Segway Barstow helps beat the high price of gas

By Micki Brown
Special Sections Editor

Are you looking for a great way to beat the high price of gas? A Segway(R) Human Transporter (HT) may be just what you need. Great for a trip across town, getting around campus or an amusement park, or to get a quick bite to eat, the Segway HT can get you there for less than one cent of electricity per mile. Imagine it only costing 10 cents to get to your job 10 miles away -- wow! Over a period of time, a Segway HT can actually pay for itself.

What is a Segway HT you might ask? It is a breakthrough in personal transportation that is powered by environmentally friendly heavy-duty batteries that get their power from a standard wall outlet. Five computerized gyroscopes, the heart of the Segway HT's self-balancing technology, checks your center of gravity 100 times per second and instantly responds to changes in body position -- lean forward, and you move forward; lean back, and you move back; straighten up, and you stop. Lithium ion batteries allow you extend your range. Each unit has a couple of different keys allowing various speeds -- slower for beginners and faster (up to 12 miles per hour) for the more advanced. Units are individually keyed, but multiple units can be keyed the same through the factory. They are now available at Segway Barstow, inside Phantom Sports at the Barstow Mall.

Segways have been around for 31/2 years. They are quite popular on the East Coast, and are now making their way into the West. They are sidewalk-legal in most states and can easily be used on variable terrain. Segway Barstow Owner Jeff Eason gave me the opportunity to try out a Segway XT for myself.

At first I was nervous, but with just a few minutes worth of instructions, I was on my way. With each passing minute, I became more comfortable, and after about five minutes, I could say learning to ride it was very quick and was genuinely fun. Eason said his father purchased a Segway i180 and now uses it as his regular transportation to the local senior citizens center and other places around town.

Segway Barstow has three different models available, plus assorted accessories. The Segway i180 ($4,995) gets 16 to 24 miles on a single charge, and is built with added stability and plenty of cargo capacity. The Segway i180 GT ($5,495) is essentially a one-person golf cart. It can do 36 holes on a single charge, has different tires for better traction on grass, and a golf caddy for golf clubs. The Segway XT ($4,995) features big knobby tires and four inches of ground clearance for riding on trails and dirt, and gets about 10 to 14 miles per charge. Various accessories include comfort mats, headlights and taillights, and cargo bags.

Similar in price to many models of single-person watercraft like jet skis, a Segway HT can be used as daily transportation and fun, rather than just a few times a year.

Currently, Segway and Garmin have teamed up to offer a great promotion -- purchase a Segway HT before Jan. 1, 2006 and receive a Garmin(R) eTrex Legend C handheld GPS navigator (a $400 value).

Look for Phantom Sports/Segway Barstow in Building 1, Booth #1115 at this year's Home, Recreation & Lifestyle Show, where you can see the amazing Segway HT for yourself. Phantom Sports in the Barstow Mall is open from noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, and is closed on Sunday.

For more information, call Phantom Sports at (760) 256-3911.

BACK TO STORY INDEX