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Nordictrack 8.5 vs concept 2 bikeerg [Article,Video]

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Aug 4, 2020 9:00:00 AM

Nordictrack 8.5 vs concept 2 bikeerg

This is a comparison of the Nordictrack 8.5 treadmill and the Concept 2 bikeerg. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of the Concept two bikeErg

The Concept 2 bikeErg comes in at $999. 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".

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Overview of the Concept 2 bikeErg

 
The concept 2 bikeErg is concept 2‘s take on bringing the real cycling experience to your home. Most bike parts are compatible with the bikeErg so you can attach your own pedals, saddle and handles to simulate your bicycle. The bikeErg also has been designed with increasing resistance the faster you go. The mechanics simulate shifting gears to get you ready for the real ride. All of this comes with poly groove belts instead of a chain. This ensures a smooth ride which does not produce too much noise. The bikeErg comes with the following specs: 
 
  • Assembled in the US
  • Color black
  • Length 48”
  • Width 24”
  • Weight 58lb
  • Made of Aluminium 
 
Concept 2 has a long history of building machines for cardio. The bread butter machine is the concept 2 rower and recently the company has added the skierg and bikeErg to their portfolio. The bikeerg is the machine for you if you want to cycle at home and can not always take to the road to do your training.
 

Pros of the Concept 2 bikeErg

 
The pros of the bikeErg are
 
  • Lightweight construction
  • Adaptable 
  • Simulated gears 
  • PM5 monitor 
 
The lightweight aluminum construction is an advantage for what this machine wants to achieve. Real world bicycles are usually built as light as possible. If you want your home training to be specific for cycling in a triathlon or the gourde France, you can not have a bulky Airbike to replace the experience. 
 
If you want you to take all of the sports you touch as a driver apart and swap them for your own. This way you can get very close to riding your actual bike from the comfort of your home. 
 
The bikeErg simulates the switching of gears during the ride so you get as close to the real experience than you can. 
 
Finally, the PM5 monitor will enable you to race against others in parallel on multiple bikeErg. This can result in great fun for spinning classes. 
 

Cons of the Concept 2 bikeErg

 
The cons of the concept 2 bikeErg are 
 
  • No full body work out 
  • Not for the big guys 
  • It’s indoors
 
The concept 2 bikeErg will mainly focus on your legs. Therefore you will not get a lot of an upper body workout from your session. If this is important to you, you might want to go for the Rogue Echo bike instead. 
 
The concept 2 bikeErg is lightweight and therefore build for cyclists. If you have a lot of football players on your roster you might want to go for one of the bigger Airbikes to make sure they don’t fall off. 
 
Last but not least, nothing is like the real experience. If you want to compete in cycling you also must put in the miles on your bike outdoors. Otherwise, it is very likely that you will fail on race day.
 

Alternatives to the Concept 2 bikeErg

 
Alternatives to the concept 2 bike erg are 
 
 
If you are buying equipment for your home gym and you are more on the extreme side of things you might prefer the Rogue Echo bike. This is the solid all body workout for the weekend warrior. 
 
The concept 2 skierg is a great variation from concept 2 for anyone who skies. It simulates the upper body movement of skiing. Thing of it like a marathon version of a lat pulldown machine. 
 
If you are shopping for a commercial gym you also might want to throw in a couple of rowers to mix things up. Avoid getting all of the same. Concept 2 actually has a mix pack on offer at Rogue where you can buy a skierg, bikeErg, and rower in one go. 
 
 
 

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.

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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. 
 

Topics: Treadmill