Elliptical Trainer Guide

Sole E95 Elliptical Reviews I purchased the Sole E95 on September 27 of 2006. Delivery was right on target. (14 days) I purchased it directly from Sole for $1699. It to...

Body Solid Ab&Back Machine PropertiesBrand Body SolidFitness Type Abdominal Exercisers* Weight Training Equipm...

I researched ellipticals online for 24 intensive hours over the course of three days. If you find yourself on such a search, I will do my best to accommodate you.

I have not ridden any other ellipticals than this one, though my wife has. She finds the e95 to be a favorable ride. Based on reviews of other ellipticals, I would agree with this: The e95 makes a bit of noise, a whooshing noise, though I have entirely forgotten about this just one minute into the workout. The only other drawback that I have noticed is that there is some play in the arm bars, so that they can jiggle just a little bit until I hit my rhythm. For me, these are minor points, and obviously I’ve overlooked them in favor of the positive traits, which are many.

First of all, I was trying to decide between the Sole and Smooth ellipticals. The clinching factor in my decision was the longer stride in the Sole machines, the longest, at 20 inches, belonging to my very own e95. I’m just under 6′2″, and after reading reviews from people of the same height, I decided that a long stride was critical to my decision. Secondly, though there is a little jiggle, the body of the Sole elliptical is steel, which gives it strength enough to support up to 400 lbs. I’m about 205 lbs, and while I’m not exactly pushing the weight limit, it is encouraging to know that this machine can easily handle me, even at a sprint. The 30 lb flywheel changes resistance levels very smoothly, and out of 20 resistance levels, I have not even approached anything above level 15. The programs are convenient, though somewhat generic: I would appreciate being able to modify and save each of them. As for the User functions, they are mildly useful, if you want to create your own workout - only one can be saved per user. The heart rate monitor…actually, there are two. One on handlebars just below the console, and another in the form of the telemetry belt, which comes standard with the e95 (and was one of the reasons I chose this model over the e35 or e55). The first monitor, on the handlebars, is useless. But the telemetry belt has been fantastic - I can keep my hands on the arm bars and view a read-out of my pulse without interrupting the workout. I have not tried the Heart Rate Control feature, which changes the resistance level automatically to help you achieve and maintain a designated heart rate, largely because I prefer to raise and lower my heart rate by running faster or slower. I imagine someone might like it, though. The water bottle and holder are convenient, and my expectations for the built-in fan were so low that I actually appreciate its light blowing power.

I also chose the e95 over the other Sole models for a somewhat unrelated reason: Once I learned what price range I would have to enter in order to purchase a quality machine, I settled on paying no more than $1,500. If you purchase your elliptical directly through Sole Fitness, they will match any offer you find anywhere else, including free shipping. Here’s how I found a price of $1,479: Through eBates.com, I was able to find a merchant (Dick’s Sporting Goods) who sold Sole Ellipticals. Their price was $1,699, same as soletreadmills.com. However, because I went through eBates.com, I was eligible for a discount of 10%, and eBates offered an additional 3% cash back on my purchase. Factor in free shipping, which I think came from Dick’s, and I was down to a total price of $1,479. The salesman, who may have been flattering me, said that I had found one of the lowest prices he had seen. (Note: I just checked, and it seems the e95 is not available at Dick’s Sporting Goods, though the e25 and e35 are. The e95 may be available at another sporting goods store with similar discounts. Check the eBates site).

In short, I am very pleased with what I consider to be an investment in the health of my wife and I. The warranties attached to the e95 are so extensive that I feel I can depend on this machine for years to come.

Finally, due to the sentiments of some of my friends, I find it important to add that I do not consider the elliptical, or any exercise machine, to be a substitute for honest-to-goodness running. The e95 approximates running, but it also feels circular enough to remind me of an exercise bike. My feeling is, the elliptical is a great option for cold weather, when it is dark outside, or when you’re not sure how far you want to run and you don’t want to be stranded miles away from home. But give me a reasonably warm day with good visibility, and I’ll choose to run outside instead. There are reasons to prefer the elliptical (low impact exercise, for one), but not enough to keep me inside every time.

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