Schwinn 230 Recumbent Exercise Bike Review

The Schwinn 230 Recumbent Exercise Bike is one of the best values for a recumbent type bike. The various customer reviews reinforce that point. Schwinn bikes are built by Nautilus, the folks that give you the Bowflex home gyms and the Bowflex TreadClimber. The Bowflex marketing strategy is to inundate people with countless infomercials and questionable hype.

However, Nautilus uses a different approach to marketing the Schwinn brand. They built the best exercise bikes in their price range and sell them for a good value. This fact is reflected in several "Best Buy" ratings, including one from a very prominent consumer magazine.

Note: As of 10/16/09 the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Exercise Bike was selling for $448 at Amazon.com. Go to www.Amazon.com/230 for the latest price.

Schwinn has taken their 100+ years of experience in building bikes and applied to their exercise bikes. This focus on quality and value also applies to their elliptical trainers. The Schwinn 430 and 431 are some of the best budget ellipticals available. For the price they are very durable machines.

Features on the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Exercise Bike

Comfortable Seating - The Schwinn 230 is designed with a wide seat with dual position lumbar support and back and side bolsters. Overall, the seating is fairly comfortable, and the more comfort, the more likely you will exercise longer.

Walk Through Design - There is no center rail to step over. Getting on the Schwinn 230 exercise bike is like sitting down in a chair. A perfect design for older individuals and people with injuries.

Workout Programs - You get a decent selection of challenging workout programs that include 1 Manual, 6 Profile, Calorie Goal, BMI Measurement, Recovery Test, Results Mode and Quick Start.

Console - The Schwinn 230 is equipped with an inexpensive LCD display, which is to be expected at this price range. However, it provides you with a variety of feedback including Time, Interval Time, RPM, Watts, Distance, Pulse, Speed, Calories, and Resistance.

Stable Weight - At 101 lbs. unit weight the 230 is fairly stable and should handle users up to 240 lbs.

20 Lbs. Flywheel - This is a decent weight for an exercise bike flywheel and it will contribute to a natural bike pedaling feel.

Resistance Levels - There are 16 different levels of resistance, which results in minor differences from one level to another. As with most exercise bikes you get a computer controlled Eddy Current Drive System - giving you smooth motion control.

Warranty - Like their Elliptical Trainers, this is where Schwinn falls short. The warranty is rather light and I would recommend you get an extended warranty to protect your investment. The coverage is 10 years - Frame; 1 year - Mechanical and Electric; 6 months - Wear items and 90 days - Labor

Other features includes heart rate monitor grips, water bottle holder, magazine rack and transport wheels.

Our Review - Schwinn 230 Recumbent Exercise Bike

When you factor the price and combine it with the features and quality of this recumbent bike, the Schwinn 230 is one of the best values at around $500. Are there better exercise bikes? Of course, but plan to spend at least few hundreds to get that better quality.

If your budget is limited and you want the comfort of a recumbent bike, this is your best choice.

Customer Reviews

On Amazon there were over 180 customer reviews of the Schwinn 230. It rated 4.5 stars out of 5 stars, which is impressive considering the price. Comments included...

"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."

"The Schwinn 230 recumbent bike does not have all the bells and whistles, but is a solidly built product at a great price. The computer that came with it had enough functions to make my workouts interesting enough, and this bike really excels at providing a very smooth and almost inaudibly quiet ride. Perfect for watching television or movies."

"This bike was a bargain on Amazon and is just what I needed. I am only 5 feet 1 inch tall, but the adjustable seat gets me in the correct position to pedal my way to a healthier life. I couldn't believe the quickness of shipping, the bike came immediately. My husband had no problems in putting the bike together with the enclosed tool kit. Thanks so much for a great item, great price and great shipping!"