Nordictrack S10i vs 14.9i

This is a comparison of the Nordictrack S10i and 14.9i including pros, cons, and alternatives . Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Nordictrack Elite 14.9i $2499

This is a review of the Nordictrack Elite 14.9 model. You will learn about the specifics, pros, cons and alternatives of this elliptical to make a decision. This article was originally published in "Which elliptical to get from Nordictrack".

Overview of the Elite 14.9i

The 14.9i is the flagship front-drive elliptical from Nordictrack. Its main features are a massive 15-inch flat-screen, 32-pound flywheel and up to 20% of incline. This front-drive elliptical leaves nothing to be desired for commercial use. The full list of features includes:

7” Smart HD Touchscreen
15” Integrated HDTV
1-Year iFit® Membership Included*
Auxiliary Audio Port
Two 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers
Bluetooth® Smart Receiver for Heart Rate Strap (not included)
EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Sensors

AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
Multi-Position Upper-Body Grips
Oversized, Adjustable Cushion Pedals

Front Drive
32 Lb. Effective Inertia-Enhanced Flywheel
SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
20” Power-Adjustable Stride
26 Digital Resistance Levels
0-20% Incline
One Touch® Controls
Commercial Solid Steel Construction
Oversized Levelers
375 Lb. User Capacity

Front-Mounted Transport Wheels
Water Bottle Holder
80.25" L x 36" W x 70" H Footprint
10-Year Frame Warranty
2-Year Parts Warranty
1-Year Labor Warranty

This is the ultimate front-drive machine for commercial use or home gym owners with a lot of space. You will have a hard time breaking this machine.

Pros of the 14.9i

The pros of the 14.9i are:

32-pound flywheel
15-inch TV
20% incline

This machine is built to last. With the 32-pound inch flywheel as a front-drive, you have a predictable line of motion and a sturdy built which will last even in the toughest scenarios. If your gym clocks thousands of miles per machine, this is the one to get. Especially if your clients expect to have a massive screen while doing their exercises.

The 15-inch tv is the crown jewel of this machine. If you want to get the full use out of the Ifit options of Nordictrack, this is the machine to get. You might need fewer instructors in your gym or just enjoy the big screen at home right in front of you to keep motivated.

With up to 20% incline there is no limit to the number of different workouts you can do. Combined with the Ifit run simulations you can go all over the world and simulate any track you want.

Cons of the 14.9i

The cons of the 14.9i are:

Price
Size
Low-calorie burn
Limited variety
Shorter stride

For an elliptical, the 14.9i is quite pricey. You definitely need to ask yourself whether you really need that big screen or not. If you don't you can almost shave off $1000 from your purchase by going with the 12.9i which is the same model, except without the TV: If you are home buyer who does not want to fix a screen to the walls and needs the motivation and convenience of the multimedia station, this is a good option. Commercial buyers who want to make a statement in urban areas might also consider getting a fleet of these machines. If you have no to little competition in your local area, I do not see the reason to spend almost $1000 extra per machine just to get a massive screen.

hile size is good for durability and creating clear lines of movement in a commercial gym, it can be a burden when space is limited. This machine is huge, so make sure that you check your space. Home gym owners might even fill their entire space just with this machine. As it can not be folded it will also be hard to move around. Be mindful when you purchase.

As with all ellipticals, the calorie burn per minute is relatively low compared to treadmills and exercise bikes at similar intensity levels. If you want to maximize the calories burned per minute a VersaClimber or Rogue echo bike are probably better options for you.

Compared to the free stride range from Nordictrack the 14.9i provides only a limited variety of exercises. You can only use it as an elliptical and not as a treadmill and steppers like the FS9i, Fs10i, and FS7i.

As the flywheel is in the front of this machine it limits the stride length to 20" compared to the 32" of the free stride machines, If you want to work with different stride lengths and you are a very tall athlete, you might want to look in the upper echelons of the Free stride range,

Alternatives to the Elite 14.9i

Alternatives to the Elite 14.9i elliptical are:

The NordicTrack FS7i is the most affordable version of the free stride range of Nordictrack to date. Compared to the 14.9i elliptical you will give up the 15-inch screen and gain the center flywheel with three in one technology. This is a good swap for home gym buyers who do not care about multimedia and have many family members using the gym.

The Nordictrack Elite 12.9 is basically the 14.9i without a TV. I think this machine is a great option for a commercial gym that wants to buy in bulk and still impress. Of course, if you are targeting very tech-savvy clients in urban areas with a high monthly subscription fee, the big ass screen might be a way to attract clients. Just make the calculations whether the $1000 more per machine justify themselves in terms of marketing opportunities and brand image. Only consider this if the competition is fierce and no gym in the area has screens on all their ellipticals.

The VersaClimber SM model is the commercial-grade machine from VersaClimber. This is the machine to get for anyone who wants to maximize calories per minute output. Home gym buyers might tend to go for the VersaClimber H/HP instead with limited warranties for home use. In the home, this is the right machine if the entire family are hardcore fitness nuts and already run outdoors. For commercial use, I would recommend these if you already have a fleet of ellipticals and want to attract more clients in a "hardcore" endurance corner of your gym.

The concept 2 rower is a great option for anyone who does not want to run because of their hips and also does not like bikes. This machine has been around for years and is reliable. You can choose between the model D and Model E which are targeted at different groups. The model E is more recreational while model D is lower to the ground and more for athletes.

