Schwinn A40 Elliptical Machine Review – Best Affordable Elliptical?

by: Michael Perry

August 15, 2020

People know Schwinn for their bikes, but they’ve also launched a line of fitness machines.

They have indoor cycling machines, recumbent bikes, upright bikes, and, of course, ellipticals.

The Schwinn A40 Elliptical Machine helps you achieve your fitness goals all in the comfort of your home.

Made with top-notch parts, this trainer doesn’t take up too much space, and It provides an effective total-body cardio exercise at home.

But can it help you achieve your fitness goals? 

Read our Schwinn A40 Elliptical Machine Review to help you make up your mind.

Schwinn A40 Elliptical Machine quick overview


Schwinn A40 Elliptical Machine

Overall Rating:

Quality 

features

Cost

easy to use

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Compact
  • Includes warranties for frame, parts, and wear
  • Provides six effective workout program
  • Conveniently placed heart rate monitor

Cons

  • Only one user profile available — can’t track workout data
  • No Bluetooth for app pairing or music connection

Before Buying An Elliptical Machine


Elliptical machines provide low-impact cardio exercise. It mimics running but without all the joint pain. But ellipticals aren’t perfect.

Space

Ellipticals are a bit bigger than you expect. They’re about four feet long and seven feet high. You must also leave room around the pedals since the handles extend about two feet beyond the elliptical itself. 

This can be fine if you live in a house with a lot of space. Ellipticals might take up too much space to be worth it, though, if you live in a small apartment or you’re limited to one room. 

Price

Ellipticals can be expensive, but they need to be if you’re committed to your fitness goals. You don’t want to pinch pennies and opt for a cheaper machine, as they’re more likely to break down. An elliptical trainer can run above $1,000

Some companies thankfully offer good budget models, like the Schwinn Elliptical A40. 

Console

What will your elliptical track? And how will you see them on the machine? 

The console is a fitness freak’s friend since it gives you the data you need to track your training process. Trainers that don’t display stats or do so in a convoluted way aren’t worth your time. 

Our Schwinn A40 Elliptical Machine Review


You’ll first notice the machine’s price. It’s a pretty good budget model. The warranty includes two years for the frame, six months for the parts, and 30 days for the wear. 

The two years and six months in the warranty are a bit low compared to other ellipticals, but it makes sense with the low price. 

Despite all that, the A40 Elliptical Trainer specs seem pretty impressive. 

flywheel-icon

Flywheel

The perimeter weighted flywheel makes for high-speed, high-inertia workouts. 

The weighted internal system provides a smooth and quiet motion. That’s perfect for morning people who don’t want to wake their family or roommates. 

icon-elliptical

Stride Length

The 17.5-inch stride length is pretty good for a budget machine. But you don’t just get the stride — you get Precision Path™ Foot Motion technology for more energy efficiency while stepping.

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Footprint, Built & Sturdiness

The machine’s footprint falls in the normal range for ellipticals. It’s 59 inches long, 23 inches wide, and 64 inches high (149.9 x 58.4 x 162.6 cm). The maximum user weight is 275 lbs. 

The sturdiness of the elliptical depends on how you build it. The machine’s parts come disassembled. It took me about a day to get all the A40 Elliptical Trainer’s parts together. 

I can see how not turning a few screws all the way could make for a wobbly ride. Do yourself a favor and double-check the trainer after building to make sure you have everything tightened and structured — it will make all the difference while riding. 

After ensuring a properly built machine, I think user weight can exceed 275 lbs. I wouldn’t push 300 lbs, though. 

The articulated footpads supported my weight and didn’t creak after intense elliptical workouts. The perimeter weighted flywheel mechanism holds up well. 

The transport wheel makes the elliptical easy to move and store. In all, the A40 Elliptical Trainer is a compact, lightweight, and sturdy device. 

Resistance Type & Levels

The bike offers eight levels of magnetic resistance. That’s thanks to the internal flywheel. 

You punch up the resistance level with the large buttons on the machine’s consoles. 

Eight resistance levels may not be a lot compared to the 12 or 16 other machines offer, but I sort of like it. It goes from easy to challenging, which is all your legs need to give you an intense workout. 

The six present workouts use all eight of these resistance levels, giving you diverse exercises. While there’s not a lot of options, the hardest level is indeed challenging and enough to get your blood flowing.

incline-icon

Incline

The Schwinn A40 Elliptical offers eight levels of incline, ranging from a slight bump to a serious workout. 

