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Jeez, these Schwinn electric bikes are pretty cool looking, I'm not sure I'd get one, but ebikes are getting pretty fancy... - Pictured here, the 2007 Speedster, here are some of the specs...
- Moto-inspired aluminum Cruiser frame
- Integrated tank carries Schwinn Protanium battery
- Three-speed drivetrain enhances riding experience.
- Triple clamp suspension fork for a smooth ride, chrome fenders and headlight for style and function.
- Long range - Hi-tech patent-pending Protanium® lithium polymer battery is the lightest and most durable on the market. One charge will last approximately 40 miles(Depending on user weight, climate and terrain).
- Plug n' Drive - The Protanium lithium polymer battery is easily removed for recharging due to our Plug n' Drive system. There are no wires connected to this system.
- Lightweight - Schwinn Electric bikes set a new benchmark for electric bikes. Frame materials are aluminum while the electric drivetrain weighs in at about 10 lbs.
- Hybrid - Ride Schwinn Electric bikes as a conventional bike or as electric bikes.
- Fast recharge - Our Protanium battery charges fully in less than 4 hours and provides 100% power to the motor until the point when the battery is fully depleted.
- Internal electric cable routing - Clean looks and added protection.
- Easy wheel change - The front wheel can be disconnected without dealing with cumbersome wires
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Price?
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Nice to see they're jumping on the band wagon. I like the look of it, and I like that they've made the battery pack easy to swap out for charging and replacing with a fully charged one.
That said, any electric bike without some sort of integrated regenerative braking/charging is at best, an expensive toy and at worst, dead-weight when fully discharged. I won't buy one without it.
...Unless they are priced so cheaply that it's cheaper for me to buy one and hack in the charging than it is to equip an existing HPV with something like a BionX retrofit.
But that's just me. :-)
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Ooooh. Protanium! Been looking for some of this to mix my Electronium with.
Seriously though, I'm assuming the front hub is the motor? I doubt you'll be breaking any speed limits with that thing pulling you. Still it looks like a very clean design. Very stealthy electric.
Assuming a front hub motor from the "front wheel can be disconnected without dealing with cumbersome wires" line, they must run wires down each fork tube. Probly positive on one side and negative on the other. Pretty cool idea!
Russ
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[Any electric bike without some sort of regenerative braking is at best, an expensive toy]?
A bike that gets "up to" 40 miles per charge is a toy because it doesn't use regen? This bike will probably top out at under 20 mph, probably closer to 10 mph. Where do you want to go that is a 40 mile and 2-4 hour ride away? Couldn't you just bring a spare battery pack if you felt like riding a bike all day?
And agreed that regen braking puts more back into your battery pack than brakes alone. But unless you live on a mountain, or are stopping/starting every 100 feet, regen braking is not going to increase your battery capacity a noticeable amount compared to just coasting and using brakes sparingly.
[...and at worst, dead-weight when fully discharged]
Sure, if it had no pedals.
I'm no Schwill fanboy, but come on. Cut them a little slack. Expensive toy? Dead weight? A 40 mile range for an E-Bike is not too shabby.
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This bike sure looks nice, but if they're telling the truth about the specs, it sure isn't a toy.
I bought a Charger Electric Bicycle in 2006 and I use it for commuting to work most days of the week. Sure, it doesn't look as curvy and svelt as this one, but it's got the same range (up to 40 miles), it charges in about 4 hours, and I get up to 28 mph with my fancy little rerouting of the speed sensor.
Regenerative braking is ridiculous for a bike IMO, because the added weight of it would literally outweigh the benefits of the recharging.
The only time I ever ran out of juice was when I forgot to recharge my bike the night before. So I pedaled, big deal. Actually at 60 odd pounds it was a big deal hahaha, but I could still do it quite nicely. I'd like to see a car driver who has run out of gas do the same!!
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Can anybody tell me how to reroute the speed sensor to get more speed?
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I can't find these bikes for sale anywhere.
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