Smooth ME Elliptical - An Actual Customer's Review
Written: Jul 15 '03 (Updated Apr 27 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very quiet, sturdy and smooth, pulse monitor
Cons: Difficult to assemble and move (heavy), difficult to decipher assembly instructions
The Bottom Line: Definitely a pleasure to use, especially after using OrbiTrek for years. Offers a smooth and quiet, but effective workout. I'm happy with my purchase.
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| XSarenkaX's Full Review: Smooth ME Elliptical Trainer |
I had recently used my OrbiTrek elliptical machine to death. In November, 2002, I decided to train for 20-30 minutes 5 times a week, and eventually, the wimpy Orbie couldn't withstand my daily use. The OrbiTrek was a good starter machine for me, at a relatively affordable price, but now that I'd established that I really am serious about sticking to my workout, I thought I should invest in a better-quality machine, even if that meant a more expensive one.
Product Research & Comparison
After doing extensive online research about elliptical machines, both here, on Epinions, and elsewhere on the 'net, I'd found that the Smooth ME seemed the perfect product for me. It is the least expensive elliptical trainer I'd found, and while many other, less expensive ellipticals seem to have the same problems with parts breaking or needing replacement, the Smooth ME has virtually no user or reviewer complaints about parts breaking or other consistent problems (that I could find online). I wanted to spend just enough money to ensure that my next machine would stay in working order after rigorous use, and this was the least expensive model out there that seemed to have the quality of workmanship I desired.
Something's Fishy
Now, when you come across this product anywhere on the Internet, you will inevitably find exactly the same details, photo, price, and ordering form, no matter where you shop. (Go ahead, Google for "Smooth ME" and see what you find.) There is apparently only one place to get this machine, despite the many store names you may find it under. I caught onto this right away while shopping around a bit to find the best price. As of my writing of this review, unless you are buying from someone used, you will not find a lower price than what I paid.
I have also come to the conclusion that there is a little bit of underhandedness going on with regard to the Epinions link off the Smooth ME page (found at http://www.smoothfitness.com/products/models_ellipticals_me.htm) and some of the Epinions reviews for the Smooth ME (and other Smooth fitness products and online stores).
First of all, if you click on their link to the Epinions reviews, you will not necessarily go to the most current listing of Smooth ME reviews on the actual Epinions website (note the URL after clicking on their link). They instead have created their own framed page of just the four, glowing, 5-star reviews (very likely written by Smooth employees) that are found on the real Epinions. You will see these same four reviews on Epinions as well, but there are also, now, other reviews with less than 5-star ratings (in addition to my review here) which do not appear while clicking on their Epinions link. I suspect these other reviews (along with my own here) are not "fakes."
I am certain that those four suspect reviews were written by employees of the company that sells Smooth ME ellipticals solely to create a favorable display of positive reviews. You can spot these reviews by noticing the overabundance of exclamation points in both the titles and within each review, but also by checking the profile page of the respective authors. I noticed many of these "reviewers" have been members for a long time, yet have only used their Epinions accounts to write about this product or Smooth's other products and about their website stores. Of course, all suspect reviews are also rate at 5-stars with few or no complaints.
Purchase
Although this all raised a red flag for me, I still had not found anything online, written by independent reviewers and other outsiders regarding any serious or consistent problems with this product. I was hesitant, but I did not want to pass up the opportunity to purchase a possibly great product, despite sales tricks, without any concrete evidence of product failure. So, I ordered anyway, wary of anything that may seem "weird" and ready to fight back if anything were to go seriously wrong.
I used the online order form at the Smooth Fitness store (www.SmoothFitness.com). I was a bit confused at their form's shipping choices and additional costs. As you will see on every Smooth ME product page you find, the $899 price includes the (sometimes called "free") shipping cost, but only for the basic shipping & handling. Apparently, when checking out, the price displayed is broken down to be $739 for the actual product and $160 for basic shipping & handling (for a total of $899).
Since I was not in any great hurry to have mine delivered, I decided to stick with the basics on shipping, assuming any additional cost would be to speed up the process. I was wrong about that, though. I didn't read carefully enough while ordering.
What I came to find out (in hindsight)is that "Back of Truck (included)" means that the delivery carrier will drop off your product from the truck and leave it outside for you at your home. The delivery service for my house in IL was R L Carriers (www.rlcarriers.com), if my memory serves me correctly, which apparently is independent of Smooth Fitness.
