Silicon Segway

My wife, niece, and I did a two hour tour with Jim yesterday. We had previously done Segway tours in SF, Oakland, and Guernville. This 4^th Segway tour was the best one yet for us. Jim led us on a delightful route around Pacifica with quite varied terrain. Also, Jim stopped at various places to give us some background on the different areas of the city. We eventually found out that Jim’s very obvious pride in his city might be related to his being on one of the city business committees. :) Anyway, the tour was wonderful and Jim was a very friendly and informative guide. I highly recommend his Segway tours.

Very personal tour just my wife and I for Valentine’s day weekend. Gorgeous views. Easier than riding bike.

Jim is a sweetheart and the segways are always fun. But the tour was not that scenic or exciting. Our golden gate park tour was better.

Recently, I took my Segway to Jim Heldberg, proprietor of this establishment.
My Segway is a custom job with a blue anodized paint job and custom chrome wheels and tires. I also brought in some standard Segway equipment; the original tires and wheels, the original handlebar, an aftermarket light and other stock equipment.
Jim and I talked about the options for selling all of this. Jim suggested that the Segway be sold on consignment. He would broker the deal and take 20%. He suggested that he could sell it for $ 3695. A very specific figure. In any event, I agreed.
As for the other equipment, Jim thought he might want to offer $ 300, but he wanted to talk with his partner first. Again, I agreed.
Time passed and eventually I heard from Jim. He sold my Segway, and for exactly the price he thought he could get. How astonishing. Jim said he would mail me my check, not that afternoon, but soon.
A week passed and no check. I called Jim and asked about it. He replied that he didn’t have my address. I had written it down for him while I was at his shop, but fine, whatever. I told him I would come down to collect it the next day.
The next day, today as it happens, I drive down. I walk in the shop and Jim’s partner is there. Jim is out at the post office but my check is waiting in an envelope. Jim’s partner has one of those ‘can’t look you in the eye, smells a dead racoon’ dishonest kind of looks and immediately I begin to smell a rat, myself.
Though Jim stated he had forgotten what my address is, it’s written plain as day on the check envelope. I begin to smell more rats. The figure on the check is the amount minus 20% of the sale price, as expected. But no mention of the other equipment I had brought to sell, and no sign of it in the store. I sit down to wait for Jim.
«Oh, I thought this was all included» Jim said when he returned.
Mind you, he had written everything down on that first day. $ 3695 — 20%, $ 300 for the equipment. Now that piece of paper was lost and Jim was playing the befuddled old gentleman.
After much argument he gave me a hundred dollar bill out of a wallet filled with more hundred dollar bills for the rest of the equipment I had brought. Brand new bills, too. Jim’s partner wouldn’t look at me at all as I walked out.
Jim told me that he used to be a yacht salesman, but in my opinion, he is the stereotypical used car salesman, with all that implies.
The reviews of the tours given at this place are probably true. I’m sure a tour here is fun. Also, you can’t get rooked too bad buying a new Segway. You pay the new price and that’s it, pretty much. But I’m telling you now, if you try to do any other kind of business with Jim Heldberg, keep my experience in mind.

On a cool crisp day, the smell of the sea all around us… what better way to enjoy it then to get on a segway!!! I wanted to get out of San Jose and treat my girl and myself to a StayCation, we made that happen in Pacifica. Thanks to Jim at Silicon Segway tours he was patient, trusting, funny and a true California historian which made our tour even more interesting. My girl and I are now Segway riding pros! Great experience and would definitely go back again. Thanks Jim!!!

My husband and I did the Pacifica 2 hour tour with Jim (owner) and it was a blast! Jim was a great trainer; very patient and helpful. He was also well versed in the history of Pacifica. It was just the three of us, which made the tour more personal. During the tour Jim regularly asked how we were doing and made sure that we were enjoying ourselves. We hit every possible type of terrain: uphill, downhill, gravel, dirt trails, turns, residential streets. By the end of the tour my husband and I were totally comfortable with riding the Segway, wishing we could purchase one. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a unique and informative tour experience.

