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View Full Version : The Lion(s) in Winter..... another review




cmonkey
11-18-2005, 09:38 PM
Ok, smack me, but I just had to pitch in on the performance of my new Lions. :-)

First impression... WOW! These batteries are just amazing. I got my Lions about a week after the announcement, and am I glad I sold my Nimhs. Mind you my Nimhs worked perfectly, for Nimhs, but for all the errands I did, the range just wasn't there.

First power up... Warm day, about 70 degrees. I got on, and immediately felt a difference in the initial torque, but got used to it very quickly. I figured it was the 4 lb difference in the weight of the batteries, and I haven’t noticed it since.

First ride.... The batteries did seem to give up the juice a bit more readily, and I noticed my top end was just a bit higher. By that I mean, I felt that the Nimhs didn't like being close to top speed and the sweet spot for fast cruising was about 11.3 mph. With the Lions that sweet spot moved up to 11.8 mph!

I was concerned about getting the lions in, ahem, winter, because I didn't think I'd get as much time to glide, but so far I'm finding the time, and the weather has only stopped me once. The wind chill over long distances (think big ears here) can be really annoying, and I didn't have any headgear at the time....

Cold (cool) There have been occasions where I've left my seg locked on the porch, and starting up in the morning has been interesting.
After a 50 degree night, the nimhs would give me the flat face for about a minute of gliding. This morning (45 degrees) the Lions gave me the flat face for only about 5 seconds!

Hot. I leave my seg in the car to take to work, and of course the trunk gets pretty warm.
In the case of heat, the Lions still felt peppier than the nimhs.

Charge bar calibration....
Gonna have to go on a few long rides methinks!.... Did 10 miles and only used up one bar!

Clearance has not been an issue. I learned what size object I could easily traverse over with the nimhs, (I once rolled over a large discarded soda cup, and that became a reference point in my mind.... If it could fit in that cup, I could safely roll over it). Now with the Lions, I've found a new reference.... If it's bigger (and/or harder) than a tennis ball, I'll avoid it.

Trying to use up the juice....and the Lions save my hide!
I ran my usual errands, did about 10 miles, and decided to go out for a late night dinner. Normally my Nimhs would have been dead at this point and I would not have been able to go out. Lucky me I've got Lions... I glide to my favorite place, about 1.5 miles away, have a nice hot Italian sub, and glide home. When I get home, I reach into my pocket only to find.... LINT! The keys to my seg and my front door had fallen out of my jacket pocket! I frantically call the restaurant, which is now closing... they find my keys, so I glide back as fast as possible. Boy, am I glad I have these Lions... I'm at 13 miles and I'm going to the restaurant and back again. Once home, the batteries are now at 16 miles, and my middle bar is blinking. Yup, need a few longer glides.

Charging... Am I mistaken or does it seem to take a lot less time to top off the Lions, than the Nimhs?!?
I'd go for a 3 mile ride on the Nimhs, and it'd take about an hour and a half to top off the batteries.
The same ride on the lions, and it takes less than an hour for it to stop fast charging! Again, wow!

The comfort factor in going for a glide and not having to worry about pushing the last half mile is absolutely priceless!

ok, I'll stop rambling now.....

If you can manage it, go for the LIONS.... you won't be sorry.

Dave


I love my magic carpet!




Stan671
11-21-2005, 09:01 PM
I just ordered my Li-Ion batteries along with the Comfort Mat since I will be taking longer rides now with the new batteries.

My blue florescent undercarraige lighting is secured to the center metal section across the bottom of the platform. Since the new batteries cover this section, I will have to take my lighting out for now and then figure out a new way to mount it.

Stan Dobrowski

cmonkey
11-22-2005, 01:29 AM
If you hollow out the venting area of the new batteries you may be able to lay the light in there... otherwise you'll just have to wire in loose LEDs i the vent holes.

Then just avoid anything begger than a tennis ball and you'll be fine.

David S

I love my magic carpet!

bystander
11-22-2005, 02:51 AM
If you don't mind sawing into your new $1500 investment, the row of holes could be cut off. Then some Plexiglas with some vent holes drilled in it could be attached, perhaps held on with Velcro to make it easy to access the lighting.

Or maybe that modification should wait until after the warranty expires...

You might be able to attach one battery, mount the florescent tubes, (maybe not all of them), route the tube's power wires, then put on the second pack.

Because the walls of the battery packs are black, you might consider putting some shiny Mylar or white tape on the inside wall of the packs to reflect the light better.

Since you have power in the area to light the tubes, maybe you could put in a small ventilation fan to cool the HT's motors in compensation for the lighting blocking the normal flow of air.

cmonkey
11-22-2005, 03:54 AM
Follow up on the LIONS.....

Extreme Hill Riding.

Went to visit somone who wants a seg, but didn't belive it could handle the hills near his house.
I got there and spent an hour going up and down some of the steepest hills outside of San Francisco that I've ever seen. The segway with the lions performed great!
Going up the steeper hills, the seg slowed to 7-8mph and had full stick pushback. After I went up a couple of hills and the batteries warmed up... the slower/steeper sections had top speeds a mile or two higher.

Segway gives a whole new meaning to the phrase...

"I'm ON lithium man"

;)

from the drug digest....
What are lithium tablets or capsules?
LITHIUM (Eskalith®, Lithonate®, Lithane®, Lithotabs®) helps to control extreme mood swings in manic-depressive illness. Lithium helps you to maintain a more balanced state, without swinging from a highly elated, over-excited state to that of being very sad and depressed. Lithium can prevent or reduce these episodes. Generic lithium tablets or capsules are available.

Just love that one phrase: Lithium helps you to maintain a more balanced state.... too funny
I'll take two please... the saphion type works best for me!

Dave

I love my magic carpet!

Desert_Seg
11-22-2005, 06:19 AM
Dave,

Love your writeups and the definition of Lithium. The LIons have been tremendous and, since we work plenty of shows, a huge laborsaver. Previously, under normal show conditions we would have to replace NiMH batteries about 3/4 of the way through each show day. Now, with LIons, we can easily go into the next day without any problems....thereby eliminating the need to carry spare batteries to each show.

We have also found that the performance of the batteries (output, that is) seems to improve as they are used continuously. Has anyone else seen this?

Steven

A glide a day keeps the Doctor away.

Dragan
11-22-2005, 09:37 AM
Steven, I think you're right. We have an XT demo that gets ridden a lot, and has since early May. I did a measured run with it within the first two weeks we had it in the store, and I think I may have to do that again to get an accurate, comparative number, but it sure seems to go forever before it needs juice.
BTW, did you get any photos of the airshow?
Wayne

Segway of Alberta - Calgary
www.mysegway.ca

Florida Jim
11-22-2005, 09:44 AM
These are my impressions also! It's great to just go where you want and not worry about battery life. These batteries are strong, long lasting, and need no conditioning or stuff. Charge 'em up and go. Like I said here once, you'll get tired of standing on the Seg before the battereis get low!

>^..^<

cmonkey
11-22-2005, 10:30 AM
By the way....
Don't forget to check the bettery screws once you switch to new batteries. The sealing foam that protects the power connection area does compress a bit. After a couple of weeks I rechecked the battery screws and found a couple of them that could use an extra 1/4 turn or two.

David S

I love my magic carpet!

Desert_Seg
11-22-2005, 01:22 PM
Wayne,

Air Show big event is tomorrow. All four units will be in use there and the Police have invited us in for some photo shots.

I'll make sure I get a pic of the A380 with a unit next to it....the comparison should be hilarious!

Steven

A glide a day keeps the Doctor away.

Stan671
11-22-2005, 06:42 PM
My undercarraige lights are true florescent tubes, two of them about 12 inches long. I thought about hollowing out the venting area of the Li-Ion batteries, but then I would only get a downward projection of the light. Similarly with individual LEDs, I would only get the downward light beams.

One of the cool features of the florescent tubes attached to the bottom of the platform so that they are the lowest thing under there is that they project light over 180 degress out the front and back as well as down to the ground. It is a total over all-glow and not just a beam.

When people see the eery blue light coming from under the platform, I tell them that there is a slight plutonium leak that I have to get fixed one of these days. Nothing to worry about.

Stan Dobrowski

Sal
11-22-2005, 08:07 PM
Stan, I am sure you have posted before, but do you have any pictures of your light mounting (pre Li)? Both off and activated?

I would love to take a gander, as I am sure others would as well.

Thanks,
Sal

___________
I considered atheism, but there were too few holidays

Segway Chat Member since July 2003
Segway Owner since August 2003

bystander
11-23-2005, 01:22 AM
quote:Originally posted by salkulkarni

Stan, I am sure you have posted before, but do you have any pictures of your light mounting (pre Li)? Both off and activated?
I think this is what you're looking for:

http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9808

voiceguy
11-23-2005, 02:43 AM
Hey Dave,

It was great meeting up with you in Santa Monica last Sunday!

As you know, I had "glidden" the 9.5 miles from my house out to SM, shot around with you a bit and then made my way back home -- 19 miles in total. even with a bit of an up grade going back as well as having to maneuver around a bit for a mile or so stretch where curb cuts were out of the way of the (dirt) path along Santa Monica Blvd in Beverly Hills, I had 1 (flashing) bar left at the completion of my journey...

Just thought I'd mention, I have known folks who took the DRUG Lithium -- sort of like they were wearing a chemical straight-jacket is possibly the best way to describe it -- and the way I have heard it described by those who had previously taken some types of meds... In any event, the Li-ions are MUCH better therapy:-)


ASR -- An Actor who can glide and chew gum at the same time

"Every journey of a thousand feet ... begins with but a single lean forward..."

cmonkey
11-23-2005, 02:51 AM
I've been a little under the weather today, and had a very busy schedule... so in essence.. I've been off my Lithiums for a day now and I'm really depressed. Tomorrow at lunch I think I'll get back on my Lithiums and glide to PF Changs for some grub! I'll be much happier then!
LOL

I just fired off an email to Segwow... maybe we can get a group of gliders together and do the hollywood sign tour!?!

later

I love my magic carpet!

voiceguy
11-23-2005, 02:57 AM
quote:Originally posted by cmonkey

I've been a little under the weather today, and had a very busy schedule... so in essence.. I've been off my Lithiums for a day now and I'm really depressed. Tomorrow at lunch I think I'll get back on my Lithiums and glide to PF Changs for some grub! I'll be much happier then!
LOL

I just fired off an email to Segwow... maybe we can get a group of gliders together and do the hollywood sign tour!?!

later

I love my magic carpet!


Dave, Hope you feel better soon ...

Count me in for a Hollywwod Hills glide!


ASR -- An Actor who can glide and chew gum at the same time

"Every journey of a thousand feet ... begins with but a single lean forward..."