Even with the step-thru structure, the overall structure is still very solid. The motor is also very powerful, so don’t worry that such an elegant electric bike won’t give you the power you want. Oh, are you going pick up some groceries or go to a friend’s house and pick something up? Whatever you do, you do need a good partner to help you with it. Our electric bikes are your best friend, powerful and sturdy enough to help you get things done safely and quickly.
That’s going to be easy with either of these e-bikes because of the wide open triangle and straight top tube. The bike is very well balanced front to rear and even has enough room inside the triangle for a bottle cage mount, which could also work for a folding lock, mini-pump, or other standard accessory. This is especially true if you add a rear rack or fenders because you’ll have to swing your leg even higher.
That youth-first attitude is fully embraced in our e-bike offerings as well. When it comes to buying things in the 21st century, we seem to have an embarrassment of riches. With so many choices before us, human behavior specialists have observed us succumbing to “paralysis by analysis,” meaning having so many options available makes it difficult to make any decision at all. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be an exhaustive and daunting task to pick the best electric bike. Riders of all ability levels and all shapes and sizes can pretty easily determine the best e-bike for them with just a few minutes of reading and research.
Driving this bike is a very standard, highly recognized, 8Fun 350 watt internally geared hub motor. It’s compact, durable, and fairly quiet in the lower three assist levels. It blends in with the black spokes and deep dish rims visually and is not so heavy as to weigh down the back of the bike and impact riding or lifting of the frame. The motor responds quickly to pedal assist once the bike is moving a bit, because there is only one gear and the first pedal strokes can be slow and more difficult to make. Many of the early electric bicycles I tested in 2012 and 2013 used low resolution five or six magnet sensors but the Monroe 250 and 350 have opted for a high-precision 12 magnet cadence sensor.
The seat post has a tendency to slide under weight, and the fenders and other elements feel a bit cheap and rattly. That’s surprising, schwinn mountain bicycles considering Schwinn’s reputation for quality. It looks like a tough, no-nonsense bike that verges on mountain bike durability.
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. When I pedaled hard, the bike was able to get up to 20 mph in about 10 seconds on smooth, flat surfaces. 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). When I finally started riding, I discovered that I couldn’t be completely lazy. You can’t just sit on the bike and have it zoom you around town — you actually have to pedal to engage the electric motor.
This means that even though the motor won’t start instantly (for lack of a torque sensor) it will start and stop quickly enough to be safe and satisfying. During my ride tests, I found the most comfortable speed to pedal at was around 15 miles per hour. Riding slower than this had a slow lumbering cadence and around 20 mph I was having to spin quickly to keep up. An interesting characteristic of cadence sensors however, is that you don’t need to push hard in order to activate them… just keep turning the cranks and the motor will stay active. I love that both brake levers have motor inhibitor switches built-in to cut power instantly when you need to stop or want to track stand at a stop sign or traffic signal. One complaint I have about the motor design is that the power cable entry point is a little exposed on the right axle.
They seem to be quite strong units, and I wouldn’t expect any problems with them, ever. It’s using an internally geared rear hub with a straight chainline, well protected inside mongoose bmx a plastic housing to keep it clean and to keep you clean. This is a 6-7 year old bike, and my particular example has been ridden a good bit, so it’s not in perfect condition.