Schwinn 420 Elliptical Review

The Schwinn 420 Elliptical is well designed, smooth, good looking elliptical.

The Schwinn 420 Elliptical starts with a front drive system. Normally I like a rear drive system. However, Schwinn has done a lot of work designing an elliptical that does a good job of emulating the natural elliptical motion. This allows the user to work the muscle groups without stressing out the joints.

Gold’s Gym Stride Trainer 380 Elliptical Review

The Gold’s Gym Stride Trainer 380 Elliptical is an elliptical and it only costs $277.00.

The Gold’s Gym Stride Trainer 380 Elliptical starts with a rear drive system. It comes with a 14” Stride length and adequately sized pedals to make you feel comfortable and reach your goals easily. The Stride Trainer 380 Elliptical has a maximum user weight of 250 pounds, however I would not trust it with anyone near that weight. The Trainer 380 has a footprint of 55”L x 26”W. It does have convenient transport wheels. The wheels combined with its light weight, allow you to easily move the elliptical where ever you want to place it.

LiveStrong LS10.0E Elliptical Review

The Livestrong LS 10.0E Elliptical is a very attractive Elliptical with lots of good features.

The Livestrong LS 10.0E Elliptical has a SixStar CertifiedTM Frame to ensure better quality and long service life. The LS 10.0E has a 23 lbs. heavy duty Flywheel to helps the front drive system work smoothly. It has a Stride Length of 20 inches that well accommodates taller users and has a maximum user weight of 325 lbs. The LS 10.0E has a foot print of 76” x 24” and is 67” tall. Fully assembled it weighs 199 lbs.

Schwinn 430 elliptical

A Great Elliptical for any fitness level, and a price for any budget!

The Schwinn 430 elliptical is a truly solid machine that allows users a great upper and lower body workout without major impact to joints. The Schwinn430 has a natural feel while working both your heart and increasing lung capacity.

The great thing about this machine is the fact that is made by Schwinn who has been in the fitness industry forever. The 430 is a solid machine that is affordable by leaving off the fancy computer. The 430 still offers an eight resistance levels and eight workout programs… This computer also allows for feedback information like a results mode, Body Mass index and a recovery mode. The 430 also Bio Glide motion offers an 18-inch stride that offers a more natural motion. Besides the BioGlide motion, the handlebars feature a grip heart rate monitor for a more effective workout.

Schwinn also is outfitted with BioFit design that makes the footpads and handlebars as comfortable as possible while working out.

The Schwinn 430 also offers the Eddy current brake resistance for a quiet and smooth end to your workout. With the Eddy system, there is also no wear and tear on the brake system. In addition to all of these features, Schwinn has equipped the 430 with a water bottle holder and transport wheels for ease of movement.

The Warranty on the 430 includes 2 years on parts, 15 years on the frame, 1 year on the electronics and 90 days on labor. The great thing about Schwinn is that it is actually made by Nautilus, which is one of the largest manufacturers of fitness equipment in the industry.

This well made elliptical can be found at Amazon.com for an amazing $599 plus free shipping and no sales tax in most states.

The Bladez 850E Elliptical Trainer Review – Best New Technology in an Elliptical

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei loves to check out new treadmills and ellipticals. It is one of my favorite things to do, both here at the DOJO and at fitness tradeshows like the Health & Fitness Business Expo and the IHRSA show. Speaking of the IHRSA show, a few of us from here at TreadmillSensei.com will be there roaming the floor this week on March 5. If you see us, feel free to say “hi!”

Back to new equipment, at the 2007 Health & Fitness show, one of the coolest new technologies we saw for elliptical trainers was the Adjustable Width Technology (AWT) from Bladez/BH Fitness. Their patented new technology allowed users to adjust the spacing between pedals to accomodate different sized users. As a feature found on no other ellipticals, I thought this was a fantastic feature and wished it had come out years ago.

