Schwinn Recumbent Exercise Bike Find, Compare and Review of Schwinn Recumbent Exercise Bike

1. 

   Ray Stoecklin
   June 10th, 2007 - 23:17

   Rating

   CHOICE: I was looking for an indoor exercise machine that I would love to use on a daily basis, while taking in a show or read. Many reviewers of the upright Schwinn bike complained about discomfort, and owning a top-shelf Cycleops fluid trainer I know what that means, so the upright bike was not an option to me. I also passed on an elliptical machine because the bobbing would probably make it strenuous to watch TV and interfere with my motivation. So, having decided on wanting a recumbent bike, I picked this model even though there were no reviews at the time. I believe the #213 bike Schwinn 213 Recumbent Exercise Bike to be the older model of this (even though Schwinn ships both models currently), and it has gotten mostly good reviews.

   SHIPPING: a lot of people had major problems when they ordered the #213 bike via Amazon (read the reviews, sort by lowest). I took the plunge anyway, hoping that my Amazon Prime membership would kick in (faster shipping often means less damage). The system gave me odd and changing dates all over the place (will ship in 2 days out, expected arrival one week out, ..) and there was only 1 shipping option (Standard). However, the bike was delivered via UPS within two days like I had hoped. The box was a bit “roughed up”, held together with straps and it even had a small hole on one corner. Also, on the inside, some styrofam was broken; obviously the thing was dropped at least once. I wouldn’t call it damaged though, and all parts ended up ok. Incidentally, I live in a non-elevator building, and to get the bike to my 5th floor apartment, I took it apart in the lobby, then walked up the stairs about five times with the parts. That worked fine, except for the fact that the bottom- piece was really heavy, but hey, it’s about exercise

   ASSEMBLY: in short, this was painless. There is a small booklet which explains everything step-by-step. Some pages look complicated because of the exploded parts illustration, but they’re not – just read the simple instructions instead of focusing on the picture. All the tools and screws were included in a blister pack, and labeled correctly. The only small mistake I made was to forcibly connect the computer cable the wrong way (hint: the plugs are NOT the same on both ends, even though they look alike). I think it took me a leisurely 60-90 minutes to assemble the bike; if you have help or you mean it, you could do it in less.

   BUILD: first of all, the bike looks better than I expected. More futuristic than industrial, and not all that ugly in my living room. Some parts feel a little cheap to the touch; for example, the front flywheel is housed in plastic which chips and cracks easily, the bike computer weighs nothing and has these foil buttons, and the “bio-whatever seat with lumbar” is entirely made out of foam, and nothing is adjustable on it either. I guess “lumbar” is not the same as “lumbar control”, as in a car seat.

   WORKOUT: this bike is *silent*. I couldn’t believe it, coming from the Cycleops trainer, but the only sound I hear is my workout pants swishing- absolutely great to watch TV. When I pedal, the bike wobbles a little, which at higher intensities makes it more difficult to read a book that you put in front of the bike computer (there is a bracket to do just that). However, I must admit that the seat really is comfy, and it would be no problem to actually hold a book while working out. The bike computer has a few programs as expected (ride in the park, interval, plateau, etc.) plus manual mode and a somewhat useless BMI calculator. It retains the weight, age, and time you entered last time which is a convenient plus over gym machines. The range of resistance is great, from virtually none to definitely hard to push. The heart rate sensors, as I expected from reading the reviews on the 213 model, don’t work very well: it takes about 40 seconds to display a realistic number once you touch the sensors. This is something that my Polar wrist watch does much faster (not to mention wirelessly and pc-downloadable, but of course at a price), so I use the Polar.

   NITPICKS AND RECOMMENDATION: It would have been fantastic if the bike computer had a Polar telemetry option like most of the machines in gyms now do. Also, it would be great if the front tube could be folded back when not in use, because then I could hide the machine behind the sofa. But all in all, I am extremely satisfied with my purchase and would recommend this bike to others. I use it every day.
2. 

   N. Tucker
   July 5th, 2007 - 17:17

   Rating

   Did a lot of research before buying. The 230 has corrected some problems with earlier models. Took about one hour to assemble without difficulty. Makes no noise at all, does everything it says it does. No problems with shipping. Really like it.
3. 

   Sherry
   July 27th, 2007 - 16:06

   Rating

   Happy to report I had NO problems with shipping (UPS) from distributor – arrived promptly, all parts intact, and fully functional.
   
   This is my first experience with a recumbent following PT for my knees and I couldn’t be happier with every aspect of the bike. It is easy on the back, has lots of features that make it a real “10″: step-through allows us seniors or anyone folks to access the seat and rise off the machine without tripping on a clumsy crossbar; Totally silent flywheel which allows conversation or watching TV without even turning up the volume (which was not the case with my older upright exercise Schwinn bike); assembly was a breeze because of the great fit and finish of all hardware (OK, so being 62 and female, I am allowed some wrong moves in following the directions, but it wasn’t Schwinn’s fault that it took me about 3.0 hrs to assemble); and the best feature is that it looks good too! Recommend it highly – easily adjustable for my height of 5′2″. Features I would like to see added on next model: lighted monitor panel; memory for recall of previous sessions.
4. 

   N. Dulak
   August 9th, 2007 - 00:18

   Rating

   I have moderate osteoarthritis of the knees, and I bought this exerciser specifically to strengthen my leg muscles. My goals are to increase my knee strength so that I will have easier rehab if I eventually need replacement surgery, and to possibly delay or eliminate the need for such surgery. So far, so good.

   The Schwinn exercise bike was very easy to assemble, and it works like a charm. I generally set a manual program, where I input the resistance level I want, the exercise time and my weight, and there is a very useful readout at the end of each workout. And pulse rate monitoring during the workout is easy with the grip sensors.