My personal favorite for the home gym to burn calories fast and cheap is the Rogue Echo bike. It is competitively priced for a professional machine at $700 and minimizes footprint in your gym. It still delivers a hardcore workout and only falls a little short of the VersaClimber in this area.

Summary for the 14.9i

The 14.9i Nordictrack elliptical is the perfect machine for urban commercial gyms with stiff competition who want to attract tech-savvy clients. Especially if you do not want to run any classes in your gym to save labor costs, this is a good investment with the I fit subscription. Just unload the cost of the subscription per machine to your gym subscription and negotiate a god deal with Nordictrack on the commercial package. Home gym buyers might find this machine to be overkill unless they really want a big screen and can not fix it to a wall in their gym. For commercial gyms with ess competition or home gym owners who want an elliptical at a more reasonable price the 12.9i or 10.9i are better options.

Overview and review of the Nordictrack S10i 1699 (UK)

This article discusses the pros, cons, and alternatives for the Nordictrack S10i.This review was originally posted in “Which Nordictrack bike to get”. Follow the links for more details.

The S10i is the oldest bike from Nordictrack in the S line up and is currently only available for purchase in the UK. I would expect that after the available stocks are sold, this model will go end of life. The main features of the S10i are the 10 inch Touch screen, 20% incline, and the free dumbbells which come with the purchase. The full list of features includes:

10” Smart HD Touchscreen
Free Ground Floor Installation Included
Watts Power Readout
Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
Auxiliary Music Port
Two 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers

Ergonomic Padded Saddle
AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
Non-slip, Multi-position Handlebar
Vertical & Horizontal Seat Adjustment

Inertia-enhanced Flywheel
-10% – 20% Incline
SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
OneTouch® Controls
Enhanced Corrosion Resistance
Large Diameter Adjustable Leveling Feet
22 Digital Resistance Levels
150 kg User Capacity
Commercial Grade Steel Construction

Dual Water Bottle Holders
Two 3 Lb. Dumbbells Included
Compatible with Standard Road Bike Pedals & Seat
Front-mounted Transport Wheels
Assembled Dimensions - 140 L x 56 W x 141 H cm
Warranty - 2 Years parts and labor; 5-year frame guarantee upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.

If you want a bike from Nordictrack with a 20% incline, this is the best value for money you can get as long as you do not mind the smaller screen compared to the rest of the S line.

Pros of the Nordictrack S10i

The pros of the S10i are:

Money to incline ratio
Touch screen

The biggest pro of the S10i is the amount of money you spent on the incline. Currently, this is the cheapest option in the Nordictrack bike line up to get your hands on a 20% incline. The trade-off is a 10inch touch screen which is the smallest compared to the S line models.

For this price range, it is also good to get a touch screen instead of a backlit or LED screen. Other models in the same price range might not provide a touch screen as the S10i used to be the flagship bike when Nordictrack made the swing from Backlit to touch screen displays.

Cons of the S10i

The cons of the S10i are

No Bluetooth
Small touch screen
Oldest model out of the S line

As with the entire S line, the S10i also only has an aux rather than Bluetooth compatibility. This is an oversight of Nordictrack as they did modernize the screens, but did not upgrade the frames for the S series. If engineering had looked for Touch screens with inbuilt Bluetooth they would not have the problem of offering 1000 - 2000 bikes which you can not hook up to your Bluetooth earphones.

If you care about screen real estate than this bike is the worst option in the S line. I also think this is the wrong way of looking at this bike. If you buy it, buy it for the incline, not for the screen. If a big screen is your main concern and you want to save money you can go for the Grand Tour Pro in the US and save some money while still getting a 10inch.

Another downside is that S10i is the oldest model in the S line of bikes from Nordictrack. You can not buy it in the US anymore while it is still available in the UK. If you do not mind fixing things yourself or you are not a heavy user this is no problem. But if you are a gym owner who wants to buy ten of these and use them for 5 years, then you might want to opt for a newer model.

Alternatives to the S10i

Alternatives to the S10i bike are

The S40 treadmill is part of the older range of treadmills which is still available in the UK. If you want a treadmill which is cheaper now, as it got a bit out of date but was one of the best in its heyday, this is the one to get.

The T7.5 treadmill is currently the best-balanced treadmill of Nordictrack in the lower price range around 1500. It is also still being sold in the US which makes it a safer investment than the S40 for commercial use.

The 12.9i elliptical from Nordictrack would be a price neutral option if you want to accommodate for more fitness levels in your house. It is usually easier to strike a balance for all users with an elliptical than with a bike. This assumes that you can fit an elliptical in the dedicated space, as they are considerably bigger than the bikes.

The concept 2 model D rower is always a good alternative to safe money when you buy in bulk or can hang it on the wall in a home gym. With the concept 2 model D you can push the cost for your cardio machine under 1000 and own a proven industry standard. Most people think of the concept 2 model D when they think of a rowing machine. Unless they watched too much house of cards.

The Rogue echo bike is my personal favorite for home gym use. This machine is as solid as a tank and has been stripped to the bare necessities to make you sweat. Based on this it comes in at a very competitive price point of around 700. If you are a no-nonsense weekend warrior you can get the Rogue Echo bike and some heavy kettlebells for the price of one S10i bike and get cracking.

Summary for the Nordictrack S10i

The S10i bike is a great option for someone who does not mind the exercises provided via Ifit too much and already has a screen in their gym. If you are looking for a 20% incline bike of high quality without a lot of entertainment attached to it, this is the machine for you. 10inch used to be the best of the best, but in a time of 32-inch screens latched onto cardio machines the S10i just fell behind.