A lot of people are familiar with being able to adjust the angle of an elliptical’s pedals, and tons of ellipticals have that feature. However, one of the biggest issues with elliptical workouts, especially when you have mutliple users of differents sizes, is the distance between the two pedals. For some people a wider spacing is preferred, while others like their pedals tighter together. Poor spacing can cause foot numbness, as well as thigh cramps in extreme cases of bad pedal placement. Thankfully, the Bladez 850E Elliptical trainer has addressed this issue in outstanding fashion.

While we had been walked through the new Bladez 850e Elliptical back at the trade show in Denver, I didn’t get a long enough time on the machine to give it a full testing. Luckily, we were able to order an 850e elliptical trainer from Amazon.com almost a month ago and have been able to put it through its paces.

Out of the box, the Bladez 850e was very similar in size and slightly heavier than the Sole E25 or the Spirit XE100/Spirit XE200/Spirit XE300 ellipticals. In fact, the looks of the machines is very is very similar in design. Even assembly was almost the same and took us around 20 minutes to complete — figure on it taking someone with average mechanical abilities around 45 minutes…or, if you’re like my wife’s Uncle Chris and have no mechanical aptitude, it could take 90 minutes. I prefer the slightly heavier support tubing on the Bladez model but otherwise it is very comparable to the Sole E25 and far exceeds the comparable Spirit ellipticals.

Once Mat and I were able to get to our 10 days or so of testing, we were both highly impressed by the stability and comfort of the Bladez E850e Elliptical. To see a stride of 20″ on an elliptical priced at under $700 was amazing, especially when you consider the ability to adjust pedal width to further customize your workout and your comfort. That adjustment allows the 850e to have easily one of the best elliptical feels on an elliptical priced at under $1500. It raises the bar on what an elliptical should have, how it should perform and what its price should be. If you’re looking at a Spirit XE100, Spirit XE200 or Spirit XE300, then you’re doing yourself an injustice by not taking a look at the Bladez 850e Elliptical as it out-performs them in just about every situation.

In addition to a 20″ stride, adjustable width pedals, heavy duty 24 pound flywheel and solid, steel frame, the 850e Elliptical also has 16 levels of resistance, padded foot pedals, pulse grip heart rate monitoring, 12 fitness programs and a 300 pound user weight limit. The only things missing are wireless heart rate monitoring and heart rate control programs, but for an elliptical priced under $700 these features really aren’t required or even missed.

Bladez has done a stupendous job with the design and engineering of the 850e elliptical trainer and for that the Treadmill Sensei gives it 5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

A perfect score for the perfect budget elliptical
A truly remarkable machine, the Bladez 850e Elliptical gets a perfect 5 gold buddahs and may be the best new elliptical of the year.

Check out the full features of this great new elliptical with adjustable width pedals
Get more information and find the lowest price on the Bladez 850E Elliptical Trainer. Save more with NO TAX and FREE SHIPPING

Bladez 850e Elliptical Trainer Specifications
Stride:
20″
Flywheel: approximately 24 pounds
Articulating Foot Pedals: Yes
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, Distance, Speed, RPM, Heart Rate & Calories & Program profile
Resistance Levels: 16
Programs: 12
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 175lbs
Price: Under $700

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

The Esprit EL5 Elliptical by Spirit Review – A great deal at under $1100

Ohiyo!

When it comes to equipment made by Spirit Fitness out in Jonesboro, Arkansas, the Treadmill Sensei generally gets one of two questions. The first is usually from disgruntled Spirit dealers who are having problems selling this year’s lower quality Spirit equipment and generally amounts to “why aren’t you supporting Spirit equipment as much this year because I have a warehouse full of stuff that I can’t get rid of.”

The second question is from you, my loyal readers, who want to know how the “new” Esprit ellipticals are and whether or not you can trust product from Spirit Fitness with their recent drop in quality (long time readers of a certain Doctor’s website probably noticed Spirit’s absence from the “best buy” listings this year as opposed to last year when they were all over it – and the same went for my best buy awards).

