They are most noted for when both men and women teams won the Team Time Trial event at the 2017 UCI World Championships in Bergen, Norway. The bike offers a smooth, comfortable ride, enough assist options to either get a workout or just cruise, and has plenty of range to get me around town. 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 schwinn dealers or looking to add to their lineup. 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. When I pedaled hard, the bike was able to get up to 20 mph in about 10 seconds on smooth, flat surfaces.
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.
From electric mountain bikes to unique cruisers and hybrid electric bikes, Schwinn has a range of six electric bikes for casual bike riders. The battery case is integrated into a rear cargo rack and locks in place with a key. Twist the key and the entire battery pack can be removed (a self-retracting carrying handle is built in) for security or to charge without having to lug the bike around as well. A nice perk for those that might use the bike for commuting and cannot bring their bikes indoors.
However, please do be careful of the wire brake line running along the base of the top tube if you try to lift this bike, because it could get snagged or rub into the frame and scratch it over time. Many of the other wires, for the electric assist and control systems, are internally routed through the frame. This design choice makes the bike look nice and provides a bit of added protection but could make it harder to work on. Each frame is available in step-through form and includes wide tires, integrated lights, upright positioning, and a powerful motor.
As a commuter e-bike, I’m also glad to see some good commuter specific parts, like the included fenders and the excellent lighting. Not only do you get typical head and taillights, but you also have LED frame lights built into the sides of the battery. That adds a nice nighttime glow to the bike to give you better side visibility – an area where most bikes are lacking. The Schwinn Coston CE is very much a commuter electric bike, but it’s not one of those thin-wheeled messenger e-bikes. If you’re over 6′, you probably already know that less than 15 percent of the American population is as tall as you.
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.
Here at Schwinn, we worked hard to develop a high-quality ride that won’t break the bank. Plus, we believe in our bikes and back them up with one of the best warranty programs around. National Road Champion as well as the founder of the Bahati Foundation which works to build strong communities by providing underserved youth with bicycles. Giant’s first foray into professional road cycling was with the defunct Spanish Team ONCE directed by Manolo Saiz using Giant TCR frames in custom sizes for each individual rider.
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. 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.
If you’re having trouble going up a hill, just increase the assistance to maintain your speed. Tailwind is a very apt name for this bike, as the motor gives a palpable assist when it kicks in. Because of the way the motor engages, after about five seconds of pedaling, the electric assist can come on unexpectedly, at least the first few times you ride this bike. But the motor doesn’t have nearly enough power to pull the bike along by itself, and you will find you are getting some exercise while riding it. The Schwinn Tailwind is one amongst a large number of electric bicycles available today, a segment gaining popularity due to interest in transportation alternatives to the car.