Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle vs Nordictrack C1650 treadmill
This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness GR3 Indoor cycle and the Nordictrack C1650 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.
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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
- 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 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 GR3 Indoor cycle
This is an overview of the Horizon fitness GR3 Indoor cycle including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was first published in Which Horizon fitness bike 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 Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle $499
The
GR3 is the cheapest option to join the Horizon Fitness family. This is a no non-sense spinning bike that provides resistance via a flywheel and mechanical brake system. If you ever have attended a spinning class in your local gym, then this is exactly what you can expect with the
GR3. The full specifications are:
Frame Type: Indoor Cycle
Adjustable Pedal straps: Yes
Pedal Type: Pedal Cage with toe strap
Seat Type: Road-Style Saddle
Seat adjustment: Horizontal, Vertical
Resistance System: Friction Brake
Resistance levels: Control knob
Heart Rate: Polar wireless Receiver
Extras: Transport Wheels, Water Bottle Holder
Max User Weight: 286
Weight: 97 lbs.
Assembled dimensions: 49 x 19 x46
Home Warranty Frame: 10 years
Home Warranty Parts: 1 year
Home Warranty Labor: 1 year
Pros of the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle
This is a compact and light bike for indoor cycling if you want to keep it professional and not put the bike you already own on a stand. It is easy to move around and is not as bulky as other cardio options you might have for the home.
The price is great for professional home equipment or pragmatic commercial equipment. In a commercial setting, $500 is not a big loss on the books even if you have troubles with the warranty. In a home gym scenario you get a robust too you are unlikely to break. This is a very low price bar to step over to take your home training seriously.
This is a good quality bike compared to just getting the cheapest option of Amazon or eBay. Go ahead with this bike if you do not need any fancy digital dials and just want to go after it.
Cons of the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle
Compared to more modern bikes like the Peloton series, this bike has no fancy internet access and group functions to keep you motivated. So you have to bring that on your own and for a simple spinning bike, you might think it is overpriced. Still stripping things to essentials is often a good thing.
This bike operates at the lower end of the maximum weight of the user as the frame is rather small compared to other machines. If you weigh more than 100kg and go hard at your equipment you might want to choose something with a heavier frame. It will work, but it won’t be fun.
The resistance setup on this machine is completely mechanical which means it is more likely to break. Be prepared that if you use this hard that you will have to swap the flywheel and break at least once in its lifetime. These are not the most expensive items to replace and especially in a commercial setting you just can have a spare bike, but at home, you will have to wait with training until the repair is done.
Alternatives to the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle
The
Horizon IC 7.9 indoor cycle follows a very similar design to the
GR3. The big differences are the more convenient resistance lever, the sturdier frame, and the professional pedals with a clip-in mechanism. If you want a spinning bike that feels a little more like a professional racer or if you weigh more than 100kg, then the
Horizon IC 7.9 is the better choice.
The Nordictrack VU19 is the entry-level bike from this brand. If you are looking for something a bit smoother and less wild, this is a good alternative. It also might be an option if stock is running low for Horizon Fitness and you need something fast.
The
Rogue echo bike is a great alternative to the
GR3 Indoor cycle if you want to step your game up a little. It has a sturdier frame and the resistance is regulated by the big fan and the air that circulates through, rather than a brake pedal. This makes it better for interval training and heavier athletes. For me, the
Rogue echo bike is the best cardio machine you can get for a home gym in terms of value for money. The only downsides are that you will have to invest more than for the
GR3 and that it is considerably heavier.
The
TITAN fan bike is a copycat of the
Rogue echo bike with bigger wheels for transport at a smaller price tag. It will do the job, but the overall design and finish are not as on point as with the
Rogue echo bike. However, you will save some money that you can put against more equipment.
The
concept 2 skierg is one of the most compact cardio machines you can find out there. If you have very limited space, but still do not want to take your cardio outside, the
concept 2 skierg is a great option that is also ready ably priced.
Conclusion for the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle
I personally like a simple design that focuses on the essentials. That is why I own a
Rogue echo bike as I weigh more than 100kg. If I would weigh 80kg, the
GR3 would be a serious contender to make it into my garage gym.