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Horizon fitness Evolve 3 elliptical vs Nordictrack C5.5

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Apr 10, 2021 9:00:00 AM

Horizon fitness Evolve 3 elliptical vs Nordictrack C5.5

This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness Evolve 3 elliptical and the Nordictrack C5.5 including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of the NordicTrack C5.5 elliptical

Overview of the Nordictrack C5.5 

 
The C5.5 which has been stripped of most of the bells and whistles and is a simple front-drive elliptical. Its main features are a 7kg flywheel, 18" stride and 5" backlit display. The full list of features reads as follows:
 
  • 5" Backlit Display
  • iFit Bluetooth - 1 Years Membership Included
  • Integrated Tablet Holder
  • Two 2” Speakers
  • Front Drive
  • 18" Manual-Adjustable Stride
  • 7kg. Effective Flywheel
  • 5-Position Manual Adjustable Ramp
  • 20 Digital Resistance Levels
  • EKG Pulse Grip Heart Rate Monitor
  • Max User Weight 125kg
  • SoftTouch™ Upper-Body Grips
  • Water Bottle Holder
  • Oversized, Cushioned Pedals
  • Front-mounted Transport Wheels
  • 20 Workout Apps
  • Product Weight 79kg
  • Boxed Weight 93kg
  • Assembled Dimensions - 169L x 63W x 169H cm
  • Boxed Dimensions - 178L x 37W x 77H cm
  • Warranty - 5-Year Frame Warranty, 2-Year Parts and Labour Warranty, subject to registration within 28 days of purchase.
This is the elliptical to get of you don't want any fancy features and minimize the amount of money you have to table for a Nordictrack elliptical. 

Pros of the NordicTrack C5.5

 
Pros of the C5.5 are:
 
  • Price
The main advantage of the Nordictrack C5.5 is the price. It is currently the cheapest front-drive elliptical from Nordictrack which you can get from them.
 

Cons of the NordicTrack C5.5

 
The cons of the NordicTrack C 5.5 are:
 
  • No touch screen
  • No incline 
  • Short stride
 
The C5.5 has been kept simple on most of its features to keep the cost of manufacturing low. You will get no touch screen or big screen to run your entertainment on. This machine also has no incline functions and the stride is relatively short compared to other elliptical models from NordicTrack with 18". 
 

Alternatives to the NordicTrack C5.5

 
The alternatives to the C5.5 are:
 
The Nordictrack 7.5 is the big brother of the C5.5. With the minimal extra investment, you get a 20% incline and a bigger flywheel. If you are considering a front-drive elliptical I personally think that the C7.5 is the better value for money choice as it is just slightly more expensive with two significant feature upgrades. 
 
The NordicTrack SE3i is the rear-drive version of the C5.5. You will get a bigger flywheel and therefore an elliptical which will last for longer. In return, this machine will take up more space in your home or gym. These are some trade-offs to be considered. 
 
The concept 2 model d is a reliable rowing machine that has been in active service all over the world. If you want to do your cardio while seated and like rowing, this is the machine to get. It will come in at less than 1000, but not have big multimedia options. The onboard computer does everything you need.
 
The Rogue echo bike is the ultimate machine for the home gym. It is compact, cost-efficient, and can still give you a challenging workout. You will not get a lot of multimedia, but the sturdiest airbike around at a price point of around 700.
 

Summary for the Nordictrack C5.5

 
The Nordictrack C5.5 is a front-drive elliptical at the lowest price point which Nordictrack offers for the UK. Personally I would go for the C7.5 instead, as it is so little extra investment for a great upgrade. 
 

Overview and review of the Horizon fitness Evolve 3 elliptical

This is an overview of the Horizon fitness Evolve 3 elliptical including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was first published in Which Horizon fitness elliptical to get?

