Horizon Elite T5 treadmill vs Assault airbike

This is a comparison between the Horizon Elite T5 and Assault airbike including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article has been originally published in which Horizon treadmill to get. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of the Assault airbike

The Assault Airbike comes in at $699 - $999. 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 Assault airbike

The Assault Airbike has been given an overhaul to live up to the highest standards of athletes. The company in charge is LifeCORE fitness in California, even though this bike is not built in the US. The assault bike comes with the following specifications:

Color Black
Weight 99LB
Length 50.9”
Width 23.3”
Height 48.4”

Airbikes work with the resistance of the air and give you a challenging full body workout. The faster you pedal the higher the resistance becomes. These are a great alternative for your home gym to treadmills and ellipticals as they take up less space and provide a better workout if it is burned calories you are after.

Pros of the Assault Airbike

Pros of the Assault Airbike are

Sturdy design
Band propelled
Long years of experience

The assault air bike is heavy and has a sturdy steel frame. This prevents swaying during the ride compared to other models form the past. The weight of your Airbike is a good indicator whether it has been built thoroughly or whether the vendor took some shortcuts.

Compared to older models the Assault air bike has the advantage of being band propelled. Older models were chain propelled which lead to more noise. This is becoming more and more of an industry standard and is therefore not as much of a differentiator than it used to be.

With Assault you are buying into a range of products of a healthy company which has been around for years. This company is very likely here to stay and won’t go anywhere.

Cons of the Assault Airbike

Cons of the air assault bike are

Specificity
Not the newest design

The first one goes for all Airbikes. While they provide a great workout to get you in sweat it is not specific to most sports. Treadmills and normal bikes score better in this regard. If you are outfitting a gym for an elite athlete you will also need to get treadmills.

The Assault bike design is solid, but not the newest one of the market. My hunch is that Assault is good at looking at the market and then outsourcing the production cost effectively to China, but I might be wrong. The Assault bike was a copy of the Schwinn and the Assault air runner is a copy of the TrueForm runner.

Alternatives to the Assault Airbike

These are alternatives to the Assault air bike

If you like the design of the Assault bike and the company you can also take it a step up by opting for the elite. The elite comes with an even heavier frame and newer computer to match the highest of standards.

Concept 2 provides a solid range of cardiovascular machines with their rowers, skiergs, and bikes. If you just want a regular bike for spinning classes or to save some space their bike is an alternative.

The Rogue echo bike is Rogue's take on the Airbike market. Manufactured in Columbus Ohio this machine is the no-nonsense approach to Airbikes and currently the best value for money option on the market.

Summary for the Assault Airbike

An assault air bike is a solid machine which you can add to your arsenal. If the design is to your liking and fits your overall gym go for this one. If you don’t care about these things you might want an interesting alternative in the Rogue Echo bike.

Overview and review of the Horizon Elite T5 treadmill

This is an overview of the Horizon Elite T5 treadmill including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article has been originally published in which Horizon treadmill to get. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview of the Horizon Elite T5 $1.199

The Horizon Elite T5 is the smallest of the Horizon Elite lineup of treadmills which come with an extra sturdy frame. Compared to its two bigger brothers, the T7 and T9, it has considerably less warranty and a smaller belt to run on. In exchange, it hugs the $1000 price tag tightly while the other two models cost $1.599 and $1.999. The list of specifications for the T5 can be seen below:

Frame Type: Feather-Light Folding

Running area: 20"x55"

Cushioning: 3-Zone Variable Response Cushioning

Drive Motor: 2.75 Horsepower

Belt: 1.4mm, Silicone

Deck Thickness: .75

Roller Size: front 2.4" rear 1.8"

Speed range: 0.5 - 12 mph

Incline Range: 0% – 15%

Extras: Built-in Speakers, Energy Saver Mode, Fan, In-reach Resistance Controls, Passport Ready, Tablet Rack, Water Bottle Holder

Weight: 227 lbs

Assembled dimensions: 73" x 35" x 61"

Folded dimensions: 43.3" x 35" x 65"

Max User Weight: 350

Electrical Requirements: 110 - 120V

Home Warranty Frame: Lifetime

Home Warranty Motor: Lifetime

Home Warranty Parts: 3 years

Home Warranty Labor: 1 years

The Horizon Elite T5 is a good option when you want a sturdy frame but do not particularly care about the warranty, extra digital features, or the motor. All these compromises bring the price down to a little over $1.000 for a treadmill that can take up to 21.000 miles without a problem.

