands of lighting colours and more. From a monitoring point of view it is an excellent way to interact with the Ninebot.

Now here is the superhero bit: when you first start riding the Ninebot it might seem a little unstable, which is actually responsiveness. The mobile app enables the rider to adjust the riding mode from soft to hard (0 – 9). 

0 (hard) ‘steel’ – being most responsive i.e. your every movement is transferred to the wheel and vice versa, every movement (bumps/gradients) of the riding surface is translated to your body - instantly.  Because we are not computers and are subject to the laws of nature such as inertia and momentum – this mode is great on a smooth flat surface and the slightest bump may send you flying (not the type of superhero I mean).

9 (soft)’boat’ - being the least responsive i.e. your every movement is transferred to the wheel but with a serious delay.  The ‘Bot’ swings back and forth as though you were on the Mary Celeste, before it engages the motor – lots of give.

This feature is similar to the clutch on a car and the suspension on a bicycle. It not only dampens the vibration from the floor (bumps/gradients), but it also eliminates the need for the rider to make adjustments.

 

What does this all mean? It means: stick the ‘Bot’ in riding mode 4-medium silk (as I like to call it) and then discover that you can fly effortlessly! In this mode the ‘Bot’ will glide over almost anything with just enough delay in the feedback – to stop you from constantly having to re-adjust.  If anyone has been on a Solowheel before, then what I am discussing here is that ‘rocking thing’ it does when you accelerate or break (yes, where it feels like you are about to hit the floor and yes, I’m probably rider-biased here). Unlike the Solowheel, the Ninebot can adjust this aspect of the riding experience which again makes for a tailored ride to suit the individual. This by far is the most spectacular feature on the Ninebot One. This feature turns the ‘Bot’ into an off-road creature or an urban-tarmac ultra-cool superhero Gizmo. 

The App also has a Speed Limiter which enables the rider to control the top speed of the wheel. Beginning at 4 kph and raising in increments of 2 kph with a max limitation speed of 12 kph

The Ninedroid App provides firmware upgrade to the Bot. The benefit of this is that any handling issues can be smoothed out with an upgrade (hopefully). Some users find not being able to roll back the firmware a problem, as it means preferred firmware with particular handling cannot be used if it was a previous version. 

Battery power is not an issue with Ninebot. The power is well regulated and in all terrains the drain is consistent and predictable. The 260Wh battery is enough to get you around town or even to commute to work and back home without needing a charge. In low battery conditions below 25%, the 'Bot' will give you tilt-back to alert you that you may not have peak power (i.e. don’t push it accelerating or braking).

Riding

When I first stepped onto the Ninebot and accelerated, I smiled. The power on the Ninebot is impressive and I weight 89 kg (14 stone) with a height of 195 cm (6”4’). Incidentally, that smile has not diminished and this wheel is a true joy to ride. The Ninebot has all the standard features which most wheels profess to have – the only difference is that they actually work consistently on the Ninebot which helps improve rider safety immensely.  This electric wheel will begin tilt-back as you hit approximately 18 kph and will give an audible beep. The Ninebot One will also turn of the motor if/when it falls sideways, automatically engaging once it is upright again.

The Ninebot One has a decent battery. Whilst I am not going to bore you with numbers, here is an idea of what that means practically. If you are a Londoner this will make sense, but if not – Google it. On a full charge (actually maybe 85% full) I travelled from Elephant and Castle (South London, close to Southbank) to Wood Green (North London) and that is station to station. Including a couple of laps of Trafalgar square, stops and starts, up and down  gradients and some fairly aggressive riding (as I was scammed by London transport and pretty irritated). I would say it was 10 miles and probably could have limped a couple more!

 

Results

So what are the less desirable aspects of the Ninebot? I only have one or two issues with the Ninebot One: I wish it charged a little quicker (ranging from 1.5 - 2.5 hours) and the 12.8 kg weight can be slightly unwieldy when carried for extended periods. 

This is not the fastest wheel, this is not the lightest wheel, this wheel does not have a built-in Bluetooth speaker (they missed that trick) or extending trolley arm, it’s not the cheapest nor is it the most expensive. What it does have is absolute style, power, finesse and uniqueness not found in other wheels. This wheel is not a clone based on some four year old model, it has been designed from the ground up with the end user in mind, the Rider.

Reviewed by Lecon Fatinikun 

Enjoyed the review? Check out Ninebot One Store Page!