Sole E25 Elliptical Trainer (2008 Model)

Product Description

The Sole E25 Elliptical creates a fluid natural motion provided by a whisper-quiet drive system. Its 20-in stride length is ideal for areas with limited floor space, and the adjustable, articulating pedals provide multiple workout options. You can work up a sweat to your favorite tunes thanks to the built-in sound system, which allows you to listen to any MP3 player, CD player or old-school cassette.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9990 in Sports & Outdoors
• Model: Sole E25
• Released on: 2007-07-10
• Weight Capacity: 400 pounds
• Product Weight: 215.00 pounds
• Dimensions: 23.00" h x 33.00" w x 66.00" l

Key Benefits

• Work different muscle groups with the same exercise using the Reverse Motion features.
• Workout your upper and lower body simultaneously with the Dual Action.
• Conveniently monitor your body against your workout plan with the Heart Rate Monitor (Pulse Grip & Chest Strap) that provides you accurate heart rate measurement.
• No more difficulty in trying to optimize your work out plan according to your optimal heart rate with the Interactive Heart Rate Course.
• Workout Programs: 10 Programs: 6 Standard, 2 User Defined, 2 Heart Rate
• Keep track of your workout program easily with the Time Readout & Elapsed Time Readout feature.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
Enjoy an efficient full-body workout without heading to the gym with the Sole E25 elliptical trainer. Boasting a heavy 23-pound flywheel, a high gear ratio not found on most comparable models, and a pair of upper body handles, the E25 delivers an extremely smooth workout with plenty of top-end resistance. Users will also appreciate the unique oversize and adjustable foot pedals, which were designed in collaboration with a leading physical therapist and sports enthusiast. The pedals are not only extra large, but also feature a 2-degree inward slope that reduces the ankle and knee stress that's common in other elliptical machines. And thanks to the stationary handle bars with built-in pulse sensors, it's a breeze to monitor your heart rate as you exercise (a chest strap is also included for highly accurate wireless monitoring).

Workout specifics include 16 resistance levels, six total programs, and a 20-inch stride length. Perhaps the handiest feature from a user perspective, however, is the easy-to-use electronic console, which integrates a blue backlit LCD display, a cooling fan, and a water bottle holder. The E25, which offers a maximum weight capacity of 300 pounds, carries the following warranties: lifetime on the frame, three years on all parts and electronics, and one year on the labor.

High quality elliptical trainer that gives you a smooth workout.

Feature Detail:

• Stride Length: 20 inches
• Adjustable Foot pedals: Yes
• Resistance Type: ECB Magnetic
• Resistance Levels: 16 levels of resistance
• Power: Standard 110
• HR Percentage Graph: Yes
• Programs: 6 Standard: 4 User Defined: 1
• Heart Rate: No, pulse readout only
• Fans: Yes
• Water Bottle / Accessory Holders: Yes
• Product Weight: 179 lbs.
• Maximum Weight Capacity: 300 pounds
• Speakers and MP3 Plug-in: Yes

Manufacturer's Warranty
Parts / electronics - 3 years, frame - lifetime, labor: 1 year

Customer Reviews

Great investment
As a 50 yr. old woman who was overtaken by menopausal weight gain, I had to do something. I used to be a runner but my knees can no longer take the pounding. Swimming laps was too boring. I had tried some elliptical machines and some were fine for my knees and some hurt. I strongly suggest that you find a gym, fitness center, or sporting goods store and try out different models before you buy. This Sole elliptical has a 20 inch stride and I wouldn't go any shorter than that, and I'm a short person. The pedals also adjust the angle that is most comfortable for the user. I gather that the wrong angle can make your toes tingle.

I hated to pay the money for this machine but it is worth it. Setup took maybe and hour and wasn't difficult, although it is heavy so having a helper is good. Initially there was a rubbing noise but my hubby discovered that one of the factory installed bolts was not tight and fixed it. I have had it for 4 weeks and have lost 8 pounds and 3 inches (waist, hips, thigh). I work out for an hour each day. It's nice that I can vary the workout with the different programs. This machine can be used with or without using your arms. The controls are quick and easy to use and only took about 10 minutes to figure out. It is so smooth and quiet that I can watch tv or listen to music easily. My favorite thing is it has a sort of shelf on the console that I can prop a book on and read.... anything to keep my mind off how I'm feeling tired or other things I could be doing. The little fan cools your face. It has holders for a waterbottle (included), MP3, and I can hang a towel on the stationary handlebar. One feature I hadn't thought was important was the calories burned indicator. However, now that I know how hard I need to work to burn off that 150 calorie Little Debbie Cake, I am finding it easier to put them down.

So, I recommend this machine highly. The cheaper, lighter machines don't have the stability or smooth stride.

