Nordictrack VR25 vs Schwinn Airdyne Pro
This is a comparison between the Nordictrack VR25 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
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.
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:
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7" Full Colour Capacitive Touch Display
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iFit Integrated- 1 Years Family Membership Included
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Smart BlueTooth (BLE) Chestbelt Compatible
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iPod Compatible Bluetooth Audio (2 - 2" Speaker)
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Oversized Lumbar Supported Cushion Sea
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Easy Glide Seat Adjustment
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Extra Wide Ergonomic Foot Pedals
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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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Pivoting Integrated Tablet Holder
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Assembled Dimensions - 94L x 63W cm x 156H cm
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Product Weight 47kg
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Boxed Weight 52kg
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Boxed Dimensions - 109L x 37W x 65H 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 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:
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Big flywheel
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Meshed seat
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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:
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Low-calorie burn
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Space requirements
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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
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.