Horizon fitness IC 7.9 bike vs Nordictrack ACT 7 elliptical
This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness IC 7.9 cycle and the Nordictrack ACT7 elliptical including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.
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Overview and review of the ACT commercial 7 1899
This is a review of the NordicTrack ACT 7 commercial 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 ACT commercial 7
The
ACT Commercial 7 elliptical is a center drive elliptical which is very compact for home use or having a fleet in a commercial gym. The main features are a 7 inch HD touchscreen, 22" stride, and an integrated tablet holder. The full list of features includes:
- 7" HD Touchscreen Display
- Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
- iFit Integrated
- Integrated Tablet Holder
- IPod Compatible Audio (2 - 2" Speakers)
- Center Drive
- 18" – 22" Adjustable Stride
- 24 Digital Resistance Levels
- OneTouch® Controls
- EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Monitor
- Soft Touch™ Upper Body Grips
- Max User Weight 135kg
- Adjustable Oversized Cushion Pedals
- AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
- Included Water Bottle Holder
- Transport Wheels
- Product Weight 107kg
- Boxed Weight 125kg
- Assembled Dimensions - 182L x 81W x 170H cm
- Boxed Dimensions - 131L x 75W x 64H cm
- Warranty - 5-Year Frame Warranty, 2-Year Parts and Labour Warranty, subject to registration within 28 days of purchase
The
ACT 7 commercial is a good option for anyone who wants an elliptical that does not eat up too much space. It is still a big machine but compared to rear- or front-drive ellipticals it is a lot smaller.
Pros of the ACT 7 commercial
The main point that the CT 7 commercial has going for it is that it is a space saver. The center flywheel makes it possible to bring the machine in a little. Compared to the newer elliptical models it is less error-prone as it has not the three in one design which makes the design more stable.
Cons of the ACT7 commercial
- Old model
- relatively high price
The
ACT models are relatively old and Nordictrack has renewed and modernized their center flywheel product range with models like the FS7i which use Free stride. Free Stride enables the elliptical to be used as a treadmill, elliptical, and stepper. So if you can get your hand on one of the free stride models that might be money spend better. Just observe when they make their way from the US to the UK, if you can wait for your purchase.
Alternatives to the ACT 7 commercial
The
Nordictrack X7i is a good alternative to the
ACT 7 commercial in case you prefer a treadmill rather than an elliptical for your home gym. The
X7i provides a treadmill that can go up to a 40% incline and a 2.75 CHP motor. Best for home gym use. If you are a commercial buyer you might want to look for treadmill motors in the 3 - 4 CHP range to make sure that they will last longer, as they will have to take more miles.
The
Nordictrack FS5i is an alternative elliptical to the
ACT 7 commercial. It will take up more space, but comes in at a lower and provides a longer stride. You will also be able to use the Free stride technology which makes this a three in one machine. If you have space and want an elliptical, this might be the better option than the
ACT 7.
The
TrueForm Runner is a self-propelled treadmill that is targeted at high-performance athletes. This is a great option if you want to do sprints with abrupt starts and stops or very gradual acceleration. Commercial gym owners might be tempted by the savings in electricity, as this machine does not have a motor. The belt rests on bearing which makes it possible to propel it yourself. The
TrueForm runner i generally considered one of the best of this kind of treadmills, This is also a reason why it comes in at a high price.
The
Assault air runner is a cheaper alternative to the
TrueForm runner in the self-propelled treadmill space. While the cost is lower the reviews of this treadmill usually are not as positive as for the
TrueForm runner. Main reason being is that the
TrueForm runner seems to have a better calibration of the bearing. The
Assault air runner tends to make you faster than you actually are which can create a weird experience.
Last but not least I personally like the
Rogue Echo bike a lot. Especially for use in a home gym. It is compact, sturdy, and comes in at a reasonable price for what you are getting. It is space-efficient and ideal for doing a 20-minute workout which will burn the maximum of calories.
Summary for the ACT 7 commercial
The
ACT 7 commercial is a great compact elliptical for home use or in tight gym settings. It will also be less prone to error than the other free stride models of Nordictrack based on the design. Overall, the
ACT 7 commercial is not a focus design of Nordictrack's, but still available for purchase in the Uk market.
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 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 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.