Horizon fitness IC 7.9 bike vs Nordictrack 1650 treadmill

This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness IC 7.9 cycle and the Nordictrack 1650 treadmill including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of the NordicTrack C1650 1999

This is a review of the NordicTrack C1650 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 C1650

The C1650 is a solid option in the Nordictrack portfolio. The main features are the 3.5 CHP motor, 10 HD touch display, and up to12% incline. This is a good option for walkers, joggers, and runners alike. The full list of features includes:

Large Boxed Item - This item can only be delivered or delivered and installed to a ground floor room location.
iFit Integrated
10" HD Touch Screen Display
Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
Integrated Accessory Tray
Dual 2-Inch Speakers

Flexselect™ Cushioning
51 x 152 cm Tread Belt
Autobreeze™ Workout Fan

3.5 CHP Motor
0 – 12% Incline
0 – 22 km/h Speed
EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Monitor
135kg Max User Weight
1.9" Roller

SpaceSaver® Design
Assembled Dimensions - 202 x 90 x 154 cm
Product Weight 92kg
Boxed Weight 115kg
Folded Dimensions - 90 x 107 x 181 cm
Boxed Dimensions - 213 x 77 x 35 cm
Warranty - Lifetime Frame Warranty, 10-year Motor Warranty, 2-Year Parts & Labour upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase

The C1650 is a good upper range option from Nordictrack for the UK market, especially if you want a bigger touchscreen for your professional or home gym.

Pros of the Nordictrack C1650

The main advantages of this treadmill are:

3.5 CHP motor
10-inch monitor

This machine is good when you expect a lot of usage by people who want to be entertained while they are running. It is also a better value for money option from Nordictrack as a new buy than the S50 in my opinion. The 3.5 CHP motor gives it longevity while the 10inch touch monitor is an upgrade from most other options.

Cons of the Nordictrack C1650

The cons of the Nordictrack C1650 are:

No 40% incline
Relatively high price

The C1650 is still a machine that has quite a high price. If you do not expect to run a lot of miles in each session or expect multiple users per day the motor might be oversized. For the price tag, you will also not get a 40% incline which other models might offer you for the same budget. Here you can see how important it is to make a plan which features you are actually interested in.

Alternatives to the Nordictrack C1650

Some alternatives to the C1650 are:

The Nordictrack X7i is a good alternative for the home gym user who wants a 40% incline at the same price as the C1650. The motor is slightly smaller with 2.75 CHP and it has no touch screen, but in return, you get the 40% incline. So if you are not a marathon runner and preparing for long-distance races, but want to use a treadmill to use weight, the X7i might be a better option as the C1650.

The ACT Commercial 7 is a center drive elliptical which is very compact. If you want to save space in your home and do not like the pounding of a treadmill on your joints, the ACT 7 commercial is an alternative to the C1650 at roughly the same price. Definitely a good option for seniors or less ambitious fitness enthusiasts.

The TrueForm Runner is a self-propelled treadmill that is a great fit for anyone who wants to do starts and stops for sprints on a treadmill. If you are a short distance runner, football player, or any other kind of team sports-related athlete you want to look into this piece of equipment. The TrueForm Runner is hailed in many reviews as the best one of the self-propelled kind. This comes at a price, so be prepared to pay significantly more than for the Nordictrack C1650 for this model.

The Assault air runner is the other option in the self-propelled treadmill market. Compared to the True Form runner it comes in at a lower price. While this is a bonus, the reviews I have seen are slightly worse than for the TrueForm runner. The most common remark is that the bearing mechanics of the belt are calibrated better in the Trueform runner than in the Assault air runner. The Assault air runner seems to be unnaturally fast.

The öast aöternative to the C1650 is the Rogue Echo bike which is my personal favorite for home gyms. It is compact, affordable, and burns a lot of calories without being too hard on the joints. You will not get any multimedia options with it and the display is kept simple. This is the type of 20-minute maximum cardio machine which is ideal for the home. Yes, you can get cheaper bikes, but definitely not built like a tank like this one. With a price of around 700 - 800 it competes with competitor models in the 1200 - 1500 range.

Summary of the Nordictrack C1650

The Nordictrack C1650 is a good machine for anyone who expects to crunch more than 100 miles a week at home or in the gym. The big motor will make it long-lasting and a good buy. If you are not a long-distance runner you might want to look into other options which cost less but still provide a to of different features.

