As the 1980’s cardio craze is long over, you now know that building lean muscle mass and maintaining the right bone density is crucial for your health too. And that’s why you want to combine elliptical and stationary bike workouts.
The problem is that you may not have enough space in your home for both machines. But hey, that’s why 2-in-1 cross-trainers were invented.
The only issue now is choosing the best one.
And, unfortunately, all brands claim their products are best.
But that’s why we’re here. We’ll explain how to choose the best 2 in 1 cross trainer and exercise bike for your needs. For instance, we’ll discuss why contact resistance machines are best for muscle building, whereas air resistance trainers are best for cardio.
After reading this article, you’ll know how to choose according to your fitness level, preexisting conditions, size, and purpose.
And that means you’ll avoid wasting your money on the wrong choice. Read along!
Table of Contents
XS Sports Luna Pro 2-in1 Review: best for beginner and intermediate levels
- XS Sports Pro Fitness Elliptical Cross Trainer with Pulse...
- Front Mounted Flywheel for Added Stability - Adjustable...
- Can Be Used to Workout Legs, Hips, Buttocks, Arms &...
The XS Sports Luna Pro is the best 2 in 1 elliptical and bike if you’re hunting value-for-money and versatile training.
This piece of gear can help you achieve the body you’re dreaming of as long as you put in the work.
Here’s why it’s worth considering it:
It works your body comprehensively. Stationary bikes are great for the lower body, but the elliptical part of this machine helps you get a perfect upper body and core workout as well. Besides, ellipticals offer weight-bearing exercises that strengthen your bones better than bike pedalling.
It’s stable. So, you won’t fall off it even if you’re heavy-set or like to do high-impact workouts. We know this because the flywheel is mounted on the Luna Pro’s front and because this 2-in-1 cross trainer is CE-certified.
You get plenty of versatility. You can train your entire body through walking-like motions and pedalling. You can also pedal forwards and backwards to exercise different muscle groups, plus you can adjust the Luna Pro’s resistance according to your fitness level. But the best thing is that you can tweak the difficulty of your workouts quite precisely thanks to the incorporated heart rate sensors.
Luna Pro is comfy and light. The steel frame renders this 2-in-1 cross trainer light, but also durable so that you can quickly move it around your home by rolling it on its front wheels. Additionally, Luna Pro offers a comfortable sitting experience because both the seat and the pedals are large enough to accommodate everyone.
But of course, Luna Pro has its detractors. Read the online reviews, and you’ll notice some issues where people disagree, such as its durability and noise levels.
For instance, some customers claim their Luna Pros broke down after just a few months, whereas other people’s cross trainers still work after 5+ years of wear and tear. Also, a few customers say they can’t stand Luna Pro’s noisy screeches, whereas others are comfortable with the fact that Luna Pro isn’t completely quiet.
These matters are subjective, though. Most customers agree that Luna Pro’s sounds are relatively easy to bear and that the thing will last for at least 3+ years.
The objective issue is whether it will fit you. So, remember that Luna Pro holds just up to 110 kg and is right up to shoe size 12. Besides, shorter people need to lean a bit to reach the heart-monitoring handles, which can affect the cross-trainer’s balance, plus your comfort.
Also, the maximum resistance level isn’t best for athletes, but rather for beginners and intermediates.
Limepeaks LMP-1001 Review: best for beginners to advanced
If you’re willing to invest a little more money in your home gym, the Limepeaks LMP-1001 is one of the best 2 in 1 elliptical cross trainers and bikes.
Sure, it costs twice as much as the Luna Pro, but this bike is one of the best value fitness machines for home use because:
You can adjust the seat. Luna Pro offers a comfortable seat, while Limepeaks LMP-1001 sports one that’s also ergonomic because you can set it according to your needs. Therefore, you can maintain a correct posture throughout your workout to avoid injuries and to work out your muscles better.
You can work out longer and harder, even if you have preexisting foot pain. That’s thanks to the shock-absorption technology that decreases the impact on your joints when you’re working out. Besides, you can do more intensive workouts on LMP-1001 than you would on Luna Pro. The reason is that LMP-1001 has a 13-pound inner magnetic flywheel and a robust belt transmission to control your workout speed precisely.
Besides, LMP-1001 is compact, easy to transport and can accommodate people up to 120 kg. As you’d expect from this price, the LCD monitor features all the useful stats, like calories, distance, pulse, speed, and time. And you’re getting a device holder for your iPhone if you want to watch a show or listen to music during your workout.
But, of course, LMP-1001 isn’t perfect either.
Just like with Luna Pro, some reviewers complain about it not being entirely silent, while others point out the short 12-year warranty.
And there’s no bidirectional movement for both quads and hamstrings.
Besides, people over 6 feet tall wish that this 2-in-1 elliptical would have fitted them as well.
Also, there’s the problem of workout intensity. Limepeaks claims that you can use LMP-1001 whether you’re a beginner or expert, but the flywheel is just 6 kg. Although that’s not a wrong size, it’s in the middle range for home bikes and ellipticals – compare it with JLL IC 400 that sports a 22 kg flywheel.
On the other hand, this may be a small price to pay if you want an elliptical – stationary bike combo to spruce up your workouts.
Fit4Home Elliptical F4H X125D Review: best for beginners and HIIT workouts
- Air Resistance System. Console feedback including: 3 display...
- Pulse Sensor to monitor heart rate. Free tension control...
- Transportation wheels for easier manoeuvrability
Fit4Home Men’s Elliptical is also the right choice, especially if you’re a beginner.