I think I can address both of those questions with today’s review of the Esprit EL-5 elliptical, which we brought in to the DOJO on a loan from a local online retailer. For those of you who don’t know, the Esprit line of ellipticals is just a repainted version of the old award-winning 2006 Sole ellipticals, and the Esprit EL5 is just a repainted 2006 Sole E55, while the 2008 Spirit ellipticals are brand new designs. That, my friends, is a great example of the problems with the current line of 2008 Spirit products: their equipment shined in the past when their units were just repainted versions of the Sole treadmills and ellipticals (and received a ton of awards both online and off), but their new shorter frame ellipticals just feel stunted and ill-conceived. That doesn’t even mention that most industry experts find the 2008 Spirit treadmills and ellipticals highly over-priced.

Luckily, someone at Spirit was smart enough to keep the old award-winning line at least partially alive with the Esprit line of ellipticals this year. Sure they painted them a funky “refrigerator white” color, but at least the units themselves don’t have the issues and bad press associated with the 2008 Spirit ellipticals. But I digress a bit. Let’s get on to the Esprit EL5 Elliptical review. We received a note from Ryan C (a regular reader here at www.TreadmillSensei.com), asking for more information on the EL-5 elliptical trainer. Let’s see what he has to say…take it away, Ryan!

Do you know anything about the spirit esprit el5. I found it for $1095.00 (plus $4.99 shipping!). I heard it is a repainted version of the sole e55. How odes this item compare to the sole e25? – Ryan

Ryan:

Thanks for your note and questions. You are absolutely correct, the Spirit Esprit El-5 Elliptical is currently on sale at Amazon.com for $1095 and, at that price, the Esprit EL5 is a fantastic buy. You may see it on some slightly shady online retail sites for as much as $1397.99 but don’t be conned into paying more (some of those shadier dealers may also try to get you to “convert” over from a Sole unit at a that higher price).

You are also correct in that the Esprit EL5 from Spirit is a repainted version of the older 2006 Sole E55 elliptical. It is a slight downgrade from the current 2008 Sole E55 but at a more budget friendly price. That price is the reason for the high rating on the Esprit EL5 – you are getting a very solid elliptical with a 20″ stride, 20 levels of resistance, 6 preset programs, heart rate monitoring, heart rate control programs, articulating and adjustable foot pedals. The unit also offers a very smooth elliptical motion and Sole’s patented 2% inward incline pedals for a much more natural feel to your workouts.

The only real downside to the Esprit units is the lesser warranty, the so-so color and lack of the higher-end Sole padding on the foot pedals. It isn’t a huge downside, especially at the $1095 price point, but is something worth thinking about.

If you’ve been checking out the Sole E55 but can’t afford the price, or if you were turned off by the stair-stepper feel of the Spirit XE200/Spirit XE300/Spirit XE400 and their outrageous prices, then the Esprit EL5 elliptical is a very nice alternative at a great price.

For being a budget alternative to the Sole E55 and for being more comfortable than standard Spirit ellipticals, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Esprit EL-5 Elliptical by Spirit a sturdy 4 out of 5 golden buddahs. Wow, a 2008 elliptical from Spirit that isn’t a disappointment…who woulda thunk?

UPDATE: I don’t know how long the Amazon sale will last but this rating is for the Esprit EL5 priced at just under $1100.


The Esprit EL5 Elliptical from Spirit Fitness gets 4 gold buddahs out of 5 but only if priced at under $1100. Anything more than that and I’d suggest sticking with the current 2008 Sole ellipticals instead.

A repainted version of the Sole E55, the Esprit EL5 is currently on sale at Amazon.com for $1095
Get more information on the Esprit EL5 elliptical and find the lowest price online.

Spirit Esprit EL-5 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20″
Flywheel: Listed at 30lbs
Display: LCD
Resistance Levels: 20
Watts: 1000
Programs: 6 preset
Heart Rate Monitoring: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Articulating Pedals: Yes
Adjustable Pedals: Yes
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Unit Weight: 200lbs
Price: Under $1100

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

The SportsArt E81 Elliptical Review – Highest quality, low price, fantastic elliptical

Ohiyo!

