Customer Reviews

Sole E95 Elliptical Trainer (2009-2010 Model)

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I have been researching home ellipticals for a while now. I was spoiled with the LifeFitness machines (20 inch stride) at the gym and I know many home ellipticals fall short - they feel shaky, flimsy, the stride is short... I had read great things about Sole machines and went to a local store to try them out.

They had the e95, e35, and e25 in new 2009 models as well as an old (2008) e55 being sold as a floor model. I had originally thought I wanted the e55 but the new e35 is actually better than the old e55 so that ruled out the floor model, even at a killer price.

I looked mainly at the e35 and the e95.

Both are very, very, very sturdy machines. I was amazed at how much they feel like the LifeStride - very solid and a nice, long stride. I am only 5'4 but anything less than 20" in stride length feels choppy to me - I don't know how anyone can stand most home machines!

If I really, really got going hard and fast, I could feel a slight difference in sturdiness between the two machines. I should point out I am between 140-150 pounds - the sales guys said if they were me, they'd go with the e35 but someone of a higher weight would notice the difference more than I did. The difference in sturdiness alone was really too slight to justify the difference in price, but since we could afford to go higher, I wondered if we should.

The other thing I debated, though, was the computer. For the most part you can do the exact same thing with both machines, but the computers are a little different. The e95 is flashy red LED and has a numeric keypad. The e35 is blue LCD and has arrow keys for input (ie it says "Input age" and it starts with, I think, 32 - you then have to toggle to the right age). It's a little annoying but something that will be annoying at the start of the workout and that's all. Again a case of we can afford to pay more and this would be nice, maybe we should.

Both machines have buttons on the handlebars for adjusting resistance and incline - VERY cool. Both machines allow you to adjust the foot pedals although the e95 has a knob you turn so you can adjust to any angle within the range whereas the e35 has a lever you pull out and then lift the pedals which have 2 or 3 notches in them that catch on the lever when you push it back in - like an exercise bike seat - so you may not get THE perfect adjustment.

So it seems like if you're willing to spend the cash the e95 is the way to go, right? Not so fast. There was one big drawback to it and one small drawback. The small was, I didn't care for the padded footbeds. They neither added nor detracted from the workout but I didn't see the need to pay extra and I worried about the padding breaking down over time. If you're wearing tennis shoes who needs padded footbeds? The biggest drawback was, the e95 has fat, molded handgrips. I found these felt chunky and sticky in my hands. Maybe if you are a 6' plus beefy guy with bigger hands, you would prefer this, but I really didn't like it and it would bother me the entire workout. The e35 has thinner, smoother handgrips, like I was used to at the gym. I did not want to pay extra for the e95 and hate those handgrips.

In the end I ordered the new 2009 e55 from Sole because it has all the features I like - a little sturdier than the e35, numeric keypad though screen is LED not LCD, smooth handgrips with buttons, killer warranty, fully adjustable and non-padded foot beds. I wish I could have tried this one in the store but I liked both the e35 and the e95 so much I am quite sure this was the right choice. These really are great machines but the handgrips on the e95 were a deal breaker for me.

If you have a Dick's near you - try this machine, you will be amazed. I really don't think you can go wrong with any of the models - it all comes down to slight differences between them. (But of course as you go up in weight, they say the heavier flywheel does make a bigger difference)

I've been into health and fitness for about 12 years, and I've owned several cardio and weight machines over that time. Also, I go to the gym so I have experience using commercial grade equipment. I purchased this machine so that I could do my cardio at home and only have to go to the gym for my weight training. I've been using it about 4 days a week, for 45 minute sessions, for about 4 weeks now and I absolutely love it! This is a very sturdy piece of equipment, and is very smooth. I am very happy with this product, and as long as it doesn't break on me any time soon, I will continue to be a supporter of Sole products.

Some people mentioned some difficulties in assembling this machine, but I don't recall having any major problems other than the issues mentioned below, which I don't think were really related to the assembly. I did take it real slow (and had someone looking over me lol) just to make sure I didn't mess anything up, so just be sure to set aside plenty of time so you can follow the directions exactly. Fortunately, they include all the tools you need and all of the small parts (screws, bolts, etc.) are separated out in a package according to the step you use them.

