Big Dawgs are larger riders that are over 200 lb and 6 feet or taller, often favoring oversized decks, tall handlebars, pneumatic tires, and suspension.

Much like the Max, but losing some height and length

For our resident big dawg, the Max G30LP is a lot like the original Segway Ninebot Max, with cool acceleration and good power. It has a well-finished, solid design, but got smaller from version to version, and is just too small for big dawgs (but suitable for average sized dawgs).

The handlebars and deck are 2.5 inches shorter than on the original Max, which mean big dawg feet are crowded and big dawg arms are fully extended. This is not an ideal position for riding, and would not be comfortable for longer trips.

The Max G30LP is not big dawg approved.

The Max G30LP has a 350 watt motor with 367 watt hours of battery capacity, which is 184 watt hours less than the original Max (551 watt hours).

In our acceleration tests, the Max G30LP reached 15 mph in 6.6 seconds, which is about one second slower than the original Max.

Keep in mind that the Max G30LP, like the original Max, is a kick-to-start scooter, meaning you have to manually kickstart the scooter up to about 2 mph before you can engage the motor.

Some electric scooters have a zero start mode, which means the scooter will accelerate as soon as you pull the throttle. The Max G30LP does not have a zero start mode, but some riders have unlocked a higher top speed on their scooters using mobile apps.

The Max G30LP has a 350 watt motor with 367 watt hours of battery capacity, which is 184 watt hours less than the original Max (551 watt hours).

In our acceleration tests, the Max G30LP reached 15 mph in 6.6 seconds, which is about one second slower than the original Max.

Keep in mind that the Max G30LP, like the original Max, is a kick-to-start scooter, meaning you have to manually kickstart the scooter up to about 2 mph before you can engage the motor.

Some electric scooters have a zero start mode, which means the scooter will accelerate as soon as you pull the throttle. The Max G30LP does not have a zero start mode, but some riders have unlocked a higher top speed on their scooters using mobile apps.

The Max G30LP completed our 200 ft, 10% grade hill climb test with a 165 lb rider in 17.9 s at an average speed of 7.6 mph.

The G30LP isn’t the fastest hill climber, but is an able one, once you learn how to kick it fast enough uphill to get it going to (about 3 mph) before the motor will kick in.

Compared to the original Max, the G30LP is just slightly slower up hills.

The Max G30LP completed our 200 ft, 10% grade hill climb test with a 165 lb rider in 17.9 s at an average speed of 7.6 mph.

The G30LP isn’t the fastest hill climber, but is an able one, once you learn how to kick it fast enough uphill to get it going to (about 3 mph) before the motor will kick in.

Compared to the original Max, the G30LP is just slightly slower up hills.

In our real-world test, we found the Max G30LP has a range of 13.6 miles, which is less than we were expecting but still enough mileage for most commutes.

The range of the original Ninebot Max is still one of our favorite things about it, as it provides an ample 21.6 miles of tested range, more than enough for most to run errands without having to charge.

Our range test simulates real-world conditions with a 165 lb rider, frequent stops, hills, and completed in the scooter’s highest performance mode.

In our 15 mph to 0 mph test, the Max G30LP demonstrated amazing stopping power, with a braking distance of 10.8 feet. Braking actually feels kind of effortless.

In fact, the Max G30LP is among the top 10 best braking distances for electric scooters tested by us. It has comparable braking ability to high-end, well-known scooters, some that are more than triple its price, including the Apollo Pro, Qiewa QPower, and Weped GT 50E.

Like the original Max, the Max G30LP has a front drum brake and rear electronic brake, which are both controlled by a hand lever on the left handlebar. This is a nice dual braking configuration for a midrange commuter, providing a backup braking system should one fail. Also, drum brakes are completely enclosed, making them less susceptible to damage (and easier for new riders to maintain).

As the drum brake is on the front wheel, riders may worry about toppling over the handlebars. We did not experience this issue when applying brakes from a high speed, but recommend keeping an active rider stance (sitting back and lowering your weight over the rear wheel) for better braking.

At 39 lbs, the Ninebot Max G30LP is a manageable weight, just a few pounds lighter than the original Max. It’s not an ultraportable scooter, but is light enough to carry for short periods of time. For a scooter to be considered ultraportable, it must be under 30 lbs with a folding design, including folding handlebars.

The Ninebot Max G30LP has folded dimensions of 44 in long by 19 in wide by 21 in tall.

At 39 lbs, the Ninebot Max G30LP is a manageable weight, just a few pounds lighter than the original Max. It’s not an ultraportable scooter, but is light enough to carry for short periods of time. For a scooter to be considered ultraportable, it must be under 30 lbs with a folding design, including folding handlebars.

The Ninebot Max G30LP has folded dimensions of 44 in long by 19 in wide by 21 in tall.

