The Schwinn 830 is a budget friendly treadmill with a generous selection of programs and features, but with so much competition these days, does it have enough to justify purchasing?
This review will take a close look at what the Schwinn 830 has to offer and help you decide whether or not it’s the right treadmill for you.
Schwinn has become a legend in the biking world for producing quality road and fitness bikes for over a century. If you are reading this review, you are probably aware that they also manufacture a handful of treadmills, ellipticals, and rowers.
The big question though, is if the quality and expertise they apply to their bikes is also applied to their other home fitness machines. More specifically for the sake of this article, their treadmills.
The Schwinn 830 Treadmill
Schwinn currently offers two home treadmills, the 830 and 870. The 830 is the less expensive option and there are some pretty significant differences between the two.
On sale, the 830 is going to run you just under $700, which definitely puts this treadmill in the budget friendly category.
In this price range, features and quality vary greatly, but there are a few things you should expect. Anything over $500 should have: some programmed workouts, a power incline, and telemetry heart rate capabilities.
The 830 has all 3, but let’s take a closer look, starting with the most important stuff first.
Pros
- 22 workout programs gives you a ton of workout variety
- Power incline up to 12% allows you to really increase the intensity of your workouts
- Top speed of 12 mph is perfect for sprinting or interval training
- Softrac cushioning system helps reduce strain through your legs and joints
- Easy to use console with tons of storage
- Treadmill folds in half for easy storage when not in use
- Grip heart rate monitor and telemetry monitor compatible
- 300 lb weight capacity should accommodate most users
Cons
- Deck only 55″ long, will be too short for taller runners
- Short warranty
- No bluetooth capabilities
Motor
The motor is one of the first (and most important) features you should examine when comparing treadmills. Motor strength is important to consider if you plan on running on your new treadmill.
If you are looking for a treadmill for walking, motor strength isn’t as important. But more horsepower is always preferred.
The stronger a motor is, the less it’s going to have to work. For example, a 2.5 hp motor is gonna have to work harder to maintain a speed of 8 mph than a 4 hp motor would to maintain the same speed.
Because the stronger motor doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain the same speed, theoretically it should last longer than the weaker one.
Motor strength should also be considered because your needs will be different for walking and running. Most experts recommend at least a 3.0 CHP motor for running and at least 2.0 CHP for walking.
These numbers aren’t written in stone, just recommendations for average users. Click here for more info on horsepower.
That said, the Schwinn 830 has a 2.75 CHP motor. Based on our above discussion, this motor would be fine for walking and most jogging, but may be a little weak for frequent running.
Your weight and size plays an important part in this discussion too though. Since this motor is a little on the weak side, it may hold up better for smaller runners. Should be fine for walking for any user that fits within the max weight capacity.
This motor can reach a max speed of 12 mph. This is a 5 min/mile pace- pretty fast if you ask me. This would work well for interval workouts (or for casual running if you are an Olympic runner).
Belt Size
Speaking of size, let’s move on to the belt size of the 830. The size of the belt, or running path, is probably the second most important feature to think about after the motor.
How much room you need is going to depend on your height and again whether you plan on walking or running.
Like motors, when it comes to belt size, bigger is always better. If you are planning on running, you should look for a belt size of at least 20″ x 55″.
If you are 6′ tall or taller, you should be looking for a treadmill at least 20″ x 60″. For more information, you should check out my running treadmill guide.
Length isn’t as crucial for walking-most walkers will do fine with anything over 50″ long.
The Schwinn 830 treadmill has a belt size of 20″ x 55″. The width is fine. The 55″ long belt is also probably ok as long as you are under 6′ tall.
Folks in the 5’6″ – 5’8″ range will probably be ok with running on the 830. If you are over 5’8″ and plan on doing some serious running, you should consider a longer treadmill.
If walking is your plan, the 830 should fit you just fine regardless of your height.
Deck
The 830 has a “4 cell Softrac” cushioning system to help reduce stress through your joints during use. All decent treadmills have their own version of shock absorption and these systems do increase comfort during use.
Most users agree Schwinn’s shock absorbing system works fine for walking and jogging, but might not provide as much cushioning during more intense running.
The deck on this treadmill does fold up for storage, which is a great perk if your floor space is limited. Folding treadmills are very popular these days because so many of us are lacking the floor space to have a treadmill full extended at all times.
Especially if your workout area is a shared space.
