Segway has finally jumped into the electric bike market, and in the interest of making a splash, it has gone with a somewhat unconventional design. The Segway Xafari has a wheel at the front, a wheel at the back, and a saddle and handlebars up top, but everything between those elements is a bit more sci-fi.
The looks aside, Segway has an impressive offer with the Xafari: it’s a $2399 ebike decked out with accessories, a huge battery, a beefy hub motor, full suspension, and a host of smart features.
With all it has going on, it’s easy to get caught up with the highlights. The striking looks alone help obscure what’s otherwise an overbuilt and heavy frame. It’s rare enough to find full suspension on an ebike that’s not modeled after a motorcycle, and that makes it too easy to overlook the rather basic fork and awkwardly positioned rear suspension. And all the neat locking features will almost make you miss the fact that there’s almost nowhere secure on the bike’s frame to use an actual lock.
Aside from the considerable size and weight, there was nothing about the Xafari that made for a bad time, but Segway could certainly use further refinement to make the Xafari more compelling. The Himiway A7 Pro didn’t reinvent the wheel, and it ends up a cheaper, full suspension ebike with a mid-drive motor (generally an upgrade over rear hub motors).
Segway Xafari review
Price and availability
The Segway Xafari was teased in 2024 but had its big debut at CES 2025. It is now for sale in the US for $2,399 (£1,857.35/ AU$3,803.72) directly from Segway, though there is also a $99 home delivery fee. It does not appear to be on sale in the UK or AU at this time. While Segway offers direct-to-consumer shipping, it can also ship orders to its partnered bike shops for assembly.
Specifications
- Weight: 42 kg/ 92.5Ibs
- Range: up to 88 mi (142 km)
- Charging time: fully charged in 5.3 hours
- Gears: 8
- Power assist modes: 6
- Max user weight: 118 kg/ 260lbs.
- Power: 750W
- Water rating: IPX5 (bike), IPX7 (battery)
Design and build quality
The Segway Xafari stands out in the crowd with a unique design. It may have a lot in common with beefy step-thru ebikes like the Raleigh Motus 2 or Aventon Level.3, but it’s built with a striking cast aluminum frame bearing an angular design. It gives the impression of being a muscly bike perched atop its thick, 26x3-inch tires.
The top of the frame has a plastic cover that conceals the battery, both of which can be released with a key. This choice makes for a clunkier and more tedious time getting the battery in and out, especially as inserting the battery entails attaching a wire inside the compartment — a surprising difference from the many bikes I’ve tested with batteries that simply slot into place.
Helpfully, the battery includes a folding handle that makes it easier to carry safely. And if you don’t want to remove the battery, you can always charge the bike directly. There’s also a USB-A port that can provide 20W charging to your phone or other devices you’re riding with.
The Xafari comes highly kitted out, featuring front and rear spring suspension, an integrated brake light, variable headlights, fenders, and a rear rack. It also boasts an 8-speed drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes. The headset handlebar stem is another piece of unique hardware, offering a shape that blends in with the geometry of the main frame and providing convenient angle adjustments via a single bolt.
While it sounds like the Xafari has it all going on, it’s not boasting the best you can get on a bike. The front fork only offers 80mm of travel and is a fairly basic style. The rear suspension has a very simple linkage design, is similarly limited in travel (70mm), and is nestled so tightly behind the bottom bracket that making any adjustments to it becomes a near impossibility without disassembling some of the bike.
The 8-speed drivetrain is a commonplace Shimano Altus setup. Even the Tektro Hydraulic disc brakes — as much a joy as they are to have — have become exceedingly common on decent ebikes. And even with the highly customized (and arguably over-designed) frame, Segway still ended up with a rat's nest of cabling at the front of the bike
All that aluminum and the many extra adds up, too, and when paired with the large battery, the Xafari ends up hefty at 92.5 pounds. Between the weight, size, and geometry the Xafari is a struggle to move around. so I’d avoid it if you don’t have a ground-level space to store it.
