NordicTrack FS10i vs TrueForm runner

This is a comparison between the Nordictrack FS10i elliptical and the TrueForm Runner. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the TrueForm runner

The TrueForm Runner comes in at $5695 - $6195. 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 trueform runner

The TrueForm runner is the latest and greatest in the treadmill industry. Compared to other treadmills it has the advantage that it is not motorized and propelled by your own weight. In addition, the surface you run on is curved so the impact of your footfall is not as hard as on a flat surface. This dynamic is achieved by a conveyor belt that runs on bearings. Think of the conveyor belt at the airport but moved by your own bodyweight. It has been used at the CrossFit games and has gained popularity since then. The dimensions of the TrueForm runner are:

Height 57’’
Width 36’’
Running surface 54’’ x 17’’
Weight 325 LB

You can choose from two different options, Enduro and Performance. Both options come in at the same price and with the same dimensions. The performance model provides a higher railing. This is especially useful when you have athletes who run very fast on the machine.

Apart from this, you can pay $500 extra to get grass or track and field topping on the running surface. If you use the TrueForm runner to train track and field or football athletes you might want to go with one of these options.

Pros of the TrueForm runner

There are several pros to the TrueForm runner

Better posture
Easier adjustment of speed
No power supply needed
No programming needed
Less impact
Good resell value
Low maintenance

Based on the setup of the Trueform runner it actively helps your clients and athletes to have better running form. If you strike with the heel the curve of the machine will help to remedy and correct this over time as you push the belt from the front to the back.

With the Trueform runner, you can adjust the speed at any given time yourself without worrying about faceplanting. Doing interval training on motorized treadmills can be really annoying as the acceleration and decelerations come in jumps rather than continuously when you program them in at the start of your workout. If you adjust them while exercising it is almost impossible, especially at high speeds.

If you deploy a whole row of these (10 - 20 machines) you might also be pleased that you do not need to plan for cabling when the gym is built and powering these treadmills all year around.

As mentioned before you can free run on these machines to your hearts contempt. No buttons or panic stops needed. Just slow down and the belt slows down with you. You will not be catapulted into the wall behind you.

The curve will also be helpful to have less strain in the ankles and knees from the impact of the food. This helps you to train longer for harder.

As with most things which are "hip" and high price you usually get a higher resell value out of them than for the lower range options. While this is mostly less important for individual buyers it can be important for a chain that regularly closes off unprofitable subsidiaries and wants to shuffle equipment around.

As there are no motors which can break down you will also have fewer maintenance needs. Although you are probably more likely to need a welder rather than an electrician when this beast breaks.

Cons of the TrueForm runner

The cons of the TrueForm runner are in my opinion:

Hard to do pace training
Not for beginners
Price tag
A big piece of equipment
Poor monitor

When I prepared for my marathons there was one thing I liked about treadmills, you could set an exact pace for some of your long runs. This is actually a strength rather than a weakness of a motorized treadmill. For me, it was handy to plan my splits and hit my target time as the pace I chose was slightly challenging. I would do one of these a week slightly above the planned pace for the marathon and add distance each time. The rest of my training would be outdoors. This raised my confidence to reproduce the exact pace I needed on race day. With the TrueForm Runner, it would have been hard to have that reference, but it would have been better to do Interval runs indoors.

Tell me what you want but this thing is not for beginners. This is designed for people who want to go like cheetahs and could not do it properly on normal treadmills. Fast acceleration and breaking are where this is at home. Not for beginners or someone who is wobbly on their feet because they do rehab or are overweight. A slow motorized treadmill is the better option here.

With $5000 a piece, this is a steep price. If you want to signal to your clients that you are doing well and justify the membership of $300 a month, this is a strategy. For two of these, you can get a 10 pack of concept 2 rowers, skiergs or bikes. 10 x $100 in membership fees from a spinning class is more than 2x $300 with a bigger spread of risk in your income.

Last but not least these are big. If you have a garden or basement gym I would almost consider this no option unless you live in a mansion. If you want to maximize floor space in your commercial gym this is also not the way to go. CrossFit boxes might like this, especially if they are in the middle of a busy city.

The monitor is poor compared to some of the concept 2 options where you have leaderboards implemented to keep yourself motivated.

Alternatives to the TrueForm runner

There are the following alternatives to the TrueFrom runner:

The assault air runner is one alternative to the TrueFrom runner if you still want a self-propelled treadmill. The assault air runner comes in at a lower price point than the TrueForm runner. The mechanics are also a little different which makes running easier on this one.

The Versa Climber is often referred to as one of the hardest things you can do in endurance on a machine. It simulates climbing a steep wall with a good grip. It comes in at about half the price and takes up less footprint than the TrueForm runner. If you want a good machine for your home to knock you out this is can be a great pick. For a commercial gym, you might not have the uptake as many people just want their treadmills.

The Rogue Echo bike is a solid choice for the home gym that wants to kick your butt. Combined to the Versa Climber and the TrueFrom Runner it comes in at a fraction of the cost. A good air bike workout will still challenge you and is highly recommended.

Summary for the TrueForm runner

This is a well-built piece of equipment which is worth the price if you have the need and space for it. Athletes who know how to pace themselves, have balance and want every workout to be as challenging and adaptable as possible will love this.

