This plants it in the territory of pedal-assisted e-bikes rather than full-on motor-assisted. On flat roads, we found the assist useful, helping the bike along with minimal pedal input required. The gears allow you to put in as much physical exertion as you feel like. From a stop, it’s good to have the bike in low gear, otherwise schwinn dealers starting out can be difficult, made more so by the fact the motor won’t kick in until you’ve been pedaling. Most of the bikes that I have seen in this range usually opt to have their batteries below the seat (usually packed to the headtube). This placement also puts the battery away while protecting it better from the rain.
The only way you’ll know it’s working is when you notice that you had salmon for dinner two hours ago and now your home is already totally de-fish-ified. If you are using the highest schwinn beach cruiser pedal assist level, you might be seeing mileages in the range of miles per charge. Considering they only pair just a 250W motor, though, that choice of battery seems justified.
And the build quality feels like it should stand the test of time. Schwinn’s electric bicycle line has significantly expanded over the last couple years. When I first started riding electric Schwinns, I was largely schwinn dealers limited to cruiser e-bikes. But with several new commuter-specific e-bikes like the Schwinn Coston CE that I recently tested, this household bicycle name is making a big move on the wider e-bike market.
Graphics on the control unit illustrate going up hill, riding on a flat surface, or going downhill. Red LEDs show which mode you have selected and indicate how much charge the battery has left. Each frame is available in step-through form and includes wide tires, integrated lights, upright positioning, and a powerful motor. With every Schwinn electric bike, there is the option of using pedal-assist or throttle.
The 288 Wh battery runs for up to 35 miles on a single charge. The Coston CE’s battery is a bit smaller, whereas the 250W motor is just as powerful as the other Schwinn e-bikes. The gear shift for the rear hub is integrated with the right handlebar grip. The control unit is easy to use, with thumb buttons to activate the electrical system and change the amount of assistance from the electric motor.
One of the things that I love the most about this ebike is the ride height. Allowing for users from mid-five feet to 6 feet tall, the majority of adults won’t have a problem mounting and enjoying this model. Its wheels are not designed for any serious off-roading, and the rest of the build is not in line with such activities either. Like I said in the opening parts of this review, this electric bicycle feels like a direct crossover from the traditional world into the electric scene. The brand made this fairly tall model look like a standard one. They only carried a battery as cargo – and they nailed that look.