That being said, the small-ish 250W motor isn’t going to be a powerhouse on hills. The bike accelerates fine on flat ground, but you’ll definitely need to add some leg assist if you’re going to be climbing tall hills. Speaking of which, check out my video below to see the bike’s performance and features in action, including those cool frame lights. 6-speed twist shifter offers smooth, reliable gear changes. And at the end of the day, we’re talking about an affordable cruiser, so I didn’t expect to find high-end shifters, hydraulic disc brakes, or suspension on the bike. The Shimano Tourney shifter, mechanical disc brakes, and plushy spring saddle are enough for me. I’ve seen this level of components on electric cruisers that cost nearly twice as much. The Coston e-bike is controlled with a handlebar-mounted LED panel with three buttons on the side. Aluminum cruiser frame provides lightweight durability with a vintage-inspired look that never goes out of style. Plus, the comfortable upright riding position makes riding a delight. For seniors, we recommend an e-bike with a step-thru frame and upright riding position. This frame style makes it easier to get on and off the bike, and an upright riding position is easier on the lower back. When you think about EVs, you probably (rightly) think of cars. But there's another class of EV that might have slipped below your radar, but which has transformed my summer in very unexpected ways. The bike was provided by Schwinn for the purposes of the review. Putting your bike together is actually pretty easy. We have a video that details electric bike assembly and with a few basic tools you'll be out and about in a matter of minutes. It’s no substitute for a chain, but in a friendly community (such as a retirement community on a lake somewhere), it’s probably good enough. Downsides include complexity, lack of repairability, and adequate braking at best if you have hills. The braking feel is also very springy - there’s no real feedback in the lever, just an increasing force that goes all the way to the bars, and increases braking effort. It might lock the rear wheel up on ice, but that’s about it. It’s using an internally geared rear hub with a straight chainline, well protected inside a plastic housing to keep it clean and to keep you clean. I really do like this controller for the shifting. This bike comes equipped with front, rear, and bottom lights. The front and rear lights are attached to the fenders while the bottom lights are part of the battery itself. Easily adapt to your terrain – hills, flat areas, and everything in between – with just a twist. Over the years, Schwinn has empowered millions of people, earning a special place in the hearts and minds of generations of riders. We have spent over a century building the bicycle industry into what it is today, and we’re not done yet. Staying active is a whole lot easier when you have fun and look good doing it. Our comfort hybrid bikes bring classic styling to modern functionality for rides that are all about taking it easy (but not too easy!). Schwinn e-bikes are available for purchase right here on the Schwinn website! You can easily switch between power modes, and this is the closest thing to a throttle the bike has. I mostly used the motor in pedal-assist mode, though I will cover the throttle in the next section. The motor on this bike is very aggressive in that is starts up quickly with even the slightest movement of the pedal, and it goes hard. Even when it came out, the 350W BionX packs were setting a standard, and this bike missed it - badly. By modern terms, it’s a tiny system - only about 100WH (watt-hours) of capacity. Also, by some of it’s competition at the time, it was a tiny system. You shouldn’t ride this bike at night without some other source of lighting. Or, at least, replace the generator with a small battery pack. I’m not sure what the 3D label is for, actually. Fundamentally, this bike seems like a bunch of parts bolted and ziptied (yes… literally ziptied) onto an otherwise standard Schwinn city bike frame. Of course, as some of my regular readers might know, I bought one. And bypassed the BMS so I could actually ride it.