 |
| Schwinn 240 Recumbent Bike |
I tried to make this review as comprehensive as possible and I'm quite confident that you'll learn a whole lot about the Schwinn® 240 by reading it, but if you would really like to get your hands on this bike in a hurry, you can check out the ordering info right now by clicking this link.
My Search For A Recumbent Bike
While I was looking for a simple exercise regime that would help keep my blood pressure normal and would be gentle on my knees and joints, I came across the idea of using a recumbent exercise bike to cycle indoors without having to leave home.
I read about the benefits of this non-impact, aerobic and cardiovascular exercise and how it can fit easily into the lifestyle of a working professional like me.
To decide which recumbent exercise bike would be best for me, my health goals and my budget, I went online and started to do my research.
This is where I'd like to share with you how my search led me to the popular Schwinn 240 Recumbent Exercise Bike. The Schwinn 240 is made by the American icon company Schwinn which has been in the business of producing high-quality bicycles and exercise equipment for over 100 years.
What To Look For In Choosing A Recumbent Exercise Bike
While it may be tempting to buy based on price alone, I found that the following criteria are the best guide for choosing the right bike:
- A wide range of resistance levels, allowing you to easily vary the difficulty of your exercise routine to suit your own requirements, from beginner to advanced level
- A quiet and smooth-transitioning braking system, so you can avoid sudden jerks that do your knees and joints no favors
- A sturdy and weighted flywheel, which provides a truer road feel, as if you are actually riding outdoors
- A seat that adjusts to your body length, pedal straps and seat rests that fully support your back
- Built-in oversized stabilizers and levellers that give you a secure and stable platform as you exercise
- Remote heart rate monitor, so you can make sure that you neither overwork nor underwork yourt heart
- Built-in customizable workout programs that allows you to automate the difficulty levels of your workouts, plus a console display that makes it easy to control and monitor your progress
- User profiles, which allow different users of the same equipment to store and track their performance data independently of each other, making it easier to share the equipment with other members of your family
- Other features that promote ease of use and extra convenience
All of the above points are very important but the first three are really a must to look for in a home recumbent exercise bike. And to my pleasant surprise, the Schwinn 240 got full check marks against these first three very critical points.
16 Resistance Levels
Users of the Schwinn 240 can control the intensity of their workout by varying the resistance of the bike's flywheel which is attached to the pedals or by changing the cadence or speed of their pedalling.
Resistance is, of course, what builds muscles and gets the heart pumping. And with the 240, you can choose and vary within a range of 16 resistance levels starting from lower comfortable levels to higher and more challenging resistance levels.
A Smooth And Quiet Braking System
 |
| Flywheel and ECB Brake System Housing |
Through the use of the technologically advanced magnetic Eddy Current Braking (ECB) resistance mechanism in the Schwinn 240, you will experience a more gradual and comfortable change through the different stages of your workout, rather than abrupt changes in the transition between the different resistance levels.
The ECB is unlike other resistance systems which employ direct tension, direct friction or wind resistance and have been decreasing in popularity over the years as they can be awkward, noisy, need more maintenance and require the user to make manual adjustments during the ride.
The ECB's gradual and controlled change is important to protect your knees and joints from sudden jarring as you build up to increasing resistance levels of say 3 for the first phase, 5 for the second phase and 10 for the third to fourth phases; and also as you decrease the resistance for the warming-down stage.
Because they have few moving parts and no friction, the magnetic ECB systems used in the Schwinn 240 are also extremely reliable and durable, and require little maintenance.
Perimeter-Weighted Flywheel
The Schwinn 240 has a 20-pound perimeter-weighted flywheel which simulates the inertia and momentum you feel when riding a real bicycle outdoors. This leads to a truer road feel, and smooth, consistent workouts.
The perimeter weighting on the flywheel of this recumbent bike also produces extra inertia and will keep your legs going when you are nearly out of steam and need a momentary break to recover.
This is similar to what happens when you cycle outdoors, when the momentum allows you to slow down or even stop your pedalling for some time while the bicycle still keeps going.
