Great bike for moderate at-home exercise
Yep, I jumped on the New Year's Resolution Fitness Bandwagon. But while for the last few years I've fallen back into bad habits of not exercising regularly, this year I've stuck with it. I've had the Schwinn 220 Recumbent Exercise Bike for almost 3 months, and it's been a great aid to sticking with my fitness goals. Ninety percent of my problem with working out is just getting motivated to go to the gym. I hate the locker rooms and fighting over equipment and feeling like you have to show off for the regular gym bunnies. Having this exercise bike at my house is great because when I get up in the morning or when I come home from work I can jump on the bike for 45 minutes and check my workout off the list for the day. The Schwinn 220 is a good option for someone who wants to do moderate workouts at home. It has the "Schwinn Advantage" program, which allows you to save multiple users and workout settings and history. It's very easy to set up and program and switch between users. However, it doesn't feel quite as substantial as the equipment at the gym, which is why I think it's probably better for moderate workouts. I wanted something easy on the joints, so I went with a recumbent bike instead of a treadmill. The multiple program and difficulty options still provide a great range of workouts, and you can definitely get your heart rate up for aerobic impact. The bike has a pretty small profile. I have it set up in a spare bedroom and while you notice there's a bike in there, it doesn't take up the entire room. It's also pretty quiet compared to other at-home equipment I've heard. I used to have condo neighbors with an eliiptical that woke me up every morning, so I was worried about that. But I bought a shock-absorbing pad to go under the bike, and it protects my floor and my neighbors say they can't hear a thing. The 220 model has a few features that some of the other budget models I looked at didn't have: a magazine rack and a fan. The magazine rack gets more use as an iPad holder so I can catch up on TV shows while working out, but it's very convenient and well-positioned. I haven't used the fan yet, but maybe I will when it's warmer outside. I can't speak to the level of difficulty for assembly because I paid a little extra for the at-home delivery and installation, but the two men who set it up said they had never installed that particular model before. They followed the instructions and were done in under an hour. I would think it would probably be a two-person job for anyone. I bought my bike on sale for 20 percent off, but after having it for a few months, I think the regular price is still a good value. Overall, the Schwinn 220 has been a great purchase and I would recommend it to anyone who wants fitness equipment at home. If someone wanted to build a more extensive gym I might suggest something a little more substantial, but this model is perfect for the average person looking for a low-impact workout at home.
JenniferFreeman
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