IPS 191/Lhotz vs. KS500C

[Kevin]

I just had the opportunity to try out the King Song 500W 340Wh courtesy of @Jeffrey Scott Will, and thought I'd post my comparative impressions vs. the IPS191+ (XIMA Lhotz).

1) King Song is much stronger at braking - the IPS definitely feels underpowered when it comes to trying to stop. For acceleration I didn't try pushing the KS to the limit but it might be a bit more powerful in that regard too.

2) King song pedals feel higher - perhaps because of a more aggressive angle, or maybe they are actually higher. Probably good for sharp turns and/or not banging pedals against curbs.

3) 14" vs 16" - it wasn't as big of a difference as I expected, but larger irregularities in the pavement (i.e. sidewalk paving block jutting up in front of you) take a bit more care to deal with. On flat ground or 'textured' ground I didn't notice any difference at all in smoothness.

4) Lhotz feels more 'rock solid' - this is hard to describe. The best analogy I have is when you are able to 'wiggle' the adjustable armrest on an office chair, vs. the whole thing being one solid piece. The wiggle-able feeling is how I would describe how the King Song handles leaning forward & back, whereas with the Lhotz you immediately feel resistance when you put pressure forward or back.

5) King Song feels much lighter - both in terms of picking up and carrying/moving it, and in terms of pivoting etc. More practical for wandering around town I would say, when you need to carry it with you or store somewhere.

6) King Song has wider leg stance.

7) Cushioning on the King Song is insanely good.

[Jeffrey Scott Will]

Hey @Kevin - I really enjoyed the extended ride on your Lhotz!  I think we are agreement on all the differences. Though the KS seems to have more oomph, I never felt the Lhotz was underpowered by any means except maybe in braking. The only real downside (and it's not a dealbreaker IMO) is that bizarre tiny strip for leg padding.  It creates a small pressure point anytime you need to grip the wheel.  Don't really know what they were thinking there.  But otherwise, the ergonomics are good- it's much slimmer feeling than I had imagined, and that's a good thing. It makes for easy mounting and one leg riding, but again, that pesky strip of padding is working against you.  The pedals themselves are great. I prefer the angled KS pedals, however they are a smart design because they are long in the right places with clipped corners to avoid ground scrape.  And that fat tire. Me gusta!

I look forward to swapping rides next time we meetup! 

[KaleOsaurusRex]

I LOVE the angled King Song pedals too. Is the tire on the IPS extra fat?

[Jeffrey Scott Will]

Yes, the Lhotz tire is 2.5" wide!  Not dramatically wider, but noticeable. 

[Kevin]

The only real downside (and it's not a dealbreaker IMO) is that bizarre tiny strip for leg padding.  It creates a small pressure point anytime you need to grip the wheel.  Don't really know what they were thinking there.

I'm pretty sure the thought that went through their collective heads was: "Golly, that strip sure looks dashing! And it acts as a leg cushion, too!"

EDIT: The IPS pedals are actually angled too, just not to the same degree as the king song.