The unit is light, rolls well (even with 60+lb of kids in it), and has really exceeded my expectations to date. The interior is a little rough and tumble for the little ones, but neither kid has complained, and the sling seat holds them up off the bars perfectly well. There’s plenty of room inside too, for a couple toys, extra water bottle, juice boxes for the little ones, and anything else you might want to stash.

I was especially pleased that I could get all the base features I was looking for (shocks would have been nice, but honestly, do we need those?) for under $300. I had some friends who recommended other great units, but all of them were well beyond my price point. This thing is definetely worth it. A great value!

Schwinn Mark III Double

One of the best in this price range.. I checked out ProForm, Weslo, and Sears models before buying the 220, and preferred the Schwinn over the others. I considered the Schwinn 240 but Schwinn 220 Recumbent Exercise Bike was 6 or 7 inches longer and I have limited space. However, I’m not disappointed with the 220. It is a high quality bike at a reasonable price. It’s digital computer readout allows you to set and view resistance, calories, miles, time, pulse rate, speed, etc. (and some I’ve forgotten). Custom programs can be entered but I haven’t learned how yet. Also, there is a “Quick Start” button that allows you to program your resistance and go. It’s not hard to assemble but it’s not easy either. A helper would be nice, if only to hold the heavier pieces upright while you connect the wiring (I didn’t have one). My only complaint is the manual. It’s not very helpful in assembly or learning to program workouts on the digital computer. But the 220 provides a good, quiet workout and is a very nice exercise bike.

First Look at Schwinn 220 Recumbent Bike. Please note that this review is written based on only ONE WEEK of use, so it can’t possibly address performance over the long term. If I remember to, I’ll come back in a few months and give a more complete review.

First, the machine was shipped promptly and arrived on time. The package was somewhat damaged, but all the bike parts arrived in good condition. It appears to me that the Chinese manufacturer packaged the bike for containerized shipment, and not for individual transport. Nevertheless, all was okay.

Assembly is straight-forward. I was interrupted (neighbor’s horses got out), but total assembly time was probably about one hour, working alone. Note that I’m an experienced assembler, having put together many wagons, carts, bikes, trikes, etc. in the wee hours of Christmas morning. Also note that Step 5 (page 11) calls for REMOVING the seat rail bracket; the bracket on my bike WAS NOT already installed, and, not reading the instruction, I installed the bracket, as that’s what the diagram suggested. No big deal, but you’ll have to remove it later. Other than that glitch, all went smoothly. By the way, all the tools that you will need are included in the package – nice touch.

With only one week’s use, the machine has been absolutely silent in operation; I certainly hope that continues. By default, the bike starts at intensity level 3. Stepping up to level 4 is detectable but not severe. Further steps seem to increase resistance at a higher level.

I cannot grasp the front handle bars while sitting with my back against the backrest; in fact I can barely touch them with my finger tips. To grasp the handles I must lean forward. Not a biggie, but I would prefer them to be located in front of the electronic display, rather than behind it.

As to the electronic panel, it appears to me that the MPH shown is high; at 80 RPMs it registers 16 miles per hour, while my old bike showed 13 MPH. The display registers about 25 calories per mile at resistance level 4. The heart rate monitor shows about 5 beats per minute higher than my Polar unit, but I can’t say for sure which one is closer.

I do not like the way the “time” feature changes between “elapsed time” and a one-minute countdown display at 6-second intervals – I would prefer it to stay on the elapsed time screen. If there is a way to reset this feature I haven’t been able to find it.

Also, my old bike stopped the elapsed-time clock whenever I quit pedaling, but this one continues to run – a stop to answer the doorbell reflected 5 minutes of exercise time while I was away.

I have not used any of the programmed workout programs, because I exercise at 78-82 RPMs for 30 minutes, varying pedal resistance during the workout (I’m a 70-year-old male, and I’m not trying to build endurance.)

The “magazine rack” is merely a small ledge. It will hold a magazine, I suppose, but I place my very small MP3 player on it. I don’t believe that some of the larger players would stay on the ledge.

