Horizon fitness IC 7.9 bike vs Nordictrack C700 treadmill

This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness IC 7.9 cycle 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 IC 7.9

This is an overview of the Horizon fitness IC 7.9 bike including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was first published in Which Horizon fitness bike 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 Horizon IC7.9 Indoor cycle $699

The Horizon IC 7.9 bike is an indoor cycle that follows a classic spinning bike design. It is belt-driven and uses mechanical resistance to simulate a bike ride from the road as best as possible while being in the comfort of your home. The full specifications list runs as following:

Frame Type: Indoor Cycle

Adjustable Pedal straps: Yes

Pedal Type: Dual-sided Pedals with Toe cages/clips

Seat Type: Racing style road saddle

Seat adjustment: Horizontal, Vertical

Resistance System: Magnetic

Resistance levels: Resistance lever 0 -100%

Flywheel weight: 35lbs

Extras: Tablet rack, Transport Wheels, Water Bottle Holder

Max User Weight: 300

Weight: 123 lbs.

Assembled dimensions: 53x 24 x48

Home Warranty Frame: Lifetime

Home Warranty Parts: 1 year

Home Warranty Labor: 1 year

This is a solid option for someone who likes spinning classes and riding hard outdoors but does not want to bring their road bike in a home stance for convenience reasons.

Pros of the Horizon IC7.9 Indoor cycle

The pros of the IC 7.9 indoor cycle are:

Reinforced frame
Mechanical belt
Smooth resistance adjustments

The frame of this bike is sturdier than if other bike options you can get from Horizon fitness. This seems that bigger athletes can exercise harder on this bike compared to the GR3.

A lot of bikes work with magnetic resistance in today’s high technology environment. This bike still works with a belt and a mechanical brake. While this means higher maintenance it also translates to an experience that is closer to biking on the street. Depending on what you are looking for this might be an advantage for you.

With the dial to adjust the resistance at the wheel, it is easier to adjust resistance compared to the GR3 indoor cycle. Think of the IC 7.9 as a high-quality spinning bike for commercial use, while the GR3 is more aimed at home users.

Cons of the Horizon IC7.9 Indoor cycle

The cons of the Horizon IC7.9 are:

Lack of programs
Price

The included computer of the IC 7.9 is basic and only provides revolutions, distance traveled and other information about how far and fast you are traveling. As it is very similar to a spinning bike you need to set it up near a television or find someplace else for your tablet or phone to rest on. This is not going with the times where peloton and echelon have entire entertainment systems onboard.

The price is rather high for something that is essentially not a lot more than a bike on a stance. If you already have a high-end cycle at home you might as well get an indoor stance for it which is cheaper and gets you the real deal at home.

Alternatives to the Horizon IC7.9

Alternatives to the Horizon IC 7.9 are:

The horizon GR3 is the little brother of the IC 7.9. It has the same basic functions but all the parts are a little less sturdy than with the IC 7.9 which makes the bike cheaper overall. If you are a light home user this bike is the better value for money for you. Commercial buyers should stick with the IC 7.9 instead.

The Nordictrack VU19 is the entry-level stationary bike from Nordictrack. It is more aimed at the leisure cyclist and for commercial use. It is bigger and sturdier than the IC 7.9 and the flywheel is under, rather in front of the user. Therefore the target group is a little different but if you are a commercial buyer comparing the Horizon and Nordictrack fleets have a look at the VU19.

The Rogue echo bike is in my opinion the best value for money cardio machine in the sub $1000 category. This is the case if you want a sturdy machine with a basic machine that you can go hard at. If you want a smooth ride and sit comfortably other machines might be better. A lower-budget copy cat of the Rogue echo bike is the TITAN fan bike.

If you want a low-impact cardio kick on a small footprint the concept 2 skierg might be for you. It takes up minimal space compared to other machines and is also fairly silent. The only downside is that it is not a bike or full-body workout and mainly targets the upper body.

Conclusion for the Horizon IC7.9 Indoor cycle

If you are looking for a spinning bike this is the best you can get from Horizon fitness. Especially if you want to stay under $1000 and still get something solid the Ic 7.9 is a very good option. There are cheaper bikes on Amazon, but they might have some quality issues. There are other bikes with more multimedia and gamification options, but those will break the $1000 budget wall.