Schwinn 870 Treadmill Review

A treadmill is the most popular home gym machine that people buy.

Getting a good one is important – you don’t want something that’s going to break down on you because it can’t work as hard as you do.

The Schwinn 870 Treadmill won’t let you down.

It’s strong, made by a great company, and has plenty of options to shake things up.

In this article, I’ll tell you why you should consider buying Schwinn 870 Treadmill.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Treadmill

Before spending your hard-earned cash on just any treadmill, you should know what to look for in a good one.

If you already know about treadmills, feel free to skip to the next section. If not, start here.

Size, Weight, and Weight Capacity

The size of a treadmill is particularly important.

It needs to fit into your space, after all.

Make sure when you measure the space, you factor in a few feet of clearance room on all sides of the treadmill.

If you have a large, open space, you’re lucky! This may not be much of a concern for you.

For small spaces, however, a folding treadmill would do wonders.

These are generally compact, and they fold for easy storage when you aren’t using them.

Note that folding, compact treadmills are more like light-duty treadmills, meaning that they won’t handle as much weight or have as many options as a regular-sized treadmill.

If you want something more serious, there are regular-sized treadmills that may have a folding feature or can be stored upright. They just won’t be as compact as a compact treadmill.

The deck size is important. A nice, wide deck will keep you from bumping into the arm rails as you exercise.

You should also get a deck that’s as long as you can fit into your space because the longer the deck, the fuller your stride can be.

Aim for a deck size of around 20″ x 50″ at minimum. This will accommodate people with long legs.

Make sure the treadmill can support everyone’s weight.

The treadmill needs to be able to support the weight of the heaviest user, otherwise they’ll quickly breakdown the treadmill, possibly on the first use.

In this case, you can forget about the warranty.

Preset Programs, Speed Maximums, and Incline Levels

Preset programs and inclines are important if you want to improve your fitness level.

The number of preset programs and incline levels that the treadmill may have will vary from model to model.

More programs and inclines don’t necessarily mean more money – there are some cheaper models with a ton of programs and incline levels and there are expensive models that may be more selective with the amount they offer.

Just make sure you’re happy with the amount that the treadmill offers before you buy it.

This is something that can’t be changed, and you’ll be stuck with a treadmill that doesn’t suit your needs.

Some treadmills have a manual set incline while others have an automatic set incline.

The manual set treadmills are cheaper, but you’d have to stop in the middle of your workout to change them.

Automatic set treadmills, like the ones at commercial gyms, allow you to keep going even if you change the incline.

If you’re a runner, especially a fast one, you need to make sure that the treadmill can go as fast as you or faster.

Some treadmills have a limited speed which won’t do you any good if you outrun it.

Consoles and Extra Features

The treadmill’s console is important because it’s basically the central operations of the whole machine.

Consoles can be extremely different from model to model.

They can be simplistic with very few buttons and functions or they can be advanced or “smart” just like any of your other smart devices.

They can also be any level in between those two.

They’ll all give you the pertinent information you need for your workout whether they look like a stopwatch or a high-definition television.

However, the extra features that come with it can influence your decisions.

The more “extras” the treadmill has, the more it will cost. Therefore, you need to decide if saving money is your priority or if the extra features will be worth the extra cash.

The Schwinn 870 Treadmill

This company is known for producing the best exercise equipment under the best brand names like Schwinn, Nautilus, and Bowflex.

The Schwinn 870 Treadmill is a great choice for home gyms because it’s strong, innovative, and has everything you’d need to push your workout to the next level.

With plenty of programs and incline levels to choose from, plus the features that matter the most, it’s the perfect treadmill for all levels of fitness.

Pros

• Has a thick, strong running belt.
• Ultra-quiet.
• Speakers are loud and crisp.
• Has a ten-year warranty on the frame and motor.
• Solid steel frame made with the best quality steel.

Cons

• Console is jam packed with buttons and small writing.
• Cooling fan is mediocre.

Features and Benefits of the Schwinn 870 Treadmill

Quick Specs:

• Dimensions: 72.2″L x 35.2″W x 57.6″H
• Product Weight: 215 lbs.
• Deck Size: 60″L x 20″W
• Weight Capacity: 300 lbs.
• Motor: 3 CHP

Build and Quality

If you’re looking for stability, the Schwinn 870 has it.

Walking or running, this treadmill is going to support up to 300 pounds with no problems.