Adjustable Seats, Pedal Straps And Seat Rests That Fully Support Your Back
 |
| Adjustable Seat and Magazine Rack |
The Schwinn 240 features a BioFit™ Comfort seating system which provides comfortable, padded ergonomic seats that slide easily and smoothly to accommodate your height and legs. It provides good seat rest support for your low and middle back, as well as foot pedals with straps to provide a very secure footing to the exercise bike.
Recumbent means leaning, resting or lying down and recumbent exercise bikes like the Schwinn 240 have a back seat rest which differentiates them from regular upright exercise bikes.
In a recumbent bike, your body is placed in a semi-reclining position and your legs are out at an angle in front of you for reaching the pedals. This position can be much more comfortable than an upright bike but needs seats that provide much needed back support.
That is why it is so essential that this recumbent bike have larger bicycle seats with a firm back support and pedal straps that you can adjust not only for your comfort and efficiency while exercising, but more importantly to reduce the risk of injury.
It is important that you find a seat-to-pedal length that feels comfortable, specially in a recumbent bike where the seat is lower to the ground than on a normal bike, and the pedals are positioned in front, rather than below you. The Schwinn 240's adjustable seats make it a breeze to find your optimum position.
How To Adjust Your Seat
Here are some tips to find out how much to adjust the seat and pedal straps of your Schwinn 240 recumbent exercise bike before using it:
- Get on the bike and center the ball of your foot over the center of the pedal while it is in the forward position. Then check if your leg is bent slightly at the knee.
- If your leg is too straight or your foot cannot touch the pedal, you will first have to step off the bike, then move the bike seat forward. If your leg is bent too much, you will need to move the seat backward.
- After you've stepped off the bike, pull the adjustment knob on the seat bracket of the Schwinn 240, and slide the seat to the desired position. When the adjustment knob "pops" into the next hole, you can turn the knob to fully tighten it, ensuring the seat is stable.
- Now you can adjust the pedal straps, by first putting the ball of each foot on the pedals, then rotating the pedals until you can reach one pedal.
- Then fasten the strap over your shoe and repeat for your other foot.
- Be sure your toes and knees point directly forward to ensure maximum pedal efficiency.
Built-In Oversized Stabilizers And Levellers
 |
| Oversized Rear Stabilizer |
Apart from its stabilizing 20-pound perimeter-weighted flywheel, the Schwinn 240 also has oversized stabilizers and levellers that are built into it to give you a solid workout platform. This helps deliver a smooth, stable ride that keeps you feeling secure through your workout.
This high-quality bike will not wobble as you pedal because it is being held firmly on the ground by two big-sized sideways stabilizing bars which have levellers that you can adjust to offset uneven floors in your house.
It is also strong and stable enough to accommodate users who weigh up to a maximum of 300-pounds, with its makers providing a 5-year warranty on its well-made and sturdy bike frame.
Remote Heart Rate Monitor
Getting the full benefit of any cardiovascular fitness exercise involves raising the heart rate over sustained periods of time - usually from 20-90 minutes in duration.
Most exercise experts say that the most efficient way to burn fat during exercise is to start at a slow pace and gradually increase intensity until your heart rate reaches between 60 - 85% of your maximum heart rate.
They advise continuing at this pace and keeping your heart rate at this target zone for over 20 minutes. They also advise that the longer you maintain your target heart rate, the more fat tissues your body burns.
The Schwinn 240 recumbent exercise bike is an exercise guru's delight as it enables you to remotely monitor your heart rate and control the intensity of your workout through its BioConnect® Feedback telemetry-based, integrated grip heart rate system.
Contact Heart Rate (CHR) sensors are installed in the stainless steel parts of the Schwinn 240 handlebars. These sensors remotely send your heart rate signals to the bike's display console, showing them in Beats Per Minute (BPM).
This allows you to monitor your heart rate to ensure you are burning a high enough number of calories to make your workout effective.
Apart from reading heart rate signals from these handlebar sensors, the bike's console can also read telemetry heart rate signals from a Heart Rate Chest Strap Transmitter that you can tie around your chest.
How To Use The Heart Rate Monitor
To use the Schwinn 240's remote heart rate monitor you need to:
- Put your hands around the sensors, making sure they are touching both top and the bottom of the sensors.
