Nordictrack VR25 vs FS9i

This is a comparison of the Nordictrack VR25 and FS9i including pros, cons, and alternatives . Follow the links for more details.

Overiew and review of the FS9i Free Stride $3799

This is a review of the Nordictrack Fs9i model. You will learn about the specifics, pros, cons, and alternatives of this elliptical to make a decision. This article was originally published in "Which elliptical to get from Nordictrack".

Overview of the FS9i

The FS9i Free stride elliptical is a design that combines a stepper and an elliptical into one machine. The motor of this elliptical has been moved to the center so that you move more freely and have a longer stride for up to 32 inches. It comes with a 10-inch screen and a 20-pound flywheel. The full list of features includes:

10” 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 Cushioned Pedals

Center Drive
SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
32” Auto-adjustable Stride
20 Lb. Effective Inertia-enhanced Flywheel
26 Digital Resistance Levels
10% Power Adjustable Incline
OneTouch® Controls
iFit Bluetooth® Smart Chest Strap Included
Oversized Levelers
375 Lb. User Weight Capacity

38 On-board Workouts
Integrated Handle Controls for Ramp and Resistance
Transport Wheels
Water Bottle Holder
58.3" L x 29.5" W x 73.6" H Footprint
10-Year Frame Warranty
2-Year Parts Warranty
1-Year Labor Warranty

This is an innovative design that will keep your running, walking and stepping workouts interesting. Especially if you have the need to be easier on your ankles and knees and want to train with different stride lengths, this is a good machine. Compared to other center ellipticals this machine also has a 10-inch incline.

Pros of the FS9i elliptical

The pros of the FS9i elliptical are:

All bells and whistles
three for the price of one
Free adjustments
Low impact

If you are looking for a center drive elliptical model this is the one with all bells and whistles from Nordictrack. You won't find a center drive elliptical with a longer list of features and all of them brought to the maximum.

With this elliptical, you will get two machines for the price of one. As the movement pattern is not fixed on an ellipsis you also get a high-grade stepper with this machine.

The free adjustments give your clients or yourself a lot of room to play around. This keeps workouts interesting and also makes it more likely that the stride length fits everyone in the family or your client roster. Front and rear-drive ellipticals have a stride length which can not be changed. This might feel uncomfortable or get boring for some users.

As with all ellipticals, a major advantage over treadmills is that you have a lower impact and therefore less stress to the knees and ankles while exercising. This is especially interesting if you or your clients deal a lot with injuries in these areas or have to build-up strength before they can run or walk on a treadmill.

Cons of the FS9i

The cons of the FS9i elliptical are:

High Price
Free moving parts
Floating experience
Low-calorie burn

As this is one of the high-end machines from Nordictrack you will fork out a respectable sum on acquiring the FS9i. Machines with all bells and whistles have this in common and are designed for this purpose. Keep in mind that for one FS9i you can get four Rogue Echo bikes or a complete rack with plates and a barbell. If money is of no concern and you only want the best, go for the FS9i. Otherwise, you have cheaper options to have the same experience, build an entire gym or run a small cardio class.

While the free moving parts enable a great experience and flexibility in the run it also makes this elliptical more prone to error. The more moving parts you have the easier it is to fail. As the flywheel is in the middle it is also harder to design clear footpaths around the FS9i compared to a front or rear-drive elliptical. I see this is a possible challenge when you want to put 5 to 50 of these in a row in a commercial gym. This will leave a lot more risk of someone walking into a machine that is being used than having rear or front-drive ellipticals in a row. This is more a consideration for bulk buys and commercial use, but still should be considered. In addition, the front and rear drive machines are cheaper.

The floating experience of the FS9i is not for everyone. Especially if you have balance and spacial awareness issues you might be better off with a front or rear-drive machine.

Alternatives to the FS9i

Alternatives to the FS9i are:

The Nordictrack FS10i is a newer model from Nordictrack. When I checked the price was $2999. If you can get this machine at this price I personally think it is the better value for money from Nordictrack while still delivering the same experience as the FS9i. You can spend the $800 you save on a Total Gym to round up your exercise machinery for your home gym. If you buy in bulk you will appreciate an $800 saving on list price per item to invest in a bigger fleet or invest the $8000 saved on a different area in your commercial gym. If you buy in bulk and cash always try to negotiate a discount.

The Nordictrack elite 14.9i would be the front-drive alternative elliptical from Nordictrack. It comes with a big TV screen which can be securely fastened to the front. It might also appear to more clients as it is a safer bet and not a novel experience. I think home gym oners are better off with the FS10i while commercial buyers can consider the 14.9i elliptical as a high-end option with nice screens for the masses. No one will think your gym is cheap when you have these, while still not breaking the bank for unnecessary bells and whistles on the elliptical fleet.

The VersaClimber SM would be my personal recommendation for home gym owners with a big wallet who want to maximize their calorie output per minute. If you want to abuse the heck out of your 20 minutes cardio a day and everyone in the house is on that fitness level but does not train at the same time, get a VersaClimber into your home. For commercial use, this is a machine that you can put in the corner for all the lunatics and extreme edge cases of the bulk of your clientele. The money you save from investing in five 14.9i instead of 5 FS9i can be invested in a VersaClimber to make more clients happy on the same budget.

The Rogue echo bike is my personal favorite for calories burned per second at the lowest cost. The Echo Bike is a low impact on the joints and does not take up a lot of floor space. It comes in at a price of about $700 apiece and is, therefore, miles below the other options outlined. It is a sparse machine with no entertainment options, so if you buy this in bulk, be aware that it will appeal more to the fitter part of the population who want to push themselves and not watch Television while exercising. For a home gym, to me, this is the ultimate option to cover everything at the lowest price. Unless you cant sit on your bum for more than 5 minutes while exercising.

