Posts Tagged ‘Target’

Humminbird XI 9 20 Ice Transducer

Sunday, May 16th, 2010

Humminbird XI 9 20 Ice Transducer




BEAM, 20/60 DEGREE, 200/83kHz

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Works great
I’d been waiting for this thing to come out for quite a while. I even got anxious enough to email Humminbird to find out when it would be released, and i was pretty upset when they told me they had no plans to produce an ice fishing transducer. Needless to say, when i saw it available on Amazon, I bought one immediately. I’ve used it a few times, and it works great! Much better alignment than i got with my old puck style transducer on a pvc bracket. Just drop it down the hole and you’re good to go. Might need a slight adjustment occasionally to get it to hang perfectly vertical.

5 Stars Soft Water Fish Finder now useable on Hard Water
If you own a Humminbird fish finder that you use during the Spring, Summer, or Fall, now you can adapt it for ice fishing. I picked up a 12v 7amp gel cell battery and this ice transducer and it was all I needed to convert my Humminbird 727 into a winter-time sonar system. The combination is extremely sensitive, I can see my tiny jig appear on the fish finder’s screen as I lower it to the bottom. I happened to just make a little hook-up and put it all in a tool box but they sell portable bags with brackets for mounting your fish finder. Either way, the cost is far less than buying a flasher in addition to your fish finder. It’s a good approach to getting the most value out of your fishing electronics.

5 Stars Humminbird Portable 565 ice transducer
I have the 565 portable unit which I am very pleased with. I use it on my fishing boat as well as in the canoe for wilderness fishing trips. I wanted to use it for ice fishing and this transducer is just the ticket. I find it even more useful than a ‘flasher’ type locator for the simple fact the scrolling bar graph seems to give you a more interactive experience. Plus you can zoom in on the bottom few feet and this locator provides great target seperation down to 2″.

The ice transducer works perfectly, and the installation was as easy as unplugging one chord and plugging in another. No hardware at all.

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Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Schwinn 460 Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer




Maximize your home workouts with the Schwinn 460 Elliptical Trainer, which features Schwinn’s exclusive V-Stride Technology that allows you to change stride lengths without manual adjustments or machine modifications. The 460 provides a complete lower-body workout: step to target calves and quads; walk to work your thighs and glutes, and run to lengthen your strides and engage all muscle groups.

Featuring a high-tech design, the Schwinn 460 includes 11 workout profiles built by the Nautilus Institute with instructional messages on utilizing stride lengths and foot/leg motions for maximized results. And the Schwinn Advantage workout system tracks results and programming for up to two users. You’ll get heart rate feedback via the HR grips on the static handlebars, and heart rate telemetry using the included chest strap.

The dynamic backlit touchscreen console displays workout and interval time, distance, pulse, speed, calories, resistance level, and course profile. Other features include an oversized water bottle holder (accommodates 4-inch bottle), adjustable cooling fan, and transport handle and non-skid wheels for easy storage.

The Schwinn 460 combines dynamic workout programs, an intuitive touch screen console, and Schwinn V-Stride technology to let you change stride lengths without manual adjustments or machine modifications.

Features and Specifications

  • V-Stride technology, integrated in the cam/footplate, enables strides from 2 to 26 inches
  • Independent footplates let users target core muscles while engaging both sides of the body
  • 16 total programs: 1 Manual, 11 Profile, 2 Custom for two users
  • Quiet, magnetic ECB (Eddy current brake) resistance with 16 levels
  • Fly wheel: 25 pounds, steel
  • Drive system: Computer controlled
  • Fixed and moving handlebars
  • Chest strap with telemetric and grip heart rate monitoring
  • Heart rate grip on padded static handlebars
  • Transport handle and non-skid wheels
  • Articulating foot plates minimize heel impact
  • Schwinn Advantage workout system tracks results and programming for two users
  • Dynamic backlit LCD touchscreen console
  • Display Readout: Time, Interval Time, RPM, Watts, Distance, Pulse, Speed, Calories, Resistance Level, Course Profile
  • 11 workout profiles contain embedded fitness prompts to maximize results
  • Oversized water bottle holder and angle-adjustable fan
  • Maximum user weight: 300 pounds
  • Dimensions: 54 x 34 x 73 inches (L x W x H)
  • Unit weight: 221 pounds
  • Power requirements: AC adapter

Manufacturer’s Warranty
Frame - 10 years, parts - 2 years, electronics - 1 year, wear parts: 90 days


