Customer Reviews

Schwinn 430 Elliptical Trainer [Discontinued]

5 star:		(323)
4 star:		(148)
3 star:		(30)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

I am a soldier who has recently returned from deployment. While I was deployed I injured both knees and am unalbe to run due to the impact. I had tried ellipticals while I was deployed and was quite impressed with the work out I got. When I returned I went out and started searching for one of my own. My goal was to keep it under $1000. I tried many different brands and discovered that not all ellipticals are created equal. Many of them are cheaply made and shake side to side or make alot of noise. The stride is very important. I am 6 foot tall and the 16 inch stride on some of them just didnt cut it. I ended up buying a Proform 160 from the Proform website since it had an 18 inch stride and seemed to be sturdy, however, after discovering how little they care about customer service, I cancelled my order. I ended up buying an Image 9.5 from Walmart. I used it for about 3 weeks and came to the conclusion that the foot pedals were spaced too far apart and it put pressure on my knees and made my hips hurt. After thinking about it for a minute it made sense to me, who runs with thier feet that far apart anyway. My feet almost land in a straight line when I run. So I set out to find one with closer pedals. Overall I tried almost 2 dozen different machines and finally found the Schwinn 430 at a fitness store. I tried the 418 and 438 also, but the 430 seemed to be the most comfortable to me. The 438 and some of the other brands seem to have a high arch on the upstroke. The 430 was very smooth and ultra quiet. It is very well made and should last for many years. Amazon had the best deal on it and had it to me in about 8 days. It is a very comfortable machine. After all of this I would say to anyone wanting to buy an elliptical, try alot of them, I tried all the ones at Sears, Oshmans, Academy and Fitness in motion. Make sure the stride length, pedal angle and pedal spacing are comfortable for you, after all, if its not comfortable you wont want to use it. The only thing I think could be improved on the Schwinn 430 is a backlit display. Luckily I work out with the lights on so its not a problem, haha. I tried many machines that were between $2-3000 and this one was still more comfortable to me. It is a heavy machine, so get help carrying it in, but you will be glad its heavy when you ride it. It is some assembly required, but it has fairly clear instructions, so there shouldnt be a problem with assembly. Happy Hunting!

I didn't see many reviews on the 430, much less details regarding the differences between this stripper model and its big brother brethren. So here goes my first real Amazon review:

Why I chose the Schwinn 430
-Price (esp on Amazon w/ mat and shipping)
-Space saving
-ECB resistance
-Forward + Backward
-25 lb flywheel (per manual)
-18" stride

Why I'm happy after buying
-Feels solidly built, like it will last
-Relatively quiet
-Forward + Backward motion
-Bargain price, esp w/ Amazon mat + shipping
-I get a good workout

Why I'm not happy
-Manual subpar. Amazon acknowledges with email M8x25 error, but there are other (unrecognized by Amazon) mistakes.
-Fit is only 99% perfect. Some holes don't line up perfectly, but what can you expect at this price point?
-"Heel rising" during motion despite "articulating foot plate" was a little more than I expected, but not much more than other ellipticals
-I'm only 5'9", but I prefer a 20" stride (found on Sole Ellipticals), probly because I'm use to the gym but 18" is definitely ok
-Display is hard to read. Backlighting (on 418,438) would help.
-The "easiest" setting is a little hard for my wife, probly due to heavy flywheel
-My wife has tripped over the small power cord, so I can understand why battery power on the 418 is a nice option.

Differences between 430, 418, and 438

430
LCD display
AC Power
Grip HR Monitor
Preprogrammed Workouts 8
Max User Weight 275 lbs.
Warranty: Labor - 90 days

418
adds backlit LCD
adds Battery Power Option to AC
same Grip HR Monitor as 430
increases Preprogrammed Workouts 12
same Max User Weight as 430
increases Warranty: Labor - 6 Months; Wear Items - 6 Months

438
adds fan, multi grip handlebar to backlit LCD
deletes Battery Power Option of 418, only AC
adds Chest Strap HR Monitor to Grip Monitor
increases total Preprogrammed Workouts 21, 4 user settings
increases Max User Weight - 300 lbs.
same warranty as 418

Due to the price, I would buy the Schwinn 430 again in a heartbeat. Same award winning mechanics as the 418, 438 but a much cheaper price point. However, if you work out a lot at night and want a backlight, or don't want a power cord across the room, I would seriously consider spending the extra $200 for the 418 despite the problematic Amazon reviews.