There were 2 very small issues I had after I assembled the machine, but they were very minor so I didn't think it warranted taking a star off the rating. First, after assembling it and getting on it to test it out, I noticed some type of squeaking noise. After narrowing down where the sound was coming from I found out that it was caused by the rollers, so I applied the supplied lube to the rails and that solved that problem. The other issue was another noise I noticed while being on it for a few minutes. I narrowed that noise down to one of the "O" bolts that screw into the end of the end where you connect the leg arm to the arm handle. The problem was caused because you couldn't screw the "O" bolt in all the way because if you did you could line the arm handle up with it. Anyways, I called Sole and they had a technician call me. He shipped me the part I needed (another "O" bolt, washer, etc.) and that solved the problem. It should be noted that, after seeing what they sent me, I could have very easily fixed this problem myself by just using a washer on the "O" bolt, but I figured I'd just let the part come in from the technician. These 2 issues were very minor and the noises were not very loud, but I thought I should at least mention them.

Some other things:
- Another poster mentioned the tube of lube that comes in the box, and I believe that is used to lube the railings that the rollers ride on. At least that's what I used it for.
- Someone mentioned the arm grips being a bit large, and they are somewhat large compared to other machines, but I got use to them after a few workouts.
- If you like really hardcore, grueling training sessions then get on this thing and pump the resistance level up to 10+ (it goes to 20 I think). This thing has more resistance than any home piece of equipment I have ever seen, and just as much as most of the commercial ones. The bottom line is no matter how strong you are, I don't think you are going to outgrow this thing.

You usually get what you pay for, and if you are serious about getting a good piece of home exercise equipment that will give you an awesome workout, then expect to pay at least this much. I actually purchased this thing from a local Dick's Sporting Goods because it was the same price but I probably paid a good bit more once you figure in sales tax (10% here in Montgomery, AL). If you have a local sporting goods store that carries this elliptical, you may want to go check it out there first just to make sure it feels ok to you.

May 15, 2009 update: I'm still very much enjoying this machine and getting a lot of use out of it. I didn't say anything about the included heart-rate monitor in my original review but thought I should mention it now because I've been using it a lot. Unlike the hand-grip monitor that this machine and others like it have, the included chest strap monitor seems to be very accurate! I've experimented with it a few times by slowing the pace down and picking the pace up and watched as the on screen display accurately reflected the change in heart-rate.

I can't add much to the previous excellent reviews, but I will add my thoughts.

WARNING: Take ceiling height into consideration! I had planned on installing it in my basement which has an 84" ceiling. It ended up in my garage with a 91" ceiling, less 1/2" for the matting. My height is 5'10" (70") and the 90.5" garage feels comfortable using the elliptical. Much less than that though, and it wouldn't be comfortable at all. I would say to add at least 17" to your body height.

On assembly: Not too bad. As someone said, if you can assemble complicated Ikea furniture, you can probably handle this. There are LOTS of parts. The rubber grommets for one of the steps were with the power cord, other than that, all the bolts and washers are separated in a tray by the assembly step number.

Positives: Very solid. When using it, it only very slightly wobbles and that's because it's setting on 1/2" foam matting. Once I move a light fixture out of the way, I'll probably move it over to the edge and remove the matting from under it.

Very quiet and very smooth.

Negatives: At the lowest level, it provides probably too intense a workout for some folks. For me it's fine. This morning I did the interval with a max level of six and it was no problem. (I'm not exactly Mr. Buff.) For my wife, who doesn't do much physical exertion, after 5 min. on level one, she was back to walking on the treadmill. So I'd say if your normal exercise is walking, then you may need to work up to an elliptical.

Audio speakers are *tiny*! Also tinny. Rather like the audio from an old transister radio. Usable in a pinch I suppose, but I wouldn't count on them for a pleasurable workout experience.

It has two "user" memory storage buttons that are virtually worthless. You can, step by arduous step, program a specific workout with twenty different segments!!! if you like, but it's hard to imagine real people using this feature. I would much rather have two buttons that memorized two different people's weight, age, etc. As it is, if two people alternate on it, you have to enter all the information every time you use the machine. Fortunately for me, it looks like it'll be a while before my wife gets back on it.

