Schwinn 431 Elliptical Trainer

I purchased the Schwinn 431 because of the excellent reviews for the 430. I wanted something sturdy, quiet and reliable. The assembly was relatively easy, and it had a sleek appearance when complete. It fit nicely in a room with 8-foot high ceilings. However, after about 4 minutes, the squeaking and rattling started, as so many have stated on their reviews. I loosened the bolts, which helped temporarily, but the squeaking and rattling returned and became louder. After 3 different calls to Schwinn, I was instructed to try several different methods to fix the noises -- one was to take apart the elliptical, apply lithium grease to all the joints, then reassemble, taking care not to remove any of the grease.

Now, I probably wouldn't have minded trying all these remedies after using the machine for several months, but this was my first day! I should have been able to put it together and use it without any problems! Unfortunately, it looks like I was one of the unlucky ones receiving a dud. In the end, I returned it without question from Amazon, and will purchase a different brand with better customer service and longer warranty. Schwinn has got to get better products out there, on a consistent basis! (Maybe make their machines in the USA instead of in China!)

After reading all the horror stories of shipping damage with Schwinn fitness equipment, I decided to purchase my elliptical trainer from a local sporting goods store. I've read a lot of good reviews about the model 431 and couldn't wait to try it out. I test rode several ellipticals in the store, but found the Schwinn 431 elliptical to be the smoothest, most quiet machine. The sales guy told me that "you can't go wrong with a Schwinn. The name speaks for itself." He also recommended that I buy the extended warranty through the store for another $135. Well, I purchased the machine, but decided to skip the warranty. Why spend another $135 when the machine comes with a manufacturer's warranty from a reputable company like Schwinn?
I got the box home and had my son help me unload it onto the driveway. The box did not have a single dent or scratch on it. We carefully lowered it to the driveway and I cut open the box. Everything was packaged well, no damage. We carried down all of the pieces, a couple at a time, to the basement. The next evening, I assembled the machine per the instructions and everything went together very well. It was getting late, so I put off the "test drive" until the next morning.
The next morning, I plugged in the power module, selected a program, level and time and I was off and running. I couldn't believe how quiet this machine was. I could hear the TV at a normal level; just a whisper from the machine. Then, after about five minutes, I started to hear a faint squeak coming from the wheel assembly. As I continued to pedal, the squeak got louder. I continued pedaling thinking that the squeak would subside as the parts broke in, but no luck.
The next day I tried it again. I used the machine for 30 minutes, squeaking all the way. ... time to try out the customer service at Schwinn. I called the number that was provided in the manual, but after 20 minutes on hold, I decided to try back another day.
I called again today and to my surprise was speaking to a customer service guy in a matter of minutes (now were talkin'). I explained the problem and asked him what I should do to have this looked at. (The manual indicated that Scwinn had a number of service centers, so I thought he would refer me to one of those. The warranty covers parts and labor- labor for 90 days.) He said that most of the time, the arms are the source of any squeaks. He recommended that I disconnect the arms, pedal the machine and see if it still squeaked. I agreed to do that, but while I had him on the line, I asked him what I should do if I find that the squeak is coming from the wheel assembly. After a long pause, he said that I would need to go to a bicycle shop and purchase a crank puller. He said I would need this to remove the crank arms. Once I found the defective part, I could email him a copy of my receipt and he would ship me a replacement part. The whole time I'm thinking - where does the 90 days labor in the warranty come from?
I called the store where I purchased the machine and explained what happened with Schwinn's customer service. The guy I spoke with checked with his manager and then said I could bring the machine back in and exchange it for another one. He also told me that to avoid further hassles, I should buy the extended warranty. He mentioned that Schwinn's customer service was a joke.
We'll, I'm taking the machine back to the store this Friday and I'm going to ask for a refund. I really do not want to spend another 2 hours assembling something only to find out that it doesn't work. And as for Schwinn, the name speaks for itself... made in China, once you buy it, you're on your own.

My husband and I were looking for an inexpensive elliptical machine so we could both work out without spending tons of money on a gym membership we wouldn't use. After going to different stores and trying all their machines, we settled on this one.

Assembly:It took us a leisurely 3 hrs, with breaks and watching a football game, to assemble this machine. Everything was clearly labeled and the provided tools were adequate. Directions were clear and logical, parts clearly labeled and wonderfully packaged. We had to take it out of the box to put it in our car, but everything survived just fine.

Use:We love the way that this machine has a stride that doesn't incorporate lots of height. It's a wonderfully smooth lateral motion which we both appreciate. The different workout programs are wonderful, and although the onboard fan doesn't do a whole lot, we're not counting that against it. After some initial squeaks and creaks, we loosened one or two bolts a hair and the machine has been running whisper-quiet ever since. My two cats, who are very sound-sensitive, will curl up right next to the machine while we use it. In an apartment complex, silence was important so our neighbors wouldn't complain; if our cats aren't bothered, our neighbors won't even know we're working out if we use it at 3 in the morning!

Size/Stability: My husband is 6', I'm 5'8" so this machine fits wonderfully. It doesn't take up a lot of space in our bedroom, and for our small apartment that's crucial for us. Even on soft carpet, it only lightly sways when one is running on high speed; it's not noticeable to the user at all. It's so quiet that I'm able to watch tv or use my ipod, and not damage my ears or bother the neighbors by having to turn the volume up super-high.

All in all, we have been extremely impressed with this machine in terms of assembly, price, and performance. Even the machines I've used in gyms weren't as smooth and as comfortable a stride as this one, and we both consider it a very good investment.

I read probably 100 reviews before purchasing an elliptical machine. I went to a variety of stores to try out various models and manufacturers. I finally decided on this model based solely on reviews and the price. I quickly learned that if you bought too cheap of a model the quality really suffered. On the other hand, it was also easy to over pay. This is a great easy to use piece of equipment. It did take me several hours to put together by myself, but it was well worth it. When I first started using the machine there was a loud squeaking noise. I listened and determined the location. It was the bar that both arms are connected to. I tried tightening it, but the squeak persisted. The second time I loosened it and the squeak has not returned! So the lesson leaned from that is that after putting it together you may need to tweak some of the screws. I've owned this for several weeks now and use it almost every other day.

I'm loving my Schwinn 431 Elliptical Trainer and using it almost every day.

The shipping was a nightmare though since about 2 1/2 weeks after the time I was told it would arrive, a Bow Flex arrived instead. Then it was a major hassle trying to reach the right people in Amazon to get the problem resolved since the shipping company claimed it was Amazon's fault. Once I reached the right folks, they started a new shipment. In the meantime, the shipping company called and told me they found my elliptical and said it was their fault. I'm thinking Amazon should go with a different company for the shipments on the product.

Theresa