Alliance ellipticals, like Ironman ellipticals, are manufactured by Keys Fitness. In a sneaky marketing move, Keys advertises essentially the same machine as the Alliance A7e, the Ironman 600e, and the Ironman EVO1. These sturdy residential cross trainers have a 350-pound capacity. Here’s what you get:
Elliptical Hits
- Long stride – The Alliance A7e accommodates a wide range of exercisers with its 19” stride. Additionally, the pedals can be adjusted for a more customized fit. Many ellipticals in the Alliance’s $1000-$1500 price range have fixed pedals and strides of just 18” or less.
- Heart rate monitor – A grip pulse rate monitor helps users exercise within their target heart rate and maximize the cardiovascular benefits of exercise.
- Stability – With its steel frame and smart design, this 183-pound machine has a 350-pound user weight capacity.
- Upper body exercise – Movable handlebars help people to exercise their arms and legs at the same time.
- Small footprint – Alliance cross trainers take up less space than ellipticals by most other brands. The A7e measures 59” long by 28.5” wide.
- Acceptable warranty – The unit includes a 3-year warranty on the frame and most parts, two years on electronic parts, and one year of labor.
Elliptical Misses (What You Don’t Get)
- Heart rate control – Although heart rate monitoring is included on the Alliance A7e, it can’t be integrated with the elliptical to automatically adjust workouts.
- Few programs – With just six programs, this machine might need to be parked in front of a TV or used with an iPod. Otherwise, exercise could quickly become boring.
Overall Rating for Alliance A7e Ellipticals
Expect the Alliance A7e to deliver at least a few years of solid training. It’s a definite improvement over very low-priced ellipticals, and it has a good stride and an attractive LCD console. Still, competitors offer more advanced features. The Ironman 1860, for one, has a number of upgrades and sells for even less than the Alliance A7e on Overstock.com and other websites. Additionally, ProForm and Smooth offer some great values in the $1000-$1500 price range.
