Nordictrack 8.5 vs Assault Airbike elite

This is a comparison between the Nordictrack 8.5 treadmill and the Assault Airbike elite. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Assault airbike elite

The Assault Airbike elite comes in at $1299. In this article you will learn more about the product itself, its Pros and cons and alternatives you might want to consider. This article has originally been published in the overview "Which conditioning equipment to buy from Rogue".

Overview of the Assault airbike elite

Air assault has been around a while in the world of Air bikes. The elite is their take on taking it tongue next level. Compared to the basic version you will get an upgraded LCD, bigger seat and sturdier steel frame. The Air Assault Elite comes with the following specifications:

Color Black
Product weight 140LB
Length 51“
Width 27“
Height 55“

Airbikes are a great option for your cardiovascular training. The resistance increases naturally the faster you go. This makes it a great tool for interval training. In addition, you also address your entire body. With the assault bike, you also have the option to only focus on the upper or lower body by keeping the feet or arms engaged or out of the loop. If you want something else from a treadmill and find cycling not challenging enough the air assault elite is the best you can get in the market.

Pros of the Assault airbike elite

The pros of the Assault air bike elite are:

Most up to date LCD computer
Bluetooth capability
Overbuilt
Strong brand
Price

Compared to other air bikes the assault bike elite has one of the most advanced computers. If this is important to yourself or the image your gym want to convey, this is a great option. Quite a few other vendors are behind when it comes to this. Still, keep in mind that most options will never be used.

The Bluetooth capability is nice in the age of the internet of things. You might want to combine the output of the air bike with other technology you are using for analysis or your clients just want to hook your phone up.

I personally admit that I like overbuilt gym equipment. I lift comparatively heavy and like to abuse any kind of cardio machine I am on. That I weigh 90kg does not help the machines. If it rattles and I feel like it will break right under me, I am not too impressed. If you have a team of rugby players to entertain, maybe spent the extra money so that they feel like they are safe.

With the Assault, you are hooking up with a company that has been around the block. You can expect good customer service.

The price is good when you compare the Assault air Bike elite to another top of range endurance machines like the TrueForm Runner, Versaclimber SM, and Run Rocket. When you compare Airbike to Airbike the story is a little different.

Cons of the Assault airbike elite

Cons of the Assault Air bike elite are:

Price
Specificity

The main point against the elite is the price. When you compare Airbike to Airbike the elite comes in at almost double the price compared to other Airbike options. Are the extra features worth giving up on one extra Airbike for the same time? Most of the times probably not unless you are 7’ 10” tall and weigh 250kg. You can also make an argument for this if your marketing strategy is to never ever be seen to be cheap because you charge your clients a fortune for your services (well to them it is peanuts, but that is precisely why you have to give them the best of everything).

The other downside to the Assault Air bike elite is that the movement pattern is not specific to most sports. Except cycling, the carryover will not be as high as with a treadmill or run rocket when you train athlete who competes on their feet on a pitch.

Alternatives to the Assault Airbike elite

Alternatives to the Assault Air Bike elite are:

The TrueForm runner is the best you can get in the realm of self-propelled treadmills. It will put you back considerably more than the Assault air bike elite. However, if you consider the Elite budget is probably not one of your main concerns.

What goes for the TrueForm also holds true for the Versaclimber SM. The SM is the top of range product of Versaclimber with all the bells and whistles and a generous warranty for commercial use. If you want the workout that burns the most calories per square foot over time this is the way to go.

The Rogue Echo bike is the reasonable choice if you want an Airbike at a normal price tag. The Echo is overbuilt and Rogue took the best ideas from the existing mass products and offers them at a very competitive price tag for the amount of bike you get.

Summary for the Assault airbike elite

The assault air bike elite is a great option for you if you train big athletes or only want the best of everything. It is also one of the cheaper options for top equipment when you want to offer your clients or yourself that special care. If you are budget conscious you can save about half by getting solid alternatives from the mid-market price range which are under $1000.

Overview and review NordicTrack T 8.5 S Treadmill $1399 - $1999

This is a review of the Nordictrack 8.5 S model which was originally published in "Which Nordictrack treadmill to get". Follow the links for more details.

Overview NordicTrack T 8.5 S Treadmill $1399 - $1999

The T 8.5 is the small brother of the T 9.5 from Nordictrack. The main difference is an HD touch screen which 10 inches on the 8.5 instead of 14 on the T 9.5. Apart from this, you get a top speed of 12 miles an hour, 12% incline and a foldable treadmill. The full list of specifications for the T 8.5 runs as following:

10” Smart HD Touchscreen
Includes 1-Year NordicTrack iFit® membership
Bluetooth® Audio Capabilities
Dual 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers
FlexSelect™ Cushioning
20” x 60” Commercial Tread Belt
AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
Integrated Tray
0-12% Incline
0-12 MPH Speed
One Touch® Controls
3.5 CHP DurX™ Commercial Plus Motor
1.9” Precision and Balanced Non-Flex Rollers
300 Lb. User Capacity
EKG Grip Pulse
SpaceSaver® Design with EasyLift™ Assist
50 On-Board Workout Programs
78.5” L x 35.5” W x 59” H Footprint
10-Year Frame Warranty
2-Year Parts Warranty
1-Year Labor Warranty

This is a treadmill for the smaller budget and a mid-range option at it. I personally do not like the middle of the road solutions and either go alls guns blazing or very low budget. Personally, I think the 1750 is more balanced or go for the T6.5 if you want to save money and space.

Pros of the NordicTrack T 8.5 treadmill

The pros of the 8.5 treadmill are:

Foldable
300 lb capacity
Cushioning

If you want to save money on a treadmill that can take a pounding this is the right choice. You can save space when storing and it takes up to 300 lbs. of weight. All of this makes it a good option for a mid-range home treadmill.

Cons of the NordicTrack T 8.5 treadmill

Cons of the Nordictrack 8.5:

Somewhere in the middle
High price to compromise

As the Nordictrack portfolio has evolved the 1750 is just the better option in terms of value for money in my opinion. With the T 8.5 you compromise on the size of the belt, incline, and screen while still paying a good bit of money. It is a reasonable price for a cardio machine compared to other machines in the market, but I would lean more towards the 1750 to spent my money wisely.

Alternatives to the NordciTrack T 8.5 treadmill

Alternatives to the T 8.5 are:

The Nordictrack 1750 is, in my opinion, the most balances option in the Nordictrack portfolio at a reasonable price. Therefore I think it is the best option for budget-conscious treadmill buyers from Nordic Track. The T 8.5 just sits a bit oddly against this as it has the same sized screen while having less incline and a smaller belt, while the prices are not that far apart.

The Nordictrack 6.5 is the ideal option for people who want to maximize saving money and space when buying a new treadmill from Nordictrack. This model comes in around $1000 and has the smallest footprint of the Nordictrack models. Ideal for walkers or limited spaces.

The Rogue echo bike is my personal favorite if you are looking for maximum calories burned per minute. It comes in at only $700, has a small footprint and packs a hefty punch.

If you are looking for a different concept of a treadmill the True form runner is for you. This treadmill is self-propelled and therefore has no motor. The belt rests on bearing and your footstrike accelerates or breaks on the speed. This is the ideal treadmill for runners who want to simulate fast acceleration and deceleration at home.