Schwinn Elliptical Reviews – Good Features, Poor Warranties

Schwinn elliptical machines are made by the company that first established its reputation producing bicycles, then made its mark with the first in-home exercise machines in the mid-1960s.

The company had branched out into several different types of fitness equipment when Nautilus purchased the fitness line in 2001.

Nautilus, a name well-known for their line of weight conditioning machines, has diversified by buying a number of different fitness lines in recent years and investing quite a bit of money and time into developing and refining the equipment in each line.

Chosen by Consumer Advocates

Schwinn elliptical machines are one of the success stories of this process. Intensive market research, testing and refinements have made Schwinn elliptical trainers some of the best in the industry.

In fact, one of them was recently named a Consumer Reports Best Buy, which says an awful lot for their balance of quality and affordability. These machines are in the mid to upper price range and offer a lot for the money.

Compare Prices on Schwinn Ellipticals at the Company Store

The Current Schwinn Elliptical Lineup

Per our latest Schwinn elliptical reviews, the lineup has definitely dwindled over the years.  

Currently, there are only three ellipticals being sold by the company: the 411, 430 and 470. The 520 reclined elliptical, A40 and A45 were recently retired.  

All models were recently redesigned, and feature a more modern, sleek look while retaining the ergonomics and strong construction.

Schwinn 411

The entry-level 411 elliptical has an 18" stride, grip and wireless heart rate monitoring, Bluetooth workout tracking, 16 resistance levels, 13 built in workout programs and 1 user profile.

Schwinn 430

The mid-range 430 elliptical has a 20" stride, Precision Path Foot Motion technology (putting you in a natural position), large pedals, 10 degrees of manual incline, heart rate grips, DualTrack console with two LCD screens, 20 resistance levels, 22 workout programs and 2 user profiles.

Schwinn 470

The up-level 470 elliptical gives you all of the features of the 430 plus 5 more resistance levels, 7 more workout programs, wireless heart rate monitoring, power incline, a more advanced display and 2 more user profiles.  It also allows you to track your workouts via the Schwinn Trainer 2 and Run Social App.

Professional trainers who have tested Schwinn elliptical machines are impressed with the stability, quietness and smooth movement, which they find unusual in a front flywheel design.

They give Schwinn and Nautilus kudos for finding a way to make the front flywheel work so effortlessly.

Another feature that both trainers and consumers remark on is the articulating footplate design. This enhances the feel of each stride by adjusting to the position of your feet as they move through the natural motion of walking.

This type of attention to detail and comfort is rare except in commercial quality machines, and makes what is already a low-impact workout even easier on the joints. 

Which Schwinn Elliptical Should You Choose?

We don't recommend Schwinn ellipticals wholeheartedly, mainly due to the poor warranties that you can read about below.  

These days most ellipticals in a similar price range, around $500-$1000, will give you a much stronger warranty, especially on the frame itself.  And there are plenty of great choices out there.

Still, if you are set on a Schwinn, we would opt for the up-level 470 over the 430 and 411 for several reasons.  

For starters, there's not a big price difference between the 430 and the 470.  Last we checked the 470 was only $100 more than the 430.

You also get a lot more for your money, including 25 resistance levels, 29 workout programs, wireless heart rate monitoring, power incline, a nicer display and the ability to track and share your workouts.  All of that for additional $100 is a no-brainer.

However, if you need something that is very space friendly, the new Schwinn 411 has a very small footprint, almost 20" shorter and 4" narrower than the other two models.

If you do decide to buy a Schwinn elliptical, look into the Schwinn protection plan, or whatever other extended coverage options are available.  This will give cover you in case you have any issues in the future with your machine.

So the 470 will be a better bet than the 430 and the 411, unless you are strictly concerned with the price and/or need something with a smaller footprint.

Limited Warranty is the Only Downside

As we mentioned above, the only real down side to Schwinn elliptical machines (and those with the Nautilus brand as well)  is the limited warranty, which is unusual in machines at this price point.

The frame is only covered for 10 years, as opposed to lifetime on most other brands,  and the parts and electronics for one-two years, labor for only 90 days. (If you buy your Schwinn elliptical from Amazon, we recommend you purchase an Extended Service Plan to enhance and extend the manufacturer's warranty.)

It’s a shame that Nautilus doesn’t realize the value of a really good warranty. If they did, they would sell even more of the Schwinn elliptical trainers, which otherwise have some nice features and capabilities that you don't find on other machines.

At any rate, you can read our Schwinn elliptical reviews below to learn more about the two current models being sold.  You'll find specs, info, pricing and buying tips to help you make a more informed decision.

Consumer Reviews

Schwinn Consumer Reviews - Reviews submitted so far are 100% positive.

Schwinn Elliptical Model Reviews

Popular Models

Schwinn 411 - The newest model in the lineup, a space-friendly elliptical with plenty of workouts and built in Bluetooth tracking capability.

Schwinn 430 - A popular step up choice that was recently redesigned with good features, incline capability, lots of built in workout programs as well as a new enhanced display.

Schwinn 470 - An upgraded version of the 430 with power incline, more workouts and resistance levels, wireless heart rate capability and workout tracking capability through Schwinn Trainer 2 and Run Connect apps.

Click here for special discounts on all of the current models!

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