But it’s one of the least expensive ones you can buy from a bike company. Respectfully, most of the e-bikes you find online come from companies with alphabet-soup for names that may sell just as many portable batteries as they do e-bikes. With the school year starting soon, it’s a great time to start thinking about college savings, even for little riders. Now through August 31, enter for a chance to win $10,000 to fund your child’s future. Customer service was good, as we were always kept informed of delivery timelines and the kit was delivered within the 6 months timeframe.
This keeps the rear wheel attached, and also prevents someone from biking off with it. It’s no substitute for a chain, but in a friendly community (such as a retirement community on a lake somewhere), it’s probably good enough. Downsides include complexity, lack of repairability, and adequate braking at best if you have hills. The braking feel is also very springy – there’s no real feedback in the lever, just an increasing force that goes all the way to the bars, and increases braking effort.
Otherwise, the headlight is adjustable to your preference, and the rear light is built into the fender itself. I found the battery removal process to be a bit tricky. The battery locks in schwinn ebike under the frame of the bike, and the front wheel/fender tended to get in the way when removing or reinstalling the battery. One feature I liked was a secondary tab you need to retract to remove the battery.
That’s a big difference when you’re picking up the bike to turn it around or put it on a car rack. Before we get into the e-bike itself, I want to take a moment to talk about e-bike ownership and what it has meant for me. I mentioned the shunning of my trusty Trek bike in lieu of my e-bikes this summer, but the reason for that has been life-changing for me. I’ve been using an electric bike and a shoulder bag for most of my shopping “can you grab me XYZ from Target” runs. On the other hand, in the time I’ve had an e-bike, I have barely touched my poor Trek bike. 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.
They feel like they’re almost in your lap while riding, which is a weird feeling. This is the front light (a Lumotec Oval Halogen) and reflector. I’m not really sure what it’s point is since it’s not very useful at night, but it does have a front light.
You also have the option of setting a time, distance, or calorie workout goal through the bike’s console. Schwinn followed the Scrambler line with the Predator in 1982,[38] their next step into the competitive modern BMX market. The Predator took just eight percent of the BMX market. Schwinn had a very successful BMX factory supported racing team (beginning in 1976) made up of some of the best riders of the day. They were even used for an episode of the TV show CHiPs.
Either way, all you need to do is to connect the battery to a standard household outlet with the included charger. The middle power/enter button turns the bike on while holding it. The battery has to be on before turning the bike on which got me the first time I tried. 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.
Once the controller is turned on, you will be able to use the motor, lights, and other electric functions. Turning takes a little bit to get used to as it is a little more top-heavy than a regular bike with the battery. After a few minutes it’s just like riding a normal bike.
Sure, I could have bought an electric bike for thousands, but I like my original bike and this kit was a breeze to install at a fraction of the price. You can re-position the velcro straps anywhere on the power pack, allowing it to fit to a wide variety of bicycle types. Add the optional LED display to your Kit to unlock extra power modes, track your battery level, plus turn the power off while riding. Unfortunately, Schwinn doesn’t outfit the Monroe 250 with any accessories you’d typically want for commuting, such as fenders or racks.
We recommend it to anyone looking for versatility, comfort, and just an overall solid workout. Above the display is a padded device holder designed to hold a tablet or smartphone. The display has a USB charging port so you can keep your device charged while you ride.