NordicTrack T7.5 treadmill vs 12.9 elliptical
This is a comparison between the Nordictrack T7.5 treadmill and the 12.9 elliptical including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details
Overview and review of Nordictrack Elite 12.9i $1499
This is a review of the Nordictrack Elite 12.9 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".
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Overview of the Elite 12.9i
The Elite 12.9i elliptical is the mid-range front-drive elliptical from Nordictrack. Its main features are the 30-pound flywheel, 20% incline, and 10-inch TOuch screen. The full list of features includes:
- 10” Smart HD Touchscreen
- 1-Year iFit® Membership Included*
- Bluetooth® Audio Capabilities
- Two 2” Digitally-Amplified Speakers
- Front Drive
- 30 Lb. Effective Inertia-Enhanced Flywheel
- SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
- 24 Digital Resistance Levels
- Auto-Adjustable Stride
- 0-20% Incline
- Commercial Solid Steel Construction
- Oversized Levelers
- 350 Lb. User Capacity
- AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
- Soft Touch™ Upper Body Grips
- Oversized Cushion Pedals
- Front-Mounted Transport Wheels
- Water Bottle Holder
- 68.5" L x 28.75" W x 68.25" H Footprint
- 10-Year Frame Warranty
- 2-Year Parts Warranty
- 1-Year Labor Warranty
Pros of the Elite 12.9i
- Biggest front-drive elliptical touch screen
- Good value for money
- 20% incline
The 12.9i has the biggest touch screen which Nordictrack can put in their ellipticals to date. Compared to other front and rear drive models you get the most real estate in touch screens with this machine.
For the $1499 you get a big flywheel, big screen, and a good warranty. This is the best value for money machine in the elliptical line up of NordicTrack. If you want a workhorse elliptical which becomes the backbone of your commercial fleet, this is a good option. Home gym owners who intend to put a lot of miles on their elliptical (read multiple users in the home) also want to consider this elliptical over cheaper options due to the bigger flywheel.
With the 20% incline, you can work at any intensity levels to get a workout in and make you feel good about yourself after starting the day with a good workout.
Cons of the 12.9i elliptical
The cons of the 12.9i elliptical are:
- No wow factor
- High price for doing everything moderately good
- Low-calorie burn
If you are already forking out more than $1000 on an exercise machine, you might as well get a bit of wow-factor out of the machine. This is not the case with the 12.9i. There is no cool mechanics like with the FS7i or a massive screen like you get with the 14.9i. All you get as a solid elliptical, that's it. Good for buying in bulk when you do not need to impress that much. Most home gym owners should go for the 10.9i instead with the 20-pound flywheel to save some money.
As with all ellipticals, you get a relatively low-calorie burn per minute compared to treadmills and bikes. If this is your main concern, go for a VersaClimber model or the Rogue echo bike.
Alternatives to the 12.9i elliptical
Alternatives to the 12.9 elliptical are:
The FS7i would be a good alternative for home gym owners with a little extra money to spend. This free stride model would provide a little bit more of a wow factor rather than just having an elliptical at home. If you are buying new and not used, I think this is the better option. If you buy a used elliptical and budget is your main concern, try to find a Nordictrack elite 10.9i on craigslist or eBay.
The NordicTrack 10.9i is the most affordable front-drive elliptical out of the Nordictrack line up. It has no touch screen and a smaller flywheel. This is a good option for the home gym owner who wants to occasionally train without having to go to the gym. In this scenario, you do not need a big flywheel to take the beating of several thousand miles.
The VersaClimber H/Hp model is the product that VersaClimber designed for home use. If you already run outdoors and want to maximize your warm-up when you workout at home, this is the machine for you. The calories burned per minute of this are not matched on a machine with that low a footprint.
The concept 2 rower is the home gym variation for anyone who likes rowing or does not want to stand or sit on a bike while exercising. There a re two models available, the E and the D. If you are older and struggle to get very low, go for the model E. Otherwise get the Model D to save some money. Commercial buyers might find it interesting that these machines can be hung on the wall, if you get multiple, to save space and make your gym more modular. Hard to do with an elliptical.
The Rogue echo bike is in my opinion one f the best options for a home gym to burn the most amount of calories with the smallest footprint at a competitive price. Unless you have reservations for airbikes, this is the one to get at about $700 apiece.
