Schwinn Recumbent Bike

"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.

If I have any complaints, they are that the display doesn't have a backlight and the bike needs to be assembled when it arrives which took me about two hours. As a note: assemble the entire display stand (the front "handlebars" part) BEFORE you attach it to the base. The instructions say the other way around and it's a pain fishing the wires up through the tube and out the top.

My complaints are minor, my rating for the bike as a whole is five out of five."

"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.

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.
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.
230: 101 lbs. Still pretty stable.

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???"