Good elliptical machine...

[Energizer]

Do you guys think that this is a good elliptical machine?
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...3A4134%3A77630 (make sure to click on the image to see a zoom pic to see it better)

Cheap but looks to be well built... Do you guys think that I should spend at least 300 on something else? or other comments?

[Energizer]

bump...

well????

[Ryan_ZX]

I am also looking for a good elliptical machine. Just make sure you do your research, because I have learned that you get what you pay for. If you get a machine you don't like, you won't use it.

[swat_jtf]

hes right. i got a $700cdn one (diamondback) and i don't use it as much as i should because its just not as smooth as good ones. gooes ones you watch tv while you work out and next thing you know you've been on there 20-30 minutes before you know it because its soo smooth.

downside, good ones are like $1500+cdn ($1100-1200us) so ya gotta get what works for ya. i'd say $200us is alittle cheap for one though.

[DeZaStR]

There have been a few posted on eBay lately, some with free shipping, that appear to be decent. I searched some of these on epinions.com to see what other actual users thought of them, and they seem to be decent. I believe they were around the $400 price range. I can't remember the brand names of these machines, but check ebay and see what you find.

[Overload]

Where are you from Energizer? I just listed my NordicTrack elliptical on ebay. For pickup only though in Northern, NJ.

[DeZaStR]

Originally posted by Energizer
Do you guys think that this is a good elliptical machine?
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...3A4134%3A77630

I just purchased this elliptical today from Walmart. I went to the store and looked it over (after looking at countless others online), and this one does seem to be sturdy enough to get the job done. The resistance seemed smooth as well. For $194, the price doesn't get much better.

I'll post a review on it in the next day or so once I get time to assemble it.

[DeZaStR]

Ok, so I've purchased the Weslo 710 Elliptical Trainer from Wal-Mart for $194.00 + tax. Now, my thoughts on it....

Assembly
It took about 2 hours to assemble with myself and my wife working on it. (For a major convenience, make sure you have a second person to help you if you decide to purchase this model because there are some items in the assembly that take one person holding the machine while another tightens the bolts and whatnot.) Assembly was fairly easy and the instructions were straight forward and easy to understand. All images of the parts matched very nicely the guide.

Console
Once assembled, it takes 4 "D" cell batteries to operate the console. The console itself has large buttons and a large display that is easy to read. It has 4 major buttons...One for selecting one of the four built in programs of varying resistance (if you wish), two buttons (up & down) for manually adjusting the resistance, and one for the display mode. The resistance has 10 varying levels with 1 being the easist and 10 being the hardest. However, it seemed too easy on anything lower than 6 for me. Level 6 did provide a nice workout, though. The display modes available are as follows: 1) Alternating. 2) MPH. 3) Distance. 4) Heart Rate. 5) Calories Burned. 6) Fat Calories Burned. 7) Time. They do not necessarily display in that specific order, but those are the displays available. I didn't get a chance to use any of the built-in programs, but they are just like any you might have seen before (eg: low to high to low resistance). The built-in heart rate monitor was a little "funky" to me. I don't know if the times that I tried it I had it on the wrong display mode or what, but it seemed to only want to stay on screen for about 10 seconds. I'm sure there's a way around that or something I was just doing wrong though.

Quality of Construction
This is one area that I feel the machine lacks a little bit. Not too badly, but enough to notice. The general feel of the elliptical immediately following assembly is very sturdy. Nothing moves, creaks, cracks, or sways at all. However, 5 minutes into my first workout, I noticed a bit of a "wobble" to the main console arm and to the left handle. I tightened this up a bit further and continued exercising. A few minutes into my second workout the following day produced the same results, so this time I'm going to let it go for a while and see how the machine responds. Don't let me mislead you...this "wobble" isn't enough to prevent your workout...it isn't THAT bad. It is simply something I noticed and wanted to bring to the attention of anyone reading this. Beyond that, the leg supports are nice and sturdy still, and because of the machines long base, it does not feel like it is going to tip over or anything like that. (All of this comes from a 238lb male on the machine.)

Quality of Workout
I must say that after completing both workouts on the machine, I am truly impressed with the workout I receive from it. Having previously used the $1000 - $2000+ elliptical machines in the local gym, I can honestly say that this machine feels much like they do...for a fraction of the price. The resistance is smooth. The elliptical movement of the foot pedals has very little jerkiness to it. I say "very little" because on the higher resistance levels (8-10), it took a little more effort to turn it over into the next stride. I believe that is just me more than the machine though. However, pedaling backwards was smooth as silk on all resistance levels. Also, the range of motion provided in the foot pedals is more than adequate (I'm 6'2", btw...). When I finished my workout, I was soaked with sweat (nice visual eh?) and my legs felt like jelly.

HIIT
For those of you who are interested in this machine for HIIT cardio, this section is for you. I tried HIIT with one of the workouts performed, and while I did like it, it will take some getting used to. When pedaling faster, it's a little tricky keeping the motion smooth going foward. However, as stated earlier, backward pedaling produced no problems at all...even when I was pushing myself upwards of 90% effort. I noticed the machine did tend to rock a little bit during my higher intensity levels, but I kind of expected that some from a 238lb guy going intense on it.

Conclusion
I do highly recommed this machine to anyone looking for an elliptical for their home. It gives you a solid workout at an affordable price. I cannot determine at this point how long the machine will last, but I did not see any areas that could potentially break during assembly. In my personal opinion, it may just need some bolt tightening from time to time. All in all, I feel this will be a great machine to get my big arse into shape again!

If anyone has any specific questions about this machine, I'm happy to help. So, feel free to email or PM me.

Laterz...

[Energizer]

Well I decided to get this elliptical:
http://www.netmarket.com/SHP/scripts..._sysid=1034935

I should get it in a few days, so I will write a short review once I do. It was exactly 199$ including shipping, what I like the most is that is 2 years limited warranty. Also that it has dual action and elliptical. 8 resistance levels and other good things, also looks well built.

[JuceMunky]

what about this elliptical...

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...3A4134%3A77630

i'm considering buying it

[JamesK]

I just bought the ProForm 650 Cardio CrossTrainer for $350 at The Sports Authority.

http://www.thesportsauthority.com/pr...entPage=family

I'm really happy with this machine. Its very solid and very comfortable.