Reebok Astroride A6.0 Elliptical Cross Trainer Review

Reebok ellipticals have always been a point of interest so when we saw the Astroride A6.0 cross-trainer we were eager to see what one of their more modern models has to offer. With a long history of producing great value for money ellipticals our expectations were high, it’s fair to say. Here’s what we found…

Assembly of the A6.0 is simple in nature, but reasonably time-consuming due to the amount of small, fiddly pieces that need to be put together. With two people you should expect to set aside about an hour to complete the assembly. The manual is clear enough, with the assembly instructions based entirely on pictures and numbers. It’s not too bad, but we’ve definitely come across machines that are less time-consuming to put together.

Once built, this is a pretty looking machine. With a footprint of 152cm x 62cm (60’” x 24.4″) it’s a mid-sized elliptical that will sit nicely in most domestic settings. It feels reasonably well put-together too. As for comfort, it’s not bad at all. The stride length is just under 15″ making it suitable and comfortable for most users up to about 6ft or so. The padded pedals are wide and provide good grip while the 9kg flywheel ensures a smooth feel from the action all the way through the cycle. The pedals are nicely positioned and have a relatively low distance between one another (their Q-factor) and while that’s never going to be as little a distance as a front-wheel based model, it’s still good enough to provide a comfortable ride. Overall this is a smooth and quiet elliptical that does the basics well, which is exactly what we’ve come to expect from a Reebok machine.

Getting your ergonomics right is the minimum requirement of course. It’s after these basic standards have been met that we turn our attention to the rest of the functions and this, of course, leads us straight to the console. The A.60 features a Bluetooth module and a wireless receiver which allow connections with smart devices and pulse monitors respectively. The Reebok Fitness App software that runs on your tablet/phone is standard stuff and while it works OK there are plenty of more complex and more enjoyable rival systems out there available on bikes at a similar price level. The wireless heart rate receiver allows you to make proper use of the heart rate control programmes and there’s a 5.75″ LCD display which does a perfectly good job of providing all your training data including pulse, rpm, distance, speed and theoretical calorie burn. In terms of on-board workouts there are 12 to choose from which does feel a bit limited, though there are also 3 target based workouts, a user-defined workout and a recovery test.

Other features include leg levellers, water bottle holder, mobile phone holder and transport wheels. The Astroride A6.0 is also covered by Reebok’s 2 year on-site parts and labour warranty.