Today’s review was actually written back in November when we received a number of SportsArt Fitness pieces in from a vendor in Arizona. The retailer was kind enough to let us borrow a few units for review since the Treadmill Sensei was having a bit of a difficult time in locating the ellipticals here locally.

SportsArt Fitness continues to be one of the leaders in quality and design for the fitness industry. It is fantastic to see SportsArt bringing that level of quality (normally found only in ellipticals priced in excess of $2500) to a more accessible price range.

If you are in the market for an elliptical in the under $2000 price range, then you’re shooting yourself in the foot if you aren’t taking a look at the SportsArt E81 and its little brother, the SportsArt E80. These two machines can best be described as the closest thing to a commercial elliptical feel in the price range.

As with the SportsArt E80, the E81 Elliptical was quick and easy to assemble — the unit we reviewed came in fully assembled, but we broke it down and I handed it off to Hikaru to put back together. Hikaru is pretty skilled at assembly, which only took him about 20 minutes. For those of you with more average mechanical abilities, figure on the SportsArt E81 going together in about 45 minutes with very little to no cursing involved.

The E81 seems to have the same heavy duty, well-constructed steel frame as the SportsArt E80 elliptical. It also uses all bearings in its joints and pivot points. This is a great upgrade over lesser quality machines from places like Spirit which use much flimsier and break-down prone brass bushings. The bearings will provide a much smoother, quieter and more natural feeling workout as well as extend the life of the elliptical by years over an elliptical with bushings.

It was great to see that SportsArt has upgraded the number of resistance levels in the E81 over the old E80, which only had 10 levels of resistance. This allows SportsArt E81 owners to better fine tune their workouts and maximizing their exercise time. All-in-all, the SportsArt E81 is a fantastic upgrade to the very solid SportsArt E80 elliptical, and is easily one of the best ellipticals priced at under $2000. I’d look for this unit to be a heavy contender for the best buy elliptical award in 2008.

For being a fine example of a great commercial quality elliptical at a budget price, the Treadmill Sensei gives the SportsArt E81 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.


SportsArt steps up their game with the new SportsArt E81 Elliptical.

A Best Buy Award Runner up for 2007/2008, the SportsArt E81 gets the Treadmill Sensei's highest recommendation for a top rated elliptical under $2000
We have found the best price for the SportsArt E81 Elliptical online. Get more information, Save More and protect your warranty by going factory direct.

SportsArt E81 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 19″
Flywheel: Approximately 22lbs
Display: LCD
Display Readouts: Level, strides per minute, time, heart rate, total strides, watts, distance and calories
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Resistance Levels: 14
Programs: 8
Unit Weight: 170lbs
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Price: Under $1800

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

The Fuel FE44 Elliptical Review – Big Quality for a Little Price

Ohiyo!

Today’s review has bummed the Treadmill Sensei out a bit. It’s bound to happen, but every so often a treadmill or elliptical is release just after we post our awards and misses out being included in them. Unfortunately, in this case, it is very likely the Fuel FE44 Elliptical would have won the best buy elliptical under $1000 Award with little effort.

Word of the Fuel ellipticals and treadmills started filtering in to us here at the DOJO a month and a half or so ago. A lot of you, my loyal readers, wrote in asking about these great feeling new ellipticals found primarily at Dick’s Sporting Goods and online. As I mentioned in the Fuel FE46 Elliptical Review, everyone in the industry had been hearing rumors of Dick’s getting their own line of budget treadmills and ellipticals, but I hadn’t heard they were going to be out for this season. And, just like it’s big brother, the Fuel FE44 Elliptical shows all the signs of being one of the best ellipticals under $1000 produced in a very, very long time.

