A Review of the Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike

Raring to shed those extra pounds? Are you finding it hard to exercise? Well, the Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike may be the thing for you.

The Schwinn 231 is a quality exercise bike that provides great value for money through its many features. You can keep track of your performance at a glance with its backlit LCD. The LCD will display a variety of key exercise indicators, such as the distance “travelled”, calories burned, rounds per minutes, and watts. This allows you to motivate yourself since you know how well you’re doing.

It can be used by anyone, regardless of the level of fitness. With its 16 resistance levels and 10 preset workout programs, one can get into a program that he can easily do and then work his way into more challenging workouts. A professional athlete can also get right into the programs and enjoy a demanding “climb” up the mountain.

Here are the features of the Schwinn 231:

-          16 resistance levels that provide challenge for people of various fitness levels

-          Comfortable seating. Extra-wide and padded to provide full back and dual-position lumbar support and side boosters. This base is adjustable to adapt to an individual’s height and size

-          Heart rate monitor located in the handlebars

-          10 preset programs that offer a variety of cycling exercises and speeds so that your workout will not be monotonous and will push you harder to reach your desired fitness level

-          Wide and backlit LCD panel that’s easy to read and can be adjusted by angle

-          Wide pedals that can fit shoes easily

-          Compact and easily transported

-          Adjustable cooling fan to keep you comfortable during your workout

-          Programs in the monitor will help you motivate yourself. These programs include BMI measurement, tests such as fitness test and recovery test, time trial and calorie tracker

-          Storage area behind the seat for you to have easy access to your exercise accessories such as towels, water and magazines

-          Easy step-through frame so you won’t find it hard to get on and off the bike

-          Slightly lower placement of the pedal to make your cycling more relaxing

-          10-year warranty for the frame and 1-year warranty for the electrical and mechanical devices

A recumbent bike like the Schwinn 231 allows you to exercise with comfort. You can cycle while you’re relaxed and lying down! Cycling provides a thorough cardiovascular workout, but sometimes an upright bike is not all that comfortable, especially if you are on the heavy side and have a considerable bulge in your stomach. With a recumbent exercise bike, you don’t have to worry about your knees knocking into your love handles and causing your discomfort.

The Schwinn 231 provides you with sufficient ergonomic back support as you cycle, that way, you don’t have to suffer from the strain and tension you tend to put on your back, neck, arms and shoulders as you bike.

A recumbent exercise bike allows you to exercise in a more relaxed position – lying down. This means you can workout even as you catch up with the television programs that you missed or as you listen to your favorite music.

Here are the added benefits of having a recumbent exercise bike at home:

-          You can save on gym fees since you can do your workout at home. You also don’t have to contend with sharing gym equipment with other gym members.

-          You can save on time as you can fit in an exercise session in between your other activities. No need to set aside a larger block of time and drive to the gym. For instance, you can insert 15 minutes of exercise before you take your morning bath and 15 minutes after you get in from work.

-          You can get help as you reach for your fitness goals since the Schwinn 231 has an easy to read LCD monitor to help you keep track of your progress

-          You don’t have to set aside a special room for your bike, since it is compact and you can easily move it around

-          The padded seat adds a whole new level of comfort that will allow you to exercise while avoiding the strain and stress on your back, neck and shoulders.

-          The Schwinn 231 is lighter and more compact than other brands.

-          It comes with an Assembly and Users Manual that is easy to understand and easy to follow.

-          The Schwinn 231 is lighter than some models and it might wobble a little during use. However, it gives a quiet ride since resistance is smooth.

-          You can easily change resistance without the need to stop

Let’s compare the features of the two bikes:

-          Flywheel. The 230 has a 20-pound flywheel while the 231 has a 22-flywheel. A heavier flywheel will give riders a more realistic feel – making you feel that you’re actually riding a bike outside.

-          Heart rate controlled programs. This is what the 231 has that the 230 does not. It helps you monitor your target heart rate during your workout.

-          LCD viewing angle. The console of the 231 has a 3-angle adjustment while the console of the 230 is fixed.

-          Programs. In addition to the existing programs of the 230, the 231 includes 2 custom programs, 3 heart rate programs and 4 extra profile programs, as well as a fitness test and a time trial with pacer.

-          Frame. The 230 has a weight of 101 pounds while the 231 weighs 106 pounds. The frame of the 231 is longer by 4 inches to allow bikers who are taller to be more comfortable on the bike.

We must admit that the Schwinn 231 will cost more than the Schwinn 230, but with the added features, you can consider that the additional cost is well worth it.