Rear
Drive vs. Front Drive  Generally
rear drive is preferable to front drive and if money is not object then you want
to purchase rear drive units. That is why you will see top brands like Precor,
Life Fitness and the high end models of companies like EVO and Nautilus using
the rear drive design. They don't have articulating pedals (pedals that angle
with your stride) nor do they need articulating pedals. The rear drive provides
a true elliptical movement with a heal toe ellipse on it.
 On
the front drive design you have an awkward feel if you don't have articulating
pedals. In terms of a front drive Vision Fitness and Schwinn are a good choice
because of the articulating pedal feature. It will feel comfortable because it
will flatten the pedal to give a shuffling movement, but it will not perform and
be as strenuous a workout as found in the rear drive.
Why
do some manufacturers use front drive and other rear drive? Those
that use rear drive have very strong patents associated with their rear drive
design. Example is Precor with a rear drive with bicycle crank leading to an aluminum
angle ramp with adjustable incline. It is a great design and unique feel that
no one can copy. Others like Life Fitness and Smooth have their own patented design
that works on different principals that work on rear drives. In general it is
more expensive to build rear drive models. Overall
we prefer the rear drive if you want a natural elliptical movement and benefits
associated with it. The majority of users tend to like the rear drive better.
At the bottom
of the pecking order is ellipticals with front drive and no articulating foot
pedals. The elliptical motion lacks a smooth and natural elliptical motion. You'll
find these machines predominantly sold at mass merchants. Resistance
System In
the budget range you have the manual resistance system it consist of a u-shape
magnet that is about a ¼" away from the flywheel. That magnet is manually
tensioned closer or further to create resistance. In
the budget to mid-range you will find elliptical trainers equipped with motorized
brake systems, also called particle brake system. The design consist of a small
motor that controls the magnetic brake. Motorized breaks have more mechanical
parts and inherently require more service and are not suitable for any kind of
commercial use. Horizon
uses the misnomer ECB, which leads people to believe that it is an eddy current
brake system, when in reality it is an acronym for a different term. They use
the motorized brake. The
high-end models tend to use the eddy current brake system. ECB technology works
electromagnetically with a precision-balanced aluminum disk spinning freely between
variable magnetic fields. Because it has few moving parts and no friction, eddy
current resistance technology is extremely reliable and durable, requires little
maintenance, and allows systems employing the technology to operate smoothly and
quietly. Stride
Length Too
short of a stride can lead to a choppy elliptical motion. We recommend a 16"-19"
stride. Anything less would be like having a treadmill with a very short belt.
The industry is moving in the direction of adjustable strides allowing the user
to adjust to their preference. Programming You
will find the programs on elliptical trainers are similar to those found on treadmills.
In some cases companies that offer both use the same electronics. If you use an
elliptical or treadmill at a health club, then you know how much variety you need.
Most people either manually control their workout, or they utilize one or two
programs that they are comfortable with. Ultimately any program can be simulated
manually. It really
is a matter of preference. If a selection of challenging programs will motivate
you into using your fitness equipment more often, then go ahead and get a machine
with a wide selection. Programs can vary with different fitness goals. There are
those geared towards fat burning, aerobic, cardio an anaerobic exercising. When
purchasing an elliptical trainer quality should be your #1 priority, and features
like programs should rank secondary. Heart
Rate Monitoring See
Monitoring Your Heart Puts You in the Ideal Aerobic
Zone Heart
Rate Control See
Benefits of Wireless and Handgrip Heart Rate
Control Elliptical
Trainer Warranties Product
warranties can often be the single most important indicator for quality. It makes
sense. An elliptical trainer that lacks quality components will probably not last
long so you don't support it with an extensive warranty. In comparison, a well-built
machine with durable parts is going withstand regular use. As a company you can
afford to support it with a reasonable warranty. We
recommend you go with a machine that has a minimum one parts and labor warranty.
If you cash flow limits you to a budget model with a 90 day warranty it is suggested
you get the extended option. Fitness
Specialty Store vs Mass Merchant vs Buying Online So
where is the best place to buy an elliptical trainer? Well that depends. Fitness
Specialty Stores Fitness
stores offer the advantage of actually trying and comparing various elliptical
brands and models. In most cases the salespeople are knowledgeable. The downside
is they generally are on straight commission and their agenda is to sell you the
most expensive unit possible. And to some extent they can be rather pushy. You
are also paying the additional retail costs for a middleman. Mass
Merchants Due
to the sear volume of products they sell, mass merchants like Sam's Club, Sports
Authority and Walmart can offers some bargain prices. You'll find their inventory
is generally limited to budget products, promoting brands like Weslo, Keys and
ProForm. Their salespeople haven't a clue about the items. They usually do not
handle the service and after the sale you are passed on to the manufacturer. Online
Sales The
advantage of buying online is that you can do all your research from home. You
also can save money by avoiding costly fees associated with retail overhead charges.
The disadvantage is that you cannot try out the product, unless you go to a local
retailer. There
are several types of online merchants; the mass merchants, the fitness equipment
retailers and manufacturers. Same story with the mass merchants whether you buy
online or in the store. The
online fitness equipment retailers in most cases never have inventory of the products
they sell. They are sales reps who have the products dropped shipped from the
manufacturer. Once the product is sold their involvement with the customer ends.
You are paying for their add-on costs. There
are several manufacturers who are selling direct, although most still sell through
retailers and therefore keep their prices artificially high so they do not undercut
their dealers. Smooth Fitness is the only manufacturer we know that only sells
online and only through their web site. | 