I think the built-in profiles are adequate, although I wish they had a profile with continuous random "hills" of various heights for more diversity.

If you want a non-impact full-body workout that can raise a serious sweat, with the possible exception of a rowing machine, you can't beat an elliptical. All in all, I'm glad we bought it.

Edit: I wanted to add a few more positives. I like that the foot pads are adjustable. You can't even tell that they're "padded" - not sure why they market that "feature", but the pads don't appear to be easy to wear out, which is a good thing.

After using it some more, I can tell that I need to adjust my height recommendation. If you're going to use the Incline feature, (where the back rails lift the foot pads higher when they're in the rear position), then you'll probably need 18" or 19" above your height. When the Incline is at the highest position, my head doesn't hit the 90.5" ceiling, but it's pretty darn close!

Don't let my thoughts on the resistance at the lowest level disuade you. It's very likely to be that way for all ellipticals. See if you can get a trial membership at a gym for a day to try an elliptical to see if it's too much for you.

It comes with a tube of lube without instructions. Customer service said to apply a dime size dollop on each track and the wheels would spread it out naturally.

I just finished assembling my 2009 Sole E95 and felt compelled to comment on the assembly process. It took about 3 ½ hrs from opening the box to powering up the unit for the first time. Here are some tips:

1. The assembly process isn't that complex but it does require some mechanical reasoning (like understanding a schematic) to fill in the many gaps in the instructions. If you are able to assemble a more difficult piece of Ikea furniture, then you should have no problem.

2. The parts kit includes the necessary tools (wrench, screwdriver) but realistically these tools are too poor quality to be effective. If you don't own tools, that might be an indication you shouldn't be tackling this project.

3. I opened the box outside and carried the parts into the house. Technically you could carry the box inside but that would be difficult and require 2-3 people. You can use a hand truck to carry the box but the box is too wide (34") to fit through most doors. The heaviest part is the flywheel assembly. You can rotate the assembly up on its wheels and pull with one person but that won't work going up stairs.

4. There are four basic assembly steps: connect back frame to flywheel assembly, connect post to flywheel assembly, connect arms and attach the many plastic covers.

5. The hardest step was connecting the post to the flywheel assembly. In this step, you have to feed the wires through the post, slip the whole thing through a plastic cover and slide down into the flywheel assembly where you will attach with bolts (making sure to tighten the fourth bolt already in place). The trick is making sure the wires are routed up the right channel in the post otherwise they will get pinched when inserting the post. You also should leave the foam insert in place at all times when working with the bolts. When the wire didn't fit correctly, I had to remove the bolts and since I already removed the foam, I dropped a bolt into the flywheel assembly. This required me to remove the plastic side around the flywheel to retrieve the bolt (taking 20 min).

6. Connecting the wires to the control panel assumes you know how to plug in small connectors correctly. The wires going to the hand rails are not marked left or right. I'm not sure if it matters. Everything worked correctly when finished so maybe I got lucky.

7. The instructions slightly mention a grommet that must be inserted into the post to protect the wire going to the hand rail. Couldn't find a grommet in the parts kit so I assembled anyway thinking I'd have to call later. Turns out the grommets were in the bag with the electrical cord (last bag opened) so I had to disassemble the plastic covers to insert the grommets (more time).

8. Connecting the plastic covers with the sheet metal screws is difficult because the holes are deep and the screw doesn't want to find the hole. Using a small magnetic screwdriver is very helpful as once the screw is stuck to the screwdriver, you can slowly insert into the hole making sure to keep the screw centered.

9. Included is a tube of lube. The instructions don't mention what to do with the lube but I hope it it's just for the rear rails.

Fortunately no parts were damaged or missing. That was my worse fear starting this project. Cross my fingers and hope everything stays working.

After doing much research for the right elliptical for me and finding glowing reviews from many fitness sites I settled on the Sole E95. I couldn't find one to try before purchasing, but I decided to go with it anyway and I've been completely pleased with this purchase.

