Schwinn is introducing the Tailwind at the Consumer Electronics Show, which uses new battery technology from Toshiba to enable faster charging and extended battery longevity.
The Schwinn Tailwind can be recharged in 30 minutes (versus four-plus hours for other eBikes). In addition, Schwinn says, the Tailwind’s battery’s overall lifetime is twice that of the competition, with 2,000 recharge cycles.
It uses an front-hub electric motor to assist the peddler, controlled by a Power Assist Dial on the handlebars to give the rider control over how much power the bike provides versus pedal power.  The battery pack is mounted in a fully useable rear rack.
Read “more” for additional pics and specs.
The bike comes with a SR Suntour suspension fork (with lockout, no less!) and a Shimano Nexus 8-speed internal geared hub on its 6000 series aluminum frame.  It’s available in Men’s Medium and Large frames, and a Women’s step-through in Medium.
The Power Assist Dial lets you select the amount of help the motor provides.
The front wheel’s hub houses a quiet, drag-free motor that is claimed to have no impact on pedaling effort, and it uses a plug to connect, so the front wheel is easily removable for storage or transport.
The battery fits under the rack, though I’m not sure you could slip a child’s seat on there as-is.  Schwinn offers a 40amp commercial charger that will power up the battery completely in under 10 minutes (versus 30 minutes for the consumer 8.4amp charger).  So there you go: Tell your boss you’ll stop parking in his space if he springs for the commercial unit.
All this power comes at a price…$3,200 to be exact.  It should be in stores later this month.
