Monday, October 12, 2009

Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike Right now


I purchased this bike a couple of weeks ago and have been using it for a little over a week. The shipping was quick, and the box was sent from Bring's who reinforced the box, which was great (shipping damage is a common complaint for purchases like these).

Bike was not difficult to assemble and took me (by myself) about 2 hours at a very leisurely pace. There were a couple of small undocumented issues, such as a cable needing to be routed that was considered "pre-routed" in the instructions.

Functionally, the bike is great. It is not perfectly stable, as at a fast pace the top part (display/etc) does wobble a bit, but the base of the unit is stable which is plenty good enough for me. The seating is extremely comfortable, the computer is very good and has more functionality than I will ever use. And yes, the pedal mechanism itself is dead quiet.

The only reason I give this bike 4 stars is because of the following issues:

- For the life of me I cannot figure out how to get the pedal straps on. One side of the strap fits fine but the other side absolutely will not. I may be missing something but it seems like a manufacturing defect to me. If i'm the only one that mentions this it is probably an issue on my end :). I haven't needed the straps so it has not been an issue for me.

- As stated, there were a couple of minor issues with the instructions.

- The fan is not terribly useful, and as stated the bike does wobble a bit at high speeds.

None of the above issues detract from my use of the product but they may for some. All in all, I would recommend this bike in a heartbeat to someone else, and it is a great bike for the value. It is really convenient to have a bike at home to exercise on, and was well worth the money for me.

Also, as this is the "new" model for Schwinn, there are no reviews at the time of this writing, you can check out the reviews of the older models for general impressions of the Schwinn bikes; they are relatively accurate to my experiences with this one.Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Lowest Price Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


Even though I own an elliptical and a home gym, I still find myself sitting in my chair watching television or reading online and not exercising. As long as I'm going to engage in those activities, why not burn some calories at the same time?

I read the reviews on another model and then came across the 231. It's $100 more but it sounded like many of the issues in the other bike had been resolved. I ordered the bike through Brinks because another review mentioned better packaging.

I ordered the bike on a Saturday and received it the following Thursday! I stayed up late and put it together myself in about three hours. It took me longer than others because I was trying to attach a part wrong and it took me awhile to figure it out. It was my fault, though. I thought the directions were easy to follow and the parts were packaged in such a way that it was very easy to determine which parts were called for.

Hint: Before you put the machine together, write down the serial number which is under the rear stabilizer. It's much easier to write down BEFORE the bike is put together!

Once it was together, the right pedal made a knocking noise and vibration that I could feel in my foot. This was irritating so I called customer service and was advised to remove, clean, and retighten the pedal. It worked! A week or so later, I had some confusion about how to use the Recovery button so I called customer service again. We figured out that I was using it incorrectly -- you do it DURING a program, not once you're finished. (My elliptical does it differently.) Both times, the customer service representative was friendly and helpful and the problems were resolved.

The bike is very easy to use, from sitting down to setting the program. We haven't had to change the seat adjustment as my husband and I have the same length legs. We are also the same age but we do have to change the weight setting. Entering the info at the beginning takes just seconds. I like how the program remembers the previous settings so you don't always have to start from scratch. It even remembers the intensity level for a particular program. The fan is adjustable and I find it quite refreshing -- it blows right on my face but not so strongly that it dries out my eyes.

I removed the pedal straps -- they didn't seem necessary. The bike is very quiet -- the fan is the only part that makes noise and the occasional beeping as each interval passes. I'm just amazed at how quickly the time passes while I'm exercising. And it's a good workout, too! We both have to wipe the sweat off the seat when we're finished and we're not even working at the highest levels or going all that fast.

I'm very pleased with our purchase and strongly recommend this model!Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Low Price Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


This bike is very well made and very high tech. The instructions for assembly is not for beginners, you must have good mechanical and techinal skills. The operations for using this bike is very high tech and very difficult for beginners. The foot straps are extremely difficult to adjust and relatively useless (better to remove them). The surface area of the peddles that your foot makes contact with is too small. The fan is useless, it does not circulate noticeable air. I suggest saving a hundred bucks and purchase the Schwinn 230 model instead.Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Save Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


I've had this bike for two weeks now. I love it. It was shipped in a big box with no scratches, dings or dents. I had one problem with the Eagle express shipping but it was corrected by the delivery person on his own time (delivered to the wrong house!)

