If the American brand Solowheel is the first in the world to have marketed a unicycle, the Chinese brand Ninebot has played an important role in promoting this new mode of urban travel, particularly with bestsellers such as the Ninebot One E, the Ninebot One A1, and the Ninebot One S2 .
It already benefits from the technological expertise of two major players in electric micro-mobility solutions: the Chinese Xiaomi , which is the majority shareholder of Ninebot, and the American Segway, which has been a subsidiary since 2015 . Moreover, the new models of the Chinese brand are all labeled "Ninebot by Segway".
Without further ado, here is our Ninebot One Z10 review, the new spearhead of Ninebot!
Introducing the Ninebot One Z10 electric unicycle
The Ninebot One Z10 electric monowheel is the high-end variant of the “Ninebot One Z” series which also includes the Ninebot One Z6 and the Ninebot One Z8. Launched in early 2018, this range inaugurates the Chinese brand's offer in the 18-inch gyrowheel segment, which is dominated mainly by the Gotway MSuper 3, Kingsong KS 18L , and Solowheel Xtreme models.
Moreover, when it was launched, the Z10 aroused a lot of interest in the world of wheelers. Compared to previous models, it offers more power, range, and dynamism.
So let's start our Ninebot One Z10 test by citing the items provided in the box:
- An electric monowheel
- A Segway charger
- A trolley
- A removable mudguard
- A valve extender
- A set of two anti-slip grips for the footrests
- A user manual
- A key for mounting the trolley.
The packaging box is 63 cm long, 30 cm wide, and 63 cm high. The unicycle is 46 cm long, 18 cm wide, and 53 cm high. She weighs about 32 kg.
Design and structure of the Ninebot One Z10
The wheel frame is made of aluminum alloys. Covered with a flexible and elegant plastic shell of the "soft touch" type, it is designed to support a maximum load of 150 kg . According to the manufacturer, the frame of the wheel is waterproof (IP54 protection rating for the electronic components and IPX6 for the battery ).
One of the great novelties on this electric monowheel is the modular aspect of the frame allowing you to mount new accessories such as the trolley, the mudguard, and possibly the support for the action camera. Apparently, the brand favors a DIY (Do It Yourself) approach allowing users to customize the gyro according to their needs.
The Z10 uses almost the same folding footrests of the Ninebot One E. Admittedly, these are classic footrests, but wide enough to provide good support. To prevent slipping and improve foot grip, the Z10 comes with two non-slip grips that must be mounted on the footrests.
The fender is very aesthetic. If necessary, it can be assembled or disassembled easily. Offered as an option on previous models, the trolley is fitted as standard on all models in the Ninebot One Z range . Ergonomic and practical, it facilitates transport and parking of the unicycle.
And like any self-respecting premium monowheel, the Ninebot One Z10 is equipped with LED daytime running lights that turn on by default as soon as the power button is pressed. A nighttime LED headlight with a range of over 10m can be operated as needed by pressing the control button on the hull.
Decorative RGB LEDs , whose colors and lighting frequency can be personalized via a smartphone application dedicated to the One Z10, are also placed inside the shell. They provide a nice visual effect and help to further enhance the fashion-forward look of the Ninebot One Z10.
The monowheel is also equipped with Bluetooth connectivity allowing it to be synchronized with a smartphone or tablet .
Ninebot One Z10 Engine
The Ninebot One Z10 gyro is driven by a brushless motor delivering a maximum power of 1800 W. Knowing that the maximum power of the Ninebot One E+ and Ninebot One S2 models is only 500 W, this new motor represents a major advantage of the Z10.
Moreover, it is torquey enough to propel the unicycle to a maximum speed of 45 km/h and to climb a slope of 25° . To avoid the sea board overheating issues that caused the Ninebot One P model to fail, the brand paid special attention to the Z10's cooling system.
Thus, fairly powerful fans have been integrated in order to effectively cool all the electronic components.
Battery and autonomy of the Ninebot One Z10
The Z10 is equipped with a Li-ion battery with a capacity of 995 Wh . Although Ninebot announces a maximum range of 90 km, expect an actual range of 50 to 70 km depending on driving conditions . In any case, the autonomy of the Ninebot One Z10 is more than sufficient, whether for urban or extra-urban use.
When the battery is fully charged, the engine can then reach its top speed which is electronically limited to 45 km/h. However, as the charge level decreases, the maximum speed decreases proportionally.
We would have preferred an adjustment system allowing you to choose between several speed modes regardless of the level of battery charge. Thus, the pilot could configure the unicycle so as to take full advantage of its performance.
To charge the Ninebot One Z10, you must connect the charger to the charging socket on the hull. The rubber hatch that protects the charging socket is quite waterproof, but it is relatively weak compared to other models such as the Gotway MSuper 3 for example.
It takes about 3 hours for a half charge and 6-7 hours for a full charge . An LCD screen integrated into the monowheel displays the charge level.
An Off Road wheel for the Ninebot One Z10
So this is the first time that Ninebot has decided to venture into the segment of off-road gyrowheels. To make a successful entry, the Chinese brand has pulled out all the stops: an extra-wide all-terrain tubeless tire with a diameter of 18 inches and a width of 10.4 cm, designed to ride in the most extreme conditions. !
The tire inflation pressure is 1.5 to 2 bar. As the valve is not directly accessible, you have to open the plastic hatch and connect the valve extension supplied with the gyro to inflate the tire.
Road holding of the Ninebot One Z10
For the Ninebot One Z10 review to be objective, it is necessary to test the road performance of the gyro. The start is done by pressing the power button which is also very accessible. Like all other models of electric monowheels, acceleration is done by leaning forward and braking is done by leaning backward.
The Z10's electronic unit controls acceleration and braking by measuring rotational movements through a gyroscopic stabilization system. Thanks to this system, the oscillations of the pilot are counterbalanced, which makes it possible to avoid falls.
One of the big new features on the Z10 is the anti-runaway safety system which stops the motor automatically when the unicycle is lifted by the handle .
At low speeds, the handling of the Z10 is quite impressive. You can do slaloms or tight turns without any problem.
On the other hand, as soon as the speed exceeds 15 km/h, it really takes practice to master the road behavior of the unicycle. Note that the Ninebot One Z10 has a fairly powerful brake. For a speed of 20 km/h, the braking distance is estimated at 4 m.
The strengths of the Ninebot One Z10
- very stable
- Good build quality
- A sporty and futuristic design
- Equipped with an automatic circuit breaker
- Good load capacity (150 Kg)
- Good autonomy (up to 90 Km)
- Waterproof.
The weak points of the Ninebot One Z10
- a bit heavy
- Relatively long charging time
Verdict of the Ninebot One Z10 monowheel test
To conclude our Ninebot One Z10 test, the newcomer is already confirmed as a benchmark in the off-road gyrowheel segment . It won us over with its avant-garde design and unprecedented performance, particularly engine power, range and stability on the road.
In terms of equipment, it is equipped with LED lighting, a very practical trolley, a removable mudguard, and can still receive other additional accessories such as the action camera support.
Obviously, this is a real success for the Ninebot brand!
1 comment
Raymond TABESSE
Et la GARANTIE : C’est une belle machine…. mais j’achèterais lorsque j’aurais un vendeur qui garantit une réparation en cas de problème : (délai de réparation /// prêt d’une autre roue /// Si vous avez l’info Merci RT