I was never really good about making my way out to the gym regularly.
Things always seemed to be coming up that just made it too difficult – cooking dinner, picking up the kids, having to stay late at work.
I finally decided to do something about it by getting a Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Recumbent Bike
After picking up the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike, I really had no more excuses to tell myself on why I couldn’t stay in shape.
However, it wasn’t an overnight decision, and there were a few things I had to think about before pulling the trigger on my purchase.
Here are a few thing you may want to consider before deciding if a recumbent bike is the right purchase for you for your fitness needs.
Space in Your Home
One of the first things of course that you’ll want to consider before deciding if a recumbent bike is right for you is the space you have available in your home.
While enough cannot be said about the convenience of having fitness equipment in your home, realistically, not everyone has the luxury of available space.
That makes the decision of which fitness equipment to invest in all the more important to take your time with.
Commitment to Exercise
Which leads me to my next point. Considering how much an investment purchasing fitness equipment for your home is, you have to be honest with yourself and realistically assess how committed you are to your fitness.
Do you see yourself or your family members using this piece of equipment regularly for years to come?
Given the investment you’ll be making in this piece of equipment, will you use it regularly enough to be worth it.
Who Will Use It?
To go back on an earlier point, you’ll want to consider who will use this machine in your home. Is this recumbent bike enough for their needs as well? Will it help them achieve their fitness goals?
If you live alone, this may be a moot point. However, if you live with a significant other or other family members, you’ll want to consider if they may find benefit in using a recumbent bike.
What Type of Workouts Do You Need
Recumbent bikes are great for getting low impact cardio workouts in.
In addition, with the ability to change resistance levels on the recumbent bike, you can really develop your lower body strength.
However, if you’re looking for upper body workouts, a recumbent bike may not be the machine to help you achieve or progress in that area.
Really take into consideration what type of workouts you can do with the fitness equipment you’ll be purchasing.
How Will You Use It
Another thing you’ll want to take into consideration is how you will use the recumbent bike because it can help you determine which extras you’ll need on top of the main functionality of the bike.
For example, if you love to listen to music or watch videos while working out, you’ll want to look for a recumbent bike that offers an MP3 input or a USB charging port that will allow you to do so.
If you’re a fellow non-athlete and don’t have a clue about working out, you’ll probably want some structure to your workouts.
Will your recumbent bike come with built-in programs for you to access that you can follow along?
Introducing the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike
With that said, if you’ve decided that a recumbent bike fits what you’re looking for in helping you achieve your fitness goals, there’s a lot to like about the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike.
For those who are unfamiliar with a recumbent bike, it’s an exercise bike that you use in a seated position with your legs stretched out.
This position is great for an exercise bike for those who want a low impact, cardio workout ideally.
However, the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike comes with 22 present exercise programs and 20 resistance levels to challenge you based on your level of fitness.
Just because you’re in a seated position on this exercise equipment, does not necessarily mean it won’t be a challenge.
You can set up a profile on the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike to help you track your fitness goals.
In addition, the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike features 2 LCD screen displays that show you how you are progressing during each workout.
Overall, the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike is very user friendly and is designed with comfort and convenience in mind. USB ports and MP3 imports are included so that you integrate the machine with any additional devices you may have at home – like a phone, tablet, or iPad.
Working out with this recumbent bike is easy and convenient, and can be used to rehabilitate, lose weight, or strengthen.
Pros
- Comfortable
- Many programs to choose from
- Smooth ride on all resistances
Cons
- Bad warranty service
- Pedaling noise
- Plastic seat and back
Features & Benefits of the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike
There’s a lot to like about the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike. Here are a few features of the bike and the benefits we think you’ll also realize if you were to choose this recumbent bike to add to your personal fitness equipment at home.
Goal Tracking
The Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike makes tracking your workouts easy. With every workout, your time, distance, and calorie goals are compared to your previous workouts so you know how you are progressing.
