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...........Steve's Segway Tours...........

Located at the far East end of Upper Randolph Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312-946-9467
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FAQs

 

        1:    What is a Segway?

 

        2:    Does everybody get to ride their own Segway?

 

        3:    I've ridden a Segway before, can I rent one?

 

        4:    What happens if the weather is bad?

 

        5:    What do I need to bring with me?

 

        6:    What should I bring with me?

 

        7:    How much does a tour cost?

 

        8:    Is it safe?

 

        9:    I'm pretty uncoordinated, will I have trouble riding a Segway?

 

        10:  Is there a height requirement?

 

        11:  Is there a minimum weight requirement, or maximum allowable weight?

 

        12:  Do I need a reservation, or can I just show up for a tour?

 

        13:  Can I cancel my reservation?

 

        14:  There are other companies offering Segway tours of Chicago, so why 

                should I choose Steve's Segway Tours?

 

        15:  Are Segways like bicycles, do we ride in the street?

 

        16:  Which tour should I take?

 

        17:  How long is a tour, and how much does it cost?

 

        18:  What happens if I am late?

 

        19:  Should I come early?

 

        20:  Where are you located?

 

        21:  When do you operate?

 

        22:  Can I buy a Segway from you?

 

 

 


FAQ1: What is a Segway?

The Segway is a two wheel, self-balancing personal transportation device. The brain-child of master inventor Dean Kamen (the wheelchair that climbs stairs, and other inventions), it is a marvel of modern technology. The Segway first "rolled" off the assembly line in December 2001. In August 2006 Segway, Inc. unveiled the new Segway i2 Personal Transporter with its perfected LeanSteer™ technology. The Segway i2 moves in any direction the rider leans. The older models (prior to August 2006) don't have this advanced technology. Steve's Segway Tours conducts tours on the new Segway i2 units. Our competition doesn't. For further detail please see our
About Segways web page.


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FAQ2: Does everybody get to ride their own Segway?

Yes! On our tours each customer gets to ride his or her own Segway i2 personal transporter. You will receive group and then individual training from your experienced tour guide. When ready, you will then embark on your tour of Chicago's scenic lakefront and parks area riding your own Segway i2.

 

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FAQ3: I've ridden a Segway before, can I rent one?

Yes, we can rent you a Segway to ride around Chicago unsupervised.  However, you might find the cost prohibitive, and if you have not ridden with us in the past, we will put a very steep authorization hold on your credit card.  Steve's Segway Tours offers far more "Design your own tour" opportunities (see
Reason #4 of our Why Choose Us web page) than our competition, so Contact Us, and we'll figure something out. I'm sure we can offer you some kind of private tour option that would still be less expensive than what it would cost you to rent one.

 

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FAQ4: What happens if the weather is bad?

Steve's Segway Tours conducts tours rain or shine, in fair weather and foul. In other words, if the weather is bad, we will still go out. If the weather is inclement, or expected to be so for your scheduled tour, and you would prefer not to go on the tour that day, you can reschedule. If you are visiting Chicago and can't fit rescheduling into your itinerary, but still don't want to take your scheduled tour because of the weather, we will issue you a transferable, non-expiring rain check. You can use this at any time in the future (subject to the policy set forth in the "Rescheduling due to Weather Conditions" section of the Tour Info page), or you may transfer it to anyone you choose, if you feel you might not be getting back to Chicago.

In extreme weather scenarios, such as a hurricane or a severe snowstorm, we will cancel the tour and offer you your choice of a rain check or a refund.

If you choose not to take your scheduled tour because of inclement weather, please
Contact Us as early as possible and let us know. Then you can reschedule at your convenience. Thank you.


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FAQ5: What do I need to bring with me?

You need to bring a credit card (preferably the one you used to reserve your tour) for the Agreement to be Responsible for any Segway Damage, that you are required to sign. You will also have to sign a Liability Waiver. If you are under 18, you need to have a parent sign these. Your parent or legal guardian needn't accompany you, but we have to have a signed liability waiver or you won't be able to take the tour.