Assembly -
It arrived very well packaged, but as noted by others it is very heavy and the delivery man will probably not help you get it in the house. I opened it up in the driveway and carried it in piece-by-piece, only needing help with the flywheel piece. Assembly wasn't fun, but it wasn't the nightmare some other reviewers would have you believe. The instructions were straightforward and while the parts weren't labeled it was easy enough to tel what was what by the pictures. I did the actual assembly process without help and the whole thing from opening the box to powering up the machine took about 2 to 2.5 hours. Tip - If you have a socket wrench and/or electric screwdriver you will speed the normal process up considerably.

The Workout -
Using the machine feels so good! One reviewer states that it's not good for tall people, but I'm 6'5" and it feels very natural and smooth to me. It has many different programs for a large variety of difficulties which will help keep you interested and challenged. The controls are easy to use and the buttons for the incline and difficulty level are very conveniently placed to make it easy to change the workout whenever you feel like it. One of the best features is the wireless heart rate monitor which helps you control the pace of your workout and keep your heart rate where you want it.

Other features -
This machine is almost completely silent! You won't have to turn the volume up on a tv at all if you choose to watch it. The padded footpads feel great if walking bare or sock-footed, and keep you slip free if wearing shoes. The hand grips also feel great and are easy to hold for long periods, but they might seem a little large if you have small hands. It's also a very sturdy machine and holds my 270 lbs without a single bit of trouble. The speakers for the MP3 player are OK. Nothing special, but good enough for most people. The fan, as many others have noted, isn't worth much but it's better than nothing. It comes with a little water bottle and includes two spots to hold it or other bottles.

All in all, this is one great machine! After only a few days of use you will start to tell a difference and feel better. And when you add on the incredible warranty (you won't find a better warranty for an elliptical) and features it's hard to believe that this machine doesn't cost much more. I think you will be pleased with this machine. Thank you for your time.

I've never posted to one of these review sites before, but this one was especially helpful in making my decision to buy my Sole E95 that I wanted to pass on my experience to help others. The information below is modified from an e-mail I sent Sole on December 1, 2009 after getting my E95



Compliments:

Before buying the unit, I did a lot of research, including reading independent reviews of owners. Most said shipping was prompt, and I experienced that. It took 11 days for the unit to reach me, and I'm located away from main roads and that time included the Thanksgiving weekend. The only glitch was that I never got an e-mail giving me the tracking information, but since it arrived in the estimated 2-week time frame the salesperson told me, it wasn't an inconvenience.



Several owners wrote that they had to disassemble the unit outside and bring it inside in pieces because the box was too wide (34") for the door. Apparently you heard those complaints and redesigned the box to 23" wide by 34" high by 66" long, and the delivery guy was able to put it on his dolly and easily roll it into the house. This was a very pleasant surprise since it was cold and wet outside.



Some owners wrote about difficulties in assembling the unit. I had almost none. It was one of the easiest assemblies that I've done, and I usually hate doing things like that. However, I do have some minor questions and suggestions below.



Questions:

1) Several owners complain that the manual says nothing about the lube tube you provide. The maintenance section says to apply a thin film after cleaning the rails, but nothing is said about it in the installation section. Is application of a thin film recommended when the unit is new? Should I wait until the unit starts making noise before applying lubrication? What is a "thin film"? Should I dab the rails and spread it out by hand and/or by using the rollers or should I dab the length of each rail? And if I run out of lube, is there some standard off-the-shelf lube you can recommend at the hardware store that I could buy? You don't list lube as an available accessory. [They promptly replied "For the Lubrication it is recommended that you lubricate your unit once a month. I have attached the instructions on how to do this exactly. When you would like to purchase new lubricant you can contact us to get it ordered. Or you can purchase a product called Lube 'N Walk (silicon base) from most Dick's Sporting Goods stores. These are the only products we recommend you use with your E95."]



2) When I finished assembling the unit, three items were left over that I don't know what to do with. One is a short electrical cord with plugs at each end. I don't see anything that it would hook up to. The plugs do fit into the sockets for the MP3 player, so is it an extension cord for an MP3 (I don't own or iPod or any MP3 and can't recognize if this is a standard connector)? [They replied that it was for an MP3.]