UPDATE: Like others, I too had developed a small "squeaking noise" problem. However, my squeaking was located where the moving handlebars pivot, close to the flywheel. A quick call to Schwinn (hold time < 1 min) told me that I probably tightened the handlebars too much. I was told to back off by a quarter turn until the squeaking disappeared. Three quarter turns later, my squeaking is gone! Apparently my obsessive compulsiveness in tightening everything down was too aggressive. One month later, and I still love my Schwinn 430, and I was very happy with the customer service too.

PRICE:

Amazon offered the best price at $600.00 and free shipping. With the lowest price and the confidence of buying from a recognized and established business rather than some online fly-by-night, Amazon was the obvious choice.

PURCHASE:

Online ordering was, of course, a breeze at Amazon. Shipment was done via "Eagle GL" shipper. Make sure your correct telephone number is included in the ordering process because Eagle will not deliver the product without an appointment. Delivery personnel were ahead of schedule, polite and helpful. The delivery is curbside only and you should make plans to move the 200 lb box to your indoor workout location. You may find it easier to unload the box at the drop point and carry in the individual pieces. The flywheel, however, may take two people or just leave it in the box and slide it up the steps.

CUSTOMER SERVICE / ASSEMBLY:

A real nightmare. Online reviews of other Schwinn ellipticals warn the prospective purchaser that Schwinn has a real problem with packing the proper parts. The 430 is no exception. Two right legs made the unit inoperative. Several calls to customer service, although they have a great bedside manner, netted little results as each representative advised different information and none could correct the problem in a timely fashion. An email to Nautilus, (parent company of Schwinn), upper management did result in action within five minutes of receiving the message after 8:00 PM. The problem was taken care of within three days, (even they had a problem with obtaining the proper part), and they showed a genuine concern for the situation.

The assembly manual rated about a 5 out of 10. Parts were incorrectly labeled and some parts changed their part number on each page they were displayed. Customer service either read from a different diagram or could not understand what was presented to them. Take it slow and as a hint, there is no M8x25 bolt.

FEATURES:

General Use - The ECB system makes for a very quiet, very smooth ride. Parents of newborns will find this welcome when space restrictions require exercise close to their sleeping babe (aside from an occasional electronic beep, but not a nap breaker). The forward and reverse option is an added benefit not found on other machines in this price range.

Size - No excuse here. Though slightly wider than a ski machine, the 430 will fit in any apartment. The front rollers make it possible, (not easy), to move the unit into a corner when not in use.

Electronics - Nice array of feedback though no backlight with this model. Heart rate monitor is lacking, however. When compared to a "Polar" HRM with chest strap the 430's HRM took about 60 seconds to display an accurate reading. Since the sensors are located on the stationary handlebars this feature is not helpful to someone who chooses to use the dynamic handlebars for upper body movement.

BioFit & BioGlide - Big words for "a well polished machine" Essentially this means that the design is such that there are no rough edges, placement of interaction points with the user, (handlebars, electronics, etc.), have been optimized and so forth. Although nice, this is what consumers expect in a product. Anything less would be a poor purchase.

Foot Plate - Although Schwinn claims that the 430 has articulating foot plates, (follow the foot's path to maintain contact with the surface), I found my heel constantly rising as in the motion of a cross-country ski machine. The plates are wide and hard plastic. Even with walking shoes on this is a bit uncomfortable. The plates could use a softer surface and a strap system to hold the foot in place.

PERFORMANCE:

Once you get the unit together you'll find one smooth ride (No reference to the manufacturer of other elliptical equipment intended). Since the unit was just manufactured in 2006 and this review is written after only one use, it is unknown how long the 430 will hold up to its good performance. For now, however, the 430, coupled with another Nautilus product, the Bowflex home gym, may entice you to cancel your exercise club membership, that is if you can get past the ego trip of the mirrors first.

Sept. 28, 2008 - Still going strong. A few minor creeks that could probably be resolved with lubrication or bolt adjustment, but it's still smooth, quiet and no mechanical problems.

My wife researched elliptical machines for several months. We looked at a wide range of machines, from entry level to gym quality. We ultimately decided on the Schwinn 430 due to the small footprint, the stride, and the solid feeling of the machine given its price point. My biggest reservation came while reading comments from numerous reviewers about squeaking issues.