Wonderful Elliptical Trainer Updated for 2008
When I started looking for an elliptical trainer, I looked at the units at a couple of local stores and saw various models of Proform, NordicTrack, Horizon, etc. None of them were fully to my liking. The ones that approached the quality that I was interested in were ~$1000, but they still didn't "wow" me.
I read so many online reviews, and had just ablout decided on a model, when I went to another local store that had the E25 on display. After looking it over and trying it out, I was sold. This machine met every one of my expectations. It is ultra-smooth, well built, and has a better feature set than most of the reviews indicated. (It is now obvious that those reviews were for the 2007 model.) The machine now has 20 levels of reistance and 10 programs. In addition, it is slightly heavier and has a higher maximum weight.

The instructions were fairly clear, and it took me only an hour to assemble it. I'm extremely happy with this elliptical trainer!

Excellent machine, excellent value.
The Sole e25 elliptical is a solid machine that does not take up as much room in the home as many other models. We have had the machine for about 6 months and it is used on a regular basis. It arrives mostly assembled and although others have indicated it takes several hours to put together the rest of it, we had it together in about 1 hour. While most of the assembly can be done by 1 person, the final stages you really need two people.
Shipping was fast and free through Amazon Prime. Note that the default delivery is curbside (literally), so if you don't want to haul this thing in from the curb, you might want to have a friend around to help get it inside (it's pretty heavy in the box).

The action is smooth and virtually silent. I am not even awakened by it when my wife uses it in the early morning in our bedroom.

Others have written here that after a few months, their machines began to make noise. Our experience has been that after about four months, dust collected on the rear rails. Since there is lubricant on the rails, dust can settle and collect in the lubricant. Our elliptical started to make a little noise from the friction. A simple 5 minute wiping down of the rails and relubing it solved that easily. A tube of clear lube came with the elliptical, which was convenient.

The screen is bright and clear. The workouts are varied and excellent. The speaker is decent for MP3 playing. The fan is almost useless, but a nice touch.

Very solid construction and we are delighted with our purchase.

Best Elliptical Trainer...period - Features, Reliability & Price.
We originally purchased the E55 in 2007, but then we gave that model to a relative and upgraded to the E95. We love the upgraded screen and rail covers and even at the additional price, we are still about a third of the cost of a Precor. I have included our original E55 review for reference and hope that it will be of help to perspective buyers :).

My wife and I searched and searched for an elliptical because we were fed up with signing up for gym memberships and not using them. Having to go to the gym just wasn't practical for us. So we embarked on a quest to find the quietest, most reliable and feature packed elliptical we could find.

Our budget was 2K or less. Online research led us to many brands and many models - too many actually. It was a dizzying array of choices. So we decided to visit fitness equipment stores and sporting goods stores to try out a few ellipticals in person. The fitness stores carried mostly high-end brands like Precor, which we liked, but were all WAY out of our price range. Besides, after looking at the fine print, we noticed that Precors only come with a 1 year warranty. After that, the frame is good for 10 years but parts and labor are at the owner's expense!

The sporting goods stores turned up the typical mass market brands like Reebok, ProForm, Horizon, Ironman, and New Balance. Most were pretty flimsy feeling and wobbly or the stride just didn't feel right. The Reebok ellipticals came close but they didn't offer wireless heart rate monitoring and the stride still wasn't quite right. Our eureka moment came at Dick's sporting goods when we noticed one brand that we had never seen before, Sole. They had the E55 model on display and we tried it out. It was very solid feeling and the stride was natural. There was very little heel lift which is a key component for a low-impact workout - also, the foot pads are adjustable which virtually eliminates any heel lift. I was also pleased that the Sole elliptical had both pulse hand grips AND wireless chest strap heart rate monitoring. This is important not only to improve your endurance but also ensures a safer workout. There's also a great HRC program that varies the resistance based on your heart rate in order to maintain a constant heart rate.

Since I'm not an impulse buyer I was still concerned that I had never heard of Sole before. Searching online turned up a few reviews about their treadmills. Digging deeper yielded a wealth of information about the treadmills and it turns out that Sole makes a very reliable product and their treadmills are well reviewed and used exclusively at Hilton and other hotel chains. With an endorsement like that I was sold. My online research also turned up the official Sole company site and I was happy to learn that I could order online with free shipping and no sales tax. The delivered price was still $500 below our budget! We also learned that the Sole ellipticals came with a great warranty, 2 years labor, 5 years motor and lifetime frame and deck. Not bad and twice as good as the Precor which was 3 times more price-wise.

In summary, this is absolutely the best bang for the buck as far as ellipticals go. Sole ellipticals are the best ellipticals under $2000 and they even compete very well with the ones above $2000 as well!