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. 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. Of course, if you read the headline, you know I’m talking about electric bikes, and I’ve had the opportunity to test out Schwinn’s Coston CE electric bike for the past three weeks (and an older model before that).
Some thought was put into the idea there and I appreciated it. The Coston e-bike comes with a typical brick-on-a-string charger that plugs into a normal 110v outlet. 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. The battery meter is comprised of five segments to give you an estimate of how much power you have left. I think I would prefer something a little more concrete like a numeric display, especially given the range anxiety you can get while riding this bike, but again, some indicator is better than none. 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.
We’re confident that in no time at all you’ll be zipping around town, pedaling on a path, or motoring down a trail in the quiet woods. Below, we’ve put together an easy-to-use guide on picking the best Schwinn e-bike for you. All it takes is careful consideration of a few questions and then a bit of a deeper dive to explore what options and features you want most on your electric-powered ride. Overall, given the fundamental shift I have seen in my personal bike riding habits this past summer, I very much enjoy having an e-bike. The Coston e-bike is a good example of that in a much more approachable price range than some others.
Powering the motor and LED display console is an average sized 36 volt 11.6 amp hour battery pack that is mounted to the downtube. Do be careful of the wire brake line, which is run along the base of the top tube, because it could get snagged or schwinn mountain bicycles rub into the frame and scratch it over time. Many of the other wires, for the electric assist and control systems, are internally routed through the frame. This design choice makes the bike look nice and provides good protection. I love how the battery pack slides out to the right vs. mounting down from the top and appreciate the three-bolt design of the track, which provides more strength where it attaches to the frame.
A Schwinn e-bike only activates extra power when you pedal and when a PAS level is turned on. Your e-bike comes with a battery, a charger, and a charging cord. Plug the cord into the charger, then plug it into the battery and, finally, schwinn electric bike plug it into the wall.