Enjoy an efficient full-body workout without heading to the gym with the Sole E55 elliptical trainer. Boasting a heavy 30-pound flywheel, a high gear ratio not found on most comparable models, and a pair of upper body handles, the E55 delivers an extremely smooth workout with plenty of top-end resistance. Users will also appreciate the unique oversize and adjustable foot pedals, which were designed in collaboration with a leading physical therapist and sports enthusiast. The pedals are not only extra large, but also feature a 2-degree inward slope that reduces the ankle and knee stress that's common in other elliptical machines. The collaboration also produced a revolutionary foot pedal angle adjustment not found on any other elliptical. Taking into account that not everyone walks the same way, Sole engineers made the E55's pedals adjustable to fit the way you walk. This also reduces the likelihood of numb toes and sore Achilles tendons.
Workout specifics include 16 resistance levels, 10 total programs (including two custom and two heart-rate programs), and a 20-inch stride length. Perhaps the handiest feature from a user perspective, however, is the easy-to-use electronic console, which integrates a blue backlit LCD display, a cooling fan, and a water bottle holder. The E55, which offers a maximum weight capacity of 350 pounds, carries the following warranties: lifetime on the frame, five years on all parts and electronics, and two years on the labor.
Specifications:
Stride Length: 20 inches
Resistance Type: Eddy current braking
Resistance Levels: 16 levels of resistance
Power: Standard 110
Adjustable Foot Peals: Yes
Upper Body: Yes
Handgrip: Standard grip
HGP: Yes
Telemetry Belt: Yes
HR Control: Yes
HR Autopilot: Yes
Programs: 10
Standard: 6
User Defined: 2
Heart Rate: Yes: 2 user programs
Fans: Yes
Water Bottle / Accessory Holders: Yes
Product Weight: 196 pounds
Maximum Weight Capacity: 350 pounds
Speakers and MP3 Plug-in: Yes
Manufacturer's Warranty Frame - lifetime, parts/electronics - 5 years, labor - 2 years
About Elliptical Trainers Elliptical trainers represent the next wave of advancement in low-impact cardiovascular exercise machines and continue to grow in popularity. By simulating motions experienced through walking, stepping, cycling, and skiing, elliptical machines allow for a smooth and fluid motion while building strength in the arms and legs. Similar to the exercise position for treadmills, elliptical trainers are used by standing in an upright position while holding the handrails of the machine. With elliptical trainers, however, your feet remain in the foot pedals throughout the exercise regimen and circulate in a smooth and seamless motion, resulting in little to no impact on the knees, back, and hips.
Elliptical trainers are compatible for all ages and fitness levels and allow you to select the difficulty level through the incline and intensity settings. Additionally, elliptical trainers allow you to determine the complexity of your workout based on your needs, all while listening to music, watching television, or reading a magazine while exercising in the comfort and safety of your own home.
Although different types of elliptical trainers offer an assortment of features, many of them include an array of challenging programs, forward and reverse directional movement, EKG grip pulse handles, a lightweight portable design with easy fold-up capability, and a monitor displaying calories burned, distance, speed, time, and heart rate. Other types of exercise machines, namely treadmills and bikes, offer excellent cardiovascular exercise and muscular training for the legs in a forward-motion exercise. Elliptical trainers take this to the next level by offering an upper and lower body workout with dual motion, challenging and diverse programs, and a low-impact exercise machine that won't strain sensitive joints.
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Product Details
Package Length:
66.0 inches
Package Width:
33.0 inches
Package Height:
23.0 inches
Package Weight:
233.0 pounds
Average Customer Rating:
based on 18 reviews
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: ( 18 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 found the following review helpful:
Best Elliptical Trainer...period - Features, Reliability, & Price Apr 22, 2008
By S. Wu
"stevenewyork"
My wife and I searched and searched for an elliptical because we were fed up with signing up for gym memberships and not using them. Having to go to the gym just wasn't practical for us. So we embarked on a quest to find the quietest, most reliable and feature packed elliptical we could find.
Our budget was 2K or less. Online research led us to many brands and many models - too many actually. It was a dizzying array of choices. So we decided to visit fitness equipment stores and sporting goods stores to try out a few ellipticals in person. The fitness stores carried mostly high-end brands like Precor, which we liked, but were all WAY out of our price range. Besides, after looking at the fine print, we noticed that Precors only come with a 1 year warranty. After that, the frame is good for 10 years but parts and labor are at the owner's expense!
The sporting goods stores turned up the typical mass market brands like Reebok, ProForm, Horizon, Ironman, and New Balance. Most were pretty flimsy feeling and wobbly or the stride just didn't feel right. The Reebok ellipticals came close but they didn't offer wireless heart rate monitoring and the stride still wasn't quite right. Our eureka moment came at Dick's sporting goods when we noticed one brand that we had never seen before, Sole. They had the E55 model on display and we tried it out. It was very solid feeling and the stride was natural. There was very little heel lift which is a key component for a low-impact workout - also, the foot pads are adjustable which virtually eliminates any heel lift. I was also pleased that the Sole elliptical had both pulse hand grips AND wireless chest strap heart rate monitoring. This is important not only to improve your endurance but also ensures a safer workout. There's also a great HRC program that varies the resistance based on your heart rate in order to maintain a constant heart rate.
