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My Xiaomi M365 Scooter

A collection of thoughts and adventures with the M365 scooter in New Zealand

Introducing M365

Obiligatory intro with some stats and the NZ law.

Maintenance

Just like a bike, a scooter needs regular maintenance to keep it going and to keep you safe.

Best gadgets

Not all gadgets are created equal. My ideas on what's worth it, and what's not.

Upgrades

The main upgrades one can consider: Firmware, Tires, Battery and more.

Handy Links

Some of the many helpful places one can find on the interweb with information about the M365.

Buying Original

Some ideas on where to buy authentic scooters and how to avoid fakes

Local Trip Ideas

The course chip roads are best avoided. Where else can one travel?

Photo Album

Worse than a selfie, everyone now has scooties.

Mobirise

Introducing the M365

As of March 2019 the M365 is the most bang for buck scooter there is.

The m365 is an entry level scooter with the reliability to manage even 16km commutes. It's light weight and can be put in the back of your car easily by folding and helps out with that "last mile" connection to either your destination or public transport hub. The suspension is from the grippy air filled tires (rather bumpy if on course chip road though) and braking is from the front electric motor and the rear disc brake. There's a definate fun factor to using the scooter and there are enough small tweaks and upkeep to be as much or little of a hobby as you like. There are other options but generally a lot more expensive and a lot heavier. 

FLAVOURS
The Xiaomi company has also invested deeply in Ninebot which now owns Segway so there are many scooter variations with similar features and design. This really helps with modification, tinkering, and fixing as there is such a wealth of parts, after-market parts, and help available. For example, m365, m365 Pro, Segway ES2, HX X7, and lots of cheaper clones. Weight, price, range, suspension, wheel size and grip, and charge speed are all things that can be considered in any comparison. I expect the next few years to see huge advances in all of those.  

NZ RULES AND REGULATIONS

New Zealand laws for scooters are straight forward. The main points would be:

1) POWER - There is a power limit of 300W. That makes the Xiaomi scooters fully law compliant!

2) PATH & ROAD - Scooters are allowed on the footpath and the road. They must give way to pedestrians at all times and not be driven in a dangerous manner.

3) HELMET - Not required but recommended.

4) LIGHTS - No more than two white lights on the front, one can be flashing. Point them down at the road. Rear red lights are dimmer and you have to have (at least) one.

5) CYCLE LANES - Apparently only non-powered cycles are actually allowed in bycycle lanes that are on the side of the road. Anything else would require Parliament to make a new law which they have not gotten around to. My commentary would be that as the police (and everyone else) recognises the best place for scooters, skateboards, and electric cycles is not in the car lanes or on the footpath, the bike lanes will do fine in the meantime.

The only downside of fully discharging your battery while riding is that then you have to walk home.

Maintenance

Just like a bike, a scooter must have regular maintenance to keep it going and to keep you safe

