After charging up the battery, sliding it into the rack system at the back of the bike (which could not be simpler), and locking it into place, you’re ready to go. The bike comes with a key which both locks the battery in place and enables the bike to be turned on. There is a battery life indicator on the left handlebar, and the Shimano Revo-shift lever — which controls what gear you’re in — on the right.
Electric bikes are a ton of fun and I’ve had a great time this summer riding them. As an avid cyclist who commuted to and from the train for years in the past, I see e-bikes as a very reasonable step forward in commuting. A 7-speed transmission from Microshift also adds to the commuter street-cred, giving those in hilly areas the ability to run through the gears on hills. The Schwinn Coston CE falls in the middle of its e-bike model line, offering a slight upgrade over the Schwinn Marshall but without some of the features found on the higher-end Coston DC.
No suspension elements but the fork is steel which provides some vibration dampening properties and…… The Bafang Max mid-motor is efficient, extremely quiet, and capable of climbing steeper hills if…… At level 5, the throttle propels you up to 20 miles per hour and disengages if you go faster than that (for example, schwinn mountain bicycles if you go downhill). Class 2 e-bikes are required to stop assistance past 20 miles per hour. Level 1 throttle tops out at around 10 mph while level 5 will give you the full 20 mph. As reviewed, the bike didn’t have much in the way of storage, but other models have a rear rack and even storage in the seat.
Some of the added weight is attributed to the battery, which checks in at about six pounds. As mentioned above, you do have to start pedaling to engage the electric assistance though you don’t have to pedal much to approach max speeds. Nonetheless, I wish there was a way to zip around town without having to pedal at all. Despite my desire to mongoose bmx only bike for exercise, I do admit I get lazy sometimes. 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.
The panel displays your speed and power level, plus you can cycle through other functions like an odometer, tripometer, and other stats like average speed, max speed, and total ride time. mongoose excursion The alloy frame features a coil sprung suspension fork to smooth out bumps in the road or trail. Schwinn’s electric bicycle line has significantly expanded over the last couple years.
The aluminum frame, along with the upward curved handlebars, creates an upright sitting position. All bikes purchased through City Grounds MUST be assembled by a certified bike shop mechanic. If the bike is NOT built by a certified bike shop mechanic, any warranty will be VOID. We will request for an assembly receipt as proof of professional installation.
I did notice some speed wobbles at higher speeds when riding with no-hands (be careful not to let this get out of control or you may crash). One upside to a front hub motor is that it reduces the complexity of the rear wheel which usually has cogs and a derailleur already crowding the space. One thing I would have liked to see on the front wheel with this ebike is a quick release as this is offered at the back and also on the seat tube and it just makes servicing easier. Considering there is an aluminum alloy suspension fork on the front of this bike, I’m glad the motor isn’t too powerful or it miay negatively impact travel and perhaps even weaken this part.
Cantilever brakes grab the rims for stopping power, although with the price of this bike, we would expect disc brakes. Front and rear lights that run off a traditional tire-contact generator are included. The whole package is aesthetically really old-timey looking — which will not please everybody, though we find it to be really quite charming. It’s surprisingly elegant, and though one friend described it as “goofy” looking, we think that its look suits the intended rider — but more on that below. For those not terribly familiar with electric bikes, the Schwinn’s battery charges up about as fast as its contemporaries on the market, and is actually much faster than many. Take your adventure further than ever before with an electric mountain bike.
That being said, the small-ish 250W motor isn’t going to be a powerhouse on hills. The bike accelerates fine on flat ground, but you’ll definitely need to add some leg assist if you’re going to be climbing tall hills. Speaking of which, check out my video below to see the bike’s performance and features in action, including those cool frame lights. A removable battery allows extra batteries to be used, extending the range of the bike. Unfortunately, Schwinn doesn’t outfit the Monroe 250 with any accessories you’d typically want for commuting, such as fenders or racks. To be fair, not many competing e-bikes tend to come with these extras anyway, so with its comparatively low price, you’ll have extra money to pick out the accessories you want.
Court – good work on the site, you have really stepped things up. By the way, it is my understanding that Schwinn has not made bikes for many years but just licenses their name. About ten years ago we sold Currie electric scooters under the Schwinn name. You will receive the key(s), charger(s), all the accessories you see on the pictures if there are some (rack, basket, bag, etc except the bike stand in the photo) and the user guide if we have it. The pictures you are seeing on the product page are the pictures of the exact bike you will receive if you purchase it. At Upway we truly believe in transparency and trust, so we decided to take the time to have at least 7 pictures of each bike we have in stock so that you know exactly what you are buying.