The other shipping & handling options listed are: "Inside - First Enclosure (add $50)" and "Turnkey - Inside Delivery & Setup (add $150)." These two extra-cost options are for help with moving and/or assembly of your product. I, obviously, did not get any help from the company with moving or assembling my machine, and did not pay extra S&H costs.
Delivery
One of the delivery guys called were lucky to catch me at home one morning. When I answered, the guy said something to the effect of: "Finally! We've been trying to reach you for a week now." To which I replied, "did you try my work number?" (duh?) When I asked what work number they had for me, he read off an incorrect number (one digit was off). When I went back and checked my invoice, the work number was correct, so I don't know who can't dial or copy a number or whatever, but I was a bit insulted at the insinuation that it was my fault they hadn't reached me. Clearly, they had my home number as well, yet there was no message on my answering machine from them.
Anyway, once we got past the number confusion, I scheduled the delivery. They apparently can only deliver during normal business hours, which is when I am typically not home, but told me that a simple note on the door would be sufficient to have them leave the box where I wanted it: in front of my garage. (I work out in the garage.) I left a clear note on my front door and they left the box where I had instructed.
Assembly
When I first looked at the delivery, I thought there may have been some careless dropping off or something, but nothing was actually damaged. The entire box was found on its side, sitting on a splintered, broken, battered-looking, pallet. The entire box had some black, plastic strapping around it - about 6 straps - some of which had snapped by the time I got home. The box was a little caved in on one of the biggest sides, too, although there was no damage to the product itself. (There was a hollow spot inside under the caved-in part.) The center of gravity is also not at the center of the box, as noted on the box itself. This is important to note when lifting the box.
I actually managed to drag the large, heavy box into the garage myself, but it was no easy task. (I'm only about 5'5", 140 lbs.) Since the wheel base, the most substantial part of the machine, was pre-assembled, the box was pretty sizable. I'd estimate it was approximately the size of a small pony, but rectangular in shape and lying on its side. I would strongly suggest enlisting the help of a healthy friend to move and assemble this thing. It can get a little awkward (and heavy) during some of the early stages of assembly.
Although the online description of this product states that assembly time should be about 30 minutes, count on 60 or more minutes, especially if you are going it alone, are impatient with diagrammed instructions, or are not equipped with a powered screwdriver and/or socket wrench set. A couple of small hand tools are included with the parts, but you will want to use better tools if you have them.
The wheel base was firmly screwed onto a sturdy wooden panel, which comprised one side of the box. A screwdriver (a power one is much easier to use for this than a manual one) is necessary to remove the base from this panel before beginning assembly.
I tried assembling on my own, but would not have been able to do it without my husband's significant assistance. The drivewheel is definitely the heaviest part and bottom of it (the "feet") is the most awkward to work on. If you can't jack it up with a strong tool, make sure you can get a strong buddy to hold it up for you. If the sides of the wheel were flat, it would be easier to lay it on its side, but as there is already part of each pedal attached to it, I would not advise it.
The written (drawn, really) instructions for assembling this machine are not ideal and may be frustrating. Because this machine is designed in a foreign country, assembly instructions consist of diagrams with some arrows. It can be figured out, but note that each step also displays which parts are to be used, and some are labeled "actual size", but it is usually unclear which are and which are not displayed in "actual size".
When taking inventory of all the small parts, go by the quantities when positive identification by picture is in doubt. There are many different sizes and shapes of washers, bolts, and screws, and they are not all drawn well. I found no missing or extra parts, so hopefully the quantities can help narrow down things for you. Another tip: use the flattened cardboard box or some large sheet of material to lay out all the small parts near your work area. There are are quite a few to keep track of and group.
Features
Here is what is consistently found online about this product (in italics), along with my own comments below each point:
Smooth ME Specifications:
*Heavy 40 lbs. drive system purposefully intended for delivering smooth momentum of operation when exercising in either forward or reverse motion
+I can definitely vouch for the heavy, but smooth motion on this machine. In stark contrast to my wimpy OrbiTrek, this machine definitely needs some power and a second or two to get started or stopped. The added mass provides the momentum, although the adjustable resistance helps keep you working to move it.
