Life Fitness X1 Elliptical Review
When looking for ellipticals, you generally want to see a certain level of quality that comes with them. Life Fitness is one of the most respected elliptical manufacturers out there, so it makes sense that you would expect such a level of quality from them. Specifically, their X series of ellipticals have proven to be good machines for a reasonable price. But what about the “lowest” of this series? Does the X1 hold up under scrutiny?
We’re going to look at the various elements of the Life Fitness X1 elliptical today. We’re going to examine the specifications, monitor, resistance, stride length, and so on. Then we’re going to look at the pricing and warranties that come with the elliptical. Once all the examination is done, we’re going to sum it all up and give our opinion at the end. So with all of that out of the way, let’s hop right into our review of the Life Fitness X1 elliptical!
Life Fitness X1 Elliptical Machine Review:
Life Fitness X1 Elliptical Specifications:
It only makes sense that we start with the technical specifications of the Life Fitness X1 cross-trainer. Most people want to know how big of a machine they are getting, as well as the weight that it might have. Colour options are also nice to know, although there aren’t any here. It’s the same black and gray scheme that makes up the majority of the Life Fitness selection.
Another feature that the Life Fitness X1 shares with many of its siblings is the rather large size that it comes with. These are commercial-quality ellipticals, after all. It measures out to be 81 inches (206 cm) long, 30 inches (76 cm) wide and 59 inches (150 cm) tall. The fact that it also doesn’t have any wheels to help with transportation is also rather tough.
If the lack of wheels wasn’t unfortunate before, then it gets quite poor now. For a machine that weighs 250 lbs (114 kg), you would hope that there would be some way to move it around easily. But that is not the case. This weight does mean that it can easily hold up to 350 lbs (159 kg), which is a positive.
As we’ve said time and time again with these Life Fitness ellipticals: the builds are heavy and large, but they do that because they are quality.
Life Fitness X1 Cross Trainer Monitor:
One of the most important features that you could get on the modern elliptical is the console that comes with it. It is the 21st century after all. Fortunately, with the Life Fitness X1 elliptical (like the majority of the Life Fitness ellipticals), you get a choice of different consoles. There is the Go Console and the Track+ Console.
The Go Console is the more basic of the two, although it will still do the job well. It offers 12 preset workouts, as well as the ability to set up 2 of your own. You also have the ability to create 2 separate user profiles, in case there are multiple users of the elliptical in the home.
The Track+ Console is more advanced and has some extra bells and whistles that you can play around with. You have 14 different preset workouts to choose from, while you can also set up an additional 12 custom ones. This should give a wide variety of exercises to veterans and newer users alike. If you have many different users in the home, the Track+ Console can set up 4 different profiles to keep track of the workout statistics. Finally, it also has the ability to connect with mobile fitness apps for Android and Apple phones.
Both consoles track the same sort of statistics when working out, so they have that in common. They will display your heart rate, calories, speed (in both imperial and metric measurements), time, distance, and the level of resistance. You won’t find anything too exceptional in this regard, but it gives you the information most people generally are looking for.
Whichever console you were to choose, you’d most likely be satisfied. For those who don’t want to play around with Bluetooth connections and just want to track stats or use the preset workouts, the Go Console is the one for them. If you want a little more customization and features for a higher price, then the Track+ Console is the obvious choice.
Life Fitness X1 Drivetrain and Resistance:
The drivetrain and resistance of the Life Fitness X1 are both crucial elements to making sure that the elliptical works as intended and can provide a challenge to both veterans and new users alike. Fortunately, Life Fitness tends to do rather well in this regard, which is the same case here.
There are 20 different levels of resistance available by default. While this isn’t as many as possible, this should do the job for the majority of users. The upper range should challenge all users, so there aren’t any issues there. The only minor (and we mean minor) complaint that we could make is that we wish there were more levels. The more levels there are, the more fine-tuning that you could do to your workout. 20 is good, but it could be even better.
As for the drivetrain of the Life Fitness X1 elliptical, it is almost certainly a belt one. It uses the Whisper Stride technology that is common across almost all Life Fitness machines. This makes the workouts all very quiet and rather smooth, which is most definitely a plus.