Just looking at this product’s specs, you can already see some differences compared to the Luna Pro and LMP-1001. We’ll explain these below in terms of your needs:
F4H X125D sports an air-resistance system. The other two previous models use contact resistance, which feels more challenging on your muscles. By comparison, air resistance is lighter, so it’s best for beginners. You might also prefer less resistance if you like high-intensity or TABATA workouts that entail intensive cardio bouts. And that means the F4H X125D is best if you’re a beginner who wants to lose weight quickly.
The flywheel is just 1.9 kg. As such, you won’t get much resistance from the flywheel. That’s great if, as we said before, you’re a beginner or prefer intensive cardio workouts. However, it’s also an advantage if you’re recovering from an injury or you’re mobility-challenged. But, if you’re a Hulk-level pro, this 2-in-1 elliptical won’t do much for you.
The stride length is just 11 inches. This stride is perfect for people under 6 feet who prefer intense cardio workouts because these types of exercises involve smaller steps.
The problems of Fit4Home’s F4H X125D relate to these features above.
As such, the entire 2-in-1 elliptical bike is best for beginners or people who like cardio, and that’s why it sports air resistance, a tiny flywheel and a short stride. However, air resistance bikes are much noisier than bikes that use other types of resistance. Also, the 11-inch stride isn’t recommended for people over 6 feet tall or advanced runners because this sort of stride allows for small steps only.
Another thing is that this frail construction has effects on the machine’s overall durability. If you’re abusing it daily with intense workouts, the F4H X125D can fail within months. But, if you’re using it according to its purpose, it can last longer.
XS Sports Pro 2-in-1 Review: best for muscle building
- STRONG; Our 2 in 1 exercise bike and elliptical...
- SAFE; Each XS Sports upright elliptical has undergone...
- TWO IN ONE; Unlike inferior exercise equipment for...
The XS Sports Pro 2-in-1 Elliptical Cross Trainer is another good value-for-money home fitness machine for home use. We recommend this piece of equipment for muscle building because:
It’s strong. This cross trainer – exercise bike combo supports people up to 110 kg and can withstand intensive workouts. Besides, the contact tension-type is best to achieve high resistance that challenges your muscles to the max. As such, you can use it for weight training and increasing your overall strength.
It’s silent. This knob-adjustment for tension control has the advantage of decreased noise. Therefore, you can watch TV or listen to music while working out without having to put on headphones.
It’s durable. This fitness machine features a 12-month warranty, but XS Sports claims it can last a lifetime. Many customer reviews ascertain this, as lots of people state their bikes withstood years of intensive training.
It features backwards pedalling. This motion allows you to focus on your hamstring and calves to build more lean muscle in these areas of your body. You’ll also feel a more significant burn in your triceps and lats while you’re pedalling backwards.
However, a few reviewers noticed some disadvantages to this bike.
For instance, the display screen shows just one stat at a time, and these stats refresh at a slow pace. It’s also quite challenging to reach the handles when you’re sitting down if you’re a petite person. Unfortunately, you can’t adjust the handlebars towards you to have a more comfortable sitting experience.
Another disadvantage is that this XS Sports machine rocks a bit when you’re using it. However, you can solve this problem by placing it on a fitness mat.
GOLDEN MANGO Review: best versatile machine for all fitness levels and people with preexisting pain
The Golden Mango 3 in 1 is your best choice if you want to invest in a more expensive, but versatile piece of equipment.
We recommend this if you want to exercise your body through versatile workouts and at different intensities. Besides, the Golden Mango 3 in 1 is one of the safest, most ergonomic machines on the market that fits people up to 150 kg.
Here’s why you should consider it:
It’s a 3 in 1 model. Unlike the products above, which offer spinning bike and elliptical functions, this piece of gear adds the treadmill option. The pedals can slide front and back to mimic walking or running. You might find it odd at first, but Golden Mango claims it uses a “scientific distance” between the feet to keep your hips in an anatomically correct position.
It sports magnetic control. This two-way flywheel is easy to adjust on sixteen different levels so that you can adjust the intensity of your training according to your needs. The bonus with this type of magnetron flywheel is that it’s incredibly silent so that you can work out in your home or office noiselessly.
It’s ergonomic. You can adjust the seat up and down to make sure you maintain a correct posture regardless of the type of workout you’re doing. Besides, impact-absorbing technology protects your knees and feet from injuries. That’s a definite asset if you have preexisting chronic pain or just recovering from surgery.
It features lots of extras. This Golden Mango 3-in-1 machine has Bluetooth connection, instrument table, IPAD bracket, and smart games. Of course, these features don’t enhance the overall functionality of the thing, but they keep you motivated.
However, this machine has some disadvantages you need to take into account before ordering it.
First, some products come only with Chinese instructions. That means you need to e-mail the seller so that they can send you the English instructions. The Chinese indicators on the display of some of these 3-in-1 treadmill-bike-elliptical products might also put you off.
Secondly, just by looking at the dimensions of this machine, you understand that it’s not for tall people. If you’re in that category, we recommend the XS Sports Pro 2-in-1 above.
In Conclusion
Now that you’ve read these reviews, you know that not all 2-in-1 cross trainers are created equal. Each of the five machines we discussed has its strengths and weaknesses, so it’s essential to choose according to your needs.
Remember to take into account your fitness level, preexisting conditions, size and weight, plus favourite types of workouts.
She had to trade the gym for home fitness equipment when her two little angels were born. But she successfully managed to make the transition, and sharing her vast fitness experience online is the engine that keeps this website going.
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