Michael J Edelman Say: schwinn world bicycle
Good value in a budget-priced exercise machine., 2010-09-11
This review is for: schwinn world bicycle
I've been searching for some time for a decent, affordable recumbent exercise bike to replace a rowing machine I'd quite using because of knee problems. It seemed the really solid ones were well over the thousand dollar mark, and the less expensive ones were... well, junk. I tried a Schwinn 240 at a local sporting goods discounter, but (1) I couldn't adjust it to fit me and (2) it wobbled and creaked as I tried to pedal it. I had about given up hope of finding an affordable unit when I tried a 220 at another discount store. It was poorly assembled, but it did fit, and pedaling it was comfortable. They could order me one and have it "just a few weeks", they assured me. I said I'd think about it.

Back home I read the Amazon reviews for the 220. Even better than the 240, said some, and it has the same 300lb rating, which means it should be just as strong. Hmm. I thought about it overnight, and decided to bite the bullet. Two days later I came home from my morning bike ride to the coffee shop to find a large cardboard box sitting on the back porch. I got out my pocket knife, opened the box, and - this is important- removed the assembly manual before doing anything else.

I studied the manual for a while- it's one of those modern multi-country ones with no text, just a lot of diagrams. Think Ikea. It was clear enough. I removed the pieces from the box and carted them upstairs one by one. Assembly was clear and straightforward, making allowances for those little production tolerances you inevitably come across in anything made in a semi-automated factory. I didn't have any of the problems some reviewers mentiopned, probably because I read the assembly manual fully and made sure I'd identified all the parts before starting. A few tips:

1. The bolts come in two types: Flat head, for attaching the feet (parts A), and round head for everything else. The round headed bolts are labeled in order of increasing length- B, D, E, F. Simple. Don't unwrap them all at once- just peel back the plastic to expose the bolts you need for the task you're working on.

2. The curved washers are for attaching screws to curved surfaces, That includes joining the front and rear assemblies together- here, the bolts are already inserted in the assemblies when you unpack- and attaching the column that holds the computer.

3. There are a number of interconnecting cables running through some of the assemblies. Most are simple mini-headphone type connectors (1/8" mini plug), but there are also a couple of flat, multi-wire connectors at the top and bottom of the column holding the computer. If you take care to align these when assembling, they'll slip together easily with little or no force.

4. Some of the cables are held in place with twist ties and rubber bands. Don't remove these ties and bands until you've connected the cables, or you're likely to lose a cable inside the machine.

5. Follow the instructions religiously. Coming up with shortcuts and "improved" methods will get you into a lot of trouble.

6. Don't tighten any bolts until you get all the bolts in for a given assembly. This is especially important when installing the seat assembly. There, tighten the bolts at the front support before tightening the bolts at the rear support.

7. The funny shaped metal piece sealed in with the bolts and washers is a screwdriver and pedal wrench. And remember: The left hand pedal has a reverse thread.

8. You'll notice that there are *two* sets of mounting holes for the seat back. Being 6'2" and having a long torso to boot, I used the lower holes in order to mount the seat back higher. You may have to experiment with this to find the best setting for you, but I'll suggest that if you're over 5'10" you start with the higher seat back position. (If more than one person will be using the machine, you may have to compromise on one position or the other.)

Once I'd studied the assembly manual and had all the pieces laid out, actual assembly took perhaps 30 minutes. I plugged in the power supply (a 9-volt wall wart), punched "Quick Start", and started pedaling. Easy. Pushing the "+" and +-+ buttons increased and decreased resistance smoothly- I found that I liked spinning at 4. I haven't tried all the programs and other settings because, frankly, I don't care about programs and automation and such. All I wanted was a knob that says harder <-> easier. But I do like some of the features, like the built in pulse monitor and the timer. Very useful. Some reviewers have complained that the front "handlebars" are too far away to reach. Those aren't handlebars; those are handles to make it easier to get up, for those users who might have some difficulties in doing so.

Short summary: This is a well made (for the money), easy to use, comfortable machine that will probably get a lot of use once the weather cools down and I can't bike every day. Until then, it'll be for rainy days. I'll update this in a few months after I get more miles in.

UPDATE:

I've been using this bike daily for a month and a half, and I'm still very pleased with it. My favorite feature? It's silent, which means I can watch TV while spinning without turning up the volume. I'll pop in a DVD from the library- usually a documentary series- and before I know it, I've done 30 minutes of solid exercise.

UPDATE II:

I've now been using the 220 daily for just over 4 months, and I'm still very pleased with it. Everything still works, none of the parts have deformed or loosened, and the foam in the seat is still stiff and supportive. My knees have strengthened to the point that my arthritis is far less of a problem than it was. I'm pleased.

UPODATE II: It's been 8 months now, and I still use it every day I can't go bicycling. One tip learned: If yours goes "clunk" on every revolution as you pedal it, the chances are extremely good that you have a loose pedal. The pedals may not appear loose, but if you snug both up with a wrench, the noise will probably go away.

D. Witkin Say: schwinn world bicycle
Good Bike for Price, 2010-02-14
This review is for: schwinn world bicycle
Update: November 2010
It's about 8 months since I wrote the review below and the bike is doing great. No obvious signs of wear and the bike is still incredibly quiet. Still recommended.

-----------------------
I was skeptical whether I could get a good quality bike for under $500 -- something that works well and feels solid -- but I'm pleased with this bike. A few things you may want to know before you buy:

1. It took me a total of 2 hours to unpack it and put it together. It wasn't difficult, but it was a little more time consuming than I was expecting. The directions are good enough, but the diagrams that walk you through the assembly process are unexplainably small on the pages.
2. The bike is much quieter than I expected. I watch TV while working out and with our other exercise machines in the house (i.e., a stepper and a rower) we need to turn the TV way up to hear it over the equipment. Not so with this bike. Whisper quiet is not an exaggeration.
3. The display is not backlit. Our bike is in the basement, which is not well lit making the display a little harder to read than I think it should be. Not a major issue, though.
4. The bike is solid, but it doesn't feel quite as steady as the $1,000 bikes I've used at the gym. I guess that is to be expected.
5. The bike has built in wheels that make it very easy to move around. I wheel it back and forth between exercises very easily.
6. You plug in the power cord into the front of the bike, which seems odd to me. In my view, it would have been better to plug into the rear of the bike so that the cord could be out of the way. Again, not a major issue but a little unexpected.

Overall, a good bike - worth buying.