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 A satisfied customer Mar 10, 2010
I researched ellipticals for quite a while before ordering the Schwinn 430. My friend, Tom, also researched this type of equipment until his eyes fell out of his head. He wound up buying the Sole for about twice the cost of the Schwinn. In any event, he recommended the Schwinn as a good buy for the price. I then read just about all 400 Amazon reviews and FINALLY made my purchase.
I ordered my Schwinn 430 from Amazon on 3/1/10 and it was delivered on 3/8/10. I was delighted that it was delivered so fast and also happy about the free shipping.
My machine was delivered by ABF Freight Co. I know that some reviewers have complained about the shipping company but I had no problems at all. The driver was wonderful. He took the box down a small hill to the back of my house, up two steps onto the deck and then into the house. He was great!!!!!
It took Tom about 1-1/2 to 2 hours to put the machine together. He had just recently put together his Sole and so the parts were recognizable to him although I nearly passed out when I saw the photo of all the parts in the manual. Tom said that the manual was straight forward although there was an addendum for a particular washer. We didn't see that until I said "hey, what's this piece of paper saying?" All the pieces were accounted for and all the holes lined up perfectly. He used some of his own tools but used the supplied allen wrench where indicated. We didn't lube the parts as recommended by some reviewers.
I've used it for 3 days now and there is not a squeak to be heard, except for the creaking of my knees. I'm 5'7" and about 150 lbs and the 18" stride is fine for me. I'm a former runner and in good shape (I thought). I have the elliptical on level 1 and after 20 minutes, I've worked up a good sweat.
I agree that a backlight for the computer would have been nice but it's not a deal breaker for me. The 6 programs are more than enough.
I think this machine is well made and feels very solid. There is no rocking or moving. I have it on a carpet and did not buy a mat. I love that it has a small footprint. The longer machines would not have fit into the space alloted for the elliptical. For the price, it can't be beat. I highly recommend it.
I'll post again in a month to let you know if there is any squeaking.
Quiet, smooth and solid Mar 04, 2010
Elliptical arrived in a timely manner. Husband put it together is a couple of hours over two evenings. It is extremely quiet and smooth in operation. I knew the control panel wasn't lighted before I bought it, and that is a problem at night, but one I can live with for the price. The programs are easy to figure out. Overall a good price for a solid piece of exercise equipment.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Recent concern, but still a great bargain. Mar 01, 2010
I noticed some folks here have asked to hear from anyone who has used the Schwinn 430 for an extended period of time. I purchased this product in October 2008, so that's nearly a year and a half of use. I probably spend about a half hour on it six days a week, and I go about 210 lbs. So far no *major* problems. I will say however that there may be something to the squeeky issue that has been raised by some others.
First, I can recall that when I first assembled the unit there was a squeek where the arm-bars pivot on the main mast. (It may help to refer to a photo of the 430 as I try to describe various parts.) It was because I over-tightened the screws. After loosening a half turn, no squeek. So that's really a non-issue.
However, in the last month I've noticed a different problem. I started hearing a squeek, or more accurately a clicking noise in the lower half of the unit, along with a slight wobble, or bumpy feeling to what otherwise has been a very smooth range of motion. In fact, the smooth ride was one of the big improvements I had admired about this unit compared to another low-budget (Precor) unit I used to own.
I noticed that the 430's plastic wheels that run on the track had deposited a graphite-like powder build up, the depth of a few mm at the back of the track. It was easy to clear away and it did run smoother afterward. However, even then I am getting some of that wobble/squeek sensation that will begin to appear about half-way through my workouts.
In trying to decipher why, one thing I have noticed is that the feet plates are fairly wide and that I actually place my feet so they are as narrowly spaced as the plates allow. This means that my weight is not centered directly above the leg-bars that hold the foot-plates. If I space my stance farther apart, more centered directly above the leg bars, or outside them, the noise and slight wobbly effect is lessened. It's a bit awkward, but I have become more used to it with practice.
Still, I cannot find the direct source of the problem and I do worry that it signals a problem that will only worsen. My guess is that the weight distribution is torquing the joints a little bit, probably inside the casing that holds the flywheel. But I'm not going to open the case and poke around. I'm worried, but so far no catastrophes.
All in all, it has been a reliable product and a good value.
great quite machine, perfectly does its job, sold as described Feb 28, 2010
I didn't do much research for buying this machine. I just started looking for an elliptical home exercise machine. And then found out on google that amazon has this machine, and over 400 people have already wrote review. Well, i read the reviews and decided that this is it. I usually take a long time to make a decision in purchasing the big ticket items. But, i decided about this machine within 45 minutes. I truested and liked the other folks who have used it and shared their experiences.
The machine is really quite (except for a few bearable squeaks) and the display is not bad at all. I can see the display without any problem. Usually I have the room light on when working out. Assembly was OK. It took about two hours between me and my wife putting it together. Make sure not to loose any washer, locker, or nuts. Schwinn did not a supply a sigle spare assembly nuts. The only thing that I wished that the machine had was a fan. I can turn the ceiling fan which works fine for me, but there may be other users who may not have the fan facility at the location where they want to put the machine. But, i will still recommend this machine to anyone. There are numerous options available for cooling off. The machine has flexible programming, it's up to individuals to choose whatever fits for them.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Best mid-priced elliptical out there Feb 27, 2010
Our new Schwinn 430 arrived last night. The delivery company called me Tuesday to schedule a day for delivery and told me the driver would call an hour before arriving. We got hit with another snowstorm on the scheduled delivery date and the roads were becoming treacherous throughout the day. I received a call at work around 3:00 in the afternoon to let me know the lift had broken on the truck and the driver was running a little late, but I was assured he would be there between 4:00 and 5:00. The truck arrived at 4:30, despite the broken lift the very friendly driver brought the heavy package into our living room.
It took my husband and I about an hour and a half to assemble the elliptical. We did read the other reviews and bought some lithium grease before delivery. The directions were clear, and assembly was easy and straightforward. We both got on the machine just to try it. The machine was very smooth and very quiet.
I came home after work tonight and did my first workout on it. The machine was as solid and smoothe as the ellipticals at my gym, it kicked my butt. I wasn't expecting that intense of a workout on a home machine.
We researched and tried out many machines before deciding on this make and model. The Schwinn 430 feels solid, is well engineered, and has a small footprint. Awesome machine for the money!
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