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Ebikes have hit a new threshold in the past year. The argument for an ebike has long been to “replace your car,” but they were still bikes that had simply been electrified. The ebikes hitting the market these days are more and more resembling the cars they’re intended to replace. Not in terms of looks – they’re still bikes in that sense – but when you look under the proverbial hood of the Segway Myon ($1,999), you’ll find it has a lot more in common with a car than a bicycle. A commuter bike with serious capability, here are my thoughts after a couple of months of testing it here in San Francisco.
Bottom Line: With class-leading ride smoothness, a robust suite of security features, and more tech than any ebike I’ve tested, the Segway Myon is a genuinely impressive machine – though it comes with a learning curve and some techy complications that keep it from being a plug-and-play experience for everyone.
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Testing The Segway Myon in San Francisco
In testing, one of the biggest things that stood out compared to other ebikes on the market is the smoothness of the ride. Cadence sensors used to be the standard among ebikes, providing instant acceleration once you start pedaling. Torque sensors detect how hard you pedal and assist more as you pedal harder, providing a smoother ride experience. The Myon (equipped with a torque sensor) takes this to the next level, with a start-from-stop and hill-assist that give you extra juice when you need it, without making you work for it.
I’m especially impressed by the start-from-stop performance. A bit of extra power off the line lets you build up speed quickly without downshifting, making for a much smoother experience. This is a huge boon on the start-and-stop hills here in San Francisco.
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Notable Features
Segway Myon ($1,999)
Motor Power: 500 Watts
Stated Range: 80 miles
Top Speed: 28 mph (20 mph in states like CA)
Battery: 722 Wh
Weight: 73 lbs
Payload: 300 lbs
Security
From a security standpoint, this bike is as good as they get. A rear-wheel lockout, motion-triggered alarm, and GPS/4G tracking make it one of the more theft-resistant ebikes I’ve tested – and the alarm is loud enough to actually function as a deterrent, not just an annoyance. The bike connects to your phone via Bluetooth, and you can use it as a proximity “key”, so the bike unlocks without having to fumble for keys or tap in a password.
Ride Feel and Handling
The Myon has a nice upright riding position and maneuvers beautifully. The tires are on the thinner side, but between the cushioning they do provide and the front suspension, you’re in for a smooth ride. Despite the motor being rated to only 500W, this doesn’t feel like a low-powered bike – especially climbing hills unloaded, you can tell it has plenty of power to give. And the numbers back it up, with 85 Newton-meters of torque, comparable to bikes that are more in the 750-watt motor range. Weight Capacity is a little low at 300 lbs, but as a commuter bike, the Myon is not intended to haul cargo or a second rider.
Tech
Turn-by-turn navigation via Bluetooth, turn signals on the rear brake light and on each handlebar, built-in speakers that can play your music while you ride or call out directions, and electronic shifting all come standard, in addition to the security features listed above. The ride-smoothing hill climb and start-from-stop assist mentioned in the testing section, above, is also worth noting here.
Most of the customization options for the bike are governed through the Segway Mobility app. Connecting from your smartphone via Bluetooth, you’re able to track your bike, lock and unlock it remotely, tweak ride settings or turn features (like the alarm) on and off, even share stats and rides with friends, and track health data to boot. It’s evident that Segway has put a lot of effort into developing a full user experience here.
Optional Add-Ons
Segway offers a handful of extras at additional cost: a top tube for added frame stability (most useful at higher speeds), an automatic dropper post, and a rear radar detection system. I didn’t test the dropper, and the radar system is something I’m still getting dialed in on. The top tube is a nice add-on, and I wish more step-through ebikes had something similar!
Drawbacks
The level of tech is high – and with that comes some complications. This isn’t a bike I’d hand to a first-time ebike rider or anyone who isn’t comfortable with tech. The alarm alone, which blares until the bike pairs to your phone via Bluetooth, is enough to rattle the uninitiated (though it can be disabled).
The 4G features are free for the first year, then require a subscription – worth factoring into the long-term cost. And despite everything this bike does, there’s no phone charging port, which feels like a miss.
My biggest frustration is with the class settings. The bike was advertised as a bike capable of class 2 and 3 riding. As someone who often rides in traffic in San Francisco, having a class 3-capable bike is important to me to be able to keep pace with cars. However, when I received the bike, I had a lot of trouble getting it to go into class 3 mode. After a lengthy back and forth with the technical team, I was informed that due to the recent law changes around ebikes, in California, the Myon is only a class 2 capable ebike, with class 3 fully disabled, and geofencing set up to prevent it from changing classes while in the state of CA.
This is to fully comply with the new (and in my opinion, a little ridiculous) laws that just went into effect. If you’re in a state with different laws, the bike will change to comply with the laws in your state. I understand following the law, but I wish I had been informed about this up front, and I can see this as a significant frustration for purchasers. It’s fine if the bike doesn’t hit class 3 in California; Segway just needs to say that up front.
It’s also worth noting that Segway is the only brand I’ve seen so far that is following this new law so closely. Most ebike companies have made adjustments to Class 3 settings to comply (under new laws, Class 3 bikes can still go 28mph, but must have the throttle disabled), but their bikes can still switch between Class 1, 2, and 3.
The Competition
Aventon bikes with the ACU (Aventon Control Unit) have comparable security features – rear wheel lockout, bike motion alarm, GPS/4G tracking. The Myon’s alarm is louder, and a more effective deterrent, and the overall tech stack goes deeper, but Aventon’s execution is more straightforward if simplicity is a priority.
Another super-smooth ebike in this class of commuter ebikes is the Velotric Discover 3, an ebike built around commuter comfort. While it doesn’t have quite the number of bells and whistles as the Myon, it’s a lot simpler and easier to use, and comes with basic security (Apple FindMy/Android Find), and upgrades like a suspension seatpost. It’s also capable of switching into Class 3 mode in the state of CA.
Final Thoughts
The Segway Myon is a promising step forward for the iconic e-mobility brand, and one of the highest-tech, most secure ebikes I’ve tested to date. The ride quality alone is enough to turn heads, and the security suite and feature set push it into a category of its own. Add a charging port (and a note about class capabilities depending on location), and this becomes an instant top pick. For now, it’s a bike for riders who like to geek out or who demand the highest level of security for an electric bike.
Related: Best Ebikes | More Ebike Reviews
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