April 23, 2011
Outdoor fitness equipment www.opikayaks.com
Outdoor fitness equipment ออกกำลังกายกลางแจ้ง
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Gazelle Edge
- High-performance exercise glider for improved cardiovascular performance
- Unsurpassed range of motion goes from slow walk to full run with no sudden stops
- Easy-to-use, 5-function workout computer tracks speed, distance, time, and more
- Extra-wide, non-skid foot platforms; durable 1.5-inch rolled steel frame
- High-density foam handlebars; maximum weight capacity of 250 pounds
Filed under Outdoor Exercise Equipment by on Apr 23rd, 2011. Comment. 
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Comments on Outdoor fitness equipment www.opikayaks.com
A great little machine (no pun intended),
After trying out about a dozen different elliptical exercisers in sporting stores, I eventually bought the Gazelle Edge. It is a great little excercise machine but does have some short comings.
I opted for this one because:
1. PRICE: After trying out the ellipticals it became very clear that cheap ellipticals are incredibly uncomfortable to use. The motion on machines under $750 was either jerky or the short stride lead to the machine feeling more like a stepper than an elliptical. Many of the low line models were not all that stable. Of the mid-range steppers, I almost bought the Horizons E70 on sale for about $550 (marked down from the mid-$700s). This machine lacked a lot of options but did have the most natural motion I could find in a stepper in this range. Nevertheless, the motion on the Gazelle (they had the souped up Freestyle with thumb-pulse) was at least as good. The price on the Freestyle is about $200 on Amazon.com and the basic model is less than $100
2. REVIEWS: Canvassing the internet, the Gazelle had a high satisfaction rates on a number of websites, including Amazon reviews. The low to mid-range ellipticals appeared to have poor reliability ratings and most reviews showed low satisfaction.
3. BASIC MACHINE: It appeared to be a basic no-frills machine. If I was going to buy something at a low price range with few options, this one was as good as any other and far cheaper. It is also more light-weight and portable than any of the ellipticals I tried.
After purchasing, I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot. The machine was easy to assemble, given its simple mechanism and few working parts. It offers a reasonable, comfortable workout and is remarkably stable. It also folds down flat for storage and weighs only about 40 lbs. It also requires little room to use. The manual recommends 3 feet in front and behind the machine, but 2 ? seemed to suffice for me. So far my machine is remarkably smooth and silent. There have been reports of squeaking, but I have not experienced this. The manual suggests lubing the machine with vasoline if this occurs… Despite the fact that Tony Little makes annoying infomercials, I think he has a winner in this machine.
Nevertheless, it is important to realize that the machine has certain limitations:
1. This is NOT a $1,500 Nordic Track Elliptical. It doesn’t have the programs, options, and fluid movement of a high-line elliptical trainer. If you want such a model, you will have to spend the money to buy one. That being said, this machine will not approach the smoothness/comfort of the expensive ellipticals and is really not comparable.
2. This is NOT an elliptical trainer. The motion is different, pleasant though it may be.
3. The machine has NO built-in training programs. You have to either buy Tony Little’s exercise tapes or make up a program as you go along. I did not opt to buy these, so I can’t comment on them. There are purportedly 7 different exercises that you can do on the Gazelle, but in reality there are only three that I can discern: You can `Gazelle in the neutral position, leaning back, or leaning forward. The other `exercises’ involve different grip heights, letting go/swinging your arms at your sides, bending your knees for a lower/longer stride, and `gazelling’ on your toes. The latter variations don’t really count for me as different exercises, but that’s only my opinion.
4. The basic machine has NO resistance adjustment. The `Freestyle’ and `Pro’ models appear to have hydraulic resistance that is adjustable to three levels. Having tried the Freestyle in the store, the hydraulic pistons did add resistance but seemed to make the motion a little less natural for me. Additionally, there was no way to adjust these while exercising. One would have to stop. Get off the machine. Adjust the resistance and resume exercising. Lower line ellipticals can be adjusted while exercising, the Gazelle cannot. Despite the lack of resistance, you can still get a good beginner to intermediate workout on this machine. It is certainly good for people just beginning a fitness program. I alternate aerobic and exercise training for 30 to 40 minutes, 6 days a week and have been doing so for over two years. I would consider myself to be an intermediate to advanced level and was able to raise my heart rate to the target range on this machine.
5. It has an INADEQUATE fitness computer. The fitness computer tell you your speed, how far you have `travelled’, the number of calories burned, and the time on the machine. Being a skeptic, I think the only reliable feature would be the time and possibly `distance’. I’m not knocking the company. Knowing how much time you have spent on the device is my most important issue. I could imagine using the `distance’ counter as a measure of when to stop…
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|Fun, easy to use and effective,
I absolutely love this glider! And for the price you cant beat it.