Compared to the original Max, which has 2.5 in taller handlebars that latch onto the deck that’s 2.5 in longer, and with 3.4 lb weight difference, both Maxes are portable.

The Max G30LP has a folding stem with a safety collar that holds the stem very secure when upright, with a lock that rotates and holds the lever in place. When folded, you can conveniently latch the metal hook to the rear fender for easier carrying.

The Max G30LP has a simple cockpit with a centered LED display, texturized, rounded rubber handgrips, a twist bell and brake on the left handlebar and a rubberized thumb throttle on the right handlebar. The brake lever and throttle are easy to operate and in fairly ergonomic, fixed positions.

The easy-to-read display features one button and provides the basics (speed, battery, riding mode). Unlike most other electric scooters, you can read the actual percentage of charge on the Max G30LP’s display (even while charging), so you know exactly how much battery you have left.

To the right of the display is a spring-loaded metal hook, which attaches to the fender when folded. The minimal cables are routed nicely into the stem, as the cockpit is like the build: very clean and complete.

The Max G30LP has 10.0-inch tubeless pneumatic, pre-slimed tires that do a good job of damping.

Segway calls their tires “self-healing,” and that means they come pre-slimed for easier maintenance. Tire slime can be added inside air-filled tires as a preventive measure to combat flats. With pre-slimed tires, you might not even notice that your tire got punctured because the slime filled the hole before it caused the tire to go flat. Also, since the G30LP has tubeless tires, you won’t have to replace inner tubes.

The Max G30LP has 10.0-inch tubeless pneumatic, pre-slimed tires that do a good job of damping.

Segway calls their tires “self-healing,” and that means they come pre-slimed for easier maintenance. Tire slime can be added inside air-filled tires as a preventive measure to combat flats. With pre-slimed tires, you might not even notice that your tire got punctured because the slime filled the hole before it caused the tire to go flat. Also, since the G30LP has tubeless tires, you won’t have to replace inner tubes.

The build is what makes this scooter a widely appealing standout, even though it’s a little boring. Segway nailed the big things and the small things when it comes to build quality, as the Max G30LP feels like it’s built out of one piece of metal. The overall construction is that sturdy, with welded, fully finished pieces. Some electric scooters feel pieced together, held in place by glue and zip ties. The G30LP is the exact opposite, looking and operating like a well-built machine. Let’s say it’s on par with a heavy duty, high volume office printer: muted color, rounded edges, consistently functioning components, and a build capable of running for miles (of road or paper).

All Max G30LP models currently come with second generation motors, which allow you to maintain maximum use of the motor until the battery drops below 10%. They are also supposed to get around 20 mph top speed, which is close to what we got in our tests. Although it’s good that you’re getting maximum output from the battery for speed, you could abruptly lose power and end up doing the scooter walk of shame if you’re maxing out speed on a longer commute, and not paying attention to your battery level.

Our original Max has a first generation motor, which is limited to around 18 mph and reduces the speed of the scooter when the battery is below 70%. Read more about first and second generation motors and how to identify them in the original Ninebot Max review. 

The built-in converter was one of our favorite features on the original Max, as it meant you could charge your scooter with a standard IEC 320 C5 “Mickey Mouse ears” power connector (which is the same type of power cable that you find on large office printers with a DC converter).

The built-in converter was one of our favorite features on the original Max, as it meant you could charge your scooter with a standard IEC 320 C5 “Mickey Mouse ears” power connector (which is the same type of power cable that you find on large office printers with a DC converter).

Segway is generally regarded as having amazing quality control with rare manufacturing issues. The Segway Ninebot Max G30LP comes with a 12-month warranty if purchased through an authorized dealer.

So, is the G30LP better than the original Ninebot Max? Overall, it’s just not, but that’s really only because the original Max was so amazingly good. The Max G30LP retains the industry’s best build quality and dependability, but we already had that with the original Max. It’s slightly higher top speed do not make up for its smaller size and much shorter range, but if those are not important factors for you and $100 is, then the G30LP is a great mid-range commuter.

The G30LP is a seriously solid electric scooter, with a very complete, thoughtful design featuring an easy-to-read display, good range and speed for daily commuting, and a slightly lighter, smaller build than the original Ninebot Max (at a slightly lower price).

If you would buy a Honda Civic for its industry-recognized, long-term reliability, comfort, and low-maintenance cost, consider the G30LP as the Civic of electric scooters, providing a great option for riders up to 220 lbs. With that in mind, the original Ninebot Max would be a Honda Accord, with a slightly longer range and longer build but overall the same excellent dependability. It’s not visually exciting and isn’t a speedster, but is boring in the best way as it fulfills all of the most important elements when it comes to a safe, dependable mid-range commuter scooter for daily travel.

If the Ninebot Max doesn’t appeal to you, look at our alternative scooters. You can also check out our Editor’s pick of best electric scooters.