Working out at an incline has many health benefits. Perhaps the most important one is that using an elliptical at an incline burns more calories. This is because your muscles have to work harder to provide the same movement against gravity’s forces.

From that, working out at an incline trains your muscles faster. Just a nine-degree incline increase improves hamstring strength by over 600% and over 300% for glutes. Your calves benefit too.

The first is that it’s better on the knees than normal or declining slopes. One study from Ball State University found that inclines reduce the stress placed on the knees. 

Incline exercises improve lung function as well since you need more oxygen to feed your stressed muscles. Running boosts lung functions too, but it can lead to shin splints. Elliptical training gives you the best of both worlds — lung improvements while keeping it easy on your knees. 

Finally, inclines force you to keep growing. It’s easy to get complacent on your fitness journey and feel cocky when your exercise starts feeling easy. A simple incline exercise after weeks without them is enough to remind you how much work is left to do. 

Workout Programs

There are six total workout programs.

The first is called “rolling hills,” where the incline increases then decreases gradually. The inclines go up and down about four or five times during the 30-minute workout.

The second is “ride in the park.” Inclines also increase and decrease, but less so than rolling hills. These two training programs are what the machine calls “easy rides.”

The next two are called mountains — each leading to a higher spike in inclines. The first is called “Pikes Peak.” It has a gentle start then climbs a few notches higher than the highest incline on a rolling hill.

The second is called “Pyramids,” where you have a big incline at the start, drop down low to nearly zero, then gradually climb back up before descending down the proverbial period before ending on another spike.

Finally, there are the “Challenges” levels. The first is “Uphill Climb.” It starts out easy at a low incline, jumps up a few notches for a consistently intermediate workout, then jumps up high for the last few minutes. Second is “Cross Training,” which jumps between a high incline and a low one for good interval exercises.

Of course, there’s the trusty “quick start” program. You can jump straight into exercising and create your own workout program as you go.

Though six workout programs are on the smaller end, this range is just what the simple fitness freak needs. They hit all the major points someone could want — interval training, a day to give yourself sort of a break while still working out, and challenging levels to grow your stamina. 

Heart Rate Sensors

Unlike other ellipticals, the A40 Elliptical Trainer’s heart rate sensors are on the moving bars located on the hand bars on the console near your waist. 

The elliptical trainer can take a better measurement of your heart rate without all the back and forth motion obstructing a clear reading. And your hands tend to fall there anyway when they get tired from holding the handles. It’s a comfortable position to monitor your heart rate. 

Bluetooth 

This machine doesn’t have Bluetooth accessibility, which is to be expected at its price. You’re stuck with an aux cord to play media from your phone. 

RunSocial App

This A40 is not compatible with the RunSocial App. Its counterpart, the Schwinn 411 (mentioned later in this article), does though. 

The Console

The A40’s LCD display gives you the following: speed, distance, time, revolutions per minute, calories burned, and pulse. 

There’s also a sound system, media tray, water bottle holder, EGK pulse sensors, and compatibility with an MP3 player, iPod, tablet, or smartphone.

You need D batteries to run the console. It can be bothersome to stop in the middle of a workout because the battery died on you. That’s why there’s an added power cord to forgo the need for batteries. 

The dual power option lets you place your machine where you want it without being tethered to proximity to a power outlet, which is helpful. 

The Display/Media Rack

The A40 elliptical trainer does indeed have a media rack. It’s big enough to put a tablet on it, though it will cover up your time, distance, speed, and other console parts. 

The display looks a bit retro, kind of like an old school GameBoy Color. It’s also not backlit very well. You have to have good lighting to see your stats. 

The display has large buttons. I like the large buttons because it’s easier for me to use the elliptical while working out. My fingers tend to miss smaller buttons when I’m working out or sweaty, which can be annoying. 

User Profiles

There appears to be only one user profile. The machine doesn’t track any fitness data — it resets once it turns off and on.

You should track your data with a smartphone app or a good ol’ pen and paper if you want to track your fitness stats long-term. 

Otherwise, multiple people can use the machine. They just can’t see their data over time. 

Aux-Input, Speakers & The Fan

The elliptical includes all of the above parts.

There’s a place to plug in your phone to listen to podcasts or music while you ride, and speakers to hear the media you’re playing.

