But that doesn’t mean the bike doesn’t have a place. The features like the neat integrated lighting are rarely seen in the industry and are a definite win. schwinn mountain bike And the build quality feels like it should stand the test of time. That being said, the small-ish 250W motor isn’t going to be a powerhouse on hills.
They were down to $700 in 2013, and can now be found for $350 with bad batteries on eBay. Surprisingly few websites seem to have actually gotten around to riding the thing when it came out. The up and down are mostly for adjusting the pedal assist levels up and down. The battery is a 288 watt-hour battery built with cells which takes about 4 hours to charge. In addition, the mechanical disc brakes (with 160mm rotors) give plenty of stopping power.
The gear shift for the rear hub is integrated with the right handlebar grip. The control unit is easy to use, with thumb buttons to activate the electrical system and change the amount of assistance from the electric motor. Graphics on the control unit illustrate going up hill, riding on a flat surface, or going downhill. Red LEDs show which mode you have selected and indicate how much charge the battery has left.
If you look closely, you can see the metal bar sticking through the wheel. Also, the switchblade key is visible, inserted into the lock. It’s a good blend of “comfortable while sitting on it at the store” without being horrendous to actually ride.
But I can still review it and provide some feedback on it for people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to find anything recent. Or, at least, get some good detail photos of parts otherwise not covered. The 250 watt motor could be bigger for this bike to use the throttle regularly and give a better boost on hills. Turning takes a little bit to get used to as it is a little more top-heavy than a regular bike with the battery. After a few minutes it’s just like riding a normal bike.
The battery meter is comprised of five segments to give you an estimate of how much power you have left. The Coston e-bike is controlled with a handlebar-mounted LED schwinn road bike panel with three buttons on the side. Nothing feels cheap, plastic-y, or vulnerable to quick failure. It all seems like a robust and well-built electric bike.
Different components are present through the Mendocino, including the Shimano Tourney rear derailleur and Shimano REVOSHIFT 6-speed, twist shifters. The crank is a three-piece 42T, mounted on the 6061 aluminum frame with internal cable routing. Slightly different again is the fork which is a 26” Hi-Ten steel, 100mm bolt-on. 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.