Since I'm not an impulse buyer I was still concerned that I had never heard of Sole before. Searching online turned up a few reviews about their treadmills. Digging deeper yielded a wealth of information about the treadmills and it turns out that Sole makes a very reliable product and their treadmills are well reviewed and used exclusively at Hilton and other hotel chains. With an endorsement like that I was sold. My online research also turned up the official Sole company site and I was happy to learn that I could order online with free shipping and no sales tax. The delivered price was still $500 below our budget! We also learned that the Sole ellipticals came with a great warranty, 2 years labor, 5 years motor and lifetime frame and deck. Not bad and twice as good as the Precor which was 3 times more price-wise.
In summary, this is absolutely the best bang for the buck as far as ellipticals go. Sole ellipticals are the best ellipticals under $2000 and they even compete very well with the ones above $2000 as well!
Lastly, the best place to buy them is from the company's own website, soleellipticals.com
20 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Most bang for the buck Feb 03, 2008
By Luciano Poiani I spent several months doing research online as well as trying out many models at various stores. I've been using commercial quality ellipticals at various fitness centers for almost 10 years and was really disappointed by the quality of home units in the less than $1500 range until I tried this one at a Dick's. Most of the ellipticals that I tried were very unsturdy. I'm 6'4" and 230 lbs so I was looking for something that's going to last for a while. The Sole units are very rugged and stable, plus they have a 2yr labor and 5yr parts warranty.
If you buy directly from Sole they have a shipping option where for an extra $100 you can have the unit delivered to a room in the house, not just curbside drop-off. The elliptical is shipped in one big box, partially disassembled. Once you pull all of the pieces out of the box, you are left with the base unit that consists of the flywheel (and housing) that has the pedals attached. This piece is very heavy and unwieldly since the pedal arms are free to flop around because the back part of the base isn't attached prior to shipping. If you plan on moving it to an area of the house that has winding stairs it won't be a trivial task to get it there. So considered paying the extra money or do a partial assembly of the base before you try to move it.
I ended up buying the E55 (2008 model) and couldn't be happier. I considered the E95, but I actually like the console interface on the E55 better.
18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
WOW, this is an awesome elliptical! BEST on the market! Dec 26, 2007
By SCRAPPYHAPPY
"LOVE TO SCRAPBOOK!"
This is truly a wonderful machine!! We got it about a week before Christmas. Super easy to put together, and an awesome workout. The only thing that I would change would be the user settings..You have to manually change it if you have more than one user everytime. But, the elliptical is built very sturdy, can definitely hold up to a rough man being on it, and truly gives you a really good workout! If you have longer legs, like my hubby and I do, this is truly a must! You don't feel like you are "bouncing up and down" like you do with the cheaper ones with a shorter stride length. It is really smooth and nice!
ALSO, make sure your purchase lubricant when you buy your elliptical, or you will have to pay shipping to ship it seperately!! YOU WILL NEED IT!
14 of 14 found the following review helpful:
Good Workout Jul 20, 2008
By H. Hanasik
"Kitchen Couple"
We have had the E55 for a month now. We ultimately purchased it from Amazon. They had the best combination of financing and shipping options. The price was the same at every site and at our local Dick's sporting goods store.
Delivery
You'll need to plan the logistics of how this 200 lbs. machine is going to get wherever you want it to be. We didn't pay for in home delivery. We expected to have to pull it off the back of a semi-trailer and muscle it into the house and up a flight of stairs. We engaged family and a refrigerator dolly to do just that. To our surprise, the delivery company showed up with a lift-gate straight truck, two capable men, and their own equipment. Other sites, including the manufacturer, want an additional $100 for this service.
The Workout
One of us is new to aerobic exercise this year as part of a New Year's resolution, and has turned into a regular endorphin junkie. Before this machine arrived, we used an old Nordic track ski machine. The comparative workouts on the two machines don't come close. The Sole elliptical is a great workout and really outclasses the skier. I can accomplish more in 90 minutes on the Sole than I could in 3 hours on the old Nordic track. Moreover, a treadmill barely elevates my heart rate and hurts my knees. The Sole is more efficient in terms of cardio gains and calorie burned versus time spent.
The Machine
The Good:
* It is excellent at its core function, and this important because if it were not, I'd be returning it. It provides a great workout and when it is not squeaking, it really is quiet.
* The handles provide a great upper body workout. We can actually use them rather than have them along for the ride
* Assembly, as promised by the manual, was really easy. Sole put some thought into it. I strongly encourage the use of real tools over the ones provided. The stamped steel wrenches included don't allow one to apply sufficient torque to the fasteners.