Summary for the 12.9i
The 12.9i is a good elliptical to be bought in bulk by a commercial gym. It will please a lot of customers without breaking the bank like the 14.9i. Home gym owners might consider to either move up or down the Nordictrack portfolio as they do not have to take economies of scale into consideration. You will probably only buy one or two ellipticals in your life so you might as well either maximize your savings or maximize the wow factor.
Overview and review of the NordicTrack T7.5 1599
This is a review of the NordicTrack NordicTrack T7.5s including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article has been originally published in “which NordicTrack treadmill or elliptical to get in the UK”. Follow the links for more details.
Overview of the T7.5
The T7.5 is a good treadmill to get in the UK market from Nordictrack. If you want to spend more than 1000 this is the solid choice which covers all bases. The main features are the 7 HD Touchscreen, 3.0 CHP motor, and the 12% incline. The full list of features includes the following options:
- Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
- iFit Integrated
- 7" HD Touch Screen Display
- Two 2” Bluetooth Digitally Amplified Speakers
- 3.0 CHP Motor
- 0% - 12% Digital Incline
- 0 – 22 km/h Speed
- Onetouch™ Controls
- 1.9” Precision and Balanced Non-Flex Rollers
- 125kg Max User Weight
- EKG Handgrips
- FlexSelect™ Cushioning
- 51 x 152 cm Tread Belt
- AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
- SpaceSaver® Design with EasyLift™ Assist
- Assembled Dimensions - 187L x 91W x 151H cm
- Product Weight 96kg
- Boxed Weight 116kg
- Folded Dimensions - 110L x 91W x 178H cm
- Boxed Dimensions - 213L x 83W x 41H cm
- Warranty - Lifetime Frame Warranty, 10-year Motor Warranty, 2-Year Parts & Labour upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.
This is the solid choice in the middle of the portfolio from Nordictrack for the UK Market. Some options above might be a little overkill to buy in bulk or use at home while the models which are below in price might fall short in longevity or experience.
Pros of the Nordictrack T7.5
- Good value for money
- Fits most needs
- More modern than some other models available in the UK
The T7.5 treadmill is a good value for the money treadmill in the Nordictrack UK line up. It covers all the bases and goes the extra mile with the 7-inch touchscreen. Yes, there are other machines which have bigger screens or more incline. Do you really need this? Probably not.
With an incline of 12%, a powerful motor, and some entertainment on the small screen you keep everyone happy. None of the main components goes to the max, but that is exactly good for fitting the most needs without spending too much money.
Compared to the S line and the C-line of Nordictrack treadmills is the T line the more modern one which is also being marketed and sold in the US. For the S and C-line, this is not the case anymore so you are better off to invest in a product line that the vendor is still interested in.
Cons of the Nordictrack T7.5
The cons of the Nordictrack T7.5 are:
- No 40% incline
- No mega screen
You get what you pay for. While the T7.5 is still a model which will put you back more than 1000 and therefore is solid on all basis you also can not expect any wonders. If you want a modern model with a mega screen or 40% or a combination of both you will catapult the budget in the 2000s. Therefore, you might miss these features on the T7,5. Personally, I don't think these are really necessary, but the market is moving towards the multimedia experience.
Alternatives to the Nordictrack T7.5
Alternatives to the T7.5 are:
If you want an elliptical instead of a treadmill you can opt for the FS5i instead of the T7.5. With this elliptical, you get the free stride technology from Nordictrack which makes it a 3 in 1 machine. You can use it as a stepper, treadmill, and elliptical. While this is a big step in the versatility you lose some points in stability. The design is more error-prone than a classical elliptical or treadmill design.
If you want to go below the 1000 mark you can go for the concept 2 model D. This is a solid rower used in many gyms around the world. It does not come with a lot of multimedia options, but it does fulfill the cardio requirements and leaves your knees and ankles in tact.
My personal favorite option is the Rogue Echo bike. This machine comes in at a good price, is solid and covers all your cardio needs ina compact design. Rogue has definitely done a good job by putting a competitive airbike out there which leaves nothing to be desired in quality.
Summary for the Nordictrack T7.5
The T7.5 is probably the most balanced option for a treadmill in the UK from Nordictrack to date. Compared to the C and S series and is newer and provides good value for money. If you have more money to spend you might want to wait for some of the newest models from the states to arrive. But if you want a solid machine now, go for the T7.5.
