Schwinn Sidewinder eBike Review Tower 100-Point E-Bike Scoring

Nonetheless, I wish there was a way to zip around town without having to pedal at all. Despite my desire to only bike for exercise, I do admit I get lazy sometimes. Despite my weight and the strain it put on the motor, I found that the bike really does have a 45-mile range on a single charge. I didn’t have a chance to precisely time how long the battery takes to charge from empty but it recharged completely overnight or during a full workday. There are five speeds you can adjust via the bike’s thumb pad controller located on the left handle. The LED display shows you how much assistance you’re getting, as well as how much battery life is left.

These features make it easy to integrate e-biking into the way you live, no matter your reason for riding. Designed with high-quality motors like Bosch, Mahle and Hydrive ensure whatever riding you do you’ll have ample power behind you. Powering this bike is a 26.6 volt 10 amp hour battery pack that uses Lithium Polymer cells. For the time period it was released, this was a pretty awesome battery and that shines true today with bikes still on the road.

Hitting curbs or potholes will be smoother than most pure commuter bikes, especially considering the inclusion of the front suspension fork and suspension seat post. The Schwinn Coston CE is very much a commuter electric bike, but it’s not one of those thin-wheeled mongoose bmx messenger e-bikes. Schwinn’s electric bicycle line has significantly expanded over the last couple years. When I first started riding electric Schwinns, I was largely 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.

Once the controller is turned on, you will be able to use the motor, lights, and other electric functions. Either way, all you need to do is to connect the battery to a standard household outlet with the included charger. Schwinn are now in their second generation of ebikes with the Marshall, Coston CE and DX. Most ebikes just have a big battery hanging off the bottom tube. It’s still lower than many mountain bikes making it easier to get on and off, especially on awkward spots on the trail.

Perfect for the experienced fitness-minded rider who wants to push their limits and set a new personal best. For fitness enthusiasts, both road and off-road, our range of electric mountain bikes and electric road bikes are sure to deliver an expert ride.Still deciding? Answer just a few questions about your e-bike hopes and dreams, and we’ll connect you to the bike that fulfils all of your needs. While not a new invention, electric bicycles have only recently become more of a household name.

Pedaling uphill was a bit different, maxing out at roughly 15 mph. Lighter people may be able to get it going a bit faster, though (I weigh 250 pounds for context). 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 me? Even the term e-bike sounded gimmicky enough for me to want nothing to do with them — it’s like how everything these days comes with the label of smart. In many cases, we get these bikes still-in-box from both manufacturers and bike shops as overstock. While you will typically not be eligible for manufacturer warranty for these bikes, this is how we are able to offer them at such a steep discount.

By 1979, even the Paramount had been passed, technologically speaking, by a new generation of American as well as foreign custom bicycle manufacturers. Fully charged, a 250-watt e-bike motor can take a rider about 22.5 miles at 20 mph. These numbers, of course, can vary depending on riding conditions, bike weight, and rider weight. While we offer higher-capacity batteries for our e-bikes, the larger batteries won’t make the bike go faster. Again, most e-bikes out there are Class 2 and only assist up to 20 mph. Just make sure to check the specifications of the e-bike you want to ride and the regulations in your area.