NordicTrack C 7.5 Elliptical Cross Trainer Review

The NordicTrack C 7.5 is an elliptical trainer aimed primarily at individuals and families that want to improve their fitness levels as part of living a healthy lifestyle, working out regularly rather, than the more hardcore gym goers out there that want to push themselves hard. To find out how it performs against this brief we took a closer look and coming from NordicTrack, and being priced at the higher mid-point. Here’s what we found….

Assembly of the C7.5 is, in many ways, a nostalgic trip down memory lane. There lots of pieces to put together, wires you must take care not to catch or pinch and a requirement to grease some metal components. This is how pretty much all ellipticals used to be but times have moved on and it’s surprising to see this level of assembly required from a NordicTrack machine these days. That being said, the instructions for assembly are good with clear descriptions accompanied by pictures making the process as easy as it can be, if not all that quick. The other saving grace here if course is that it only needs to be built once. Assembly took us just under an hour and a half so expect the build to take you anywhere from about 1.5 to 2 hours, including removing it from the packaging which is no small task in and of itself. 

The resulting cross trainer that stands in front of you at the end of the build, looks good. It’s got classic clean lines and the colours are completely non-offensive. While it’s not going to win any design awards for looks, it’s not ugly either and it does have a nice clean, functional look. Once laid down properly on a flat floor the C7.5 is quite sturdy but the lack of a dual rail system means it does move around a bit even if you’re not really hitting it that hard and it does have a bit more lateral movement than we would want to see. As you’d expect, it’s nice and quiet when in operation. The elliptical cycle feels adequately smooth all the way throughout without any surges. The resistance levels change at a pace that’s perfectly fine for general and also intense exercise, though if you like high-intensity interval training we’d suggest opting for an electromagnetic (EMS) model or one that’s more heavy-duty than the C7.5. There’s a motorised incline function that allows you to change the angle of attack up to 20% which changes the action from a relatively flat ellipse to a more circular ellipse. This allows you to target a range of different specific muscle groups making it easier to get an all-round full-body workout. As changing the incline level also changes the stride length from 44cm (17.3”) to 48cm (19”) this provides the flexibility for different sized users to select the stride length that’s best for them, which can be very useful  in a family environment. In the same vein, mounting and dismounting is made easy by the oversized pedals which give you the sense of stepping up onto a proper platform and the fixed handlebars that provide an anchor point to keep your balance stepping on and off. All these things make the C7.5 a genuinely family friendly model that should do a decent job in a home setting.

Resistance levels start from almost non-existent up to a respectable difficulty that should provide a good workout unless you’re already regular gym-going fit in which case you might find, even with the incline that you’re left wanting a little more ooomph. The pedal plates are a good size and provide plenty of space for foot placement but unfortunately, there’s no pedal angle adjustment. Still, the overall experience is good and the C7.5 delivers a solid workout.

The console features a 5” backlit LCD screen which does a perfectly satisfactory job of displaying your workout data. With 27 different preset programmes to work through, there’s a fair bit here to keep you entertained and as with all modern NordicTrack machines, the C7.5 has an iFit Bluetooth module allowing you to connect to the iFit service.  Subscribers to iFit get access to an extensive catalogue of high-definition workout videos led by professional personal trainers. In addition to the training videos, iFit also features Google Maps workouts that allow you to map out your own routes on Google Maps, and you can participate in online challenges against other iFit members. You also gain access to personalised advice for nutrition, exercise routines and sleep schedule. iFit is a whole world unto itself and offers more than we can cover in this review, but if you want to know more visit the iFit website for full details. You will also need a tablet and a good WiFi signal and fast internet connection to get a smooth, seamless experience out of it. Slower connections or poor WiFi signals can and do impact the smoothness of the stream so it’s worth bearing this in mind before making a purchase if interactive training is high on your priority list. 

There’s also a Bluetooth heart rate sensor that gives a reliable reading when used with a chest belt, and all the standard add-on’s that you’d expect to see on a NordicTrack machine these days such as water bottle holder, speakers, fan etc.

Last but not least of course the C7.5 is covered by a 2 years parts and labour warranty as long as you register it with NordicTrack within 28 days of purchase.