The SCiB batteries are power dense, charge insanely fast, are proprietary and un-obtainable by normal people, and just don’t make sense for an electric bicycle. It got a lot of positive press for Schwinn and Toshiba, but it’s not a very good electric bike. Even when it came out, the 350W BionX packs were setting a standard, and this bike missed it – badly. To charge the battery pack, you have to take it out of the bike. It comes out easily, but this is quite annoying, given that you charge the bike pretty much every time you ride it (or, at least, you will be, with this small a pack).
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. Over the years, Schwinn has empowered millions of people, earning a special place in the hearts and minds of generations of riders. We have spent over a century building the bicycle industry into what it is today, and we’re not done yet.
If you’re looking for a solid ebike to help you get around on-road and off, definitely check out the Schwinn Marshall. I like how the Marshall is a bit more upright than a standard mountain bike but in a better position for standing than a cruiser. The up and down are mostly for adjusting the pedal assist levels up and down. The motor stops assisting when you hit 32 km/h (20mph) with the throttle or pedalling. You can still pedal faster but the motor won’t assist.
This button is located on the underside of the downtube near the cranks. Use the included charging cable to connect the battery to a standard household outlet. The 250 watt motor could be bigger for this bike to use the throttle regularly and give a better boost on hills. The battery fits inside the bottom tube of the bike which gives it a sleek look. A 7-speed transmission from Microshift also adds to the commuter street-cred, giving those in hilly areas the ability to run through the gears on hills.
The part I have the most trouble with is the fine-tuning, which is one of the most important aspects of the set-up process. The Schwinn Monroe 250 gets its 250 moniker from how many watts the hub drive puts out. This power level proved more than enough for me and my lifestyle, though there are models from other brands with 500 watts should you need even more. I’d been hesitant to test an electric bike for years. The way I viewed it was that I ride bikes for exercise, so why would I ride one that does most (if not all) the work for schwinn beach cruiser me?
A few participants began designing and building small numbers of mountain bikes with frames made out of modern butted chrome-molybdenum alloy steel. Using the standard electro-forged cantilever frame, and fitted with five-speed derailleur gears and knobby tires, the Klunker 5 was never heavily marketed, and was not even listed in the Schwinn product catalog. Unlike its progenitors, the Klunker proved incapable of withstanding hard off-road use, and after an unsuccessful attempt to reintroduce the model as the Spitfire 5, it was dropped from production. The Coston CE is a hybrid e-bike with several frame sizes available in both step-thru and stand over styles.
I suspect this is designed to reduce battery drain when idle, but it doesn’t really work. There’s not a great spot for the wheel lock key, though you can sort of wedge it into the frame if you try. After leaving the cemetery, I pedaled a county road that unrolls over five hilltops with valleys in between. On the downhills, I went to 0 assist and flew down, hitting 36 mph on one of them. In each case I pedaled unassisted part way up the next climb, moving to a numbered assist level only when gravity began to bite.
We can’t stress enough how critical it is to choose the right-sized bike. Well-fitted bikes provide the most comfort and can make the difference between falling in love with cycling and simply struggling through mundane rides. Below, we offer suggestions based on your height, including one bike made specifically for tall riders. By 1950, Schwinn had decided the time was right to grow the brand. At the time, most bicycle manufacturers in the United States sold in bulk to department stores, which in turn sold them as store brand models.
Keep in mind that you might be on your own since it likely won’t come with instructions — at least mine didn’t. Even though I don’t like it, it’s got a major redeeming factor. I’m just going to start at the front of the bike and work back. Our cycling expert editors and writers choose every product we review. We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy from one of our product links, at no extra cost to you. On the hilltop, the cemetery lanes are a mix of paved and gravel surfaces, and the robust 27.5 x 2.6 unbranded tires with hybrid tread performed well on both.
It shows you what gear you’re in (1 is low, 8 is high), and you twist it to shift. Quick, easy, and when properly adjusted, surprisingly nice. It’s a brushless geared motor (excellent!), and supposedly rated for 180W sustained/250W peak output, though I haven’t stuck an ammeter on it to verify the power consumption (and, sadly, I lack an ebike dyno). It doesn’t seem to have been a very popular bicycle.