Kingsong 16S - 3 days riding, my thoughts.

[Gasmantle]

Hi all,

Having had my 16S now for 3 days I thought I'd string together a few sentences outlining my first impressions for the benefit of anyone thinking of buying one. At the moment there is much hype surrounding the more powerful 16x but what is the 16S like?

The technical stuff

My 16S is the 1200w motor, 840wh battery model, the quoted speed is 35kph max and a range of 70 - 80km. It weighs approx 17kg. The tyre is 16" x 2.125"

First impressions

I bought the matt black version and the finish is attractive but I think will scratch very easily on the lower parts when off roading. Overall I'd rate the look of the machine as pleasing on the eye, aesthetics are very much personal thing so whilst I like the round 'bar of soap' shape it may not be to everyones taste. The collapsible suitcase style handle blends in with the overall shape nicely when not in use.

Footpedals and leg pads

The pedals measure 210mm x 130mm and have a sand paper type upper surface that offers good grip, at a size 9 shoe they seem fine for my use although they are a little stiff to fold up and down, it may be that I can loosen them or adjust the spring but so far I haven't needed to do so. My one slight issue is I wish they were slightly higher, I'm practising at turning very tight turns by leaning the wheel right over and have found it easy to scrape them.

No ankle padding is provided but the calf pads protrude quite a bit so I think pressure on the ankles is unlikely. The pads are a large size (220 x 180mm) so should suit most riders and in my experience they have just the right amount of cushioning to feel comfortable and have good control.

Headlight / taillight

The headlight is powerful and gives a good spread of light, it gives confidence to ride at reasonably fast speeds in total darkness. The tail light is of a generous size giving a good clear aspect to motorists behind, it also acts as a brake light. One novel feature is the lights change their function when travelling in reverse so the that the headlight becomes the tail light and vice versa

The headlight has low light sensor meaning it turns on automatically in poor light, it can be overridden manually via a button on the top surface so that it can be set to permanently on, permanently off or auto - it can also be set to steady or flashing mode.

Decorative lights.

One ring of coloured LEDS is added on each side and they give an attractive rolling motion cascading through about 5 or 6 colours, the app allows the pattern to be set in 1 of 3 settings. I'm not a big fan of audacious lights but these are attractive and the choice of colours give the wheel a 'happy' feel to it .  

When the wheel is not in motion the coloured LEDS revert to steady green showing battery strength. I'd have preferred a separate battery strength indication that can be seen whilst riding (like the Inmotion wheels) but the Kingsong lights do the job so it's a minor complaint.

Trolley handle

The trolley handle is the usual suitcase style collapsible arrangement, it looks and feels a bit flimsy but does the job and can take the weight of the machine. It appears to be easy to replace if it did get damaged, I've only had this wheel for 3 days so it's difficult to comment on it's long term reliability.

A lot of people complain about the look of the 'scorpions tail' on the V5F and V10 but personally I think that is the best arrangement - it means it is possible to push the wheel then lift without needing to collapse the handle so from that point of view I think the Kingsong handle is inferior.

The Kingsong app

The app gives plenty of information but is a bit cluttered and not user friendly, it does however seem to be stable and connects first time every time, it stays connected without issue. I guess what you want from an app depends how much you are into technology, in my case all I'm interested in is speed, distance travelled and battery life so I tend to look at the simpler 'WheelLog' app.

The Kingong app does allow for calibration of the pedal angle and selection of 3 riding 'hardness' modes, it also can be used to control the headlight, set the alarm levels and sound a warning horn that sounds like a 1950s car horn and is loud enough to scare anyone.

Miscellaneous

The on/off button and selector button for the headlight mode are solid looking metal items and they both seem to have a positive, expensive feel to them, the charger socket has a similar robust feel to it.

4 Speakers are provided and they offer significant volume though I can't really comment on how good the sound quality is if you want to play music.

A USB output is not provided which is a minor let down but nothing to lose sleep over.

Ride quality

So, onto the important bit - what does it ride like?

I've had the machine now for 3 days and ridden it for about 60 miles over a mix of terrain so have now got an idea of its capability.

At 1200w it clearly isn't going to compete with the 2000w models of today but it does offer a surprisingly nippy machine at a lot lower price, I've ridden it at 20+mph and felt it offered a comfortable and stable ride and a no time did I get wobbles or feel unsafe. Its acceleration is fast enough for most riders and even when being worked hard it is near silent.

