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A lot of people are in the market for home exercise equipment. In fact, the jump in the last 10 years has been .66 billion in sales [1].
With so many consumers looking for home exercise equipment, more and more brands are spending an increasing amount of money on research and development to come up with more innovative products than ever before.
Nowadays, you can find home exercise equipment that provides a gym-like (or better) experience for a very affordable price. Two of the competing brands you will likely find yourself choosing between are Schwinn and NordicTrack. Both brands have a diverse range of products that you can stock your home gym with. The hardest part is being able to choose the right fit for yourself.
By the end of this article, you should have enough information to decide which one would be the best fit for your needs.
Equipment Battle: What do Schwinn and NordicTrack Have to Offer?
Schwinn Fitness
1. Indoor Cycling
Schwinn is known for producing some of the highest-rated affordable indoor cycling bikes in the marketplace. They offer (3) different indoor cycling bike models to choose from.
2. Airdyne Bikes
Schwinn also happens to offer (3) different models of Airdyne bikes. These bikes combine air resistance technology with the durability you love and expect from Schwinn bike designs.
3. Upright Bikes
Schwinn also sells their very own set of upright bikes in (2) different models. These bikes utilize magnetic resistance and feature high-speed high-inertia flywheels.
4. Recumbent Bikes
Schwinn also sells (2) different models of their recumbent bikes. These bikes also feature magnetic resistance and a high-speed high-inertia flywheel.
5. Treadmills
Schwinn has its own line of treadmills. Their treadmills come in (3) different models. The cheapest treadmill features 16 total workout programs topping out at 10 miles per hour whereas the most expensive offers as many as 26 programmed workouts and tops out at 12 miles per hour.
6. Elliptical
For those who want something that provides a low impact total body workout, Schwinn offers (3) different models of their own elliptical series. Each elliptical leverages magnetic resistance and a high-speed high inertia flywheel.
7. Crewmaster Rower
Schwinn has its own rower that offers exceptional value. It features an LCD display, a large and comfortable seat, and a storage mode for those with limited space. It uses a nylon transmission which makes it rather quiet in its operation.
NordicTrack
1. Treadmills
This is perhaps NordicTrack’s bread and butter. NordicTrack is known for producing some of the best treadmills for consumers. Their treadmills come in (3) different series with a total of (9) different models. Each treadmill series has its own standout features. The Commercial series is known for providing a studio/commercial-like experience with an immersive display. The T-Series options do the same but they are available at an even more affordable price. NordicTrack’s industry-leading iFit training membership is available with all of its treadmills for interactive training.
2. Bikes
NordicTrack offers a range of different bike options. You can choose from the studio cycles or opt for the Grand Tour series bikes. You can also choose from the (2) different models of recumbent bikes they produce. For those who want an upright experience, NordicTrack offers (2) different models of upright bikes. Regardless of what bike you decide to purchase, you can leverage iFit’s interactive and immersive training with it.
3. Ellipticals
NordicTrack offers (3) different series of ellipticals and a total of (8) different models to choose from. You will be able to find the right type of trainer with the right features that you want to find in the elliptical of your choosing due to the diversity of their lineup. As with their other equipment, you can leverage iFit’s unique interactive training with it to help you get the most out of your workouts.
4. Strength Training
NordicTrack also offers a range of strength training machines and equipment. This includes their Fusion series which features all kinds of strength training exercises in a single piece of equipment. They also offer adjustable dumbbells for quick and easy free weight exercises. They have speed weights for those looking to incorporate strength training into their cardio sessions. Lastly, they offer skiers that help you take your endurance to a new level with their skiing system for the ultimate cardio workout.
5. Rowers
NordicTrack has (3) different rowing models that will help you get the most out of your rowing sessions. With two models that have built-in displays, you can leverage all of the immersive training within your iFit membership. With a rower with a built-in display, you can find yourself working out with world-class trainers on the water halfway around the world.
