The Schwinn Monroe 250 gets its 250 moniker from how many watts the hub drive puts out. This power level proved more than enough for me and my lifestyle, though there are models from other brands with 500 watts should you need even more. All bikes purchased through City Grounds MUST be assembled by a certified bike shop mechanic. If the bike is NOT built by a certified bike shop mechanic, any warranty will be VOID.

The suspension isn’t top of the line and doesn’t include lockout but it definitely smoothes out the ride and the adjustability of the stem and handlebars is wonderful. Well, let's just say it really, seriously provides assistance. After you crank it on (okay, there's no cranking involved -- just a button press), you'll feel it kick in after maybe five seconds. It's a bit jarring the first time or two, but that's par for the course, and you'll warm up to it quickly.

Hitting curbs or potholes will be smoother than most pure commuter bikes, especially considering the inclusion of the front suspension fork and suspension seat post. At first, I was nervous about the bike going 20 miles an hour. On my long rides on a hybrid bike, I averaged 15 mph but once I got going, I realized 20 mph isn't a big deal. Similar to how you can change gears on a multi-speed bike, you can choose how much the motor assists you, too.

You can plug the battery in while it's inside the bike, or you can use an included key to remove the battery from the bike for charging. I understand that I'm a big guy, and I'm also about 50 pounds over the maximum advertised weight for this bike. I was probably never going to get 35 miles out of this or any other bike. That being said, I also didn't get much extra range beyond miles, even after I set the pedal-assist at level 3.

The Bafang Max mid-motor is efficient, extremely quiet, and capable of climbing steeper hills if…... Overall, given the fundamental shift I have seen in my personal bike riding habits this past summer, I very much enjoy having an e-bike. The Coston e-bike is a good example of that in a much more approachable price range than some others. The LED controls are nice, but also missing some functionality. The Coston e-bike is controlled with a handlebar-mounted LED panel with three buttons on the side.