 

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FAQ6: What should I bring with me?

You should bring a camera, probably sunglasses, and sunscreen as well. If it is not summer, we recommend you bring an extra layer of clothing as Chicago's weather can be a bit unpredictable. You probably want to have a pair of gloves if it might be cold. If it looks like rain we can sell you a plastic rain poncho for $1, so don't worry about bringing rainwear. And bring a camera! Okay, we already mentioned this, but it bears repeating. Some of the views are so spectacular you will definitely want pictures.

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FAQ7: How much does a tour cost?

Our standard morning or afternoon 3-hour tour costs $70 + tax. Our 2-hour evening tour is $60 + tax. However, we offer all kinds of discounts for students (who are paying for themselves), people in need, repeat customers, in the slower months, and in appreciation for bringing us customers. There is also our "Design your own tour" option, for which pricing depends on what is included in your tour. Our competition does not have this kind of price flexibility. So whether you are looking for a discount or to "Design your own tour",
Contact Us, and we'll figure something out.

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FAQ8: Is it safe?

Yes! There are very few accidents on a Segway, and those that I have seen in the hundreds of tours I have led were mostly minor. It takes very little time to become proficient on a Segway, and the training you will receive from our experienced tour guides stresses safety. Plus, at Steve's Segway Tours you will be riding the new Segway i2s with their LeanSteer™ technology. The new Segway i2s are far more intuitive to ride than the older models, and thus, far safer.

 

However, unexpected and unfortunate things can and do occasionally happen, and you should be aware that you will be riding at your own risk.  We will patiently work with you until you are sufficiently proficient on the Segway to start the tour.  Please be aware though, that should you at some point, either during or after the training, elect NOT to take the tour, you will NOT be issued a refund or rain check of any kind.


For more information on safety, please read "The Segway i2 - A Drastic Improvement in Technology" on our About Segways web page, as well as Reason #3 of our Why Choose Us page.

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FAQ9: I'm pretty uncoordinated, will I have trouble riding a Segway?

No, not because you feel you are uncoordinated!  You would be surprised how many people worry about this. Basically, if you can stand up you can ride a Segway. It takes no athletic ability. In fact, with the LeanSteer™ technology of the new Segway i2s, it takes very little coordination to maneuver. Simply lean in the direction you want to travel, and that's the direction the Segway i2 will go. The new Segway i2 -- no coordination necessary!

 

However, you may have trouble riding the Segway if you are completely unable to "get out of your own head", and never willing to trust leaning, especially leaning back - which is absolutely necessary in order to stop the Segway.  Please be aware that should you never become comfortable, and decide either during or after the training that you don't want to take the tour, you will NOT be issued a refund or rain check of any kind.


For more information on this please see 
"The Segway i2 - A Drastic Improvement in Technology" on our About Segways web page.

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FAQ10: Is there a height requirement?

Not really. You have to be tall enough to comfortably reach the handlebars at their lowest setting. And you can't be so tall that the handlebars at their highest setting are uncomfortably far away from you. To date we have not encountered anyone too tall or too short to ride a Segway.

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FAQ11: Is there a minimum weight requirement, or maximum allowable weight?

Very few of you seem to read my answer below correctly, so I have added this concise answer:  min weight = 50 lbs and max weight = 350 lbs!  Okay, now read on please.  Segway Corporate recommends that a rider weigh at least 100 pounds. In our experience, this is absolutely not necessary! As long as you are able to make the Segway move easily by leaning, then you should be okay. However, there is a maximum weight limit of 350 pounds. Please note - if you are over 260 pounds, it is fine to ride a Segway, but you will probably experience a slight decline in performance. You will drain the battery more quickly than a lighter person (no big deal), as well as be a bit slower going uphill.

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FAQ12: Do I need a reservation, or can I just show up for a tour?

