NordicTrack T7.5 treadmill vs FS7i elliptical

This is a comparison between the Nordictrack T7.5 treadmill and the FS7i elliptical including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

 

 

 

 

 

Related Articles

• Which treadmill to get in the US?
• Which elliptical to get in the US?
• Which treadmill to get in the UK?
• Which elliptical to get in the UK?
• Should I run on a treadmill or outside?
• How many calories do you burn on a treadmill?
• How a treadmill works
• How a treadmill calculates calories

 

The FS7i Free stride is the oldest model in the Free stride elliptical range of Nordictrack. Its main features are the 7-inch touch screen, 20-pound flywheel, and 10% incline. This is a solid free stride model at a reasonable price and the full list of features includes: 

 

• 7” Smart HD Touchscreen
• Includes 1-Year NordicTrack iFit® membership**
• Pivoting Integrated Tablet Holder
• Auxiliary Music Port
• Two 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers

• AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
• SoftTouch™ Upper Body Grips
• Oversized Cushion Pedals

• Center Drive
• 20 Lb. Effective Inertia-Enhanced Flywheel
• SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
• 32" Auto-Adjustable Stride
• 24 Digital Resistance Levels
• Power Adjustable 0 – 10% Incline
• OneTouch® Controls
• Commercial Solid Steel Construction
• iFit® Bluetooth® Smart Chest Strap Included
• Oversized Levelers
• 375 Lb. User Capacity

• 35 On-board Workouts
• Transport Wheels
• Water Bottle Holder
• 58.5" L x 29.5" W x 74" H Footprint
• 10-Year Frame Warranty
• 2-Year Parts Warranty
• 1-Year Labor Warranty

 

 

The pros of the FS7i are:

 

 

The three in one design makes this machine especially interesting for home gym owners or for boutique gyms that do not have the space to fit out multiple machines for different preferences of their clients. As long as you have enough balance and finesse to control the floating experience this is a big bonus.

 

The price of the FS7i for the type of engineering it provides is also good. The FS10i and FS9i are quite a bit apart from the FS7i in price. So if you want to invest in a free stride machine from Nordictrack without completely breaking the bank, this can be a good option. 

 

If you are a tall athlete and can not work with the shorter stride of the front and rear drive ellipticals than the free stride provides 32inches of stride length which can be varied. If you want to train for a longer stride for your long-distance runs, this is the machine to get. 

 

The last pro of the FS7i is the novel experience you will have compared to a treadmill or traditional elliptical. This machine will make it varied and interesting for many days to come. 

 

 

The cons of the FS7i are: 

 

 

The free-floating experience of the Nordictrack free stride series is not for everyone. If you like the stable, predictable rotation of traditional ellipticals from your local gym, stick with a front or rear-drive elliptical. 

 

The FS7i has more moving parts than traditional ellipticals to create the three in one experience. More moving üarts means more parts that can break, This is a relevant consideration for any commercial buyer that wants to invest in a fleet of machines. Homebuyers will very likely not put enough miles on a machine. Just take extra care that no one walks into the machine while you are exercising.

 

As the FS7i has its flywheel in the center you can not attach a big screen to it. Front-drive ellipticals are a better fit for that as they provide a stable rest for a big screen to be attached. 

 

As with all ellipticals they have quite a low-calorie burn per minute given that you put in the same amount of effort. This is the price of comfort and having less stress on your joints while exercising.

 

 

Alternatives to the FS7i are:

 

 

The Nordictrack 12.9i is a front-drive elliptical in the same price range as the FS9i. The bigger flywheel and fixed ellipsis make it a better option for mass roll out or if you feel uncertain about the three in one design of the FS7i.

 

The Nordictrack FS10i is the newest model in the free stride line p of Nordictrack. Compared to the FS9I and the FS7i it has the best value for money ration at $2999. This might be a limited time offer due to the developments of 2020, so stay tuned and observe how prices develop when Nordictrack starts to roll out this model globally.

 

The VersaClimber H/HP is the home version of the VersaClimber. It has limited warranties to make the price more palatable for the home buyer. If you want to maximize your calories burned per second and train your calves like mad, this is the machine to go for.

 

The concept 2 rower is the classic machine for endurance training with low impact. You will also have less friction in your nether region compared to a bike when exercising. Out of these alternatives, it is the first one to be under $1000. 

 

The Rogue Echo Bike is my personal favorite for home gyms when it comes to calories burned per minute at a reasonable price. The Rogue echo bike comes in at $700 and gives you a challenging workout to train in intervals easily. 

 

 

The FS7i is the most affordable free stride machine out of the Nordictrack line up. If you like this design, but do not want to break the bank, go with the FS7i. This is mainly a machine for boutique gyms or a "special corner" machine for commercial gyms with massive floor space. If you are buying for the home I think this is a great machine for a multi-generation family with different needs. If your home is filled with hardcore fitness freaks you are better off investing your money in a VersaClimber and Rogue echo bike in my opinion.

 

The T7.5 is a good treadmill to get in the UK market from Nordictrack. If you want to spend more than 1000 this is the solid choice which covers all bases. The main features are the 7 HD Touchscreen, 3.0 CHP motor, and the 12% incline. The full list of features includes the following options:

 

 

 

The pros of the Nordictrack T7.5 are:

 

The T7.5 treadmill is a good value for the money treadmill in the Nordictrack UK line up. It covers all the bases and goes the extra mile with the 7-inch touchscreen. Yes, there are other machines which have bigger screens or more incline. Do you really need this? Probably not. 

 

With an incline of 12%, a powerful motor, and some entertainment on the small screen you keep everyone happy. None of the main components goes to the max, but that is exactly good for fitting the most needs without spending too much money. 

 

Compared to the S line and the C-line of Nordictrack treadmills is the T line the more modern one which is also being marketed and sold in the US. For the S and C-line, this is not the case anymore so you are better off to invest in a product line that the vendor is still interested in.

 

 

The cons of the Nordictrack T7.5 are:

 

You get what you pay for. While the T7.5 is still a model which will put you back more than 1000 and therefore is solid on all basis you also can not expect any wonders. If you want a modern model with a mega screen or 40% or a combination of both you will catapult the budget in the 2000s. Therefore, you might miss these features on the T7,5. Personally, I don't think these are really necessary, but the market is moving towards the multimedia experience. 

 

 

Alternatives to the T7.5 are:

 

If you want an elliptical instead of a treadmill you can opt for the FS5i instead of the T7.5. With this elliptical, you get the free stride technology from Nordictrack which makes it a 3 in 1 machine. You can use it as a stepper, treadmill, and elliptical. While this is a big step in the versatility you lose some points in stability. The design is more error-prone than a classical elliptical or treadmill design. 

 

If you want to go below the 1000 mark you can go for the concept 2 model D. This is a solid rower used in many gyms around the world. It does not come with a lot of multimedia options, but it does fulfill the cardio requirements and leaves your knees and ankles in tact.

 

My personal favorite option is the Rogue Echo bike. This machine comes in at a good price, is solid and covers all your cardio needs ina compact design. Rogue has definitely done a good job by putting a competitive airbike out there which leaves nothing to be desired in quality. 

 

 

The T7.5 is probably the most balanced option for a treadmill in the UK from Nordictrack to date. Compared to the C and S series and is newer and provides good value for money. If you have more money to spend you might want to wait for some of the newest models from the states to arrive. But if you want a solid machine now, go for the T7.5.