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There are many similarities between the Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616. Even so, the differences influence what model the best is for who.
The main differences between the Schwinn 170 and the Nautilus U616 are that the Schwinn 170 has a slightly bigger user height range, a lighter weight, and negligibly more compact dimensions.
On the other hand, the Nautilus U616 has longer warranties in certain areas, seems to have a heavier flywheel, and is a bit more budget-friendly at the time of writing.
Keep in mind that any deals of the moment could swing the price difference in one way or the other.
Besides that, if you are relatively small or tall and/or you are not that strong but still want to move your upright exercise bike around, you can consider the Schwinn 170.
If these descriptions do not apply to you, you will likely prefer the longer warranties and smoother workouts (assuming the flywheel is indeed heavier) of the Nautilus U616.
Differences Schwinn 170 vs Nautilus U616
The Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616 may look similar but there are some subtle differences. These will make one or the other upright bike the best choice for your personal situation.
| Feature | Schwinn 170 | Nautilus U616 |
|---|---|---|
| Warranties* | 10 Years Frame Warranty, 2 Years Parts Warranty, 1 Year Electronics Warranty, And 90 Days Labor Warranty | 10 Years Frame Warranty, 3 Years Parts And Electronics Warranty, And 1 Year Labor Warranty |
| User Height Range | 54 to 78 Inches (138 cm to 198 cm) | 60 to 77 Inches (153 cm to 195 cm) |
| Flywheel Weight | 10.25 Pounds (4.7 kg) (According To Customer Support Rep) | 16.9 Pounds (7.67 kg) (Sources Vary) |
| Weight | 58.4 lbs (26.5 kg) | 63 lbs (26.8 kg) |
| Dimensions | 41.3″ L x 21.4″ W x 55.6″ H | 41.8″ L x 21.6″ W x 57.6″ H |
| Price Category** | $$$ | $$ |
| Check Current Price | Check Current Price |
*Warranties can vary from seller to seller
**Price category at the time of writing
Common features Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616
Before choosing between the Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616, you may also want a refresher on the common features of these upright exercise bikes.
| Feature | Schwinn 170 | Nautilus U616 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight Limit | 300 Pounds (136 kg) | 300 Pounds (136 kg) |
| Resistance Levels | 25 Levels | 25 Levels |
| Resistance Type | Magnetic | Magnetic |
| Handlebar Resistance Control | No | No |
| Handlebar Adjustment | Adjustable Angle | “Tilts Slightly Forward Or Backwards” |
| Adjustable Seat | Height & Fore/Aft | Height & Fore/Aft |
| Seat Type | Padded Seat | Padded Seat |
| Pedals | Pedal Straps | Pedal Straps |
| Transport Wheels | Yes | Yes |
| Screen | 2 Blue Backlit LCD Displays | Dual-Mode LCD Displays |
| Device Holder | Yes | Yes |
| Screen Mobility | Static | Static |
| Workout Programs | 29 Workout Programs | 29 Workout Programs |
| Bluetooth Connectivity | With Explore the World App | With Explore the World App |
| Heart Rate Monitor | Contact & Telemetry Enabled (Heart Rate Chest Strap Not Included) | Contact & Telemetry Enabled (Heart Rate Chest Strap Not Included) |
| Bottle Holder | 1 Medium | 1 Medium |
| Speakers | Yes | Yes |
| Check Current Price | Check Current Price |
Differences Schwinn 170 vs Nautilus U616 explained
People who are more familiar with upright exercise bike features may be able to choose between the Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616 after looking at the feature and price differences.
On the other hand, you may be unsure about what certain features mean, what their consequences are, and to what extent the difference should influence the decision in your personal situation.
Below you can find the areas where the Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616 vary explained more in-depth. This can help you make a better decision.
Warranties
Warranties are how long a company is willing to replace certain parts if they break down under normal use.
There are typically more important details when comparing two upright exercise bikes. Bad bikes can have good warranties and the opposite happens too.
That being said, when deciding between the Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616, the difference in warranties will often matter.
The Schwinn 170 has 10 years frame warranty, 2 years parts warranty, 1 year electronics warranty, and 90 days labor warranty.
On the other side, the Nautilus U616 does slightly better with 10 years frame warranty, 3 years parts and electronics warranty, and 1 year labor warranty.
Even if you never have to use these warranties, they are to some extent an indication of how much a brand stands behind the quality of its products.
How important the differences are depends on how long you plan to use your upright exercise bike and your risk tolerance. That being said, you will obviously prefer the Nautilus U616 in this area.
Winner: Nautilus U616
User height range
Different exercise bikes often have different frames and proportions. These things influence what people can comfortably use the cardio machine.
Ideally, exercise brands mention this user height range in terms of inseam range. However, Schwinn and Nautilus stick to giving overall user height ranges.
More precisely, customer support mentions that the Schwinn 170 has a user height range of 54 to 78 inches (138 cm to 198 cm).
The Nautilus U616 does slightly worse with a user height range of 60 to 77 inches (153 cm to 195 cm).
