Red LEDs show which mode you have selected and indicate how much charge the battery has left. The best bike for you depends on how you will be using it. You'll need to consider the type of terrain and style of riding you prefer, as well as how far you want to ride before recharging the battery. There are no fenders or a rear rack on the Marshall, which is one of the biggest differences between this Schwinn electric bike and the Schwinn Coston electric bike. The Coston e-bike comes with a typical brick-on-a-string charger that plugs into a normal 110v outlet. Schwinn advertises that it takes about four hours to charge. 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. In addition to the 5 assist levels, there are 7 gears. On slow steep hills or trails a lower gear with a bit of assist keeps you moving. In fact, the motor disengages when you stop pedaling or when the brakes are engaged. A good thing in the case of the latter, as I discovered the motor is surprisingly powerful. The bike can also tell when you are going downhill or coasting and will disengage the motor to save battery power. The acceleration is palpable but not jerky or jarring, although, like me, you may be initially surprised at its strength. Down with exhausted calves — all hail the rise of the ebike! Arriving at work sans car AND sans sweat makes cycling much more viable to those that don’t have the facilities or leeway at work for a morning commute work-out on a traditional bike. If their goal was a lot of media coverage for them and, more importantly, Toshiba, they succeeded. But if their goal was to build a good bike, I think they failed. Yes, Schwinn makes a variety of high-quality hybrid and cruiser e-bikes that are perfect for commuting, errands, or cruises through town. These bikes are best for beginners and casual riders, as they are set up with an upright riding position and comfortable frame geometry. Many of the bikes also feature accessories such as integrated LED lights, front suspension, rear racks, and fenders. The Coston CE’s battery is a bit smaller, whereas the 250W motor is just as powerful as the other Schwinn e-bikes. The riding position is comfortably upright but still able to lean into things off-road. It still lets you stand if you’re trying to get up a particularly steep part of a hill or over a rough section on the trail. This super casual e-bike keeps its battery mounted in the included rear rack, and uses a pedal-assist and throttle drive system with a max speed of 20mph.