Octane Ellipticals Review

Octane ellipticals are upper-end trainers made by Octane Fitness, a company that’s devoted exclusively to manufacturing and distributing elliptical machines. The company is in some ways an offshoot of Life Fitness, having been created by two former Life Fitness executives in 2001. Octane Fitness is known for offering especially smooth, stable, high-quality ellipticals at fair prices. The company also offers the only seated elliptical, the Octane XR6.

Since they provide relatively intense workouts, Octane elliptical machines are preferred by customers who are already in good shape.

Elliptical Hits: Brand Features of Octane Ellipticals

Some typical features of Octane elliptical machines include:

• Intense workouts – Octane ellipticals provide above-average workouts as a result of special resistance engineering in the handlebars.

• Great ergonomics – The elliptical pedals are spaced as narrowly as 1.8” apart to promote a comfortable workout. Octane’s Q47 gets especially high ratings for its smooth feel, and it actually adjusts its stride according to the user’s specific hip measurements.

• Various strides – Octane ellipticals have long or adjustable strides. The Q47 model has an adjustable 18”-26” stride. Thus the machine can be used by differently-sized users, and each user can adjust the stride for different kinds of workouts.

• High capacity – Octanes are sturdy machines with 300-pound user capacities.

• Programs – Octane elliptical models vary significantly when it comes to program choices. The Q35 and XR6 have just 5 programs each, but the Q37CE and Q47 have 16 and 20 programs respectively. The Q35e, which is an upgraded version of the Q35, includes ten programs.

• Extras – Extras on some Octane trainers include adjustable fans, heart rate sensors, pivoting footplates, and water bottle holders.

Elliptical Miss: Octane’s Oversight

• Warranty – Octane customers get a lifetime warranty on the frame, three years on parts, and a year of labor. This seems fair if the machines are purchased on sale, but their relatively high price tags warrant longer warranties on the parts.

• Low on features — On some models, Octane Fitness has provided an odd combination of high quality and few features. For instance, the Octane Q35 is a well-built, expensive machine that lacks a heart rate monitor, and two of the machines have just five programs each.

Overall Rating for Octane Elliptical Machines

Octanes are overall very good ellipticals for in-shape exercisers. They offer superior upper body workouts, and their adjustable strides help people isolate different muscle groups of the lower body. These machines are well-built and are sold with adequate warranties. Still, they seem overpriced. Customers might get more features for less money with other brands like Precor, Smooth, and Yowza.