This machine is quiet. You cannot hear a sound from it. I can work out at 5:00am and not wake anyone else up in the house. (my favorite time to excercise!) I love the counters, the programs and the seat! It's very comfortable. My neighbors built this bike in under 90 minutes with no problems. The little fan is just for looks. Don't expect it to cool you off. It's almost silly. I've been trying to use the fitness test function but you have to get your heart rate up to a certain level before it kicks in. I've been unable to reach that level and am dissappointed that i can't test my current level as of yet. I may be doing something wrong so i will be contacting the company about better instructions. The display is very easy to use. Be sure and read the instructions first. It helps tremendously. I would highly recommend this bike to new users such as myself. It's a great price for such a sturdy product. Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

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My Husband was so impressed with the quality of the bike and especially the manual directions and assembly that he called the company to give positive feedback, something he never does. As for myself, my arthritic knees are less stressed as I strive for aerobic fitness and my comfort level is great. Something I did not expect from a recumbent bike. Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Cheapest Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


I purchased this bike about 2 months ago. Unfortunately, I suffered a knee injury and haven't been able to use it as much as I would have liked. It came to me very nicely packaged and all of the hardware was very nicely labeled. It only took my brother and I about an hour to put it together from start to finish. The directions were easy to follow. The bike itself it extremely quiet, no need to turn up the tv while riding. There are great programs to keep your ride enjoyable. The fan doesn't really blow that far to feel any of the air. Like previous reviewers I didn't put the pedal straps onto the bike, which doesn't seem to make much difference. It's very easy to use the computer module and the seat is very comfortable. I thoroughly enjoy it, (as much as I can at this time). Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Cheap Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


So far, the bike is very good and delivers what the ad says about the bike. It is a smooth operating cycle, which has excellent computer pre-programs setup. Building the bike wasn't hard, if you read the instructions. If you don't read the instructions letter for letter, you will make mistakes and even possibly cause the bike to malfunction or not even work. So read the instructions before building this thing.

The only gripe that I have regarding the cycle is that it for sure stinks up the room. I mean, you smell this heavy scent of mechanical awareness for days and days and days. I have had this bike for nearly two weeks and it still stinks as strong as the day I put it together. I even sprayed it with Lysol and then Febreeze and it still stinks. So I got one of those 24/7 room deoderizer plugins a couple of days ago, and it seems to be working a little. I think Schwinn should do something about the heavy smell the bike puts out. It truly is strong enough to encourage you to put it outside somewhere, but then you'll lose the urge to use it as you would if you kelp it inside. Overall, I am glad I got the bike. It is a good bike for the price and it is truly a smooth working bike, but if only Schwinn would do something about the strong heavy smell this thing puts out... Otherwise, enjoy!

Hey, I got an idea, I'll buy a nose clip! Hey Amazon, do you guys sell nose clips? You know, the kind that swimmers use?Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Buying Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


I had purchased a "floor model" recumbent bike from a fitness store and it was not as good as this was. I took it back and purchased the Schwinn 231 and have loved it from the start. The best part of this is was half the price of a fitness store Floor model. The programs that come with the bike are great. It is very solid and very quite. I can bike on it with almost NO noise whatsoever. This is great news to my wife who can sleep when I get up early in the morning and pedal to nowhere. Great Value. Why spend more? Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Buy Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


I'm a 64 year old fit male thanks to riding a four year old NAUTILUS NR3000 twice a week (community gym) to supplement weekend outdoor rides. I wanted one for home but couldn't afford it so I bought this SCHWINN 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike from AMAZON. This lighter weight SCHWINN 231 is also made by NAUTILUS and has similar features and functions.

PRE-PURCHASE: SCHWINN (NAUTILUS) Customer Service was exceptionally good answering all questions and helping me understand differences until I was comfortable.

ORDER: Easy and seamless like every order from AMAZON - they're the very best, most reliable source for anything they carry and sell. I chose free shipping and they shipped it the same day I placed my order.

DELIVERY: Easy and as promised - Eagle USA called me a couple days ahead to arrange a time convenient to me to deliver. They delivered on schedule and offered to place the bulky box it in the room/place of my choice.

PACKAGING: Exceptionally well packaged -- enough to protect all parts on its long trip from China to Illinois to Ohio and finally to California.

PARTS: Well organized and marked, easy to find and use. They include one-time use tools; IF you have your own, you'll prefer yours.

ASSEMBLY MANUAL: Well organized, clear, 99% easy to follow -- follow them exactly for best results with minimum frustration.

ASSEMBLY: I went slowly, step-by-step, carefully and methodically to avoid problems. It took an easy 2.5 hours and it started up perfectly the very first time -- thirty days and 15+ rides later, still working great.