It arrived practicalyy assembled, you only need to add the handle bars at the top and the on board computer. Which is optional and I choose to not use so I dont focus on “calories” burned but by my own exhaustion and muscle burn. But that’s just me.
At first it was very different to use, a smooth fluid motion. But balance was found quickly and then the fun began. This is unlike walking or running, there is no impact and you get more or a back leg and butt workout. You can choose to use your hands in a low, medium or high grip with different results for your upper body and difficulty of workout. You can also choose to rest your hands to the sides for the easiest of workouts or move them along the sides as you would during a jog for more difficulty.
This was surprisingly more difficult than I imagined. I worked up quite a sweat in only 30 minutes and I work out regularly with a recumbant bike and weights so Im in pretty good shape.
This does fold up so you can slide it under a bed or standing in a larger closet.
If your looking for a fun, different type of workout I would highly reccomend this machine.
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|Not bad.,
I took the gamble (aren’t all infomercial products a gamble?) and the following are my results and impressions:
Packaging/Shipping: From time of order (over the internet), it took a little over a week to receive the Gazelle, which came in a damaged box with a deep slice (hole) right where the shipping label was located. Opening the box brought to light that the equipment itself was left unharmed (except for a couple of minor abrasions and a tiny gouge). I received the workout DVDs (three of them for an extra $30) two “shipping” days later.
Assembly: The instructions are adequate and assembly was straightforward, plus this unit is partial assembled to begin with. Although they provided a wrench (actually, they provided two same-size wrenches and extra hardware if needed) to finish assembling the unit, I’d recommend that you use a socket wrench. I was in no particular hurry and was looking over the exercise booklet while putting the Gazelle together, so it took me perhaps an hour and a half. I suspect most could assemble the Edge in less than 45 minutes.
Design: I was surprised how solid this design was for $99. The steel tubing is 1 1/2 inches in diameter and looks and feels very sturdy (on carpet — not sure how it would feel on tile) even for a 210 pound guy like myself (maximum allowable load is rated at 250 pounds). Although it isn’t what I would call light, one can fold the unit up for storage without much effort (snap the foot platforms onto the swing arms before sliding the frames together). The axle tube was well lubricated and I have no squeaks in that area at present. However, about two weeks into using this machine, it suddenly became noisy. The noise was more of a sandy, grinding sound and seemed to come from cable holders located at the foot platforms. I lubricated the cable and the bolts at both cable housings at the bottom (as well as the two at the top) with the recommended DW-40. The noise disappeared almost immediately. I suspect this may be a fairly constant maintenance practice (although I haven’t had to repeat it), but it’s easy and simple to perform. If the axle tube assembly begins to squeak, it won’t be nearly as easy nor as convenient to take care of because one has to disassemble that part along with the two corner covers to add the lubricant (a clear household grease such as petroleum jelly is recommended). This is not a task I want to mess with more than once a year.
Use: There is fairly good documentation, even on how to mount and dismount the machine, and I suggest everyone read the documentation carefully before using. There is no need to fall if one takes their time and follows directions. Take a week or two and get use to the unit before going on to the recommended workout programs outlined in the booklet. I found it easy and safe to mount and dismount, and surprise, surprise, it works as advertised. The Edge is a beginner’s unit (no pistons or heart monitor), but that’s why I purchased it — I’m a beginner, retired, overweight, out of shape, and have back problems (age can be a b*tch).
Simply put, it’s up to the individual to exercise. If you do not commit to it, no exercise machine/program will work. Fortunately, the Gazelle is fun to use, so that may help. There are several different Gazelles and prices range from $99 (for the non-piston Edge reviewed here) all the way up to their newest “super-duper” unit at over $500. It’s up to you, your level of fitness, and your pocketbook on which machine is best for you.
Extras: It comes with a battery-operated (two AAA batteries included) “computer” to register speed, distance, time, and estimated calories burnt (I have doubts about its accuracy). Even though it may, or may not be accurate (who knows?), it’s pretty good to have in order to regiment or time your workouts.
The Bottom Line: Again, it’s up to the individual on how well this unit performs and whether or not you are going to use it regularly and gain any benefit. For me (and those who are out of shape and want a decent cardiovascular workout), I’m pleasantly surprised with this product, it was shipped for free, it’s been fun to use (a key factor in my opinion), and it probably holds the most value per buck in the Gazelle lineup. However, once a person gets into better shape, a different type of machine may be in order. Between 1 and 10, I rate the Edge a marginal 7 (as long as the axle tube assembly holds it lubricant for a decent amount of time).
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