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Our Schwinn 418 elliptical trainer review investigates what looks to be a well built, good value elliptical from a household name in exercise equipment…is it a good buy?
Schwinn makes a fairly small range of low to mid-price ellipticals. In what has become an intensely competitive sector of the market, the 418 and its slightly more expensive sibling , the 438 stand out.
I’m a big fan of Schwinn exercise bikes, and have been very impressed by the company’s great value ellipticals.
So what makes them stand out in a field of similarly priced, but pretty mediocre elliptical trainers?
Schwinn 418 Elliptical Trainer Review – Features…
Whilst other manufacturers of elliptical trainers around the $1,000 mark tend to load their machines with additional electronic features, like TVs, sound systems and even interactive video games to justify the price, Schwinn has concentrated on the elliptical itself.You certainly get a lot of elliptical trainer for your money with the Schwinn 418, which retails for $999.
For instance, you get the excellent eddy current brake (ECB) system, which provides a very smooth ride with eight levels of computer controlled resistance.
Add that to the high-inertia front drive, which has an oversized flywheel with a heavy duty belt and you can expect a quiet, smooth workout without a hint of jerkiness.
There’s an 18″ stride length that whilst not quite as generous as the 20″ found on competitors like Sole ellipticals, is accommodating enough for all but the tallest users.
I really like the articulating pedals on the 418, which is an essential component of a front drive elliptical as it ensures your foot follows its natural range of motion and provides plenty of support.
Forget about the sore achillees you often acquire from using cheaper front drive ellipticals without this type of pedal.
You also get 10 workout programs, including fat burn, mountain and valley as well as a simple, clear and easy to read LCD console display.
You can monitor your speed, distance covered, calories burned, resistance level and so on, whilst using the handle grips to monitor your heart rate.
One overriding impression that I got whilst carrying out this Schwinn 418 elliptical trainer review was how well built and solid the 418 felt.
This is largely due to the big flywheel, which contributes to its hefty 180lb weight. It’s 66″ x 25″ frame also adds to its stability.
The warranties are equally impressive, with 15 years on the frame, two years on the parts, one year on the electronics and six months on the labour and wear items.
Six months isn’t great, but it’s better than the 90 days you often find in this price range.
The 418 retails for $999, but our Schwinn 418 elliptical trainer review found it on sale for as low as $799 with free shipping at Amazon, although we suggest that you check out Amazon for the current price on the Schwinn 418.
Schwinn 418 Elliptical Trainer Review – The Bottom Line…
This is a well built, solid, compact, no-nonsense, value for money elliptical that provides a smooth, stable ride and looks as if it will stand the test of time.
Ok, it’s not club-quality, but then again it sells for under $1,000 so you can’t expect that.
However, after having tried so many poor to average ellipticals in the $800-$1,000 range, the 418 is a breath of fresh air.
As a result of our Schwinn 418 elliptical trainer review, I’d have no hesitation in recommending this elliptical to the home user looking for a quality performer at a very reasonable price.
At $999 it’s a good buy, at the sale price of $799 with free shipping it’s exceptionally good value, but do check Amazon for the current price on the Schwinn 418.
