NordicTrack FS10i vs Concept 2 bikeerg
This is a comparison between the Nordictrack FS10i elliptical and the Concept 2 bikeerg Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Concept two bikeErg
The Concept 2 bikeErg comes in at $999. 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 Concept 2 bikeErg
The concept 2 bikeErg is concept 2‘s take on bringing the real cycling experience to your home. Most bike parts are compatible with the bikeErg so you can attach your own pedals, saddle and handles to simulate your bicycle. The bikeErg also has been designed with increasing resistance the faster you go. The mechanics simulate shifting gears to get you ready for the real ride. All of this comes with poly groove belts instead of a chain. This ensures a smooth ride which does not produce too much noise. The bikeErg comes with the following specs:
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Assembled in the US
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Color black
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Length 48”
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Width 24”
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Weight 58lb
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Made of Aluminium
Concept 2 has a long history of building machines for cardio. The bread butter machine is the concept 2 rower and recently the company has added the skierg and bikeErg to their portfolio. The bikeerg is the machine for you if you want to cycle at home and can not always take to the road to do your training.
Pros of the Concept 2 bikeErg
The pros of the bikeErg are
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Lightweight construction
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Adaptable
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Simulated gears
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PM5 monitor
The lightweight aluminum construction is an advantage for what this machine wants to achieve. Real world bicycles are usually built as light as possible. If you want your home training to be specific for cycling in a triathlon or the gourde France, you can not have a bulky Airbike to replace the experience.
If you want you to take all of the sports you touch as a driver apart and swap them for your own. This way you can get very close to riding your actual bike from the comfort of your home.
The bikeErg simulates the switching of gears during the ride so you get as close to the real experience than you can.
Finally, the PM5 monitor will enable you to race against others in parallel on multiple bikeErg. This can result in great fun for spinning classes.
Cons of the Concept 2 bikeErg
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No full body work out
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Not for the big guys
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It’s indoors
The concept 2 bikeErg will mainly focus on your legs. Therefore you will not get a lot of an upper body workout from your session. If this is important to you, you might want to go for the Rogue Echo bike instead.
The concept 2 bikeErg is lightweight and therefore build for cyclists. If you have a lot of football players on your roster you might want to go for one of the bigger Airbikes to make sure they don’t fall off.
Last but not least, nothing is like the real experience. If you want to compete in cycling you also must put in the miles on your bike outdoors. Otherwise, it is very likely that you will fail on race day.
Alternatives to the Concept 2 bikeErg
Alternatives to the concept 2 bike erg are
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Concept 2 rower
If you are buying equipment for your home gym and you are more on the extreme side of things you might prefer the Rogue Echo bike. This is the solid all body workout for the weekend warrior.
The concept 2 skierg is a great variation from concept 2 for anyone who skies. It simulates the upper body movement of skiing. Thing of it like a marathon version of a lat pulldown machine.
If you are shopping for a commercial gym you also might want to throw in a couple of rowers to mix things up. Avoid getting all of the same. Concept 2 actually has a mix pack on offer at Rogue where you can buy a skierg, bikeErg, and rower in one go.
Overview and review of the FS10i Free Stride $3999 - $2999
This is a review of the Nordictrack Fs10i model. You will learn about the specifics, pros, cons and alternatives of this elliptical to ake a deicison. This article was originally published in "Which elliptical to get from Nordictrack".
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Overview of the Fs10i
The FS10i free stride is the newest addition to the center drive elliptical product line of Nordictrack. In 2020 it comes with a hefty price reduction of $1000 which makes it an attractive buy on the high end of the portfolio. As long as this remains, it is definitely the better option over the FS9i model. The main features of this machine are its center flywheel, the 10% incline option, 10-inch monitor and the free moving ellipticals which make it a stepper, ellipticals, and treadmill in one machine. The full list of features includes:
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10" Smart HD Touchscreen
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Includes 1-Year NordicTrack iFit® membership**
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Bluetooth® Audio Capabilities
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Two 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers
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AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
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SoftTouch™ Upper Body Grips
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Oversized Cushion Pedals
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Center Drive
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20 Lb. Effective Inertia-Enhanced Flywheel
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SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
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32" Auto-Adjustable Stride
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24 Digital Resistance Levels
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0 – 10% Incline
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OneTouch® Controls
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Commercial Solid Steel Construction
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Oversized Levelers
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375 Lb. User Capacity
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Transport Wheels
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Water Bottle Holder
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58.5" L x 29.5" W x 74" H Footprint
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10-Year Frame Warranty
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2-Year Parts Warranty
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1-Year Labor Warranty
This is the newest machine in the line up for free stride from Nordictrack in 2020 with a killer price. Observe how it will develop in the future as this value for money offer might not extend to the future.
