Nordictrack S22i vs GX 4.6
This is a comparison of the Nordictrack S22i and GX 4.6 including pros, cons, and alternatives . Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Nordictrack GX 4.6 Pro 999 (UK)
This article discusses the pros, cons, and alternatives for the Nordictrack GX 4.6.This review was originally posted in “Which Nordictrack bike to get”. Follow the links for more details.
Related articles
The
NordicTrack GX4.6 is one of the first bike models from Norictrack that you can get under 1000. At the time of writing it is only available for purchase in the UK and not in the US which points towards that this model might go end of life soon. In the states, this line of bikes has been rebranded to the "
Grand Tour" line. The main features of the
GX4.6 are its 7-inch touchscreen display, 11kg flywheel, and a maximum capacity of 130kg. The full list of features reads as followed:
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7" HD Touchscreen Display
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iFit Integrated
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Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
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Integrated Pivoting Tablet Holder
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Dual 2" Speakers
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Upright Frame
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11kg Inertia-enhanced Flywheel
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SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
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24 Digital Resistance Levels
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Max User Weight 130kg
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EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Monitor
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BLE Chestbelt Compatible
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Front-mounted Transport Wheels
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Product Weight 47kg
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Boxed Weight 51kg
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Assembled Dimensions - 94L x 63W x 156H cm
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Boxed Dimensions - 107L x 36W x 64H cm
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Warranty - 2 Years parts and labor; 5-year frame guarantee upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase
Overall the
GX 4.6 is a solid bike that ticks all of the boxes. You will get a heart rate monitor, in build screen to surf the internet or use Ifit and a bigger flywheel. All of this not at a crazy price tag as for the S line of upright bikes from Nordictrack.
Pros of the GX 4.6
This upright bike comes with everything you need in the box. Especially for home gym owners this is a good option without breaking the bank. You have everything in one place and do not need to buy extra things which then come later in the post and mess up the experience. For 1000 this is a solid bike which borders between home and commercial use without breaking the bank. Commercial gyms might want to consider that some members might expect more from you in times of 32inch touchscreens and mega rigs. Still, if you run a no-nonsense gym this bike will do its work for the members who want to use one.
Cons of the Nordictrack GX 4.6
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No Bluetooth
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No Incline
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No massive screen
The lack of Bluetooth is an oversight in most of the Nordictrack bike line up. If you want to use your bose earphones with your new purchase you will be disappointed. That might be reason enough for some buyers to turn towards a different brand or model. No Bluetooth will also make it harder to pair your data from your polar or another device which you use for outdoor cycles with the data from The
GX 4.6. Of course, this is only relevant if you are already an avid outdoor cyclist.
Compared to the Nordictrack S series you will also get no incline with this model. The gap to the
S10i is 700 pounds. For this amount of money, you can get a second bike without an incline. So if you want a touchscreen under 1000 you will have to bite the bullet in the Nordictrack portfolio and not get an incline function.
Since Peloton entered the market there has been a shift of cardio equipment to attach bigger and bigger screens. If you buy into this trend than the
GX 4.6 is quite far behind the curve with a 7-inch touch screen. However, big screens are costly and you will be hard-pressed to find models under 2000 with a 22-inch or even 32-inch screens
Alternatives to the Nordictrack GX 4.6
Alternatives to the Nordictrack
GX 4.6 are:
The
SE5i is in the same price range as the
GX 4.6 and is a rear-drive elliptical. The console is very similar to the
GX 4.6. The
SE5i can be a good compromise for gyms with very limited space or home gyms. Not everyone likes the pounding of a treadmill or sitting in a saddle to get their cardio in. A rear-drive elliptical can be a compromise to cover all your members of the gym or family.