  • BRAKES - Warning warning. If you can easily pull the handbrake level to the grip with just two fingers then it needs adjustment! The front e-brake KERS seems to stop at 6km/h so if you have to stop at the bottom of the hill you better have the hand brake set right because it can be quite surprising to suddenly lose half your slowing power just when you really want it. Hrisson on youtube has a video on this and his commenter In4moon has the best solution, "fold scooter, unscrew two rear break mounting bolts, place a postcard between inner pad and disc [you may need to backoff the cable tension nut to give a bit more room for this], squeeze break lever on handlebars, while holding the lever squeezed, tighten mounting bolts, after that tighten the break link to perfection. ... no need to fine tune the internal pad anymore, as thanks to postcard disc is just next to it , and at a perfect angle. PS only the outside pad moves when you squeeze the lever, that's why you want to position your disc next to internal pad and adjust the link." The card will be gripped by the rear pad now but turning the wheel a bit while gently pushing the disc will free it. Alternative to card would be to tighten rear pad a turn onto the disc, do the other adjustments mentioned, then unwind it so it just clears. 
  • TIRE PRESSURE & FLATS - As a result of tests, the Xiaomi engineers found out that under certain pressure in the wheels, it would be more difficult to pierce them. The recommended figures are as follows:
    At a load of 50-70kg: the front wheel is 35-40psi, the rear wheel is 40-50psi.
    At a load of 70-90kg: the front wheel is 40-45psi, the rear wheel is 45-55psi.
    At a load of 90-100kg: the front wheel is 45-50psi, the rear wheel is 50-60psi.
    At a load of more than 100 kg: it is recommended to pump up to 50-55psi front and 60-65psi rear, but careful driving is recommended. The risk of puncture increases with weight gain.
    However, many people choose to run them at 50-55psi regardless of load. Using valve stem extensions reduce the air loss when disconecting the tire pump. 
    Tire replacement looks quite a mission with videos from Doug Hnut, some random Chinese guy, and the slide technique from Channing Watson. Some even suggest putting cable ties around the tire and tube once it is half on the wheel. HASLIPS' TYRES LTD in Mt Wellington changes tires for NZ$10. 
  • BATTERY CARE - Charging - You don't have to wait for your battery to run out of juice to recharge it. These batteries do not have a memory so you can recharge it whenever you like. Let the Xiaomi charger run it's full charge cycle to green. This is important for balancing the cells. The scooter is also equiped with over-volt protection and will not allow the batteries to be damaged by over-charging. 
    If not using the scooter for a week or longer then consider going for a quick trip to take the battery down a bit to something like 80%. This should prolong the life of the battery a little and reduce the rate at which metals build up on the contacts inside the battery. "It is like your stomach, feeling full is not comfortable." - Wilkie 
    My normal use is charge in evening so it's ready for any trips in the next few days. 
    Observation - the scooter charges at 1.7A. Anything over about 2.2A will turn charging off for two seconds. So a 3A charger will turn on and off until the battery is almost full. 
    Discharging - The only downside of fully discharging your battery while riding is that then you have to walk home. The Xiaomi scooter is equiped with under-volt battery protection and will turn off before the batteries get damaged by having low power. Just charge the scooter when you can. Leaving the batteries completely discharged will negatively affect their life. Lithium ion batteries have a steady self-discharge rate so should recieve a charge every month to keep the voltage up (50-60% if not being used). The manufacturers of batteries test the number of times they can charge and discharge fully. This is how the batteries are designed to function so that you can go for a nice long ride and not worry about them. For a video on the topic you can watch this one from EBikeSchool.com, especially the second half.
  • LUBE & BOLTS - Again, one cannot leave maintenance checks forever. Bolts and screws need to be checked over time in case they loosen and a drop of bike oil into bearings. Don't get any oil on the disc brake. For a really impressive list of maintenance checks visit Rollerplasch.

Best Gadgets

Not all gadgets are created equal. My ideas on what's worth it, and what's not.

