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Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical vs Nordictrack 14.9i

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Apr 15, 2021 4:00:00 PM

Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical vs Nordictrack 14.9i

This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical and the Nordictrack 14.9i including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

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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".
 

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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 Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical

This is an overview of the Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was first published in Which Horizon fitness elliptical to get?

For the most up to date information and asking direct questions you can follow me on Instagram.

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Overview of the Evolve 5 elliptical  $1,399

 
The Horizon Evolve 5 elliptical is the current flagship elliptical in the Horizon lineup. It’s main distinguishing feature is the big flywheel which provides a smoother ride and lower need for maintenance. This is the right choice if you like Horizon and the idea of an elliptical and do not want to compromise. The full specifications of this machine run as follows:
 
Frame Type: Sic Star Folding
Flywheel:23
Stride Length: 20
Incline Range: N/A
Resistance Range: 20 Electronically adjustable
Step on height (inches): 10
Extras: Built-in speakers, Energy Saver Mode, Passport ready, Tablet rack, Water Bottle holder
Electrical requirements: 110 lot and 220 Volt
Weight: 181 lbs.
Assembled dimensions: 69" x 28" x 69"
Max user weight: 300
Warranty - Frame: Lifetime
Warranty - Brake: 3 years
Warranty - Flywheel: N/A
Warranty - Parts: 3 years
Warranty - Labor: 1 year
 

Pros of the Evolve 5 elliptical

 
The pros are the Horizon Evolve 5 elliptical are:
 
  • Big flywheel
  • Foldable
 
This elliptical has all the bells and whistles and the biggest flywheel that Horizon currently offers. With the finding mechanic, it takes up considerably less space when it is not in use. If you want the most amount of elliptical money can buy from Horizon, then this is the model for you.
 

Cons of the Evolve 5 elliptical

 
The cons of the Horizon Evolve 5 are:
 
  • Price
  • Console
 
With $1400 the Horizon Evolve 5 is the highest priced elliptical in the Horizon lineup. For that high price, I think you get not a lot of extra compared to the Evolve 3 or AE 7.0. The only thing the Evolve 5 has going for it is the big flywheel. This is only relevant when you either go very hard at it or intend to be a lot of mileage on it in a short frame of time. The console is not internet-ready and only gives you updates about the preloaded workouts.
 

Alternatives to the Evolve 5 elliptical

 
Alternatives to the Horizon Evolve 5 are:
 
 
The Evolve 3 is in my opinion the better option if you buy into the idea of a foldable elliptical. It costs less and almost does the same as the Horizon Evolve 5 except for a smaller flywheel.
 
The Nordictrack SE 7i is the entry-level elliptical from Nordictrack. If Horizon is out of stock or you want to compare prices you can go with this one too.
 
The Rogue Echo Bike is is my opinion the best option for homeowners who want to go hard at it on a small footprint on a bike. Its low-budget competitor is the TITAN fan bike.
 

Conclusion for the Evolve 5 elliptical

 
The Horizon Evolve 5 is great when you like to buy the best and have berthing for your home gym elliptical. For commercial use I think the folding approach to the frame is not a great idea as it provides too much opportunity for things to break. For home gym users I think that the AE 7.0 Elliptical is a better value for money.
 
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