Marketing material for CardioZone elliptical trainers brims with enthusiasm, declaring these exercise machines to be the "best deal ever" in every way possible. Although the CardioZone elliptical trainers are advertised as "health club quality," heavily promoted home delivery and assembly services make it clear that these machines are, in fact, intended for home or office use. But they still carry a commercial-grade price tag.
Resistance and Stride Length
Resistance and stride length are the heart of any elliptical trainer. The front-drive CardioZone 100 has a fixed 19-inch stride length and 16 levels of push-button adjustable resistance. The center drive CZ 300 and CZ 500 both adjust between 17-inch and 25-inch stride lengths. On the CZ 300 you must make the adjustments manually, and on the CZ 500 the adjustments are motorized. The CZ 300 has 16 levels of magnetic resistance, and the CZ 500 offers 20 levels of resistance.
Features
All three CardioZone elliptical trainers come with a built-in handgrip heart rate sensor and a wireless chest strap heart rate monitor. They also include transport wheels, a built-in reading rack, cushioned footpads and accessory trays built into the console. Keypads mounted on the moving handlebars allow you to adjust resistance without reaching down to the console. The CZ 100 also comes with a backlit LCD display.
Specs
The CZ 300 has a respectable 350-lb. maximum user weight limit. The CZ 100 and CZ 500 can both support up to 400 lbs. The longest of the CardioZone line, the CZ 100 measures 61 inches long by 17 inches wide by 37 inches high. The CZ 300 measures 47 inches long by 29.5 inches wide by 68 inches high, and the CZ 500 measures 54 inches long by 30.5 inches wide by 68.5 inches high.
Price and Warranty
As of January 2011, the manufacturer's suggested retail price for CardioZone elliptical trainers ranges from about $3,000 for the CZ 100 to $5,200 for the CZ 500. However, taking into account a steep, constant discount -- common practice in the fitness industry -- these ellipticals can sell for $1,500 to $2,600 direct from the manufacturer. Although the CZ website advertises an unclearly worded lifetime warranty, reading the fine print reveals that the lifetime warranty for CardioZone elliptical trainers is limited to the electro-magnetic brake, flywheel, pedals, frame and welds.
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