And with bicycle prices falling in recent months, now is the best time in many years to find really good deals on many of our best-tested e-bike models. After determining which style of bike is right for you, the next consideration is which class of e-bike best fits your needs. These are defined by the type of assist and how fast the motor will propel you. Class 1 bikes have a motor (max 750W) that assists while pedaling up to 20 mph. Class 3 (sometimes known as “speed pedelec”) can have up to a 750W (aka 1-horsepower) motor but can assist you up to 28 mph.
Another consideration to keep in mind when choosing an e-bike (or any bike for that matter) is your height. Schwinn has electric bikes that fit riders from 4’8″ all the way up to those who are 6’4″. We can’t stress enough how critical it is to choose the right-sized mongoose excursion 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.
The “Campus” is the most basic in Schwinn’s 2008 electric bike line, but the term basic does not do it justice. Its a very attractive and well-made vehicle; solid construction, integrated front & rear fenders, reflectors, front & rear brakes, 21-speed Shimano drivetrain, twist-shift grips and a leather saddle. By default, the console shows the battery left, speed, total distance and pedal assist level.
Uphill, however, we definitely expended a significantly higher amount of energy with our toothpick-like legs. The assistance is there, but it doesn’t enable you to truck up huge hills super fast — it’ll give you enough of a boost so that you’re not completely annihilated, but doesn’t do all the work by a longshot. On flat roads, shifting gears will allow you to put more or less effort into your ride as you please, allowing for a lot of levity in the experience. We didn’t clock our speeds, but the bike can supposedly top about 15 miles per hour on flat ground with the pedal-assist on, and that sounds about right to us. Schwinn was soon sponsoring a bicycle racing team headed by Emil Wastyn, who designed the team bikes, and the company competed in six-day racing across the United States with riders such as Jerry Rodman and Russell Allen. In 1938, Frank W. Schwinn officially introduced the Paramount series.
Level 1 throttle tops out at around 10 mph while level 5 will give you the full 20 mph. As reviewed, the bike didn’t have much in the way of storage, but other models have a rear rack and even storage in the seat. 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. So to offer a full-size electric bike with otherwise nice commuter features yet with such a small battery is a bit surprising. The Schwinn Coston CE is very much a commuter electric bike, but it’s not one of those thin-wheeled messenger e-bikes. Schwinn’s electric bicycle line has significantly expanded over the last couple years.
While converting an old bike to an electric assist sounds good in theory, it rarely makes practical sense. Brawny, big, and bold, the RadRover 6 Plus is powerful at its best and sluggish at its worst. With its 750W rear hub, 4-inch-wide tires, and RST spring suspension fork (with 60mm of travel), it’s cushy and stable enough to eat potholes as much as dirt, rocks, and snow.