I did some riding up steep country lanes today and climbing a steep hill for over 1000yds it climbed effortlessly at a good healthy speed without any alarms / tilt back and I'm sure it would have climbed faster if I'd wanted to. Coming downhill was also no problem. It is agile enough for tight turns etc and is very easy to control, I'd expected one or 2 aches and pains for a few days when switching to a new wheel but so far I've felt nothing - I'm sure the large side pads help greatly.

The 16" tyre copes well with the bit of roading I've done, a mix of rocky dirt tracks, gravel and some grass, the motor gives enough power to handle most off road situations unless you are into really challenging situations.

As for the range well I haven't yet run the battery right down but first impressions look promising, the app says on full charge that it has 46miles remaining (we all know they are incredibly optimistic) and after doing 18 miles today it showed 61% battery left - that would suggest I'd get close to 40 miles, that sounds a bit optimistic to me but I'd expect perhaps 35 miles?

Do I like it, would I recommend it?

The short answer is yes on both counts. If you are into hard core off roading or want high performance then this wheel isn't for you and you'll probably need to spend significantly more to satisfy your need - however if you want a mid price wheel to use mainly on the road with adequate performance and range then the KS16S is well worth a look at. I'll probably buy another more powerful wheel next year when the summer comes but for now I'm very impressed with how it performs.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2019 by Gasmantle

[photorph]

Great write up.  I have a "used" but like new KS 16s incoming as my wheel that I will use to teach other people.  I don't want to use my expensive wheels to teach others, but I didn't want to get a super cheap ninebot S or something like that to teach others.  I also don't own any kingsong, only have the gotway top dogs and inmotion.  So I thought it was time to add a Kingsong to the collection...and went for a 2nd hand KS 16s.  

However, if I was buying a KS 16s as my only wheel there is the tesla v2 for a $100 more.  You get a bigger battery, much higher performance, and the gotway glide.  To me at $1350 retail, the KS 16s is a hardsell when the gotway tesla v2 is $1450.  I will say that the KS 16s wil have a better trolley, better pads, and feel lighter and more nimble than the tesla v2.  In every other way I think the tesla demolishes the KS 16s for a mere $100 more.  

[Guest PogArt Artur]

8 hours ago, Gasmantle said:

Ride quality

So, onto the important bit - what does it ride like?

This part I was most appreciated for, as I wasn't interested with its power, or any additional measurements, I mean - technical speech 😁

I was after to read how you feel riding it, how it goes etc.

It sounds your purchase was very wise decision @Gasmantle.

Enjoy !!!   

[Unventor]

I like your write-up style a lot. it makes it easy to read and see your points.

It also makes it easy to skip to the part that is most important to the reader if they are looking for something specific.

The best part: It this wheel the king of all wheels? nope, but there are some things it do great, and like most thing there is a balance.

Price: How much do you want to spend, to get want you need, and what are you willing to pay more for extras. As a first wheel or as a back up wheel.

My personal note: When I were buying my first wheel. I were looking at KS16s and the Inmotion V8( Glide3). My choice at the time I went with V8. Knowing what I know now, the V8 did the job for 3 months, had I chosen the KS16s, I would have kept it.  The V8 feels like a toy now, and the motor and battery limitation on the V8 is why I would not recommend it as a western adult wheel. Kids will do fine. This is due to the motor/battery vs rider weight,, the KS16s becomes a much safer choice. I thought at the time low weight as a huge plus, today I do not. 

@Gasmantle very nicely done. If you test other wheels, please write more of these. 

Edited September 15, 2019 by Unventor

[KAY GEE]

2 hours ago, photorph said:

Great write up.  I have a "used" but like new KS 16s incoming as my wheel that I will use to teach other people.  I don't want to use my expensive wheels to teach others, but I didn't want to get a super cheap ninebot S or something like that to teach others.  I also don't own any kingsong, only have the gotway top dogs and inmotion.  So I thought it was time to add a Kingsong to the collection...and went for a 2nd hand KS 16s.  

However, if I was buying a KS 16s as my only wheel there is the tesla v2 for a $100 more.  You get a bigger battery, much higher performance, and the gotway glide.  To me at $1350 retail, the KS 16s is a hardsell when the gotway tesla v2 is $1450.  I will say that the KS 16s wil have a better trolley, better pads, and feel lighter and more nimble than the tesla v2.  In every other way I think the tesla demolishes the KS 16s for a mere $100 more.  

You were spot on with your analysis, for a few bucks more the Tesla offer more range, speed and like you rightly pointed out, the experience of the Gotway glide. 