The cockpit of the Xafari has a lot going on. You’ll find your basic gear shifter on the right side of the handlebar alongside a thumb throttle. The left-hand side has a dense control cluster with a knurled scroll wheel that can also click side to side. Two extra buttons stem from this control for both an integrated horn (great to have in urban environments) and a power/headlight button. Segway has also cleverly attached a thumb-activated bell to this control cluster.
A sizable, color LCD display sits above the handlebar stem and is controlled by the left-hand control cluster. It can provide a lot of information at a glance and has several different data screens, including GPS mapping and audio playback controls. It’s perhaps the most extensive bike display I’ve come across, though I still see room for improvement. For instance, there is no indicator for battery voltage (a useful metric for actual battery level) or details on motor power usage (which can help you manage your efficiency).
Despite its size and weight, the Xafari may not be suited to larger riders. At 6’3”, I find the bike thoroughly on the small side. Segway suggests it can accommodate riders up to 6’2”, but that feels like a stretch unless the rider has somewhat short legs or doesn’t mind improper cycling ergonomics. This could be remedied with a longer, after-market seatpost.
Segway has a number of security features baked into the Xafari that I’ll touch on later, but for those concerned about protecting their bike, the lack of many openings in the Xafari’s geometry could pose an issue. There are few places to get a U-lock or chain lock securely around the Xafari such that a would-be thief couldn’t finagle the bike loose or remove a couple parts to defeat the lock. The only secure anchor point is just behind the bottom bracket, where a small triangle presents the possibility of weaving a U-lock or chain, but it’s not easy to work with and won’t accommodate all locks.
Setup
The Xafari comes largely pre-assembled, though there’s still a bit to do. The weight of the bike doesn’t help in the process, but Segway has built the packaging to help support the bike throughout part of the assembly process. You’ll need to attach the seat post, pedals, front wheel, reflectors, and handlebars, and then connect the headlight wire.
In my case, the brake calipers also needed slight adjustments to avoid rubbing on the brake discs. The rear fender and rack come pre-installed, but the front fender doesn’t and adds a little more time to the process. All told, the assembly only took about 30 minutes. Segway includes all the necessary tools to get the job done, though I find a powered screwdriver with allen key bits helps speed the process up.
Beyond the physical setup of the bike, there’s some software setup as well. You’ll need a Segway account and the Segway Mobility app. From there, you can pair the bike with your phone and account, tweak its settings, and enable the various smart features.
Special features
The Xafari has some special capabilities tucked away, out of sight. The first is one I’ve encountered before: GPS tracking. I first had a taste of this on the Serial One Mosh/Cty and later saw it come to bikes like the Velotric T1 and Aventon Abound SR. This provides users with a way to check the location of the Xafari and get alerts if it’s moved even if the battery is removed (an internal, auxiliary battery powers this system). And that’s just the start of the theft protections.
The bike has an alarm system that can trigger the horn and lights if it’s jostled (as it would be by thieves attempting to move it). There’s also an integrated wheel lock that can activate when the bike powers down (which it can do automatically if you walk away), preventing the rear wheel from rotating. Combined with the weight of the bike, this makes it especially difficult to move. A would-be thief would need to lift the bike or shift it onto its front wheel to roll it precariously.
That said, these are just theft deterrents. I have seen a group of men steal a motorcycle by lifting it up into the back of a moving truck. Difficult as it might be, it’s not impossible, and the Xafari wouldn’t be more difficult than a proper motorcycle to hoist into a truck. The GPS accuracy is also limited if the bike ends up indoors or in a basement. Having Apple Find My support as well helps some. But there’s still no guarantee of recovering the Xafari if it’s stolen.
If you’re in an area where serious theft isn’t a major concern, the bike’s built in locking system is convenient. The rear-wheel lock and alarms should at least deter opportunistic theft, and could be handy if you expect to be nearby while your bike is parked. The bike can also pair with your phone to automatically unlock when you get near enough, disabling the wheel lock and powering up so it’s ready to roll. You won’t be caught in a bind if your phone dies, though, as the bike can also be unlocked with a four-digit PIN.