It may make a little noise if the user is on the heavier side, but you’ll still have a seamless workout and the frame will hold up well.

The deck has non-slip rubber pads on each side, and it’s made with a 6-cell Softrak™ cushioning system that reduces the impact of your feet to the deck.

This helps to minimize the wear and tear on your joints as well as the treadmill. The deck measures 60″L x 20″W and can accommodate a full stride of people up to seven feet tall.

The treadmill can be folded and has a SoftDrop™ folding system.

This system uses hydraulics to lift and lower the deck (great because the deck is heavy) with ease.

The treadmill has transport wheels so moving it and storing it is easier than ever.

Console

The console has its pros and cons.

It has all the buttons you could ever need to control the treadmill and customize your workout.

It also has a DualTrack™ blue backlit LCD display with high-contrast white letters and numbers.

The media tray holds your smart devices, a book, a magazine, or any other type of flat entertainment you have.

I appreciate the fact that the media tray isn’t positioned under the LCD display like other low-end treadmills. This would cause your media to cover the screen.

The console also has great speakers, two cup/keys holders, and a three-speed cooling fan.

It’s almost the perfect console except for one detail that throws me off just a bit.

The console is jam-packed with buttons and writing, and bold colors.

You’ll probably get used to it after using the treadmill for a while, but at first it’s so busy that it’s distracting.

Programs, Incline, and Speed

The Schwinn 870 Treadmill has no shortage of options to shake up your workout.

You can choose from 15 incline levels and 26 programs, including four custom programs.

The treadmill can set settings for up to four different users. The 3 HP motor allows you to run as fast as 12 mph.

What Others are Saying About the Schwinn 870 Treadmill

Review #1

We Are Very Pleased

“Three people in our household use the treadmill. Two have significant health problems and we appreciate that it is stable and very easy to use.”

Review #2

This is a Life Saver for Me

“I enjoy this treadmill a lot. I find it hard to get to the gym since I became a single parent with a young child that I have to wake up, feed and take to school on time. (I love taking care of my child and please be sure that I am not complaining). So, I have adapted by getting this treadmill. Now before my child wakes up, I jump on the treadmill and get a basic maintenance workout in. On the weekends I have more flexibility to actually go to the gym and do a more comprehensive workout and go for a swim even. I found this treadmill to be well made quite and a lifesaver. I recommend it.”

Review #3

Great Treadmill

“Purchased this as an upgrade to our old treadmill. We use this at least 3-4 times per week if we don’t get to the gym, or to add extra steps in our day after the gym. It is so much quieter than our old treadmill and can go up to 15MPH plus the incline can go up to 15%. The Bluetooth function is nice to have your workout saved to your phone.”

Alternative Choices to the Schwinn 870 Treadmill

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T7515 Smart Treadmill

If you don’t need quite as many features and power as the Schwinn 870 treadmill, you could save some money by getting the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T7515 Smart Treadmill.

It still has some great specs – supports up to 250 pounds, has a max speed of 8 mph, and has Bluetooth abilities.

It has a decent number of programs and incline levels, plus a Soft Drop System for easy folding and unfolding.

MaxKare Folding Treadmill

MaxKare Folding Treadmill is a great budget option that offers a premium operation. For one, the console is much less cluttered so it’s easier to read.

The treadmill has several programs to choose from and has a maximum speed of 8.5 mph.

It’s compact so it can fit in smaller spaces and would make a great addition to a studio apartment. Note that it has a manual set incline with only three levels.

Weslo Cadence G 5.9i Folding Treadmill

The Weslo Cadence G 5.9i Folding Treadmill is a budget treadmill with a little bit of a higher weight capacity than the MaxKare.

It can support up to 275 pounds and has a long deck size, but it does sacrifice some other features as a tradeoff.

The treadmill folds almost flat for easy storage and has wheels for transport.

The console is very small, and the treadmill doesn’t have a fan, but it does have two cup holders and Bluetooth capabilities.

Final Thoughts on the Schwinn 870 Treadmill

It’s easy to find a treadmill, but it’s hard to find a great treadmill with all the right features at a decent price.

However, you don’t want the Schwinn 870 to be the one that got away. It’s strong, built well, modern, full of great features, and has a great warranty.

Sure, this treadmill is going to set you back a grand or more. However, that’s a moderate price these days for a great, top-quality treadmill.

I’ve seen treadmills more than twice this price that are exactly like the Schwinn but packed with a bunch of extras that you’ll likely never use.