Buy an elliptical trainer? You have probably noticed that there are 2 different designs on the market. These layouts are based on the location of the main flyer.
Front-wheel drive elliptical trainers have the steering wheel located in front of the pedals and below the console. Rear-wheel drive crosstrainers will have the steering wheel located behind or behind the pedals.
Which is the best?
Well, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive “best” design, they’re just different. So which style is “better” is really up to you. But here are some things to know about each to help you decide:
front wheel drive elliptical trainers
Front-wheel drive elliptical trainers tend to give you a steeper elliptical path, similar to a climbing motion. Also, because the steering wheel is located just below the console, this tends to anchor the crosstrainer a bit more than a rear-wheel drive machine.
So this design (all things being equal) can give you a more stable machine. This is especially important if you plan to make heavy use of your elliptical, or if you have more than 1 user in your household.
If you shop around a bit, you’ll notice that a lot of the higher-end commercial-style machines tend to have a front-wheel drive layout.
rear-wheel drive ellipticals
Rear-wheel drive ellipticals also give you some unique benefits. For example, the elliptical path of these machines tends to be flatter than a front-wheel drive machine.
So it feels more like a running move than a climbing move, which many people prefer.
Also, rear-wheel drive ellipticals tend to be on the more affordable side of the market. Therefore, many base models under $1000 have this design.
Plus, you have a little more flexibility in layout with these ellipticals than you do with front-wheel drive machines.
So, for example, there are several rear-wheel drive ellipticals that also fold to save space (which you won’t find on a front-wheel drive machine). So if you have a small workout space, a folding machine might be the right option for you.
Another option?
There is another design that you don’t see very often, but it’s worth mentioning. That is the center drive elliptical.
This takes two smaller flywheels (instead of one large flywheel) and places them on either side of the pedals, giving a squarer, more compact machine design.
This design keeps the user a bit more upright with the pedals closer together, which for especially long workouts can reduce stress on the hips.
However, the downside to this design is that it generally cannot be inclined on a center-drive elliptical. (Incline changes the slope of the elliptical and helps give you a better cross workout.)
Those are the pros and cons of the main elliptical bike designs. As you can see, it really depends on what you want as a buyer.
The good news is that elliptical trainers are getting better every year, giving you more for your money. You can find elliptical machines with built-in iPod docks, speakers, decline, web browsers, and even televisions.
Just remember to take your time, do your research, and choose a good brand that will give you all the features you need!