Life Fitness E5 - Impressive Stride and Console Choices

The Life Fitness E5 elliptical bridges the gap between the residential X and E series and the commercial grade Club Series, giving you the best of both worlds.

With club quality construction, adjustable strides up to 24 inches and two console options, this one just might be the best choice for your home gym.

What You Get

The E5 has a sleek profile and a modern look, with multi grip handlebars to change your hand position, and quick change buttons for both the resistance and stride length.

Let's take a look at some of the important specs....

• Smooth WhisperStride technology
• 18-24" adjustable stride
  
• 20 Resistance Levels
• Multigrip handlebars
• Contact and wireless heart rate (strap included)
• Oversized Pedals w/comfort foam inserts
• Step-up height – 10 inches
• Unit weight: 251 lbs
• Dimensions: 84" L x 34" W x 66" H
• 400-lb. user weight capacity
• Warranty – Lifetime frame; 5 years parts; 1 year labor

Get the popular E5 Crosstrainer on sale now at the LF store!

Life Fitness E5 - The Word on the Street

The Life Fitness E5 elliptical cross trainer has become one of the best sellers for the company as it is one of the most versatile machines that the company offers.

Reviews from industry experts and users have been quite positive, and most appreciate the fact that you can adjust the stride length from 18 all the way up to 24 inches.  

With this flexibility the E5 can accommodate users of all sizes, from the very short to the very tall.  (Note that the mid-level E3 and entry level E1 do not have adjustable strides.)

The adjustable stride is also great for those who like to change things up from one workout to the next, targeting different muscle groups in the legs.  And the cool thing is you don't have to get off of the machine to adjust the stride.  You simply press the up or down arrows on the fixed or moving handlebars to make changes on the fly, so your workout is not interrupted.

The Life Fitness E5 has something called WhisperStride technology, which makes everything very smooth and quiet, no matter how hard you train. You get 20 different resistance levels to choose from, so you can challenge yourself by making your strides a little more difficult as your fitness level improves.

Another hallmark of the E Series, which differentiates it from the X Series, is the availability of two different consoles to customize your machine.  

You have the basic GO console, an LCD display with 12 built in workouts, 2 custom workouts and 2 user profiles, and the more advanced Track Connect console, with 16 built in workouts, 12 custom workouts, 4 user profiles and the ability to track your workouts via your smart phone and sync with a number of different fitness apps.

The advanced console costs an additional $400-$500, but most users agree it's worth the expense for all of the added functionality that you get.

Other great features include the free wireless chest strap that comes with the Life Fitness E5, allowing you to measure your heart rate more accurately. You get targeted Activity Zone training with a total body and leg sculpting mode.

The pedals are large and cushioned, the motion is very natural, transitions from one resistance level to the next are seamless.

The Life Fitness E5 has an impressive 400 lb. max weight capacity and a very strong warranty: lifetime on the frame, 5 years on all parts, 3 years on the console and one year of labor.  You get two cup holders as well.

How Does the E5 Compare to the Other Life Fitness Ellipticals?

As we mentioned above, the E5 sits right in the middle of the pack.  You have the X Series (X1 and X3) with a 20" stride and a 350 lb. max weight capacity.

The up-level E Series includes the E1, E3 and E5, all with two console choices and a 400 lb. max weight capacity.  The E3 adds the Activity Zone training (total body/glutes) and the E5 as you've read adds adjustable stride lengths.

After the X and E Series you have the newer center drive FS4 and FS6, which are compact non-traditional ellipticals for tighter spaces.

Then at the top of the heap you have the Club Series ellipticals, which are more commercial grade, and more expensive that the rest of the Life Fitness elliptical lineup.

So the Life Fitness E5 is one of only a few adjustable stride models that the company offers.  If there will be multiple users in your household, or you just like to vary your stride from one workout to the next, it's a very good option for you.

Our Thoughts on the E5 Elliptical

We really like the Life Fitness E5 elliptical, as it has a lot to offer and gives you more versatility than most of the other machines in the lineup.

You have the adjustable stride, two console options, smooth, quiet motion, durable construction, a solid warranty and plenty of workouts to choose from.

If you don't need the adjustable stride then consider the E3 or E1, and if you have OK with just a basic console look at the X Series ellipticals as well.

The Club Series is also great, especially the new Club Series + model, but those are going to be even more expensive.  If your budget is open, definitely take a look at those while you are on the company site to see if those are appealing to you.

For more info and special sale pricing visit the online store!