Horizon fitness Elite T9 treadmill vs concept 2 bikeerg
This is a comparison of the Horizon Elite T9 treadmill and concept 2 bikeerg including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article has been originally published in which Horizon treadmill to get. Follow the links for more details.
You can get the most up to date content and ask direct questions on my Instagram Account.
Overview and review of the Concept two bikeErg
The Concept 2 bikeErg comes in at $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".
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Overview of the Concept 2 bikeErg
The
concept 2 bikeErg is concept 2‘s take on bringing the real cycling experience to your home. Most
bike parts are compatible with the
bikeErg so you can attach your own pedals, saddle and handles to simulate your bicycle. The
bikeErg also has been designed with increasing resistance the faster you go. The mechanics simulate shifting gears to get you ready for the real ride. All of this comes with poly groove belts instead of a chain. This ensures a smooth ride which does not produce too much noise. The
bikeErg comes with the following specs:
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Assembled in the US
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Color black
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Length 48”
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Width 24”
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Weight 58lb
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Made of Aluminium
Concept 2 has a long history of building machines for cardio. The bread butter machine is the concept 2 rower and recently the company has added the
skierg and
bikeErg to their portfolio. The bikeerg is the machine for you if you want to cycle at home and can not always take to the road to do your training.
Pros of the Concept 2 bikeErg
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Lightweight construction
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Adaptable
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Simulated gears
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PM5 monitor
The lightweight aluminum construction is an advantage for what this machine wants to achieve. Real world bicycles are usually built as light as possible. If you want your home training to be specific for cycling in a triathlon or the gourde France, you can not have a bulky
Airbike to replace the experience.
If you want you to take all of the sports you touch as a driver apart and swap them for your own. This way you can get very close to riding your actual
bike from the comfort of your home.
The
bikeErg simulates the switching of gears during the ride so you get as close to the real experience than you can.
Finally, the PM5 monitor will enable you to race against others in parallel on multiple
bikeErg. This can result in great fun for spinning classes.
Cons of the Concept 2 bikeErg
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No full body work out
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Not for the big guys
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It’s indoors
The
concept 2 bikeErg will mainly focus on your legs. Therefore you will not get a lot of an upper body workout from your session. If this is important to you, you might want to go for the
Rogue Echo bike instead.
The
concept 2 bikeErg is lightweight and therefore build for cyclists. If you have a lot of football players on your roster you might want to go for one of the bigger Airbikes to make sure they don’t fall off.
Last but not least, nothing is like the real experience. If you want to compete in cycling you also must put in the miles on your
bike outdoors. Otherwise, it is very likely that you will fail on race day.
Alternatives to the Concept 2 bikeErg
Alternatives to the concept 2 bike erg are
If you are buying equipment for your home gym and you are more on the extreme side of things you might prefer the
Rogue Echo bike. This is the solid all body workout for the weekend warrior.
The
concept 2 skierg is a great variation from concept 2 for anyone who skies. It simulates the upper body movement of skiing. Thing of it like a marathon version of a lat pulldown machine.
If you are shopping for a commercial gym you also might want to throw in a couple of rowers to mix things up. Avoid getting all of the same. Concept 2 actually has a mix pack on offer at Rogue where you can buy a
skierg, bikeErg, and rower in one go.
Overview and review of the Horizon fitness Elite T9 treadmill
This is an overview of the Horizon Elite T9 including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article has been originally published in which Horizon treadmill to get. Follow the links for more details.
You can get the most up to date content and ask direct questions on my Instagram Account.
Overview of the Horizon Fitness Elite T9 $1999
The
Horizon Fitness Elite T9 is the flagship treadmill from Horizon. Its main distinguishing features are the most powerful engine at 3.25 CHP, the side rails, and the touchscreen which the other models from the Horizon elite line do not have. While it is lightweight build and comes in at 275lbs, it is still the heaviest of the elite series. This makes it more stable and resistant for serious runners, but might be overkill for walkers. The full list of specifications runs as follows:
Frame Type: Feather-Light Folding
Running area: 22"x60"
Cushioning: 3-Zone Variable Response Cushioning
Drive Motor: 3.25 Horsepower
Belt: 1.4mm, Silicone
Deck Thickness: .75
Roller Size: 2.4"
Speed range: 0.5 - 12 mph
Incline Range: 0% – 15%
Extras: Aluminum Side Rails, Built-in Speakers, Energy Saver Mode, Passport Ready, Tablet Rack, Water Bottle Holder
Weight: 275 lbs
Assembled dimensions: 78.75" x 39.38" x 63"
Folded dimensions: 47.25" x 39.38" x 71"
Max User Weight: 350
Electrical Requirements: 110 - 120V
Home Warranty Frame: Lifetime
Home Warranty Motor: Lifetime
Home Warranty Parts: 5 years
Home Warranty Labor: 2 years
This machine appeals to a wide range of walkers and runners and is best chosen in a commercial setting or when you are a serious runner who has to travel far to get to a good area for running long distances. If you want to walk only it is overkill. The same goes for anyone who does not need a lot of technology or rails on their treadmill. Here you might get a better motor for less money with other treadmills if you strip back on some other features.
