The Schwinn Tailwind. Just the name conjures images of speed and streamlined design, echoing something straight out of a classic adventure novel. It certainly looks the part, hinting at a blend of style and innovation. But does this vintage electric bike from a renowned brand like Schwinn still hold up today?
For those intrigued by the history of electric bicycles or considering a budget-friendly entry into the e-bike world, the Schwinn Tailwind presents an interesting case study. Let’s delve into a comprehensive review to uncover whether this older model of Schwinn Electric Bikes is a hidden gem or simply a relic of early e-bike technology.
Unveiling the Past: Schwinn Tailwind’s Origins
Launched in the late 2000s and hitting the market in early 2009, the Schwinn Tailwind arrived with a then-premium price tag of around $3,200. This Schwinn electric bike aimed to make waves with its promise of cutting-edge features, most notably being an electric bicycle from the established Schwinn brand. It boasted a unique Toshiba SCiB battery known for its rapid charging capabilities, quickly capturing the attention of tech enthusiasts and cycling publications alike. Its launch even garnered attention from business magazines, an unusual feat for an electric bike at the time. This initial buzz suggested a significant leap forward in personal transportation.
However, despite the initial hype, actual hands-on reviews and rider experiences upon release were surprisingly scarce. Many initial assessments appeared to be based on specifications rather than real-world testing, often conducted by individuals new to the burgeoning electric bike scene. Consequently, the true performance and practicality of the Tailwind in everyday use remained largely untested by experienced e-bike riders.
It seems the initial enthusiasm didn’t translate into widespread popularity. Real-world rider testimonials are few and far between. As often happens with novel, expensive products lacking a clear market niche, the Tailwind’s price plummeted within a few years. By 2013, these Schwinn electric bikes were being offered at closeout prices under $1000, eventually dropping as low as $700. Today, you can even find them on platforms like eBay for around $350, often with battery issues.
This journey from a high-profile launch to bargain bin status makes the Schwinn Tailwind a compelling subject for review, especially for those curious about the evolution of Schwinn electric bikes and the early days of e-bike technology.
Design and Components: A Detailed Look
To truly understand the Schwinn Tailwind, we need to examine its components and design choices. Starting from the front and moving towards the rear, it becomes evident that this Schwinn electric bike is a blend of standard bicycle parts and bolted-on electric components.
The foundation is a Schwinn Urban Tuned City Geometry frame made of N’Litened 6000 Series Aluminum, a solid base for a city bike. The electric elements, however, are where things get interesting.
Front Assembly: Motor, Forks, and Brakes
The Tailwind is propelled by a small front hub motor. This brushless geared motor is rated at 180W continuous and 250W peak output, according to Schwinn. While precise power figures might require dyno testing, the motor certainly falls within this range. The controller, rather unconventionally, is zip-tied to the fork tube – a detail that highlights the somewhat ad-hoc integration of electric components onto a standard bike frame.
A key advantage of geared hub motors is the minimal rolling resistance when pedaling faster than the motor’s assistance. This makes the Tailwind reasonably efficient when ridden without electric assist, or at speeds exceeding the motor’s output. However, it lacks regenerative braking, which isn’t a significant drawback for a bike primarily designed for flat terrain.
Standard rim brakes handle the front stopping duties. They are functional and adequate for the bike’s intended use. A front fender provides some protection, though its coverage might be limited in particularly wet conditions.
The front fork is an SR Suntour Nex 4610, featuring adjustable preload and suspension lockout. The inclusion of a lockout on a comfort-oriented city bike is somewhat puzzling, as it’s rarely needed for typical urban riding.
A generator-powered Lumotec Oval Halogen front light is included. This incandescent light is not particularly bright and its usefulness for nighttime riding is questionable. It’s more of a token feature than a practical safety component.
Handlebar and Controls
The handlebars feature a noticeably swept-back design, angled at approximately 30 degrees. This creates a very upright riding posture, almost placing the handlebars within lap’s reach. This geometry contributes significantly to the bike’s relaxed, comfort-oriented feel, albeit at the expense of aerodynamic efficiency.
The left handlebar houses the front brake lever and the motor controller. The controller is basic, offering an on/off switch, battery level indicator, and a mode button to cycle through low, medium, and high power assist levels. These modes offer the closest thing to throttle control on the Tailwind.
On the right handlebar is the shifter for the Shimano Nexus 8-speed internally geared rear hub. This twist shifter is intuitive and provides clear gear indication. When properly adjusted, the Nexus 8 system offers smooth and reliable gear changes, a notable highlight of this Schwinn electric bike.
Pedal Drivetrain: Enclosed and Clean
One of the most distinctive and appreciated features of the Schwinn Tailwind is its enclosed pedal drivetrain. This design is unique and practical, aimed at minimizing maintenance and keeping the rider clean.
