The controller is what you use to turn the motor on/off, select your level of assistance or throttle, and monitor battery level. Among the former is Schwinn, which has stood as one of the mainstays of the bicycle industry for over 125 years, and has recently released the Coston DX e-bike. Biking season is on the way, so we thought now would be a good time to share our review of the Schwinn Coston DX. While not a new invention, electric bicycles have only recently become more of a household name. E-bikes are increasing in popularity for good reason, but there are a lot of people who have understandable reservations. When you grow up riding something as standard as a classic Schwinn bike, trying an electric bike can feel somewhere in between exciting and nerve-wracking.
And at the end of the day, we’re talking about an affordable cruiser, so I didn’t expect to find high-end shifters, hydraulic disc brakes, or suspension on the bike. The Shimano Tourney shifter, mechanical disc brakes, and plushy spring saddle are enough for me. I’ve seen this level of components on electric cruisers that cost nearly twice as much.
What makes me excited about the bike is the possibilities that it opens up, but like a lot of aspects of this bike, it’s something of a double-edged sword. 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. The bike should have an estimated range of 18 miles without pedalling.
Use the “+” and “–“ buttons to select your level of pedal assist. We recommend starting on the lowest level of pedal assistance. Use the included charging cable to connect the battery to a standard household outlet. I understand that I’m a big guy, and I’m also about 50 pounds over the maximum advertised weight for this bike. I was probably never going to get 35 miles out of this or any other bike.
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. When riding with level 5 assistance my pedals were free-spinning most of the time even on the highest gear. Ride up to 20 MPH with the 250-watt pedal assist hub motor that gives you a boost while you pedal. One of the valid concerns raised by riders of e-bikes is the ability of their e-bikes to hold a charge and provide pedal assistance when they’re out for rides of longer distances. Whether you’re commuting, exploring new trails, tooling around town, or all of the above, a sport hybrid e-bike can handle it all.
7-speed twist shifters offer smooth gear changes, mechanical disc brakes deliver all weather stopping power, and the alloy frame provides lightweight durability. Of course, the premier feature of this e-bike is the “e” part. This is a class 1/class 2 e-bike in that it can be a pedal-assist bike up to 20 mph or you can use a dedicated throttle lever without schwinn ebike pedaling. You will want to check your local regulations to find out what is legal in your area. Most places are fine with class 1 e-bikes, but different municipalities have different rules pertaining to class 2 and above. I’m sure that keeping it in low pedal assist will still net riders the claimed maximum of 35 miles that Schwinn promises.
The motor still comes into play here and provides some assistance by giving an extra boost each time you pedal. Using PAS, the bike will not accelerate without use of the pedals like the throttle does. The Pedal Assist System, or PAS, is a feature of your e-bike that provides extra power behind each pedal. It all runs through the LCD display located on the handlebars, from here you can toggle between one of 7 levels of assistance and turn on the PAS. Once you turn it on, the system engages each time you pedal on the electric bike. If you don’t press the power button to turn on the PAS, it will feel like you’re riding a regular bike when you pedal.