USER (OPS) MANUAL: Very well organized and written - easy to understand and thoroughly explains features and proper operation. It also has basic fitness and other supplementary information.

SEAT: The seat on this bike (one of the most important features on any bike) is very comfortable, even on rides well over an hour -- more than can be said of most bikes -- one of its best features. BE SURE to adjust seat height/distance from pedals properly according to the manual for best results.

PEDALS: Great once the (over the foot) top strap is correctly adjusted for your feet; try to get it right the first time you set them as redoing them is no fun.

CONSOLE: After reading the manual once, all operations and functions are simple and intuitive - easy to read and use, visible in daylight.

HEART RATE MONITOR: Excellent once stabilized and checked against two independent, dedicated HR Monitors - bike's monitor was within +/- 1 BPM. Recommend you keep hands on the HR grip sensors - IF you take them off and HR readout goes blank, it will restart at the bottom and increment up slowly to actual HR taking up to 10 - 60 seconds to stabilize at the correct reading. Operated correctly with patience and common sense it's great.

FAN: Adequate air movement for cooler ambient temps. In warmer ambient temps, it may not move as much air as you'd like. Cerainly not a "go, no-go" issue for any serious user.

RIDE: The SCHWINN 231 is lighter than the NAUTILUS NR3000 and therefore slightly less stable; it wobbles a tiny bit during hard rides though it's good as is. It's a very quiet ride. Changing resistance or workload is smooth with minimal delay. It's worth noting again that the seat is very comfortable for rides well over an hour. The backrest's lumbar support feature is a nice, added bonus.

PROGRAM & READOUTS: I've been riding real and stationary bikes for years. This bike gives riders through advanced any level of workout they want or need once features and capabilities are fully learned and used. It reports lower "results" than other bikes - that is, for the same ride as other recumbents, the SCHWINN 231 gives lower speeds, watts expended and fewer calories burned than others. While reported results are lower, they're probably much closer to actual and a real outdoor cycle ride than others that over state results and make you feel better.

SUMMARY: I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE SCHWINN 231 RECUMBENT EXERCISE BIKE for attaining and maintaining your desired level of fitness, especially given the fine support can expect from SCHWINN FITNESS/NAUTILUS Customer Service if/when needed.

ONE LAST THOUGHT: IF you're serious about fitness, I strongly recommend two books with your SCHWINN 231 -- both available from AMAZON. Read and apply the principals as valid for stationary bikes as for real ones:

a. "The Heart Rate Monitor Book for Cyclists" by Sally Edwards and Sally Reed (full benefit from built-in heart rate monitor for best workouts)

b. "Cycling Past 50" by Joe Friel (great cycling physiology all ages)

Whatever you decide, I wish you better health through cycling.
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Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Purchase Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


Several found this hard to assemble and I just want to say that I found it very easy, and well laid out, both parts and instructions. I had no trouble at all, with the help of one other it took about 80 minutes to assemble; I feel I could have done it alone with maybe 30 minutes more. Although the box is huge, it's still smaller than a 42" plasma, and can easily be moved with a two wheeler cart. It was pretty easy to un-box, I did it myself.
I only tried the bike for a couple of minutes, but it's smooth, for sure. It feels good and I thought it was quite rigid and felt no shake of the seat platform as one reported...it's solid. I think I will be very happy with it, it even looks fun. I am happy with the purchase. Oh yeah, the fan is sweet!Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Order Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


First, Amazon had the best price ($549 w/free shipping) as well as $100 gift certificate making it a better deal than the cheaper 230 model. I ordered it Friday night and it was delivered, in good condition, Tuesday morning. It took me about 45 minutes to unpack and assemble. Assembly was very easy. Works beautifully, very quiet, comfortable & stable....well built. I haven't had a chance to try all of the programs yet but so far am very pleased.

For the guy who complained about the loose seat, I suspect that you had not tightened down the adjustment knob.

