The Eclipse 2100 Elliptical Trainer – Is It Worth the Money?

The budget-priced Eclipse 2100 elliptical trainer by Fitness-Quest sells for under $500 and has offers several note-worthy features. It’s amazingly quiet and the small footprint and sleek design will make you do a double-take when you first see it. But is it worth the money?

What You Get

The first thing you notice about the Eclipse 2100 elliptical trainer is the handgrip heart monitoring feature located on the front handlebars, something not often seen in low priced models. The console displays speed, time, distance traveled, approximate calories burned, and pulse. The elliptical cross trainer also offers magnetic variable resistance that changes automatically based on the program you choose. Other features of the Eclipse 2100 include:

• Upper body workout
• 10 pre-set programs
• Hand pulse monitor built into the handle bars
• 15" stride length
• 275 lb user weight limit
• Orbital linkage system for smooth motion
• Reverse motion
• 1 year limited warranty

The Eclipse 2100 elliptical’s “linked action” handlebars are a bit misleading. You don’t get much of a workout with them since you are simply hanging on; the bars are attached to the foot peddles and move as they move - right foot forward means right bar forward.

The Word on the Street

UPDATE:  This elliptical is no longer available.  Take a look at our Best Picks Under $500 for a comparable model in the Budget Category.

Like its 1100 model sister, the Eclipse 2100 elliptical trainer at least ranks a mention when talking about lower-end ellipticals. But fitness equipment experts have a difficult time endorsing a 96-lb unit since the lighter the machine the more wobble it tends to produce once parts start to wear down.

Many Eclipse elliptical reviews have remarked on the short 15" stride length on this trainer. It’s too small for most users as well (if you’re over 6-feet tall the short striding motion limits your workouts), and the limited warranty on the Eclipse 2100 is for one year (although most budget models offer only a 90 day warranty, so one year is a surprise but still doesn’t thrill our hearts).

If the machine breaks, you are responsible for the shipping charges to get it there and back, and at 96 pounds... well, you can imagine the freight costs.

Our Thoughts

We don’t recommend the Eclipse 2100 for anything more than light use, which is the antithesis of the intended purpose of an elliptical trainer! Your goal is to lose weight and you want a machine that will give you 20 to 30 minutes a day, for months if not years of durable performance.

If you are looking at the Eclipse 2100 because of the low price ($499 plus shipping), we would strongly recommend you save another $100 and give some serious consideration to a Schwinn 430 elliptical trainer which sells for $599 but that includes free shipping, loads of features, a larger stride and better warranties.

If that’s out of your price range, then take a look at the Model 1100 which is less expensive than the Eclipse 2100 elliptical trainer and gets better reviews.

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