When our Fuel FE44 Elliptical arrived here at the DOJO, my first thought was “Yup, that looks almost exactly like last year’s Sole or Spirit equipment.” The resemblence is remarkable and, if rumors proove to be true, the Fuel equipment can actually be found in Sole’s warehouse here in southern California. It looks like Dick’s has turned to one of the best sources for quality equipment for help in Sole Fitness out of Utah. Excellent choice on the part of Dick’s.

The best way to describe the Fuel FE44 Elliptical is as a very slightly toned down version of the Fuel FE46 or Sole E25 or Spirit XE100/XE200 Ellipticals. Without having the Sole or Spirit to compare side by side, I’d say the Fuel FE44 has the exact same flywheel as the higher priced models. It may be a touch smaller, but I’m betting they are the same except for on paper.

The only real or significant different between all the units is in the stride length. The Fuel FE44 is listed as having an 18″ stride. However, we’ve received numerous emails from readers saying they tried a Sole E25 side by side with a Fuel FE44 at a local Dick’s and found them to feel almost identical in stride and elliptical motion. From my own tests here at the DOJO I’d say the Fuel FE44 Elliptical feels like it has closer to a 19″ stride and is incredibly smooth and comfortable. It has the same articulating pedal design as the Sole equipment, which gives it one of the most natural elliptical feels around.

Fuel has produced the single best elliptical you can buy for under $700 in the Fuel FE44. I’d even go as far as to say that this is the best possible value for your money in an elliptical under $1000. For the price, the Fuel FE44 delivers the best workout you can find and is the most solid, sturdy and stable ellipticals in the budget price range under $1000. Through the force of its size and market strength, Dick’s has taken what should have been an elliptical priced at $999 or more and dropped it down to a mind-blowing $699. This finally gives those of us on a budget the chance to own a high end elliptical without having to break the bank…or steal from our children’s college funds!

For being nearly perfect, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Fuel FE44 Elliptical 5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

The 2008 Fuel FE44 Elliptical is a best buy award contender for sure
The Treadmill Sensei wishes the Fuel FE44 Elliptical had been available a few months earlier in time for the Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards for Ellipticals because it would have blown away the competition.


Fuel FE44 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18″
Articulating Pedals: Yes
Flyhweel: 19lbs
Display: LCD
Programs: 14
Resistance: 15 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 290lbs
Product Weight: 175lbs
Price: Under $700

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

The Fuel FE 46 Elliptical Review – A high quality elliptical at a budget price under $900

Ohiyo!

Every day the Treadmill Sensei gets in reader email asking about a treadmill or elliptical we haven’t covered yet on the site – most of the time it is about low quality Proform or Nordic Track ellipticals. However, from time to time a reader sends in a note asking about an intriguing piece of equipment and it spurs me to send out my feelers for a model to test out.

In this case, about a month and a half ago, a number of readers wrote in asking about the new line of Fuel ellipticals found at Dick’s Sporting Goods stores and online. At first I was a bit surprised because I hadn’t heard anything specific about the units. Everyone in the industry was aware that Dick’s had been pursuing its own line of budget ellipticals and treadmills for quite sometime, but it was still a bit of a shock to see it actually launched. Luckily, Dick’s has a lot of experience in what works for an elliptical — and how to keep customer service issues from popping up with them — and that shows in these new ellipticals.

First off, when our Fuel FE46 Elliptical arrived at the shop and we unpacked it, we all immediately suspected that it was an elliptical produced by the same manufacturing plant as the Sole, Spirit and Red Zone equipment, Dyaco out of Taiwan, or one of their sister plants. A lot of the parts looked interchangeable with the higher priced Sole, Esprit, Spirit and much-higher priced Red Zone ellipticals. The flywheel (sometimes rated as 21 pounds, sometimes as 25 pounds and sometimes as 30 pounds, depending upon what a manufacturer is trying to sell you on) on the Fuel FE46 elliptical seems to be very similar or just about identical to what you see on the Spirit XE100/XE200/XE300 or Sole E25/E35/E55 ellipticals.