Update... After using this bike for a few weeks, I have to say that I am impressed. It gives a good, solid workout, is fairly comfortable and amazingly quiet. Also, the heart rate contacts are easily reached without effecting the intensity of your workout (as some other exrecise machines do). Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Where To Buy Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


I spend a great deal of my day standing on concrete floors at work. The Schwinn 231 Recumbent has been the best addition to our household since the birth of our son two years ago. Out of the box, it was too easy to assemble (all tools included)and parts accounted for on an easy to read pre-printed skin-packed parts list with pieces clearly labeled. Upon assembly, this bike is oh-so-quiet and friendly whether you choose to read, watch the television, talk on the phone or pull up your AirDesk(tm) and catch up on emails. A perfect no-impact way to get the blood flowing, get your heart-rate pumping, and maximize productivity. Truly a hit in our household. Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Shop For Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


Assembly instructions were clear and easy to follow. It took me and my son about 3 hours to assemble, split between 2 sessions. The bike is comfortable and sturdy, almost as sturdy as a health-club bike. Seat is easy to adjust for different user heights. Programs are easy to select. The heart rate monitor is not as responsive as you might like (it takes a while to for the displayed rate to come up to your actual heart rate), but to me this is a trivial point. I have used this nearly every day since getting it and am enjoying it very much. Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike


We received the bike after about two weeks but we expected that. It wasn't too hard to put together but I do have to fiddle with the computer part of it to get it on straight. However, this bike receives my highest recommendation. It is nearly silent and has a variety of programs so you can vary your workout.Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike Review


I noticed quite few reviewers wondering if the 231 is worth the extra $100 above the 230. My answer is yes. (With or without the current $100+$100 promotion, the 231 is no doubt the best choice.)

First, I was planning to buy a recumbent bike and I have been doing a lot of research about these two bikes. I went to every sport store to try and ride both. I searched all the details from the Schwinn site in addition to reading the labels from the actual bikes. I can claim that I spent total of more than two hours actually riding the two bikes and testing the consoles. Of course I already ordered the 231 and should receive it in 10 days.

So, what is the difference between them? You ask.

The flywheel:
In 230, it is it 20 lb flywheel.
In the 231, it is 22 lb flywheel. The two extra pounds give more realistic ride with no skipping especially for taller people or people with stronger legs.
Big + for 231. (Not true anymore .... See update below)

Heart Rate Controlled programs:
The 230 lacks this important feature. This feature can keep you in your target heart rate area which will lead to better weight loss or endurance level.
The 231 include 3 programs with this feature.
Big + for 231.

Total Programs:
12 for 230 and 23 for the 231. The 231 includes 3 Heart Rate, 2 Custom, 4 Profile, Time Trial w/pacer, Fitness Test. All this in addition to whatever is in the 230.

Seat:
231: BioFit® Comfort seat with micro adjustable lumbar support positioning. You have a knob in the back of the seat to adjust the lumbar support.
230: No adjustment.
Also, in 231, the back of the seat includes a magazine rack.

Pedals:
231: Wide Comfort Schwinn pedals. Nice and fits shoes easily.
230: Narrow ones that are useless with the straps attached.


Console viewing angle:
231: 3 position console viewing angle adjustment. This helps you to see the console much better. You can also lower it to view TV or raise it to read your emails from you laptop. It is really not that helpful other than for easier viewing of the console.
230: Fixed.

Console:
231: Blue back light. Easier to read and more futuristic look.
230: Regular black LCD on gray. Really hard to read.

Fan:
231: has a nice integrated fan
230: No fan.

Frame:
231 106 lbs. More stable. The frame is 4 inches longer than the 230 which may be annoying to an already big home bike. These four inches will allow for even taller riders on the expense of stability.
230: 101 lbs. Still pretty stable (more stable than 231 on thick carpets or thick mats).

Those are what I managed to find so far. I will update the review if I find more

So, do you still think that the $100 is un-justified???


UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE 3/15/08

Well, I received my bike two weeks ago. Assembly was relatively easy and straight forward. The bike looks much bigger in my living room than when I saw it in display rooms at local sports stores. It still looks fabulous though.

First impression is great. I will not talk about how great this bike is as most other reports already said so.

I will just let you know what to expect on the other side.

1- First thing I noticed is that the fan is not working. I connected it directly to the power adapter and it worked fine hence the problem is in the console. I called customer service and they were the best. They first refused to send me a new console till I try a new fan that I got within two days from my phone call. Of course it didn't work and I am waiting now for a new console which is in backorder for the next 3 weeks. No big deal as I don't really need the fan in Massachusetts's winter anyway.

2- I noticed that that bike was wobbly. I know the reason, it is the thick mat that I have over the thick carpel in my room. I simply placed a nice 2x5 foot piece of solid pine wood under the bike and over the black mat. That was the best think I did as the bike got really stable while the carpet is still protected with the thick mat. It also reduced the black color from the mat and lightened the room a lot. I got the wood from Lowe's store.