Workout Programs
The Schwinn 830 comes loaded with 22 programmed workouts: 1 manual, 3 quick goal, 5 training workouts, 3 weight control, 5 heart health, 3 interval, and 2 custom.
This is a generous amount of workouts for a treadmill in any price range. If you enjoy using the programmed workouts and enjoy a lot of variety, this could be a nice pick for ya.
Even if you don’t normally use workout programs, it’s kinda nice to know they are there if you ever get bored with your normal routine.
Incline
The Schwinn 830 does offer powered incline, which is a good start. Treadmills in this price range should. The 830 can reach a max incline level of 12% which is pretty decent for the price range.
This amount of incline should be plenty to add some extra intensity to your walks or runs, regardless of your fitness level.
You can adjust the incline manually with the up and down arrows, or rapidly jump to a chosen incline setting with the quickset buttons on the side of the console (you can do the same with the speed).
This is a nice feature, especially if you like doing intervals or already know what incline you want to work at.
Console
At first glance, the console on this treadmill looks kinda busy. There’s a lot going on here. The LCD screen is backlit, which improves visibility, but the screen itself is on the small side.
There’s nothing too fancy going on here, but it should suffice for showing you what workout setting your on and relaying all your stats throughout your workout.
I mentioned above that there are quickset buttons for incline and speed along the edges. If you have used a treadmill with this feature before, you know how helpful these buttons can be.
On top of the console there is a built-in media shelf that can hold a magazine, smart phone, or tablet. This is a nice feature if you like to watch Netflix or listen to music from your smart device while you exercise.
Speaking of music, there are built-in speakers and an mp3 input to easily connect your music player to the treadmill if you like.
You can also charge said smart device during your workout from the treadmill. This is handy, especially if you are working out toward the end of the day when your phone might be running low on battery power.
Kill two birds with one treadmill- listen to music and charge your phone while you sweat.
A 3-speed fan and grip heart rate monitors round out the console. Almost forgot the water bottle/accessory holders on each side for extra storage. When you put it all together, the 830s console is pretty well thought out for functionality.
Weight Capacity
I always look to weight capacity when comparing fitness machines because it gives us a good idea of quality. The Schwinn 830 has a max user weight of 300 lb, which is pretty good for a mid-range treadmill.
Budget treadmills tend to have weight limits in the 250 lb range while higher-end models can be as high as 400 lb. 300 lb for a mid-range model is right where it should be.
Warranty
Warranties can vary greatly and they usually depend on the price of the treadmill. We should expect more expensive treadmills to have longer warranties and the opposite to be true with cheaper ones. This rule isn’t written in stone, but the trend stands fairly true.
The Schwinn 830 offers the following warranty:
- 10-year frame
- 2-year mechanical
- 1-year electrical
- 1-year labor
This is a pretty short warranty for the frame and electrical. There are several treadmills in this price range that are offering lifetime warranties on the frame and 25-year warranties on the motor.
Schwinn is a great, well-known brand, but I’d like to see a better warranty on this treadmill.
Final Thoughts
Through the course of this review, we’ve taken a pretty close look at everything the Schwinn 830 treadmill has to offer. Right off the bat, the treadmill is coming from a brand well known to the fitness world.
We’ve come to expect a lot from their road and fitness bikes over the years. Does that mean we should expect the same attention to detail and quality in their treadmills?
Whether it’s fair to judge Schwinn treadmills on their past successes, I’m not sure. But I have a feeling most of us are going to anyway, so here we go.
Overall, I think the 830 is a pretty solid mid-range treadmill. For the price, it offers a good deal of value, but it’s far from perfect.
The 2.75 CHP motor is pretty par for the course in this price range. If you are looking for a treadmill for walking or jogging, it should do the job just fine. Runners might want to invest a little more for a more powerful motor.
The length of the belt is a little on the short side too for serious running.
I think the biggest downfall for the 830 is it’s lackluster warranty. If we are judging this treadmill based on Schwinn’s history of quality, we should expect a better warranty.
That said, the 830 comes with a load of workouts, a good weight capacity, and a nice incline system. It also folds away easily for storage which is a nice perk.
The console doesn’t offer anything too fancy, but it’s layout is very practical. The operation is pretty straightforward and I think all the added storage will come in handy.
If you are looking for an affordable treadmill for walking or jogging, you will probably be happy with the Schwinn 830. User reviews are pretty positive overall and most agree this treadmill is worth the price.
If you are tall or looking for a good running treadmill though, I suggest you keep looking.
