Schwinn 430 Elliptical Review

The new Schwinn 430 elliptical is an affordable entry-level elliptical trainer with moving arm bars. It’s by no means the most technically advanced elliptical out there, but the Schwinn 430 comes to us from a reputable brand in the fitness space. It gets most shoppers’ attention by offering a low $799 suggested retail price (lower when on sale), all while offering a host of features typically found in more expensive units. For example, the stride path is 20” long (the industry standard).

After engaging in a more comprehensive Schwinn 430 review, the details of which you’ll find below, you’ll see that although it’s feature-rich it isn’t without its shortcomings. Most notably, you’ll note overall manufacturing quality on this model when compared to more expensive ellipticals out there. Some of its best functions are accomplished with inexpensive materials, so if you plan to train frequently and train hard, the Schwinn 430 elliptical will be more likely to wear out sooner than more sturdy and higher priced competitors. At the end of the day this elliptical is best considered as a starter model, not something for experienced elliptical users. Where a novice might not really notice or be bothered by these construction differences, if you’ve been training on a commercial unit at the gym for years this model might be a bit of a disappointment.

Though overall construction quality of this Schwinn elliptical raised a small amount of concern, thankfully the brand backs the unit up with a very reasonable warranty given its sub-$1k price of entry. The Schwinn 430 carries a 10-year frame warranty, a 2-year parts warranty, a 1-year warranty on its electronics, and 90 days on labor. While this warranty can’t rival that of a commercial trainer, it’s still enough to instil confidence in recommending the 430 as a reasonable starter elliptical.

The Schwinn 430 is a front drive elliptical, which benefits the advantages of  saving space and costing less when compared to a rear-drive model. More often than not, users have a tendency of leaning forward on front drive ellipticals, making it difficult to maintain proper upright posture. Premium and commercial/club quality front drive ellipticals will compensate for this issue with the inclusion of adjustable pedal angles, allowing users to walk flat and keep their spine straight. On more entry-level machines like the Schwinn 430 and its competitors you won’t get adjustable pedals, but you can offset this lean by using the workout incline. The elliptical pedal path has six slope settings with the maximum incline of nine percent.

Made for sharing, the new Schwinn 430 elliptical allows for the saving of two separate user profiles. Each user can create and save two custom workout programs, as well as access the  22 preset exercise programs. These include a manual mode, two fitness tests, nine profile programs, and eight heart rate controlled workouts. The heart rate programs use data collected through contact sensors.

To support multimedia the 430 Elliptical console has a tablet-sized shelf, a USB charging port, and built-in stereo speakers. Other amenities are listed below.

Our Favorite Features

• 20-inch elliptical stride.
• Six incline settings.
• Compact space-saving design.
• 20 levels of resistance.
• Quiet friction-free shifting.
• Two user profiles.
• 22 preset workout routines and fitness tests.
• DualTrack 2 LCD displays.
• Heart rate controlled workouts.
• Pulse sensors built into the handlebars.
• Ledge for a mobile device.
• USB charging port.
• iPod-compatible sound system.
• Water bottle holder.
• Cooling fan.
• Transport wheels.
• 300-lb user weight capacity.

Schwinn 430 Elliptical - Notable Specs:

Overall Rating:	3-stars
Compact / Folding:	no
Incline:	6 incline options
Stride Length:	20"
Flywheel:	20 LB
Programs:	22 programs
Fan:	Yes
Weight Capacity:	300 LB
Dimensions:	70.1" L x 28.2" W x 63.2" H

Our Least Favorite Features 

• Lightweight construction.
• Flywheel is light, so striding isn’t very smooth for heavier trainees.
• Incline is manual instead of automatic.
• Pedal rollers are plastic instead of longer-lasting metal.
• Contact heart rate monitors not as accurate as wireless.
• Wireless heart rate monitoring isn’t supported.
• Very short labor warranty (90 days).

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day the Schwinn 430 elliptical isn’t going to blow you away; there’s no such thing as an elliptical in the category that really can, especially when you’re looking at pieces of equipment in the sub-$800 price range. If that’s right at the pinnacle of your budget, it’s not a bad option. That said, if you’ve got a touch more room, there are some slightly better alternatives for up to $999 from brands like Sole, NordicTrack, and Bowflex that tend to earn better overall customer reviews.