Horizon fitness EX-59 elliptical vs Nordictrack C700 treadmill

This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness EX-59 elliptical and the Nordictrack C700 treadmill including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of the NordicTrack C700 treadmill 699

This is a review of the NordicTrack C700 including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article has been originally published in “which NordicTrack treadmill or elliptical to get in the UK”. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the NordicTrack C700

The C700 from Nordictrack is the smallest and cheapest treadmill available from the vendor for the UK market. Its main features are a 2.75 chp motor, 10% incline, and an LED display. The full list of features reads:

iFit Bluetooth - 1 Years Membership Included
Smart BlueTooth (BLE) Chestbelt Compatible
Multi-Window LED Display
Dual 2-Inch Speakers

2.75 CHP Motor
0 – 10% Incline
0 – 20 km/h Speed
Onetouch™ Controls
1.9" Roller
125kg Max User Weight
EKG Handgrips

Flexselect™ Cushioning
51 x 140 cm Tread Belt
AutoBreeze™ Workout Fans

SpaceSaver® Design with EasyLift™ Assist
Assembled Dimensions - 185L x 85W x 150H cm
Product Weight 93kg
Boxed Weight 101kg
Folded Dimensions - 93L X 91W X 172H
Boxed Dimensions - 198L x 77W x 30H cm
Warranty - Lifetime Frame Warranty, 10-year Motor Warranty, 2-Year Parts & Labour upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.

This is the cheap and cheerful option from Nordictrack which will take up the least amount of space.

Pros of the NordicTrack C700

Compact
Price

If you want a treadmill for occasional use at home to walk or jog this will be not expensive to get and leave lots of room for other things in your home. If you want to stay fit and not pound the treadmill each day until it breaks, this is the machine to get.

Cons of the NordicTrack C700

The cons of the C700 are:

Lightweight build
Small belt

This machine is not built for serious runners who want to go fast or crunch a lot of miles. Stay away if you are serious about running.

Alternatives to the NordicTrack C700

Alternatives to the C700 are:

The concept 2 model D rower is a reliable staple in the fitness industry for decades. If you don't want to stand while doing your cardio and like to row, this is a safe bet which does not break the bank.

The Rogue echo bike is my personal favorite when it comes to home gym cardio. This machine is sturdy, affordable, and will make you sweat. The only downside is that it does not come with a lot of multimedia options.

Summary for the NordicTrack C700

I personally think that it is never a good idea to get the cheapest of anything. However, if you want a machine at home to get your jogs and walks in, this is the least amount of money to spend to achieve this goal sufficiently, but you might as well go outside, as long as your health allows.

Overview and review of the Horizon fitness EX-59 elliptical

This is an overview of the Horizon fitness EX-59 elliptical including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was first published in Which Horizon fitness elliptical to get?

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Which Horizon fitness treadmill to get?
Which Horizon fitness bike to get?
Which Horizon fitness elliptical to get?

Which Nordictrack treadmill to get?
Which Nordictrack elliptical to get?
Which Nordictrack bike to get?

Which Cardio Equipment to get from TITAN?
Which conditioning equipment to get from Rogue Fitness?

Overview of the EX-59 elliptical $699

The Horizon EX-59 is a high-quality elliptical for moderate use at home. The dimensions are kept as small as possible for an elliptical with a flywheel and the pedals are very close to the ground. This makes it a good choice for anyone who wants to workout at home, does not want to make a lot of noise and will not go crazy in their workouts. If you like something that provides a more challenging workout or better entertainment options during your workout than you might want to opt for a different elliptical.

Frame Type: Six Star Non-Folding

Flywheel: 14.3

Stride Length: 18 inches

Incline Range: N/A

Resistance Range: Magnetic, 10 levels

Step on height (inches): 10 3/4"

Extras: Built-in Speakers, Tablet rack, USB Charging, Bottle holder

Electrical requirements: 110 Volt / 220 Volt

Weight: 145lbs.

Assembled dimensions:74"x25"x64.5"

Max user weight: 300 lbs.

