Schwinn 250 Recumbent Bike Review

03/11/201318/09/2019 FitnessEquipmentGuide

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Pros and Cons of the Schwinn 250 Exercise Bike

The Schwinn 250 recumbent is a newer recumbent model that Schwinn introduced a few years back. It is an upgrade/replacement for the Schwinn 240 recumbent – a popular bike in its own right.

However the Schwinn 250 added an iPod jack, 2 speed fan, more workout programs and wireless heart rate monitoring.

So is the Schwinn 250 a good value bike? What can you expect? Here’s a review of the pros and cons to help you decide:

Basics:

Price: $400 – $499 + Free Shipping (Approx)

Resistance: 16 Levels

Built-In Workouts: 20

User Weight Capacity: 300 lbs

iPod dock with speakers

Warranty: 5 years frame, 1 year parts, 90 days wearable parts and labor

Schwinn 250 Recumbent Bike Review – Pros:

Price

When you go under $500 with exercise bikes, you have to be much choosier because bikes in this range are starter bikes and frankly, most are junk. They are not built to last beyond the warranty and tend to have cheap, plastic parts with hard-as-rocks seats.

The Schwinn 250 is one of the exceptions here. It has a solid base and decent construction. The console is backlit with several built-in workouts, iPod jack and multi-speed fan. The seat – while not a commercial seat – is still quite good with a high back and lumbar support.

Polar Heart Rate Monitor

The Schwinn 250 offers wireless heart rate tracking capability – which many people prefer over hand-grip pulse sensors. Why? Because wireless heart rate monitoring is both easier (you have your hands free) and it’s much more accurate. There is also a polar heart rate workout program with the 250 bike as well.

Comfortable Adjustable Seat

As stated above, the seat on this bike gives you some decent lumbar support.

It’s easily adjustable (forward and back only) and oversized (very large).

Upgraded Console

For years, Schwinn bike consoles were dismal. They weren’t backlit and basically were bare-bones simple. Schwinn finally did something about this with the 250.

The console here is backlit and offers an iPod jack with speakers. There’s also a multi-speed fan and also a magazine rack holder if you want it. Another bonus is that you can adjust the console so you can see it better while riding.

Schwinn 250 Recumbent Bike Review – 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.

One Heart Rate Program

While the sales literature says you have 3 polar heart rate programs, in actuality you really only get one main program – with 3 different levels. So it’s a bit misleading.

Bottom Line?

The Schwinn 250 is a definite improvement over older Schwinn recumbent bikes. You get an oversized, comfortable seat with better back support and a lot more in terms of entertainment options (iPod dock, workout programs, 2 user input tracking, etc.)

Is it the best bike on the market? No. It’s still a starter bike without a lot of the polish that higher end bikes have. And the short warranty is a bit of a worry. But overall, at this price point, it’s one of your best choices.