The pedals themselves are sturdy metal units with rubber grips, suitable for various types of footwear, even barefoot riding if desired.
The drivetrain is encased in multiple interlocking plastic pieces, effectively sealing it from road debris and containing chain lubrication. This enclosed system results in a straight chainline, simplifying maintenance and enhancing cleanliness. This is a significant advantage for everyday city riding, preventing grease stains and reducing wear from grit and grime. While removing the cover can be cumbersome for tasks like flat tire repair, the cleanliness benefit is substantial.
Rear Hub and Braking System
The rear wheel features a Shimano Nexus 8-speed internally geared hub, paired with a roller brake. The internal gearing provides a wide range of gears within a sealed, low-maintenance unit. The roller brake, another sealed system, is impervious to weather and dirt, ensuring consistent braking performance in various conditions.
However, roller brakes have limitations. They are complex, not easily repairable, and offer only adequate braking power, especially on steep descents. The braking feel is also described as springy with limited feedback, potentially leading to wheel lockup on slippery surfaces but generally sufficient for flat terrain.
Saddle, Wheel Lock, and Generator Quirks
The Tailwind comes with a surprisingly comfortable saddle, better than many stock saddles found on electric bikes. It strikes a balance between initial comfort and rideability.
An integrated wheel lock is an unusual feature. This keyed lock secures the rear wheel, preventing roll-away theft and bike theft in low-risk environments. While not a substitute for a robust lock, it adds a layer of security for quick stops.
The presence of a wheel generator to power lights on an electric bike is a peculiar design choice. While it provides lighting even if the battery is depleted, generators are inefficient and create drag. Given the electric assist, a small battery-powered LED light set would have been a more practical and modern solution.
Throughout the bike’s construction, the liberal use of zip ties to manage wiring is noticeable, further underscoring the “bolted-on” nature of its electric components.
Rear Rack, Battery, and Lighting
The rear rack is designed to house the battery pack and includes a useful elastic strap for securing cargo.
A keyed switch on the battery pack and a separate power button on the handlebar control the electrical system. This two-step power-on process, while intended to minimize battery drain, can be inconvenient. Notably, the battery pack, despite being key-secured for power, can be easily removed without a key, making it surprisingly vulnerable to theft.
The rear LED tail light and reflector provide minimal illumination, primarily functioning as a reflector. Its limited brightness and dependence on constant motion make it insufficient for safe nighttime riding without additional lighting.
Riding Experience: Comfort in the Flats, Struggle on Hills
Riding the Schwinn Tailwind is straightforward: switch on the battery at the rear rack, activate the handlebar controller if you want assist, and you’re ready to go.
Upright Riding Position
The most defining aspect of the Tailwind’s ride is its extremely upright riding position. The swept-back handlebars and frame geometry position the rider almost vertically. This posture prioritizes comfort and visibility, making it suitable for leisurely rides and casual commuting on flat surfaces. However, it’s not conducive to speed, efficiency, or tackling headwinds or hills.
Pedal Assist System
The pedal assist is rudimentary, essentially operating as a “pedals moving, motor on” system. The motor engages when the pedals turn, providing assistance based on the selected power mode (low, medium, high). This system lacks torque sensing and responsiveness found in more modern e-bikes, which were available even around the Tailwind’s release date.
A quirky feature is that the motor will continue to provide power even when spinning the pedals freely in a low gear, potentially useful in certain situations but likely detrimental to battery range.
Flat Terrain Performance
On flat ground, the Tailwind is manageable even without assist, although its weight is noticeable. The Nexus 8-speed hub provides smooth and ample gearing for flat urban environments. With electric assist engaged at low or medium levels, the bike cruises comfortably at around 12-14 mph. The assistance is subtle and blends well with pedaling, making it easy to forget it’s even working until you switch it off.
Braking performance on flat terrain is adequate. The rear roller brake and front rim brakes provide sufficient stopping power for leisurely city riding.
Hill Climbing Challenges
Hills are where the Schwinn Tailwind reveals its significant weaknesses.
- Insufficient Gearing: The lowest gear ratio is often not low enough for steep inclines, requiring significant effort to climb. Standing pedaling is ergonomically awkward and potentially damaging to the Nexus hub.
- Underpowered Motor: The 250W motor provides minimal assistance on steep hills. It might help with a slow grind uphill, but it’s far from effortless, and quickly drains the small battery.
- Vague Steering: The front hub motor introduces noticeable steering vagueness and a lack of self-centering when climbing steep hills, making handling feel unstable.
- Inadequate Rear Brake for Descents: The rear roller brake offers limited stopping power on steep downhill sections. Overheating the roller brake through prolonged use on descents can cause permanent damage.