Pros of the Horizon EliteT5

The pros of the Horizon Elite T5 are:

Price
Frame
Folding mechanism

For this price, you are getting a formidable running machine for your home that is convenient to use and to collapse depending on your needs. Most runners at home will not put the treadmill through the same abuse as in a commercial setting and unless you are an elite runner yourself the motor will most likely be more than enough for you. The folding mechanism is easy and you do not have to worry that the treadmill comes crashing down on your kids or they can catch a finger in the mechanics easily.

Cons of the Horizon Elite T5

The cons of the Horizon Elite T5 are:

Smaller warranty package compared to other Elite models
Limited Entertainment options
Smaller belt
Smaller motor

The Horizon Elite T5 saves you money which comes at a cost for convenience and entertainment. The warranty package has been stripped compared to the Elite models which make it a less attractive buy in a commercial setting or in a home gym where multiple elite runners will throw everything they have at this treadmill. The biggest downside for a machine for $1.000 is the limited multimedia functions. No Bluetooth hurts in these modern days. A smaller belt and motor round off the cutback on features to deliver the low price tag of the Elite T5.

Alternatives to the Horizon Elite T5

Alternatives to the Horizon Elite T5 are

The Horizon Elite T9 is the flagship treadmill out of the Horizon lineup. Compared to the T5 it has a bigger belt, a touch screen, and a more powerful motor. This is the option for commercial gyms that want to cater to all types of runners and walkers or for the home gym athlete that does not want to compromise and pay no more than $2.000 for their treadmill. There are other options above $2.000 in the market that basically come with a massive television attached, but not everyone needs that.

The Horizon Elite T7 is a good compromise between the T9 and the T5. It has a smaller footprint than the T9 and better warranty options than the T5 while still having the same belt size as the T9. If you are a serious runner who already has a Television in their gym or a commercial buyer who wants to buy in bulk where televisions are already installed in the facilities then this is a good buy. If you want the latest and greatest in entertainment technology you have to give the T7 a pass as it has no Bluetooth.

The Nordictrack 1750 is a strong competitor to any treadmill in the below $2000 budget arena. It outperforms the Elite series on the length of the warranty, the strength of the motor, and entertainment functions. You should have a look at this treadmill which is right in the middle of the Nordictrack portfolio. Nordictrack has recently done a facelift of their product line providing models with integrated television and working hard on their Ifit software to catch up to Peloton who are sweeping the market. The only downside to Nordictrack is that there is more negative customer feedback readily available online. This could be done to higher sales numbers or worse product quality compared to Horizon fitness.

The Assault air runner is a cheaper model in the area of self-propelled treadmills. These treadmills run on bearings instead of an electric motor. This means you can determine the pace yourself and it makes them superior to traditional treadmills for Interval training and start-stop sprints. The only downside is that these haven't been standardized in production like most of the treadmills you see, so they are usually north of $3.000 in price.

The Rogue Echo Bike and the TITAN fan bike are two different air bikes that I highly recommend as an alternative to a treadmill for your home gym. Air bikes are easier to move around, lend themselves better to HIIT training, and take up much less space in your home gym or garage gym. I prefer to run outside and as long as your circumstances allow for it, I would recommend that. On top of that, they are also more affordable at around $700 sticker price.

Conclusion for the Horizon Elite T5

The Horizon Elite T5 is a good budget option for the serious runner who does not want to waste money on technology and maximize the lifetime of the treadmill. Commercial buyers might want to opt for the T7 instead of they already have entertainment as the warranty is better. If Bluetooth is a must you can go for the T9, but then you are also just at the brink of $2.000 for your treadmill. The Nordictrack 1750 is always worth a look as an alternative.