Despite my weight and the strain it put on the motor, I found that the bike really does have a 45-mile range on a single charge. I didn’t have a chance to precisely time how long the battery takes to charge from empty but it recharged completely overnight or during a full workday. At first, I was nervous about the bike going 20 miles an hour. On my long rides on a hybrid bike, I averaged 15 mph but once I got going, I realized 20 mph isn’t a big deal. Similar to how you can change gears on a multi-speed bike, you can choose how much the motor assists you, too.
It might take you a bit longer if you aren’t familiar with ebikes. Without knobby tires, the Marshall isn’t going too far into mud or snow, but it is great for easier trails and dirt roads. My testing has been done on gravel roads and wet, muddy trails at around 5° C with a bit of snow on the ground. There’s a port in the side of the frame where you can charge it without removing, or you can use the keys to pull out battery and charge separately. The included kickstand is also nice because it mounts near the back wheel so it doesn’t get in the way when you need to back the bike up while the kickstand is down.
This plants it in the territory of pedal-assisted e-bikes rather than full-on motor-assisted. On flat roads, we found the assist useful, helping the bike along with minimal pedal input required. The gears allow you to put in as much physical exertion as you feel like. From a stop, it’s good to have the bike in low gear, otherwise starting out can be difficult, made more so by the fact the motor won’t kick in until you’ve been pedaling. Most of the bikes that I have seen in this range usually opt to have their batteries below the seat (usually packed to the headtube). This placement also puts the battery away while protecting it better from the rain.
Many e-bikes also include extra features like integrated lights, storage, fenders, rear racks, and more. You can even add your own extras with our selection of e-bike accessories, including water-resistant pannier bags and heavy-duty e-bike locks. So, no matter how you like to schwinn dealers ride, there’s an e-bike for you. For more information, check out our blog post on e-bike styles. Most of their models are made for casual cyclists with a single-speed drivetrain, so if you’re looking for electric mountain bikes or racing options, you might be disappointed.
I really enjoyed my time with Schwinn’s Monroe 250 Single-Speed Electric Bike and was sad when it came time for Pacific Cycle — Schwinn’s parent company — to take it back. It was such a joy to ride around and truly turned me in favor of e-bikes (something I never thought possible). When I pedaled hard, the bike was able to get up to 20 mph in about 10 seconds on smooth, flat surfaces. Pedaling uphill was a bit different, maxing out at roughly 15 mph. Lighter people may be able to get it going a bit faster, though (I weigh 250 pounds for context). When buying a bike, it’s important the one you purchase fits you correctly.
Even with the bike assisting as best it could, climbing the hill required a lot of physical exertion, although it would have been harder without the electric motor. If you would be doing city riding and commutes, I don’t see why you need to go past that speed range anyway. You can pedal to get higher speed levels, but the motor won’t assist anymore. When commuting on even land and tarred roads, you would barely notice the vibration though. That provides a strong argument for Schwinn’s target market in class when coming up with this design.
Bicycle Guider was founded in 2015 as a free resource of firsthand bicycle tests and reviews, guides, how-to’s, and other types of cycling-related topics. We’re going to tell you all the similarities and differences between the four Schwinn e-bikes, so stay tuned.
But, these two areas are where the S1 delivers plenty of promise. Given that the Segway never quite took off as promised, it seems bicycles — both pedal and electric varieties — are the way forward. If you’re looking for an electric option that you schwinn dealers can take almost anywhere, the Tron-like Smacircle S1 eBike might be just the trick. They are sold in stores all over the country, so you can try one before you buy it. They have more custom parts and are available in two different frame sizes.