Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike Review

30/06/201911/05/2019 FitnessEquipmentGuide recumbent, schwinn, under $600

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Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike – A Good Buy For You?

Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike Review — Schwinn 230 Recumbent

The Schwinn 230 Recumbent bike is a super-affordable recumbent with a few upgrades over older Schwinn recumbent models.

For example, you can easily adjust your position while sitting with the easy-adjust lever and seat rail slide under the seat

You also get a built-in media shelf to hold your tablet or magazine.

And with the dual-track console display you can still see your workout stats even when watching your tablet.

So is the Schwinn 230 a good value for you? How does it stack up?

Here’s a review of the pros and cons to help you decide:

Basics:

Price: $499 +Click Here for Free Shipping

Resistance: 20 Levels

Built-In Workouts: 22

User Weight Capacity: 300 lbs

Charging phone dock with speakers

Water Bottle Holder: Yes

Warranty: 10 years frame / 2 years mechanical / 1 year electrical / 90 days labor

Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike Review – Pros:

Ventilated, Adjustable Seat with Lumbar Support

Schwinn has thankfully done away with the tacky plastic former seats on this bike and now has a more comfortable, contoured seat with lumbar support.

The seat is ventilated at the back to let the air circulate as you’re cycling – which helps to keep you cool.

Plus you can easily adjust the seat-to-knee-to-toe distance using the rail slide and easy-adjust lever from under the seat. You don’t have to get off the bike to adjust this distance – which is another improvement over older models.

Dual-Track LCD Console

The console has 2 windows – the main one above the media shelf and another one below the media shelf. So you can use the media shelf and still see some of your workout stats in the console window below.

The console lets you track your time, distance and calorie goals compared to past workouts – so you can see how you’re progressing over time.

There’s also a 3-speed fan in the console to help keep you cool.

Media Shelf

There’s a shelf for your tablet, book or Kindle in the main area of the console. So you can read your books, watch your favorite TV shows or movies as you cycle. Plus there’s also a USB charging port in the console – so you can charge your tablet – or phone – as you ride.

2 User Settings

The Schwinn 230 recumbent holds and stores the information for 2 different users. So you don’t have to re-enter everything when you go to start your workout. This is a handy option that you don’t normally see on a bike at this price point.

Runs Very Quiet

One thing we really liked about the Schwinn 230 was that it runs extremely quiet (which seems to be a basic feature of most Schwinn recumbent bikes). In fact the fan in the console actually runs louder than the actual bike itself.

22 Built-In Workouts

Need some challenge as you ride? You can choose from 22 different built-in workouts on the Schwinn 230 bike including heart rate, profile and user-defined. There are workouts for both beginner and advanced exercisers.

Handy Heart Rate Monitor

There’s also a handy heart rate monitor built into the hand grips on either side of the bike. So you can just reach down and grab them whenever you want to take a heart rate reading. You don’t have to reach up to the console to do it.

Schwinn 230 Bike Review – Any Cons?

Poor Warranty

The warranty on this bike is not great – especially the 90 days on wearable parts and labor. Most bikes at this price point don’t do much better, but it still might be a concern if you’re nervous about the bike breaking down.

Non-Backlit Console

The console on this bike is not backlit – and can be hard to read, especially if lighting in your workout area is poor. If you want a similar bike with a backlit console, you might look at the Nordictrack VR21 bike or the Schwinn 270 bike.

Bottom Line?

The Schwinn 230 recumbent bike isn’t fancy. It’s a simple, well-designed, quiet-running bike without a lot of bells and whistles – for a great price.

You do get some solid basics like the simple-to-adjust seat with lumbar support, media shelf and dual-track console windows. Plus you can save results for 2 different users and even charge your phone or tablet while cycling.

There are a few drawbacks to be aware of (see above) – but if you’re looking for a simple, starter bike at a fantastic price, this is a great option.

Where to Buy and Save:

You can buy the new Schwinn 230 bike (with the upgraded seat) direct from the Manufacturer here. You’ll also get Free Shipping and see the latest user reviews of this model.