Pros of the Horizon Fitness Elite T9
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Folding mechanism
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Belt tested up to 21.000 miles
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Touch Screen
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Sidebars
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Automatic incline / decline
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Polar heart rate monitor included
The folding mechanism of the
Horizon fitness T9 elite is smooth and also protects you from falling onto you. The frame is reinforced compared to other Horizon models which make it a good pick for serious runners or heavier athletes.
The belt has been tested up to 21.000 miles without a need of change. For someone who runs 100 miles a week, this means that you can for 210 weeks or 4 years without changing the belt. The motor also needs no cooling as it runs with magnets.
The touch screen is another bonus over the other models from Horizon which have classic button navigation. The included sidebars make it family-friendly or more appealing when placed in a gym.
The automatic incline goes with the running programs that Horizon has included in the package. You can also purchase some extra courses in scenic locations which will make use of the INcline options too.
The whole package is rounded up by including a polar heart rate monitor which you can strap to your chest and connect to the machine for heart rate training. Walkers can also use the bars which come with heart rate monitors inbuilt.
Cons of the Horizon Fitness Elite T9
$2000 for a treadmill is a big bankroll. If you are savvy with craigslist and Facebook groups you might get an entire gym with several machines and a treadmill for this budget. Of course, this takes time and connections and not everyone is a hustler like the cowboys in the good, the bad, and the ugly or patient as Nelson Mandela. But if you are into used goods and sourcing them, spending $2000 is a lot to shell out for one piece of equipment in a private setting. For a commercial setting, it depends on how many you are going to buy and who will use them. If you have a very varied clientele and only need a few treadmills to make your community happy, this is the buy and do not think about it again option. If you have to buy in bulk and cater to a narrower fitness community you might want to consider more focused / cheaper options.
The technology on this treadmill seems a little outdated and needs a facelift. If you look at the newest peloton and
Nordictrack models the entertainment options far surpass the ones on offer on the horizon flagship. In fairness, there is also a $1000 gap between the
Elite T9 and the X32i, but if you are already considering $2000 for what is basically a convenience upgrade within the Horizon portfolio, then you might as well go all the way.
High-intensity interval training, or ins short HIIT, has been quite a rage in the fitness industry as of late. What most treadmills have in common is that they are not particularly well suited for this type of training as the motor and belt do not accelerate and decelerate naturally. The models which come closest to a proper stop-start sprint experience are the Assault air runner and the True Form runner. Personally, I am a huge fan of Airbikes as these are great for HIIT and do not take up a lot of floor space. They are also a lot cheaper than treadmills. The model I own is the
Rogue Echo Bike and its direct copycat competitor is the
TITAN fan bike.
This treadmill is a beast that is great when you are serious about running and willing to give up the necessary space in your home for your hobby. If you are just an occasional runner or walker you can not store this treadmill under the bed, sofa, or in a cupboard after use. Therefore it is not recommended for use in apartments with limited space unless you also want to use it as a bed.
Alternatives to the Horizon Fitness Elite T9
The
elite T7 has a 3.00 CHP horsepower motor and no railings. It also has no touch screen. This might be the better option for home athletes who are serious but do not want to fast for very long periods of time. If you are willing to compromise on the motor power and railings you can save yourself $500 on the sticker price within the Horizon portfolio by going with the
Elite T7 instead of the
T9. Definitely, the better option if there are no walkers to be expected to use the treadmill or someone who goes full throttle for an hour and weighs 200 pounds or more.
The
elite T5 has a slightly smaller belt than the
T9 and a 2.75 CHP motor. If you also feel that you need to save a little space because the treadmill will just about fit into your home space, then this is the one to make. You will also make some considerable compromises with the
T5 on the warranty so it might not be the best option in a commercial setup. On the positive side, the
T5 brings you far away from the $2000 mark and very close to the $1000 mark at $1199 retail price.
If you are willing to spend $2000 on a treadmill the
Nordictrack 1750 might be a desirable option for you. This treadmill not only has incline but also a 3% decline inbuilt. The IFit software subscription for your runs is a little more up to date than what Horizon has on offer and you will get a more powerful motor at 3.75 horsepower. The warranties are also longer than with Horizon, too. The only downside is that negative feedback about the
Nordictrack brand is more readily available than for Horizon. Whether this is due to a higher sales volume and therefore a higher likelihood for complaints or down to product quality and design is a matter of opinion.
Conclusion for the Horizon Fitness Elite T9
The
Horizon Fitness Elite T9 is the best that Horizon has to offer. If you want a great, durable treadmill for commercial use or the very serious home athlete that presses 100 miles a week or more, this is the one to get. It might not be at the forefront of the current market developments anymore, but you are getting a lot of belt, frame, and miles for a relatively small price. All other flagship treadmills in the market usually come in at $1000 more with a massive screen included. Not everyone wants that.