The
GX 4.4 is the little brother of the
Nordictrack GX 4.6. IT has no integrated touchscreen and comes without a heart rate monitor at a slightly lower price. If you are torn between the
GX 4.4 and the
GX 4.6 I would recommend getting the
GX 4.6. You are spending minimally more money on cardio equipment terms and get a better value for money options. With the
GX 4.4 you will have to invest in a heart monitor and attach your iPad to the machine to get to the same level of convenience. If you drop your iPad in the process and it breaks it already does not justify the money you saved for buying the
GX 4.4 instead of the
4.6.
The
concept 2 model D is the classic rower and the industry-standard for this fitness segment worldwide. If you prefer to row instead of biking to burn your calories than the
concept 2 model D is probably your best bet. In addition to a similar price tag you can also hang the rower on the wall to save space. This is usually not a good option with upright cardio bikes.
My personal favorite for use in a home gym is the
Rogue Echo bike. It is compact, has been stripped of most unnecessary entertainment and build like a tank. The
Echo bike will give you everything you need to push yourself and last a lifetime. Still, if you prefer something less beefy and with some entertainment, the
GX 4.6 is the better choice.
Summary for the Nordictrack GX 4.6
The
Nordictrack GX 4.6 is situated in the middöe of the Nordic track portfolio and covers all bases. You will not get the best of the best but also not break the bank. If you just want a solid bike and not out too much thought into your purchase, this is the model to get.
Overview and review of the Nordictrack S22i 2499 /1999 (UK/US)
This article discusses the pros, cons, and alternatives for the Nordictrack S22i. This review was originally posted in “Which Nordictrack bike to get”. Follow the links for more details.
The
Nordictrack S22i stationary bike is the flagship bike in the current Nordictrack portfolio. Its main features are its 20% incline, 22 HD Touchscreen and the included 3lb dumbbells to be able to do full-body workouts on this machine. This is the bike to get if you want to max out all features with Nordictrack and you are not afraid of paying up to do so. The full feature list includes:
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22” Smart HD Touchscreen
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Free Ground Floor Installation Included
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Watts Power Readout
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Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
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Auxiliary Music Port
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Two 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers
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Inertia-enhanced Flywheel
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Powergrade Incline & Decline Drive System
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-10% – 20% Incline
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SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
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OneTouch™ Controls
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Enhanced Corrosion Resistance
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Large Diameter Adjustable Leveling Feet
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22 Digital Resistance Levels
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150 kg User Capacity
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Commercial Grade Steel Construction
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Dual Water Bottle Holders
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Two 3 Lb. Dumbbells Included
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Assembled Dimensions - 140 L x 55 W x 146H cm
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Front-mounted Transport Wheels
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Compatible with Standard Road Bike Pedals & Seat
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Warranty - 2 Years parts and labour; 5 year frame guarantee upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.
This is a great machine for very dedicated home gym owners or to impress your clients in a commercial gym. You can also customize it at home, in case you want to make it feel more like your outdoor experience.
Pros of the S22i
The pros of the
S22i are:
It is possible to exchange the seat of the
S22i with the one you are already using for your outdoor bike. The same goes for the pedals. This is usually a good option for anyone who already cycles a lot outside and has a semi-professional or even professional setup with their current bike. You can clip into the pedals and give it your all. Still, less experienced cyclists will also get a fully functioning setup with good pedals and a seat.
The massive 22-inch screen on the
S22i is one of the main factors which drives price. It even has an HDMI connector to take up even more screen real estate. This can interesting if you want to run classes with inexperienced trainers. You just buy the
S22i for the instructor and get some other bikes, which are a bit cheaper, in bulk. Hook up the main bike to a projector and you have a good group setup which is not too expensive. I can not really see how you would want even more screen estate at home. I personally think the 22 inch is even overkill. But go for it, if you want to tread yourself.
The
S22i bike also comes with an incline/decline system so that you can simulate hill climbs and downhill biking in the sense of the tour de france. You will not recreate the experience of a mountain bike on this, but it is a very good option to take challenging tracks indoors and simulate them when you combine the bike with the Ifit subscription.
