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Nordictrack S10i vs X9i

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Oct 30, 2020 4:00:00 PM

Nordictrack S10i vs X9i

This is a comparison of the Nordictrack S10i and X9i including pros, cons, and alternatives . Follow the links for more details.

 

Overview and review of the X9i 2199

Overview of the Nordictrack X9i

 
The X9i treadmill comes in at a price of 2199 pounds at the time of writing. Its main features are the 3 horsepower motor, 40% incline, and 7-inch touch screen. With this, it is a treadmill at the higher end of the price spectrum and relatively big features and incline and screen real estate.  The full list of features runs as follows:
 
  • 7" HD Touch Screen Display
  • iFit Integrated
  • Smart BlueTooth Chestbelt included
  • Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
  • Dual 3-Inch Speakers
  • Reflex™ Cushioning
  • Tablet Holder Included
  • 55 x 152 cm Tread Belt
 
  • Dual AutoBreeze™ Workout Fans
  • 3.6 CHP Motor
  • 0 – 40% Incline - 0 – 6% Power Decline
  • 0 – 20 km/h Speed
  • 2.5” Precision-machined and
    Balanced Non-flex Rollers
  • EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Monitor
  • 135kg Max User Weight
  • Out-of-the-box Easy Assembly
  • Large Boxed Item - This item can only be delivered or delivered and installed to a ground floor room location.
  • Free Installation Included With Mainland Customers
  • Product Weight 135kg
  • Boxed Weight 175kg
  • Assembled Dimensions - 178L x 100W x 181H cm
  • Boxed Dimensions - 227L x 103W x 64H cm
  • Warranty - Lifetime Frame Warranty, 10-year Motor Warranty, 2-Year Parts & Labour upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.
 
All of this makes the X9 a good machine for the UK market if you are interested in a 40% incline and a touchscreen. 
 

Pros of the Nordictrack X9i 

 
The pros of the X9i are 
 
  • 40% Incline
  • 7-inch touch screen
The X9i shines on the incline and the touch screen options. This is a high-end treadmill that you can either use at home or in a commercial setting. 
 

Cons of the Nordictrack X9i

 
  • Price
  • Older model
2000 pounds is a high price for a treadmill either to buy for your home or in bulk. Really think hard about whether you will need the 40% incline on a regular as this is the main reason for driving the price up. If you only will use it occasionally you might want to look into other options with less incline. 
 
Another point is that the X9i is one of the older models in the Nordictrack incline treadmills line up. The newer models are the X11i, x22i, and the X32i. These models are not available in the UK yet, but you may want to have a close look at the US website first. Especially if you can wait for half a year to a year with your purchase.  
 

Alternatives to the Nordictrack X9i

 
Alternatives to the Nordictrakc X9i are:
 
 
The Nordictrack FS5i is a three in one elliptical which can be used as a stepper, treadmill, and elliptical which is available in the UK. This might be the better choice for someone who buys for use at home by multiple people. Especially the fitness levels are a bit lower. A commercial buyer might not want to go this way, is the ellipticals with the flywheel in the middle are more error-prone than the front / rear-drive flywheels or treadmills. Commercial buyers with space might want to split up their fleet in specialized machines. 
 
If you are really sure that you need the 40% incline but want to save a little bit of money you can go for the X7i instead of the X9i. It is basically the same machine, except that the screen is not a touch screen. This city a little of the budget while you still almost get the same specifications for what you are buying. If you are insisting on a 40% incline and think that this is your main use case you right also want to look at the VersaClimber product range. This is usually the better pick for maximizing the calories burned per minute.
 
The Nordictrack C7.5 would be the treadmill of choice of you ditch the idea of a 40% incline. This is a solid machine for home or commercial use which is more affordable and still does the trick. Definitely look in this area of the Nordictrack portfolio if you think %40 is overkill (which I would say in 999 out of 1000 cases).
 
The last option would be to go for something completely different. The Rogue Echo bike coma in at a price of about 700 pounds. It is compact, easy to move, and you can burn a lot of calories per minute with the interval settings. This is the machine that I got for my personal gym as I prefer tor un outdoors. 
 

Summary for the Nordictrack X9i

 
Nordictrack X9i is one of the most modern incline treadmills available for the UK market from Nordictrack at the moment. Still, you are investing a lot of money into a machine that has been overtaken with new models in the US. I am personally not a fan of spending a lot of money on something which I know will be outdated very soon. Combined with the fact that most people do not get a lot of use out of the 40% incline option the X9i is not one of my favorite options and would go for the X7i instead to save some money if you are insisting on 40%.
 

Overview and review of the Nordictrack S10i 1699 (UK)

This article discusses the pros, cons, and alternatives for the Nordictrack S10i.This review was originally posted in “Which Nordictrack bike to get”. Follow the links for more details.

