Optimum Fitness Fitness News and equipment reviews
[su_box title=”Notice:” style=”glass” box_color=”#d11212″]This elliptical has been discontinued we recommend considering either the Schwinn A40 or the Horizon 59-2 as equivalent price, and quality machines:
Schwinn A40 
Today we look at the new entry level Elliptical from ProForm, the 7.0 RE Elliptical Trainer. This can be yours for under $500 with some good discounts, but is it any good? ProForm have a strong reputation in the market, particularly with their new ranges.
At this price there are a number of products to consider, from Schwinn there is the A40, Horizon have their EX-59 and from Best Fitness their elliptical cross trainer. We will look at the different models and suggest our pick of the four. The 7.0 RE is the only Rear Drive Elliptical in this group.
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Our Analysis of the ProForm 7.0 RE:
Stride Length.
At 18″ this is not a huge stride length, fine if you are under 6′ tall, perfect for anyone about I like it at 5’10” and find it roomy enough. The stride length is fixed meaning that it cannot be adjusted for larger riders. At this price 18″ is a reasonable length, and this is in line with the rest of the competition. If you want to step up in stride length then you would have to invest in something like the ProForm 9.0RE, and that is nearly double the price.
Drive
As mentioned the drive is at the rear of the 7.0RE. This means that the noisy part of the unit is behind you and the sound I find is much less noticeable. At this price there are very few options for rear drive ellipticals.
The main benefit of rear drive ellipticals is that they are much lower maintenance, as the pivots do not need to run on rollers there is less friction and things to wear out.
Console
ProForm have equipped the 7.0RE with a good looking, minimalistic console. It packs all the features that you might expect in an efficient way. If we had a small complaint its that the LCD can be a little dim. This is because it is powered by batteries. This is much better than trailing cables across to the machine.
Packing 14 workout apps, 7 Cardio and 7 Weight Loss all designed by fitness professionals you will not get board riding this.
As you can see from the image there are heart rate sensors built in to the grips of the stationary handles. We would prefer these to be in the moving arms, but again that is a feature found on the more high end machines.
Other Features
The console also has speakers built into it. This is probably the weakest aspect of the whole machine, and does not affect the workout!
We like the good sized bottle holder. The feet are self leveling, if you have ever been on a wobbling elliptical then you know the advantages of this. In addition there are transport wheels at the front to allow you to move the machine from room to room.
Product Feature Summary:
- 18″ Stride Length, 14 Built-In Workout Apps, 14 Digital Resistance Levels, Upper-Body Workout Arms, Compatible Music Port for iPod
- Dual-Grip EKG Heart Rate Monitor, Oversized, Cushioned Pedals, Inertia-Enhanced Flywheel
- Water Bottle Holder, Transport Wheels, Adjustable Leveling Feet
- Blue-Tinted LCD with Workout Matrix, 250 lb. Weight Capacity
Product Warranty:
The machine is backed with a 5 year frame and 90 day Parts and Labour Warrenty
Pros and Cons of the Proform 6.0RE
Pros
- Rear Drive
- Quiet running
- Easy to assemble
Cons
- Short Warranty
- LCD Display does not work in the dark
- Speakers are not very powerful
Comparison with the competition
The Proform stacks up well against the Best Fitness Elliptical, and is probably on par with the Horizon EX-57. For us the Schwinn A40 probably takes the slight edge as it has a 6 month warranty and is $30 cheaper. The ProForm has the advantage of being the only rear drive elliptical in this lineup, which with the drop in sound makes this a good choice. There is also the question of quality, the Profrom is prone to squeaking and for some users has been unreliable. For us this is to much, especially when the Schwinn is exactly the same price and better quality.
Summary
We really like the look of the new Proform 7.0RE on paper it looked good. However at this price there will always be huge amount of competition. While Proform have tried to do a a great job in balancing the quality of the components with the need for a competitive price point. If you have a budget of under $500 and you are looking for a reliable rear drive elliptical then the Schwinn A40 would have to be our pick of the bunch.
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or to see the Schwinn A40 Click here >>>