For the average gym with average clients it is probably a bit too intimidating and high performance. I do not see overweight stay at home moms or retired manly beer bellies stepping on the TrueForm runner first thing through your gym doors.

Overview and review of the FS10i Free Stride $3999 - $2999

This is a review of the Nordictrack Fs10i model. You will learn about the specifics, pros, cons and alternatives of this elliptical to ake a deicison. This article was originally published in "Which elliptical to get from Nordictrack".

Overview of the Fs10i

The FS10i free stride is the newest addition to the center drive elliptical product line of Nordictrack. In 2020 it comes with a hefty price reduction of $1000 which makes it an attractive buy on the high end of the portfolio. As long as this remains, it is definitely the better option over the FS9i model. The main features of this machine are its center flywheel, the 10% incline option, 10-inch monitor and the free moving ellipticals which make it a stepper, ellipticals, and treadmill in one machine. The full list of features includes:

10" Smart HD Touchscreen
Includes 1-Year NordicTrack iFit® membership**
Bluetooth® Audio Capabilities
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
0 – 10% Incline
OneTouch® Controls
Commercial Solid Steel Construction
Oversized Levelers
375 Lb. User Capacity

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

This is the newest machine in the line up for free stride from Nordictrack in 2020 with a killer price. Observe how it will develop in the future as this value for money offer might not extend to the future.

Pros of the FS10i

The pros of the FS10i are:

All bells and whistles
Three for the price of one
Long stride
Free adjustments
Low impact

The FS10i still has all the bells and whistles in the Nordictrack Free stride line up. You or your clients will have little to desire when you opt for the FS10i as your free stride machine of choice.

The concept of the middle flywheel for your elliptical enables that you can move more freely. This makes the FS10i a stepper, treadmill and elliptical in one machine. If you were considering getting all of these different machines the FS10i is still a bargain in terms of price and footprint which is being used up compared to getting three instead of one machine. Never mind the maintenance and energy consumption of the other machines.

With 32 inches of stride, the FS10i provides longer stride than the Front and read-drove ellipticals from Nordictrack as there is no flywheel in the way. This will especially help your larger athletes or clients.

The free adjustments of the movements will be beneficial for homeowners with big families or commercial gym owners with a wide variety of clients. This is the main engineering idea behind these free stride machines which move the flywheel to the middle of the machine, rather than having it in the front or back.

The low impact on knees and ankles is one of the main health advantages of ellipticals compared to treadmills. If you have an underlying condition or work with a lot of clients with weak hips and legs, this is a better machine for health reasons than a treadmill with a higher impact.

Cons of the FS10i

The cons of the FS10i are:

High price
No big screen
No remote control in the handles
Floating experience
More prone to error
Low-calorie burn

Even when the price is reduced to $2999 the FS10i is still a considerable investment. There are lower-cost options for free striders in the Nordictrack portfolio. Especially if you are not bought into the free stride concept as you do not have to provide a lot of variety or comfort with the machine you buy, definitely look somewhere else. $2999 can buy you a rack, barbell, and plates for a full gym setup if you invest it somewhere else. It depends on your goals, available space, and training preferences.

As the flywheel is in the center of this design the FS10i has no real stand or option to attach a big screen as other treadmills or ellipticals would have. In a home gym, this can be solved with a screen on the wall or no screen whatsoever. In a commercial setting, a screen on the wall can become quite small for individuals who are for away or want to do their own thing while they are exercising. If you think that entertainment options are a must for yourself or your clients over the experience of the free stride than opt for a front-drive elliptical or a big treadmill where a big screen can be attached.

Compared to the FS9i Nordictrack model the FS10i has no controls to adjust resistance and incline in the handles. These are positioned in the console. This is the only main advantage I can see for the Fs9i over the FS10i. If you like this convenience, go for the Fs9i instead.

While the fleeting experience is great when you have great body awareness and like to experiment, it can be stressful for someone who just likes to have a stable, repeatable experience. The many options you have with the FS10i which require a bit more fine motor skills than on a traditional elliptical might not be for everyone.

Moving the flywheel from the front or back of an elliptical to create more options and a longer stride poses two engineering challenges. One is that the flywheel can not be as big as with front- and rear-drive options, as you have less space. Second is that you need more moving parts to make the machine go in multiple directions at different angles. The smaller flywheel and the more intricate design make the Free stride models more error-prone than the front and rear drive options. While it is unlikely that you will break this as a home gym owner by yourself, the commercial gym owner should consider how much mileage each machine will go through depending on where it is positioned in the gym and how many machines you have.

General consideration for elliptical machines is that they burn fewer calories on average compared to bikes and treadmills as the exercise is less intense. If you are generally healthy and want to maximize the calorie output per minute, the elliptical machines are not the right buy for your need.

Summary for the FS10i

The FS10i is the best buy from Nordictrack in 2020 for a free stride elliptical with all bells and whistles. As long as it is cheaper than the FS9i this will hold. This is a good machine for the home gym owner with a big wallet and some health issues, who still want to exercise regularly. For commercial buyers, the price will be too high for someone who is thinking to buy more than 5 units at a time. Boutique gyms that work with a lot of clients with very specific needs will find this machine useful.