I'm going to be purchasing a
Schwinn 140 upright bike and I Will be doing a complete review of it here. I am 35 year old man who is training for his first marathon and need a piece of equipment to supplement my training.
Why an exercise bike? because cycling is the best exercise to counter balance run training. Running uses mostly hamstring and calve muscles. Cycling is a safe way to increase aerobic capacity without risking injury through more demanding running workouts.
I also like the fact that exercise bikes are near silent and due to there compact design they can be lugged anywhere (such as front of TV) with little effort.
Why the
Schwinn 140? I choose this bike because it is made by Schwinn who have a good reputation for quality and because it has a lot of extra features that I find very interesting. I'm a gadget freak at heart so I appreciate all the extra programs that come with this model.
Some important qualities to me in an exercise bike are the following.
1. Programs - to provide different challenges - I use these in my training as every workout I do is specific and has a purpose.
2. Custom Programs (so I can make my own) - for when I need something the bike doesn't offer.
3. Heart Rate Programs - I can't say enough about heart rate programs they keep you honest and get results.
4. Adjustable - I need to be able to fit the bike both horizontally and vertically. I'm surprise lower priced bikes have just recently started including horizontal adjusting seats, as this is very important for comfort and optimal stride,if you have ever taken a spinning class or have been fitted
professionally for a bike you would find out this is one of the first things they have you adjust.
5. Quiet - I want to be able to watch TV without cranking the volume.
6. Operate in the dark - I need to be able to see the displays in the dark as I cycle at night and run in the mornings.
My price range is between $200-$400, initially I looked at a variety of other manufactures such as Nordic track,
proform,
weslo,etc. Although there uprights may be fine, none seemed to be anywhere close to the Schwinn line, most of these bikes are more focused on games,
ipod expansion, or
ifit (expensive third party add on workouts) none of which interest me. I see no point in playing video games on an LCD screen, seriously most cell phones have more engaging games. Crappy speakers that plug into an mp3 player is hardly an upgrade over any common set of headphones..and paying $25 to be able to program your bike is ridiculous it should do that for free. So the Schwinn line seemed to be a natural choice for me. Currently they offer 3 upright bikes
Active Series 10 $199.00 (shipped) I actually tested this bike at a local sporting good store. It was very quiet. It had a good selection of programs and for the price it was by far superior to others in this price range as I have yet to see an entry level bike with this many programs. What I didn't like about it was no horizontal seat adjustments (although the default seemed good for me), the LCD was a bit small and it had no back light. This bike features no custom programs but it does have preset programs and heart rate programs. It also only has 8 levels of resistance which is a lot lower then the better models. I give this a score of 2 1/2 out of 6. Not bad for $200.
Schwinn 120$299 (shipped), another one hundred bucks gives you a upgrade from 8 levels of resistance to 16. More programs and a much bigger LCD, you also can add custom workouts and a bonus feature "the fit test" (more on this later). This model also has a better warranty as the frame is warranted for 5 years 90 Day Parts (vs 3 years). It still lacks light on LCD and the seat is only adjustable vertically (up/down). I give this a score of 4 1/2 out of 6. and well worth the upgrade price.
Schwinn 140$349 (shipped), for fifty dollars more you get quite a bit, first of all
this one comes with an heart rate strap, no need to hold onto sensors as it is a wireless device that you wear and it sends your telemetry (heart rate) to the computer. This is huge as this alone is usually a $50 upgrade. Second this seat is adjustable both horizontally and vertical as well as adjustable handle bars, it also comes with over sized pedals and seat. This model includes a Multi-Color
Back lit LCD and a
on board computer capable of two user profiles to store workout history. The maximum user weight on this model is 300lbs vs 275lb (of the two previous models). I give this a score of 6 out of 6. I'm somewhat surprised this one is such a good deal.
Obviously my choice was the
Schwinn 140, I plan on ordering it through amazon.com (with free shipping) and reporting all my experiences here. I will try to use as many features as possible and demonstrate improved fitness. I will try to follow the following outline.
Report initial setup and delivery experience.
Follow a 6 week training program, that utilizes 3 workouts a week. A easy long workout (endurance training), a medium workout (threshold training), and a hard workout (interval training). I will complete the built in Fit test on the bike prior to the start of the program and will retest every week as well as report on what kind of workouts I complete (I will mix it up). More on that later. as first I need to get the bike.
UPDATE
This bike does not come with a heart rate strap. It comes with sensor to detect "polar" compatible straps.