Compare these Schwinn Elliptical Trainers

Schwinn 430
Schwinn 431
Schwinn 460
Style Front Drive Dual Action Front Drive Dual Action Variable Stride Dual Action
Stride Length 18 inches 18 inches 2 to 26 inches
Drive Train Poly V-belt Poly V-belt Poly V-belt
Motion Forward/
Reverse
Forward/
Reverse
Forward/
Reverse
Resistance Magnetic ECB Magnetic ECB Magnetic ECB
Resistance Levels 16 16 16
Dimensions (L x W x H) 59″ x 26″ x 68″ 59″ x 26″ x 68″ 54″ x 34″ x 73″
Product Weight 152 pounds 172 pounds 221 pounds
Maximum User Weight 275 pounds 300 pounds 300 pounds
Display LCD Backlit LCD Touch screen, backlit LCD
Display Features Speed, time, distance, RPM, watts, pulse, calories, interval time, resistance Speed, time, distance, RPM, watts, pulse, calories, interval, time, resistance Time, interval time, RPM, watts, distance, pulse, speed, calories, resistance, course profile
Heart Rate Grip Grip Chest strap with telemetry; grip on handlebars
Programs 1 manual, 6 profile, 1 calorie goal, results mode, BMI test 1 manual, 10 profile, 2 heart rate control, 2 custom, time trial, calorie goal, fitness test, BMI test, recovery mode, results, mode 1 manual, 11 profile, 2 custom for two users
Warranty Frame–15 years, parts–2 years, electronics–1 year, labor–90 days Frame–15 years, parts–2 years, electronics–1 year, labor–6 months Frame–10 years, parts–2 years, electronics–1 year, wear parts–90 days
Other Features Transport wheels, bottle holder Transport wheels, bottle holder, 3-speed fan, MP3/iPod holder Fixed and moving handlebars, articulating foot plates, cooling fan, transport wheels, bottle holder

About Elliptical Trainers
Elliptical trainers represent the next wave of advancement in low-impact cardiovascular exercise machines and continue to grow in popularity. By simulating motions experienced through walking, stepping, cycling, and skiing, elliptical machines allow for a smooth and fluid motion while building strength in the arms and legs. Similar to the exercise position for treadmills, elliptical trainers are used by standing in an upright position while holding the handrails of the machine. With elliptical trainers, however, your feet remain in the foot pedals throughout the exercise regimen and circulate in a smooth and seamless motion, resulting in little to no impact on the knees, back, and hips.

Elliptical trainers are compatible for all ages and fitness levels and allow you to select the difficulty level through the incline and intensity settings. Additionally, elliptical trainers allow you to determine the complexity of your workout based on your needs, all while listening to music, watching television, or reading a magazine while exercising in the comfort and safety of your own home.

Although different types of elliptical trainers offer an assortment of features, many of them include an array of challenging programs, forward and reverse directional movement, EKG grip pulse handles, a lightweight portable design with easy fold-up capability, and a monitor displaying calories burned, distance, speed, time, and heart rate. Other types of exercise machines, namely treadmills and bikes, offer excellent cardiovascular exercise and muscular training for the legs in a forward-motion exercise. Elliptical trainers take this to the next level by offering an upper and lower body workout with dual motion, challenging and diverse programs, and a low-impact exercise machine that won’t strain your sensitive joints.

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars If you want a full throttle work out don’t buy this machine!
I bought this machine from Amazon based on positive reviews and because I like some of the other Schwinn ellipticals.

I recieved the machine very quickly but right away I did not like it. It was very uncomfortable and felt too jerky. When I tried to put out maximum effort it felt like it was going to fall apart with me on top of it and I only weigh 135 pounds! This is the machine for someone who wants to just walk and watch tv, not someone who wants do a full throttle work out with maximum effort. Also, the different strides were a bit uncomfortable and I had a lot of cramping in my lower legs.

My advice is to not buy this machine unless you have already tried it and dont mind possibly losing $200 in fees if you get it and decide to send it back. At first I thought Amazon was going to charge me a restocking fee and a return shipping fee but they didn’t. This whole mess only cost me about $50 but I was lucky.

Look into Sole machines as they are much more sturdy and more like a machine you would find in a gym. Amazon sells these machines as well and they are much better than this one.

5 Stars Very Pleased!
The hunt for the ideal home elliptical is tough, unless you want to spend a fortune. There’s so many choices, even in the under $1000 range. I spent a long time researching various ellipticals and decided to purchase the Schwinn 460.

My girlfriend and I are both over 6′ tall, and though the standard 18″ stride length of most sub-$1000 range machines works just fine, it’s not ideal, and it’s nicer to have a longer stride, if you can find one. I liked the idea of the Schwinn 460 because it offers variable stride lengths from 2″ to 26″ depending on how fast you’re moving. But it’s worth noting, you don’t adjust it manually, it depends on the amount of work you put in!

