Better Than An Elliptical Bike?

So in my search for the best elliptical bike, I came across a new type of elliptical trainer.

I’m calling it a hybrid elliptical climber. It’s like an elliptical trainer- with a climbing motion instead of a running motion on the bottom.

 

You still have the upper body arm bars to train and tone your arms and shoulders.

But the bottom feels more like you’re climbing the stairs or a hiking up a cliff.

The advantage to this – supposedly – is that you burn more calories. Not surprising since climbing a mountain vs walking on a flat surface will do that for you.

This is an obvious choice if you’re looking to burn fat faster in less time.

I think these machines probably do best around Christmas or New Years when everyone is doing those weight loss new years resolutions. But are they a good choice for you?

There are a few different types of these climbing elliptical trainers. Here’s my take on them:

 

Bowflex Max Trainer

This is really the one that started off the craze. It came out about 3 years ago and took off. It’s still one of the best-selling climbing elliptical trainers on the market.

There are 3 different types of trainers – the M3, M5 and M7. Each one is a different price point, but they start around $999, making them pretty affordable and easily comparable to elliptical trainer prices.

The M7 is the high-end model and has all sorts of fancy bells and whistles like a backlit console, online tracking programs and sleek racing pedals.

The M5 is the mid-stream model and would be my choice. You get more resistance than the M3 and a better console.

If you want to learn more including how the different models compare, then the Bowflex Max Trainer site here is a good resource.

 

Proform HIIT Trainer

This model came out some time last year and as far as I can tell is selling pretty well. However it doesn’t have all of the weight loss success stories that the Bowflex Max has yet.

It’s still kind of new for that. It also doesn’t have the studies to prove it helps you burn more calories than a regular crosstrainer like the Max Trainer does.

There are 2 different models – the HIIT and the HIIT Pro. Prices start around $1299 and the Pro model is about $500 more with a few more fancy toys including a full-color console.

The only thing I didn’t like about the HIIT trainer was that you don’t get the specially made high intensity interval workouts built-into the machine like you do with the Max Trainer. You have to get an online subscription to iFit LIVE and pay extra for them.

In my opinion, that kind of defeats the purpose of buying the machine.

 

In any case, that’s a recap of the two climbing elliptical trainers on the market right now. I suspect that this Christmas we’ll probably hear about other models coming out – especially with the success of the Bowflex Max.

If you do decide to get one of these trainers, take your time and do your research first as each one is a bit different from the next one.

I personally prefer the ability to ride a bike – or elliptical trainer. So they’re not for me. But they are pretty interesting and I wonder if they are the next “big thing” in the fitness equipment world.

 

Other Resources:

http://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/high-intensity-hiit-workout/

 

 

Proform Hybrid Trainer – An Elliptical Bike with Promise

The Proform Hybrid Trainer – seen below – is one of the first elliptical bikes I looked at when I was first shopping for our own home elliptical bike.

It’s very popular and had a lot of things going for it. Here’s a rundown of what you need to know:

 

Use As Both Elliptical Trainer and Bike

This is a 2-in-1 machine.  You can use it as an elliptical trainer. Or you can make a few quick changes to the pedals and console and use it as a recumbent bike.

It has an easy to move seat so you can find the right pedal to hip ratio.  And there’s also a simple console that gives you feedback on your speed, calories burned, heart rate and more.

 

16 Different Levels of Resistance

This is a decent amount of resistance. When I tried it out I certainly found I couldn’t go past the 4th level – so there was plenty of challenge there.

It is digital resistance and you can change the level pretty easily from the front panel.

 

Pedals

The pedals on this trainer are oversized with traction beads on them for better grip. I find them pretty large and easy to find a comfortable position.

They are great when you’re in the elliptical position. But when you’re using it as a recumbent bike, well, it’s not as good as a regular recumbent bike with straps on the pedals I found. Then again, for a machine under $400, what can you expect really.

 

 

Front Console

The console is small but you can still read it. There’s also a holder that the sales guy told me I could use for my tablet.

If I had a tablet this would be great. Apparently you can attach your tablet and watch tv shows or movies on your tablet. Since I was going to set it up in front of the TV anyways, this wasn’t an issue. However I could see that some people would like it.

 

iFit

This is another feature I couldn’t get my head around. But apparently you can connect the trainer to your wireless internet and go online to store your workout information.

You can also track and graph different fitness goals. Again, this would be a fine thing if I was a computer techno-geek. But I’m just a guy looking for a good elliptical bike. So I don’t think I’d use this option.

 

 

Heart Rate

There are two grip sensors on either side of the console that you can use to take your heart rate. They’re pretty accurate, although they ‘re a bit of a reach if you’re using it in bike mode.

 

16 Built-in Workouts

There are 16 workouts that come with this trainer. They guide you through the workout and change the resistance automatically.

If you are looking for a challenge, this might be a great option for you to try. Apparently you can also download new workouts if you get iFit mentioned above as well.

 

 

 

 

Drawbacks:

According to a few experts reviews I read, the stride on this elliptical isn’t as wide as it should be. That means if you’re taller you might find it a bit uncomfortable.

Also, Proform has another Hybrid Trainer model called the Hybrid Pro that is a bit better with better pedals and a longer stride. So that might be better suited to a taller user.

 

So is it the best elliptical bike on the market?

No – but it’s pretty good. You get to use it as both an elliptical and as a recumbent bike.

It’s a lot better than a lot of the cheap, flimsy elliptical bikes from China that seem to be flooding the market right now under various, unheard-of, brand names.

I tried it the Hybrid Trainer Bike in both modes and it seemed fairly comfortable as both a bike and an elliptical.

It was also pretty easy to move it back and forth between the elliptical setting and bike setting. So I imagine if you have kids that want to use this, they could handle it pretty easily as well.

And you really can’t argue with the price – that’s a darn good deal for 2 machines in one. The pedals could be a little better and the console is a little small for me. But overall I think it’s a pretty good value overall.

You can learn more about it here.