3) The other parts are two oval, rubber plugs that look like they are meant to plug holes about ¾" long by ½" wide. Each has a hole and slit. What do I do with these? [These were plugs that I missed in the assembly. My fault. As a result, when I first used the E95 I cut the wires that run from the right handle bar into the central mast. Sole sent me a new wiring harness and instructions on how to replace the cut wires for free.]



4) Page 14 of the manual describes the two solutions with the foot pads. The first says the pads are inclined inward 2 degrees. The second says I can adjust them up to 10 degrees, but it is not clear if this is the same inward tilt. [Sole clarified that the inward tilt is fixed and is not the adjustment described in the manual.]



Suggestions:

1) Add the mat to the on-line order form. I filled out most of the form on-line and then saw that I couldn't add the mat, so that effort was for nothing since I had to call in to place the order.



2) The manual suggests not using the unit on a deeply padded or plush carpet. It seems that is one case when the pad would be useful. You should mention that in the description of the mat. The unit is a beast to lift and move, and most people would prefer to move it only once rather than a second time to install the mat.



3) While it is a beast to move, it is movable. That was an important feature for me. I've set it up in my dining room, pushing the table and chairs to one side of the room. When I want to use the room for formal dining, which happens only a couple of times a year, I'll move the unit temporarily to a different room. This is not something I want to do every day because it is so heavy, but it is an important feature for me. However, there is no mention of wheels on your website. I had to do a lot of digging in other websites to find that the unit really is somewhat portable.



4) You make a good product that sells itself. Don't demean yourselves or your customers with the comment on your website that "All SOLE ellipticals are easy to assemble and can be completed with the help of the manual in about 25-35 minutes." It took me 15 minutes simply to open the box and carefully remove, unpack, and sort all of the parts. After that it took about 2 hours to assemble by myself. That is consistent with what other owners have reported. Assembly was easy, but it took 2 to 2.5 hours, not 0.5 hour.



5) OK, assembly was easy and made easier through my ratchet set and closed-end wrenches rather than the tools you provided. This is not a complaint. What is a small complaint and suggestion is for the one time where I found assembly really annoying. The sheet metal screws for the Connecting Arm Covers (page 12, Step 4.1) need to slide a long way into the plastic covers, find their holes, and slip in before they can be tightened. The problem is that with the length of the holes and the bad angle (especially for the holes that face the flywheel), gravity tilts the screw tips downward and it is difficult to tilt them up to find the holes. At a minimum, I suggest that the covers be redesigned so all of these screws can be inserted from the "outside" of the unit, not the "inside" that faces the flywheel. This gives the owner more maneuverability and control in guiding the screws into the holes. Otherwise, suggest in the manual that the owner use a magnetic tip screwdriver, or attach a magnet to your screwdriver to magnetize the tip, in order to hold the screws and easily guide them into the holes.



6) Modify the manual to explain the lube and unexplained items above, as well as the items below.



7) Page 11 (Step 3) of the manual has an error. The Sleeve Spacer is listed as #24 in the text but is #23 in the diagram.



8) Pages 12 and 13 (Step 4) of the manual have an error. The Incline Cover Brackets are listed as #25 in the text (page 12) but are #24 in the diagram (page 13).



9) There is no information on installing part #115, the other half of part #116 that covers the rear stabilizer. It was simple and obvious to do, but still should be mentioned.



I don't know if they will incorporate my suggestions, but I found Sole very responsive and helpful, and I have no complaints about the E95 after using it for a month.

My original review was written 2 weeks ago and has been updated twice. In order to make it shorter and more easily understood, I've decided to rewrite it in a (hopefully) more concise manner.

