Sole E95 Elliptical Cross Trainer Review
The Sole E95 Elliptical Cross Trainer comes with a full range of design features and workout programmes to help keep your workouts varied, effective and interesting.
With a full 20 inch stride length, 40 degrees of incline and 20 levels of resistance to name just a few of the features, this cross trainer allows you to create an intense workout while still remaining a low impact form of exercise.
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Handle design features
Although the Sole range of cross trainers isn’t necessarily the smallest or lightest, they are certainly some of the highest quality cross trainers available thanks to their innovative design and intuitively designed display consoles.
Starting with the handles, the Sole E95 features one smaller set with heart rate sensors which are perfectly positioned for holding for short periods of time while you monitor your heart rate.
While you can use this to grip throughout your training programme, which is necessary during the heart rate controlled programmes, this does take the majority of your upper body movement out of the exercise.
To avoid this, the Sole E95 comes with a heart rate strap which will transmit your heart rate to the receiver built into the display and show your heart rate on the screen throughout your workout.
The second, larger set of handles will most likely be the ones you use the majority of the time. The two variations of vertical handle position have been added so you can vary the upper body muscles worked as well as simply offering a grip position that may be better suited to your body type.
Built into this set of handles are a set of quick change controls. On the left handle you have two buttons for adjusting the incline and the right is for adjusting speed. These have been designed in a position that should be close to where your thumbs are naturally resting during the workout.
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Keeping your workouts quieter with magnetic resistance
To keep the noise generated by the Sole E95 to a minimum when in use, the resistance is generated using strong electromagnets combined with a heavy 15kg aluminium flywheel. This also has the benefit of providing a smoother workout that is less prone to any jarring that can be seen when using manual resistance machines.
Moving round to the foot plates and although there isn’t a way of adjusting the size to fit your feet and prevent them from slipping, the top of each foot plate is textured which has a similar effect.
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Foot plate design
With the Sole E95 being designed by both engineers and physical therapists, the foot pedals incline slightly which helps to match your natural running motion more closely.
The angle of the foot plates can be adjusted even more accurately through the small hand wheels at the back of each foot rest. This will make sure your bodyweight is resting evenly across your feet and not loading on any areas that may become uncomfortable during longer workouts.
To reduce any sideways movement in the foot plate position there are two metal rails behind each that the bar the foot plate rests on can slide along.
This also to provide extra strength in the design and contributes to the impressive maximum user weight of 170kg.
Towards the back of the Sole E95 there is a large handle to make it easier to lift and wheel the cross trainer to a different position if needed. While this does make it a little easier, it’s worth remembering the machine weighs around 100kg.
This is why it is recommended you move this cross trainer as little as possible once setup and find the best possible place for your workouts before you start the setup.
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Sole E95 Elliptical Cross Trainer – Features Summary
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- Flywheel: 15.4kg (34lbs); Stride Length: 20″ (51cm); 0-40 Degrees of Electronic Incline
- 1-20 Levels of Electronically Controlled Magnetic Resistance; Pulse: Grip Sensors/Wireless Receiver
- Console: Vibrant Large 9″ (22.8cm) Blue Backlit LCD Display; 10 Programmes; Weight: 107kg (236lbs)
- Audio System and Cooling Fan
- Warranty: Lifetime Frame, Magnetic Braking and Parts, 3 Years Labour
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Display unit and workout programmes
While the display unit design doesn’t have a direct impact on the effectiveness of your training or the quality of the Sole E95’s range of motion, it is still an important factor when deciding which new cross trainer to buy.
It’s hard to find any faults or areas needing improvement with this cross trainer. It really does have everything you need to keep track of your workout progress, keep you cool and help you find your training sessions more enjoyable.
[one_half]The very top of the display is split into 3 main sections. The center is designated for the fan which helps to keep you cool, with speakers either side to let you listen to music from your MP3 player once it is connected through the socket in the display console.
As with many of the recent higher quality cross trainer designs, the usual black and white display screen has been replaced with a larger and more colourful 9″ blue backlit design and white text.[/one_half]
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As well as providing a better contrast and making the whole display more aesthetically pleasing, this also has a practical use of being easier to ready even with the screen in direct sunlight.
In terms of the information displayed on the screen, there is the incline level, laps, resistance level, calories burned, heart rate, time, distance and current pre-set workout programme if you are using one.
Rather than the usual ‘block’ type display, a lot of this information is shown through either a grid or ‘speedometer’ type dials that clearly show the current resistance and incline levels as a proportion of the maximum available.
For the Sole E95 workout programmes, there is 1 manual, 5 pre-set (cardio, strength, hill, fat burn and interval training), 2 user and 2 heart rate programmes.
To allow you to quickly switch between the different incline and resistance levels, the Sole E95 display unit features a range of buttons on either side. Much the same as the buttons on the larger handles, the left is designated to adjusting the incline and the right for adjusting the resistance.
Although the quick select buttons don’t go up to the maximum setting for either of these, they do allow you to change quickly between the majority of different levels.
Underneath the display screen is the main set of buttons that are used to control everything from your current workout programme to switching the fan on and off. Although these can be a little fiddly to adjust mid workout due to the position of the smaller handles, this really doesn’t pose much of a problem.
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