This is also good if you just want to step a little, or want to go all-out and run like crazy with a 26″ stride. I might have been happy with a Schwinn 430 or 431 (or various other 18″ stride machines) if both myself and girlfriend were not so tall.

Delivery/Packaging: Yes, this is heavy. I was happy the delivery man was kind enough to bring it into my apartment for me. Schwinn did a great job packing this thing up and it seemed well protected while shipping. It took me a while to take all the parts out, and some are fairly heavy, but none showed any sign of damage except a few scratches on the mast (conveniently covered by the cupholder).

Assembly: I must admit, I was dreading this stage, but to be honest, it was seamless and much more straightforward than I expected. The instruction manual has decent sized pictures, all the parts are well labelled, and I found nothing confusing. They recommend someone to help at various stages, but I did it all myself. Admittedly, I probably could have done with some help in places, because there’s a few spots when an extra hand would be useful, but it’s not essential. Some of the parts are heavy though, especially the main body. With a bit of concentration and effort, it’s straightforward. If anything, it’s more ‘fiddly’ than strenuous. The tools provided are perfectly passable. You might want to use your own 17mm socket wrench, but I found the supplied one just fine, because on the whole you just use that for leverage and twist bolts tighter using the hex key.

Appearance: Steel tubing on this machine is thick and well constructed. All the parts are smooth and well-engineered and everything feels very stable. No squeaks, no rattles, smooth operation. I was aware of Tiffany’s review below stating some issues with the machine feeling like it can topple over… I really can’t see that, I have to give the machine a damn good shake to even get it to wobble. On a purely aesthetic note, the 460 does look a little different to other ellipticals, it’s certainly more angular than most other machines, but I like it. The LCD display is clear and the touchscreen functions well. Being tall, there’s a little bit of ‘fade’ from up high looking down on the display, but it’s still very legible. The machine does stand quite tall though, at their highest point, the pedals are over 20″ off the ground, so those with low roofs might need to be careful.

Operation: So this is the key thing, and so far I’m delighted with the Schwinn 460, and greatly relieved I made a good choice. The variable stride pattern does take some time to get used to and the strides are independent, so to begin with it can feel a little disorienting and I sometimes got myself ‘out of sync’. But even when this happens, it’s not like you fall off the machine or feel unsafe, and within a short time you get used to it. I love varying my work out from longer strides to shorter strides. I know some others have commented that there’s no arm resistance, but I disagree: longer strides require longer arm pulls, shorter strides require less. Pull harder and you go faster and work out more. Up the resistance, and you WILL work your arms if you’re striding long! This is common on all cheaper ellipticals, and I’ve only seen very expensive gym machine offering separate upper-body arm resistance independent of your legs. The 460 offers a nice range of resistance, some good workout courses, the ability to construct your own workout patterns, and of course, the ‘inspiring’ messages telling you you’re doing great or not working hard enough!

Anyway, I hope this review is helpful for anybody looking into this machine. There’s some good reviews here on Amazon so far, but fewer out on the web, and some of the seem suspiciously ’spammy’ or are those generic fitness equipment blogs where you’re not quite sure who’s really offering the review.

I think there’s some discussion as to whether the variable stride thing is a gimmick, or perhaps that it doesn’t work you as hard as a regular elliptical or exercise the ‘right’ muscles because of the independent strides, but even at the very simplest level (let’s say you never varied your stride at all) it appears to be working me out as well as any other elliptical machine, and that’s the key thing, but offers a few features to make it more varied and fun.

5 Stars Great piece of Equipment!!!
Setup myself, was easy, may need 1 other person to help. Machine works great, resistance good, I like the variable training (stair master vs eliptical) style of training. Well worth the price.

5 Stars High Quality Home Machine
This is the first elliptical I have owned. I purchased it to reduce the beating my “old” joints have been getting when running outdoors or on a treadmill. I’m primarily interested in cardio exercise from this machine, which it provides exceptionally well for me. I agree that the variable stride design probably does not provide the fore-aft resistance of traditional ellipticals, but that’s not an issue for me and overall, I find the workout to be excellent. As an aircraft maintenance technician for many years, I can attest to the quality construction of this machine. I was pleasantly surprised at the engineering, materials and workmanship applied to it–far above what I expected for a home unit in this price range. Here’s a critical piece of information for anyone wanting to use this where there is a low ceiling: when the foot pads are even in the elliptic path, it will add 18-inches to your height. I’m 5′-9″, so this places the top of my head at 7′-3″. I placed the unit in my basement where the ceiling is only 7′-6″. You get the picture. Bottom line–I couldn’t be happier with this machine, and highly recommend it!

