Strengths:
BioFit Articulating Footplate - The articulating footplate follows the natural motion of your foot and supports your heel throughout the entire stride motion. This makes for a much smoother feel when you're working out.
Compact Design - If you're short on space, the Schwinn 430 is more compact than many traditional ellipticals, coming in at only 26"W by 59" long. This makes it great for apartments or smaller workout spaces.
8 Workout Programs - These include a manual program, a calorie specific program and 6 user profile programs. There are also 3 feeback programs: Recovery Mode, Results Mode and BMI to help you track your fitness progress.
High User Ratings - Consumer reviews have been very positive for the 430. As of this writing, it rates 4.5 out of 5 stars with users at Amazon.
Popular features with reviewers were the sturdiness of the unit, the ease of assembly and of course the price. While a few positive reviews are always good to find, over 100 reviews, mainly positive, is a great indicator of the overall quality of this elliptical.
Weaknesses:
The Schwinn 430 is an economy elliptical with fairly simple, bare bones options. The console is not backlit so it could be hard to read if lighting is sparse in your workout area. Also, this is an older unit and we're pretty sure Nautilus will be phasing the 430 out in the next few months, so its days are limited.
Finally, while the warranty is ok, the 90 days on labor is not great. Compared to similar Nordic Track ellipticals which give you 1 year, this is quite short.
Conclusion: Recommended As A Budget Buy
The Schwinn 430 elliptical is one of the highest user-rated budget-buys currently on the market. It packs a lot of value into a very small price. You get an 18" stride, articulating footplate, 8 built in programs, 16 resistance levels and a heart rate monitor.
User reviews have also been extremely positive - especially considering this is a starter elliptical. Although it's definitely a budget machine and not suitable for heavy or prolonged use, if you're on a budget and still want a well-built machine, the 430 is a great option.
Where To Buy At A Discount:
You can get some great deals on the Schwinn 430 Here. You can read the latest user reviews and often get Free Shipping.
Schwinn is part of the Nautilus Health & Fitness Group - who are responsible for other brands like Stairmaster, Bowflex and Trimline.
They have a great reputation both in the exercise bike and elliptical trainer market.
The Schwinn 430 elliptical trainer is one of their most affordable models and is very popular with buyers, mainly due to the bargain price and comfortable feel.
Is it the best buy for your workout needs? Here's a few things you should know before you decide:
Features:
Price: $599 + Free Shipping
Stride Length: 18"
Resistance Type: Magnetic
Resistance Levels: 16
Built In Workout Programs: 8
Upper Body Arms: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse Grip
Water Bottle Holder: Yes
Footpring: 26" W x 59" L x 68" T
User Weight Capacity: 275 pounds
Warranty: 15 years on frame 2 years on parts 1 year on electronics 90 days on labor