Moving on to the assembley, as with any elliptical, the assembly is a bit trickier than that of a treadmill. Figuring on it taking you about 45 minutes to get together if you can have someone help you hold pieces while you attach them to the unit. If you’re doing it alone, count on 90 minutes and a lot of swearing. This is pretty standard for all ellipticals.

In regards to the Fuel FE46 elliptical itself, the unit is very comparable to the Sole E25 ($995) and Spirit XE100 ($1099) ellipticals – which are all almost identical units except for strangely varying prices. If I was forced to guess, I’d have to say the Fuel FE46 is just a repainted version of the 2006 Sole E25 Elliptical. That’s not a bad place to start, especially when you consider the Fuel FE 46 elliptical is priced $100 lower than the current Sole E25 and $200 lower than the nearly identical Spirit XE100. The only real differences you’ll find are in the number of rails — the FE46 is a single rail elliptical versus the dual rails on the Sole E25 — and in the lesser warranty on the Fuel FE46. If Dick’s had raised the warranty to 3 years on parts, this would have been a home run unit for them.

The Fuel FE46 elliptical is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a more budget version of the Sole E25/E35 or the Spirit XE100/XE200/XE300 ellipticals and don’t mind the lesser warranty. For about $899 you’re getting the awesome feeling adjustable foot pedals that Sole/Spirit are known for, a solid flywheel, one of the most comfortable elliptical workout feels available for under $1300 and a well built, solid and sturdy elliptical in the Fuel FE46 Elliptical. Fuel has put together a unit that could very well be a best buy elliptical award contender for next year’s Ichi-Ban Best Buy Elliptical Awards for under $1000. However, if the warranty is more important than saving money, I’d check out the Sole E25 elliptical for a slightly beefier $100 upgrade.

For being an excellent, very sturdy and comfortable elliptical with a so-so warranty, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Fuel FE46 Elliptical 4 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.


The Fuel FE46 Elliptical gets a very respectible 4 gold buddahs out of 5 for being well built and well designed.

Fuel FE46 Elliptical Specifications
Stride:
20″
Flywheel: 21 lbs.
Display: LCD
Programs: 15
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Resistance: 15 Levels
Max User Weight: 325 lbs.
Elliptical Weight: 190 lbs.
Articulating Pedals: Yes
Price: $899

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

The Spirit Esprit EL3 Elliptical Review – Old Elliptical, New Name, Great Value

Ohiyo!

Happy Post-Holiday Season! Now that the Christmas season is over and visiting family will soon be heading back to their own little corners of the world (most exciting is that my den won’t be doubling as a second guest room for too much longer), the Treadmill Sensei can get back to work and to you, my loyal readers. I absolutely love Christmas-time, but I feel more tired the day after Christmas than almost any other time of the year. Of course, large numbers of my wife’s family can have a draining effect on anyone!

One of the most confusing parts of the Treadmill Sensei’s job is to delve in to the naming game a lot of manufacturers like to play. Much like the electronics industry, fitness manufacturers like to put different names or labels on units when they’re sold through different outlets. If a unit is sold at Costco or Sears it may have one name, or if a unit is sold online versus offline it may have a different name. The Icon Health and Fitness companies (Proform, Reebok, Image, Weslo and so on) are masters at this game .

Another company that has been guilty of this is Spirit Fitness. As I was the first one to let the cat out of the bag last year, we all now know that Sole and Spirit treadmills and ellipticals were almost identical units pre-Summer 2007. In spite of semi-shady rankings to the contrary, their units came off of the same assembly line and used the same parts. The only difference came in the QC process done once units reached the US, in customer support and warranty support. That has changed a bit this year with both Sole and Spirit redesigning their units independently of one another.

