Nordictrack GX 4.4 vs GX 4.7R

This is a comparison of the Nordictrack GX 4.4 and GX4.7R including pros, cons, and alternatives . Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Nordictrack GX 4.7R 499 (UK)

This article discusses the pros, cons, and alternatives for the Nordictrack GX 4.7R.This review was originally posted in “Which Nordictrack bike to get”. Follow the links for more details.

The GX 4.7R is the cheapest of the G series line up of the Nordictrack bikes. Its main features are a 5-inch Backlit display, 7kg flywheel, and 125kg maximum capacity. With this, it is the easiest item to start with cardio equipment from the NordicTrack bike line up. The full list of features reads:

5" Backlit Display
1 Year iFit Membership Included
Smart BlueTooth (BLE) Chestbelt Compatible
Dual 2-Inch Speakers

Recumbent Frame
Step Thru™ Design
7kg Flywheel
22 Digital Resistance Levels
Onetouch™ Controls
EKG Handgrips
125kg Max User Weight

Lumbar Supported Cushioned Seat
Horizontal Seat Adjustment
Extra-wide Ergonomic Pedals with Adjustable Straps
AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan

Front-mounted Transport Wheels
Water Bottle Holder
Tablet Shelf
24 Workouts Apps
Assembled Dimensions - 137L x 64W cm x 131H cm
Product Weight 48kg
Boxed Weight 53kg
Boxed Dimensions - 142L x 33W x 66H cm
Warranty - 2 Years parts and labor; 5-year frame guarantee upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.

This is the low budget option and does what it says on the tin. It gets you a convenient bike for occasional use with no bells and whistles. Think about your user profile and what you enjoy and decide accordingly.

Pros of the GX 4.7R

The pros of the GX 4.7 Pro are:

Price
Price
Price

I do not really have a lot else to say about this bike. It is cheap and cheerful for a Nordictrack bike and gives you a screen, pedals, seat, and bars to get going. But that is about it. So if you love spending as little as possible, go for this one. If your budget stretches to 1000, which admittedly, is double the price of this bike, go for the GX 4.6 which is better value for money.

Cons of the GX 4.7 R

The cons of the Nordictrack GX 4.7R are:

No touchscreen
No Bluetooth
Smallest flywheel

The GX 4.7R comes without a touchscreen or Bluetooth. This means that many modern ways of doing exercise from home or without disturbing the person next to you in the gym are simply not convenient to do. The lack of Bluetooth is a general oversight in the Nordictrack bike portfolio and is amplified in their cheaper models as they also lack other features. Still, you can not expect to save money and get a lot of features when you buy a new model.

Alternatives to the GX 4.7R

Alternatives to the GX 4.7R are:

The GX 4.6 Nordictrack bike is, in my opinion, the best value for money option in the Nordictrack bike line up for the UK. IT comes with a big flywheel, heart rate monitor, and a touch screen. With these features, you at least keep a connection with the current industry standard rather than being left completely behind. If you intend to use your bike for 3 - 5 years and have fun with it, spend the extra money if a bike is all you are getting. If you just want a bike fast and cheap, stick with the GX 4.7.

The concept 2 model D is a rower which is roughly in the same price range as the GX 4.6. A rower has the advantage that it can be hung on the wall when you do not use it. The model D is also the flagship of concept 2 and therefore a safe bet for maintenance and spare parts. The GX 4.7 might leave you with bottlenecks for both down the line.

The Rogue echo bike os my personal favorite for home gyms. It is solid, has a good, simple design, and makes your sweat drip hard. It has not been designed for entertainment but for performance. I personally like that approach, but it is not for everyone. Apart from this it is slightly more expensive than the GX 4.7 and therefore might be ruled out by some.

Summary for the GX 4.7R

Cheap and cheerful sums it up quite well. If you only have a couple of bucks left after planning out your entire gym and want to cram in a bike as an afterthought, this is the one. Maybe just to keep the wife and the kids happy. If you want to crush a lot of miles and care about longevity, this is not the bike for you.

Overview and review of the Nordictrack GX 4.4 Pro 649 / 799 (UK / US)

This article discusses the pros, cons, and alternatives for the Nordictrack GX 4.4.This review was originally posted in “Which Nordictrack bike to get”. Follow the links for more details.

The NordicTrack GX 4.4 is the little brother of the GX 4.6 which has been stripped of the touchscreen and heart rate monitor. The GX line is only available in the UK and has been replaced with the "Grand Tour" line in the US undergoing a rebranding. The main features of the GX 4.4 are its 5-inch Backlit Display, 9kg flywheel, and 125kg max capacity. The full list of features includes:

5" Backlit Display
iFit Bluetooth - 1 Years Membership Included
Smart BlueTooth (BLE) Chestbelt Compatible
Dual 2-Inch Speakers

Upright Frame
9kg Flywheel
25 Digital Resistance Levels
Onetouch™ Controls
EKG Handgrips
125kg Max User Weight

Oversized Cushioned Seat
Vertical and Horizontal Seat Adjustment
Extra-wide Ergonomic Pedals with Adjustable Straps
AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan

Water Bottle Holder
Product Weight 48kg
Box Weight 57kg
Front-mounted Transport Wheels
30 Workouts Apps
Assembled Dimensions - 105L x 59W x 161H cm
Boxed Dimensions - 108L x 65W x 39H cm
Warranty - 2 Years parts and labor; 5-year frame guarantee upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.