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Overview of the Evolve 3 elliptical $1,199

 
The Horizon Evolve 3 elliptical is a commercial-sized machine that can be folded up when it is not in use. The console is one of the older generations with no integrated touchscreen. This is the middle-of-the-road elliptical from Horizon if you are interested in a big frame. The full specifications are:
 
Frame Type: Six Star Folding
Flywheel: 18
Stride Length: 20
Incline Range: N/A
Resistance Range: 20 Electronically adjustable
Step on height (inches): 10
Extras: Built-in Speakers, Energy Saver Mode, Passport ready, Tabet rack, Water Bottle Holder
Electrical requirements: 110 Volt / 220 Volt
Weight: 175 lbs.
Assembled dimensions: 69"x 28" x 69"
Max user weight: 300
Warranty - Frame: Lifetime
Warranty - Brake: 3 years
Warranty - Flywheel: N/A
Warranty - Parts: 3 years
Warranty - Labor: 1 year
 

Pros of the Evolve 3 elliptical

 
The pros of the Horizon Evolve 3 elliptical are:
 
  • Folding mechanism
  • Price
  • Size
 
The folding mechanism is the distinguishing feature of the Evolve series of Horizon ellipticals. It is easy to use and sturdy. If you are looking for an exercise machine that is big enough to take a big person doing a proper workout, but then can shrink to a smaller footprint, then the Horizon Evolve 3 will tick the boxes.
 
The price of $1.199 is great for how many ellipticals you are getting for the price with a proper folding mechanism. Many competitors with similar-sized ellipticals charge more in the range of $1400 to $1600. The only downside might be the console that has no Touchscreen/Tv Screen included.
 
This elliptical has a great frame that can take a beating. If you have no concerns about the size of your machine you will get a lot of frame for little money with this elliptical.
 

Cons of the Evolve 3 elliptical

 
The cons of the Horizon Evolve 3 elliptical are:
 
  • It is an in-between solution
  • Console
  • Other cheaper options for hard workouts
 
The Horizon Evolve 3 falls victim to what I would call the “in-between” trap of product design. The foldable frame makes it a suboptimal choice for commercial use as sturdy frames are better in this scenario. The size and build push it in a price range where many home buyers hesitate to pull the trigger. Walkers might be intimidated by its size while dedicated home warrior won’t take it seriously as it is an elliptical.
 
The console lacks a TV screen/touchscreen to browse the Internet or extent your devices to. You can plug them in via an audio link but the console is majorly used to navigate the pre-installed programs of the Horizon Evolve 3. In times of peloton and YouTube follow-along videos, this is a little being the time.
 
If you are someone who wants to go hardcore on your workouts and does not need any entertainment onboard there are cheaper versions of machines out there that will torture better to make gains.
 

Alternatives to the Evolve 3 elliptical

 
 
The Horizon Evolve 5 is the big brother of the Evolve 3. Its main distinguishing feature is the bigger flywheel which translates to a smoother ride and more mileage to be taken before needing to be serviced. I personally don’t k ow whether the extra money is worth the bigger flywheel. I would consider this when more than one person in the house will put significant mileage on the elliptical, otherwise stick with the Evolve and invest the mo way saves to get one of your old television mounted on the wall near the elliptical.
 
The horizon AE 7.0 is in my opinion the best value for money elliptical from Horizon fitness due to the upgraded console which is more media-ready. If you do not need your elliptical to fold up after use in your home, trade up on multimedia and even save some money with the AE 7.0. Commercial gyms might consider the Evolve line when TVs are installed already nearby or when you get a whole Horizon fleet of different machines for your cardio area.
 
The Nordictrack SE7i is the lowest-priced elliptical from Nordictrack currently available. If you need an elliptical fast and Horizon has no stock, this elliptical is similarly priced to the Evolve 3. Nordictrack is also a little ahead on their IFit subscription service in an industry where everyone is playing catch-up to Peloton. Horizon is further behind in this regard but catching up with new products like the AE 7.0 or GR3.
 
The Rogue echo bike is in my opinion the best option for cardio at home for someone who wants go hard after the calories and interval training. This machine has no extra bells and whistles but all the basics have been drilled to perfection at a competitive price for an Airbike. The copycat competitor of the Rogue echo bike is the TITAN fan bike with bigger wheels at a smaller price.
 

Conclusion for the Evolve 3 elliptical

 
The evolve 3 elliptical is in my opinion one of the weaker options in the Horizon elliptical lineup. If you want to save Money go for the EX-59. If you like the design you might as well go for the Evolve 5. The best choice for the home gym is the AE 7.0 as I don’t believe that much in the space savings of a foldable treadmill or elliptical.

Topics: Cardio, Horizon, Elliptical