The Healthrider Stride Trainer 900 – Compare to Better Designed Models

The good-looking Healthrider Stride Trainer 900 features an 18" to 20" adjustable stride length that works in tandem with the 10 to 30-degree power ramp. It also features a frictionless Silent Magnetic Resistance system which changes the workout intensity smoothly and quietly.

What You Get

The Healthrider Stride Trainer 900 comes with a backlit Grafixx™ display which animates your screen while giving you readouts for speed, time, distance, calories, incline, and pulse. The 20 pre-programmed workouts include 10 Target Toning and 10 Performance workouts, and the in-handle controls allow quick access to change resistance and incline.

The features include:

• 16 One-Touch™ Resistance Levels
• 18"-20" Adjustable Stride Length
• 10 to 30-degree Power Ramp™
• In-Handle One-Touch™ Controls
• SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
• 20 workouts
• Dual-Grip BioLogic™ Heart Rate Monitor
• Compatible Music Port for iPod®
• Intermix Acoustics™ 2.0
• iFit® Live compatibility*
• CoolAire™ Workout Fan
• 325 lb. User Capacity
• Warranty: Lifetime frame, 1 year parts & labor

*iFit Live requires module, annual membership, and in-home wireless network.

The Word on the Street

UPDATE: We no longer recommend Healthrider ellipticals as there are much better choices for you on the market today.  Check out our Best Ellipticals Under $2000 section to find a comparable elliptical for your home.

The Healthrider Stride Trainer 900 features a new Intensity Stride Power Ramp™ that adjusts your intensity for a better workout on your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves.

The One-Touch™ controls built into the handles allows you to digitally control the SMR Silent Magnetic Resistance for quick changes to the intensity levels, and the iPod® compatible music port allows you to play your favorite music through the two speakers on the Intermix Acoustics™ 2.0 sound system.

While users note in elliptical reviews that they find the Stride Trainer 900 appealing and appreciate its smooth ride, they have a few concerns with it, and the problems are compounded by less than helpful customer service provided by Healthrider.

One of the main concerns include frustrations with iFit Live, a new technology launched in 2009 that still has a few bugs with the Google Maps interface feature.

If you are looking for a machine that specifically offers iFit Live, current users suggest you wait until the later part of 2010, or even 2011, for these issues to be resolved.

Our Thoughts

These are exciting times for elliptical machines with new technology and improved components installed on 2010 models. Unfortunately, the $1,299 Healthrider Stride Trainer 900 elliptical is lagging behind.

While it does have in-handle controls, a 30-degree power ramp and an adjustable stride, plus the optional iFit Live compatibility, these features are found on many other new models from ICON Fitness, including the NordicTrack Pathfinder and Proform 1050E Elliptical, both selling for $999.

Save yourself $300 and get the same features on the better designed rear-drive Pathfinder or the 1050E.

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