Overview and review of the Horizon fitness IC 7.9

This is an overview of the Horizon fitness IC 7.9 bike including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was first published in Which Horizon fitness bike to get?

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Overview of the Horizon IC7.9 Indoor cycle $699

The Horizon IC 7.9 bike is an indoor cycle that follows a classic spinning bike design. It is belt-driven and uses mechanical resistance to simulate a bike ride from the road as best as possible while being in the comfort of your home. The full specifications list runs as following:

Frame Type: Indoor Cycle

Adjustable Pedal straps: Yes

Pedal Type: Dual-sided Pedals with Toe cages/clips

Seat Type: Racing style road saddle

Seat adjustment: Horizontal, Vertical

Resistance System: Magnetic

Resistance levels: Resistance lever 0 -100%

Flywheel weight: 35lbs

Extras: Tablet rack, Transport Wheels, Water Bottle Holder

Max User Weight: 300

Weight: 123 lbs.

Assembled dimensions: 53x 24 x48

Home Warranty Frame: Lifetime

Home Warranty Parts: 1 year

Home Warranty Labor: 1 year

This is a solid option for someone who likes spinning classes and riding hard outdoors but does not want to bring their road bike in a home stance for convenience reasons.

Pros of the Horizon IC7.9 Indoor cycle

The pros of the IC 7.9 indoor cycle are:

Reinforced frame
Mechanical belt
Smooth resistance adjustments

The frame of this bike is sturdier than if other bike options you can get from Horizon fitness. This seems that bigger athletes can exercise harder on this bike compared to the GR3.

A lot of bikes work with magnetic resistance in today’s high technology environment. This bike still works with a belt and a mechanical brake. While this means higher maintenance it also translates to an experience that is closer to biking on the street. Depending on what you are looking for this might be an advantage for you.

With the dial to adjust the resistance at the wheel, it is easier to adjust resistance compared to the GR3 indoor cycle. Think of the IC 7.9 as a high-quality spinning bike for commercial use, while the GR3 is more aimed at home users.

Cons of the Horizon IC7.9 Indoor cycle

The cons of the Horizon IC7.9 are:

Lack of programs
Price

The included computer of the IC 7.9 is basic and only provides revolutions, distance traveled and other information about how far and fast you are traveling. As it is very similar to a spinning bike you need to set it up near a television or find someplace else for your tablet or phone to rest on. This is not going with the times where peloton and echelon have entire entertainment systems onboard.

The price is rather high for something that is essentially not a lot more than a bike on a stance. If you already have a high-end cycle at home you might as well get an indoor stance for it which is cheaper and gets you the real deal at home.

Alternatives to the Horizon IC7.9

Alternatives to the Horizon IC 7.9 are:

The horizon GR3 is the little brother of the IC 7.9. It has the same basic functions but all the parts are a little less sturdy than with the IC 7.9 which makes the bike cheaper overall. If you are a light home user this bike is the better value for money for you. Commercial buyers should stick with the IC 7.9 instead.

The Nordictrack VU19 is the entry-level stationary bike from Nordictrack. It is more aimed at the leisure cyclist and for commercial use. It is bigger and sturdier than the IC 7.9 and the flywheel is under, rather in front of the user. Therefore the target group is a little different but if you are a commercial buyer comparing the Horizon and Nordictrack fleets have a look at the VU19.

The Rogue echo bike is in my opinion the best value for money cardio machine in the sub $1000 category. This is the case if you want a sturdy machine with a basic machine that you can go hard at. If you want a smooth ride and sit comfortably other machines might be better. A lower-budget copy cat of the Rogue echo bike is the TITAN fan bike.

If you want a low-impact cardio kick on a small footprint the concept 2 skierg might be for you. It takes up minimal space compared to other machines and is also fairly silent. The only downside is that it is not a bike or full-body workout and mainly targets the upper body.

Conclusion for the Horizon IC7.9 Indoor cycle

If you are looking for a spinning bike this is the best you can get from Horizon fitness. Especially if you want to stay under $1000 and still get something solid the Ic 7.9 is a very good option. There are cheaper bikes on Amazon, but they might have some quality issues. There are other bikes with more multimedia and gamification options, but those will break the $1000 budget wall.