Schwinn Monroe 250 Review

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. The star of the show is its connectivity and functionality with third-party training apps like Peloton, Zwift, and JRNY. Additionally, this bike comes with loads of user-friendly features that help to enhance your workout experience. If manual workouts aren’t exciting enough for you, you have the option of connecting your device via Bluetooth and using apps like Peloton, Zwift, and JRNY. These apps all have a monthly fee but are well worth the cost to have access to thousands of live and on-demand studio classes on Peloton or the interactive virtual training world of Zwift.

By 1979, even the Paramount had been passed, technologically speaking, by a new generation of American as well as foreign custom bicycle manufacturers. I always thought electric bikes let you pedal at you own speed with the motor helping out. They go at whatever speed they are set for and you turn the pedals to keep the power flowing to the hub motor. 1 was a little slow, 2 was just about right, 3 sent me whizzing along faster than I could pedal.

If you’re already highly motivated, you may not need the added inspiration that live streaming, on-demand, or virtual training can provide, but we think it’s nice to have the option. Unlike the more expensive competition, the IC4 does not come with a high-tech console for streaming workouts; you’ll have to use one you already have or purchase one for that purpose. It does have a device holder where you can dock your device for easy viewing, and it has a USB port to keep it charged while you ride. It also comes with a Bluetooth heart rate armband to monitor your pulse during your workout. 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. Anyone who has tried to back up a bike while the pedals are locked with the kickstand will appreciate what I’m talking about.

That it’s also one of the more inexpensive e-bikes on the market makes the Monroe 250 an excellent choice for anyone buying their first e-bike or looking to add to their lineup. The Monroe 250 is also quite heavy at nearly 45 pounds. For comparison, my main bike — the REI Co-op Cycles CTY 2.1 — is bigger and weighs just over 30 pounds. The added weight makes the Monroe a pain to lug into my basement for storage. Fortunately, when riding, I can’t tell that it weighs more than my other bikes. Some of the added weight is attributed to the battery, which checks in at about six pounds.

This helps schwinn ebike keep the battery dry if you get caught out in the rain. Overall, I think Schwinn needs to better balance its approach when it comes to the motor and how hard it pushes, especially when it has a full charge. Once I rigged up my kids’ old trailer into a cargo trailer, I could transport even more from the grocery store.