NordicTrack C700 treadmill vs FS7i elliptical

This is a comparison between the Nordictrack C700 treadmill and the FS7i elliptical including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

 

 

 

 

 

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The FS7i Free stride is the oldest model in the Free stride elliptical range of Nordictrack. Its main features are the 7-inch touch screen, 20-pound flywheel, and 10% incline. This is a solid free stride model at a reasonable price and the full list of features includes: 

 

• 7” Smart HD Touchscreen
• Includes 1-Year NordicTrack iFit® membership**
• Pivoting Integrated Tablet Holder
• Auxiliary Music Port
• Two 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers

• AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
• SoftTouch™ Upper Body Grips
• Oversized Cushion Pedals

• Center Drive
• 20 Lb. Effective Inertia-Enhanced Flywheel
• SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
• 32" Auto-Adjustable Stride
• 24 Digital Resistance Levels
• Power Adjustable 0 – 10% Incline
• OneTouch® Controls
• Commercial Solid Steel Construction
• iFit® Bluetooth® Smart Chest Strap Included
• Oversized Levelers
• 375 Lb. User Capacity

• 35 On-board Workouts
• Transport Wheels
• Water Bottle Holder
• 58.5" L x 29.5" W x 74" H Footprint
• 10-Year Frame Warranty
• 2-Year Parts Warranty
• 1-Year Labor Warranty

 

 

The pros of the FS7i are:

 

 

The three in one design makes this machine especially interesting for home gym owners or for boutique gyms that do not have the space to fit out multiple machines for different preferences of their clients. As long as you have enough balance and finesse to control the floating experience this is a big bonus.

 

The price of the FS7i for the type of engineering it provides is also good. The FS10i and FS9i are quite a bit apart from the FS7i in price. So if you want to invest in a free stride machine from Nordictrack without completely breaking the bank, this can be a good option. 

 

If you are a tall athlete and can not work with the shorter stride of the front and rear drive ellipticals than the free stride provides 32inches of stride length which can be varied. If you want to train for a longer stride for your long-distance runs, this is the machine to get. 

 

The last pro of the FS7i is the novel experience you will have compared to a treadmill or traditional elliptical. This machine will make it varied and interesting for many days to come. 

 

 

The cons of the FS7i are: 

 

 

The free-floating experience of the Nordictrack free stride series is not for everyone. If you like the stable, predictable rotation of traditional ellipticals from your local gym, stick with a front or rear-drive elliptical. 

 

The FS7i has more moving parts than traditional ellipticals to create the three in one experience. More moving üarts means more parts that can break, This is a relevant consideration for any commercial buyer that wants to invest in a fleet of machines. Homebuyers will very likely not put enough miles on a machine. Just take extra care that no one walks into the machine while you are exercising.

 

As the FS7i has its flywheel in the center you can not attach a big screen to it. Front-drive ellipticals are a better fit for that as they provide a stable rest for a big screen to be attached. 

 

As with all ellipticals they have quite a low-calorie burn per minute given that you put in the same amount of effort. This is the price of comfort and having less stress on your joints while exercising.

 

 

Alternatives to the FS7i are:

 

 

The Nordictrack 12.9i is a front-drive elliptical in the same price range as the FS9i. The bigger flywheel and fixed ellipsis make it a better option for mass roll out or if you feel uncertain about the three in one design of the FS7i.

 

The Nordictrack FS10i is the newest model in the free stride line p of Nordictrack. Compared to the FS9I and the FS7i it has the best value for money ration at $2999. This might be a limited time offer due to the developments of 2020, so stay tuned and observe how prices develop when Nordictrack starts to roll out this model globally.

 

The VersaClimber H/HP is the home version of the VersaClimber. It has limited warranties to make the price more palatable for the home buyer. If you want to maximize your calories burned per second and train your calves like mad, this is the machine to go for.

 

The concept 2 rower is the classic machine for endurance training with low impact. You will also have less friction in your nether region compared to a bike when exercising. Out of these alternatives, it is the first one to be under $1000. 

 

The Rogue Echo Bike is my personal favorite for home gyms when it comes to calories burned per minute at a reasonable price. The Rogue echo bike comes in at $700 and gives you a challenging workout to train in intervals easily. 

 

 

The FS7i is the most affordable free stride machine out of the Nordictrack line up. If you like this design, but do not want to break the bank, go with the FS7i. This is mainly a machine for boutique gyms or a "special corner" machine for commercial gyms with massive floor space. If you are buying for the home I think this is a great machine for a multi-generation family with different needs. If your home is filled with hardcore fitness freaks you are better off investing your money in a VersaClimber and Rogue echo bike in my opinion.

 

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:

 

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

 

 

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.

 

 

The cons of the C700 are:

 

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 C700 are:

 

• Concept 2 model D rower
• Rogue Echo bike

 

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.