One neat feature to note is that there are ergonomically placed padded handlebar sensors to monitor your heart rate located next to the bike seat.
Simplified Console
The console on the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike features dual track screens that allows you to pop in a magazine or tablet into the media rack and still be able to monitor your workout time, distance, and calories.
Resistance Levels
If you’re looking to challenge yourself during your workouts at home, you should know that the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike comes with 20 levels of resistance and 22 fitness programs for you to choose from.
There’s a lot of variety for your workouts you can come up with when you combine the various levels of resistance with the fitness programs.
The fitness programs are as follows: 9 profile, 8 heart rate control, 2 fitness test, 1 quick start.
Drive System
If you’re looking for a smooth and quiet ride, the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike features a high speed, high inertia drive system that’s easy to start up once you hop on for your ride.
Comfort
It’s important to be comfortable while working out, and there are a few features to note on the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike that make it so.
The Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike helps you stay cool and comfortable with a vented, contoured seat and lumbar-support backrest.
The bike also features a three speed fan in the front console you can turn on to keep cool even further.
Schwinn also took further steps to ensure your comfort by including in the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike a sliding seat rail system that allows you to adjust the bike to your height.
Furthermore, the bike is designed with a convenient step-through frame that makes it easy to just hop on and ride.
MP3/USB Support
The Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike comes with a built-in USB charging port so that you can keep your phone, iPAD, or tablet charged while watching your favorite shows on them during your workout.
In addition, there’s an MP3 input included with the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike so that you can listen to your favorite playlists during your workout through the in-console speakers built into the machine
What Others Think of the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike
I can’t say enough about the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike and how it helped me reach my fitness goals, but I thought it would be best to see what other people thought about this bike as well.
For those who had positive things to say about the bike, they cited the sturdiness of the bike’s frame and how it was well constructed.
People who loved the bike, loved the variety of programs to choose from and the convenience of having a great cardio workout at home.
The issues with this recumbent bike were few, however, people mentioned their dissatisfaction with the customer service they received when issues did arise with the bike.
In addition, people who left reviews about the bike mentioned how they encountered issues with the bike making some noises after some use.
Alternatives to the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike
While the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike is a quality recumbent bike, we understand that it may not be a fit for everyone.
I’ve gone ahead and done some research on other recumbent bike alternatives out there on the market that you might want to know about that offer similar features and benefits.
ProForm 235 CSX Recumbent Bike
While the ProForm 235 CSX Recumbent Bike may not offer as many bells and whistles as the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike, it is still a solid recumbent bike that allows you to live an active lifestyle.
One of the features that sticks out the most about this recumbent bike is the faster gear ratio and effective weight placement that combine to deliver a more natural striding experience.
NordicTrack NTEX76016 Commercial Vr21 Recumbent Bike
The NordicTrack NTEX76016 Commercial Vr21 Recumbent Bike is a close competitor to the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike and offers much in terms of extras.
Both bikes offer various workout programs to choose from, ergonomic features, and fitness tracking.
One of the features that sticks out for the NordicTrack NTEX76016 Commercial Vr21 Recumbent Bike is the extra-wide ergonomic foot pedals that have an adjustable strap for stability some user may appreciate.
Marcy Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike
Rounding out or list of alternatives to choose form is the Marcy Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike.
For those not concerned about all the extras, and are looking for a solid, reliable bike to get your cardio workout in, this bike may be for you.
This recumbent bike’s heavy duty steel construction and lasting power really sets it apart from its competitors.
In addition, the Marcy Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike includes transport wheels to make it easy to move this fitness equipment around your house easier.
Final Thoughts
The Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike has been a godsend for me. I start off my days with the best intentions of fitting in a workout, but my days can quickly get away from me.
I used to beat myself up about not making it to the gym or going days without working out.
However, having the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike gives me a new piece of mind because I know that no matter where my days lead me, I can just hop on and start working out – whether it’s first thing in the morning or late into the evening.
