Customer Reviews

Gazelle Crosstrainer Pro

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought the Crosstrainer Pro after researching similar machines for over a week. I ordered one from Amazon and have been using it for a week now.

The machine is relatively easy to assemble but it does require two people. The only tools needed are spanners (included) and a Philips screwdriver. The quality of assembly instructions is good but leaves some details out. A more comprehensive and readable set of instructions would have been welcome. Additionally, the plastic "stride limiter" covers (cosmetic use only) fit poorly on my unit and the instrument panel just didn't fit in the base. These are irritating and avoidable negatives and cost the machine 1 star of the possible 5.

The actual working of the machine is something else though. It is very intuitive, easy to use, and well built. Any workout can be made as intensive as you want it to be and the Crosstrainer Pro obliges accordingly. As others have pointed out, the position of the arms, legs, and tilting of the upper body allows the user to focus on varying cardiac intensities and workouts. I have used fancier and more complex machines elsewhere and this model compares well with most of them. Excellent value for money and a great investment if you are planning on getting an easy-to-use and effective cardiac machine.

Finally, a note about the squeaking. This model, like other models from this company, suffers from a variety of squeaking sounds. I plan on using WD-40 (as others have advised) to reduce some of this unwelcome noise. There are other alternatives - you could use your IPod to drown out the noise (as I do currently) or you could even tailor a workout to match the squeaks ;)

Overall, this product gets the following points -

Assembly

Assembly - 3.5/5 (because of the messy digital instrument setup and tacky stride limiter cover).
Assembly documentation - 3/5 (when will companies ever learn to create good documentation?)
Parts - 4.5/5

Extras
DVDs - 5/5
Personal training hotline - 5/5 (they request a 2-day wating period for answers though)

Machine Details
Quality of materials/construction - 5/5
Quality of workout - 5/5
Resistance - 4/5
Ease of use - 5/5
Digital panel - 1/5 (The pulse reader works on my unit but little else. Doesn't matter in my case anyway as I keep my own log each day.)

Summary - A great buy if you can ignore minor glitches like the instructions, digital panel setup, and the squeaking. If I had to buy this machine again, I would do so unhesitatingly. I would still complain about the glitches though.

I've had this machine for about three weeks and the best thing about it is that it is fun to use. I haven't had any trouble getting on it at least every other day. As long as you're consistent in your approach, you'll break a good sweat and your muscles will feel it, especially with the resistance cylinders. It is also quiet, easy on your joints, and relatively easy to move around. The DVDs aren't that annoying (not much shouting), although they have their cheesy moments.

The assembly takes some effort. One of the resistance cylinders came pre-installed backwards (the sticker on the cylinder should not face upward), so it wouldn't snap on the rod, but it was easy enough to take it off and put it on correctly. The gazelle crosstrainer squeaked at first, but stopped once we added plenty of lubrication to the central axle and WD-40 to the cables. These are some small details that don't detract from the overall value of this product.

I BOUGHT THIS MACHINE BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD THE MORE EXPENSIVE ELIPTICALS. I WAS IMPRESSED BY HOW SOLID THE MACHINE IS. IT TOOK A WHILE TO PUT TOGETHER BUT THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE GOOD. I GOT FREE SHIPPING WHICH IS WORTH IT RIGHT THERE, PLUS NO TAX. IT DOESN'T SAY IT IN THE DESCRIPTION, BUT IT CAME WITH 4 DVD'S THAT SHOW YOU HOW TO USE IT CORRECTLY, AND SEVERAL WORKOUTS, ALSO CAME WITH A WATER BOTTLE.

I HAVE USED IT FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW AND I THINK IT IS FUN. I WORKED UP A SWEAT ON THIS TOO. A LOT OF THIS WORKOUT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT. YOU NEED TO REALLY MOVE WITH THE MUSIC AND TRY TO MOVE YOUR SHOULDERS AND UPPER BODY AS YOU STRIDE.

SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID THIS WAS A CHEAP MACHINE AND FLIMSY. I THINK FOR THE MONEY THOUGH IT WAS WORTH IT. ALSO, IF YOU CAN STICK WITH A ROUTINE ON THIS MACHINE, THEN IT WOULD BE BETTER TO GET A BETTER ONE AFTER THIS ONE WEARS OUT. MOST PEOPLE BUY A REALLY EXPENSIVE MACHINE AND THEN USE IT FOR A WEEK OR TWO AND IT SITS. CHEAP OR NOT, IF YOU USE THIS MACHINE ADN STICK WITH IT, YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT.

I did a lot of web review searching before I bought this product. The reviews here on Amazon were really helpful. The lower end Gazelle models were cheaper (sometimes) but not nearly as heavy duty. They appear to constructed more like heavy ironing boards. You can get really confused researching the Gazelle models because they have so many names for similar models.

I am very out of shape and weigh 250 pounds. The Crosstrainer Pro not only holds up well under me, but the rear cable for the footbeds has a built-in "rubber" spring at the top of the cable that absorbs impact. You can fold it up easily to store, but it takes up so little room I leave it set up.

Some folks here have complained about the difficulty is putting it together, but it only took me about 30 minutes. The basic cheapo but functional tools for assembly were supplied with the machine (new) If you get one used, you probably have the common household wrenches and screwdrivers to put one together.