It is always a good idea to make a reservation with us in advance. We highly recommend this. If you are planning to ride with us in April, May, October, or November, a reservation is absolutely required. In those months there is no guarantee that Steve's Segway Tours will have someone at our location all the time. Someone will always promptly return your phone call or e-mail, so please
Contact Us before you plan on coming.

In the busier months of June, July, August, and September, it is possible to just show up and take a tour, but we don't recommend this. You might be showing up for a tour that is fully booked and there is no Segway available for you or your group. Or, you might show up for one of our standard tour times, only to find that we changed the time slightly to accomodate pre-paid/booked customers. Please avoid this by contacting us and making a reservation. We want you to ride with us, so don't create a situation where we're forced to turn you away.

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FAQ13: Can I cancel my reservation?

When you
Book a Tour with Steve's Segway Tours, in order to hold your reservation, we require payment in full. Tours are very popular and we recommend you book well in advance, especially if you are planning to take a Segway tour on a visit to Chicago and you don't actually reside here. You can always reschedule a tour (see our "rain check" policy), but if you want to actually cancel a reservation for a refund, you will need to do so at least 72 hours before your scheduled tour. This will hopefully give us enough time to notify customers on the waiting list, if the tour you were scheduled for is totally full.

 

Please note - tours cancelled more than 72 hours prior to the scheduled tour time will be charged a credit card processing fee of 3%.  Please also note that the above cancellation policies do NOT apply to group tours.  Groups booking tours, unfortunately, must be held to a stricter cancellation policy.  In order to receive a refund (minus the 3% processing fee), groups of 6-10 must cancel at least 1 week in advance, groups of 11-20 at least 2 weeks prior, and groups of 21+ must cancel at least 1 month before their originally scheduled tour date.

 

Architecture Tour cancellations - in addition to the 3% fee, there is an additional $15/person non-refundable charge.  This amount is to compensate Bill Elliott of Chicago Redcap Walking Tours for having turned down business in order to accommodate Steve's Segway Tours Architecture customers.

 

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FAQ14: There are other companies offering Segway tours of Chicago, so why should I choose Steve's Segway Tours?

This is our favorite question! It is so important to us that you fully realize why Steve's Segway Tours is superior to our competition, that we have written an entire web page with the reasons explained in great detail. So please, click on
Why Choose Us now and find out why you should tour with Steve's Segway Tours. Unfortunately, when you're done reading the nine reasons, you won't be automatically returned here, so you will have to manually navigate back to this FAQs web page if that is your desire. The "back" button on your browser should return you to this spot.

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FAQ15: Are Segways like bicycles, do we ride in the street?

Even though Segways have two wheels and a top speed of 12.5 mph, they are treated very differently than bicycles. Segways are actually designated for use on sidewalks, whereas bicyclists ride mostly on streets. We cross streets several times on our tour, but for the most part Segways are ridden where people walk. In just a short time you will develop so much control on the Segway that you will comfortably navigate around pedestrians on a crowded sidewalk. Fortunately, most of our tour will be conducted on very uncrowded sidewalks and paths, so you will get to really enjoy zipping along and maneuvering on a Segway.

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FAQ16: Which tour should I take?

This really depends on you. We offer morning, afternoon, and evening tours, as well as our "Design your own tour" option. If you haven't taken a Segway tour with us before, we highly recommend you take either our morning or afternoon tour. These are our standard 3-hour tours and are designed to give you maximum Segway riding time, as well as provide you with the most informative tour in Chicago. Even if you are a Chicago resident I guarantee you will learn a lot and hear anecdotes and stories about Chicago that are new to you. Also, the views are spectacular. However, if you know Chicago well and are looking to mostly ride a Segway with a minimum of input from your tour guide, then perhaps the 2-hour evening tour is for you. This is a favorite of downtown companies to use for corporate outings. They can work all day, then come ride around on Segways, then who knows?