Basically, this is a solid, heavy, basically well-made elliptical that is very likely the best value in its price range, e.g. as a "high end home" elliptical trainer. I find it easy to use and to give a good workout. I do have the following reservations that deserve your consideration before purchasing:

(1) Assembly is a nightmare. The given instruction manual is poorly written, the schematic diagrams (drawings) of parts are too small and not with enough detail, and the parts themselves are not labeled. This is a real problem with the many plastic parts which are hard to differentiate especially since they aren't labeled and it is nearly impossible to identify them precisely on the diagrams. If you are "handy" at assembling things you will get it put together, although it will probably take you a number of hours, not less than an hour as implied in the product description. Along the way you can experience significant frustration. If you are not "handy," do not buy this except if you can arrange to have someone else assemble it for you. The shipping box is huge and very heavy (275lbs). It will probably not be easy to get the box to where you will want to assemble the trainer, and opening the box to move individual parts for assembly elsewhere is not a good idea given how the product is packaged and partially assembled.

(2) Difficult to get through to tech support: The tech support phone number is answered only on weekdays, and when you finally do get through after a long hold time, you will speak with someone who knows nothing at all about your machine, who will tell you that it will take 48 hours for a tech to return your call. I told this lady that I thought this was not my idea of "tech support" or customer service. After telling her (on my 3rd call in 2 days) that I would return the product to Amazon, something I repeated in a voicemail message to her supervisor, they did finally have a tech call me. This tech was very knowledgeable and immediately knew what the problem was with my machine, something I had finally figured out myself; there were broken plastic parts around a hinge that were jiggling around with each revolution of the elliptical.

The plastic parts were broken because one of the plastic covers was assembled incorrectly from two nearly identical plastic parts (top piece put in as bottom and vice versa). The tech had me turn to a page in the manual, where there is a very small schematic that on very close inspection shows that one of these plastic pieces is a tiny fraction of an inch larger than the other one and that that piece was the top one with the other the bottom one. There was no written reference to this in the assembly instructions and even after he pointed the drawing out to me I had trouble seeing the difference in these parts. If these parts are inverted, a piece of plastic will break off of one of these covers, which will then float inside the other set of covers, breaking the insides of the other set of covers as well.

The tech told me that this issue was one of the very most common reasons for calls to their tech support number; he agreed that the manual shipped with the machine was poor, and that he and others there were trying to get it improved, so far with little success.

In the end this tech was very patient, very helpful, and very accommodating. They are sending me the above mentioned replacement parts shortly, as well as a couple of other parts that were not right when the product was received (an abraded pulse sensor wire; the plastic lens on the console which fell off of the console when taken out of the packaging; the glue on that had failed). On the whole the service backup was good, but having trouble getting through to tech support in a timely manner is not acceptable in my view.

With these reservations I do recommend the machine, but only to those who are sure they can succeed in assembling it, and to those who are willing to put up with difficulty in reaching tech support should there be a problem. With any purchase such as this made on the internet, you also have to worry about whether the company will remain in business long enough to provide warranty service should you need it; in this economy that is more than a theoretical concern. I have no knowledge one way or the other regarding Sole, but when you buy this product online you do not have a local dealer who could help you later should the manufacturer go out of business, a dealer who might be able to help you separately from the manufacturer should that be necessary.

When my 5 year old elliptical broke and I couldn't replace the worn wheels simply because the parts were obsolete, I went looking for a replacement as this is at the core of my workout each day. I first headed into the land of buying a used PRECOR EFX546 but found the ones I could afford were in the 2k price range. The problem was is that these machines had various amounts of years on them from 4 to 8 years old and even they were due to be discontinued as far as parts were concerned in the near future. I thought "no-way" do I want to spend this kind of money only to have another problem again in the future. A new one was again WAY out of my league spending between 4K-6K so I started searching the internet and came across this beauty.

Nearly every review I read was positive and the negative reviews were due to assembly issues. Having built quite a few things from Ikea, I figured this couldn't be too hard and it wasn't. My new elliptical arrived in just 3 days!! and was dropped off in my garage where I un-boxed it and carried each piece into the room where it was going. I don't think it would be wise to assemble it somewhere else, the move it to where you want it. It is VERY heavy (over 200 pounds). The machine went together like butter on toast, no issues whatsoever and I didn't even need the lube for the rails since it was perfectly fine right out of the box. The hardware was separated and labeled according to each step in the instructions so it was almost "dummy" proof. The pictures could have been a bit larger and the instructions could have been written a little better, but overall, this machine was a cakewalk to assemble.

