It pretty much does that until you stop pedaling or hit a brake lever. Do recall that this bike was designed around 2008, so a lot of the more modern stuff didn’t exist. However, BionX was around, with their I2C torque sensing motors, so there’s at least some better stuff available. There are four or five pieces of plastic that clip together to seal this thing up very well.
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. 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.
The tail light does glow somewhat, but it’s not very bright, and it goes out as soon as you stop moving. They sweep back at a ~30 degree angle, which is very unusual for most bikes. They feel like they’re almost in your lap while riding, which is a weird feeling.
Today there is an amazing variety of e-bikes available to fit every need. There are electric cruiser bikes, cargo bikes, mountain bikes, and fat tire bikes for riding on sand or snow. The fast charging capability makes it seem like it was focused on fleet use, perhaps for urban delivery. But it’s just not a good bike for this – it’s heavy and slow. The motor assist on this bike is purely pedal assist, though it’s more fair to call it “pedals are moving, motor is on” – since that what it seems to be. Start pedaling, and the motor will chime in at some power, mostly dependent on what you’ve set on the handlebar control.
Throw a better battery and a better controller on it, and I bet you can get a whole lot more than 250W out of the motor as well. The most obvious thing about riding this bike is the riding position. Imagine you’re an 80 year old man. Get your pants hiked up to just below your sternum. Put on your best loafers, your town cruising hat, and carefully step onto this bike. You shouldn’t ride this bike at night without some other source of lighting.
It arrived a week later and after we got it assembled and charged up, I took it for a ride. The Lectric XP has several features the Schwinn lacked — a headlight and tail light for starters. It has a 48 volt battery instead of 36 volt, a real display screen instead of a few LED lights that are invisible in the daylight, and a 300 watt hub motor instead of 250 watt. It has 5 assist modes instead of three and a throttle that lets you use the motor to get started from rest without pedaling. Powering the motor and LED display console is an average sized 36 volt 11.6 amp hour battery pack that is mounted to the downtube. Do be careful of the wire brake line, which is run along the base of the top tube, because it could get snagged or rub into the frame and scratch it over time.
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. We’ve got a wide selection of bike sizes and styles, including electric, to fit a wide variety of riders. Schwinn are now in their second generation of ebikes with the Marshall, Coston CE and DX. The Marshall is a bit more sporty for off-road and on. The Coston CE and DX are more at home on the pavement.
The cockpit and control design of this electric bike are incredibly simple. Once the battery pack has been filled and mounted properly to the frame, it does lock by the way, you just hold the power button on the control pad near the left grip, and it blinks to life. There are two menus here, the left chart shows five dots that indicate 0-5 level of pedal assist. The higher you go, the zippier and faster the motor will spin but it will also draw more power, depleting your battery more quickly. The second chart is a battery level indicator showing five dots, each representing a 20% drop. The display itself is encased in black plastic and has sealed buttons built in that seem well protected from water and dust.
It sounds like the type of thing Snoopy might fly into combat against the Red Baron. Raj – I just picked one out of a consignment sale. No owners manual so this video has helped a lot with the battery removal trick etc (since my only other experience is a Raleigh retro eglide). Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Fully assembledLocal pickup only from Riviera Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, or Vero Beach – call to schwinn mountain bike arrange pickup location and date.
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. Once you have that, you’re ready for all the e-bike adventures you please. If you’re looking for a more practical ride, you can do no better than an electric hybrid bike. Hybrid bikes combine features of other bicycle categories to make an all-around bike you can rely on for errands or recreational rides around town. Sometimes hybrids lean more toward comfort or more toward fitness, but the key is always their versatility and reliability.