  • HAND GRIPS - Meetlocks grips are the best upgrade/gadget you can and should get for your scooter. They make a huge difference to how nice the whole scooter experience is.
  • PHONE HOLDER - These will drop your phone if you hit a bump. It's inevitable. The two I have tried are the standard holder from PBTech and the GUB holder. The GUB has a terrible single screw mounting system and does not hold the phone flat due to the long screws in the expanding section. For both holders the prongs are not long enough to keep the phone in control over a hard bump. Perhaps the best solution is to use a Ulanzi holder with a super clamp or super clamp 2. But that's quite big and not particularly "elegant."
  • MAIN LIGHT - The one light I highly recommend for the front is the Cycloving floodlight that can also come with a nice bright rear light. Note that there are no lights on the cheap market that are particularly waterproof, especially around the usb charging port. Another option, untested, is the dual light cycloving model. These lights have a good colour, good heat dissapation to the case, and seem to use real Cree LEDs. Other brands of lights I have tested (eg. the dual Vastfire) use fake Crees with a blue tint, have heat problems, and are designed even better to catch water. Very bright though! And finally, if you want a very pretty chasing white LED for the front or use on flash mode, then you might want one or two of these. 
  • REAR LIGHTS - Without adding any additional mount, a battery powered red light (as mentioned above) can easily be attached to the right side rear of the scooter with the mounting band. It ends up pointing up and to the right a bit but that is where it needs to point anyway to point at following vehicles. I tend to push with my left foot so mounting a tail light on the left as well looks great but is more prone to being bumped. 
  • EXTRA MOUNT BAR - If you run out of mounting space at the front then do not get an extension bar that attaches to the horizontal handle bar. The mounting system they use is invariably terrible! If you really want more mounting space then get a children's handle that attaches to the vertical pole. 
  • REAR VIEW MIRROR - If you use the original hand grips the Tagvo mirrors work. If you use grips with mounting hole in end then this is one option I am testing. 
  • FOAM LAYER - Some have suggested that a layer of yoga mat foam rubber is good for reducing battery vibration inside the battery compartment and increasing longevity of those components. A water proof seal to the cover would also be good. 
  • MUDGUARDS - Can be helpful to direct mud and water away from the battery compartment. I am leaving adding them until the 10" wheels arrive in case they do not fit. I'm not convinced they are useful. 
  • VALVE STEM EXTENSION - It is easier to remove these without all the air escaping in the process. 
  • SUMMER GLOVES - Easy to put on and take off. Less important if you upgrade the hand grips but useful if you plan on taking a tumble. Good sizing chart for my Bruce Lee skinny hands. 
  • WINTER GLOVES - There are lots of gloves you can go for really. 
  • SPARE TIRES - The EU/Pacific version comes with two spare tires and tubes. If you really want an uprated 8 1/2 inch tire then these are the ones to get (usually has 9 inch tube which ends up being less thin and stretched under pressure). The tubes weigh the same but the uprated tire is 65g heavier at 393g or 20% more rubber. If you are plagued by punctures you might consider running a kevlar felt strip like Panaracer Flat Away between the tire and the tube, 10" tires are also an option - listed below in the upgrades section. 
  • SPARE CHARGER - Handy to have a spare charger at work if you commute. Keeping the battery over 50% keeps you in the power range. BTW, If you are not going to drive your scooter for a week or more then take a short trip to decrease the charge to 80%. Leaving the battery at 100% for extended periods will slightly increase the rate at which it decays in performance. 
  • OTHER - The cheap helmet with an average light stuck on the back.
    A silicon sleve for the hand brake lever and the kick stand are nice. A drop of oil inside helps them slide on.
    A little puncture repair kit is handy if you get punctures. 
    High reflective stickers.
    A really big air pump with meter that can fill your tires rather quickly. Maybe too big.

Upgrades

The main upgrades one can consider: Firmware, Tires, Battery.

