Nordictrack GX 4.7R vs Schwinn Airdyne Pro
This is a comparison between the Nordictrack GX 4.7R 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.
Further reading
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.
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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:
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5" Backlit Display
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1 Year iFit Membership Included
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Smart BlueTooth (BLE) Chestbelt Compatible
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Dual 2-Inch Speakers
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Recumbent Frame
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Step Thru™ Design
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7kg Flywheel
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22 Digital Resistance Levels
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Onetouch™ Controls
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EKG Handgrips
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125kg Max User Weight
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Lumbar Supported Cushioned Seat
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Horizontal Seat Adjustment
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Extra-wide Ergonomic Pedals with Adjustable Straps
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AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
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Front-mounted Transport Wheels
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Water Bottle Holder
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Tablet Shelf
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24 Workouts Apps
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Assembled Dimensions - 137L x 64W cm x 131H cm
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Product Weight 48kg
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Boxed Weight 53kg
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Boxed Dimensions - 142L x 33W x 66H cm
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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
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Price
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Price
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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
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No touchscreen
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No Bluetooth
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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
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.