I knew this before I ordered the bike, so I can’t really complain, but I would much prefer the display unit to be powered by a battery, as my old bike was. The Schwinn 220 must be plugged into an AC outlet – without electricity you don’t get any readouts, and can’t vary resistance.

The Schwinn 220 seems to be pretty stout, and my overall impression, at this point, is favorable. If it continues to function like it does now, I’ll be pleased with my purchase. Time will tell

I came from a background of BMX trail-riding in the late 90s when I was a teenager. I sold off the bikes I had at the turn of the millennium and have been bike-less since.

Pre-purchase:

Now that I’m in my 20s, I’ve recently decided to buy a bike to help maintain a healthy lifestyle, and I did hefty research before purchasing. I originally wanted to spend as little as possible, under $150 for a bicycle. I went to Wal-mart to take a gander at what they offered, and nothing really wow’ed me, so I went on Amazon. I didn’t want to fool with Mongoose or any of the generic brand names. I rode Haro in my glory days, but I always wanted a Schwinn. I saw the prices and decided to spend a little more since I’d be using Schwinn Prelude Mens Road Bike a lot. It was a toss-up between this one and the Ridge-AL Mountain Bike, which is $35 cheaper than this one. I ordered this bike finally, at a $235 price tag with free Amazon shipping.

Shipment and Setup:

I got this bike in a cool three days, and it came in a big box. The setup was pretty easy. I set it up by myself but it would have been a big help if I had asked for help. One thing to note is that it does have the quick-release front wheel, so I’m telling you now so you don’t act like an idiot (like me) sifting through the box for bolts. The front brakes take a little fidgeting to set just right, but the back gearing and brakes are already set up for you. Overall, everything is solid and exactly what you’d expect from Schwinn.

The ride:

This is my first road bike, so I had to adjust alot of things before it became comfortable. I’m about 5′8″ and it’s okay; I think the ideal height for this bike however is in the 5′10″ range. Everything is smooth and shifts smooth,

Cons:

Handlebars – You can’t adjust the handlebar height because of the threading system. It’s not really a big deal, but if you want it changed you have to take it to a licensed pro, or risk it by doing it yourself.

The seat – The best for last. The seat is like riding on your household iron, metal side up. This thing is so uncomfortable, I can’t even ride for extended lengths of time. If you ride in a crowded neighborhood, you’ll be thinking to yourself on how to look cool while being really uncomfortable, but most people can see through this technique. This is one thing you absolutely must replace if you purchase the bike (in my opinion).

Great Beginner Bike. Great Bike for beginner, best value on the market and light weight. strongest recommend to all bike beginner.

very well. i bought this bike recently. it is a great bike and rides real smooth compared to older road bikes. the parts seem high quality and their easy to adjust if needed especially the brake calipers. it took me just a little bit to put it together, but thats because i took my time. if you purchase this bike you will not be disappointed. i haven’t rode a bike in years and one of the reasons was to get this bike was to help my diabetes. my first rode trip i was trying to take it easy and end up riding 14 miles. it felt really good i couldn’t wait for my next ride.

Just what I hoped for. I did alot of research before I decided to get this machine. It is everything I hoped for and needed. I had a friend put it together and it was up and running in 1.5 hours. I love it, use it two times a day and find it ‘easy’ on my knees and back. Very, very happy with this purchase.

Product is excellent, shipping company is NOT—. During these hard economic times, I wanted to save nearly $45 in taxes and purchased this bike through Amazon. Unbeknownst to me at the time of placing the order, another shipper, “Pilot”, was used to ship the bike to me instead of the usual UPS, FEDEX, or USPS. This was not a problem until they only gave me the option of one 4 hour window for the bike to be delivered because it was a Friday—–I didn’t request a Friday delivery and they mistakenly offered several other time slots the first time they called, but then retracted them because it would be on a Friday afternoon in California (they ship from Arizona). They were VERY inflexible so I will be buying this bike locally and Amazon loses the sale (after my money is refunded). If you’re able to work with the shipper’s schedule, then Amazon has a great price & the shipping was free.

UPDATE: Was charged $70 for the return of the bike so make sure you’re available—to think this all started to “save” money