I bought my first generation Segway when they first became available because i can’t walk well but can stand, so they’re an ideal solution for me.
As my Segway has aged been damaged, i’ve taken it to Craig for repairs, and he’s impressed me with his honesty and his expertise. And now that Segway is no longer making parts for the first generation models, Craig manages to cannibalize parts from tradeins and has kept me going.
I strongly prefer the first generation model, but when mine is no longer repairable, i’ll buy a second generation. And guess who i’ll buy it from.

I called to inquire about Silicon Segway and had a few questions on some of their tours. I spoke to a man named, Jim (and am learning through previous reviews that he is the owner of this business). Jim was NOT friendly and informative at all. He is demanding, speaks above you, and constantly interrupts without giving a client a chance to finish what they are saying. I find it hard to believe through these previous reviews that he was a «nice guy». That is not the help I received from him and completely lost interest in pursuing this company. In order to run a business, a business owner needs to learn how to approach his consumers in a level-​headed manner — this was not what I saw in Jim.

I purchased a Segeway from Jim (the Owner) in August of 2012. Jim was helpful, informative and generally a nice guy. But, what really impressed me was when I had a problem over a year later with my Segeway. I took it in for Craig, the «tech» to take a look to see if he could identify the issue. On the first trip he was not able to, we were working through the process of elimination. On the second trip in we had isolated the problem and even though it was technically out of warranty they took care of the problem.
Here’s why I like Silicon Segeway, «they responded to the situation as if our relationship mattered». You can’t ask anymore than that.
I’m from the East Bay and could have purchased on this side of the Bay. I’m glad I didn’t.
Thank you, Jim and Craig.

Thank you Jim and Silicon Segway for helping make our wedding day unforgettable! We appreciate your time and efforts to help us create our perfect day. We had a wonderful time and really appreciate your professionalism throughout the process. We appreciate you taking the take to make sure everyone was properly trained and safe on the Segway. It would have put a real damper on the wedding day if anyone had gotten hurt during our «walk» down the aisle. So much fun! Thanks again for everything!

What a amazing experience! We started a bit nervous trying to adjust to these cool segways, Once we got going it was a different world seeing from a segway. The weather in pacifica was gorgeous! and the tour guide was great! We saw views and learned things about pacifica I never knew about and I grew up in pacifica! I reccomend you do a Segway tour, Its very addictive and a blast like know other! And I own a Harley! it was a totally different experience! I did not tell our guide I had a motorcycle because I was a bit nervous at first about getting on this machine! My family visited from Michigan and my brother in law «Major Ted» was hooked! Look forward to doing this tour again!!! Its a must do and a great gift for us folks who dont want nic nac christmas Thanks!

My i80 failed on me yesterday and wouldn’t start. Decided i’d give Silicon Segway a try at repairing it, and oh am I ever glad I did. They diagnosed and fixed the problem in about an hour, which was really wonderful because i’m lame and need it badly to get around on. I recommend them highly.

I’ve always wanted to try riding a Segway (it looks like fun when I’ve seen police or others riding around on them). My husband and I needed a quick getaway from kids and work, so we drove an hour north to Pacifica and signed up for a 2 hour Segway tour. We have never been here so it was an added bonus to have a guided tour of the area too. But I’m jumping ahead of myself…
When we arrived it was right on the beach and next to the hotel we were staying at, so very convenient. It was just the 2 of us so nice & private. Craig taught us all about Segways and how to ride them, right on the carpet inside. He was a great teacher and very patient. It feels weird at first because you want to use your handlebar to go faster, when actually you use your body (lean forward or back). It only takes a few minutes to get the feel for it and then Jim took us outside to continue. Jim was our guide and was fantastic. He took us across the street to get comfortable with different topography. He had us practice going up and down hills, at a slant, up and down bumps, etc. then we were ready to go! He let us go at top speed (12.5 miles which feels really fast at first, but after a little while you wish these things could go faster. They auto slow at that point.) He’d stop along the way and tell us things about the area and history. Since I’m a Realtor he took us around to see houses too, and then the golf course, beach, and at the end took us off road in the wetlands. Very fun time, but Pacifica is COLD so bundle up. I would bring gloves next time.

