Crosstrainer Buying Guide

Since the late 90th Crosstrainer have become one of the most popular fitness machines for cardio training. With their elliptical movement they imitate the human gait and walking motion. When using the moving handlebars they also offer an upper body workout. The training is very easy on the joints and by moving the lower and upper body simultaneously more calories are being burned than using a fitness bike.
Before you decide on a Crosstrainer you should ask yourself a few questions and especially take care about some important points.

How often will the unit be used

Do not just think of yourself but also take into consideration that other family members and friends might use the Crosstrainer.

Size of the Crosstrainer

How tall is the tallest user? The taller the person is the longer their stride should be. Up from a user height of 180 cm a Crosstrainer with larger dimensions and a stride length of at least 45 cm should be chosen to ensure a comfortable body position and fluid movement.

User weight

What is the weight of the heaviest person using the Crosstrainer? For a body weight starting at 90 – 100kg choosing a very solid frame construction is essential. Follow the max. user weight of the producer and read the user manual.

Now that you thought about this 3 questions we tell you a few important technical aspects you should consider before buying a new Crosstrainer.

Frame construction

An often underestimated but very important component of a high quality Crosstrainer is a solid frame construction. During the training a very high leverage is affecting the Crosstrainer. A weak frame construction can result in twisting which in turn leads to squeaking pivot points and welded seams that break. The heavier the Crosstrainer the more staple the frame construction is. Your machine should have a weight of 55kg at least.

Flywheel mass

High qualities Crosstrainer have a flywheel mass of at least 18 kgs. Flywheel mass is extremely important for a smooth and fluid operation. Only with a minimum flywheel mass you can enjoy the benefits of a training that’s easy on the joints. Especially for a successful training with a lot of fun the flywheel mass is very important.

Breaking system

High quality crosstrainer offer an electromagnetic braking system that generates frictionless resistance using magnetic force. A permanent magnet is used here. Depending on the resistance level chosen, the magnet setting will be either closer to or further from the flywheel. The difference between a manual exercise bike and a bicyle ergometer is explained under „Hometrainer or Ergometer“.

Pivot Points

High quality Crosstrainer offer pivot points that have double ball bearings. They allow a smooth operation without jerking and squeaking.

Stride length

A Crosstrainer with a larger stride length enables a more natural movement that is easier on the joints. Crosstrainer with the flywheel in the rear, a large disk and long frame construction achieve a longer and shallower elliptical movement. A stride length of more than 40 cm is desirable because of a more natural walking motion.

Distance between pedals

A narrow distance between the pedals allows for a natural body – and walking position. This is only possible with a longer frame construction where the pedals can be brought together in front of the rotating disk. If the pedals are mounted to far apart the user stands with legs widely separated which increases the strain on the joints.
Furthermore take care for high brim on the pedals to avoid a lateral slip off during the training.

Cushioning

The cushioning of the footrests also leads to decreased impact. Some manufactures use a ergonomic pivoting foot pedal which has a cushioning effect as well as it supports the natural up and down movement of the foot. Use sport shoes for your training on the Crosstrainer to get an additional cushioning.

Heart rate monitoring

Basically there are three different types of heart rate monitoring: ear clip sensor, hand pulse sensor and chest strap

Using an ear clip sensor is not very accurate and additionally not suitable for a workout on a Crosstrainer. For this reason most manufactures do not offer this type of heart rate monitoring.

Measuring the heart rate via hand pulse is only feasible if the sensors are located on the moving handlebars. Otherwise the pulse cannot be recorded continuously. This involves more complex engineering and therefore is only available on high quality models. The hand pulse measurement does not have the accuracy of a chest strap.
Get more information about your training heart rate.

The telemetric heart rate monitoring through a chest strap is the most reliable and accurate method to measure your heart rate during the training on your Crosstrainer. You can see your actual heart rate on the computer. A lot of manufactures e.g. Reebok and Smooth Fitness already integrated the necessary receiver for the heart rate.

Have a look for our vast range of various Crosstrainer