In summary, the Schwinn Tailwind is ill-suited for hilly terrain. It struggles significantly on inclines that modern electric bikes handle with ease.
Electrical System: Innovative Battery, Limited Range
The Tailwind’s electrical heart is its 24V, 4Ah battery pack utilizing Toshiba SCiB lithium titanate cells. These batteries were cutting-edge for their time, known for exceptionally fast charging and long cycle life.
However, the battery’s capacity is tiny by modern standards, at just around 100Wh. Even compared to its contemporaries, like the BionX 36V system from 2007 with over 350Wh, the Tailwind’s battery is significantly smaller.
The choice of this battery technology seems driven more by showcasing Toshiba’s SCiB batteries than by optimizing e-bike performance. The focus on fast charging and high power density feels misplaced on a bike that doesn’t require high power output or frequent charging for typical use cases.
The motor can draw over 200W at peak, meaning the battery can be depleted in under 30 minutes at full assist. In real-world use, the range is limited, requiring frequent charging.
Charging: Fast, but Necessary
Charging the Tailwind’s battery requires removing it from the bike, which is inconvenient for regular charging.
The silver lining is the fast charging capability. The standard charger replenishes the battery in about 30 minutes (8.4A charger for a 4Ah battery), and a rumored “fast charger” could do it in as little as 10 minutes, though evidence of its existence is scarce.
While fast charging is a unique feature, the small battery capacity negates much of its benefit. A larger, longer-range battery with slower charging would likely be more practical for most e-bike riders.
On the positive side, the SCiB battery cells are theoretically rated for an exceptional 10,000 charge cycles, promising long-term durability.
The Tailwind’s Enigma: Why Was It Made?
The Schwinn Tailwind’s existence is somewhat perplexing. While it garnered positive media attention for Schwinn and Toshiba, it falls short as a truly practical electric bike, even for its time. Compared to contemporaries like BionX systems, the Tailwind was underpowered and short on range.
It appears to be a city cruiser with a basic electric assist system, driven by a battery technology chosen more for publicity than practical e-bike needs. The fast-charging, power-dense SCiB batteries, while technologically interesting, are proprietary, expensive, and don’t align with the typical demands of electric bicycles.
The fast charging capability suggests potential fleet applications, perhaps for urban delivery services. However, the bike’s weight and sluggish performance make it unsuitable for demanding delivery work.
Ultimately, the Tailwind feels like a product designed more to generate media buzz around Schwinn and Toshiba’s battery technology than to genuinely innovate in the electric bike market.
Should You Consider a Used Schwinn Tailwind?
Despite its shortcomings, the Schwinn Tailwind has a surprising redeeming quality: its current affordability on the used market.
As of late 2023, you can find used Tailwind models on platforms like eBay for around $300-$400, often with battery issues.
If you are comfortable with basic DIY repairs, particularly bypassing the battery management system (BMS) – a common need with these older bikes – and you live in a flat area, the Tailwind could be a viable, budget-friendly e-bike option. Its upright riding position and enclosed drivetrain make it suitable for relaxed rides and errands in flat urban environments or retirement communities.
However, if you live in a hilly area, the Tailwind is not recommended. Its hill climbing performance is severely lacking compared to modern Schwinn electric bikes or other e-bikes in general.
Furthermore, don’t expect any support from Schwinn or Toshiba for this discontinued model. You’ll be entirely on your own for maintenance and repairs.
One intriguing point is that the Shimano Nexus 8-speed hub with roller brake itself has significant value. Buying a used Tailwind for parts, especially if you need a reliable internally geared hub, could be worthwhile. With modifications like a battery and controller upgrade, the Tailwind could potentially be improved beyond its original 250W limitations, though this is a project for dedicated e-bike enthusiasts.
Final Verdict: A Nostalgic Nod to Early E-bikes, Not a Modern Contender
The Schwinn Tailwind represents an interesting chapter in the history of Schwinn electric bikes and e-bike technology in general. It showcases early attempts to integrate electric assist into city bikes, highlighting both innovative ideas (enclosed drivetrain, fast-charging battery) and design missteps (underpowered motor, limited range, generator lights).
While its unique features and comfortable flat-terrain ride might appeal to a niche market seeking a budget-friendly, retro e-bike for leisurely rides on level ground, the Schwinn Tailwind is simply outclassed by contemporary electric bikes. Its poor hill climbing ability, limited range, and lack of manufacturer support make it unsuitable for most modern e-bike riders.
Ultimately, the Tailwind serves as a reminder of how far Schwinn electric bikes and e-bike technology have progressed. It’s more of a historical curiosity than a practical choice in today’s e-bike landscape.