5 Stars Great buy
Great machine , not only because it’s price , but well built, easy operation, no stupid gadgets on it, the variable stride is so good, and much better than more expensive machines.

Delivery company ABF , was so good; easy to communicate with, friendly, prompt and very helpfull a pleasure to have them delivered this item, the place where it was delivered was on the 5 th floor and no problem bringing it up.

Assembly: so easy, all the parts and tools are well marked, just follow the instructions and it is a breeze, took me only an hour to put together.

Overall a GREAT, GREAT buy .

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InStep Quick N EZ Bicycle Trailer

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

InStep Quick N EZ Bicycle Trailer




The InStep Quick N EZ Bicycle Trailer is a perfect choice if you want an affordable and comfortable bike trailer that easily converts into a stroller without tools. Sturdy, light, and safe, the Quick N EZ Trailer has a steel frame that folds easily for storage. The 16-inch mag wheels provide a smooth ride, are rustproof, and have a quick-release design for additional storage ease and transport convenience. This inexpensive and highly functional bike trailer-jogging stroller combo is equipped with everything you need to securely transport your children, including a zip-up weather canopy to protect riders from the elements, a rear storage area, and two five-point harnesses. The frame unfolds quickly, and the universal coupler hitch attaches effortlessly to essentially any bike.

Specifications:

  • Seats two
  • 16-inch mag wheels
  • Quick-release wheels
  • Universal coupler attaches to bike
  • Converts to stroller
  • Steel frame
  • Weather shield
  • Max weight limit: 100 pounds
  • Folded dimensions: 31.5 x 30 x 16 inches
  • Assembled dimensions: 55 x 32 x 33 inches
  • Assembled weight: 28 pounds

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great trailer
This turned out to be a great little trailer. I was definitly skeptical at first based on the price. I used to own one I bought at C***co that I bought for $150.00. This one is much lighter, easier to assemble, folds more compactly and easier and has a better bike connection. All for $50.00 less.

5 Stars The “I-don’t-have-anymore-excuse-that-I-have-to-watch-the-babies-instead-of-exercise” bike trailer
I loved this product and so did my kids. It’s very easy to attach and detach to the bike and it folds up to save space. I also like the option of attaching a handle for running. And the price is perfect. I went to Walmart and Target and the trailers there were $[...] more expensive and didn’t have the running bar attachment.

3 Stars Great for price …
This is a terrific price for a trailer considering what else is out there, as in you pretty much have to take out a loan to buy a Burley, Chariot, or Croozer! However, this should be recommended for the occasional rider or for small children!

THe problems with this trailer are: only one kid should sit in here, it IS tight, they DO get squashed together and it’s just plain uncomfortable. I have 2 and 4 yr old boys who weigh 32 and 35 pds and it is not comfy for them. Small wheels, somewhat bumpy ride. The flaps are metal buttoned to the trailer. They are virtually impossible to get closed and will have you cursing the thing as soon as you try it. No tint on plastic windows.Still for the price you just can’t beat it.

4 Stars Great for what we use it for
I’m not a distance bicyclist by any means, my hubby and I just ride around town, for close errands etc. We have had great success with this so far, It works great for what we need it for. I love how easy it is to detach and use as a stroller, I was worried that switching would be a pain.

While it works perfectly for us, I do think babies would get overheated on longer trips, even with just the mesh screen up there’s not a good airflow. I’m sure it wouldn’t matter if it wasn’t summer, and that may just be a characteristic of all trailers, I’m not sure. It doesn’t cause problems for us really, but might for a distance biker. Also, I can see how it wouldn’t work out well for multiple children. For just one, it’s a comfy enough ride, but 2 would be falling into each other a lot.

2 Stars You Get What You Pay For…
Sadly, I have to agree with the other poor reviews. My 13 month old hates this thing. The seats are not comfortable for him; no matter how we try to adjust the straps they cut into the neck… and it gets very very hot in there even when biking in the shade. It is not really a smooth ride at all. I am very disappointed in this product.

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Schwinn Steel Floor Pump with Gauge

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Schwinn Steel Floor Pump with Gauge




Steel barrel with gauge. Dual pump head for presta & schrader valves.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Works great so far!
I just bought this pump from Target today for $20. Works pretty good for what I want! There’s 4 valves, but all I really need are the bike tire and sport ball needle!

1 Star Not good. Not good at all.
This item is super super super cheap. And the “adaptor” for presta values sucks. I was extremely disappointed in this item. Spend $10 more and buy some better quality, really.

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