If you would like to do something a little different on your tour, or a lot different, we offer our "Design your own tour" option.
Contact Us, tell us what you want to do, and we'll do our best to accommodate you.

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FAQ17: How long is a tour, and how much does it cost?

Standard morning and afternoon tours are 3-hours long and costs $70 + tax per person. The standard evening tour is 2-hours long (much less talk) and costs $60 + tax per person. However, Steve's Segway Tours offers far more tour options (see
Reason #4 of Why Choose Us) and far more price flexibility (see Reason #5 of Why Choose Us) than our competition. We let you "Design your own tour". For a price to be determined by the options you want to add to your tour, we'll basically let you go wherever you want, and do whatever you want, within reason of course!

If you can't afford our standard tour price,
Contact Us, and we'll work something out. We want you to ride with us. We'll figure out an arrangement that lets you take our tour at a discount. Maybe we'll ask you to bring us more customers. Maybe we have last-minute room on a tour for you at a discount rate. We'll figure something out, so make sure you call or e-mail us.

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FAQ18: What happens if I am late?


Please, try hard not to be late for your scheduled tour. But if you are late, what happens depends on how late you are. If you are so late that the tour has already left, or is about to leave, you will have to reschedule. If you are only a few minutes late, and we can get your paperwork processed quickly, then odds are good you will be able to join your scheduled tour, without delaying the other members of your tour group.

Each tour group receives thorough training. If there is a legitimate reason you are late, we don't mind repeating the group portion of this training process specifically for you, but sometimes we are unable to. We won't let you join the tour unless we are satisfied that you have received sufficient training to safely ride your Segway.

So bottom line, try really, really hard not to be late. But if you think you might be late, call us immediately and we'll figure out if this is going to be a problem or not.

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FAQ19: Should I come early?

Yes! Don't be too early, but if you plan on being early then you most probably won't be late (see FAQ18). It is a great idea to arrive 15-30 minutes before your scheduled tour time, and it is stressed that you do arrive at least 15 minutes prior.

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FAQ20: Where are you located?

We are located on the lower level (business concourse) of Harbor Point Tower, at the far east end of Upper Randolph (where Randolph ends and meets Harbor Dr). 
If using GPS, enter 155 N Harbor Drive, 60601.

 

If driving, follow the directions on our Location and Directions web page. You can park for a full 12 hours for only $10, but only when you park at 400 E Randolph and buy a parking validation from us. This is a great place to park and enjoy all the things there are to do in the area.

 

If walking, from Michigan Avenue, walk east on Upper Randolph. If you are walking in the right direction, the Aon Center (the tall skinny white building) should be on your left and Millenium Park should be on your right. When you reach the end of Upper East Randolph (where the road turns left and becomes Harbor Dr.), you will see a gated ramp that says "No Lake Access, No Trespassing".  Open the gate and go down the ramp. You will be entering the building at the South entrance.  When you walk in, we will be directly on your left (west) side once you enter.



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FAQ21: When do you operate?

We are open for tours all year long!  Most people take tours with us between April and November, but if the weather is cooperative, and you really want a tour of some type in December, January, February, or March,
Contact Us and we'll figure something out. Because we are a small operation dedicated to providing you with an excellent experience, we strive to be very accommodating.

By the way, although it is possible to just show up at our location and take a tour, this is not a good idea as you may show up only to find the tour full with no spot for you, the tour time changed to accomodate other customers, or a tour you could have come on had we known you were coming and had another tour guide scheduled.  Therefore, always
Contact Us and see what the situation is.

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FAQ22: Can I buy a Segway from you?

So you loved riding a Segway so much that you want to go right out and purchase one! Bully for you! Unfortunately we don't sell new Segways outright.  However, we can sell you one of our used ones, and also see what we can do about getting you a nominal discount on the purchase of a brand new Segway from a dealer that will ship your new Segway for free, and from a location with no state sales tax.

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