The Schwinn 240 versus the Schwinn 220 Recumbent Exercise Bike

Having made the decision that I really do need to do a bit of exercise as I’ve put a bit of weight on as I’ve got older and I wanted to lose a few pounds without the embarrassment of going to the gym, I researched several different types of home gym equipment. Exercise bikes appeared to be low impact on the body, especially the joints and bones, and looked like a good way of exercising in the comfort of my own home.

I came across the Schwinn models when researching on-line and they looked really good. I decided on the Schwinn 220 model as it was around $100 cheaper than the Schwinn 240 model and was adequate for my needs. The 240 model is a newer model and has a few more features so it really depends on whether you think the extra features are important enough to you to pay the extra money.

Both models are highly rated and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with either. I’m very happy with my Schwinn 220 and for someone who has never really liked exercising, that’s saying something! It took me around an hour to assemble the bike, and I should imagine the 240 would be similar. Both are considered to be very quiet and I can certainly say that the 220 is virtually silent and has a smooth action, with maybe just a faint noise at the higher resistance level, which I can’t hear at all with the TV on. I can adjust the seat so both myself and my wife can use the bike and it has a lumbar support for added comfort, and I understand the 240 is very comfortable too. They both have a step-through design which makes it easy to get on and off. Both have an integrated grip heart rate system and both models have 16 resistance levels. They both calculate time, distance, pulse, watts, speed, calories and resistance. Both have a quick start feature that enables you to set the level of difficulty and get going straightaway.

The main differences between the two models that I found with my research (apart from the price) are as follows:

The Schwinn 240 model has 17 workout programs, including 8 course profiles, whereas the Schwinn 220 model has 12 workout programs, including 6 course profiles.
The Schwinn 240 model allows you to store 2 user profiles with custom workouts, whereas the Schwinn 220 model only allows you to store 1 user profile with other people having to be guests.
The Schwinn 240 has a 20 pound flywheel, whereas the Schwinn 220 has a 13.2 flywheel.
The console on the Schwinn 240 is backlit whereas it is not on the Schwinn 220.
The Schwinn 240 has a water bottle holder and magazine storage rack underneath the seat.
The Schwinn 240 has oversized deluxe pedals.
The Schwinn 240 calculates interval time and RPM.
The Schwinn 240 is larger and heavier than the 220. * The Schwinn 240 measures 63” long x 25” wide x 46” high. * The Schwinn 220 measures 56” long x 25” wide x 38” high

I’ve found the Schwinn 220 easy to use and has enough workout programs for my needs. But if you’re the sort that gets bored quickly and would benefit from more programs or just want the extra challenges, and also if more than one of you regularly uses the bike than the extra features on the Schwinn 240 would definitely benefit you. When researching this bike, this is what I found some other people had to say about it:

MR:
“Great bike. Super quiet and smooth.”

GN:
“Looks good, is quiet and convenient. Great!”

RH:
“This is perfect for our needs. It’s easy to move around and is very versatile. Flawless so far.”