Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer Review
Cardio has often been referred to as the cornerstone of all things exercise. But why is cardio so important to an exercise routine? Not only can it help you lose weight more effectively than any other exercise, it can also help strengthen your heart and lungs. Running and jogging is what comes to mind when most people think of cardio, but the elliptical machine has also become a prominent member of the cardio team. If you’re looking to purchase an elliptical machine, there are some things you should pay attention to.
What to Look for
There are thousands of elliptical machines on that market today, and many people find it difficult to find the one that’s right for them. The most important detail to pay attention to when shopping for one is how it fits you. If a machine feels awkward to use, then it’s most likely not for you. Make sure and try out several before you commit to buy.
Elliptical machines come in three different main styles: front drive, rear drive and center drive. Front drive is by far the most popular because it is not only smooth, but because it is also more affordable than a rear drive. Rear drives are most often of the highest quality, and they feel the smoothest, but they come with very high price tags in most cases. Center drive elliptical machines are quite rare, and should probably be avoided.
Elliptical machines also differ when it comes to hand grips. These hand grips are used for upper body training, more specifically the arms, chest and back. They can make a huge difference in results, and I recommend getting a machine that includes them even if you don’t plan on making use of them.
What Else is There?
There are tons of features that come with each and every elliptical machine, some more important than others. I’m going to outline the best features of the Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer today.
Programs
The Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer has 16 different programs to choose from, ranging from terrain to time. It also includes heart rate controlled programs. These programs can help you keep your heart rate in the target range for the duration of the workout.
Creating your own routine in the Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer is an incredibly powerful tool. You can set the resistance to increase after a certain time, or really anything else you want to do with it. It’s one of the best features in my opinion, and it can really help with busting through plateaus.
11 Workout Profiles
The Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer comes with an added feature of 11 workout profiles. You can set up your own workout profile which lets you track progress in your workout career. This can be a helpful feature when trying to determine how far you’ve actually come.
Variable Stride
Most variable stride machine are incredibly expensive, but the Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer comes at a very affordable price. Having a variable stride let you do some pretty amazing things. You can target certain muscle groups depending on what stride length you take, and it can also be a great feature for people who’s stride is above average. I personally love this feature, and I strongly recommend getting a variable stride machine for yourself.
The Bad
This machine is all around excellence, but I do have to pick some parts of it I don’t like just to give you a better feel of the machine. It is quite difficult picking out bad points of this machine, because it is of great quality and very, very affordable.
300 Pound Weight Limit
To some people, this might seem like a great weight limit. But for many of us, it just doesn’t cut it. To be honest, the weight limit could probably be much higher than this, but Schwinn has decided on a cut off of 300 pounds. For the person on the heavy side, this could possibly be a huge turn off.
Resistance Levels
I can’t seem to find anything on how many resistance levels this elliptical machine has, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it lacks them. I know the heart rate controlled systems vary the resistance based off of heart rate, but the description doesn’t have anything on how many levels the machine actually has. It might be 2 and it might be 200. There’s no way of knowing just based off this description.
Does it Come With a Warranty?
The warranty offered on the Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer leaves a little to be desired, but it still has a decent warranty. It comes with a 10 year warranty on the frame, a 2 year warranty on parts, a 1 year warranty on electronic and a 90 day warranty on wear parts. It’s not the best warranty offered on the market, but it is more than most people will ever need.
Are There Any Other Features?
These are not the only features offered on the Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer, just the ones that I felt were necessary to go over. Here’s the full features list of the Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer:
- V-Stride technology, integrated in the cam/footplate, enables strides from 2 to 26 inches
- Independent footplates let users target core muscles while engaging both sides of the body
- 16 total programs: 1 Manual, 11 Profile, 2 Custom for two users
- Quiet, magnetic ECB (Eddy current brake) resistance with 16 levels
- Fly wheel: 25 pounds, steel
- Drive system: Computer controlled
- Fixed and moving handlebars
- Chest strap with telemetric and grip heart rate monitoring
- Heart rate grip on padded static handlebars
- Transport handle and non-skid wheels
- Articulating foot plates minimize heel impact
- Schwinn Advantage workout system tracks results and programming for two users
- Dynamic backlit LCD touchscreen console
- Display Readout: Time, Interval Time, RPM, Watts, Distance, Pulse, Speed, Calories, Resistance Level, Course Profile
- 11 workout profiles contain embedded fitness prompts to maximize results
- Oversized water bottle holder and angle-adjustable fan
- Maximum user weight: 300 pounds
- Dimensions: 54 x 34 x 73 inches (L x W x H)
- Unit weight: 221 pounds
- Power requirements: AC adapter
In Closing
For a variable stride machine, the Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer is incredibly affordable. There are some downsides, but overall this machine is of great quality. If you’re looking for a variable stride machine, then I strongly recommend this product. The Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer gets a strong two thumbs up from me.
Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer
 |  List Price: $1,599.00 Sale Price: $1,295.99 Availability: unspecified  |
Product Description
The Schwinn® 460 elliptical helps you burn up to 2 times as many calories as a treadmill, and up to 15% more calories than on a fixed-stride elliptical. Schwinn® V-Stride™ technology allows you to change stride lengths without manual adjustments or machine modifications. 11 workout profiles built by the Nautilus Institute include instructional messages on utilizing stride lengths and foot/leg motions for maximized results.
Details
- Lets you change stride lengths without manual adjustments
- Features 16-total programs, including 11-workout profiles
- Tracks results and programming for up to two users; articulating foot plates minimize heel impact
- Shows your time, interval time, RPM, watts, distance, pulse, speed, calories, resistance level, and course profile
- Measures 54 x 34 x 73 inches (L x W x H)
