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.
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 schwinn beach cruiser e-bike 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.
I’d like to see an ebike have a powered tail light so I don’t have to remember to test the batteries. I’m assuming with the design it’s tough to power anything on the back without a rack. The riding position is comfortably upright but still able to lean into things off-road. It still lets you stand if you’re trying to get up a particularly steep part of a hill or over a rough section on the trail.
That being said, the more you ride the Coston, the more it feels less sturdy than you first thought. The seat post has a tendency to slide under weight, and the fenders and other elements feel a bit cheap and rattly. That’s surprising, considering Schwinn’s reputation for quality. It looks like a tough, no-nonsense bike that verges on mountain bike durability. The layout is also comfortable, with a seat and ergonomic setup that is suited to long rides. In this Schwinn electric bike review, we’re going to tell you all about Schwinn’s electric bike line-up, and who it’s designed for.
The Schwinn® E-Mendocino eBike is designed with a 250W rear hub motor. You can choose the level of assistance you want behind your pedaling, depending on the type of ride you’re taking. This e-Bike is great for helping you conquer those longer rides and big hills. I mostly used the motor in pedal-assist mode, though I will cover the throttle in the next section. The motor on this bike is very aggressive in that is starts up quickly with even the slightest movement of the pedal, and it goes hard.
Speaking of the seat, it’s not the most comfortable I’ve ridden on, but that’s easy enough to replace with a third-party seat if you like. But there’s another class of EV that might have slipped below your radar, but which has transformed my summer in very unexpected ways. The bike was provided by Schwinn for the purposes of the review.