User height range is a really important feature so you may be surprised this detail is not discussed first. That being said, both the Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616 should be the right size for most.
Individuals on the outer ends of the height spectrum may need to go for the Schwinn 170.
Winner: Schwinn 170
Flywheel weight
The flywheel of an exercise bike is the big disk you rotate by pedaling. In upright bikes, this component is somewhat hidden but still present.
Exercise bike flywheels can vary in terms of things like weight. Any differences change your experience of the bike to at least some extent.
Flywheel weight is typically another feature that gets more attention. The issue when trying to compare the Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616 in this area is that different places say many different things.
Even when asking the customer support of each brand directly, you can get different responses about the flywheel weight. On top of that, product descriptions also often say different numbers.
With that in mind, there are customer support mentions about the Schwinn 170 having a 10.25-pound (4.7 kg) flywheel and the Nautilus U616 having a 16.9-pound (7.67 kg) flywheel.
After looking at a lot of the different mentions, you basically get the idea that the Nautilus U616 has a heavier flywheel than the Schwinn 170.
If this is actually the case, most people will prefer the Nautilus U616 in this area. Heavier flywheels tend to build up more momentum. In turn, you reduce the risk of getting out of flow if/when you don’t pedal perfectly.
Additionally, heavier flywheels are just a bit harder to get and keep doing. That being said, this second consequence will only be a small effect due to the extra momentum the heavier flywheel builds up.
In short, you find a lot of conflicting information about the flywheel weights of the Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616. That being said, the flywheel of the Nautilus U616 seems to be heavier which most people will prefer.
Winner: Nautilus U616 (likely but there is a small chance the bikes have the same flywheel weight)
Weight
Exercise bike weights sound and are relatively straightforward features but you may be confused about how this influences your workout routine.
Because they are so light, the main area where the weight of upright exercise bikes matters is transport. Both the Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616 have transport wheels.
However, the 58.4 lbs (26.5 kg) of the Schwinn 170 will be just a bit easier to move around than the 63 lbs (26.8 kg) of the Nautilus U616.
Because the difference is so small, this will likely not influence your decision too much.
At the same time, this is something to keep in the back of your mind if you plan to move your upright exercise bike around in between workouts.
Winner: Schwinn 170 by a small amount
Dimensions
The dimensions of an exercise bike are another relatively basic feature. It is also more straightforward why this feature matters.
Most people have some type of limit in terms of workout space. Compacter dimensions will help people who also want to use their workout room for other exercises and purposes.
The Schwinn 170 has dimensions of 41.3″ L x 21.4″ W x 55.6″ H (104.9 cm L x 54.4 cm W x 141.2 cm H).
The Nautilus U616 is a tiny amount longer, wider, and higher with dimensions of 41.8″ L x 21.6″ W x 57.6″ H (106.2 cm L x 54.9 cm W x 146.3 cm H).
As you can see, it is very unlikely that the dimension differences between the Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616 will impact your life in any way. Even so, the Schwinn 170 does just a tiny bit better.
Winner: Schwinn 170 to a negligible extent
Price
The Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616 have small advantages and disadvantages in different areas. Something that could make your decision easier is any big price differences.
Exactly how much each machine costs will depend on where you get them and can change over time. That being said, at the time of writing, the Nautilus U616 is a bit more budget-friendly than the Schwinn 170.
Something to note is that the difference is not that big. Any temporary deals could swing the comparison in this area one way or the other.
Winner: Nautilus U616
User reviews
Because Schwinn and Nautilus are from the same company, you can expect the feature and price differences of the 170 and U616 to give a good idea about what exercise bike the best choice is for you.
At the same time, customer reviews sometimes uncover unexpected downsides or trends in quality issues. In the case of the Schwinn 170 and Nautilus U616, the reviews are similar.
You should not get these upright exercise bikes if you are interested in the most technologically advanced models on the market.
The screen and Bluetooth don’t always work as desired. When it comes to apps you are basically limited to connecting to the Explore The World App.
There are also some exceptional cases of faulty parts and early wear and tear. In these situations, the customer support departments can be a bit slow in their responses and solutions.
Next, there are a few mentions about the saddle of the Nautilus U616 being a bit uncomfortable. Since the saddles are basically the same, this can also happen with the Schwinn 170.
That being said, besides the mentions about the lacking technology, the reviews about the workouts themselves are relatively positive overall.
Is the Schwinn 170 or Nautilus U616 better for you?
In short, the Schwinn 170 has a slightly bigger user height range, a lighter weight, and negligibly more compact dimensions.
On the other side, the Nautilus U616 has longer warranties in certain areas, seems to have a heavier flywheel, and has a price that is a bit more budget-friendly.
Something to note is that any temporary deals could swing the price difference one way or the other.
Individuals who are on the outer edges of the height distribution and people who are not that strong but still want to move their upright exercise bike around can consider the Schwinn 170.
People who are not in these categories will likely prefer the longer warranties and smoother workouts (if the flywheel is indeed heavier) of the Nautilus U616.
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