The
S22i also comes with a good sound system that will fill the room with the music and instructions from the available Ifit exercises. This will be needed as the bike does not come with Bluetooth to hook up your earphones to it.
Cons of the S22i
The cons of the
S22i are:
You will have to watch and tighten the seat and the pedals regularly, especially if you are a heavy user. If you compare this to a street bike, it will be more maintenance than you are used to. Still, if you are an average user, you will probably experience this less.
The pedals are attached to an inertia flywheel which means that they will keep moving even if you break. If you are used to using indoor machines and ellipticals this is something you are already familiar with. If you are a very dedicated outdoor cyclist who bought the
S22i to press even more miles into a week than spend a little to get used to the mechanics. They are different from how your street bike would react and you might hurt yourself if you want to break at high speed instinctively.
A big oversight for a stationary bike with such a high price tag is that you can not use Bluetooth with the machine. If you are already investing in such a big touch screen it is very safe to assume that you want to make heavy use of the preprogrammed I Fit content. For this, you can not hook the sound up to your earphone. This is bad for use at home or in a gym. For such a high price I would expect Bluetooth to be included.
Another con to the
S22i is weight capacity. Officially it only goes up to 150kg. If you want to get active to lose some weight, you might want to look at the ellipticals or heavy-duty treadmills to use for walking. Possible models can be the
X22i treadmill or the
SE7i elliptical.
Alternatives to the S22i
The
Nordictrack 1750 will cost you roughly the same as the
S22i bike. With this, you will get one of the most well-balanced treadmills in the Nordictrack portfolio.
1750 is the bread butter machine of Nordictrack and leaves little to be desired if you are an average user or heavy user who does not need a massive incline or screen. Compared to the
S22i you get a smaller screen and in return a very reliable treadmill which is good value for money. Of course, this is will take up more space in your home compared to a bike.
The
Nordictrack X11i is in the same price range as the
Nordictrack 1750. With this treadmill, you will get a whopping 40% incline. It is one of the least costly treadmills out of the 40% incline line up from Nordictrack. If you are a dedicated runner who wants all options on the incline or just wants to maximize calorie burn per minute, this might be the better option. Keep in mind, that a treadmill will have bigger space requirements than a bike.
The
FS7i elliptical is the most modern elliptical to date from Nordictrack which you can get in the UK and a solid mid-range option in the US. The free stride technology makes this machine a stepper, treadmill, and elliptical in one machine. If you like the cushioned experience of ellipticals and have a good balance, this might be an option for you. The only downsides to this machine are that it is more error-prone than ellipticals with a set range of motion and that you need to get used to how to balance on the machine. Compared to the
S22i you will get a smaller screen, it will take up more space, but it will be more friendly for users with a lower fitness level and provide more options for your home gym. Good buy to make the entire family happy, if the most sporty person in the household is willing to compromise.
The
concept 2 model D rower is an option for anyone who prefers rowing over biking. You will also save about 1000 compared to the
S22i. The
concept 2 model D rower is a good option fur budget home gym owners or commercial gyms who want to buy in bulk. You can also hang these rowers on the wall quite easily to save space, once you have the right hooks for it.
The
Rogue Echo Bike is my personal favorite as a choice for a home gym bike with no bells and whistles. It is built like a tank and has been stripped of most of the multimedia features which I find unnecessary. This airbike will take any abuse and has everything on board to get you sweating for around 700 bucks. If you do not need to be motivated by fancy colors and screens, this is a solid bet.
Summary for the Nordictrack S22i
The
S22i is a great piece of equipment for the dedicated home gym owner who likes to be entertained while he or she is cycling. It can also be a viable option for boutique gyms who want to make their clients feel special and buy in small quantities. That there is no Bluetooth option for the price tag is a major let down. Budget-conscious home gym owners or commercial gyms which have more than 20 people in the cardio area at peaks will not find this to be a viable option because of the high price tag.