All it takes is careful consideration of a few questions and then a bit of a deeper dive to explore what options and features you want most on your electric-powered ride. So to offer a full-size electric bike with otherwise nice commuter features yet with such a small battery is a bit surprising. The low power motor is matched by a low capacity battery. With just 288 Wh of capacity, the battery surprised me, and not in a good way. Sure, I’ve seen plenty of e-bikes with 288 Wh batteries before. It’s just that they’re usually on smaller, lightweight e-bikes that push the needle considerably less on the scale. The Coston e-bike is a good example of that in a much more approachable price range than some others. But a lot of the nicer features also have drawbacks. The bike is big and sturdy, but also super heavy. The bike is powerful but also discharges very quickly. The bike tops out at around 57 pounds, which is tank-like in the biking world. By comparison, my poor, neglected Trek bike weighs around 25 pounds. That's a big difference when you're picking up the bike to turn it around or put it on a car rack. A 7-speed transmission from Microshift also adds to the commuter street-cred, giving those in hilly areas the ability to run through the gears on hills. It looks just odd enough for drivers to take a second look in a “what the heck is that thing? A second look is invaluable as a rider, where we’d often even be grateful for a first look from drivers. 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. 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. The 250 W motor doesn’t sound powerful, but when I put it in the highest assist level I don’t have to do any work. I can just lightly spin the pedals to activate the pedal sensor and the motor does all the work for me. Admit it, there’s something nostalgic about Schwinn bikes — a trusty old Schwinn that reminds you of your childhood. Of course, the premier feature of this e-bike is the "e" part. This is a class 1/class 2 e-bike in that it can be a pedal-assist bike up to 20 mph or you can use a dedicated throttle lever without pedaling. You will want to check your local regulations to find out what is legal in your area. Below, we offer suggestions based on your height, including one bike made specifically for tall riders. Ride up to 20 MPH with the 250-watt pedal assist hub motor that gives you a boost while you pedal. All Schwinn e-bikes are Class 2, which are the most widely accepted. They include both pedal assist and throttle functions, with a top speed of 20 MPH. Class 2 e-bikes are approved for use on bike trails in most cities and states. ” than a group that actually understood electric bikes, or even had a real mission for this bike. You have to turn the switch on first, then turn on the bike from the handlebars. I suspect this is designed to reduce battery drain when idle, but it doesn’t really work.