If you’re like me then you probably considered Schwinn to be your standard department store budget bicycle brand.
But now it appears that the company is stepping up their game with a new line of e-bikes sporting nicer specs.
Schwinn electric bicycle lineup
Schwinn is no stranger to the electric bicycle industry.
The affordable bicycle manufacturer has already dabbled in e-bikes before. The company’s past models haven’t been very exciting though. They’ve generally stuck with cheap hub motors and lower spec batteries.
But Schwinn just introduced two new electric bicycles that offer a considerable upgrade.
The bikes both feature Bosch Performance Line motors. Bosch is one of the largest e-bike mid-drive motor manufacturers, and its products are considered to be fairly top-of-the-line.
Schwinn Vantage Fxe electric bike
The Scwinn Fxe is a sport hybrid electric road bike. It features a Bosch Performance Line Cruise motor capable of outputting 250 W continuous. The motor offers assist up to 20 mph (32 km/h).
The bike sports an aluminum alloy frame and carbon fork with 12 mm thru axles.
The battery is a 400 Wh Bosch Powerpack unit that should last up to 50 miles (80 km) in the lowest power assist mode. It can be fully recharged in 5 hours.
Braking is accomplished with Tektro mechanical disc brakes. The shifter is a SRAM Apex 11 speed with 11-42t range.
The Schwinn Vantage Fxe is priced at $3,499 and is only available on Amazon.
Schwinn Vantage Rxe electric bike
The Schwinn Vantage Rxe e-bike is quite similar, but is more of an electric gravel bike. Unlike the mustache bars on the Vantage Fxe, the Rxe sports drop bars more commonly found on road bikes and gravel bikes. It has the same alloy frame, carbon fork and SRAM apex shifter.
The brakes on the Rxe are upgraded to Tektro Spyre C mechanical disc brakes.
The motor is a more powerful 350 W Bosch Performance Line Speed. It can provide assist up to 28 mph (45 km/h). The battery is also upgraded to a Bosch Powerpack 500 Wh unit, which should last for 60 miles (96.5 km) in the lowest assist level.
The Schwinn Vantage Rxe e-bike is priced at $3,999 and is only available on Amazon.
Electrek’s Take
I have to say that I’m surprised to see Schwinn bikes sporting Bosch motors and batteries. Maybe I’m being overly harsh, but I always thought of Schwinns as bargain basement bikes. I used to buy them to convert into cheap e-bikes, but I didn’t consider them when looking for a retail e-bike.
These bikes are actually looking pretty good, I have to admit. I like the frames, the carbon forks, the shifters and of course the Bosch system, which is tried-and-true. In fact, the vast majority of the cost in this bike is probably from just the Bosch system, which is not cheap.
I also like that the cables are routed internally like they should be to avoid snagging branches on trails or other bikes in a bike rack. I would have preferred to see hydraulic brakes on the gravel bike if it’s actually hitting 28 mph, but the mechanical Tektro brakes are probably fine.
What gets me is the price. $3,499-$3,999 for these things? Come on!
Just yesterday Yamaha released a legitimately awesome electric gravel bike for $500 less than this. And that’s with nicer bike components and a 3 year warranty. Plus it’s Yamaha, and they don’t mess around when it comes to powersports.
Considering that when you check these bikes out on Amazon, the algorithm recommends some other $600 electric bikes that we also reviewed, you have to wonder why someone will pay this much for a Schwinn. But if Amazon starts discounting these to $2k, then now we’re talking!
via: Forbes
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