The Tailwind’s frame is meant for flat city or suburban riding, and, at the end of the day, Schwinn’s entire package here hits dead-on a really specific and growing demographic. There is a small but ever heightening interest in alternatives to gas automobiles in the US, and bicycles, as evidenced by bike-friendly cities such as Portland and Minneapolis. Less pedal-happy cities are beginning to see the advantages of cycling (less pollution, less car traffic) and taking steps to reform their towns. Simply put — plenty of people would rather bike to work than drive there, if distance and climate factors are in their favor, for reasons environmental and health-related. Then cruising city streets the higher pedal assist and gears help you get up to the 20mph pedal assist limit.
There’s not a lot of choice here, you just turn the console on with a 0/1 toggle switch and either begin pedaling or push down on the giant paddle trigger. This makes the bike easy to use for just about anyone and reduces distractions when riding. If you want to know how fast you’re going you will need to add an aftermarket LCD display as seen on the bike in this review and that could cost ~$25. I like that they included a bell with the bike and would love to have also had some lights for safety. Considering the relatively low price point aftermarket lights are something that could be added easily later on.
This button is located on the underside of the downtube near the cranks. Upgrading to a larger capacity battery will allow you cover greater distances and/or ride for a longer period before needing to recharge. Putting the Marshall together takes about 30 minutes and isn’t difficult. It might take you a bit longer if you aren’t familiar with ebikes.
The throttle is a thumb lever on the left side of the bike, next to the LED panel. It has about an inch of travel between off and full, and you can push the throttle schwinn bicycles part way down or all the way down. So, if you commute, or you frequently run errands, an e-bike can save you a lot of gas, and get you outside more.
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 or looking to add to their lineup. But of course half the fun of riding a bike is using your own power for propulsion (or at least sharing the load).
And the build quality feels like it should stand the test of time. 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. Front and rear mechanical disc brakes deliver all-weather stopping power and speed control. Get ready to look good both on the path and in your camera roll.