Nordictrack 8.5 vs Rogue Echo bike

This is a comparison between the Nordictrack 8.5 treadmill and the Rogue Echo bike. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Rogue Echo bike

The Rogue Echo bike comes in at $750 - $795. 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 Rogue Echo bike

The Rogue echo bike is built on a solid steel frame to give you one of the sturdiest fan bikes $800 can buy. It is probably the best value for money option for a cardio machine that you can get. The Rogue echo bike has the following specifics:

Color black
Made in USA no
Weight 127LB
Length 58.875”
Width 29.875”
Height 52.75”
Footprint 44.5”x 23.75”

Fanbikes are ideal for interval training. If you want to burn as many calories as possible in the shortest amount of time this is a great tool to go for.

Pros of the Rogue Echo bike

The pros of the Rogue echo bike are

Build
Price
Space

As everything from Rogue, the Echo bike is completely overbuilt. In fitness, this is usually a good character trait. The echo bike will stay in place during your ride and not sway. It is also driven by a band instead of a chain which means less maintenance and noise. The computer which comes with it has good contrast so that you can see exactly what is going. Some other vendors provide computers which leave you guessing.

The price of the Rogue echo bike is excellent for what you are getting. While most other fan bikes hug the $1000 mark you can get the echo bike and just about for a barbell into the $1000.

Compared to treadmills, ellipticals, and rowers the echo bike takes up considerably less space. This is especially interesting for home gyms.

Cons of the Rogue Echo bike

Cons of the rogue echo bike are

Not made in the USA
Specificity

The Rogue echo bike is one of the exceptions from the Rogue portfolio and is not made in the USA. If you care about that you might want to find other options, although most of the fan bikes are assembled in the US at best.

Fanbikes are not that specific to any real sport. If you want to prepare your athletes with machines that are as specific as possible to the real world the TrueForm runner or concept 2 bikeErg might be better options for you.

Alternatives to the Rogue Echo bike

Alternatives to the Rogue echo bike are:

Schwinn Air bike
TrueForm runner
Concept 2 bike erg

If you want a fan bike, but with a cooler looking fan, the Schwinn air bike might be the right choice for you. It is slightly more expensive than the Echo bike and has recently been used at CrossFit regionals.

The TrueForm runner is the ultimate indoor running simulator. This is the best that money can currently buy if you want to simulate running for long distances on the pitch as closely as possible while being independent of the weather.

The concept 2 bikeErg simulates the look and feel of a real street race with a bike as closely as possible. You will even have the switching of gears inbuilt.

Summary for the Rogue Echo bike

The Rogue echo bike is probably the best option for your home gym to burn calories fast on a budget while not compromising on quality. This has been priced to sell in truckloads and it does. If you don’t want to think too hard about your purchase, this is the way to 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.

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.