Schwinn makes its first appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show this year to show off its Tailwind bicycle, which uses new battery technology from Toshiba to enable faster charging and extended battery longevity.
The Schwinn Tailwind can be recharged in 30 minutes as opposed to the four hours required by other so-called eBikes, which use an electric motor to assist the peddler when the going gets tough. In addition, Schwinn says, the Tailwind's battery's overall lifetime is twice that of the competition, with 2,000 recharge cycles.
"With the system turned off, the bike functions exactly like a traditional bike," reads a note on the Tailwind site. "Flip the switch to on and it is an entirely different experience. The powerful front hub motor provides just the amount of extra help you desire, while the long-life lithium ion battery gives you the power to go where you need."
With a light aluminum frame and a front suspension fork, the Schwinn Tailwind goes on sale at independent bike shops at the end of January for $3,200 -- a steep price, especially considering that carbon-spewing cars will continue to ignore your existence while hardier bikers might even find cause to make fun of you. But for those with difficult commutes or low muscle-to-fat ratios, the aptly-named Tailwind could make fun, environmentally-friendly commuting much more attractive.
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