NordicTrack ACT elliptical vs Schwinn airdyne pro
This is a comparison between the Nordictrack ACT elliptical and the Schwinn airdyne pro including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details
Overview and review of the Schwinn airdyne pro
The Schwinn Airdyne Pro comes in at $999 - $1200. 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 Schwin Airdyne Pro
Schwinn has been in the game of producing bikes for over a century now. The Schwinn Airdyne pro is their flagship take on the Airbike market. The special features of this design are the handles and how the fans are formed. This machine will blow some serious air into your face. Great if you train in a hot environment. The handles of the Airdyne pro give you many options to vary your ride and burn calories.
Air bikes are unique as the resistance increases the faster you go. This makes for very intense workouts which burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. You also have less impact than on a treadmill. The Airdyne comes with the following specifications:
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Length 42”
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Width 20”
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Height 52”
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Color black
This is a solid option for your gym which looks a little more space than comparable products. If you care about looks, that is, but why have a gym otherwise.
Pros of the Schwinn Airdyne Pro
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Noise canceling design
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Handles
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Design
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Experience
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Price
One of the biggest pros of the Schwinn is the noise canceling design. Schwinn was one of the first Airbike companies in the market to look into belts rather than chains to propel the wheel on the Airbike. This makes the bike more reliable and silent. Since then it has become an industry standard.
The new handles are clever and take a leaf out the treadmill and elliptical industry. Most Airbikes have simple handles which leave fewer options. I personally liked and some might say this can get in the way of a very intense workout.
Design is always a matter of taste. I personally like the Schwinn. It looks spacey and tasteful and might even make it even a little interior design statement if out in the right spot. I don’t see that happening with other, more down to earth, models in the market.
Schwinn has been building bikes for a while now. You can be sure you will get a top-notch product with a great finish.
For the quality, you are getting it is aggressively priced just around the $1000 mark. Most other Pro/elite/sport models are usually priced nearer to the $1200 to $2000 mark.
Cons of the Schwinn Airdyne Pro
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Specificity
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Price
What you do on an Airbike is not specific to most sports. Most bikes do not have self-moving handles or blow air in your face while riding them. A gym which trains athletes who compete in team sports will still have to invest in equipment like treadmills and run rockets to offer specific training.
If you only want an Airbike and don’t care that much about design or noise canceling there are cheaper options which can be had to get an Airbike into your place.
Alternatives to the Schwinn Airdyne Pro
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Concept 2 bike
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Concept 2 Rower
A concept 2 bike will come in a little cheaper than the Airbike and is more specific for cycling indoors when you can not get out on the road. It will not burn as many calories in the same amount of time but offers you a solid alternative.
The Rogue echo bike is a very solid alternative if you want an Airbike. It sells like hot cake and is very popular in the CrossFit community. It is built like a tank and comes in at a good price. Like everything from Rogue, it is designed to work, not to look pretty. In some gyms, it might look displaced.
The concept two rower is solid, time tested machine to build cardiovascular endurance. If you are a fan of water sports this is probably the better option for you than any of the bikes and treadmills. The only downside is that it takes a bit more space than other options.
Summary for the Schwinn Airdyne Pro
The Schwinn Airdyne Pro has a good design at a good price point. For a flagship product, it is reasonably priced and comes from a vendor with experience in the market. If you are budget conscious there are also solid Airbike options at a lower price.
Overview and review of the NordicTrack ACT commercial 1299
This is a review of the NordicTrack ACT 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.
Overview of the NordicTrack ACT commercial
The ACT commercial is one of the most compact ellipticals which Nordictrack has in its portfolio. Its main features are a 10kg flywheel, 5-inch display, and a 22-inch stride. The full list of features covers:
- 5" Backlit Display
- iFit Bluetooth - 1 Years Membership Included
- Integrated Tablet Holder
- Auxiliary Music Port
- Two 2” Digitally-amplified Speakers
- Center Drive
- 18" – 22" Adjustable Stride
- 10 KG Inertia-enhanced Flywheel
- 24 Digital Resistance Levels
- OneTouch® Controls
- EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Monitor
- 135 Kg User Weight Capacity
- Soft Touch™ Upper Body Grips
- Adjustable Oversized Cushion Pedals
- AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
- Water Bottle Holder
- Front-Mounted Transport Wheels
- 32 On-board Workouts
- 165cm L x 81cm W x 162cm H Footprint
- Warranty - 5-Year Frame Warranty, 2-Year Parts and Labour Warranty, subject to registration within 28 days of purchase
This is the machine to get for small spaces if you want the experience of an elliptical.
Pros of the NordicTrack ACT commercial
- Compact design
The main and probably only reason to get this machine is because of its compact design. If you desperately want an elliptical and want to fit it in a tight spot, the ACT commercial is the machine for you.
Cons of the NordicTrack ACT commercial
- High price for a small elliptical
- Age of the model
The ACT commercial is one of the models of Nordictrack which is supported in the Uk but not in the US. This is not a great sign for the future of this model as Nordictrack HQ is situated in the US. If you want an elliptical and have space available you are probably better off to get a model out of the FS series which is available in both countries to protect your investment.
Alternatives to the NordicTrack ACT commercial
You can look at the following alternatives for the ACT commercial:
If you want a compact treadmill instead of an elliptical the S25 with a 3.5 CHP motor might be for you. It comes in at the same price as the ACT and has a powerful motor to put a lot of miles on it. The only downside to the S series is that it is also likely to be discontinued once stocks worldwide have been depleted as the US does not actively sell the model anymore.
If you want an elliptical with an incline and have more space you can go for the C7.5 instead of the ACT commercial. This elliptical provides up to a 20% incline at the same cost of the ACT. The trade-off is that it is heavier and needs more space. By going with the C7.5 you will also move below 1000 for purchasing your cardio machine.
Another option is the Concept 2 model D rower if you do not want to stand while exercising. The concept 2 model d has been around for a long time in different iterations and can be found in most gyms around the world, If you want a reliable rowing machine for your home or commercial gym, this is the one to go for.
My personal favorite is the Rogue echo bike for any kind of home gym scenario. Rogue came up with a solid, compact, and sturdy design for an airbike and put a super competitive price tag on it. It will be hard to find an airbike at the same price which is built like a tank.
Summary for the NordicTrack ACT commercial
The ACT commercial is a great option for limited space scenarios if you are fine with buying something that is not the latest and greatest in the line-up. If you fit that niche, this machine will be hard to beat.