The ProForm ErgoStrider 3.0 Elliptical Trainer – Terrible Value Even for $327

The ProForm ErgoStrider 3.0 elliptical trainer is a basic compact trainer with a nice design, but its lack of quality can ruin the experience of owning your own home elliptical.

What You Get

The blue tinted LED display shows speed, time, distance, resistance, calories, and pulse. The ProForm 600 ZNE elliptical trainer has 6 Personal Trainer workouts that automatically adjust the resistance on the machine to increase and decrease the resistance. A Target Pacer indicator light shows when it is time to speed up or slow down to stay in a selected training zone.

The list of the specs:

• 14" Stride Length
• 6 Programs
• 10 Digital Resistance Levels
• Upper body workout handlebars
• EKG™ Heart Rate Monitor
• 250 lb. user weight capacity
• Coolaire™ Fan
• Transport Wheels
• Dimensions: 52"L x 23"W x 61"H / 100 lbs
• Warranty – 5 years frame, 90 days parts & labor

The Word on the Street

The ProForm ErgoStrider 3.0 elliptical trainer features 10 levels of digital resistance, forward and reverse pedaling direction, a 250-pound user capacity, small footprint, upper body moving arms, a fan, water bottle holder, and transport wheels. The 14" stride length is too short to be considered comfortable for most people although small women may find it to be ideal. The Personal Trainer designed workouts include weight loss, aerobic, endurance, and performance goals.

UPDATE:  The ErgoStrider 3.0 is no longer being sold.  You can check out the latest rear-drive model reviews here.

Did you see the ProForm ErgoStrider 3.0 pushed on the Home Shopping Network? You could actually hear a distinct clunking sound coming from the pedal arm while the model rode on it and the announcer talked about the features! In fact, you could even see it rock from side to side while a small 110-lb woman pedaled it.

And if seeing isn’t believing – check out the elliptical trainer reviews online, which have been scathing. Too many of them report that they unpacked and assembled the ErgoStrider, only to discover the display won’t turn on.

On the other hand, there are many things wrong with this elliptical when it does work: the resistance levels get stuck in either the low or the high setting and the heart rate monitor isn’t accurate.

One other note: the weight limit is overstated for the rider so don’t consider this model if you weigh over 170 pounds. On the plus side, it does have a huge cooling fan that takes up most of the space on the console!

Our Thoughts

The Proform ErgoStrider 3.0 elliptical trainer is of poor quality and a terrible value even for $327. Bad warranty, short stride, noisy, wobbly, cheap parts – it’s not worth your time or ours to review it.

While there aren’t many options in quality machines at this price, check out Schwinn which just came out with a new model, the Schwinn A40 at $399. That one is worth a look.