One of the valid concerns raised by riders of e-bikes is the ability of their e-bikes to hold a charge and provide pedal assistance when they’re out for rides of longer distances. The bike offers a smooth, comfortable ride, enough assist options to either get a workout or just cruise, and has plenty of range to get me around town. That it’s also one of the more inexpensive e-bikes on the market makes the Monroe 250 an excellent choice for anyone buying their first e-bike or looking to add to their lineup. The front fork evens out the bumps on the pavement and the dirt. The mountain bike shape makes it easy to ride on rough trails as well. The balance with the the battery takes a bit to get used to but then it’s all fun anywhere you go.
Speaking of which, check out my video below to see the bike’s performance and features in action, including those cool frame lights. I really enjoyed my time with Schwinn’s Monroe 250 Single-Speed Electric Bike and was sad when it came time for Pacific Cycle — Schwinn’s parent company — to take it back. It was such a joy to ride around and truly turned me in favor of e-bikes (something I never thought possible). On a subsequent test climb, I experimented with the throttle while not pedaling at all.
This helps keep the battery dry if you get caught out in the rain. So, if you commute, or you frequently run errands, an e-bike can save you a lot of gas, and get you outside more. So now that we’ve waxed philosophic about e-bikes, let’s get to the Coston CE. When you’re a parent of two who works from home, this sort of quick trip to the store can happen fairly often. Normally, I’d hop in my car and zip down to the store, but this summer, I was able to stop using my car and start using my bike for almost everything.
The Marshall has a 6061 aluminum frame with internal cable routing, along with JAK 7 mechanical disc brakes with a 180mm front rotor and 160mm rear rotor. At the front of the Schwinn Marshall is a 27.5”, Hi-Ten steel fork with 100m travel. This offers plenty of cushion for off-road riding, or in case you hit any potholes on the way to work. Its 288 Wh battery is internally housed in the downtube and can power the Marshall for 35 miles per charge (which takes just 4 hours). The motor is a 250W brushless geared hub drive motor, and you can control all the power from the 7-function LCD controller. Never before has an electric bike been as easy to use as one of the four Schwinn electric bikes.
The battery is mounted on the rack, freeing up space on the frame to enable users to easily climb on and off the bicycle. This bike has a six-speed Shimano gear system schwinn dealers with a Revo twist shifter, allowing riders to move on both flat and hilly grounds. It also comes with full front and rear fenders to prevent splashing on wet roads.
Additionally, the battery is integrated into the downtube, resulting in a lower center of gravity and a more stable ride. It’s fascinating to see that Schwinn has taken special care not to alter the bike’s vintage appearance when integrating its tech features. Schwinn made the decision to fit the battery array neatly into the luggage rack at the back rather than to make any changes to the frame tubes. This indicates that there are no longer any large components on the frame that you need to avoid with your knees. Additionally, adding batteries to frames necessitates new manufacturing techniques, which will certainly drive up the cost of the bike.
The frame is the same 6061 aluminum with internal cable routing. However, the same 250W brushless geared hub drive motor is present, as well as the 7-function LCD controller. It’s the large battery with a five-hour recharge time that separates the Coston DX from the others. With a top speed of 20mph and the choice of pedal-assist or throttle power modes, you will have plenty of choices when it comes to unleashing the power of the motor. The MicroShift components offer great value at this price point, as does the KMC chain and 42T crank. 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).
The Coston DX claims to have a range of up to only 45 miles, but in my experience it was actually well short of this. In general, Schwinn e-bikes are more affordable than Trek e-bikes. However, Schwinn is limited on the individual models you can purchase, and they don’t offer nearly as much extra power as Trek bikes. That being said, both bikes will give you plenty of functionality and quality.
I had my 5’3″ daughter try the bike, and she found it too tall for her. Schwinn has been a large name within the bike industry for over a decade. Generally producing mountain bikes for all shapes and sizes. The Sidewinder is Schwinn’s take on an electric mountain bike. The Schwinn electric bike scored a 33 on our Tower ebike score. Lets get into the review and find what areas the bike struggled in.