The battery capacity is high enough for extended riding. We rode the Tailwind for an hour without discharging the battery completely. On flat roads, we found the assist useful, helping the bike along with minimal pedal input required. The gears allow you to put in as much physical exertion as you feel like. From a stop, it’s good to have the bike in low gear, otherwise starting out can be difficult, made more so by the fact the motor won’t kick in until you’ve been pedaling. Finally, the position of the plug connector for the battery pack means it can only be recharged when taken off the bike.
You can plug the battery in while it’s inside the bike, or you can use an included key to remove the battery from the bike for charging. As reviewed, the bike didn’t have much in the way of storage, but other models have a rear rack and even storage in the seat. 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. The low power motor is matched by a low capacity battery. With just 288 Wh of capacity, the battery surprised me, and not in a good way.
As this bike isn’t at all suited to hills, this isn’t a problem at all. The front fork evens out the bumps on the pavement and the dirt. The mountain bike shape makes it easy to ride on rough trails as well. The balance with the the battery takes a bit to get used to but then it’s all fun anywhere you go.
Select Schwinn e-bikes include a headlight and taillight to help you see and be seen during low-light rides. The Coston and Marshall e-bikes also have schwinn mountain bike lights along the battery for additional visibility and a sleek, modern look. If they’re shallow hills (perhaps, what Iowa calls a hill), you’re fine.
Mechanical disc brakes help provide plenty of stopping power, whereas one of the standout features is the rear rack which has a 55lb. Each has a powerful motor, pedal-assist, and throttle modes to choose from, and an extended range of at least 35 miles. Tailwind is a very apt name for this bike, as the motor gives a palpable assist when it kicks in.
You still need to send the battery and charger in using our Battery Intake Form so we can service your rebuild. Labor and shipping schwinn road bike are the responsibility of the customer. We do not cover parts purchased and labor performed by another bike shop.
And when it comes to serious hills, the Coston gets left far behind other e-bikes. 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 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.
It’s, obviously, 3D – I really hate those 2D seats, so this is a good one. Schwinn are now in their second generation of ebikes with the Marshall, Coston CE and DX. The Marshall is a bit more sporty for off-road and on. The Coston CE and DX are more at home on the pavement. I think the battery built into the bottom tube looks cool. Most ebikes just have a big battery hanging off the bottom tube.
Such a feature is fairly inaccurate all things considered, but some estimate is better than no estimate. When you think about EVs, you probably (rightly) think of cars. 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. So to offer a full-size electric bike with otherwise nice commuter features yet with such a small battery is a bit surprising. The most obvious thing about riding this bike is the riding position.
Sharing the same 288 Wh battery as the Marshall, the Coston CE has a 35-mile range and can hit a top speed of 20mph. 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. But don’t expect to sit back and let the Tailwind whisk you along–the electric motor on this bike merely provides assistance; the rider still has to pedal.