Horizon fitness EX-59 elliptical vs Nordictrack S40 treadmill
This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness EX-59 elliptical and the Nordictrack S40 treadmill including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.
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Overview and review of the NordicTrack S40 1599
This is a review of the NordicTrack S40 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.
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Overview of the Nordictrack S40
The main features of the
Nordictrack S40 are its 3.0 CHP motor, the 12% incline, and the one-touch controls. Unfortunately, the S series is one of the older product ranges of the Nordictrack line up and you might want to look into the
C1650 or
T7.5 as an alternative. Still, you might make a good grab on the used treadmill market for this model. The full list of features includes:
- Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
- iFit Integrated
- 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
- This Machine Does Not Feature a Workout Fan
- SpaceSaver® Design with EasyLift™ Assist
- Assembled Dimensions - 200L x 90W x 145H cm
- Product Weight 84kg
- Boxed Weight 105kg
- Folded Dimensions - 103L x 90W x 180H cm
- Boxed Dimensions - 212L x 81W x 28H cm
- Warranty - Lifetime Frame Warranty, 10-year Motor Warranty, 2-Year Parts & Labour upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.
Have a good look at the market what you can get, but this treadmill might not be an ideal choice for buying something new.
Pros of the Nordictrack S40
- 3.0 CHP motor
- One-touch controls
The 3.0 CHP motor makes this a long-lasting treadmill for someone who runs a lot. Especially used this might be a good steal. The one-touch adjustments for speed are also a great feature of Nordictrack treadmills which make them more user friendly as you only need to push one button to get to the right space.
Cons of the Nordictrack S40
For the age of this product line, you still pay a pretty high price. This is good for Nordictrack to empty their inventory of old models, but not necessarily for your purse. If you buy new you may want to get for the newer models in the X line or the T line which have followed the C line of Nordictrack models.
Alternatives for the Nordictrack S40
Good alternatives for the
S40 are:
The Nordictrack T7,5 is, in my opinion, a better alternative to the
S40 unless you manage to get a discount on the
S40. The
T7.5 is the more modern machine and has almost the same specifications. They also punch in the same budget weight class. So stick with the
T7.5 instead of the
S40 in the Nordictrack portfolio.
The
FS5i is a good alternative for an elliptical for a home gym or commercial gym. It costs roughly the same as the
S40 and comes with Free Stride technology. The FreeStride technology puts the flywheel in the middle of the machine. This enables a longer stride and you can also use the elliptical as a treadmill, elliptical, and stepper in one. This freedom comes at the price of a more error-prone design and more challenging movement patterns.
If you want to save some money and like rowing, you can go for the
Concept 2 Model D rower. This is the flagship model from
Concept 2 who has been around for years in the rowing place. You will be hard-pressed to find a major commercial gym without one of these on the floor. They come in under 1000 and might be a get alternative to consider. The only challenge is that they take up as much space as a treadmill, but are easier to move.
The
Rogue Echo Bike is my personal favorite for home gyms as it is compact, sturdy, and burns a lot of calories per minute if used right. This machine can be gotten at the 700 mark and will last for a lifetime. The big disadvantage is that the Echo bike has no onboard entertainment whatsoever. If you need a video or machine to motivate you to get your training in, this is not the one for you. This is a great tool for intrinsically motivated people who want to save money and space.
Summary for the Nordictrack S40
As with the entire S series you might want to opt for something else which is a little more modern and therefore will get more support from the vendor Nordictrack. Always check the US website and compare the portfolio with the Uk website to avoid that you are buying something with is being discontinued. At the time of writing the S series is not available in the US anymore where Nordictrack headquarters is situated.
Overview and review of the Horizon fitness EX-59 elliptical
This is an overview of the Horizon fitness EX-59 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 EX-59 elliptical $699
The
Horizon EX-59 is a high-quality elliptical for moderate use at home. The dimensions are kept as small as possible for an elliptical with a flywheel and the pedals are very close to the ground. This makes it a good choice for anyone who wants to workout at home, does not want to make a lot of noise and will not go crazy in their workouts. If you like something that provides a more challenging workout or better entertainment options during your workout than you might want to opt for a different elliptical.