This bike shaves off 350 pounds compared to its bigger brother, the GX 4.6. This is achieved by swapping the 7-inch touch screen for a 5-inch backlit screen, getting a smaller flywheel, and not shipping a heart rate monitor with the machine. This is the middle of the G series from Nordictrack available in the UK. You are compromising on features and on price.

Pros of the Nordictrack GX 4.4

The pros of the NordicTrack GX 4.4 are:

Middle of the lower price range
Focuses on the essential
Bigger flywheel than GX 4.7

The GX 4.4 is the middle of the lower price range of bikes that are available from Nordictrack in the UK. With this, it is the ideal model for someone who does not want to make a decision between saving money and having a lot of features while not spending more than 1000. If this is how you buy, this is the bike for you.

The GX 4.4 focuses on the essentials and delivers a display for entertainment and a solid bike to crunch some miles. No-fuss made and still not too cheap to make you worry about the quality of the product.

Compared to the cheapest bike in the UK Nordictrack line up, the GX 4.7, the GX 4.4 has a bigger flywheel and therefore will last longer. Whether that warrants 200 pounds more at the time of writing is a different matter.

Cons of the Nordictrack GX 4.4

The cons of the Nordictrack GX 4.4 are:

Too many compromises
No touchscreen
Old Nordictrack model

The biggest point for me about the GX 4.4 is that it makes too many compromises for my tastes. If you are looking into the G series or Grand tour line up of Nordictrack you have decided to spend around 1000 for your home gym cardio equipment. With this you have already ruled out premium features like big inclines or screens. With the GX 4.4 you even further compromise on the lower end and neither save a lot of money or have a great experience. Not all brains are as black and white like mine but either go for the GX 4.6, if you want the ease of use and a great experience for around 1000 or go with the GX 4.7 and maximize your savings to spend on other equipment or a weekend away.

While you are still spending around 700 pounds on the GX 4.4 you neither get a timely screen or a very solid bike. Again the 4.4 is over-compromised. Either get a bike you can abuse the heck out of and has not a lot of entertainment or get a bike that entertains but can not take that much of a beating. This all depends on your user profile and what is important to you personally.

The last point about the GX 4.4 is that it is part of a family of products that is very likely to go end of life and continued under the "Grand Tour" line of product of Nordictrack. The GX bikes are available for purchase in the UK but no in the US. As the Nordictrack headquarters is in the US you can make some predictions about the distribution of models that will first be available in the US and then stretch to other parts of the globe like Europe.

Alternatives to the Nordictrack GX 4.4

Alternatives to the Nordictrack GX 4.4 are:

The GX 4.6 is the big brother of the GX 4.4. In my opinion, this is the best value for money bike from Nordictrack you can get in the 1000 budget bracket. The main differences to the GX 4.4 are that the heart rate monitor is included and, a bigger flywheel and a touch screen. As the price is currently 300 pounds higher than for the GX 4.4 you get a better screen, flywheel, and heart rate monitor for 100 pounds each. I think that is a good deal and will leave you with a more complete experience to maximize the entertainment and training options. If I buy a Nordictrack bike for under 1000 I would always go for the GX 4.6 over the GX 4.4 as I don't like to buy twice or disappointments.

The GX 4.7 is the better option for penny pinchers. I personally hate penny-pinching as it usually annoys me to look long for things and do not enjoy the process of hunting for bargains. But, if you love this and want to save every possible penny you can save, then the GX 4.7 is the better option than the GX 4.4. For saving around 200 pounds you get a smaller flywheel and squeezed everything from the G line while still getting a functioning bike.

The SE3i elliptical is the smallest rear-drive elliptical you can get from Nordictrack. This places it in the same budget bracket as the GX 4.4. Ellipticals are usually a better option when you want to accommodate the entire family rather than just the cycle enthusiast. Remember that your gym will take up community space in the home and you might want to compromise a little. In a commercial setting, an elliptical can tend to more clients than just people who are interested in biking. Beware of low ceilings with ellipticals.

The C700 is the smallest treadmill in the Nordictrack line up. This is a great treadmill for anyone who wants to walk indoors and who does not want to spend too much. If you run a retirement home and want to get people to walk more without having them out and about, this can be a good option. Maybe all the families chip in to get two of those. If you are a serious runner who puts more than 1oo miles a week on their machine, stay way clear from the C700.

The concept 2 model D rower is a good alternative if you want to take more care of your upper body when you do your cardio. Concept 2 is the worldwide industry gold standard on rowers and model D is their best seller. A great option for rowers over bikes is that you can hang them on the wall to save space. This usually does not work that well with bikes. Commercial buyers will appreciate that package deals for buying rowers in bulk from Concept 2 are easier to obtain than for Nordictrack products.

My personal favorite for home gym deployment is the Rogue Echo bike. The design focuses on a sturdy frame, cutting out all amenities except a saddle and pedals. This machine is not designed to entertain but make you sweat. For about 700 you get a machine that can take abuse and will last for a lifetime. The downside is that it will not keep you engaged that much. You will have to want to grind for this model.

Summary for the Nordictrack GX 4.4

The GX 4.4 is one of these products that emerge when the vendor wants to combine a middle option on all features. The flywheel is ok, but not great. The Screen is ok, but not great. Combined with being in the lowest budget bracket that usually does not create a great product. I get the thought process, but if you are already penny-pinching, go all the way to the floor or try to get the most value for each penny you spent. The GX 4.4 does neither of these.