The Schwinn Active 20 Series Recumbent Exercise Bike – Not Recommended

The budget priced Schwinn Active 20 Series recumbent exercise bike gets positive reviews and has many qualities that are appreciated by new owners. However, this isn’t the Schwinn we recommend. Read on...

The Bike

The LCD display gives readouts for speed, RPM, time, distance, Watt, pulse, and calories. The console is powered by four C batteries and shuts off automatically after five minutes if pedaling stops.

The Schwinn Active 20 Series recumbent exercise bike features:

• ECB (Eddy Current Brake) System
• 8 Resistance Levels
• 11 Programs
• Grip heart rate sensors
• Seat adjustment
• Max user weight – 275 lbs
• Transport wheels
• Dimensions/Weight: 58.5"L x 26"W x 36"H / 58 lbs
• Power requirements: battery operated
• Warranty: 3 yrs frame, 6 months parts & electronics

The Buzz

UPDATE:  The Active 20 is no longer available.  Check out our Schwinn exercise bike reviews to see the latest models.

The Schwinn Active 20 Series recumbent exercise bike has a magnetic Eddy Current Brake system for quiet operation, and the pedals have straps to keep your feet secured for long workout sessions. The extra-wide padded saddle seat has nine position adjustments.

Equipment pros note that the LCD display is not backlit so it can be hard to read in low-light situations. Another issue with the Active 20 bike is that the warranty is very short: only six months covering the mechanical and electric parts.

The one caution to take away from reviews on the Schwinn Active 20 Series exercise bike is that some users are not aware that when the batteries die, not only does the console go dark, the resistance stops and the pedals spin freely.

You will need to replace the batteries every few weeks if you use it often, and of course, you should remove the batteries completely if you don’t plan to use the bike for a while.

Although many users seem to be satisfied with the Active 20 recumbent bike, users over 6 feet tall recommend that you skip this model since the seat does not go back far enough for comfortable leg extension.  

Our Take

The biggest problem we have with this model stems from the many reports by users who say that while the seat locks into place with no weight on it, once the user sits down, the seat often unlocks and slides forward.

This poor design feature, plus the fact that there is no option to add an AC power adapter, is a deal-breaker on this $249 model.

We generally love these bikes but the Schwinn Active 20 Series recumbent exercise bike is Not Recommended until the company fixes these issues.

Schwinn is replacing the Active 20 Series with the new A20 recumbent model and has corrected the problems mentioned above. They also added some comfort features such as a water bottle holder, fan, reading rack, frame stabilizers, and more.