E-biking is very powerful and addictive, and it has ruined traditional cycling for me, and I can’t decide if that’s a good thing. So, while my doctor, my therapist, and I all unpack that, this is my full review of the Coston CE e-bike from Schwinn. The features like the neat integrated lighting are rarely seen in the industry and are a definite win.
Well, let’s just say it really, seriously provides assistance. 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 mongoose excursion to choose from on that left control panel — flat, downhill, and hill climbing. On flat riding roads, where we did most of our testing, the assistance creates an experience where, though you still need to pedal, you can definitely feel a substantial amount of help from the motor. We’re not saying it’s without effort, but it’s a greatly reduced effort.
That being said, the small-ish 250W motor isn’t going to be a powerhouse on hills. The bike accelerates fine on flat ground, but you’ll definitely need to add some leg assist if you’re going to be climbing tall hills. Speaking of which, check out my video below to see the bike’s performance and features in action, including those cool frame lights. A removable battery allows extra batteries to be used, extending the range of the bike. Unfortunately, Schwinn doesn’t outfit the Monroe 250 with any accessories you’d typically want for commuting, such as fenders or racks. To be fair, not many competing e-bikes tend to come with these extras anyway, so with its comparatively low price, you’ll have extra money to pick out the accessories you want.
When I pedaled hard, the bike was able to get up to 20 mph in about 10 seconds on smooth, flat surfaces. Pedaling uphill was a bit different, maxing out at roughly 15 mph. Lighter people may be able to get it going a bit faster, though (I weigh 250 pounds for context). There are five speeds you can adjust via the bike’s thumb pad controller located on the left handle.
The panel displays your speed and power level, plus you can cycle through other functions like an odometer, tripometer, and other stats like average speed, max speed, and total ride time. mongoose excursion The alloy frame features a coil sprung suspension fork to smooth out bumps in the road or trail. Schwinn’s electric bicycle line has significantly expanded over the last couple years.
I did notice some speed wobbles at higher speeds when riding with no-hands (be careful not to let this get out of control or you may crash). One upside to a front hub motor is that it reduces the complexity of the rear wheel which usually has cogs and a derailleur already crowding the space. One thing I would have liked to see on the front wheel with this ebike is a quick release as this is offered at the back and also on the seat tube and it just makes servicing easier. Considering there is an aluminum alloy suspension fork on the front of this bike, I’m glad the motor isn’t too powerful or it miay negatively impact travel and perhaps even weaken this part.
No suspension elements but the fork is steel which provides some vibration dampening properties and…… The Bafang Max mid-motor is efficient, extremely quiet, and capable of climbing steeper hills if…… At level 5, the throttle propels you up to 20 miles per hour and disengages if you go faster than that (for example, if you go downhill). Class 2 e-bikes are required to stop assistance past 20 miles per hour. Level 1 throttle tops out at around 10 mph while level 5 will give you the full 20 mph. 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.
Climbing a hill at the lowest gear setting available, without battery power. I didn’t have the opportunity to try out the Monroe before it arrived, so I went on faith. I was also sent the medium frame version, which turned out to be slightly small for me but fortunately, the build ended up being just right for how I like to ride. I’ve put bicycles together on my own in the past and tend to be good at putting the bigger pieces together correctly like the handlebars, wheels, pedals, and so on.
I’m sure that keeping it in low pedal assist will still net riders the claimed maximum of 35 miles that Schwinn promises. I’m not about to pedal around in the lightest pedal assist setting all day, especially since this isn’t a high power e-bike to begin with. So if you’re using liberal throttle, keep in mind that you’re going to wind up with limited range. Longer distances and steep hills are no problem when you have a pedal assist motor and throttle to add a little extra oomph to your ride.