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.
Schwinn advertises the Tailwind as being rechargeable in just half an hour. However, because of the dedicated external charger, you will either need to bring the bike back home or bring the charger with you to top up the battery. We rode the Tailwind for an hour without discharging the battery completely. The Schwinn Tailwind is one amongst a large number of electric bicycles available today, a segment gaining popularity due to interest in transportation alternatives to the car.
Even though this electric bike offers 24 speeds (and thus has grip shifters on the left and right handle bars) the cockpit is relatively clean. The grips are comfortable, the brake levers work fine with the Tektro rim brakes and the display console and thumb throttle are easy to reach and use. There’s not a lot of choice here, you just turn the console on with a 0/1 toggle switch and either begin pedaling or push down on the giant paddle trigger.
On flat roads, we found the assist useful, helping the bike along with minimal pedal input required. The gears allow you to put in as much physical exertion as you feel like. From a stop, it’s good to have the bike in low gear, otherwise starting out can be difficult, made more so by the fact the motor won’t kick in until you’ve been pedaling. There is a company called Rechargeable Power Energy (RPE) that can repack and restore your original battery. I have heard good things about them, that they perform this service for mainstream ebike manufacturers and double check the circuits when performing a restore or upgrade. Check out their website and give them a ring, I hope this helps because I don’t think Schwinn sells batteries for t his ebike anymore.
Aluminum frame with formed top tube design provides plenty of clearance. Alloy oversized handlebar and stem increase strength and improve the rider steering input. My review bike didn’t come with a user manual, so I had to play around with the bike for about five minutes before I figured out how it worked. Basically, the bike turns on once you hold down the power button for a few seconds and the key is meant to release the battery for easier charging — not for ignition.
In the event a replacement is needed, the motor is easy to replace as part of the wheel. Used Electric Schwinn TailwindThis bike is electrically assisted by a motor in the front wheel and has a battery pack in a rear rack. The lithium ion battery pack weighs 6 pounds and is about 15 inches long by 6 inches wide. First, after sliding it into place on the luggage rack, it is supposed to lock into place by flipping down its red handle.
After charging up the battery, sliding it into the rack system at the back of the bike (which could not be simpler), and locking it into place, you’re ready to go. The bike comes with a key which both locks the battery in place and enables the bike to be turned on. There is a battery life indicator on the left handlebar, and the Shimano Revo-shift lever — which controls what gear you’re in — on the right.
For comparison, my main bike — the REI Co-op Cycles CTY 2.1 — is bigger and weighs just over 30 pounds. The added weight makes the schwinn electric bike Monroe a pain to lug into my basement for storage. Fortunately, when riding, I can’t tell that it weighs more than my other bikes.
Court – good work on the site, you have really stepped things up. By the way, it is my understanding that Schwinn has not made bikes for many years but just licenses their name. About ten years ago we sold Currie electric scooters under the Schwinn name. You will receive the key(s), charger(s), all the accessories you see on the pictures if there are some (rack, basket, bag, etc except the bike stand in the photo) and the user guide if we have it. The pictures you are seeing on the product page are the pictures of the exact bike you will receive if you purchase it. At Upway we truly believe in transparency and trust, so we decided to take the time to have at least 7 pictures of each bike we have in stock so that you know exactly what you are buying.
Cantilever brakes grab the rims for stopping power, although with the price of this bike, we would expect disc brakes. Front and rear lights that run off a traditional tire-contact generator are included. The whole package is aesthetically really old-timey looking — which will not please everybody, though we find it to be really quite charming. It’s surprisingly elegant, and though one friend described it as “goofy” looking, we think that its look suits the intended rider — but more on that below. For those not terribly familiar with electric bikes, the Schwinn’s battery charges up about as fast as its contemporaries on the market, and is actually much faster than many. Take your adventure further than ever before with an electric mountain bike.