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Nordictrack Commercial X11i vs Rogue Echo bike [Article, Video]

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

May 26, 2020 9:00:00 AM

Nordictrack Commercial X11i vs Rogue Echo bike

This is a comparison between the Nordictrack X11i treadmill and the Rogue Echo bike. Follow the links for more details.

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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".

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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: 
 
 
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 Commercial X11i Incline $2249 - $2999

This is a review of the Nordictrack Commercial X11i incline model which was originally published in "Which Nordictrack treadmill to get". Follow the links for more details.

 

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Overview Nordictrack Commercial X11i Incline $2249 - $2999

 
The X11I is the low end of the 40% incline range of the Nordictrack portfolio. This machine has up to 44 programs and works with 300 lbs. capacity. It is great for runners, walkers and joggers alike. While it probably was top-notch when it was released, you can see that the design and the trend to more screens versus buttons have put the design a little past its best date. If you want to go full touch screen opt for the X22i or X32i which also costs considerably more. Apart from that, you get a slightly less powerful motor than with the top range alternatives. The full specifics of the NordicTrack X11i are:
 
  • 10” Smart HD Touchscreen
  • 1-Year iFit® Membership Included ($468 Value)**
  • Bluetooth® Audio Capabilities
  • Two 3” Digitally-Amplified Speakers
  • Reflex™ Cushioning
  • 22” x 60” Commercial Tread Belt
  • Dual AutoBreeze™ Workout Fans
  • 0 - 40% Incline
  • 0 – 6% Decline
  • 0 - 12 MPH Speed
  • OneTouch® Controls
  • 3.75 CHP DurX™ Commercial Plus Motor
  • Reinforced Steel Construction
  • 2.5” Precision and Balanced Non-Flex Rollers
  • iFit Bluetooth® Chest Strap Included
  • 300 Lb. User Capacity
  • 44 On-Board Workout Programs
  • 71.6” L x 39.6” W x 72.2” H Footprint
  • 10-Year Frame Warranty
  • 2-Year Parts Warranty
  • 1-Year Labor Warranty
 
Overall this is a great workhorse incline treadmill at a good price for the home or professional gym. Compared to other Nordictrack models you will save $1000 to $2000. If you are not that much into a big screen but the 40% is a must because you are a trail runner or want to maximize calories burned per minute, this is a good machine to get. 
 

Pros of the Nordictrack X11i Incline

 
The pros of the X11i Nordictrack include:
 
  • Good price for 40% incline
  • Focusing on what matters
  • Great cushioning 
  • Big capacity
If a 40% incline is what you always needed or wanted for yourself and/or for your clients, this is a good value for money option. You will get a solid treadmill by a solid player in the market which covers all the programs you need. In addition, you will also get great comfort and power. The only sacrifice you will be making as that the design feels a little more like the early time of mobile phones rather than the slick, screen heavy world from today. If you want to focus on running only in a professional facility this is more than enough. If you cant to portray the California luxury vibe in your facilities and attract the corresponding clientele you might want to upgrade to the X22 or X32
 

Cons of the Nordictrack X11i incline

 
The cons of the X11I are
 
  • Small screen
  • Not foldable 
  • Too many options
The screen on the X11i is relatively small compared to other models. In my opinion, you might as well go for a model that has the same incline, but no touchscreen to save even more money. As small as the screen is you might as well not need to spend money on it. But that is just me, I am a strong advocate of running outdoors anyway. 
 
If you want to use it at home, keep in mind that you can not fold the X11I. While this is great for the incline and decline options it provides with great cushioning to top of it, it is not very space-efficient. If you are looking for a treadmill to use at home, possibly even only to walk and not to jog on, this is not the right option for you. 
 
Last but not least I personally think that it still has too many options. You don't really need a lot of different programs in my personal view. I solid run for distance, time, interval and hill function as a pyramid is more than enough. 
 

Alternatives to the Nordictrack X11i incline

 
Alternatives to the X11i are
 
 
The X22 and X32i from Nordictrack are your options if you want more touch screen and fewer buttons on the console. The design of these two machines feels slightly more modern than the X11i. They also come with a more powerful motor and more workout options. The biggest difference between these two treadmills is that one has a 32inch while the other has a 22inch touch screen.
 
The Nordictrack 2950 is the tradeoff between the Incline models and the touch screen width. While the X11i has more incline it has a smaller screen. The 2950 provides fewer options on INcline and decline, but a bigger screen. The price points are within the range from each other so this might be a consideration for you tot ake based on personal preference. 
 
The true form runner is more expensive than the X11i and follows a completely different concept than an electrical treadmill. The true form runner is self-propelled and the treadmill rests on bearing. This makes start-stop drills possible and also gets rid of any electric motors which might break down. This is a great option if you want to train quick acceleration and deceleration on a treadmill. 
 
The Rogue Echo Bike is a low budget / small-space alternative to all the treadmills outlined. If your goal is maximum calories burned per minute, it is hard to beat this air bike that only costs $700. So if it maximum calories per second that you are after, go for the Rogue Echo bike.
 
Now currently the ultimate holy grail in calories per second is probably a Versaclimber. The footprint is low, the calories per second very high. The only downside the Versaclimber's have compared to the Rogue Echo bike is that they at least are double the price. More likely in the $3000 - $4000 range.
 

Summary for the X11 incline

 
If you are a serious runner who wants to get something for their home gym, it is probably this treadmill. With this, you can simulate any run around the globe to prepare and I doubt that an Ultra marathon runner cares a lot about the size of their screen. If you are a long-distance runner who mainly does races on concrete, you are throwing money out of the window. You will rarely ´, if ever, came across a 40% incline in a city marathon or similar race. For commercial gym owners, I think you can get one or two of the X11i to satisfy your most extreme clients. Fill the rest off the floor with something less expensive and less incline. Boutique shops either want to go upmarket or completely barebone depending on whom they are targeting. I personally think this is a bit too middles of the road for a boutique that has its niche figured out. All in all, if you don't know exactly what you need, but still want everything at a decent price, the X11 is the right choice for you. 

Topics: Treadmill