3- This is got me REALLY UPSIT. As one commenter on this review pointed out that he ordered the bike and found a sticker saying the flywheel is only 20LBs instead of the 22LBs I mentioned on my review above. I found that the sticker on my bike says the same. I felt tricked. I called Schwinn customer services to see what is going on... Again they were super nice and professional. They started to search for the problem and contacted their bike experts. Few days later, they got back to me and said that the 22LBs in Schwinn's home page is only a TYPOgraphical error. They claim that all Shwinn's products use 20 Lbs. flywheels. They didn't explain the bike I saw at Sears with sticker of 22LBs. I went back to Sears to get a picture of the bike but the bike was gone. I assume they should fix their home page soon.


I really love this bike and would give it five starts if I can again. The flywheel incident did upset me a bit but now I got used to it. I don't think it is a big deal anyway. The Heart beat controlled programs, adjustable ergo seat with shelf, bigger paddles and blue backlit console still makes it much better than the 230. I personally benifited from the longer body as I needed to move the seat extra two more inches than the 230 can give.


MORE COMMENTS and replies for other reviews:


- Paddles are wide and easy to adjust. Adjustment is to be done from the inner side of the paddle. It is easy to remove the strap from the inside for adjustments. If you try it from outside, then you will see all troubles other reviewers are seeing.

- If seat is squeaky then tighten screws underneath it.You also may want to add a drop of lubricant or oil between the metal vertical rod (that carries the Chrome bar) and the black plastic shell. This will eleminate noises from under the seat.

- If you cleaned the chrome bar that holds the seat, you may need to add a drop of silicon lubricant on the top of it. This will make it move easier and eliminate any minor noises.

- Remember to write the serial number on a piece of paper before you assemble the rear stabilizer rod. It will really help you as reading this number is really tough once the bike is assembled. Thanks for other reviewer who mentioned this as it really helped me :-)
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Sunday, October 4, 2009

Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike Top Quality


Easy to assemble, it took me about 2 hours. Comfortable seat. Rides well. Seat adjustment settings enables both tall (> 6 feet) and short (< 5'2") persons to use. Having to screw in the the seat adjustor to lock it in is a minor inconvenience compared to other recumbent bikes. Smooth transitions with changes in resistance. Overall, I am very satisfied with it. Minuses include visible wires around the seat that toddlers might pull at, and the backlit LCD display must be viewed at a certain angle to be able to see it.Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike This instant


My husband and I did lots of research before deciding upon the Schwinn 231. It is a great workout for us both. This bike is so silent you can only hear the panting of the person riding it! There are enough choices and levels of resistance that we'll be satisfied with our workout routine for a long time to come. My husband was able to follow the directions easily and set it up in about an hour and a half. The only negative thing I can say is that sometimes my husband tightens the seat adjustment too tight for me to change. Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

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First the price, I got an additional $100 off by adding it to my cart for the Feb. Amazon special this put the price at the Schwinn 230 price! With this Amazon's special I couldn't pass it up!

It arrived very fast and the box was in very good shape even when a pallet of stuff fell on it from the truck it was riding in! The Trucker stayed while I opened the box to see if any damage incurred but there was not even Styrofoam damaged so I said it's perfect. It's packaged very well for travel!

Assembly was straight forward, it comes with a book and I thought It gave more detail then most items you have to assemble. I'm not sure how long it took since I started and then went out to dinner. I say it's a good 2 hour assembly but it goes by real fast! My TV stand took longer to assemble! I did not put on the cup holder below the seat nor the foot pedal straps since there is no need for them.

My main reason to purchase the 231 over the 230 model was the display screen. The screen is a Backlit LCD monitor so it is a blue back ground screen with white display which in my opinion is much better than the 230 model which has the Olive screen and black display monitor that is not backlit. For that feature alone the price difference is worth it! Then you get more program features and a fan with this model. I'm not a fan lover because I'm there to sweat but maybe my wife will use it. But the good thing is you can either turn the fan on or off within the panel. I was hoping this would be the case since I wasn't going to use it.

The look is very sleek and is an attractive peace of furniture in our family room! Yes we put it there to work out and watch TV! So there is no excuse in this household! LOL!
The Walk through is sweet! It makes the unit look nice! It's also easy to get by if you need or want too plus it makes it easy to sit and ride with out having to lift your foot over some bulky mechanism!

Extra-wide comfort seat with dual-position lumbar support is very nice! The seat feels very comfortable and looks like it will stand up to the work outs.

Handlebars with integrated heart rate grips is a nice feature. It seems to work well.

