My Fave Exercise Bike: Schwinn 230 Recumbent Exercise Bike Review

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Recently, I was in the market for a piece of exercise equipment that I would actually stick with using. I am so sick of hanging my clothes on my treadmill and walking past the dusty weight bench in my basement. My husband and I have been promising to lose those extra 50 pounds for years, but lately I have found that my energy levels are just shot. So, I went about researching recumbent exercise bikes since I have heard so many great things about them. I came upon the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Exercise Bike and I have to say that I was impressed overall.

What’s So Great About a Recumbent Exercise Bike Anyway?

Many people don’t realize that recumbent exercise bikes give the same aerobic benefits as riding a regular bicycle at any time, in any weather conditions and without leaving the comfort and safety of home. Do you ever see people riding bicycles in the blazing summer heat or going down the side of a busy road? Instead of risking life and limb, why not have one in your home that is comfortable and does the same thing?

This exercise bike does not take up much space and requires no balance coordination on your part. You also get a much cushier seat and no bruised butt bones at the end of the day. If you like to watch TV, roll the bike in front of your favorite programs and start burning calories. Recumbent literally means “lying down” which is why these bikes are so popular now. They allow people to have full ergonomic back support while exercising without causing strains to their back, arms, neck or shoulders.

For many folks, having a piece of reliable and easy to use exercise equipment will make or break their fitness routine. I know that I have personally given up on a thousand exercise routines over the years. However, a recumbent bike was the only piece of equipment that I found I would stick with because it was so comfortable and easy to use.

Don’t They Take Up Too Much Space?

Thankfully, I found this exercise bike to be a space saver instead of a space hog. It is compact which means that it is easy to store in an out of the way place and doesn’t take up an entire room. It also has these cool transport wheels that make the bike easy to move out of the way and store.

How Will I Know What To Do?

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The 6 preset programs (calorie goal, BMI measurement, recovery test, results mode, quick start and manual mode) take the headache out of trying to figure out what kind of exercises to do on the bike and for how long. The 16 resistance levels also take the guesswork out of your exercise program since you can ramp up as you get stronger. You are not just stuck with someone else’s idea of how hard to work out. It even has 10 profile courses. The workout stats include time, interval time, RPM, watts, distance, pulse, speed, calories, and resistance.

You want a monitor that can be read easily without a pair of strong eyeglasses or a flashlight, and this one has an adjustable angle LCD viewing console. Also, having your time, distance, speed and calories burned will help to keep you on track and honest. It is also a great way for you to see how you are progressing in your workouts each day. For most people, that gives them something to shoot for and a goal to aim at instead of not knowing how well you are doing. It even has a three position angle adjustment so that you can move it to the perfect place for your height and positioning.

What About My Tushy?

One of the biggest issues with some recumbent and upright exercise bikes is their uncomfortable seats. I am sure we have all been on one of those bikes that make your butt bones hurt for days after riding it. This recumbent exercise bike is a godsend because it has a wide recumbent Bio-Fit comfortable seat that has a dual position lumbar support. This is great for people of all sizes and shapes because it protects the lower back. The seat also slides forward and backward to give you even more space if you need it or less if you have shorter legs. It also has a slightly lower pedal height that produces a more comfortable riding position and an easy step-through frame.

Any Other Perks Of This Bike Over Another One?

See That Super Soft Seat?!

One thing I really liked were that there are heart rate grips are made right into the handlebars which makes it super easy to take your pulse while riding. You always want to keep track of your pulse rate when exercising, but you don’t want to have to constantly stop to make sure that you are in the fat burning zone.

The Bio-Fit pedals are wonderful because they are wider than normal pedals which make them more comfortable no matter what size your feet are!

The bike also has a perfect spot for your water bottle as well as a reading rack. This means that you won’t have to be bored out of your mind while riding on it. Sometimes listening to music is great, but we all have those moments where we would like to read in peace. This bike allows you to have that time without having to balance a book or a magazine on your lap. The bike holds up to 300 pounds and has a 10 year frame warranty as well as a 1 year warranty on mechanical and electrical.

What Are Others Saying About The Schwinn 230 Recumbent Exercise Bike?

Well, the Amazon Ratings have been great as far as I can tell. Customers have given this product a 4.5 star rating out of 5 stars! Here are some of the customer comments that made me feel good about buying:

“The bike looks better than I expected. More futuristic than industrial, and not all that ugly in my living room.”

“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.”

“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.”

So, if you are considering the Schwinn 230 Recumbent Exercise Bike, I would recommend jumping on it soon. Sometimes there is a big discount or even free shipping being offered, click the link below to see what the deal is today.

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