Jury's Still Out
Written: Feb 10 '05 (Updated Aug 01 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Attractive look, many features, complete video documentation, low-impact, easy-to-learn workout
Cons: Squeaks from the metal tubing and joints, slippage on floor, no middle resistance setting
The Bottom Line: Unless you can live with its shortcomings, keep searching.
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| gregfokker's Full Review: Fitness Quest Tony Little's Gazelle Freestyle Elit... |
Unlike the Total Gym (reviewed at http://www.epinions.com/content_138953657988), the Fitness Quest Tony Little's Gazelle Freestyle Elite is a machine with which my lady and I have a love/hate relationship. On the pro-side, it's relatively inexpensive and easy to use. On the con, it's large, heavy and unwieldy, relentlessly squeaky, and the resistance is either far too light or far too heavy, with no in-between. On this last point, I believe that the newer models have addressed this shortcoming.
Purchase, transport and assembly
The Fitness Quest Tony Little's Gazelle Freestyle Elite comes in a long, narrow box- approximately the same size as a boxed pair of skis with bindings. However, it is very, very heavy- too heavy for one person to move on his own without risk of injury. Unpacking it will require a large, empty room, an industrial box-cutter, and a calm, relaxed mind. The instructions are good and all tools are included. However, it involves a relatively high degree of spatial reasoning merely to follow the instructions, and I urge you to be careful setting it up. The machine is comprised of large, heavy steel tubing, and a false move could result in crushed fingers, a hard knock to the head, or worse. My own setup went well, but it's not hard to imagine a tragi-comedy arising from a careless or rushed job.
The unit has an electronic display that wires up to the pulse sensors in the handles. The instructions were woefully insufficient on this, and despite a few attempts, neither I nor my friends were able to get it working beyond the pulse attachment. The other features, such as speed, distance, calories burned, etc., weren't a priority, but the instructions fell short on this item.
Design
The picture is pretty self-explanatory. You stand on the broad no-slip platforms, grab the handles, and begin speed-walking. It's a fluid motion that tires the hips and thighs. If you lean forward, your hamstrings will stretch and you'll feel more resistance in your biceps and pectorals. Lean back and the tension moves to your triceps and latissimi dorsi. You can bend your knees to simulate a low-impact jog, or walk tall to simulate speed walking. I have sensitive achilles tendons, and the machine is sufficiently low-impact to allow me a full workout without undue stress or pain.
The machine has a solid feel and impressive construction, at least to the eye. If not for the endless, insoluble squeaks and groans, it would be a very impressive design. More on that later.
Performance
The Fitness Quest Tony Little's Gazelle Freestyle Elite is packed with attractive features and purports to offer a full body workout. This is open to debate. With the integrated pistons engaged, the resistance is sufficiently heavy to rule out actually taking a 10 or 15 minute workout. With the pistons disengaged, I can sprint for 20-30 minutes and only work up a slight to moderate sweat. A mid- setting would offer the best of both worlds, but it can't be done with this model. As a result, my lady doesn't use the machine at all, while I'm still using it for 20 minute sprints and the occasional piston workout. In addition to a middle setting, the machine would also benefit from an easier way to engage/disengage the pistons.
More irritatingly, however, is the symphony of squeaks and groans that the unit generates. I have methodically chased them out with my wrench and bottle of teflon-based grease, but they reappear quickly. Tightening the hinge screws tends to help, but again, they always return.
As well, my unit is set up on a hardwood floor, and consistently slides backward as I'm using it. Every 3 minutes I have to step off, drag the unit back up to where I started, and resume my workout. I've considered mounting brackets in the floor to prevent this, but then, it's not my floor to modify.
Electronics
As described above, I've only managed to get the pulse sensor to work, and this area wasn't a big priority in any event. For what its worth, my Polar heart monitor usually disagrees with the Gazelle's readout, and I'm inclined to trust the Polar. I'm handy by nature and never have trouble assembling or troubleshooting electronics, and so I blame my inability to properly assemble the console on the inadequate instructions. If I take another run at this, I'll post an update.
Video
You'll either love or hate Tony Little, but in either case you'll find him amusing. There are more exercise routines on the 3 video tapes then you'll care to explore. Personally, I would have preferred an alternate resistance settings to a video set that few will care to watch in its entirety.
Tip
Like your first time on a trampoline, treadmill or sailboat, stepping off the unit for the first time can be a little disorientating. Take your time getting off it after your first few workouts, as the stable floor will have a strangely foreign feel to it at first.
Bottom Line
I've found the Fitness Quest Tony Little's Gazelle Freestyle Elite to be a mixed blessing. While it folds up, I've found it easier to leave it fully assembled and in place because of its weight and the finger-crush potential of the unit. The squeaking, backward-slippage and lack of a middle resistance setting are serious drawbacks for me. I haven't given up on it yet, but if I had to choose only one machine, it would have to be the Total Gym (see link above).
**Update**
We sold our unit a little over a year ago. We posted it on a free classified page and received a number of local offers almost right away. I've been using my now-10-year-old Total Gym ever since and don't miss the Tony Little, its relentless squeaks, travelling across the hardwood floor & all-or-nothing tension, etc. Just last week, we received a package of bolts and screws, apparently intended to address some latent defects with the unit we had originally purchased. Even if the design or manufacture of our unit was flawed, at least the company is committed to its end-users.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
gregfokker
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Location: Montreal
Reviews written: 40
Trusted by: 2 members
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