ProForm Smart Strider 495 CSE Elliptical
ProForm Smart Strider 495 CSE is one of the better elliptical trainers for the price on the market. It has a 13 lb. inertia-enhanced flywheel and a pretty good 18-inch stride length for an entry-level workout. You will not only be working your upper body but involve your upper body with the soft-grip comfy arms and your abs as well. It has the original rear drive design of the first ellipticals that were on the market three decades ago.
ProForm Smart Strider offers a lower impact but very effective workout than a treadmill or even a standard exercise bike, without any burden on your joints. You can also enjoy the challenge offered by 18 levels of resistance. It has a very sturdy commercial grade stainless steel frame with an 183 pounds weight. And with the measurements of 65 x 32 x 80 inches, has an upright space saving design with a relatively small footprint. The maximum user weight limit is specified as 275 pounds, which is all right and you can use it as long as you’re not too heavy- above 270-275 lb.
The nicely cushioned pedals are quite large and anti-slip and adjustable. Despite its relatively low price, it comes with the extra bells and whistles you may enjoy having, such as the special round watts LED-backlit panel, two-inch speakers that are compatible with iPod and MP3 players, iFit compatibility with real time Google Maps Street View option, 18 exercise apps, a built-in tablet holder to keep you entertained during your exercise session, a water bottle holder, an EKG heart rate monitor with sensor on the fixed handles in the middle.
It is easy to assemble straight out of the box with the instructions and tools in the package, being sent almost assembled. It would certainly make a decent addition to your home gym- is not suitable for commercial gym use by many people every day. The 18-inch stride will feel like a natural walk for shorter people and more like a stair climb for taller people. 13 lb. drive flywheel is a bit light for heavy use and there are no cooling fans on this unit. The one-year warranty for parts and labor is a little short, despite the comprehensive lifetime warranty for other stuff. And the kind of customer service you will get is fine but pretty standard.
ProForm Smart Strider is a pretty heavy elliptical but has a semi-foldable design with also the transport wheels at the back for easy relocation. We think the pros outweigh the cons if you’re on the market for a high-quality entry-level machine for a beginner level workout at a very reasonable price. Then this can be one of the first elliptical trainers that you should consider. If you are super serious about your workout, you may want to go for a different more expensive model by Proform that will be offered on Amazon.com through the links on this page.