*Space Saving Footprint - Assembled dimensions: 48" length, 21" width, 60" height
16" diameter stride within a beneficial and comfortable biomechanical designed pattern of oval shaped motion
+I'm not sure how large elliptical trainers can get, but while shopping around, I've seen some designs that take up significantly more floor space. As you can see from the pictured product, this model is not overly large by any means. The footprint is comparable to the OrbiTrek I had.
*Variable magnetic resistance is smooth, quiet, maintenance free and provides enough resistance to challenge the accomplished athlete
+When this thing is in motion, it's remarkably silent. I love being able to hear the radio without the clanging noise I had to endure with my old Orbie. During the first week or so of my using it, I noticed a slight creek developing, which troubled me, but it has since disappeared.
*Ergonomically formed tubing of the cross-training bars for proper back and arm posture during upper body exercise
+If I keep my feet where they tend to want to be, depending on the motion, I am usually comfortable without any problems. The "pedals" are long and allow for some adjustment with regard to foot placement. I have found that while I'm in forward motion, my feet tend toward the back of each pedal; conversely, while going backward, my feet like to hang out near the front of each pedal. I did once bump a knee slightly on the front of the machine, but I attribute this to my getting accustomed to the design of the machine. I believe that was during the first week of use as well.
*Contact pulse rate sensors located on center handlebar allow user to monitor heart rate.
+The pulse sensor plugs into a jack on the stationary display panel and the other end clips onto either ear lobe. I have never used one of these before, but I like how it nicely provides feedback on my level of effort. The digital screen displays the pulse rate while working out and can be set to the recommended maximum rate (180 minus your age, in years) so you can maximize your workout without endangering yourself or tiring out. I frequently reach my maximum and slightly over during my 30-minute workouts and need to slow down a bit to get back down.
*High precision German craftsmanship of factory milled and robotic welded proprietary 'tunnel' design steel tubing frame for superior strength and finished with a high quality metallic powder coat
+I don't have much to say about this, other than saying that the machine looks pretty good to me and does not at all appear cheap. I wouldn't be ashamed to show it off, if I were that type of person.
*Top grade sealed ball bearings placed in all pivot and drive points to provide an ultra smooth, quiet operation and ensure long life of the machine
+Again, it really is smooth and quiet. I can't yet vouch for the long life of the machine, but I do expect it to last me a few years.
*Transport rollers underneath frame's front base for ease in movement of the unit
+This is a pretty heavy machine, but yes, there are rollers to help make moving it around a floor easier. The rollers are very discreet, as they are hard to spot in the photo, but they are there and they do roll.
*Floor levelers underneath frame's rear base for unit stabilization on uneven floors
+I don't know who's working out in an unleveled floor, so I have not had to try out this feature.
*Jumbo LCD of time elapsed, distance covered, RPM (reading for tempo), current pulse rate and room temperature
+The room temperature reading is displayed on the LCD while the machine is not being used. I usually check the temperature before starting my workout, as the other stats remain on the display for about 5 minutes after the workout is over (and the machine has been still). By then I'm already out walking and/or back in the house having my water. I wish I could hit a button that could show me the temperature at any time, but I don't believe there is a way to do that. There's no way to turn the display completely off manually, either.
I also recently discovered that the 2 AA batteries that came already installed in the display had started getting weak somewhere between 6 and 9 months after I got this machine. The display was beginning to get hard to read and was reacting a bit slower than usual. I just replaced the batteries this morning with a fresh pair of batteries and things are back to normal again. (Make sure you have some on hand wherever you work out. You'll also need a philips head screwdriver to get into the battery compartment.)
*Possible settings of goals including total time, distance, optimum training pulse range- based on one set pulse rate goal and displaying a flashing indicator when current displayed pulse rate is out of the acceptable deviation of an equal hi and low range
+Before hopping on, I set the timer to 30 minutes and my max. heart rate to 150. If I'm feeling competitive, I set the kilojoules burned to 1500, too, which I can typically do in 30 minutes if I don't slack too much. Note: One calorie has the same energy value as 4.186 kilojoules (kJ).
Unfortunately, there is no way to switch to calories vs. kilojoules and the RPM is not easily converted to MPH either, but if you are only comparing your own workouts on the same machine, these readings can still be helpful to us Americans. I typically hover between 55 and 65 RPM during my workouts, and being able to watch my pulse is a good objective way to see how hard I'm really working.