- Hold firm to the sensors, but not too tight nor too loose. Both hands must make contact with the sensors for the console to detect a pulse. After the console detects four stable pulse signals, your initial pulse rate will be shown on the display.
- Once your initial heart rate is displayed, do not move or shift your hands for 10 to 15 seconds. The console will now validate the heart rate.
- If your heart rate signal seems erratic after validation, wipe off your hands and the sensors; and try to get an initial reading again.
What Is Your Optimum Target Heart Rate Zone?
The optimum target heart rate zone for beneficial exercising is generally estimated at 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.
To calculate your optimum target heart rate zone...First, get your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example: if you are 40 years old, then your predicted maximum heart rate is 180 beats per minute, (that is, 220 minus your age of 40).
Then multiply your maximum heart rate by 60% and 85% to get the lower and upper range of your optimum target heart rate zone. For a 40 year old, this is 108 to 153 beats per minute for the duration of the exercise.
(Your individual optimum target heart rate zone may be higher or lower than the estimated average; so it may be best to consult your doctor or health practitioner for your individual target heart rate zone before you start or increase the intensity of your exercise program.)
Built-In Automated And Customizable Workout Programs
The BioConnect® Feedback feature of the Schwinn 240 Recumbent Bike provides 17 workout programs that automate different resistances and workout levels.
These automated and user-customizable workouts include 8 course profiles, a target heart rate control, a distance goal program and 2 user profiles with custom workouts.
Apart from the 17 workout programs, the BioConnect® Feedback feature also includes:
- An adjustable backlit and multi-color display console for easy viewing of your exercise settings and statistics, and
- The Schwinn Advantage workout tracking system which is an easy way to set your fitness goals and measure your progress right on the console
The Schwinn 240's Adjustable Backlit Console
 |
| Adjustable Display Console |
The console of the Schwinn 240 provides important information about your workout progress and lets you control the resistance levels while you exercise.
It shows your workout measurements while exercising, results, user setup data and some diagnostics. Touch control buttons lets you input a number of important things as parameters to your workouts.
The backlit console will allow you read all the stats you may need to monitor while exercising, such as calories burned, time, distance, exercise level, and speed. It will even tell you if lighting in your exercise room is not ideal.
Sharing The Schwinn 240 With Others In The Family
The Schwinn Advantage Workout Tracking System lets you store and use 2 user profiles (U1 and U2) in addition to a Guest User which has no setup data stored.
It remembers each user's settings, automatically records your workout results in your User Profile, and lets you track your own fitness progress and edit data separately from the other user.
The User profile stores valuable user information which you can use to benchmark your exercise goals and measure the progress you have made, such as:
- Your Name, up to 12 characters
- Total number of workouts
- Total hours
- Total distance
As well as:
- Total calories
- Starting weight
- Target weight
- Current weight
And also:
- Weight change (Starting Weight - Current Weight)
- Height
- Age
- Custom Workout (program profile, time)
Setting Your Workout Goals
You can set different workout goals using these built-in programs and features.
For example, the Heart Rate Control (HRC) program lets you set a heart rate goal for your workout. It then monitors your heart rate from the sensors on your handlebars or from a chest strap.
There is also the Distance Goal program which lets you set the total Distance and Pacer Speed for your workout.
Another very useful program is the Fitness Test program which measures improvements in your physical fitness level. It will compare your power output (in watts) to your heart rate. As you become more fit you will produce more power (watts) at a given heart rate.
By continuing to use this state-of-the-art computerized feature of the Schwinn 240, you can start to combine the 16 levels of varying resistance along with the 17 different workout programs to ensure you can consistently make progress in your workouts.
Ease Of Use And Extra Convenience
Last but not least, the Schwinn 240 magnetic recumbent exercise bike offers you ease of use and plenty of extra convenience such as:
- Adjustable handlebars and a display console that are easy to reach helping you avoid any strain or interruption to your exercise rhythm
- A step-through frame which is easy to mount as you start your exercise, and which will turn itself off as you walk away from the bike after you've done exercising.
- An easy-to-reach holder for that bottle of water that will help you rehydrate from sweating. It is recommended that you drink one ounce (30 ml) for each minute of cycling, but safe hydration ratio could be varied depending on your weight.