   And what is great is that the exerciser is absolutely smooth and silent. You can easily read or watch TV while exercising. That’s very different from a Schwinn Air Dyne aerobic exerciser that I also own. It is very noisy, and it doesn’t do an effective job of knee muscle strengthening but is instead more of a whole body exerciser.
5. 

   Stephen Gray
   October 25th, 2007 - 08:46

   Rating

   I love this bike. It’s well built, has an amazing range of programming for varied rides and is incredibly quiet. I’ve had mine for about three weeks and I’ve never used an exercise product as willingly as I ride this bike. I might actually get into shape. This is definitely not just another dust-collecting sweater rack for the TV room.

   If I have any complaints, they are that the display doesn’t have a backlight and the bike needs to be assembled when it arrives which took me about two hours. As a note: assemble the entire display stand (the front “handlebars” part) BEFORE you attach it to the base. The instructions say the other way around and it’s a pain fishing the wires up through the tube and out the top.

   My complaints are minor, my rating for the bike as a whole is five out of five.
6. 

   Helen Johnson
   October 30th, 2007 - 14:53

   Rating

   The Schwinn 230 recumbent bike is much more than I expected. Since I received it about 4 weeks ago I have not missed a day on it. I personally needed to be able to cardio excersize and have bad knees. This made the choice of the recumbent bike perfect. I read all previous reviews of not only this model but all of the other bikes available. The only thing that this model does not have is a fan which was not a selling point for me. My husband, who is not mechanically inclined, had it together with no problems within two hours of receiving it.
7. 

   Suzanne N. Havican
   November 4th, 2007 - 03:14

   Rating

   After exhausively reviewing this item we made the decision to buy the Schwinn instead of a product twice the cost. We couldn’t be HAPPIER!. The box did arrive very banged up, but the contents were fine. I put it together in about 2 hours, but did it very slowly due to interruptions. Out entire family uses it; mom, dad, teenage son & middle school daughter. It is VERY quiet, good computer screen and nice looking. The step through design is very helpful. I would recommend this to anyone who would like an indoor exercise machine. We use it every day.
8. 

   Melissa Niksic
   January 21st, 2008 - 02:55

   Rating

   I’m very pleased with this purchase. The Schwinn 230 is an excellent piece of exercise equipment that is priced very well.

   The bike arrived quickly after I ordered it from Amazon, and my husband and I were horrified by the packaging. The box the bike came in was banged up and dirty, and taking the various pieces of the bike out of the box made a huge mess. Fortunately, those are the only bad things I have to say about this product. The bike was easy to assemble, and it only took my husband about an hour and a half to put it together. The only part he had a little trouble with was the LCD screen, and I had to help make sure it was aligned correctly before my husband screwed it into the rest of the bike.

   As for the machine itself, I’m very impressed. The bike offers multiple resistance levels and preset programs. The seat and pedals are very comfortable, and the bike has extra features including a water bottle holder and magazine rack, which I also use to clip my iPod to. There are wheels attached to the bike which make it very easy to move the machine from one side of the room to another. As far as the workout is concerned, the bike is very quiet and also incredibly sturdy. The LCD screen and programs are easy to navigate through, and the resistance is excellent. So far the only problem I’ve noticed is the heart rate sensor, which doesn’t seem to be accurate, but I don’t think that’s a big deal (at least for me).

   Overall, I am very happy with this bike. It works just as well as the thousand-dollar bikes you’ll find at the gym, and it’s relatively compact and doesn’t take up a lot of space in my home. I definitely recommend the Schwinn 230.
9. 

   circa1850
   January 30th, 2008 - 06:43

   Rating

   When looking for a recumbent bike, I went to a couple of sports stores (Dicks, Sports Authority) and tried many of them.

   Schwinn to me was a low end entry level bicycle company that had been around for eons.

   I sat on everyone of them except the schwinn.

   Soon I found myself sitting on a bike seat talking to a sales associate. I was surprised at the sturdiness and the seat comfort. Little did I know I was sitting on the Schwinn 230.

   I was very impressed with the overall design, comfort and price in comparison to several on display and that I tried for well over a thousand on up to almost $2000.00.

   I read the reveues and some complained about the difficulty in assembly.

   Then if that was the case, there were either some very inept folks putting these together or the instructions were improved. Assembly was very simple, easy, and timely with great instruction and well marked pieces.

   I am close to 250 pounds, my wife is a size 4. We both comfortably fit on this.

   It is surprisingly, yes, surprisingly well made, designed, and sturdy.

   You can pay less and get less quality. You can pay more, and get considerably less for the money.
10. 

    ok4ablonde
    March 10th, 2008 - 18:40

    Rating

    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 not feeling well overall and a medical condition. 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. 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 Gazelle both went on Ebay and luckily I sold them for a decent amount of money. BTW, this bike is much cheaper here at Amazon than at Dick’s.

    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. 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 Crosstrainer 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, and is very well made and sturdy.

    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. 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.

    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.

    SHIPPING: I opted for the free shipping 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. For those of you who have read the other reviews here with the shipping problems, I think Amazon has switched from using UPS to using Eagle/CEVA Logistics. Eagle/CEVA delivered mine, but I did have to make arrangements to be home when he delivered it – they give you a 5 hour window and the delivery person got lost but was at my home just 2 hours into the “window”. 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, I took the advice of another reviewer here and assembled the computer to the mast BEFORE attaching it to the frame. Much easier that way.

    I’m so pleased with this bike it will probably be my favorite Amazon purchase of all time. If you are on the fence – just give it a try – I’m sure you will love it as much as I do. I write very few reviews here at Amazon for all the items I buy, but I just couldn’t pass up writing a review for this.

Leave a comment

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website

( Cancel )

CAPTCHA Code