Construction wise, the elliptical is bulletproof. Very, very sturdy. The flywheel assembly was completely enclosed and was the most difficult part to move around during the assembly since the pedal arms come pre-attached. Most every screw and bolt had a pre-threaded hole so if it didn't fit, it probably wasn't the right bolt/screw. I was very impressed as this is a much more expensive way to manufacture something, but it holds up better and is much sturdier. The entire machine from un-boxing (which took the longest) to complete assembly took just under 2 hours. If I was doing it over again, I could get this done in 45 minutes.

I've now had it for 4 days and I've been using it for 4 days. The control panel actually gives you some good information and the different programs are simple, but work just fine. The BEST compliment I can give it is how SMOOTH it is. Feels just like one of the PRECOR's I've used at the gym. Even the pedals are adjustable so I can raise the heel to match my foot placement a little better. The flywheel is very HEAVY. You can tell this because you cannot simply "stop" when your done (I could on my last machine). You have to slow down period, no other choice. If I had any complaints on this machine, it would be to have a stronger personal fan (I could barely feel it) and to re-position the cup holders in the console to be higher and away from the moving handles. Also, adding a towel bracket somewhere would also be nice, but I use the 2nd cup holder for that. Again, these are very small items in comparison to how great the machine functions. I also did not order the unit from Amazon, but since most of my research was done here, I figured this was the best place to let people know how great a machine this really is. Do some E-Bay research as there is an authorized reseller selling the machine $200 less and then CALL the manufacturer directly as they will match this price.

I've owned this elliptical for about three months now and I'm very happy with it. Keep in mind..

- The free shipping can take up to 10 days. It's free. If you want to get it quicker you can pay an additional expense and have it within a week. I like free and mine came in seven days.

- It's heavy. This is a good thing. I owned a schwinn 418 (junk) before this machine and it would wobble when I used it. Annoying. The Sole machine is solid and doesn't wiggle a bit. (Thank you Sole for giving me a machine that has mass and can handle a hard workout without worrying about it flipping over!) I suggest finding the place you want to put it and assemble it there. It does have wheels on it so it can be moved without too much trouble if needed. If you're worried about the weight during assembly get a strong friend to help, or pay the additional fee and have them deliver and set it up for you. Please don't jump on Sole for it being heavy. Remember the weight cost Sole money too in additional shipping and materials. The last thing we want them to do is cheapen their product into some flimsy hunk of junk like most of the other home fitness equipment so that it's easier to assemble.

- Take your time with the assembly process. It's not that tough. Just open the box, lay out all the parts in an organized fashion, and have some patience. The assembly manual has an illustrated parts breakdown and instructions. Use the two and you should be fine.

- The machine is very smooth in operation and has a good selection of programs. My personal favorites are HR1 or HR2. In either of these programs you tell the machine what target heart rate you want and it'll adjust the elevation and resistance to keep you close to your target. This is really cool so all you have to do is put the heart rate monitor on your chest enter your weight, age, workout duration, and intensity, hit start and start watching tv. The machine does all the work of maintaining your intensity so that you can keep your mind off the workout and on you show. This makes workouts go much faster! It's also very quite.

- Bottom line: I'm a workout enthusiast and been on several club and home machines. There is no doubt that for the price there isn't a better machine out there. I find peace of mind knowing there is a stellar warrantee, something I wished I'd of had with my schwinn (~300 bucks in parts...my labor). I bought this machine because of my experience with a F83 Sole treadmill - three years of use (2-3 times a week) and still works great. I know this is a real pump-up for sole, but it's just nice to have products that work.

I have been researching these machines. I currently have a NordicTrack eliptical that has served my family well but its time for an upgrade. Heard a lot of good things about the Sole so I went to Dicks to try them out. As opposed to the one reviewer who did not like the thicker hand grips and the padded foot holders, I really LIKED them!

My feet always slipped on the NordicTrac. The padded foot holders prevent that from happening. The thicker hand grips just felt more strudy than the E35 (For some reason Dicks does not carry the E55). Overall the E95 felt sturdier and solid. The actual workout was amazing. I used both machines for about 15 minutes each. They are both very good but the sturdiness of the E95 sold me.