Learn more and get best NordicTrack Prices at Amazon
How To Choose?
NordicTrack offers iFit compatible connected workout equipment. Meaning, you will be able to get interactive personal training at home. This can help you maintain optimal motivation and allow you to experience working out like never before. With the ability to choose from both live and on-demand classes, there is no shortage of content that can keep you highly motivated to work out as hard as possible. Whereas, Schwinn offers a much more basic experience that you would expect to have while working out at the gym.
Workout Technology Battle
Schwinn
Schwinn isn’t too technology-focused. Schwinn primarily designs and sells bikes that offer significant value in other areas. They are more focused on perfecting the performance aspect of their fitness equipment over adding innovative features to them. The one exception to this is the Schwinn IC4 indoor cycling bike. This model of theirs is not only affordable, but it is fully compatible with both Peloton and Zwift apps. Meaning, you will be able to get a world-class experience with the ability to stream thousands of different classes as you workout from the comfort of your own home. Like the official Peloton bike, you will be able to enjoy instruction from world-class trainers to help you get more out of your workouts.
NordicTrack
NordicTrack is much more technology-focused. They have invested a lot of time, energy, and money into their iFit experience. This membership gives you the ability to remove the guesswork from your workouts and helps you get more out of each workout you complete. You get access to live and on-demand workouts led by world-class fitness instructors. Along with this, you gain access to a range of immersive workout locations that can help take your workouts out of your living room and into amazing locations.
Learn more and get best NordicTrack Prices at Amazon
Price Comparison: Is Schwinn or NordicTrack More Affordable?
Schwinn Pricing Options
- Indoor Cycling Bikes: $299 to $899
- Ellipticals: $499 to $899
- Airdyne Bikes: 399 to $899
- Recumbent Bikes: $449 to $649
- Upright Bikes: $349 to $549
- Treadmills: $799 to $1,099
- Rower: $499
See all Schwinn prices at their website.
NordicTrack Pricing Options
- Treadmills: $1,699 to $3,999
- Bikes: $799 to $1,999
- Ellipticals: $1,299 to $3,999
- Strength Training Machines: $2,299 to $3,299
- Rowing Machines: $799 to $1,699
Learn more and get best NordicTrack Prices at Amazon
As you can probably tell, Schwinn is easily the more budget-friendly of the two. You will find the cheapest options coming from the Schwinn brand. That being said, NordicTrack does a good job of offering budget-friendly options with added value that you cannot get with the Schwinn outside of a single bike model.
With the ability to leverage the power of iFit with all of NordicTrack’s lineup, there is no question that it is the more value-packed option. Therefore, most people will find the added price worth paying for a NordicTrack alternative.
However, not everyone is going to want the same type of connected workout experience. That is where Schwinn may actually offer more value for the money for some consumers.
Summary: How to Pick the Best Option for You
It really comes down to figuring out whether or not the added cost of NordicTrack’s interactive iFit membership is worth the price difference. For most who are looking for a future-proof and much more immersive workout experience, it is truly worth it.
For those who are budget shopping and who want the absolute most bare-bones workout experience, the Schwinn will serve you well. The NordicTrack really excels at offering some of the best features you will find in the industry. You will be able to find a lot of immersive features like interactive training sessions both in the studio and through global led workouts.
Schwinn, on the other hand, looks to offer the most value for the money in terms of durability, reliability, and performance. Schwinn does dip its toes in connected workout experiences by offering its high-quality bike for use with Peloton, but they don’t offer many connected experiences beyond that.
You should get a NordicTrack if…
- You are in the market for a connected workout experience
- You want world-class led training
- You want extra motivation to work out every day with immersive workout locales
- You want the most value for your money
See all NordicTrack equipment options at Amazon
You should get a Schwinn if…
- You want to use the Peloton app for your bike
- You don’t care about connected workout experiences
- You just want durable and high-quality home gym equipment without advanced features