*Recovery pulse feature calculates a fitness rating from 1-6 for tracking improvement of cardiovascular conditioning, 1 being the highest
+There is a button on the display panel named "Recovery" which I only use occasionally. After consulting the written guide on this feature, I figured out that this button is used to determine the user's fitness level (1.0-6.0) based on his or her pulse rate after a workout. When the workout is complete, I hit the Recovery button and the screen displays just my pulse and the timer as it counts down from 60 seconds to 0. Immediately after hitting the button, I stand on the machine and hold onto the silvery, stationary handles on the sides of the display, remaining still until the 60 seconds are up. My fitness level then displays at the bottom of the display. I am not sure exactly how fitness levels are computed, but I did manage to get a reading of level 1.0 this morning, after making an effort to burn 1500 Kj in my usual 30-minute time slot. I have gotten plenty of 6.0 readings in the past, but I don't place much importance on what the machine tells me. I'd rather rely on my own assessment of fitness.
*Assembly time approximately 30 - 35 minutes.
+Well, I'd feel safer using an 60-minute estimate, more if you're not to sure you can handle it. Perhaps a pro hired to assemble this machine for the customer would be able to do it in 30, but like I mentioned earlier, I opted for the cheaper DIY assembly.
*Warranty:
--*Lifetime frame
--*2 years parts
--*1 year labor
+I have not found many complaints about this product online and do not foresee any huge problems either. This is a pretty solid, quality machine and worth the money if you intend on using it for your health.
P.S. If you decide to get a Smooth ME, go through Ebates and get something like a $60 "rebate" into your Ebates account. I am a member of Ebates, but didn't expect to find the Smooth web store to be a member of Ebates, so unfortunately, I didn't even look for it. I found it there by accident last week and am kicking myself for missing out on that money.
Copy and paste the following URL to join Ebates if you're not already a member:
http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?id=2118426
OR simply go to my Epinions profile page and click the Ebates link near my photo ("Ebates (shop and earn $)") and you'll be ready to go.
If you join from that link, I'll get $5 when you make your first purchase from Ebates stores, for which I thank you in advance. You'll also get a free $1 in your own new account if you use that link, as a welcome from Ebates.
Good luck!
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UPDATE (11/29/04)
Since many folks have been emailing me with questions about how my Smooth ME is still working and whether my opinions about it have changed at all, I've decided to address these issues here, in public, for all to see.
After owning and using my Smooth ME for over a year now, I am still using it and it is still performing just as well as when I first got it.
I have detected a very minor squeak, but I'm sure some lube will take care of it easily. It only occurs when I go at a very fast pace, so it's not troublesome.
I still get a great workout if I shoot for my 1500 Kj/30 minutes goal and am very satisfied with my investment.
This machine has survived a move to a new house with me this past year and is now indoors in our basement, which makes it easier to use in the colder months.
I am sometimes puzzled by the heartrate monitor and what it displays, so I can only conclude that the ear clip has its limitations with regard to accuracy. However, it does perform reasonably well most of the time.
Some people ask about whether they will be bumping their knees into the stationary front part of the machine. I can only say that, at 5'5", I have been able to work out bump-free for the past year, simply by learning to place my feet back a bit on the foot pedals. They are relatively long and allow my size 7 feet plenty of room to choose placement of my feet on them.
If you are tall or have big feet or are worried about comfort and size issues with this machine, try to get to an actual Smooth ME machine somewhere (try used sports equipment places, like "Play it Again Sports" used sports equipment stores) and get on the thing yourself. Give it a whirl before you buy it, especially if you are not average-sized. It's the only way to tell for sure. If you're close to my size, you should be fine.
Thanks to all of you who left comments and wrote me emails. I'm happy to provide some helpful advice and actually do recommend this product, despite the company's underhandedness. I really wish Smooth Fitness didn't have to resort to false reviews. People deserve better.
Smooth Fitness: I strongly recommend you delete those phony reviews ASAP. Your products should speak for themselves. Trust your customers!
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Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
XSarenkaX
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: Bonnie ("Benia")
Location: Chicagoland, IL
Reviews written: 43
Trusted by: 36 members
About Me:Got married in Jamaica and we keep coming back.
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