I think I would prefer something a little more concrete like a numeric display, especially given the range anxiety you can get while riding this bike, but again, some indicator is better than none. Before we get into the e-bike itself, I want to take a moment to talk about e-bike ownership and what it has meant for me. I mentioned the shunning of my trusty Trek bike in lieu of my e-bikes this summer, but the reason for that has been life-changing for me. I’ve been using an electric bike and a shoulder bag for most of my shopping “can you grab me XYZ from Target” runs.
This creates the feeling of being pushed – it’s that extra boost of energy e-bikes are famous for. But of course half the fun of riding a bike is using your own power for propulsion (or at least sharing the load). So I usually found myself keeping it in the second schwinn beach cruiser or third pedal assist level out of five total levels. But while the Schwinn EC1 isn’t a fancy cruiser, it is a comfortable and pleasurable ride. 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.
Our blog is coming in hot with a play by play on how exactly you ride an e-bike. The fully assembled bike appeared larger than the display photo had led me to expect. In fact, I briefly wondered if I’d mistakenly been sent the L/XL size instead of the S/M. I am 5’7″ and the bike fit me fine with the seat post in the lowest position, so it’s likely riders slightly taller could also use this size. I had my 5’3″ daughter try the bike, and she found it too tall for her.
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. 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. We’ve also put together a guide for new electric bike riders that details each step you should take before you ride. This guide is designed to make the decision to buy the best e-bike for riders of all types as simple and stress-free as possible.
I’m not about to pedal around in the lightest pedal assist setting all day, especially since this isn’t a high power e-bike to begin with. So if you’re using liberal throttle, keep in mind that you’re going to wind up with limited range. Choose your level of assistance or ride without it completely. Select models feature a throttle, which makes it easy to get going from a stop.
We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy from one of our product links, at no extra cost to you. Upgrading to a larger capacity battery will allow you cover greater distances and/or ride schwinn dealers for a longer period before needing to recharge. In terms of pricing, this is not the cheapest e-bike you can buy. But it’s one of the least expensive ones you can buy from a bike company.
Speaking of trails, I found that the Schwinn EC1 is great for more than just nice bike lanes and smooth sidewalks. The decently large tires also make it a fun schwinn ebike bike for nature trails and gravel paths. I wouldn’t want to take it off any jumps due to the lack of suspension, but it’s not really meant for that, either.