Nordictrack GX 4.4 vs VU19

This is a comparison of the Nordictrack GX 4.4 and VU19 including pros, cons, and alternatives . Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Nordictrack VU 19 999 (US)

This article discusses the pros, cons, and alternatives for the Nordictrack VU19.This review was originally posted in “Which Nordictrack bike to get”. Follow the links for more details.

The Nordictrack VU 19 is an upgraded version of the old G series. Its main features are a 7-inch touchscreen, 19lb flywheel, and 325 lb. capacity. The main difference to the G series is that the Ipad holder has been moved from the front of the display to above. This way you can see your stats while also being on your Ipad at the same time. The full list of features reads:

7” Smart HD Color Touchscreen
Includes 1-Year NordicTrack iFit® membership**
Integrated Pivoting Tablet Holder
Auxiliary Music Port
AC Adapter Included
Two 2” Bluetooth® Compatible Speakers

Upright Frame
19 Lb. Inertia-enhanced Flywheel
SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
24 Digital Resistance Levels
325 Lb. User Weight Capacity
EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Monitor
NordicTrack iFit Bluetooth® Smart Chest Strap

Oversized Cushion Seat
Vertical & Horizontal Seat Adjustment
Extra-wide, Ergonomic Foot Pedals with Adjustable Strap
AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan

32 On-board Workouts
Front-mounted Transport Wheels
43.6" L x 24.9" W x 59.4" H Footprint
10-Year Frame Warranty
2-Year Parts Warranty
1-Year Labor Warranty

the VU 19 is a solid middle of the portfolio option for bikes in the NordicTrack portfolio. If you want a reasonable coverage on all relevant features for an upright bike from Nordictrack, this is the one to go for without going over 1000.

Pros of the Nordictrack VU 19

The pros of the VU 19 are:

Well balanced
7-inch touch screen
Gadgets are not in the way

The VU 19 is a well-balanced bike that covers all bases without breaking the bank. If you do not want to think too hard about your bike purchase from Nordictrack and have 1000 to spare, this is the right model to get. Think of it as the Volkswagen Golf from Nordictrack. Does everything well, looks good, but does not impress too much.

The 7-inch touch screen will keep you in striking distance of current technology trends in cardio equipment. The screens are getting bigger and bigger and the classes more interactive. A small backlit display or even led based display will leave you behind and make the experience less engaging. A 7-inch display is a good compromise to not break the bank as some models go up to 32-inch.

A final little touch is that NordicTrack finally managed to move the holder for gadgets out of the way of the touch screen. On older models like the VR21 or some of the GX bikes the gadget holder would put your tablet right in front of your Nordictrack touch screen. This way you could not see the status of your workout.

Cons of the Nordictrack VU 19

cons of the Nordictrack VU19 are:

No Bluetooth headphones
No big screen
No incline

A big oversight in the design of the Nordictrack touch screens and electronics is that you can not project their sound onto Bluetooth headphones. The Bluetooth speakers are a step in the right direction, but still do not go all the way. I listen to heavy metal when i workout... loud. I can not do that on a bike that I have at home at 6 am in the morning unless it is in a separate building. That would be reason enough for me to not buy any NordicTrack bike.

A 7-inch screen is rather small compared to the 10-,14-,22- and 32-inch options that are out there. Be aware that the new content that NordicTrack will put out will assume bigger and bigger screens and optimize the layout of the classes and menus accordingly. If you have the extra money to spend you might want to go for one of the S10i or S15i models instead.

The VU 19 has no incline option available. This keeps the bike under the 1000 threshold, but at the same time limits you from getting everything out of your Ifit subscription or cover all the possible rides you want to do. For an occasional cyclists, this will not be a deal-breaker, but someone with a serious performance goal might want to consider to invest 200 to 500 more to also get an incline function.

Alternatives to the Nordictrack VU 19

These are alternatives to the Nordictrack VU19 that are in the same budget range:

The Nordictrack VR21 costs about the same as the VU 19 but is a recumbent bike. If you want a more comfortable ride or your hand free while exercising, this is the bike to go for.

The NordicTrack C700 is the cheapest treadmill you can currently get from the NordicTrack website. This is a good option for joggers or walkers who do not like sitting in a saddle for their daily calorie burn. It is not a great option for runners who put a lot of abuse on their treadmill in terms of speed, distance or a combination of the two.

The concept 2 model D is the industry standard for indoor rowing all over the world. If you like to sit while you are exercising, but want to turn it into a full-body workout, the rower is a good option. Another bonus is that you can hang a rower on the wall after use to save space. That does really work for most bikes unless they are foldable.

The Rogue echo bike is my personal favorite for weekend warriors who want to push their limits at home. This machine has been stripped of most multimedia options to provide a frame that can take a lot of abuse. If you want to put your phone an a counter, blast yourself with heavy metal, and do intervals until you fall off the bike, this is the machine for you.

Summary for the NordicTrack VU19

The Nordictrack VU19 is a well-balanced bike from Nordictrack at a good price which took care of design flaws of former generations of NordicTrack bikes. St the moment it is only available in the US and not in the UK, but that might change when they start to distribute worldwide.

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.