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The First Cross-Country Trip Ever on a Scooter Done on Segway Ninebot MAX

Scooters, whether electric or not, are mostly thought of as first- and last-mile solutions for city use. That’s not to say they can’t be used to set long-distance records, like this first cross-country trip ever done on an e-scooter.
New record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 months 12 photos
Photo: Segway Ninebot
New record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 monthsNew record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 monthsNew record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 monthsNew record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 monthsNew record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 monthsNew record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 monthsNew record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 monthsNew record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 monthsNew record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 monthsNew record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 monthsNew record for Ninebot KickScooter MAX: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) cross-country trip in 2 months
Few riders would probably think of riding an e-scooter from coast to coast but three guys going under the collective name of The Scooter Crossing Team didn’t just think it: they thought it and did it. Graham Pollard, Brandon Bedford, and Christian Boyle, with help / backing from Segway, rode an electric scooter across the United States on the dedicated bike trail known as the TransAmerica Trail.

Pollard was the main rider, while the other two guys provided backup in a van. To accomplish the impressive feat, they used a total of six Ninebot KickScooter MAX e-scooters, with Pollard swapping them when he ran out of battery. This cut down on charging times and kept the duration of the entire adventure at precisely two months.

As Segway notes in a press release, the journey started on June 25 in Yorktown, VA, and ended on August 25 in Florence, OR. That’s 4,000 miles (6,437 km) riding an electric scooter that has an estimated range of 25 miles (40 km), so a lot of planning and a lot of swapping took place along the way.

The crossing wasn’t without challenges, as you can imagine, but Pollard notes that not one of them seemed unsurmontable. In addition to the planning required for charging and the mere fact that he had to ride standing for such long stretches, Pollard highlights one particular incident in which he got a nail stuck in one of the tires, yet no flat.

“I am stoked to have proven that the Ninebot KickScooter Max is capable of making it across the country, and to become the first person to have completed such a challenge!” Pollard said at the event held shortly after the record trek. “I was surprised by the durability of the scooter, being on the toughest of the terrains, it is still in tip-top shape after having traveled all throughout the country.”

At the same event, Segway announced the upcoming U.S. launch of the Ninebot eMoped C, which comes with a top speed of 15.5 mph (25 kph) and a range of 46.6 miles (75 km).
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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