After carefully assembling the machine, I got on for a test ride. Smooth and quiet! Excellent, I thought. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. The next morning my wife got on for her first workout. Exactly two minutes into her routine, a soft clunking sound started coming from the left handlebar central pivot. Two minutes later, a squeaking noise started. By the end of her 30 minute workout, there was squeaking coming from both handlebar pivot points that was so loud I had to crank the TV up to hear the dialogue! I guess I wasn't so lucky.

In my opinion, the Achilles' heel of this machine is the design of the central handlebar pivot point mechanism. Each pivot consists of a plastic "bushing" and a metal axle. The axle and bushings come from the factory with a very light coat of grease. In the case of my machine, clearly not enough lubrication was applied to prevent squeaking. In addition, because the bushings are lightly coated with grease, they attracted black plastic "sawdust" and other small fragments during manufacture and shipping. This debris may have also contributed to my squeaking issues. The fix was fairly easy. I disassembled the offending squeaking points, cleaned all of the grease and plastic debris off of the bushings and axles and then re-applied a coat of synthetic white lithium grease to all contact points. I used synthetic grease as I've read that petroleum based grease may break down plastic parts over time.... I reassembled everything and during a subsequent 30 minute workout session the machine was squeak free. In my opinion, Schwinn could solve this whole issue by simply supplying a tube of high-quality grease and leaving the pivot points clean. I guess they assume that the pre-applied lubricant will get most machines through the 90 day labor warranty period without squeaks.... Perhaps I'm too cynical.

So what's the long term life expectancy of the machine and maintenance requirements? Not sure. I imagine that I'll have to perform the above steps for the other pivot points and will likely need to repeat the process for all pivot points on some periodic basis. If the pivot points stay lubricated, I'm hoping the plastic bushings hold up for 5 years or more. At which point, I'll feel like I've gotten good value out of the machine. Perhaps, worn bushings will be replaceable as necessary.... That could extend the life of the machine indefinitely.

I give the machine three stars because it is a good value for the price point. Be aware that you may get squeaking issues right out of the box or experience the issue at some point down the road. Additional lubrication appears to solve the problem (at least based on my short term experience). I'll update this review at some point in the future if/when the handlebar pivot points start squeaking again. That's my first hand info for anyone considering this purchase. Cheers!

INTRO:
Shopping around for ellipticals, I look at the range of $150 to $5000. Obviously the fitness club versions are great, with the quiet operation, range of resistance, electronic analysis, durability, comfort and range of adjustments for stride. After shopping for several months (6 to be exact - riding dozens of machines), the MOST IMPORTANT thing to realize is that you have to be comfortable with the stride of an elliptical. This varies in 'orbit' from one manufacturer to another. The stride length is another consideration (ride it for at least 10-15 minutes to get a true feel). If you're not comfortable, it will become a $800-$5000 towel rack. Next, you need a machine that is solid and stable for your body weight.

As a homeowner, more important features were durability, quiet ride, comfort, general data about exercise (i.e. calories, speed, distance, cadence), and saving space.

I ordered from Amazon and it originated out of Pennsylvania. It took a week for delivery and delivery is only to your door. I was contacted when the shipment arrived and the delivery was on schedule. The condition of the box was good and there was no damage to the cosmetics of the machine when I received it. The box is massive and heavy (200 lbs) and it is difficult to push on high grade pile carpet.

SETUP:
After reading the reviews from this site, I decided to take a chance. After unpacking, I checked that all parts were correct and present. Outside of some inconsistencies with a couple of lines on assembly, the setup was easy and clear for 98%. The supplied tools made the job even easier (I was ready with my huge toolchest to decide on what I needed).

APPEARANCE:
Enameled coated frame, plastic housing for the brake, and pedals. The pedals are hard plastic and I would have preferred a higher grade pedal with rubberized grips. The handles are covered with comfortable 'rubber'. The heart rate monitor is only on the console handlebar but that doesn't bother me (I don't need constant instantaneous heart rate monitoring). The electronic monitor is lightweight plastic which is where the materials kind of skimp for the price.

The electronic display is well organized allowing simultaneous data to be displayed (Interval/time, RPM/watts, speed/calories). The caveat is that the display is not backlit but who wants to exercise in the dark? The water bottle holder is a nice touch but practically out of the way during the operation to be useful when riding.

The footprint is small (62" long x 27" wide) and there are rollers on the front to allow easier navigation if it has to be moved. This was the main attraction of this model over the more expensive Schwinns (saving space).

USE:
Quick start is a nice way to start using your machine. You can push the various parameters to display what you want. I personally find that the RPM (your cadence), calories, and time to be most important.