I did not think about my width being a problem, but my hips are 48" around and lightly touch the top rear frame supports when I use it. Someone larger may be rubbed uncomfortably or lightly bruised by this contact.

The one thing I have a problem with is the hand grips. They are attached to the top of the foot bars, so one's grip is only as wide as the foot bars, which is not very wide. This feels really narrow to me. I would prefer that the handgrips are independent of the footbeds. I had a high quality "skier" once that had hand grips wider than the foot bars, and they were independent of the foot movement. It felt a lot more natural. Of course, this "skier" was over $500 and ended up being a clothes rack......<g> I DO use the Gazelle.

There are only two levels of resistance from the machine itself - with or without attaching the resistance pistons. However, much of the variety in "training" comes from the way you hold your body while using the machine. You can lean forward or backward, hold the hand grips high or low (or not at all), or even use it "backward" without the hand grips. This is all well-demonstrated in the DVDs that came with it.

The Pro does have its share of squeaks at some of the connections, but with WD-40 or a silicone based lubricant, they are not bad. I play loud music when I exercise anyway, so I don't notice the light squeaks.

IMHO, this is not a machine for someone already in really good shape. Even with the included optional resistance pistons, It just will probably not be enough for you folks who are already pretty fit.

However, for those of us who are just trying to get back in basic shape, I think this is a good place to start. The price was right. The $150 package I bought through Amazon for a new machine also included 3 DVDs and two exercise and nutrition booklets. I have seen this product for over $300 in stores, less on E-Bay but without the DVDs (or astronomical shipping) so I feel I got a bargain. I don't need (and can't afford and won't use) $600 elliptical machines with 12 different programs that take up the whole living room and half the kitchen.....

There was, apparently, a recall on the resistance pistons on some of the Gazelle machines that were manufactured a couple of years ago. You may wish to check out used machines for this recall. I'm so out of shape it will probably be years before I even hook up the resistance pistons on my machine. <g>

The machine was easy to assemble, although one minor part was broken. (It's not really necessary.) It also comes with 4 or 5 DVDs to workout with. Being someone who is completely out of shape, I was feeling it quickly with this machine. It forces you to move your limbs. I have built my way up to about 8-10 minutes without giving out, compared to a 30-minute walk around the block. I am completely worn out when I get off this machine! It doesn't look cheap, and is a far better value than the pricier ellipticals. And it folds up if you need to move it out of your way. The wheels on the back don't move when you are on the machine, but allow for easy moving of the machine when you need to.

Fairly easy to assemble. A bit confusing when 1st out of the box, but once you get going it becomes clear. Unit does not look or feel cheap. If I were at a friends and saw it I would be suprised that it was only $150. Computer seems to work fine for me. Had to play with the magnets a bit before it seemed to work correctly. It was really sqeeky at 1st, but as other reviewers had said, just hit it with some WD-40 and it becomes wisper quiet.

As far as work out quality goes, I highly recommend checking out Tony's video that comes with it (plus 3 others). I thought I would never bother to look at the dvd, but figured why not. He does show you some techniques you can use to hit various body muscle groups. I found that my work out is a bit more intense when watching the video cause I try to keep pace with Tony. He is very annoying in his commercials and infomercials, but he tones it down in the work out videos and is good at motivating.

I am very pleased with the purchase and would recommend it to anyone looking for some home cardio equipment.

Update: 8 Weeks later. Still using the maching 4 to 5 times a day. I do 30-45 minutes of cardio and then about 20 minutes of strength training. Yes, there is ways to do strength training on this machine. I also found a way to do some good ab work on it. Its hard to say how much fat weight I have lost cause I am also gaining muscle weight, but I am getting slimer, more tone, have much more energy through out the day, and don't get stressed out at work as easy.

This is my first home excerise equipment and I love it. It beats the gym for me cause I would get tired of making the gym trip. It is much easier to jump on the trainer when ever you have 30-60 free minutes, cutting down on time otherwise required to get "ready" and travel to a gym.

I do find the resistant pistons pretty much useless. I seem to get better results by using differnt techniques vs the pistons.

If you're in the market for a Gazelle, it's hard to beat the value of the Crosstrainer Pro. It's virtually the same thing as the Gazelle Freestyle but sells for about $50 less. It's a fun machine to use, and the workout can be as varied and/or intense as you want it to be simply by making slight adjustments in the way that you use it. You can lean a little more forward to concentrate on the upper body, squat down while using it to concentrate on the buttocks, etc. The videos that come with it give you some great exercise ideas and you can tweak them or makeup your own variations to maximize your benefit. As others have mentioned, you may need to add some lubrication to the axle tube and cables to quiet the inevitable squeaking.

I have been using this machine for 3 weeks now and I am extremely happy with the low impact cardiovascular workout. Because it is low impact I can use it every day and not worry about the strain to my joints or feet. The resistance is very good, I feel like my upper body and lower body are both being worked out equally. I feel like my body is overall becoming much stronger including my back.

The Gazelle Crosstrainer Pro is a great machine to work out on. I received it promptly and it was not difficult to put together.

One piece of the item was received broken. the company will be replacing this piece. The timer/scanner has never properly worked. You can not reset the counts after each. This prohibits the user from counting distance, time or calories burned without doing some calculations. The pulse indicator which is part of the scanner, also does not work.

I do like the convenience of the gazelle and feel like i am getting a good lower body work out.