Warranty - Frame: Lifetime

Warranty - Brake: 1 year

Warranty - Flywheel: N/A

Warranty - Parts: 1 year

Warranty - Labor: 1 year

Pros of the EX-59 elliptical

The pros of the EX-59 elliptical are

Easy on the joints
Compact for an elliptical
Low price tag
Handles

The EX 59 is designed with ease of use in mind rather than chasing personal records and pushing the envelope. Therefore the stride is shorter and the pedals have been moved closer together while sitting close to the ground. This makes it a good machine for anyone who wants to be easy on the joints and simulate a jog on an elliptical. If you want to run long distances you might opt for something else.

Ellipticals with long stride and big flywheels can take up quite a bit of space in the home compared to bikes or treadmills. Horizon Fitness tries to minimize the footprint of this machine by keeping it compact which makes it better suited for use at home. A professional gym might want to upgrade to the Evolve series to compensate for more miles being put on the machine.

Another reason that makes this elliptical attractive for moderate home gym users is the price tag that falls way below $1000. There is not a lot to be scoffed at for a full machine at $699. There are cheaper alternatives when not using a machine but most indoor cycles and treadmills that are worth their salt start at $500.

The handles are helpful if you do not feel confident enough to go for long times without holding onto something. If you still feel like you can walk comfortably without using something to hold on to a walking treadmill might be a great alternative as they are easier to store under a bed or couch.

Cons of the EX-59 elliptical

The cons of the EX-59 elliptical are:

Space requirements
Small frame and weight
Console

For a machine that is aimed at lower intensities and home use, the EX-59 still takes up a bit of space. Especially the fact that you can not store it away easily like a tower, that can be hung on the wall, or a walking treadmill or Total gym, which can be stored under a bed or sofa, makes it a less attractive option for the occasional home activities.

The smaller frame and weight are good when you’ve not go hard at the machine. If you expect to go all out or a lot of heavy abuse in a commercial gym, then you might want to look into the Evolve series instead which is bigger and heavier.

The console on the EX-59 covers the basics of navigating the in-built programs, but not more. It also has no good surface to put down a tablet or bigger phone to look at while you are exercising. In times of Peloton and follow along with YouTube videos this is not up to scratch. Still, an understandable choice in the lower price ranges from a Horizon production perspective. Here Horizon might even make the console smaller for the programs to gain space for the user‘s own device.

Alternatives to the EX-59 elliptical

Alternatives to Horizon EX-59 are:

The Horizon 7.0 AE elliptical is one of the recent facelifts to the consoles of Horizon fitness. This makes it compatible with a wider range of devices and you can also do follow-along classes by watching at the screen. It is slightly bigger and more expensive than the EX-59 but I would recommend it to anyone over the EX-59 who is willing to make their budget stretch to $999.

The Horizon T101 is the smallest treadmill you can get from Horizon at the lowest price. If you prefer to jog or walk and want to burn more calories per minute, this is the better choice. The drawback is that if you need support to walk or run the T101 does not really provide a lot.

The Nordictrack SE7i is the cheapest elliptical you can get from Nordictrack. It compares better to the Evolve series from Horizon but might be an alternative if you want something fast and Horizon is out of stock.

The Rogue Echo Bike is the Ultimate Choice for serious home gym warriors who want to go hard on a small footprint. It is a well-built air bike that is especially well suited to High-intensity interval training. If you want to hit hard on the same budget as the EX-59 the Rogue Echo bike is your choice.

The TITAN fan bike is the lower-priced copycat of the Rogue Echo bike. The main differences are the bigger wheels and the price. If you want to build an entire garage gym on a budget TITAN is a good choice.

Conclusion for the EX-59 elliptical

The EX-59 is a great elliptical if you love exercising on an elliptical, have a smaller budget, and do not want to go crazy with it. I personally think that a walking treadmill is a better choice for people who still can walk and jog without support as it can be stored better. If you need lumbar support for your exercises, go for the Horizon R series instead.