Summary for the FS9i

The FS9i was cutting edge technology and a new idea at the time of its go to market. Since then I think Nordictrack has managed to drive down production costs in other product lines and came up with FS10i which is better value for money. The FS10i is not available globally yet, but I expect distribution to pick over the years. If you love ellipticals, free choice of stride and stepping in one machine, this is the one to get. If you can take stress to the knee and ankles or want to maximize calorie output per minute, I personally think there are machines out there for you which take less of your hard-earned money.

Overview and review of the Nordictrack VR25 999 / 1499 (UK/US)

This article discusses the pros, cons, and alternatives for the Nordictrack VR25.This review was originally posted in “Which Nordictrack bike to get”. Follow the links for more details.

The VR25 is part of the recumbent bike series of Nordictrack. In this product line, it is the flagship of Nordictrack. The main features are an 11kg flywheel, a meshed seat, and a 7-inch touch screen. The full feature list covers:

7" Full Colour Capacitive Touch Display
iFit Integrated- 1 Years Family Membership Included
Smart BlueTooth (BLE) Chestbelt Compatible
iPod Compatible Bluetooth Audio (2 - 2" Speaker)

Recumbent Frame
Step Thru™ Design
11kg Flywheel
26 Digital Resistance Levels
Integrated Quick Touch Handle Controls
EKG Handgrips
158kg Max User Weight

Oversized Lumbar Supported Cushion Sea
Easy Glide Seat Adjustment
Extra Wide Ergonomic Foot Pedals
AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan

Front-mounted Transport Wheels
Water Bottle Holder
Pivoting Integrated Tablet Holder
Assembled Dimensions - 94L x 63W cm x 156H cm
Product Weight 47kg
Boxed Weight 52kg
Boxed Dimensions - 109L x 37W x 65H cm
Warranty - 2 Years parts and labor; 5-year frame guarantee upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.

This is a great choice when you want to be able to burn calories while not being too hard on your joints or work while you are exercising by reading your emails. It might not burn the most calories per minute, but the trade-off is that you can also do some other things while exercising or be easy on yourself after a long day while still burning off some calories.

Pros of the Nordictrack VR25

Pros of the VR25 include:

Big flywheel
Meshed seat
Ipad holder

The 11kg flywheel will last you for a long time and take care of a smooth ride. The bigger the flywheel the smoother the ride and the longer it will last. This is the recumbent bike with the biggest flywheel in the NordicTrack line up.

The meshed seat will make it easier for you to keep the sweat at bay. Other recumbent bikes have solid plastic seats which can become rather disgusting during use. Especially in a professional set up with a lot of turnover a day, a meshed might be good piece of equipment to get with your recumbent bike.

The last benefit you get is a little holder for tablets of most sizes. This way you can stay up to date or just follow your favorite programs and music on your own gadget rather than going through the browser of the VR25.

Cons of the Nordictrack Vr 25

The cons of the VR 25 are:

Low-calorie burn
Space requirements
Ifit subscription

Recumbent bikes have one of the lowest-calorie burns per minute when it comes to exercise equipment. Why invest a good bit of money into a recumbent while a stiff walk almost has the same effect? Still, that is up to you based on your preferences, possibilities to exercise outside, and who your clientele is.

Compared to traditional bikes a recumbent bike will take up more space. Take this into consideration when you are making your measurements. A bonus compared to ellipticals is that a recumbent bike can tolerate a lower ceiling than an elliptical.

The Ifit subscription might not be for everyone. After the free version is used up you will have to pay 10 - 30 bucks a month to get access to the Ifit subscription for the newest content. You will still be able to have access to a free library, but the latest and greatest content will only be available under the subscription.

Alternatives to the Nordictrack VR25

Alternatives to the Nordictrack VR25:

The Nordictrack VR21 is the small sister of the VR25. It has a smaller flywheel and no touch screen display. In return for giving these features up you save 250 pounds or 500 USD. This can be an option for the budget-conscious who are interested in obtaining a recumbent bike.

The Nordictrack C700 treadmill is a great option for joggers and walkers who want to exercise at home rather than outside. If you prefer running over sitting on a recumbent bike, the C700 might be the better option for you. If you are a serious runner who takes his/her treadmill through a lot of abuse, look a little more upmarket than the C700.

The NordicTrack SE5i elliptical is an option for a full-body workout while still being easier on your joints than a treadmill. The SE5i can be a good compromise for the entire family if some want to get a bit harder on their workouts than a recumbent bike will allow. Just make sure that your ceiling is high enough as a dingy garage might be better off with a recumbent bike in it to save you from unnecessary headaches.

The Concept 2 model D is the industry standard for indoor rowing machines. You will save some money compared to the VR25 and still be easy on your joints. Another bonus is that you can hang a rower on the wall after use. The downside is that most concept 2 rowers don't come with a lot of media options.

My personal favorite for a home gym is the uncompromising Rogue echo bike. Rogue maximized stability and metal engineering on this machine while minimizing the entertainment factor and produced a true workhorse. If you are into burning as many calories as possible per minute without breaking the bank or giving up too much space in your home, this is for you. The Echo bike is not for you if you want to be entertained and have it cozy while you burn some calories.

Summary for the VR25

The Nordictrack VR25 is a great recumbent bike for professional use in a commercial facility to address people who do not want to go all out on their cardio workout or warmup. The bigger flywheel is especially interesting when the machine is heavily used. Home gym owners might want to save a little money by going for the VR21 instead as they will still get an industry-grade machine for 250 pounds or $500 less. The same goes for commercial facilities that need to buy many recumbent bike units.