Now, while Spirit has been getting hit pretty hard by experts everywhere over the decrease in quality of their X-series Treadmills and Ellipticals, they have done an incredibly smart thing. Spirit has put together a brand new line of equipment, made up of award-winning older units under a brand new name. The Esprit line of treadmills and ellipticals from Spirit is made up largely of last year’s best buy award winning Sole Ellipticals and Treadmills. Better yet, these units are all around $200-$300 cheaper than their poor-performing Spirit X-Series cousins. The best thing Spirit could have done was the give these great units their own brand in order to keep them from the stigma of the current Spirit X-Series reputation (easily one of the poorer perfoming lines on the market right now). Besides, why pick a brand new unit with a new, untested design when you can pick up a design that has been tested and highly rated for 4+ years…AND get it for more than $200 cheaper?!

That brings us to the new Esprit EL3 Elliptical, formerly known as the 2006 Sole E35 of years past. This unit has been one of the best and most consistantly performing ellipticals on the market for 3 or 4 years and has dominated its price range. The Sole E35 has won just about every consumer and expert award on the market, and the Esprit EL3 is the exact same unit with a new paint job.

The Esprit EL3 Elliptical has the same 2% inward incline in the pedals which Sole has been known for. The 2% incline, when added to the smooth 20″ stride and articulating pedals, gives the Esprit EL3 (and Sole E35) the best elliptical feel and workout available in a best buy elliptical under $1000. It is easy to see why owners love the comfort and natural stride the El3 Elliptical gives them.

I do want to talk for a moment about the Esprit EL3′s flywheel…and the flywheel on the new Sole E35. They’re both ranked as 25 pounds for some reason this year — 5 pounds less than the Sole E55 or Esprit EL5. It’s nonsense. They all use the same flywheel and should be rated the same. There has been no change in the size of the flywheel since last year and the Esprit EL3 has the same 30 pound ranked flywheel that last year’s Sole E35 had.

With the price at under $1000, the Esprit EL3 may be one of the absolute best buy ellipticals available for under $1000. You’re getting the exact same great feel, the exact same solid frame, the exact same best buy award winning elliptical as the 2006 Sole E35, but with the Esprit EL3 you’re getting it for more than $200 off the comparable Spirit XE200/XE300 ellipticals. In comparison to the Esprit EL3, the Spirit XE200/XE300 ellipticals are incredibly over-priced and under featured, especially when you consider the large number of reported problems on the Spirit Ellipticals this year.

Save yourself $200+ and check out the Esprit EL3 Elliptical by Spirit. It is head and shoulders above the Spirit X “equivilent,” the Spirit XE200/XE300, in design and manufacture, and blows away the competition.

For being the same great unit as the old 2006 Sole E35 elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Esprit EL3 Elliptical by Spirit 4.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

The 2006/2007 Sole E35 Elliptical is now called the Esprit EL3 Elliptical from Spirit..and is still a solid elliptical by any name
It was a great elliptical as the 2006 Sole E35 Elliptical and it’s a great elliptical as the Esprit EL3 Elliptical, getting a best buy elliptical ranking of 4.5 gold buddahs.


We’ve found the absolute lowest price on the Esprit EL3 by Spirit at Amazon.com. Save even more with No Sales Tax and FREE Shipping!

Spirit Esprit EL3 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20″
Flywheel: 25 lbs
Programs: 8
Resistance: 16 Levels
Display: LCD
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max Weight Capacity: 300 lbs
Elliptical Weight: 190 lbs
Price: Under $1200

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

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About Treadmill Sensei

Treadmill SenseiThe Treadmill Sensei has been in the fitness industry for several years. He is familiar with several brands of fitness equipment and has written several reviews of many different treadmills and elliptical machines. You can see what he thinks are the best treadmills or you can get help choosing a treadmill.


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About My Treadmill Reviews

TreadmillMy treadmill reviews are both subjective and objective. They are objective in the sense that I will provide you with information about each machine, such as motor, weight capacity and other features. But they are subjective in the sense that I am really giving my opinion of each treadmill. You may agree or disagree with my opinion, but my hope is that my elliptical and treadmill reviews can be helpful to you in making a decision on what to buy. Remember that each review is just what I think. You can always check out Treadmill Doctor or these other treadmill reviews if you want another opinion.