For all fitness levels - Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike
Written: Mar 11 '08 (Updated Mar 11 '08)
Product Rating:
Pros: Lots of different programs so you won't get bored
Cons: Large footprint, LCD screen has no back-light
The Bottom Line: I highly recommend this bike - it's easy on the back, the seat is easy on the rear as it's nicely cushioned, safer than riding outdoors and very enjoyable.
CRXLover88's Full Review: 230 Recumbent Exercise Bike
Even if you think you are so out of shape you couldn’t possibly ride this bike, think again, and give it a try! I have been lazy and let myself get out of shape the past 3 years due to a problem with hypothyroidism and not feeling well in general. I had gained 50 lbs. due to a sluggish thyroid which medication has now brought under control. Still I had that 50 lbs. to lose. (As always stated, please check with your doctor beginning any exercise program).
Having used a treadmill and a Gazelle glider and finding myself bored with both of them, I decided to try a recumbent bike as this was one piece of exercise equipment I hadn’t yet tried. I checked on-line and found the cheapest place to buy this was Amazon and they had free shipping. So before I took the plunge to order this from Amazon, I checked out this same model bike at Dick’s Sporting Goods and immediately fell in love. So the treadmill and Tony Little Gazelle both went on Ebay and luckily I sold them for a decent amount of money.
Using this bike doesn’t feel like exercise at all, and it is so quiet I can watch the local evening news on TV and the time flies by.
I love the different programs. 1 Manual Program where you just set whatever Resistance Level 1 to 16 you want and whatever time you want your workout to last. There are 6 Profile Programs: Ride in the Park, Plateau, Strength Interval, Ramp Interval, Pikes Peak and Cross Training. Each one of the Profile Programs can be set to whatever resistance level 1 to 16 and whatever workout time you want to do. Other programs include: Calorie Goal, BMI Measurement, Recovery Test, Results Mode, and Quick Start.
The LCD computer displays: Time, interval time, RPM, watts, distance, pulse, speed, calories and resistance level.
At the seat bottom and each side there is what appears to be a handle but it is a grip heart rate sensor. I have used a Polar sensor attached to me and the heart rate sensor on this bike is right on par with the Polar sensor.
Since I’ve only had this a little over a week (and I’ve already dropped almost 10 lbs. by riding the bike for 30 minutes every night and watching what I’m eating), I’m still on Level 1. At the moment I only do the Ride in the Park or the Cross-training programs. I don’t know if I will ever progress to Pike’s Peak, but that program gives me something to shoot for. So whether you are like me (previously doing no exercise) or a serious outdoor biking enthusiast, there is a level for everyone with this bike. I recommend it highly. It is a serious piece of exercise equipment, looks good enough to keep out without hiding it away in a closet, and is very well made and sturdy.
If you DO wish to hide it out of the way, there are 2 wheels on the front end to roll it around and a handle beside the seat back to pick it up on that end and help guide it. I had no trouble wheeling this around even on thick carpeting.
Even though a bike is mostly a lower body and cardio workout, I can also feel this in my abs. It may have to do with the position your body is in on a recumbent bicycle. The seat is comfortable and it is easy to find the perfect setting due to all the hole positions in the seat bar. The seat back has a dual position lumbar support. I’m 5 foot 4 inches and this bike is perfectly sized for me, and also if you are as tall as my boyfriend at 6 foot 1 inches and a slight seat adjustment and it’s great for him too.
Easy to get on and off as the bike has a walk-through design as opposed to a step over design.
The only complaint I have about the bike is I wish the console display was back-lit so I could see it in a dark room. But for all I love about this bike, it’s not a big deal to me.
One drawback if you are short on space is this takes up a fairly long footprint, but not much width. It measures 63” long by 25” wide by 46” tall. The instruction manual claims you should have a buffer zone around the bike of 20 inches on each side of the machine, but I don’t see the need for it myself. I have it pretty close to the bedroom wall and I’ve not had a problem.
Maximum user weight of this bike is 300 lbs., and the bike itself weighs 101 lbs. fully assembled.
You will need for your bike to be near an electrical outlet as the computer console requires normal 110V power – an AC adapter is included and plugs into the front shroud of the bike.
This bike can be used on carpeting or hardwood/tile flooring. The rear crossbar has screw-type pegs to level it.
It comes with a fairly decent warranty: 10 years on the frame itself, 1 year for mechanical and electrical parts, 6 months on wear items, and 90 days labor. I didn’t bother purchasing an extended warranty.
SHIPPING: I took advantage of the free shipping offered by Amazon for this and saved $75.00 by doing so. Mine didn’t have far to ship – it came from a warehouse in Hebron, KY and I live in Indiana, so it arrived quickly – in just 3 days. Until recently, Amazon was using UPS to ship these. There were many shipping nightmares when they used UPS – ripped boxes, lost parts, etc. Amazon recently switched shipping companies from using UPS to Eagle/CEVA. Eagle/CEVA delivered mine, but I did have to make arrangements to be home when delivered. My box arrived in excellent condition with all the strapping intact and no holes in the box. As I unpacked it, the bike itself was in pristine condition.
ASSEMBLY: I’m a female (and blonde!!!) and I had the entire bike assembled in under an hour. All the bolts, screws and washers lined up perfectly and all tools were included – I did use my own Phillips head screwdriver as I preferred a handle with a good grip on it. Also, didn’t exactly following the assembly instructions when it came to the computer and mast. It is much easier to connect the wires to the computer and run them through the mast and out the other end if you assemble the mast and computer FIRST, before attaching it to the bike.
If you have been on the fence about a recumbent exercise bike just give this a try. I hope you love yours as much as I do.
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