The pedaling is very quite the only noise is my bodies force against the seat and frame that will make it squeak but that's a given with any recumbent that doesn't weigh over 300lbs

Overall I am very pleased with the purchase. I definitely would recommend the Schwinn 231 model recumbent bike over the lesser 230 model even if I had to pay the extra $100 I would because of the backlit panel screen and more programming features make this the recumbent to buy!
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Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike Best Quality


Bike performs very well. However, the fan ran for less than a minute and then died completely. This bike is a little tricky to put together. Don't try it yourself, you need another person and need to be a bit mechanically inclined.
Called Nautilus right after we received, was promised a new console/fan would be to me in 4-5 days. Never received. Emailed several times before the reply was that they have had problems with the consoles, they are making new batch, and it will be another 2 weeks. Not a problem, as the bike is great--quiet, efficient, stable, and the fan doesn't look like it would do much anyway.
Fabulous shipping, tho they would not bring to my second floor, and this is a very heavy item.Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Friday, October 2, 2009

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Required assembly was straightforward. Tools included and good description and illustrations.
Bike has solid feel, very good digital interface, biometrics and resitance adjustmentGet more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

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Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike
This bike rates my 5 stars because it fully meets my requirements. I have used it approximately 10-15 times since assembly. Putting it together requires patience and careful reading of the well written instructions. I only got hung up on one step but re-reading the instructions cleared up the problem. I am far from being a handicrafter. If I could do it anyone can could do it. The pedal straps are a problem. Make sure they fit you before you insert the straps. Readjustment looks impossible. The various programs are motivational and functional. Refurbished gym bikes cost $300-$400 more. The bike is comfortable, gives a good workout and comes at a nice price. It may not be right for others but this bike is exactly what I was looking for. Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike Order Now


I hesitated on buying a recumbent bike because I heard you don't get as good as a cardio workout as you would with an upright bike. However you should have no problem getting a good cardio workout with the Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike. I purchased this bike recently from Amazon taking advantage of the $100 sale promotion plus free shipping. The bike arrived five days before the estimated arrival date and in great shape. If you are going to use this bike upstairs, be sure to have someone help you carry the box. I thought I would have been able to pull it off myself by tying a rope around the binding on the box. Actually I almost succeeded but the binding broke just about four feet from the top of the stairway, sending the bike flying down the stairs.

The instructions were fairly straight forward except they weren't always consistent. Like the instruction manual would call for a "screw" but the packaging referred to the part as a "bolt". I wasted a lot of time looking for the screws that I thought were missing but they were right in front of me (they were labeled as bolts).

I have been getting a great cardio workout doing my Fantastic 4 exercise routine which I do four days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) starting at 4:44 in the morning riding for 44 minutes, 44 seconds. This bike is very quiet and very smooth. Prior to this bike, I was riding an upright Reebok CYC10 that I purchased at Sportmart (now called Sports Authority) about three years ago. Recently the Reebok started making a loud snapping noise which was way too loud for me to deal with. Actually it was so loud that it waking up the neighbors. What's also real nice about the Schwinn 231 Recumbent is the computer display has a backlight. The Reebok didn't. When I wanted to see where I was at during my workout on the Reebok, I would have to use the light from my cell phone to view the display.

The only other issue I have with the Schwinn 231 Recumbent (besides the instruction manual) is the accuracy of the speed reading. The speed reading seems to be inflated when the resistance becomes greater. I can easily tell by looking at my legs that I am cycling faster when the resistance is at the 4th level as opposed to cycling at the 8th level. The thing is the speed reading shows I'm cycling faster on the 8th level which doesn't make sense.

What else? There are so many different programs to choose from to keep you from getting bored. The seat is very comfortable. I agree with most of the other reviewers that the fan doesn't blow much air but it provides enough comfort. Overall I think this is a great bike and definitely a great price. I actually paid more for the Reebok which goes to show you don't always get what you pay for.
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Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike Decide Now


This is a superbly-engineered and exceptionally well-built machine: silent; unbelievably smooth; comfortable; and, rock steady even for a 6'5", 255 lb rider like myself. It comes with a glossy assembly manual that clearly illustrates each step of the process, and indexes the components to their fasteners. The 2.5 hours mentioned by others for assembly is accurate if only one person does it (with occasional help from another,) and much of this involves cutting fasteners off their vacuum-sealed, very well-indexed packing! The 43-page glossy operations manual included is also clear and well-written, and includes helpful sections on fitness. This is a great value, particularly with the current $100 discount. Highly recommended!
Get more detail about Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike.