Parking Stand Fiasco

[itbeme]

I have been following the parking stand fiasco since the i2 was introduced. I was enamored with the i2 and bought 2 of them. What was I (and others) thinking spending 5K plus on a machine that Segway recommends laying down or leaning up some where. I was not pleased to see that we were strung along with the idea that it would be worth the wait. Now I see it was a scam. The parking stand recently introduced is hideous, both in it's looks and function. The Gen 1 stands, for all their faults were a lot better conceived and integrated than the current one. The Gen 1 stand was easy to deploy, was functional and disappeared from sight when not in use. This is what is needed for the current model.

So now we are left with after market stands, this could be a good thing except none meet my expectations. First they are not easy to deploy. Second they need to function. Third they need to be aesthetically pleasing. Come on, who wants this futuristic device with its swooping lines, to have this hunk of metal hanging off the front. Some of these stands look like the i2 has mutated antennae. The chap from the UK did a stellar job on the upgrade for Gen 1 stand, not so nice on his i2 stand.

You may remember a few months ago, I designed and installed a rear stand. I used a strap hinge and its works quite well. It met my criteria. When my dealer called me to sell me a stand, I said no thanks. I'll wait for the perfect stand or I'll keep using my 2.98 hinge stand. I like the way my i2 looks leaned back, reminds me a high end car's prancing horse. It also keeps any dolt from wanting to stand on it.

These are my opinions, YMMV.

Thanx for reading this rant. Keep the rubber side down and may all your glides be great.

[hellphish]

I agree. It seems they should have just done a flexible version of the gen1 stand.

[Isidore]

I agree. It seems they should have just done a flexible version of the gen1 stand.

We have all had a go at the new stand, many of us (me included) without even having seen it. I wonder if someone from Segway might want to comment at how/ why they arrived at the present solution?

[dynk]

I want it to be known that I went to the dealer today, and got new comfort mats, and he tried another new kickstand and it seems to work better than the last. So I am keeping it. If it gets weaker, I will ductape 2 metal sticks to it.:)

[bystander]

I agree. It seems they should have just done a flexible version of the gen1 stand.Doesn't the i2 roll away a little easier than the gen1 when the power is off? I'm not convinced the gen1 stand is an ideal solution for the gen2.

I was under the impression that since the power assist mode was eliminated from the gen2, and riderless balance mode is so slow, that the decision was made to let the wheels turn easier in power off mode, making it easier to push. This has the side effect of requiring a parking stand solution to need to have a firmer hold on the ground, as the wheels aren't helping as much.

Maybe what is needed is some mechanism that fits into the empty space of the gen2's platform side spacers and deploys four stubby legs as a firm stand.

Or maybe keep the flimsy center stand and deploy chucks against the sides of the wheels, inhibiting them from turning. That way the gen2 can't twist around and knock the center stand down. But there might not be a simple way of keeping the chucks from accidentally deploying during travel - which would be disastrous.

[bentbiker]

. . . we were strung along with the idea that it would be worth the wait. Now I see it was a scam. The parking stand recently introduced is hideous, both in it's looks and function.


Considering that this was the winning design, can you imagine those that were rejected?1.) A statue of Trigger (Ferrari backed out of a co-branding arrangement) horsey statue on a spring-loaded retracting cord to replace the temporary Dixie cups of the same height.


2.) Two Wiffle balls on a bungee cord that go under the front and rear edge of the platform and then wrap up to clip onto the console trim piece at the rear -- this would have been the winner except that the trim piece kept falling off, and many people have already lost them because they won't stay in place without duct tape. Undeployed, the bungee is stretched upward to hook onto the handlebar (optional flickering LEDs within the balls were to replace the need for a headlight).


3.) A spring-loaded collapsible camping cup that was to be glued to the base. It was no more difficult to deploy than checking air pressure on the i2 according to sources close to the design engineer (lay the Segway face down in the grass, get on your knees . . . ).


4.) Wedge-shaped sections of i2 wheels cut from the pile of perfectly good wheels returned under warranty because of nothing more than a thorn, sliver of glass, or tack in the tire.I understand that Segway-haters are already queuing up on YouTube to watch Dynk's video of his popsicle-stick splinted stand and watch as he nudges the handlebar without the splint, and the Segway again falls flat on its face.

[bentbiker]

We have all had a go at the new stand, many of us (me included) without even having seen it. I wonder if someone from Segway might want to comment at how/ why they arrived at the present solution?
Didn't your mother ever tell you to take that tongue out of your cheek or you'd stay that way permanently?

[dexter]

5.) The second-gen electronic parking stand: Dismount and press a button combination on the info-key which engages hover-mode, lifting the wheels off the ground while keeping the whole unit upright and stationary, strictly for parking purposes.

Stepping onto the base causes the wheels to touch the ground, disabling hover-mode and reactivating balance mode for riding.

Rejected when the design team discovered a patent conflict with another design team at Inc. currently working on an undisclosed prototype known only as Ginger-2.

[bentbiker]

5.) The second-gen electronic parking stand: Dismount and press a button combination on the info-key which engages hover-mode, lifting the wheels off the ground while keeping the whole unit upright and stationary, strictly for parking purposes.

Stepping onto the base causes the wheels to touch the ground, disabling hover-mode and reactivating balance mode for riding.

Rejected when the design team discovered a patent conflict with another design team at Inc. currently working on an undisclosed prototype known only as Ginger-2.
Wonderful!

[Five-Flags]

5.) ... Rejected when the design team discovered a patent conflict with another design team at Inc. currently working on an undisclosed prototype known only as Ginger-2.

the second design team had been partaking too much of Ginger-ale. :D:D:rolleyes:

[bentbiker]

the second design team had been partaking too much of Ginger-ale. :D:D:rolleyes:
No -- haven't you read about it in INC's newest blog, the Last (s)Mile?;)

[JIO]

I finally used black electrical tape and taped two aluminum bicycle tire irons which I straightened out with a hammer. I taped one on the front and one on the right so it doesn't snag the base when closed. I also taped on a bigger rubber foot at the end so I get more friction/traction. It seems to work great now....as long as someone doesn't try to stand on the i2 while parked or drive away with the parking stand down. Since I'm the only one using the i2, it shouldn't be a problem. The way the parking stand sits now, the i2 is tilted backward slightly so I'm sure it won't even go into balance mode with the stand down.

It now holds the i2 on a slant with the handlebar bag filled with junk without falling over. That spring system is a joke.

[cmonkey]

I haven't seen the parking stand in person yet, but if it's so flimsy, why not just stuff a piece of small diameter copper pipe inside the spring?

That should make it rigid enough.
If it's too narrow, wrap it a few times with tape.
If it's not rigid enough, fill the pipe with sand.
If it gets bent, straighten it out or stick in another piece of pipe.

[terryp]

Here are some pictures of a kickstand I've been using for about six months. It clears curbs and steps as long as the LSF is kept vertical.

As described in the captions, removing the locking notches would allow the stand to be foot-operated, and I'm pretty sure that making the rounded corner a little more square would prevent it from deploying accidentally, as the rod and bumper are very light. But to be extra safe, a notch could be filed into the back of the rod to give it a weak spot to snap off.

Since the deck is sloped back when the stand is down, it would be impossible to forget to raise it before taking off.

If the aluminum parts were black anodized or powder-coated, it would be much less noticeable.
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