Comparison Nordic Track C9.5 vs Nordic Track C5.5

The weight of the flywheel installed in the orbitrek is a massive wheel, the rotation of which ensures the movement of the pedals and creates a load on them. It is believed that the more weight, the better: a massive flywheel provides smooth movement with a minimum of jerks and creates uniform loads that mimic natural ones as much as possible. This is especially important for athletes with a large body weight — from 100 kg and above. At the same time, it should be taken into account that the cost of the entire orbitrek directly depends on the weight of the flywheel, and for home non-professional use it is not always justified to look for a simulator with a very heavy wheel.

The number of fixed load levels (platform resistance during movement) provided for in the design of the orbitrek. The more such levels provided in the design, the wider the possibilities for adjusting the load and the more accurately it can be adjusted to the requirements of a particular user. At the same time, the abundance of adjustments accordingly affects the price.

The maximum horizontal distance between the platforms of the orbit track, which determines, respectively, the length of the athlete's step when working on the simulator. It is believed that for people of average height, a step length of 400 – 500 mm is optimal, and many simulators are made with this calculation. At the same time, there are models with a variable stride length, which allows you to adjust it to the personal preferences of different users.

Anyway, the step length should be chosen depending on height, physique and personal preferences. Too small a step will lead to the fact that you have to mince, and the imitation of walking will turn into marking time, and too wide will lead to inconvenience and an unjustified increase in load without increasing efficiency. Ideally, it is advisable to test the simulator before buying — how comfortable you will be on it. This applies to both fixed and adjustable stride length.

The number of training programs provided for in the design of the orbitrek. Different programs have different purposes — strengthening the cardiovascular system, maintaining physical fitness, burning fat, etc. At the same time, the operation of the programme relieves you of the need to manually set the parameters — this is done by the simulator. Accordingly, the more training programs the orbitrek has, the wider its capabilities and the more convenient the training. And some models may even provide the possibility of self-creation of programs.

This function requires the presence of a colour display (see "Additional"), and quite a large one. Such a display shows a “picture” that creates the impression that the athlete is not on a stationary simulator, but is moving along the street, park path, specialized track, etc.; and some models may even provide the ability to connect a larger screen, such as a TV on the wall in front of the machine. At the same time, the speed of virtual movement depends on the intensity of the athlete's work; in other words, the simulator determines how fast a person would move in the real world with such an intensity of work, and accordingly adjusts the mode of changing the "picture" on the screen, providing the most realistic image. The main advantage of virtual training is obvious: watching the changing landscapes is much more pleasant and interesting than constantly looking at stationary objects. At the same time, it’s not just about positive emotions: additional interest can significantly increase the level of motivation and the overall effectiveness of training. Admittedly, this feature comes at a cost.

— Management on the handles. The control buttons for training modes are placed on the handles of the orbit track. With their help, you can change the load without stopping the lesson. However, the control options in each model may be different.

— Fan. The orbit track has its own fan. This feature is useful for cooling during intense workouts with copious “warm-up” and sweating, especially in warm weather.

— Bottle holder. The presence in the design of the orbit track of a special stand on which you can put a bottle or glass. Thus, you will always have a supply of water at hand, and to replenish its amount in the body you will not have to be distracted from working with the simulator.

— Colour display. The presence of a colour monitor in the design of the simulator. This feature does not affect the main features of the device, however, such displays are considered more convenient and pleasant to view than black and white. And some models may include various additional features designed to make classes more interesting — for example, the ability to play DVD movies or virtual workouts (see above).

— Bluetooth. The presence of a Bluetooth wireless module in the orbit track allows the simulator to be synchronized with the user's smartphone, tablet or lap...top / PC. Thanks to data synchronization, the user will be able to control the results of training in a convenient form. Additionally, Bluetooth wireless communication can be used to download new training programs to the on-board computer of the simulator and synchronize with the heart rate monitor via the ANT protocol.

— Wi-Fi. The presence of a Wi-Fi wireless communication module in the design of the simulator. The Wi-Fi interface was originally intended for connecting to computer networks (including Internet access), but more recently it has also been used for direct connection between different devices, without using a network. The specific features implemented using this module may be different. So, some simulators are able to interact with training programs installed on tablets and smartphones and transmit information to such programs about the details of the training (distance traveled, calories burned, etc.), others allow you to update the firmware or change the settings remotely, etc. .P.

— USB connector. USB itself is a universal interface designed to connect external peripherals to a computer or other control device. Actually, for the same purpose it is used in modern simulators; but the specific application in different models may be different. So, USB can be used to connect heart rate sensors and other specialized accessories, to play music and/or video from external media (for example, “flash drives”), to update the firmware using the same media, etc.

— TV tuner. The presence in the design of the simulator of a TV tuner — a device designed to receive television broadcasts. This function is useful for those who would like to be able to watch their favorite TV programs, series, etc. right in the process of training: usually, models with TV tuners also have colour displays and speakers (see below), which allows you to watch the broadcast directly on the simulator. However you need to remember that tuners can be designed for different broadcast standards; therefore, before purchasing a model with this function, it is advisable to make sure that it is compatible with local TV broadcasts.

— mini-Jack 3.5 mm (Aux). The 3.5 mm mini-Jack (Aux) connector is designed to connect an MP3 player or a smartphone/tablet. Thanks to this, it is possible to output a sound signal from multimedia devices to the speakers built into the orbitrek. Some models may additionally have a mini-Jack connector for connecting headphones. The sound output to the headphones will allow you to train to your favorite music without disturbing other users in the same room as you.

— Speakers. The presence in the design of the orbitrek of its own speakers. They can play music, the sound of a movie playing on the display (see "Colour display"), as well as various service messages — for example, a warning about exceeding the maximum heart rate.

— Tablet stand. Allows you to securely and safely mount a tablet with almost any screen size on the orbit track. Thanks to this, the user can enjoy watching TV shows or movies directly during training. Usually, the stand is located under the main screen of the simulator. Advanced class models are often equipped with a stand with the ability to adjust the angle of the tablet.

The dimensions of the equipment in the assembled and ready to work state. It is important to note that in fact more space is needed for comfortable and proper operation of the simulator.