Very Pleased with this Smooth CE 3.2 Elliptical
Written: Mar 07 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great construction, smooth operation,free shipping, excellent support (so far)
Cons: Takes up big space (worthwhile though) Manual is slightly cryptic.
The Bottom Line: If you have the floorspace this is a great buy and worth the price
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| mmcd1's Full Review: Smooth Ce Elliptical Trainer |
This product was received yesterday (3/5/07) and we assembled it in about an hour with no major errors. As usual, reading and understanding the assembly instructions are always the most critical aspect of assembling something with more than 2 parts. We researched almost every major brand (it seems like we looked at everything but there's always one you miss) before purchasing the Smooth CE 3.2 and found the level of features, price,and quality clearly stood out.
Originally we were looking at the $500 price bracket and after examining several contenders decided that we might need to step up a level (or two). It didn't make a lot of sense to us to purchase for price only when it became clear that the higher $$ makes and models gave more than just a heavier receipt due to the extra figures....
So when we looked at Smooth products and the reviews here and understood that some of the previous reviews that denigrated this product were several years old and the product had since improved considerably, we decided to do a more serious look. This model, although placed in the middle of the pack clearly was much better made than others we looked at in the same dollar area.
The guarantee was also very appealing as any company that stands behind its product with a guarantee this intensely appears to have a high confidence level in it and justly so.
So, we then were concerned about having enough space in the basement, especially height, as the last thing I wanted to look like was the Hunchback of Elliptical exertion due to low clearance. Surprisingly, and thankfully, all looked and measured well so we went ahead and placed the call to order one and ask a few questions.
It seems that calling to order something from an establishment you've never spoken with before is almost certainly a crap-shoot and I was something less than thrilled when I started dialing Smooth Fitness but I must say that when Keith answered and we started chatting, things went very well and I felt comfortable placing this order. Keith answered all my questions and all subsequent questions I've asked since very well and he included, threw in, an exercise mat to place this unit on. Real nice touch.
So, it arrived in less than a week and we put it together in about an hour and then collapsed because this thing has beefy construction, more than I anticipated but all went well and everything fit well. It even included a tool kit of the required tools, this was really appreciated.
Now, we could finally try it out and see what we thought of this exercise elliptical contrivance that was now taking up a hefty chunk of real estate in our basement.
Getting aboard was easy due to the large footplates and sufficient diameter handles, I hated some of the other brands that felt like I was getting on board a wicker basket and holding onto spaghetti handles.
After getting this thing to start moving, which is very easy, it became very comfortable to stand and move along at an easy pace for quite a while. Smooth has designed this unit for stability and it stays put like the Rock of Gibraltar.
After this initial check out, we wanted to see how well the computer worked and how the electronic braking interfaced with the user effort. This is where your conception of electronic game playing effort level and real workout equipment effort levels take different roads. The computer has several different levels and rates of effort that change as you go through a workout and you will find out quickly that you will get your moneys worth from this unit. I was barely into the Random selection and it decided to have me go through a section that visually didn't look too bad, about half of the available graph, when I realized this wasn't going to let my wimpy legs coast through it. Wow, I was panting with exertion after a few minutes, even though I had Star Wars on the nearby TV to help The Force be with me. Well, The Force decided to take a long vacation and left me for quite a while. Make sure you don't become over zealous in your efforts, this machine is built to give you a workout if you choose to select an unknown, or untried, program selection be cautious.
All in all, this unit is a real joy to operate and endure. You may get tired out but it won't let you down or appear to give up no matter how hard you push it.
Enjoy!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mmcd1
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Reviews written: 1
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