 
The S10i is the oldest bike from Nordictrack in the S line up and is currently only available for purchase in the UK. I would expect that after the available stocks are sold, this model will go end of life. The main features of the S10i are the 10 inch Touch screen, 20% incline, and the free dumbbells which come with the purchase. The full list of features includes:
 
  • 10” Smart HD Touchscreen
  • Free Ground Floor Installation Included
  • Watts Power Readout
  • Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
  • Auxiliary Music Port
  • Two 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers
  • Ergonomic Padded Saddle
  • AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
  • Non-slip, Multi-position Handlebar
  • Vertical & Horizontal Seat Adjustment
  • Inertia-enhanced Flywheel
  • -10% – 20% Incline
  • SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
  • OneTouch® Controls
  • Enhanced Corrosion Resistance
  • Large Diameter Adjustable Leveling Feet
  • 22 Digital Resistance Levels
  • 150 kg User Capacity
  • Commercial Grade Steel Construction
  • Dual Water Bottle Holders
  • Two 3 Lb. Dumbbells Included
  • Compatible with Standard Road Bike Pedals & Seat
  • Front-mounted Transport Wheels
  • Assembled Dimensions - 140 L x 56 W x 141 H cm
  • Warranty - 2 Years parts and labor; 5-year frame guarantee upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.
If you want a bike from Nordictrack with a 20% incline, this is the best value for money you can get as long as you do not mind the smaller screen compared to the rest of the S line. 
 

Pros of the Nordictrack S10i

 
The pros of the S10i are:
 
  • Money to incline ratio
  • Touch screen 
 
The biggest pro of the S10i is the amount of money you spent on the incline. Currently,  this is the cheapest option in the Nordictrack bike line up to get your hands on a 20% incline. The trade-off is a 10inch touch screen which is the smallest compared to the S line models. 
 
For this price range, it is also good to get a touch screen instead of a backlit or LED screen. Other models in the same price range might not provide a touch screen as the S10i used to be the flagship bike when Nordictrack made the swing from Backlit to touch screen displays. 
 

Cons of the S10i 

 
The cons of the S10i are
 
  • No Bluetooth
  • Small touch screen 
  • Oldest model out of the S line
As with the entire S line, the S10i also only has an aux rather than Bluetooth compatibility. This is an oversight of Nordictrack as they did modernize the screens, but did not upgrade the frames for the S series. If engineering had looked for Touch screens with inbuilt Bluetooth they would not have the problem of offering 1000 - 2000 bikes which you can not hook up to your Bluetooth earphones. 
 
If you care about screen real estate than this bike is the worst option in the S line. I also think this is the wrong way of looking at this bike. If you buy it, buy it for the incline, not for the screen. If a big screen is your main concern and you want to save money you can go for the Grand Tour Pro in the US and save some money while still getting a 10inch. 
 
Another downside is that S10i is the oldest model in the S line of bikes from Nordictrack. You can not buy it in the US anymore while it is still available in the UK. If you do not mind fixing things yourself or you are not a heavy user this is no problem. But if you are a gym owner who wants to buy ten of these and use them for 5 years, then you might want to opt for a newer model. 
 

Alternatives to the S10i 

 
Alternatives to the S10i bike are
 
 
The S40 treadmill is part of the older range of treadmills which is still available in the UK. If you want a treadmill which is cheaper now, as it got a bit out of date but was one of the best in its heyday, this is the one to get. 
 
The T7.5 treadmill is currently the best-balanced treadmill of Nordictrack in the lower price range around 1500.  It is also still being sold in the US which makes it a safer investment than the S40 for commercial use. 
 
The 12.9i elliptical from Nordictrack would be a price neutral option if you want to accommodate for more fitness levels in your house. It is usually easier to strike a balance for all users with an elliptical than with a bike. This assumes that you can fit an elliptical in the dedicated space, as they are considerably bigger than the bikes. 
 
The concept 2 model D rower is always a good alternative to safe money when you buy in bulk or can hang it on the wall in a home gym. With the concept 2 model D you can push the cost for your cardio machine under 1000 and own a proven industry standard. Most people think of the concept 2 model D when they think of a rowing machine. Unless they watched too much house of cards. 
 
The Rogue echo bike is my personal favorite for home gym use. This machine is as solid as a tank and has been stripped to the bare necessities to make you sweat. Based on this it comes in at a very competitive price point of around 700. If you are a no-nonsense weekend warrior you can get the Rogue Echo bike and some heavy kettlebells for the price of one S10i bike and get cracking.
 

Summary for the Nordictrack S10i

 
The S10i bike is a great option for someone who does not mind the exercises provided via Ifit too much and already has a screen in their gym. If you are looking for a 20% incline bike of high quality without a lot of entertainment attached to it, this is the machine for you. 10inch used to be the best of the best, but in a time of 32-inch screens latched onto cardio machines the S10i just fell behind. 
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