With a paired phone, the front-mounted display also gets some extra capabilities. It can display maps and navigation. It has audio playback controls, which prove incredibly convenient if you listen to a lot of podcasts on rides and like to skip the ads without having to stop and pull your phone out.
Performance
The Segway Xafari is a capable ebike. Between its 750W rear hub motor and sizable battery, it’s geared up to go. It can operate in either class 2 or class 3 modes, and when set to the higher classification, it has the power to quickly and easily zip up to that 28 mph top speed. The torque doesn’t feel excessive, and never jolted me on a ride, but it’s peppy to be sure.
The thumb throttle is a step up from the basic models out there, but still not too special and a bit tiring to use for throttle-only riding. While the bike initially would go 20mph on throttle only, it later limited itself to just 15mph at the end of my testing, and then a day later resumed hitting 20mph on throttle — at the time of writing, an explanation for this behavior was still forthcoming.
The bike has six different levels of assist available, and these also seem to modify the thumb throttle response, letting you opt for more conservative power use even when you’re going throttle-only. The bike also uses a built in gyroscope sensor to detect hills and increase assistance. And with torque sensing, the Xafari adapts well to rider input, making it feel like a reasonably natural ride.
On the other hand, the Xafari is a seriously heavy bike, and getting it moving at speed under your own muscle power is an unpleasant task. It more or less begs to have the motor do the heavy lifting. Fortunately, there’s plenty of battery power on tap. Riding the bike in the city, I saw battery drain by about 20% for every five miles I’d ride, giving it a rough range of 25 miles with a heavy load and heavy motor usage. With a mix of city and trail riding, that extended to roughly 36 miles of range. That’s not too shabby, though battery drain was considerably quicker when the bike went 20mph under throttle alone.
Even though the Xafari comes with a 4-amp charger, it still takes a little over five hours to fully recharge from empty. And with the bikes various smart features, the battery can drain a bit more than usual while the bike is sitting parked. If you regularly leave the bike parked for a week or two at a time, expect to lose 10-20% of its charge in that time.
The actual ride of the Xafari is respectable, but a bit underwhelming. With its large tires and dual suspension, the Xafari soaks up road roughness modestly, but not as well as I’d have hoped. It can still be a little clunky (perhaps a bit too much unsprung mass with the hub motor in the back), and it doesn’t quite deliver that “riding on a cloud” feel you might expect from full suspension and fat tires.
I found the front fork, even with the pre-load fully tightened, felt a little spongy still. And the rear suspension still let the occasional jolt through. I felt comfortable taking the bike across worse terrain than I would a skinny-tired bike, and would drop down the occasional curb, but I generally sought out smooth paths rather than relying on the suspension to make up for careless riding.
The fat tires help keep the bikes upright even while I plow through mushy, wet grass. And they have good enough traction for rounding corners. The brakes have plenty of stopping power, and I found I could come to a complete stop from 20 mph in a little over a single car length — albeit with some skidding.
Verdict
The Segway Xafari has plenty of smarts, making it a convenient option for anyone who’s constantly on the move, popping in and out, and looking for a little less friction in their riding.
The large battery, strong motor, and full suspension provide quick and relatively smooth rides no matter the riding conditions. And the many accessories included with the Xafari make for a solid commuting vehicle.
Segway might have just leaned a little too far into looking like it was doing things different, and it comes with a cost. The weight of the Xafari will make it untenable for many users, especially the sort of urban riders it’s many features cater to. And its nifty security features won’t stop the sort of theft that’s all the more common in big cities. Plus, once you get past the smarts and unique design, the Xafari is little more than a common fat-tire ebike.
Also consider
The Himiway A7 Pro shows what it looks like when the emphasis is on the more typical upgrades to a bike, netting you a lighter design, mid-drive motor, and enhanced suspension all in a cheaper bike.
The Cyrusher Ranger may not have any of the smarts and may be a little gaudy, but it can rival the Xafari where the motor and battery are concerned, and has much beefier suspension. And even though it’s an absolute unit of a bike, it manages to weigh significantly less than the Xafari.
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