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Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle vs Nordictrack Elite 12.9i elliptical

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Apr 17, 2021 9:00:00 AM

Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle vs Nordictrack Elite 12.9i elliptical

This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness GR3 Indoor cycle and the Nordictrack Elite 12.9i elliptical including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of Nordictrack Elite 12.9i $1499

This is a review of the Nordictrack Elite 12.9 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".

Overview of the Elite 12.9i

 
The Elite 12.9i elliptical is the mid-range front-drive elliptical from Nordictrack. Its main features are the 30-pound flywheel, 20% incline, and 10-inch TOuch screen. The full list of features includes:
 
  • 10” Smart HD Touchscreen
  • 1-Year iFit® Membership Included*
  • Bluetooth® Audio Capabilities
  • Two 2” Digitally-Amplified Speakers
  • Front Drive
  • 30 Lb. Effective Inertia-Enhanced Flywheel
  • SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
  • 24 Digital Resistance Levels
  • Auto-Adjustable Stride
  • 0-20% Incline
  • Commercial Solid Steel Construction
  • Oversized Levelers
  • 350 Lb. User Capacity
  • AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
  • Soft Touch™ Upper Body Grips
  • Oversized Cushion Pedals
  • Front-Mounted Transport Wheels
  • Water Bottle Holder
  • 68.5" L x 28.75" W x 68.25" H Footprint
  • 10-Year Frame Warranty
  • 2-Year Parts Warranty
  • 1-Year Labor Warranty
This is a good value for money elliptical for commercial buyers and home gym owners. You will get a larger touch screen compared to other Nordictrack ellipticals and a reasonably sized flywheel to make the machine last longer. 
 

Pros of the Elite 12.9i

 
The pros of the 12.9i elite are:
 
  • Biggest front-drive elliptical touch screen
  • Good value for money 
  • 20% incline
The 12.9i has the biggest touch screen which Nordictrack can put in their ellipticals to date. Compared to other front and rear drive models you get the most real estate in touch screens with this machine. 
 
For the $1499 you get a big flywheel, big screen, and a good warranty. This is the best value for money machine in the elliptical line up of NordicTrack. If you want a workhorse elliptical which becomes the backbone of your commercial fleet, this is a good option. Home gym owners who intend to put a lot of miles on their elliptical (read multiple users in the home) also want to consider this elliptical over cheaper options due to the bigger flywheel. 
 
With the 20% incline, you can work at any intensity levels to get a workout in and make you feel good about yourself after starting the day with a good workout.
 

Cons of the 12.9i elliptical

 
The cons of the 12.9i elliptical are:
 
  • No wow factor 
  • High price for doing everything moderately good
  • Low-calorie burn
 
If you are already forking out more than $1000 on an exercise machine, you might as well get a bit of wow-factor out of the machine. This is not the case with the 12.9i. There is no cool mechanics like with the FS7i or a massive screen like you get with the 14.9i. All you get as a solid elliptical, that's it. Good for buying in bulk when you do not need to impress that much. Most home gym owners should go for the 10.9i instead with the 20-pound flywheel to save some money. 
 
As with all ellipticals, you get a relatively low-calorie burn per minute compared to treadmills and bikes. If this is your main concern, go for a VersaClimber model or the Rogue echo bike.
 

Alternatives to the 12.9i elliptical

 
Alternatives to the 12.9 elliptical are:
 
 
The FS7i would be a good alternative for home gym owners with a little extra money to spend. This free stride model would provide a little bit more of a wow factor rather than just having an elliptical at home. If you are buying new and not used, I think this is the better option. If you buy a used elliptical and budget is your main concern, try to find a Nordictrack elite 10.9i on craigslist or eBay.
 
The NordicTrack 10.9i is the most affordable front-drive elliptical out of the Nordictrack line up. It has no touch screen and a smaller flywheel. This is a good option for the home gym owner who wants to occasionally train without having to go to the gym. In this scenario, you do not need a big flywheel to take the beating of several thousand miles.
 
The VersaClimber H/Hp model is the product that VersaClimber designed for home use. If you already run outdoors and want to maximize your warm-up when you workout at home, this is the machine for you. The calories burned per minute of this are not matched on a machine with that low a footprint. 
 
The concept 2 rower is the home gym variation for anyone who likes rowing or does not want to stand or sit on a bike while exercising. There a re two models available, the E and the D. If you are older and struggle to get very low, go for the model E.  Otherwise get the Model D to save some money. Commercial buyers might find it interesting that these machines can be hung on the wall, if you get multiple, to save space and make your gym more modular. Hard to do with an elliptical.
 
The Rogue echo bike is in my opinion one f the best options for a home gym to burn the most amount of calories with the smallest footprint at a competitive price. Unless you have reservations for airbikes, this is the one to get at about $700 apiece. 
 

Summary for the 12.9i

 
The 12.9i is a good elliptical to be bought in bulk by a commercial gym. It will please a lot of customers without breaking the bank like the 14.9i. Home gym owners might consider to either move up or down the Nordictrack portfolio as they do not have to take economies of scale into consideration. You will probably only buy one or two ellipticals in your life so you might as well either maximize your savings or maximize the wow factor.
 

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?

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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

 
The pros of the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle are:
 
  • Compact
  • Price
  • Quality
 
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

 
The cons of the Horizon GR3 indoor cycle are:
 
  • Limited online functions
  • Not suitable for big athletes
  • Resistance setup
 
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

 
Here are some alternatives to the 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.

Topics: Cardio, Horizon, BIke