Refurbished Fitness Equipment: Epic E 950 Elliptical Trainer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Purchased one of these machines recently.It was shipped and arrived at my home approximately 3 weeks after I ordered it.When I assembled it, the motor to operate the power incline on the front was frozen up and just made an awful grinding noise, but would not move the incline.When I phoned the manufacturer for customer service, they were very pleasant and promised to ship out the motor immediately.However, they then changed the order (intentionally, I found during a later call) to ship me an axle and sensor instead, even though those could not have caused the problem I described.

When I got the incorrect parts a week later, I again phoned "customer service" (on Friday afternoon) and was told that they would immediately ship out a new motor via overnight delivery, so I would receive it on Monday at the latest. Monday came... and no motor. I called yet again, and was told that the motor had been out of stock for some time, and they didn't know when it would be available again. I have called back multiple times hoping for an update, but all I get is, "these motors come in and out of stock all the time (I apparently am fairly low priority...), but we don't have any way of knowing when they'll be available."

That is where I still sit regarding the parts.The elliptical is vaguely usable, but only if I want to use it strictly on the highest incline setting - which makes it really more like a stair-stepper than an elliptical.

The quality of the machine is really quite poor for the price. The plastic foot pedals make cracking sounds if I use the machine. They don't seem to break - but they seem flimsy.The console is very light, cheap plastic, and is *very* poor in terms of programmability. Every mode is hard-coded for either a 30 minute or 45 minute workout. If you want an intense 15 minute workout... you're out of luck.A one hour workout... no joy.

As you can tell, I am not a happy camper with this product. I am going to return it as soon as I have the time to load it up and take it in.Fortunately shipping was free, and there is a brick and mortar store that I can return it to.

A word to the wise...

Update to the above review: The faulty motor that I had such trouble getting finally arrived.When the technician came out to put it in, though, the second motor was *also* faulty, so the elliptical still didn't work.So, to summarize, it started out badly - and has only gotten worse with time.I will be replacing this elliptical, but will do everything I can to avoid one built by one of ICON's brands.

Further Update to review:I should clarify that the lousy customer service was NOT on the part of Amazon, but on the part of the manufacturer.I've never had anything but positive experiences with Amazon.ICON did eventually send me yet another replacement motor - about 2 months after I told them not to bother because I was returning the machine that day...

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Product Description:
Shape and tone your body while losing weight in the process with the smooth exercise motion of the Epic E 950 elliptical trainer. The E 950 offers 12 built-in workouts to keep you motivated, including eight personal trainer workouts that vary the incline and resistance to focus on aerobic, weight loss, or performance goals, along with two heart rate workouts that keep you in your target workout zone and two custom programs. The trainer also offer a smooth, frictionless resistance system that lets you adjust your workout intensity without interrupting your workout, with 10 intensity levels from which to choose. And it's easier than ever to select a specific resistance or incline level thanks to the 1-Touch controls. Rather than tediously scrolling through the options, the 1-Touch Resistance button lets you instantly adjust the elliptical's resistance level, while the 1-Touch Incline allows you to vary the incline from 10 to 30 percent.
Other details include multiple LED windows that track your speed, time, distance, calories, and pulse; a 15 x 20 workout matrix that helps you visually track your workout; a MyCalories calorie counter that lets you set your weight and calculate the calories burned; a PowerPulse heart rate monitor that lets you easily check your pulse by gripping the pulse monitors in the handles; and two CoolAire workout fans built right into the console. The E 950, which offers a weight capacity of 300 pounds, measures 76 by 68 by 25 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 287 pounds.
About Elliptical Trainers
Elliptical trainers represent the next wave of advancement in low-impact cardiovascular exercise machines and continue to grow in popularity. By simulating motions experienced through walking, stepping, cycling, and skiing, elliptical machines allow for a smooth and fluid motion while building strength in the arms and legs. Similar to the exercise position for treadmills, elliptical trainers are used by standing in an upright position while holding the handrails of the machine. With elliptical trainers, however, your feet remain in the foot pedals throughout the exercise regimen and circulate in a smooth and seamless motion, resulting in little to no impact on the knees, back, and hips.
Elliptical trainers are compatible for all ages and fitness levels and allow you to select the difficulty level through the incline and intensity settings. Additionally, elliptical trainers allow you to determine the complexity of your workout based on your needs, all while listening to music, watching television, or reading a magazine while exercising in the comfort and safety of your own home.
Although different types of elliptical trainers offer an assortment of features, many of them include an array of challenging programs, forward and reverse directional movement, EKG grip pulse handles, a lightweight portable design with easy fold-up capability, and a monitor displaying calories burned, distance, speed, time, and heart rate. Other types of exercise machines, namely treadmills and bikes, offer excellent cardiovascular exercise and muscular training for the legs in a forward-motion exercise. Elliptical trainers take this to the next level by offering an upper and lower body workout with dual motion, challenging and diverse programs, and a low-impact exercise machine that won't strain sensitive joints.