The Schwinn A20 Recumbent Exercise Bike – Silent, Compact, Low Price

The entry-level Schwinn A20 recumbent exercise bike is incredibly quiet, compact, and affordable. If you don’t wish to spend a lot of money on an exercise machine, this one will only set you back about $250.

The Bike

The Schwinn A20 recumbent exercise bike has a multi-function LCD display giving readouts for time, distance (in miles and kilometers), pulse, speed, calories, RPM, and Course Profile. The console operates on four size D batteries.

The Schwinn A20 features:

• ECB (Eddy Current Brake) System
• 8 Resistance Levels
• 6 Programs + 1 Manual
• Contact heart rate sensors
• 2-position lumbar support
• Max user weight – 275 lbs
• Rear stabilizers, frame levelers, transport wheels
• Dimensions/Weight: 61"L x 16.5"W x 40.5"H / 69 lbs
• Power requirements: battery operated, optional AC adapter
• Warranty: 2 yrs frame, 6 months parts & electronics, 30 days wear parts

The Buzz

UPDATE: The A20 is no longer available for sale.  Check out our Schwinn exercise bike reviews to see the latest models.

The quiet operation of the Schwinn A20 recumbent exercise bike is impressive.

Users have reported that is nearly silent and compact in size, making it a better choice of a cardio machine than a treadmill or an elliptical for some small apartments. And at just 69 pounds, it is light enough to take up a flight or two of stairs.

The Schwinn A20 recumbent bike features an advanced magnetic Eddy Current Brake System, perimeter-weighted flywheel, grip heart rate sensors, transport wheels, frame stabilizers, reading rack, fan, and a water bottle holder.

The seat has secure adjustments to keep it from slipping, and offers a 2-position lumbar back support. The seat isn’t ideal, however; users prefer to use a pillow for added support during hour-long workouts.

Most exercise bike reviews on the A20 have mentioned that that little fan is useless – it can barely blow a feather off the console. You would think Schwinn would remove it altogether since it performs so poorly.

The most important feature to note is the angled center seat rail on the frame: the Schwinn A20 and the Active 20 Series bike are Schwinn’s only recumbent exercise bikes that do not offer a step-through design. If you have knee or hip problems, you may have some difficulty mounting this machine.

Our Take on the A20 Exercise Bike

We wish they would have included the AC power adapter (about $20) and simply upped the price a bit, because running it on battery power will cost even more in the long run to replace batteries every few weeks. Also, the console is small, boring, and hard to read.

Overall, the Schwinn A20 recumbent exercise bike is an okay value for the low price of $249. If you can afford something beefier than this 69-lb model, check out the Schwinn 220 recumbent which has a better warranty, additional features, and a 97-lb frame.