Pros of the FS10i
The pros of the FS10i are:
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All bells and whistles
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Three for the price of one
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Long stride
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Free adjustments
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Low impact
The FS10i still has all the bells and whistles in the Nordictrack Free stride line up. You or your clients will have little to desire when you opt for the FS10i as your free stride machine of choice.
The concept of the middle flywheel for your elliptical enables that you can move more freely. This makes the FS10i a stepper, treadmill and elliptical in one machine. If you were considering getting all of these different machines the FS10i is still a bargain in terms of price and footprint which is being used up compared to getting three instead of one machine. Never mind the maintenance and energy consumption of the other machines.
With 32 inches of stride, the FS10i provides longer stride than the Front and read-drove ellipticals from Nordictrack as there is no flywheel in the way. This will especially help your larger athletes or clients.
The free adjustments of the movements will be beneficial for homeowners with big families or commercial gym owners with a wide variety of clients. This is the main engineering idea behind these free stride machines which move the flywheel to the middle of the machine, rather than having it in the front or back.
The low impact on knees and ankles is one of the main health advantages of ellipticals compared to treadmills. If you have an underlying condition or work with a lot of clients with weak hips and legs, this is a better machine for health reasons than a treadmill with a higher impact.
Cons of the FS10i
The cons of the FS10i are:
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High price
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No big screen
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No remote control in the handles
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Floating experience
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More prone to error
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Low-calorie burn
Even when the price is reduced to $2999 the FS10i is still a considerable investment. There are lower-cost options for free striders in the Nordictrack portfolio. Especially if you are not bought into the free stride concept as you do not have to provide a lot of variety or comfort with the machine you buy, definitely look somewhere else. $2999 can buy you a rack, barbell, and plates for a full gym setup if you invest it somewhere else. It depends on your goals, available space, and training preferences.
As the flywheel is in the center of this design the FS10i has no real stand or option to attach a big screen as other treadmills or ellipticals would have. In a home gym, this can be solved with a screen on the wall or no screen whatsoever. In a commercial setting, a screen on the wall can become quite small for individuals who are for away or want to do their own thing while they are exercising. If you think that entertainment options are a must for yourself or your clients over the experience of the free stride than opt for a front-drive elliptical or a big treadmill where a big screen can be attached.
Compared to the FS9i Nordictrack model the FS10i has no controls to adjust resistance and incline in the handles. These are positioned in the console. This is the only main advantage I can see for the Fs9i over the FS10i. If you like this convenience, go for the Fs9i instead.
While the fleeting experience is great when you have great body awareness and like to experiment, it can be stressful for someone who just likes to have a stable, repeatable experience. The many options you have with the FS10i which require a bit more fine motor skills than on a traditional elliptical might not be for everyone.
Moving the flywheel from the front or back of an elliptical to create more options and a longer stride poses two engineering challenges. One is that the flywheel can not be as big as with front- and rear-drive options, as you have less space. Second is that you need more moving parts to make the machine go in multiple directions at different angles. The smaller flywheel and the more intricate design make the Free stride models more error-prone than the front and rear drive options. While it is unlikely that you will break this as a home gym owner by yourself, the commercial gym owner should consider how much mileage each machine will go through depending on where it is positioned in the gym and how many machines you have.
General consideration for elliptical machines is that they burn fewer calories on average compared to bikes and treadmills as the exercise is less intense. If you are generally healthy and want to maximize the calorie output per minute, the elliptical machines are not the right buy for your need.
Summary for the FS10i
The FS10i is the best buy from Nordictrack in 2020 for a free stride elliptical with all bells and whistles. As long as it is cheaper than the FS9i this will hold. This is a good machine for the home gym owner with a big wallet and some health issues, who still want to exercise regularly. For commercial buyers, the price will be too high for someone who is thinking to buy more than 5 units at a time. Boutique gyms that work with a lot of clients with very specific needs will find this machine useful.