* Assembly tip, don't try to move the flywheel buy lifting or muscling it. Instead, leave it in the box and use it to slide it into place. The flywheel and attached foot pedal rails are too awkward to move safely.
* I don't come close to hitting my head on the ceiling while working out. Some reviewers expressed concern about this. At 6'4" I estimate I've got a 3 inch margin of clearance on our 8 foot high ceiling.
* The included chest strap heart rate monitor allows the user to keep their hands on the handle bars.
* The nice, thick, tubular frame is very rigid. We prefer the beefier frame of the E55 over the E25.
* It is longitudinally very stable. Laterally it can rock during a workout.
The Bad:
* The mast squeaks intermittently, about 50% of the time depending on temp and humidity. I've tightened it with regular wrenches to no avail. The foot pedals click intermittently. The rails that support the rear rollers squeaked before I supported them with a book and some shims.
* The machine contacts the floor in 6 places. Sole provides adjustable feet to level the machine, but only on four places. The front of the machine does not have adjustable feet. Shims work, but aren't attractive.
* At lower levels of resistance, my toes get numb. Increasing resistance results in leaning forward and no numb toes. The manual claims that the foot pedals are biomechanically correct. For whom? No amount of adjustment to the pedals alleviates the numbness. I would prefer to have the pedals articulate rather than have to have my foot follow designed motion. Foot pedals on my bike move with my foot, why shouldn't these?
* The fan provided is not powerful enough to move enough air to cool either of us. We can't detect a difference when it is on or off.
* The various programs included in the machine are of little value to us. We use the manual setting. We would prefer a mounting device for a flat screen T.V. in place of the computer screen and speakers.
* Some cosmetic plastic pieces covering a bearing connecting the arms to the feet broke after the first three weeks. After assembly, I noted that they interfered with each other, but on one side only. Switching the pieces, reversing the side they were located on, and even lubricating the contact points didn't prevent them from breaking.
* The machine's footprint could be wider. I'm tall and can really lever the machine around when I'm working hard. A wider stance would bring some needed stability.
The Unexpected
* We bought the machine because of the autopilot feature. The machine varies resistance to keep your heart rate in a target zone. We learned that we don't need this feature. We have learned that we can sense or heart rate within about 5 beats per minute and regulate it ourselves.
On balance, we would purchase the machine again, but would question whether the E35 would better suite our needs and at a better price.
14 of 14 found the following review helpful:
Former NFL cheerleader is impressed with this Machine! Mar 21, 2008
By Meredith Sivick
"Meredith"
Hello! First of all, a little about me so you understand my perspective. I'm a former dancer, gymnast (not competitive though), and NFL cheerleader for the Redskins. I have had several injuries including surgery on both knees to correct a tracking problem with my patella. I have severe tendonitis that prevents me from running long distances, swimming, and biking. I also have bursitus. Bascially, I've been very active all my life and now things are just getting too painful.
After trying the Sole E55 in Dick's sportings good store over a period of 4 months I finally bought one. I would try everything to see if I could get my tendonitus or bursitus to flare up. I even went running - I can only go about 3 miles before it gets too painful to even walk - then went into the store and got on the machine to see if I could keep going. Yes! I could!
I tried other brands and models, but this one felt the best because of the long stride. It allows me to fully extend my legs and get a nice long reach in the arms. It is so smooth it feels like I'm roller blading but without any impact!
I have owned a treadmill for more than 10 years now (yes, the same one!) and I am truly amazed at the intensity of the workout I get from the SoleE55 compared to the treadmill. What I love most about the Elliptical trainer over the treadmill is that after 30 minutes on the Elliptical my leg muscles, back muscles, gluts, etc. feel evenly worked out and the good kind of soreness without the additional pain from inflamed tendons. The other big difference I'd like to point about between the treadmill and the Sole E55 is that you are the one powering the Sole E55 whereas on the treadmill you are at the mercy of the motorized belt. Why does this matter? It's much easier to speed up and slow down on the Sole E55 than the treadmill. So, for examples, if I do sprints on the treadmill, to stop I have to just about hop off because it takes to long for it to slow down - plus I have to keep pushing the little button. On the elliptical, I just speed up and slow down as I'd do when I run outside. So, you can quickly and easily adjust your pace on the Sole E55.
I was also amazed at how quickly my heart rate got going and on that note, I would recommend those who are not used to this happening to take it nice and easy the first 5-10 times you start using it and to keep it on level one for the first 5 mintues and ease into it.
I am so happy I have found this elliptical trainer and am truly impressed with the work out I get. It's almost like doing some type of yoga +ice skating +swimming +dancing, strong movements that are smooth and flowing that work your mucles intesley but with no jarring pounding pain.
For those dancers out there - it's fun because you can really use your hips, keep your lower abs tight and dance through the work-out.
The machine is whisper quiet and takes up less space than my treadmill.
Oh, I decided to name my new Sole E55, "Wind Dancer."
based on 18 reviews
Best Elliptical Trainer...period - Features, Reliability, & Price Apr 22, 2008
By S. Wu
"stevenewyork"
