Sole E95

Sole E95 Elliptical Trainer Review

Today here at BestAbdominalExercises.com we review the Sole E95!  This is the flagship of the Sole elliptical range and it one exciting exercise machine. This is one of the elite models in the elliptical trainer market right now, and yet it still comes in at a decent price. Let’s take a closer look at what there is to like, and not to like, about the Sole E95 Elliptical Trainer.

Sole E95 Elliptical Features

The Sole E95, like the other ellipticals in the Sole range, is a cleverly assembled machine, making sure that it has all the bases covered when it comes to creating elliptical trainer heaven. There’s the standard blue back-lit LCD, this time a 9 inch version compared to the 6.5 inch on the E35 & E25. This displays a wealth of data, including time, calories, resistance level, distance, pace, pulse and incline. The obligatory water bottle/accessory holder is present, as well as support for your favorite MP3 player.

The built-in cooling fan will help you cool down during a vigorous workout.

The flywheel on the Sole E95 is a decent 30lbs. This will ensure you get a smooth ride all through your workout, without those annoying stop-go hiccups you find so often on cheap units.

The machine weighs 215lbs and will be happy to help you run around the virtual block as long as you don’t weigh more than 400lbs, which is its max capacity rating. The unit comes with two heart rate programs, including a chest strap. This helps the machine to adjust your workout so your heart rate stays in the target zone you specify.

The footpads on this machine are a highlight for us. They are cushioned with durable foam and oversized. As with the E35 model, the footpads can be angle adjusted slightly to reduce ankle and knee stress by accommodating your unique gait and movement style. If you ever suffered numb toes or painful Achilles tendons on elliptical machines, this can go a long way towards eliminating that.

You can adjust the incline and resistance on the machine conveniently from the handlebars, providing the minimum interruption to your workout.

The E95 comes with a 5 year parts/electronics warranty, a lifetime frame/brake warranty and 2 years labor warranty. Can’t argue with that.

Assembly

Assembling the E95 is much the same as all the other Sole models we’ve reviewed. In short, it should take around 2 – 3 hours and you will very likely need help doing it as some parts can be tricky for only one person, due to the weight of some components and the intricacies of attaching them. Instructions are decent enough, and at least not confusing. Just be aware that you’ll need some patience.

Sole E95 Elliptical Performance

So, let’s see how it performs. Our primary concern when testing an elliptical is any strange noises, rattles or instability in the machine itself when we give it some real hell. The Sole E95 gave us no problems in this regard, providing a smooth and quiet operation. Lubrication is required to keep it quiet every now and then as with any friction based machine.

With a 30 lbs flywheel, you’d definitely expect the machine to be smooth. The standard 20″ stride length featured on other Sole models as well strikes the perfect middle ground for people of all sizes.

Again we have to talk about roof clearance since you may be using this in your basement, like so many others. For a 6 foot person, you should have a ceiling height of about 90 inches minimum. Otherwise, be prepared for a head shaped hole in your ceiling at the peak of your workout.

As for the adjustable footpads, we’re unconvinced. This is a much touted feature, but we don’t know how much it really helps to reduce strain on the joints and achilles heel. So, perhaps a slightly overrated feature. Also, don’t expect too much of the built-in speakers.

The Sole E95 Elliptical Machine is a great performer. However, for many people, the cheaper Sole E35 will be just fine. We can recommend the E95 over the E35 only if:

1. The heart rate based programs will be valuable to you
2. You are too heavy for the E35
3. The cushioned footpads appeal to you
4. An extra 4 resistance levels makes it worth your while

On Amazon.com, the 2011 version of the machine has received 16 reviews, of which 14 are favorable, giving the machine a 88% customer satisfaction rating. More reviews will come in over time as this is the new version of the classic Sole E95, but so far it is looking good.

Pros:

+ Long but logical assembly
+ Smooth, quiet, enjoyable operation
+ Solid, stable construction
+ Well priced
+ Great warranty
+ Heart rate based workout programming
+ Cushioned footpads

Cons:

- Weak speakers
- Real value of the multiple footpad angle adjustments are questionable