- A reading rack on the handlebars to hold today's newspaper as you catch up with your reading while exercising
- A magazine storage rack under the seat to place your favorite books and magazines
In addition, the Schwinn 240 has the following features which make life really easy for you:
- Compact dimensions (Length: 63 inches, Width: 25 inches, Height: 46 inches), and a weight of only 117 pounds or 53 kilos. This means that this bike will occupy a relatively small space and be light enough to be moved if needed, making use of the handle on the backside which should make lifting easier.
- Transport wheels which enable you to move the bike by carefully lifting its rear end and slowly pushing the bike to the desired location. However, you need to be careful when moving the bike as all abrupt motions can affect its computer operations.
- Ability to be switched from miles to kilometers (KM)
- Ability to accommodate people of different heights and shapes and support a maximum user weight of 300 pounds or 136 kilos
How Much Should You Expect to Pay?
You can currently buy the Schwinn 240 Recumbent Exercise Bike from the Amazon website for $449, which is 25% off an already very competitive and consistent list price of $599.
The Schwinn 240 also Ships For Free with Amazon's super saver shipping deal.
What's Included
Included in the package are:
- An Owner's Manual, and
- An Assembly Manual
Does It Include A Warranty?
Yes, the Schwinn 240 Recumbent Exercise Bike includes a 5 year warranty on its frame; a 1 year warranty on mechanical and electric parts; and a 90 days warranty on parts.
What Others Are Saying
This bike has received an excellent average consumer review of 4.5 out of 5 stars in Amazon.com. If you've been around Amazon for a while you would have noticed that most of the products sold get less than 4 stars.
Consumer rating on Amazon: 
Here are some of the comments to date:
- "We purchased the Schwinn Recumbant Bike just before the holidays. I love it, it is comfortable, easy to use and the various "courses" are great."
- "This is a great recumbent bike. We bought it for my daughter's bad knee and now we are all using it! I highly recommend this exercise bike. It is also very comfortable! It doesn't matter how old you are, you'll love it!"
- "I purchased this Schwinn 240 from Amazon and I am well pleased. It is solidly built and quiet ... I was a little worried about assembly after reading some reviews. I think Schwinn may have re-written the assembly instructions because all hardware parts were clearly labelled in the box and assembly manual... I can't say exactly how long it took (to assemble) but probably more than 90 minutes. I feel this is a quality machine at the price and I'm using it daily."
- "My Dad bought the Schwinn 230 exercise bike and really enjoyed it. So, when I was looking for a pair of exercise bikes for my wife and I, the Schwinn 240 looked like a great selection... The feature I like most about the bike as compared to other stationary bikes is how quiet they are. My wife and I workout together and watch TV while we exercise. No problem at all hearing the TV as the bikes make very little noise."
- "We bought the Schwinn 240 due to it being one of the newest models. Some of the things we really liked better were minor, but made the difference to us. The number of different programs were higher than the other models. Being able to remember a user's information was also a huge positive from other models where every time a different user uses the equipment you have to reset all your information. The cup holder not being under the seat but on the console made more sense and having the basket to store magazines and things just seemed neater."
Any Complaints?
 |
| Dimensions Of The Schwinn 240 |
The very few complaints I found on the Amazon site for this bike mostly centered on assembly and user documentation rather than equipment performance.
Some consumers have observed that Schwinn may have improved the assembly manuals as the diagrams are now bigger and the instructions easier to follow.
However, if users still find the printed hardcopy manuals hard to follow, they can easily view and download the assembly and user manuals in PDF format from the Amazon website.
Other really helpful assembly tips from consumers include the following:
- Because the seat rail is pre-assembled to the main bike frame, you will need to disassemble it to get the seat assembly put on.
- Ensure you tighten the seat adjustment screw or knob to stop the seat from wiggling. When the knob is tightened, the seat is very firm and stable.
Where Can You Buy the Schwinn 240 Recumbent Exercise Bike?
You can buy this Schwinn 240 bike from Amazon.com. Amazon does seem to currently have the best deal especially with the free shipping option. Click here to view on Amazon.
Where Can You Read More Reviews for the Schwinn 240 Recumbent Bike?
The best place for reviews from people who have actually purchased and used the product is Amazon. Click here to read more.