Frame Type: Six Star Non-Folding
Flywheel: 14.3
Stride Length: 18 inches
Incline Range: N/A
Resistance Range: Magnetic, 10 levels
Step on height (inches): 10 3/4"
Extras: Built-in Speakers, Tablet rack, USB Charging, Bottle holder
Electrical requirements: 110 Volt / 220 Volt
Weight: 145lbs.
Assembled dimensions:74"x25"x64.5"
Max user weight: 300 lbs.
Warranty - Frame: Lifetime
Warranty - Brake: 1 year
Warranty - Flywheel: N/A
Warranty - Parts: 1 year
Warranty - Labor: 1 year
Pros of the EX-59 elliptical
The
EX 59 is designed with ease of use in mind rather than chasing personal records and pushing the envelope. Therefore the stride is shorter and the pedals have been moved closer together while sitting close to the ground. This makes it a good machine for anyone who wants to be easy on the joints and simulate a jog on an elliptical. If you want to run long distances you might opt for something else.
Ellipticals with long stride and big flywheels can take up quite a bit of space in the home compared to bikes or treadmills. Horizon Fitness tries to minimize the footprint of this machine by keeping it compact which makes it better suited for use at home. A professional gym might want to upgrade to the Evolve series to compensate for more miles being put on the machine.
Another reason that makes this elliptical attractive for moderate home gym users is the price tag that falls way below $1000. There is not a lot to be scoffed at for a full machine at $699. There are cheaper alternatives when not using a machine but most indoor cycles and treadmills that are worth their salt start at $500.
The handles are helpful if you do not feel confident enough to go for long times without holding onto something. If you still feel like you can walk comfortably without using something to hold on to a walking treadmill might be a great alternative as they are easier to store under a bed or couch.
Cons of the EX-59 elliptical
-
Space requirements
-
Small frame and weight
-
Console
For a machine that is aimed at lower intensities and home use, the
EX-59 still takes up a bit of space. Especially the fact that you can not store it away easily like a tower, that can be hung on the wall, or a walking treadmill or Total gym, which can be stored under a bed or sofa, makes it a less attractive option for the occasional home activities.
The smaller frame and weight are good when you’ve not go hard at the machine. If you expect to go all out or a lot of heavy abuse in a commercial gym, then you might want to look into the Evolve series instead which is bigger and heavier.
The console on the
EX-59 covers the basics of navigating the in-built programs, but not more. It also has no good surface to put down a tablet or bigger phone to look at while you are exercising. In times of Peloton and follow along with YouTube videos this is not up to scratch. Still, an understandable choice in the lower price ranges from a Horizon production perspective. Here Horizon might even make the console smaller for the programs to gain space for the user‘s own device.
Alternatives to the EX-59 elliptical
The
Horizon 7.0 AE elliptical is one of the recent facelifts to the consoles of Horizon fitness. This makes it compatible with a wider range of devices and you can also do follow-along classes by watching at the screen. It is slightly bigger and more expensive than the
EX-59 but I would recommend it to anyone over the
EX-59 who is willing to make their budget stretch to $999.
The
Horizon T101 is the smallest treadmill you can get from Horizon at the lowest price. If you prefer to jog or walk and want to burn more calories per minute, this is the better choice. The drawback is that if you need support to walk or run the
T101 does not really provide a lot.
The
Nordictrack SE7i is the cheapest elliptical you can get from Nordictrack. It compares better to the Evolve series from Horizon but might be an alternative if you want something fast and Horizon is out of stock.
The
Rogue Echo Bike is the Ultimate Choice for serious home gym warriors who want to go hard on a small footprint. It is a well-built air bike that is especially well suited to High-intensity interval training. If you want to hit hard on the same budget as the
EX-59 the
Rogue Echo bike is your choice.
The
TITAN fan bike is the lower-priced copycat of the
Rogue Echo bike. The main differences are the bigger wheels and the price. If you want to build an entire garage gym on a budget
TITAN is a good choice.
Conclusion for the EX-59 elliptical
The
EX-59 is a great elliptical if you love exercising on an elliptical, have a smaller budget, and do not want to go crazy with it. I personally think that a walking treadmill is a better choice for people who still can walk and jog without support as it can be stored better. If you need lumbar support for your exercises, go for the Horizon R series instead.