  1. FIRMWARE - It is very easy to change some performance aspects in the firmware using a utility made for android phones. Visit Rollerplasch for more info. My own settings below. Things to note would be that the slightly higher top speed ~29 km/h it allows is really only while the battery is in the full state. It drops back to the normal 25-26 km/h pretty quickly.  The top speed is related to voltage supplied and the resistance of the motor. Basically, a higher top speed needs a different motor. The main benefit of the firmware is better hill climbing ability. 
  2. 10" TIRES - Still under review. Can purchase from Goro. Supposedly a much nicer ride quality due to riding on more air. Requires an extra kit to raise the rear fender and drop the kick stand. The tail light wire also needs shifting. Not cheap at around NZ$154. Also needs a different bolt to hold the front fender countersunk or perhaps flat.
  3. EXTRA BATTERY - The M365 goes about 19km on a full charge at full power. Under 50% battery will also mean a noticable drop in power. So if you want to cruise for longer adding an extra battery may work for you, unless you go for a clone scooter with a better range built in but unknown quality and reliability.
    The cheapest option is a 10S4P 10kAh battery you add in parallel to the existing battery. You must specify to the seller that you want a common port BMS. There should be only two wires coming out of the battery, not an extra charging lead. The existing battery wrapper is uncovered at each end and the lead that goes to the new battery soldered on. Charging is done only through the existing charge socket. You can go up to about 2.2A though, up from 1.7, if using a different charger. Other setups might work but do not protect the batteries as well. The write up at Rollerplasch is mostly ok but they use the wrong type of bms/battery - you can see they have one with a charging cable which means the battery will not like getting the large current from the regen braking. 
    Another option is to build a 10S3P battery pack yourself by sourcing the best battery cells, spot welding them, and adding a common port BMS (16A is enough if going in parallel to original and you don't go over 800W). More expensive but quality cells, less weight, and you'd learn heaps or blow yourself up in the process. 
  4. FOLDING LOCK - There is a hook/lock which tightens at the folding joint. You can test to see what it is made of with a magnet. If it is magnetic then it is good steel. If it is not magnetic then it is very prone to breaking and should be replaced! There is also a joint pin that can be replaced with a higher spec steel version. I am not sure when Xiaomi started using an uprated version but the Dec 2018 units from PB seem to be ok. 
  5. REAR FENDER SUPPORT - This can be bought online or made simply enough from 20x1.6mm aluminium strap from your local hardware store. Wrapped in your favourite colour heat shrink wrap it will look great. Also, you can cover the wire inside the fender with a layer of hot glue to protect from rubbing. 
  6. REAR LIGHT HOLDER - This is only if you have installed the rear fender support; a short piece of aluminium can be bent and screwed to the fender in a good location above the existing light. A rechargable red flashing light can then be added. 
  7. BRAKE DISC - The M365Pro comes with a larger brake disc as standard. It can replace the M365 disc and offers better stopping power by virtue of more disc surface contacting the brake pads. There are also after-market brake discs from places like 100kilowat.ru or £25 from Goro (plus shipping, plus paypal fees). 
  8. SWAP BRAKE & BELL - You should only need a couple of fingers to pull the brake lever but in the normal position it is very awkward. Much easier to reach it if you swap it's location with the bell! Mihai has a video about this. You don't need a dremel to trim the plastic clip, wire cutters are fine. A craft knife shortens the rubber bung easily. If you have Meetlocks grips then you don't need to cut the inside end of the handles. Set and readjust the brake afterward.
  9. M365 PRO DASHBOARD - If you want the dash to show you speed then swapping to the Pro dash and using Pro firmware works. 

Handy Links

Some of the many helpful places one can find on the interweb with information about the M365.

Always ride with your lights on, day and night.
Without them you are invisible to pedestrians and traffic. They just don't see you.

Buying Original

Some ideas on where to buy authentic scooters and how to avoid fakes

Spotting Fakes:
Box does not mention Xiaomi, only "e-scooter"
Manual broken English, no mention of Xiaomi
Fake scooter has a distinct weld mark where the main pole connects to the diagonal strut
Official app does not work with it
Cable going to motor not grey
No serial numbers or marks identifying as Xiaomi

LINKS FOR BUYING NZ

PB Tech goes as low as $600 when on sale.

MI STORE NZ - Located in Sylvia Park Shopping Centre

KiwiHoverboard goes as low as $700 for an uprated ES2 version X7 (see electricridersnz on FB for discount code). Fast charge, suspension, real tires. Great deal if it is on sale, with one BIG drawback though, the battery is only 6.4Ah vs the 7.8Ah in the Xiaomi. 18% less is a big deal if you are near 70kg. For kids and light people it rocks.

LINKS FOR BUYING UK 

Purescooters

Amazon

Gearbest m365Pro 

Local Trip Ideas

The course chip roads are best avoided. Where else can one travel?

Onehunga to Mangere - While the coastal boardwalk to the north has to be avoided due to the bumpy boards, to the south you can go over the bridge and around the coast.

Roskill to Point Chev Bike Path - A smooth 25 min bike path north to the rollerpark at the Point Chev interchange.

Tamaki Drv to Mission Bay - A sort of ok surface around by the waterfront. Usually clear lane for scooters but beware that car doors open onto it. Middle to slow speed. 

Maraitai to Beachlands Path

Orewa Estuary Path - Out of Auckland a ways, but another nice waterfront experience

Bike Auckland has a useful page of info collecting nice places to visit and how to navigate the streets in Auckland

Photo Album

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