This is an extremely quiet machine for operation outside of the loud beeps that arise from the electronic console. The operation is smooth and comfortable, and I found it quite enjoyable. Being 200 pounds, I found the machine to be stable and did not rock or squeak, unlike many models in this price range and lower.

Warranty for labor is 6 months but, hey, you put it together. How can they cover your work?

SUMMARY:
For the price and features, given the smooth operation, features and solid feel (with the exception of the plastic pedals), I believe this machine is worthy of consideration. Like a golf club or even a shoe, the equipment has to fit the person: make sure that the stride length and elliptical motion fit you.

UPDATE:
After some use it started to squeak. My first thought was "You get what you pay for". I got off of the machine and tried to localize the sound but it only occurred with weight on the pedal. However, I adjusted and tightened two bolts and loosened one other on the left pedal, and it went back to quiet operation. Assembly is the first thing to consider if it starts to make noise. Localize where it is coming from and then adjust the screws. Keep the handle tools that came with the machine to make your adjustments. It is so smooth and so quiet, I cannot justify spending any more money unless you weigh more than the limits of the machine. Any more electronic features is just a wasted luxury.

Schwinn 430 Elliptical Trainer

Excellent machine and value. We had a Proform unit that was given to us for free and it quickly turned to junk, started knocking after a few months use. Could not even replace the worn parts as they don't carry certain parts anymore. Resistance was awful as it used a leather belt for friction and no reverse. So I figured I'd spring for a club quality unit like a Life Fitness or Precor model that I'm used to from the clubs I've belonged to over the years. But they cost about 2-3 grand for the home units! And even the 3-4K club pro units many still broke down from time to time anyway.

My Son bought a 430 a year or two ago and I was impressed with it's build quality and smoothness of operation (He has had no issues). I thought I wanted a rear drive unit, but changed my mind after I used his. Some reviews say the front drive units give you an unwanted bunny hop stride, but I have not found this to be true. I was most impressed with the smoothness of the electronic resistance. Brings your heart rate up very quickly depending on the program and level chosen.

Unit went together very easy with the supplied tools (Allen wrench combo with Phillips head and a hex wrench). I think the typo error in the manual regarding which bolts to use for attaching the main unit assembly to the stabilizers (feet) has now been corrected for step 2. Amazon had noted there was an error in the manual for this step. Most of the bolts used are the button top ones that the allen wrench fits into makes assembly a breeze. Even taking my time it only took me about 1.5 hours from assembly to finish, which included unpacking the parts (great packaging) and laying them out before assembly.

A few tips. I sprayed a little extra white lithium grease on each moving part even though they were pre-greased. Spray can at Home Depot is only a few bucks. Same for a spray can of Teflon Silicone spray that I bought to spray on the track wheels and tracks. Don't use WD 40 as it attracts dust and dirt.
I picked up a 4 pack of these black rubber (24 inch by 24 inch) interlocking mats at Loews for $16. They are about 1/2 inch thick (these mats are thicker than the ones that Walmart sells). Because they are nice and firm, they don't allow the machine to rock when placed underneath it. They can also be trimmed to fit around the machine with a sharp knife, razor blade or scissors.
I also cut out two pieces of indoor/outdoor type carpet (bought at Walmart) with type with the rubber backing. Which I cut to fit into the plastic foot pedals. This machine is almost silent operation-wise. The only sounds I was hearing were the squeaking of my rubber sneakers against the plastic foot holders. The two carpet pieces are a cheap and silent fix for this. Some have noted that they thought these foot holders were cheap. But I find them to be very beefy for plastic units.

Lastly, the only con that I see as others have noted is that the computer (which works great) is not back lit. But to spend an extra $200 for the next model up just to get this feature and a fan for the same basic machine . . . one can just buy a battery operated, cheap book light that can clip onto the computer. I like the ones that have a clip on one end and an 8-10 inch gooseneck with the light on the other end. Probably cost about $10. Personally, I can still see the computer without the back light as I just turn a lamp on in the room. I don't workout in the dark anyway.

Conclusion: You can't go wrong with the 430 for $599 "delivered in about 7 days" with Amazon's free shipping . . . for a unit of this quality. For what I almost spent I could get 5 to 6 of these units (one for each room of my house) for what I was going to spend on the Life Fitness or Precor models and after I read all the reviews on those more expensive units, I was not impressed with what I was going to get for my money. Each of the expensive units had drawbacks in their reviews especially the Precor models. The 430 actually had great reviews on Amazon's site and these were from over 150 "actual" users.