I took a tour of Golden Gate Park with Silicon Segway, and that started me on the road to ownership.
If you’re looking to get started with a Segway, I recommend the Treasure Island tour. I went to TI for the tour, and I learned a whole bunch of stuff that I didn’t know before. (Did you know that TI used to be the location of the airport in San Francisco?) The island is flat and has plenty of wide-​open space. It’s good for beginners who might be concerned about riding on inclines as well as speed demons like me who want to see how fast the machine can go. More importantly for a photographer like me, it has some of the best views of the San Francisco skyline you can get.
I wound up purchasing a machine, too, and I even used it as my «daily driver» when I commuted from San Francisco to Pleasanton for two years.

First let me just say this: I LOVE MY SEGWAY! I think they should be much more common on our streets. I get asked lots of questions when I’m out and about so let me answer a few of the common ones here.
— Yes, they do hills. I haven’t found a hill in the city yet that it won’t go up or safely down.
–Yes, you can lock them and leave them safely while you shop or dine.
–Yes, you can park them anywhere. Any parking meter can serve as a hitching post for the cable lock or you can just lean them against a wall and leave them in locked mode if you are not going far from it.
–Yes, I feel safe riding them in traffic or if the street is narrow with too many cars, a short ride on the sidewalk is always safe.
–Yes, I have fallen a few times in 700 miles of use. Once when I was a just learning and twice because I was recklessly going too fast on an uneven, bumpy surface.
–12.5 mph is the top speed. Typical cruising speed in a flat, level surface is 10 – 12 mph, while hills slow you down to 3 — 7 mph depending on the steepness.
–It goes 20 or more miles on a single charge. You simply leave it plugged in all the time when you are not using it so it’s always ready to take you anywhere in the city.
–Riding it makes you feel as free as a bird, or like you are riding a Harry Potter broomstick: effortless, intuitive, and fun.
— I also get asked the price frequently, but I’ll let the guys at Silicon Segway answer that one for you.
My husband and I went into Silicon Segway last Fall just to check out the Segways with a test run. We had so much fun that we bought ours on the spot. Their service was knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. The whole experience took a few hours, kind of like buying a car, but without the horrible sales pressure and endless pushing of this and that add on. It was much more pleasant than that. We went away with the assurance that we could call any time to get questions answered or if we had any problems. After the first couple of days, all our questions were answered and we have had no need to call them since then.
Right now, personal transporters, or PT’s as Segway prefers to call them, are quite a novelty on the street so lots of people make comments as I pass by. It’s amusing how many people turn to their friend or their child and say «Segway.» So much so, that sometimes as I go down a busy street, I hear «Segway… Segway… Segway…» What is it about seeing one that makes you want to say it’s name?
It also invokes lots of comments. Most of them are positive, but once a fellow shouted to me, «Get off that Segway and walk, you lazy [bleep]!» I didn’t answer him then so let me answer him here. «If I wasn’t on this Segway, I would be in a car. So maybe we should both be saying to all these people in cars, ‘Get out of that car and ride a Segway!’»

My wife and I did the 2 hr coastline tour in Pacifica and really enjoyed it. Natasha was a good guide and very patient with my wife, who took a little longer to get comfortable with the Segway. It’s a little cold down there so dress for it and bring gloves too. We’re thinking about doing it again.

This Segway dealership offers three different tours of the coastline along Pacifica, along with an inventory of Segways for sale. The staff is incredibly friendly and well-​informed about the product, so if you’re looking to buy one or try one out for an extended period, you should drive down to Pacifica and test one out. Thanks again Joe for your time and expertise.