Along Home use Cross Trainer

A home use cross trainer is the machine to buy when your knees have opinions about running. Your feet never leave the pedals, so there is no impact at all, and your arms work at the same time as your legs.

Why a home use cross trainer suits most people better than a treadmill

Running is high impact, and impact is what eventually stops people training. On a cross trainer, the pedals carry your feet through a smooth elliptical path with nothing jarring at either end.

Meanwhile the moving handlebars bring your chest, back and arms into the session. As a result you burn more for the same perceived effort than you would on a bike, where the upper body does nothing.

The 8kg flywheel and magnetic resistance

The flywheel weighs 8 kg and measures 240 mm. Weight in the flywheel is what makes the pedal stroke feel smooth rather than choppy, because momentum carries you through the transition at the top and bottom.

Resistance is magnetic, across eight levels. Magnetic systems are silent and there is nothing rubbing, so there is no pad to wear out and nothing to replace over the years.

The console

An 80 x 50 mm LCD displays time, speed, distance, calories, heart rate, RPM and body fat percentage, plus a scan mode that cycles through them. Heart rate is read through pulse grips on the handles.

There is also a mobile and tablet holder, so a long steady session comes with something to watch.

Home use cross trainer specifications

• Resistance: magnetic, 8 levels
• Flywheel: 8 kg, 240 mm
• Drive: belt
• Stride length: 35.56 cm
• Console: LCD, 80 x 50 mm
• Display: time, speed, distance, calories, heart rate, RPM, % body fat, scan
• Heart rate: pulse grips
• Pedals: 394 x 155 x 75 mm
• Maximum user weight: 150 kg
• Dimensions: 117.5 x 52.8 x 164.5 cm
• Extras: transport wheels, mobile and tablet holder

Who this home use cross trainer suits

It suits anyone with sore knees, hips or ankles, anyone returning to exercise after a break, and heavier users — the 150 kg rating is genuinely high for a machine in this bracket.

Compare it against the bikes in our exercise bike range, or browse the full cardio equipment selection.

How to train on it

Start at resistance level two for twenty minutes and hold a steady RPM. Push and pull through the handles rather than letting your arms go along for the ride — that is where the extra calorie burn comes from.

After a few weeks, add intervals: one minute at level six, two minutes at level two, repeated eight times.

Price in Kenya

It is KSh 48,000, down from KSh 50,000. For a magnetic machine with an 8 kg flywheel and a 150 kg rating, that is a strong specification for the money.

Common questions

What is the weight limit on this home use cross trainer?

150 kg.

Is it quiet?

Yes. Magnetic resistance and a belt drive mean there is nothing rubbing and no chain, so it suits apartments.

Does it measure heart rate?

Yes, through pulse grips on the handles.

How much space does it need?

It measures 117.5 x 52.8 x 164.5 cm, and transport wheels let you move it aside afterwards.