Since the elliptical is so quiet, you won’t have a problem listening to your media. 

The fan is also accessible from the console — just press a button to get it started.

It provides a nice gentle breeze that’ll give you much-needed airflow while exercising, though it won’t be as strong as a standing fan. Still, the elliptical fan is a nice addition. 

What Others Have To Say


People who bought this elliptical trainer said in their Schwinn A40 Elliptical reviews that...

Schwinn A40 Elliptical Machine Review


Another review says the A40 Elliptical Machine offers a great workout and that it’s a —

2nd review


And here’s one more review. 

3rd review of the A40

I relate with the “punch buttons till things work” method. From what I’ve seen, it doesn’t take people too long to figure out the A40 Elliptical.

Based on the Schwinn A40 Elliptical review that we read, customers seemed happy with purchasing this elliptical — especially concerning its value for the price. 

Alternatives To The Schwinn A40 Elliptical Machine


Did this elliptical not suit your fancy? Here are some other machines you might like. 

1. EXERPEUTIC 2000XL

Exerpeutic Heavy Duty Magnetic Elliptical

The Exerpeutic 2000XL elliptical offers eight levels of magnetic tension resistance. It also comes with adjustments to give you a more strenuous workout. It supports up to 300 lbs. It costs a little bit more than the Schwinn A40 Elliptical.

It includes an easy-to-read 3.4-inch LCD display that shows the distance, time, speed, pulse, and calories burned. 

The machine also uses Bluetooth Smart Cloud Fitness with the free MyCloudFitness app to track your workouts. Check your mobile food to see how far you’ve come along. 

Check Its price here.

2. Schwinn 411

Schwinn 411 Elliptical Machine

Providing over 18 inches of stride, the Schwinn 411 gives you a powerful workout.

It’s 16 levels of resistance gives you the exact intensity of workout you want, and you can quickly change speeds during workouts. 

The console display looks sleek and stylish. It gives you the speed, time, distance, calories burned, and heart rate when your hands are placed on certain areas of the handle.

The large water bottle holder can store your water as well as your phone if you like watching media while working out. 

The machine itself weighs 100 lbs, and it holds up to 300 lbs.

The Schwinn 411 requires assembly outside of the box. And It's about double the price of the Schwinn A40 Elliptical. The 411 is better suited for those who want to splurge a little more on their elliptical machines to get better use out of it.

Check Its price here.

3. Schwinn 430

Schwinn 430 Elliptical Machine

Track your goals and set up individual exercise regimes on the Schwinn 430

You can easily do one of the 22 preset workout programs — nine profiles, eight heart-rate control, two fitness tests, and one quick start for when you don’t have much time to workout. 

The high-speed flywheel drive system lets you start-up easily and smoothly. There’s no stomping your feet to get the machine going on the Schwinn 430.

The internal flywheel also makes for a quiet workout. It’s great if you like working out early but don’t want to disturb those around you. 

The machine has a Dual Track 2 LCD screen that lets you see your time, distance, calories burned, and speed. You can also track your programs and goals with it.

With 20 resistance levels and a wide range of workout intensity, you’re bound to break a sweat with the Schwinn 430. 

The Schwinn 430 is about triple the price of the A40. Consider the Schwinn 411 if you want to buy your first and last at-home elliptical.

Check Its price here.

Wrapping Up The Schwinn A40 Elliptical Machine Review


Final thoughts from this Schwinn A40 Elliptical review? The A40 Elliptical will make a good first-purchase item for your home gym. 

It’s great if you’re looking to get a good workout without breaking the bank. The machine has normal stride length and an internal flywheel system, but it’s resistance levels, and program types made me break a sweat. Besides, you can’t beat the A40’s price. 

It’s simple and functional at what it does. It doesn’t provide the same sleek design or level of options that other Schwinn Elliptical Machines have, though. 

The Schwinn A40 Elliptical Machine does what it sets out to do — give you a great workout on a reliable and easy-to-use machine.


About the author

Growing up as the fat kid is what motivated him to take matters to his hands at fifteen, and he has never looked back again since!

When he's not pumping iron at the gym, you'll probably find him hooked to his record player listening to rock classics.

If only he could carry it with him to the gym. Sigh.

On this site, he'll do his best to help you accomplish the same results for yourself.

(We're talking about getting in shape, not trying to carry a record player to your local gym)

Michael Perry