The Schwinn Monroe 250 gets its 250 moniker from how many watts the hub drive puts out. This power level proved more than enough for me and my lifestyle, though there are models from other brands with 500 watts should you need even more. The way I viewed it was that I ride bikes for exercise, so why would I ride one that does most (if not all) the work for me? Even the term e-bike sounded gimmicky enough for me to want nothing to do with them — it’s like how everything these days comes with the label of smart.
This helps 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. So, if you commute, or you frequently run errands, an e-bike can save you a lot of gas, and get you outside more. So now that we’ve waxed philosophic about e-bikes, let’s get to the Coston CE. In short, think primarily about what you want to do on your e-bike, where you’re most likely to ride it, and how much you want to spend.
An interesting characteristic of cadence sensors however, is that you don’t need to push hard in order to activate them… just keep turning the cranks and the motor will stay active. I love that both brake levers have motor inhibitor switches built-in to cut power instantly when you need to stop or want to track stand at a stop sign or traffic signal. One complaint I have about schwinn dealers the motor design is that the power cable entry point is a little exposed on the right axle. There is a rubber cap to help protect it, but the cable still protrudes a bit and could get snagged or bent and damaged if the bike were to tip onto its right side. I personally prefer rear mounted stands… but I see lots of city bikes that come just like this, with no stand!
The balance with the the battery takes a bit to get used to but then it’s all fun anywhere you go. Then cruising city streets the higher pedal assist and gears help you get up to the 20mph pedal assist limit. schwinn beach cruiser It’s easy to switch through the 7 gears with the twist or grip shift. I had to adjust my derailleur a bit on the first ride out so all the gears hit just right but once it was adjusted it was smooth.
Finally, the position of the plug connector for the battery pack means it can only be recharged when taken off the bike. It would be more convenient if it could be left in position on the bike and plugged in. The frame for the Schwinn Tailwind’s electric gear is built for urban and suburban riding. The aluminum frame, along with the upward curved handlebars, creates an upright sitting position.
Where an average bike weighs about 35 pounds, the Tailwind, as we mentioned, weighs 58 pounds. Of course — this bike does a lot more than your average bike, and its weight is actually fairly low for electric bikes (plus, we’re huge wimps). After you crank it on (okay, there’s no cranking involved — just a button press), you’ll feel it kick in after maybe five seconds. It’s a bit jarring the first time or two, but that’s par for the course, and you’ll warm up to it quickly. Once the electric’s on, there are three modes of assistance to choose from on that left control panel — flat, downhill, and hill climbing.
A handy power gauge gives you a constant idea of your remaining charge. A nice addition might have been estimated remaining mileage, speedometer, etc, but perhaps Schwinn will consider those options on later models. 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. The bike arrived in a standard bike box, but that was housed within an even larger outer box to protect the contents.
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. Riding this Schwinn without the pedal assistance on is, as you’d expect, just like riding any other bike… That said, the ride is extremely smooth and comfortable (likely helped by that excess weight), and it’s obvious by the design that the bike has an eye on casual cruising — and it definitely delivers that. The Schwinn Tailwind uses a Shimano eight-speed gearset in the rear hub, its limited gear ratio making the bike mostly suitable for flat areas. 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.
Regardless, the battery seemed to be securely locked into its rack, so it’s probably not an actual concern, and probably just more mounting evidence of our insane paranoia. On a subsequent test climb, I experimented with the throttle while not pedaling at all. The throttle kept the bike moving, but as I neared the summit, the speed became so slow that I would have fallen over had I not started pedaling.