Schwinn 450 Elliptical.  Read This Before You Buy.

Does this sound like you?  It takes you 20 minutes to get to the gym.  Then you have to wait to get on the elliptical trainer, exercise bike or treadmill.  You don’t ever use those weight machines, but you know you need the aerobic exercise, and you enjoy the workout – once you can get on a machine – so you put up with the $600 yearly membership fee.  You don’t exercise as often as you would like because it’s sometimes too much of a hassle to make the time to go to the gym.  You’re afraid to get an elliptical trainer of your own because you’ve heard they’re really expensive, they’re flimsy, and they just end up collecting dust in the garage.

If this describes you, then you should consider the Schwinn 450.

SCHWINN 450

Click here to see the Schwinn 450.

What do you get for your money when you buy the Schwinn 450 Elliptical Trainer?

• Oversized footplates
• 20 inch stride
• Articulating foot plate
• 6 position adjustable ramp incline, to 15 degrees
• 16 resistance levels
• Grip heart rate monitor on handle bars
• 15 workout programs:  8 Profile, 4 Heart Rate, Quick Start, Distance Goal, and Custom
• BMI (Body Mass Index), Recovery Mode, and Results Mode feedback programs
• Multi-program computer that allows the user to input data, measure a variety of results, and track progress
• Time, Interval Time, RPM, Watts, Distance, Pulse, Speed, Calories, and Resistance display readouts
• Console that includes a fan and an integrated MP3 compartment
• Bottle holder
• 300 pounds maximum use weight
• Transport wheels for easy movement
• Dimensions: 68 inches long by 26 inches wide by 70 inches tall
• Weight:  230 pounds

With the Schwinn you can get a great cardiovascular workout, combining both upper and lower body workouts in a natural, impact-free motion.  If you’ve ever used a treadmill, you have probably noticed that your knees and ankles can take quite a pounding.  Not so with an elliptical.  The elliptical’s footpad supports your entire foot throughout the stride, making it much easier on your joints.

The Schwinn 450 has a stride length of 20 inches.  Many lower end ellipticals have a stride length of 16 inches, and while 4 inches doesn’t sound like much, it is the difference between a smooth stride and a choppy stride.  Add to the stride length the 25 pound flywheel to provide inertia, and you have a very smooth, natural stride.

This Schwinn isn’t going to fall apart on you after a few month’s use.  It has a rock solid frame that will stand up to years of use, and it is backed by Schwinn’s equally solid warranty:  5 years on the frame, one year on parts and electronics electronics, and 3 months on the labor.  That said, you will still have to perform some basic maintenance from time to time, such as lubrication, to keep it in top shape.

Overall, users rate the 450 very highly.  The most consistent negative comments are about the fan on the console.  A high percentage of users don’t find it very useful.  Other than that, it gets very high marks for being durable, quiet, and providing a great workout.

Here’s what one user has to say about it:

What I really like about this trainer is the volume of different workouts you can get. If you are pressed for time or just beginning, just get on and go. But if you are looking for a more advanced workout, it offers so many pre-programmed variations and courses and it is very simple to access them or to create a custom workout.

The Schwinn elliptical 450 has a lot going for it and very few drawbacks.  If you’re in the market for a high quality elliptical trainer at a reasonable price, you’d be hard pressed to do much better than this one.  You can get a good workout at home and save the gym membership cost.  Give it a look and judge for yourself.

You can get the Schwinn 450 Elliptical Trainer at a discount price from Amazon through this link.