Thanks to all who took the time to send in their reviews which helped me make the decision to buy a 430!

I don't know what all the prior fuss is about. I had no trouble reading the assembly manuel and putting the elliptical together all by myself in under 2 hours. And I'm a female! The parts were labeled correctly, formed correcty and there were no missing or malformed pieces. It is on the heavy side, but my being a stubborn individual-I didn't want to wait for my husband to get back home from his trip in a few days and I was anxious to start using it, so I did it myself. I really had no trouble. But being female if I'm lost in out in the real world I ask for directions, and when it comes to assembling items I read the directions very throughly and line everything up before I begin. Men usually don't follow those methods and hence they get frusted, confused then angry.

This is my first elliptical and for the money this is an excellent value with the features you get. You can input your weight and height and customize it for your target fitness goals, like you can on those more expensive health club machines. The display is large and easy to read. I would be nicer if the background lit up, but I can live with it.

The motions are smooth and the machine is very quiet-very easy to hear your music, the TV or carry on conversations and you don't have to compete with the background noise of the machine-much like you have to do with our treadmill. That thing is noisey.

I'm quite pleased with this unit and I really don't see myself purchasing a more expensive higher end one in the near future, unless this one should go belly up-which I doubt, it is so heavy duty and very well made.

I will recommend this to anyone and everyone. It is by far a superior piece of home exercise equipment for the money that most people can afford. Your health and fitness is worth the investment.

If you've read some of the other reviews here, you're likely already pretty convinced the Schwinn 430 is a great machine. I can't add much to the praise already posted by others, but I can certainly agree with them and tell you that I (a 45 year old woman) had NO problems putting the machine together by myself. It did take about 3 hours, but that was taking a couple breaks and a phone call in between. Just do what the manual suggests and make sure all the parts are there before you begin (they were) and lay them out in order. Then just follow the directions.

One piece of advice: When you're installing the Console Handlebar (Step 4), cover the hole in the console mast with a piece of packing tape or just tape a piece of paper over it to block it. In attaching the handlebar, I fumbled one of the screws and of course it rolled right into the console mast, which meant I had to remove six bolts in order to remove the mast to reach the screw. Fortunately it got caught on the little metal lip and didn't drop down into the main unit.

My unit is virtually SILENT - no sqeaks, clicks or any other noises. I'm pretty close to the weight limit for the 430 model and was a little apprehensive about that, but the machine doesn't feel at all wobbly - it feels quite sturdy/stable.

I spent a month researching ellipticals, reading reviews and looking at different machines and wish now I'd just gone ahead and ordered this one. I whole heartedly recommend it to anyone in the market for an elliptical trainer.

I was impressed by all the reviews that said that how quiet the machine was when I bought it. Assembly was not so bad (2.5 hours). Then the squeeking started. Just about after 100 calories burned, there would be a two distinct squeeks at a specific position of the flywheel. We called technical service and the service person called back on the 5th day (he needed to respond before 5 days) and scheduled a visit for a day 10 days AFTER that. The technician inspected the machine and said that such sound was normal, and adjusted the tension on some screws and left. Now the squeeking is starts right after beginning the workout. It is LOUD. As in, you need earplugs, loud. Another call to tech support...

The Schwinn 430 arrived promptly and was a breeze to put together - took about 2 hours (1 person for most of the time, 2 people to lift the heavy fly wheel). Unfortunately one of the parts right at one of the last steps was malformed and wouldn't go together. After three calls to Schwinn (call right when they open unless you want to be on hold for 40 minutes) and three different parts being shipped we finally got the right one and had the machine together in less than 10 minutes. The first two times I called, Schwinn insisted on just sending the bushing rather than the entire right foot assembly. On the third try I told them I couldn't get the bushing they kept sending into the right foot assembly - probably a machine does this step in the factory - so then they finally sent me the part I'd originally wanted! They were always very polite whenever I called - just didn't want to send the biggest part first I guess.

As for the machine itself - the ride is very smooth - your heel does come off the foot holder as you exercise but this doesn't bother me. The machine is also really quiet - I could watch TV with it on normal volume. There are definitely enough programs to keep me entertained for quite a while. Lastly, the machine takes up less space than a lot of other elliptical machines - the foot print is smaller than most. I currently have it in the living room and it takes up a lot less space than the love seat.

I would definitely purchase this machine again - despite the malformed part and it taking a month to get the right part from Schwinn. I gave 4 star only because it took so long to get the right part.