But on the other hand the KS 16S is a decent wheel in it's own right, I still ride mine so often, it's more nimble than the Tesla hands down. 

So the emphasis is on the Rider and his/her preference, in a nutshell both are very good and sturdy wheels which would please their owners.

[Unventor]

2 hours ago, photorph said:

However, if I was buying a KS 16s as my only wheel there is the tesla v2 for a $100 more.  You get a bigger battery, much higher performance, and the gotway glide.  To me at $1350 retail, the KS 16s is a hardsell when the gotway tesla v2 is $1450.  I will say that the KS 16s wil have a better trolley, better pads, and feel lighter and more nimble than the tesla v2.  In every other way I think the tesla demolishes the KS 16s for a mere $100 more.  

This is where the importance of what you need, want, extras option balanced with price.

On paper might look beneficial for one wheel vs another, but when it comes to connection with wheel and feel of the control and ride, it is very hard to describe that.  

The perfect example of this is to look at how community have taken onboard the Z10 and KS16X. None of the have got GW glide...So like that, some look for other things. 

I like the way KS do their stuff. And yes the KS16X is different, I were close at buying a Z10, but postponed it, then went for the KS16X. I have not regretted that one bit. I love it. 

But back to the KS16S: It is one choice of many,  a good or bad or ugly choice? Well maybe not best at all but at a fixed price point where it is at, it is not a bad wheel at all. It is a "safe" choice in many regards.

Side note: I saw the Tesla (I think it was a V2) in real life first time this week, looks rather nicely. Seems very fast too. But speed is not my thing. Me still holding preference towards KS is no secret. But still, a compliment to the looks of the Tesla. @Marty Backe  

[Gasmantle]

Thanks for the positive feedback guys 

I did think of doing a similar review of the V5F for the benefit of newcomers to the hobby contemplating their first wheel, I no longer have my V5F but I did ride it about 400 miles so I'm able to offer my thoughts.

As for the 16S review, I'd say the wheel is a nice perfoming 'middleweight' that is probably aimed at someone upgrading from a beginner wheel but maybe doesn't want to pay for a top of the range 2000w model and doesn't want the extra weight that some of the larger wheels have. It has a range that will suit most riders, admittedly keen enthusiasts may want 60miles of range but realistically a lot of riders are 'weekend' enthusiasts wanting a bit of fun and a bit of moderate commuting but not necessarily hard core experts who want the best specs and are prepared to pay for it.

I'd like a larger wheel next year to do some longer range exploring in the summer but when I do buy another I think I'd keep the 16s as anything larger starts to become heavy as a commuter wheel. Lets face it if you want to do say 15 miles per day of commuting involving a flight of stairs and a train journey would you rather do it with a 16s or a 18XL? A larger wheel may be great for performance but isn't necessarily best suited to commuting.

In my opinion the 16S neatly fills the gap between the beginner wheels and the high powered enthusiast wheels, it tries to be a bit of an all rounder and in my opinion it succeeds at that 

[Unventor]

8 minutes ago, Gasmantle said:

I'd like a larger wheel next year to do some longer range exploring in the summer but when I do buy another I think I'd keep the 16s as anything larger starts to become heavy as a commuter wheel. Lets face it if you want to do say 15 miles per day of commuting involving a flight of stairs and a train journey would you rather do it with a 16s or a 18XL? A larger wheel may be great for performance but isn't necessarily best suited to commuting.

imho, to the above. 

I thought wheel weight matters lifting it up stairs. But after a while it doesn't as you get stronger automatic by the daily lifting. It matters for stability. as it is less prone to be tossed of it direction (the best I can describe it), and stays move to the ground too over smaller bumps ( can be adjusted by tire pressure to some degree). 

But, since this is next year purchase deadline, I suggest ride what you have. Make a list what you like different. Do the same list for the V5f asap, so you can recall why you bought the V5f and how it delivered on what you were looking for. some time before you buy, start making a list of your priority needs, then add what you want and then the nice to have (dream of) things.

I am going to hint to you my thoughts right now, is if speeds about 40kmh isn't high on the list, then KS16X can be a great match om many points. I will get back to this a bit later why. 

If you are looking at range and high speed (not talking fastest possible here) KS18XL could be a wheel to look at, price might have dropped. And I think a new model could be coming out too. So back to the known what do i get vs 1st batch issues. 

I think @Duf put it very go here, in the line of think of choice: