Customer Reviews

Lifecore LC-985VG Elliptical Trainer

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I have owned a lot of exercise equipment, and the Lifecore LC-985VG Elliptical Trainer is a very good machine. Unlike some others I have tried, it has a very smooth action, is quiet, and is easy to use. It's also smaller than several other models I've tested, so it fits nicely in most rooms. Further, because it is lightweight and has two front wheels, it's easy to move.

The assembly instructions are not the best, but I've seen much worse. Regardless, it's pretty obvious where most of the parts go. It took me about one hour to assemble by myself, though it would be easier and quicker with two people.

Recently I moved the machine to a different room and one of the front wheel casings cracked. I don't know if this occurred because of a defect or because I went over a bump too quickly. I called the manufacturer (toll-free number) and received prompt and courteous service. When I bought the machine I registered it online, so my information was quickly found by the company representative. I described what happened and the representative was surprised because it was unusual for a wheel casing to break. Nevertheless, without any trouble he promised to ship me a replacement part free of charge (still under warranty). I called on a Friday afternoon and received the part on the next Tuesday. Changing the part (only one screw) was simple and took about two minutes. It's nice to know that there are still some companies that stand behind their products and provide good service to their customers.

For years I've either walked outside or on a treadmill attempting to improve my flexibility and cardio. I never felt comfortable on a treadmill (too narrow) and walking outside always has it's limitations. I've always questioned myself as to whether any of this was working for me. Finally I decided to buy an elliptical. I had heard so many positive reports about these things I felt I had to give it a try. When I first started to look I soon realized there are scores of manufacturers and hundreds of models from which to choose. I needed some way to quickly narrow the field. I decided to check out Consumer Reports. I've gone this route before and have rarely been disappointed. After reading their findings, I decided on this model. They rated it a best buy. I thought about going to several stores to check out all the different models but ultimately decided to shop online. While you can spend several thousand dollars on one of these machines, I decided that I would limit my budget to $1000. It was easy to assemble. The only thing I had trouble with was figuring out the computer. I think the manual could have been written more clearly. Once I mastered the computer, I found the exercise to be fun and challenging. And, when I step off the machine, my knees feel great. I feel energized and my knees don't hurt as with regular walking or the treadmill. The settings on the machine are such that you can tailor your workouts to the level of your skill or fitness. This may take a few sessions before you can get into a routine. Once there, it's fun to keep pushing yourself to do more. And for me, the more I do the better I feel. I'm very pleased with this product. I think it makes exercise fun again.

This product is wonderful! I just recently started using this product and already I've started to feel great! It has very fluid motion and its consistant! I love that it already has preset programs that way I can challenge myself and not stick with the same-ole same ole. Light weight...EVEN BETTER! I can move it from room to room, wether I'm watching T.V or Looking outside! Talking about it makes me want to use it. I recomend this to anyone!

I purchased this machine a few months ago a I couldn't be more satisfied. I'm 6' 220 lbs and it fits me and my wife who is 5' 4" tall, no problem. The Lifecore 985VG is smooth, compact, easy to use and still running as great as when I first got it. I read the review from Consumer Reports on this machine, and they are absolutely right about it. I would highly recommend this product to anyone looking for the most bang for their buck.

The first unit I received was damaged. Amazon was great and replaced it next day with another damaged unit. Plastic housing was cracked on both of them. I decided to keep the second unit, and Lifecore sent me a replacement plastic housing -- took more than a week to get it though, and I'm not far from their warehouse. The repair was difficult, mainly because there were no instructions. The trick was that I needed to remove all screws on the housing -- both left and right, although I was only replacing the left one. Some screws during manufacture were over tightened, stripping the plastic on the oposite side of the housing. If you choose to buy one, check the plastic housing first, and if damaged, don't mess with it -- return it, and get another one, or a different machine. Machine works great, but what a PITA to get everything straigtened out including returning one of the units to Amazon -- box weighs 130#.

BTW, I wouldn't blame the carrier as one unit was delivered by UPS, the other by FedEx. Seems to me that Lifecore should consult with a packaging engineeer, to ensure that their product can make it to customer homes in good order.

I recently purchased this machine. It works great, although I've only used it about 5 times. The only beef I have, and it's pretty minor, is that the digital display is a little hard to understand when programming your settings. Not very user friendly. Of course, it would probably help to read the entire manual..but some exercise equipment,you don't need to read a manual to figure out how everything works. It's usually a no brainer. With this one, you do. Other than that, it was easy to put together, it's well built, quiet and doesn't take up too much space. A well deserved 4.

I used Precor machines at a club in the past, and wanted to build my own "cardio theatre" at home--saving the trip to the club.

This machine appealed because it's less bulky than many, and the price of course is much lower than many machines.

The price is low, but the quality is quite high. The machine feels sturdy, and while using, it's so quiet that I don't need headphones to hear the TV, I can listen at a normal volume level...very happy.

Assembly time for me was 45 minutes from cutting the box open to being finished. The assembly instructions are clear.

Top things I love:
1. Compact size
2. Quiet operation
3. Feels "solid" and well built
4. Pre-designed programs are easy to see and select

Things that aren't perfect:
1. The computer isn't 100% intuitive, but there's a detailed instruction card which is large with pictures and large fonts...if you read it, you'll have no problem.
2. There's not a magazine holder, so if you'd rather read than watch TV while using, you'll need to design your own solution
3. Your heart rate is monitored by hand-contacts on the stationary hand rests. This is just like machines I've used in the club, but as with those, my hands aren't on these contacts very often, so I'd rather have a chest strap for heartrate. An optional accessory chest strap would be nice, but I don't see one offered.

Even though I can see some room for improvement in the design, this product exceeds my expectation for a great home elliptical at a budget price, so it's still a 5-star for me.

I'll keep this short. I've had this for at least half a year now (lost track a little). Overall, it's excellent overall quality. If you go to the sites that sell this one and other more expensive ones, they'll try to tell you that the more expensive ones are somehow more stable, durable, or something. For my experience, I don't see it. This device should be fine for 200 pound plus people who wish moderate exercise. I can't speak to using it for all-out sprinting, but for your basic, older person elliptical-style jogging, it's great.

Minor complaint: the directions (that recommend you just cut the sides of the box rather than try to lift the device out) were on the bottom of the box. I fussed a lot before finding that out! They should actually write that tip on the outside of the box. The computer is fine for basic operation, although it is not the simplest to learn. For me, I prefer the manual settings anyway where I can adjust the levels as I go along.

The elliptical is fortunately made in Taiwan rather than China (in case unfair trade practices or human rights are a factor for you). The NordicTrack we had before was unfortunately neither Nordic nor very good. This unit is 10 times better.

I just purchased this machine from a local retailer that I've used and trusted for years. This machine fits my husband and I's requirements perfectly. 1) The price point was perfect (we happened to purchase it during a sale and the sales person threw in an extra discount). 2) The height. Our home gym is in our basement where the ceiling is only 82" high. With me being 5'8" and my husband being 5'10" this elliptical provided a lower step-up than most machines as well as minimized the "bounce" during use. We placed the machine between the floor joists just to be safe, but we really didn't need to. 3) Resistance. Both my husband and I are weight lifters (recreational) and need a higher resistance to get our heart rates up without having to get the RPM's up really high. This machine offered a good resistance that was really easy to change during a workout and had a really smooth transition from one level to the next. 4) Durability. My husband is 215lbs and can get aggressive with his workouts so wobbling/tipping was a concern of mine. We both feel safe and secure on this elliptical.

Assembly was pretty easy and didn't take long at all, though perhaps that's because between my husband's construction experience and my growing up with furniture out of a box, we're used to this kind of work.

I spent quite a bit of time researching elliptical's before purchasing, and I'm confident that we made the right choice.

I had very high hopes from this elliptical because it was Consumer Reports best buy and had generally positive web reviews. However

- The plastic flywheel casing was significantly cracked with some shards coming off. It didn't affect the functionality, so I decided to not deal with the hassle of returning it.

- The computer's manual (amazing copied in three different books!) is very, very sparse. I suppose I was able to eventually figure out the basic functionality, save for things like how to set the time. E.g. it talks about a "recovery" key to determine your fitness. I am F06, but the manual does explain if that's good or bad.

- The front post started wobbling significantly after 3-4 hours of workout. This one really scares me. I feel like I am wearing the screws that attach post to the base with every stride. I am going to try to get it repaired.

Update: I called their customer service and had one of my best experiences ever. I got straight to a rep who knew what he was talking about. He said that this wobbling is a known problem and replacement posts are on order. He took down my address and the replacement was shipped to me a few weeks later. It works great now! So I am changing my rating from 1 to 3 stars. I would've given 4 stars but for the poor UI/computer documentation.

What can I say? You get what you pay for.