Nordictrack 8.5 vs Rogue Echo bike
This is a comparison between the Nordictrack 8.5 treadmill and the Rogue Echo bike. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Rogue Echo bike
The Rogue Echo bike comes in at $750 - $795. In this article you will learn more about the product itself, its Pros and cons and alternatives you might want to consider. This article has originally been published in the overview "Which conditioning equipment to buy from Rogue".
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Overview of the Rogue Echo bike
The
Rogue echo bike is built on a solid steel frame to give you one of the sturdiest fan bikes $800 can buy. It is probably the best value for money option for a cardio machine that you can get. The
Rogue echo bike has the following specifics:
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Color black
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Made in USA no
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Weight 127LB
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Length 58.875”
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Width 29.875”
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Height 52.75”
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Footprint 44.5”x 23.75”
Fanbikes are ideal for interval training. If you want to burn as many calories as possible in the shortest amount of time this is a great tool to go for.
Pros of the Rogue Echo bike
As everything from Rogue, the
Echo bike is completely overbuilt. In fitness, this is usually a good character trait. The
echo bike will stay in place during your ride and not sway. It is also driven by a band instead of a chain which means less maintenance and noise. The computer which comes with it has good contrast so that you can see exactly what is going. Some other vendors provide computers which leave you guessing.
The price of the
Rogue echo bike is excellent for what you are getting. While most other fan bikes hug the $1000 mark you can get the
echo bike and just about for a barbell into the $1000.
Compared to treadmills, ellipticals, and rowers the
echo bike takes up considerably less space. This is especially interesting for home gyms.
Cons of the Rogue Echo bike
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Not made in the USA
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Specificity
The
Rogue echo bike is one of the exceptions from the Rogue portfolio and is not made in the USA. If you care about that you might want to find other options, although most of the fan bikes are assembled in the US at best.
Fanbikes are not that specific to any real sport. If you want to prepare your athletes with machines that are as specific as possible to the real world the
TrueForm runner or
concept 2 bikeErg might be better options for you.
Alternatives to the Rogue Echo bike
If you want a fan bike, but with a cooler looking fan, the
Schwinn air bike might be the right choice for you. It is slightly more expensive than the
Echo bike and has recently been used at CrossFit regionals.
The
TrueForm runner is the ultimate indoor running simulator. This is the best that money can currently buy if you want to simulate running for long distances on the pitch as closely as possible while being independent of the weather.
The
concept 2 bikeErg simulates the look and feel of a real street race with a bike as closely as possible. You will even have the switching of gears inbuilt.
Summary for the Rogue Echo bike
The
Rogue echo bike is probably the best option for your home gym to burn calories fast on a budget while not compromising on quality. This has been priced to sell in truckloads and it does. If you don’t want to think too hard about your purchase, this is the way to go.
This is a review of the Nordictrack 8.5 S model which was originally published in "Which Nordictrack treadmill to get". Follow the links for more details.
The
T 8.5 is the small brother of the
T 9.5 from Nordictrack. The main difference is an HD touch screen which 10 inches on the
8.5 instead of 14 on the
T 9.5. Apart from this, you get a top speed of 12 miles an hour, 12% incline and a foldable treadmill. The full list of specifications for the
T 8.5 runs as following:
- 10” Smart HD Touchscreen
- Includes 1-Year NordicTrack iFit® membership
- Bluetooth® Audio Capabilities
- Dual 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers
- FlexSelect™ Cushioning
- 20” x 60” Commercial Tread Belt
- AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
- Integrated Tray
- 0-12% Incline
- 0-12 MPH Speed
- One Touch® Controls
- 3.5 CHP DurX™ Commercial Plus Motor
- 1.9” Precision and Balanced Non-Flex Rollers
- 300 Lb. User Capacity
- EKG Grip Pulse
- SpaceSaver® Design with EasyLift™ Assist
- 50 On-Board Workout Programs
- 78.5” L x 35.5” W x 59” H Footprint
- 10-Year Frame Warranty
- 2-Year Parts Warranty
- 1-Year Labor Warranty
This is a treadmill for the smaller budget and a mid-range option at it. I personally do not like the middle of the road solutions and either go alls guns blazing or very low budget. Personally, I think the
1750 is more balanced or go for the
T6.5 if you want to save money and space.
If you want to save money on a treadmill that can take a pounding this is the right choice. You can save space when storing and it takes up to 300 lbs. of weight. All of this makes it a good option for a mid-range home treadmill.
As the Nordictrack portfolio has evolved the
1750 is just the better option in terms of value for money in my opinion. With the
T 8.5 you compromise on the size of the belt, incline, and screen while still paying a good bit of money. It is a reasonable price for a cardio machine compared to other machines in the market, but I would lean more towards the
1750 to spent my money wisely.
The
Nordictrack 1750 is, in my opinion, the most balances option in the Nordictrack portfolio at a reasonable price. Therefore I think it is the best option for budget-conscious treadmill buyers from Nordic Track. The
T 8.5 just sits a bit oddly against this as it has the same sized screen while having less incline and a smaller belt, while the prices are not that far apart.
If you are looking for a different concept of a treadmill the
True form runner is for you. This treadmill is self-propelled and therefore has no motor. The belt rests on bearing and your footstrike accelerates or breaks on the speed. This is the ideal treadmill for runners who want to simulate fast acceleration and deceleration at home.