York Perform 215 Elliptical Cross Trainer Review
The York Perform 215 Elliptical is one of the rear driven cross trainers produced by York Fitness, and presented as the mid-range trainer in York’s ‘Perform’ range.
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Design features
Being a rear driven cross trainer (flywheel at the back of the machine as opposed to the front), this creates a more gentle running motion which is generally considered lower impact on hip and knee joints.
The stride length itself measures 15 inches which makes the York Perform 215 cross trainer better suited to anyone with a height of between 5ft and 5ft 7ins depending on the level of training intensity.[/one_half]
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If you are taller than this but still want to find a good quality cross trainer, then it might be worth taking a look at the Tunturi Pure F 8.0 (19 inch stride length) or the JTX Smart Stride 21 (up to 21 inch stride length) depending on your budget and preferred range of workout programs.
The larger set of multi-grip handlebars have been ergonomically designed to allow your upper body muscles to also get a workout, as well as your quads, hamstrings, and calves.
The smaller set of handles have been designed to be close to the display console to make selections easier, as well as being fitted with heart rate hand sensors for keeping track of your heart rate during your workouts.
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Ease of assembly
[one_half]Generally speaking cross trainers are the most difficult type of fitness machine to put together. Although there are certainly larger pieces of fitness equipment, such as treadmills, these will usually come with the majority of the assembly already complete.
The York Perform 215 cross trainer does provide you with the pre-assembled flywheel housing, but still requires 10 main steps to go from having the parts laid out on the floor to having a fully working cross trainer.[/one_half]
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Fortunately, the user manuals provided with York Fitness equipment tend to be very well detailed, as is the case with the York Perform 215.
Although there is no form of textual explanation, each step provides you with a list of the parts you will need, and an exploded drawing detailing how the parts fit together.
With the main weight of the cross trainer being focussed around the base unit, this means as soon as you have the base stabilizers attached there is no need for any heavy lifting.
This makes it ideal for if you need to assemble the machine without anybody else around, with setup time estimated at less than 30 minutes.
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How the ‘York Perform’ cross trainers compare
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Resistance levels
Workout programs
User profiles
Stride length
Flywheel size
User weight limit
Product weight
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32
19
0
13″
7kg
150kg
49kg
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32
18
4
15″
7kg
150kg
50kg
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Check the price[/button]
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York Perform 215 Elliptical Cross Trainer
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- Flywheel: 7kg (15.4lbs)
- Stride Length: 15″ (38cm)
- Crank System: 3-Piece Crank System
- Resistance: 32 Levels of Computer Controlled Magnetic Resistance
- Programmes: 18
- User Profiles:4
- Console: 5.5” 3-Colour LCD Display and Black Mask
- HRM: Hand Pulse Sensors, Wireless Receiver (Chest Strap Opt.)
- Warranty: 2 Years (Must Be Registered with York Fitness within 14 Days to Get the 2nd Year)
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Display console design
With similar functions to the high priced 220 model, the display console for the York Perform 215 cross trainer has been designed with as few buttons as possible.
This helps to make the options easier to navigate through using the central dial, makes finding the button or setting you need quicker, and makes the overall design of the console much more aesthetically pleasing.
In terms of the buttons that are available, aside from the basic ‘Reset’ and ‘Start/Stop’ buttons, you have the options of ‘Body Fat’ and ‘Recovery’.
The ‘Recovery’ option is best used towards the end of your workouts and has been included as a form of fitness test.
How quickly your heart rate recovers after exercise will be monitored for a short period of time, after which a basic score will be presented on the display relating to your overall fitness level.
The ‘Body Fat’ option will perform a basic calculation of your BMI % and display this to you on the screen.
Arguably the most important part of the display console though is the display screen. It’s important you can keep track of your workout information during training, which is something the 5.5″ colour LCD screen has been well designed for.
While the largest space on the screen is reserved for a chart which shows the current resistance level or workout program, all the workout information you need is still easy to find.
This includes your workout duration, speed, distance, calories burned, heart rate, and rotations per minute.
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Workout programs
One of the main improvements over the York Perform 210 is the addition of user defined workout programs.
The York Perform 215 allows you to create up to 4 workout programs to suit your own specific training goals. You can change the resistance for different sections throughout the workout. For example you want to create more of a ‘hill climb’ style program, increase the intensity with interval training, or even a combination of both.
As well as the user defined programs, you can also workout using either the ‘manual’ program, one of the preset programs, or one of the heart rate controlled options.
While the preset programs will vary according to the resistance level set at different stages, heart rate controlled is based entirely on a percentage of your maximum heart rate.
The resistance will change automatically to keep your heart rate at either your target heart rate, or 55%, 75%, or 90% of your maximum heart rate.
Heart rate controlled programs are an important option to look for when choosing a new cross trainer as they provide clear feedback on how your body is coping with the exercise and how much your fitness level is improving.
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