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Elliptical Exercise Machine : 3 Different Designs - Which is Best?

Buying an elliptical? Elliptical exercise machines used to be simple. Precor introduced the first one back in the 1990s and other fitness brands like NordicTrack, Proform and Schwinn followed with more affordable home versions.

If you're buying an elliptical today, you'll notice that you have a lot of options. One of the main options you have is which style or design of elliptical you want.

Elliptical exercise machines offer 3 general designs: Front drive, rear drive and center drive. Which one is best?

Here's a brief overview of each so you can decide which best suits you:

#1 Rear Drive - As the name states, this design puts the flywheel in the rear - behind the foot pedals. This was the first design originally introduced by Precor. However many brands now produce this design including Nordictrack and Smooth.

Rear drive ellipticals tend to give you a flatter elliptical motion - kind of like a running feel. According to some reports rear drive models also give more inertia behind the user, although I can't really feel this myself.

#2 Front Drive - This design came later into the marketplace and places the flywheel in front of the foot pedals. This design tends to give you a more climbing or inclined feel to the elliptical motion.

Front drive, like rear drive, is also quite popular among many different brands. Brands that produce machines with this design include Sole and Schwinn.

#3 Center Drive - This is a newer design in the home market. Instead of one large flywheel in front or back, there are 2 smaller flywheels on the side of the user footpedals.

Advantages to this design (besides just looking cool) are that these machines take up less space than the 2 other designs. They also tend to hold the user more upright with the footpedals closer together, which for many people feels more natural.

On the other hand, in my mind at least, 2 smaller flywheels vs 1 means double the objects that can break on my elliptical.

Plus these ellipticals are not as easy to find as the other 2 models. NordicTrack makes a few. But the most popular brand that used to make them - Ironman - wouldn't be a great choice since their parent company - Keys Fitness - declared bankruptcy.

So which one is the best design?

Well it really depends on you. For example if you have a small workout space you may want a center drive elliptical (or you could also just opt for a folding Front Drive Elliptical). If you prefer a flatter feeling, running type motion, you may want a rear drive machine.

However keep in mind that design isn't the only thing that contributes to a smooth, stable elliptical. Other features to look at include stride length, user weight capacity, proper ergonomic design and the quality of construction.

Keep these things in mind while searching for your elliptical exercise machine. Take your time and you're guaranteed to find one you'll enjoy using for years to come.

About the Author

Vienna Miller writes for
http://www.EllipticalTrainerReview.com
offering the latest elliptical reviews, ratings and money-saving tips. For the latest top 3 Elliptical 'Best Buys' in 3 different price classes visit the
Best Elliptical Exercise Machine
page.

Questions & Answers about Rear Drive Elliptical

elliptical machines?

Anyone have a suggestion re a compact elliptical machine for a large man? I hear there are two types of machines....rear drive machines are better but front drive machines are better for space. I can spend a decent amount but I have less space in my NYC appartment. And I don't want my weight at 260lbs to be a factor either...can anyone help me with any suggestions on research, or with suggestions on specific brands to consider? Thanks.

Hi Stephen!

As a fitness professional I've used and seen a lot of different types of ellipticals. For the home elliptical market, I'm not sure who told you that rear drive units were better than front drive. Maybe that was the case 5 - 10 years ago when ellipticals were relatively new on the fitness scene and there were only rear drive units available. First, let's address your space concerns. For small NYC apartments a rear drive unit will not fit your surroundings well. That only leaves front drive units. Then you'll need to make sure your elliptical can handle your weight capacity requirement. Don't even consider poor quality, high noise, and high repair/recall brands like ICON (includes such names as NordicTrack, ProForm, Weider, Weslo, Cadence, Image, Epic, Reebok, HealthRider, & Gold's Gym), Nautilus (includes such names as Bowflex, Schwinn, & Nautilus), and Edge. I'd recommend a well known brand that has an excellent track record for quality, such as Horizon Fitness.

With that said 2 ellipticals come to mind; the EX66 & the EX76. Both Horizon Fitness ellipticals are great units, with features, styling, and noise suppression that it's competitors can't match. Horizon is pure quality (no flimsiness), with excellent warranties and for their price Horizon's the best deal around! You can pick up the EX66 for about $798 and the EX76 for about 998. My pick is the EX76 due to the HOT "power incline" feature, which was inspired by Precor (one of the most trusted & experienced brands in the industry) through their working relationship with Johnson Tech., Horizon’s parent company.

As far as where to find Horizon ellipticals, you'll get great service at the lowest prices by buying from an on-line specialty fitness equipment supplier, such as A2Z Fit (link & phone below). Two of my clients recently picked-up the EX76's and A2Z Fit was the best on-line Horizon dealer out there. Also, I've worked with A2Z many times in the past for my clients. You'll get Free inside delivery (maybe a little more for apartment buildings with steps involved), extra discounts, GE financing, and no sales tax. Also, they're customer service oriented, knowledgeable about the products they sell, and willing to answer any questions you may have. Get in touch with A2Z Fit. I'm sure they can help you out... I hope that's of benefit to you!

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 6:03 am and is filed under Muscle Building Equipment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.