Both the resistance and drivetrain of the Life Fitness X1 do their jobs very well. It doesn’t do anything brilliant, but the resistance provides good challenges and the drivetrain makes those challenges quiet and smooth to perform.
Handlebars, Stride Length, and Pedals:
The aspects that you’ll be interacting with the most on the Life Fitness X1 elliptical are the handlebars, pedals, and stride length. Therefore, it’s important to cover these elements and make sure that they do their job properly and comfortably.
The handlebars are probably the best of these three. There are two pairs of them: one pair on the outside that move with the pedals and can deliver an upper body workout, and the other stationary pair that can give your upper body a break. Both pairs are comfortable enough to hold onto, while the stationary pair also have hand heart sensors on them to allow you more statistics tracking.
In terms of the stride length, there isn’t that much to report. It sits at a static 20 inches and that’s all. It can’t be moved or adjusted, like it can be on the Life Fitness X5 elliptical. This is rather unfortunate, as it is always nice to see some more levels of customization on these machines. However, it is somewhat understandable, given that this is the lowest ranking member of the X series of Life Fitness ellipticals.
Finally, there are the pedals. They are oversized and non-slip, but that’s about all they bring to the table. You won’t find your feet getting too uncomfortable on them and they will fit the vast majority of feet. But otherwise, don’t expect too much.
These three elements are about what you would expect from a commercial-level elliptical. Only the handlebars stick out in any sort of way, and that’s mostly because they simply offer more features than the other two. But for the price of the Life Fitness X1 (more on that in a moment), you can’t really expect too many extras thrown in.
Life Fitness X1 Price and Warranty:
Here we are. The price and warranties that come with the Life Fitness X1 cross-trainer could determine whether or not you decide to actually invest in this machine. Considering how expensive many modern machines are, it makes sense that you’d want to make sure that you are getting the maximum amount for your money.
The Life Fitness X1 costs around $2000, although that price goes up about $400 with the Track+ Console. It can be found for lower, depending on where you are searching. This is a pretty acceptable price, as it still offers a certain level of quality, even without the advanced features of ellipticals like the X5.
The warranties that come with the Life Fitness X1 are also pretty fair. You get a lifetime warranty on the frame, 3 years on whichever console you decide to go with, 3 years on the parts and 1 year on the labour. It isn’t the best warranty of all time, but certainly a good one for the price of the X1.
Life Fitness X1 Assembly and Shipping:
The assembly process for other brands can be a bit of a headache due to complicated methods or poor instruction. Fortunately, the Life Fitness X1 has neither of those. Even those who are not particularly skilled at making these types of machines will find that it is an easier process than they might otherwise have thought. This is a definite plus, as it allows for less headaches and more exercise.
The shipping is an element that is hard to predict. Life Fitness is based in the United States, so you’ll want to keep that in mind. It should take about 1-2 weeks to ship. Just keep in mind that there are a variety of factors that could affect it. Human error and the pandemic are just a couple of these.
Life Fitness X1 Elliptical Trainer Pros:
Quality Monitor Options:
Whatever Life Fitness elliptical you are looking at, the monitor options are going to be good ones. The same is true here. Both the Go Console and the Track+ Console are good pieces of technology that will allow for everyone to find something that they like. They will give you plenty of workout options and track your statistics as you do it.
Commercial Build:
You’ll feel like you’re already back at the gym when using the Life Fitness X1. It has such a good and professional feel about it. The resistance settings are challenging, the machine is quiet and you get an ergonomically sound design overall. It’s literally like bringing the gym home.
It’s An Affordable Elliptical:
Considering how many ellipticals are extremely pricey these days, it’s good to see an elliptical be available for a reasonable price. It’s not dirt cheap, but it should still most definitely be affordable for a wider range of people. Combine this price with the professional design and features, you’ve got a good amount of content for a reasonable cost.
Life Fitness X1 Elliptical Trainer Cons:
The X1 Has A Large Footprint:
A weakness of all these professional machines is that they all happen to take up a large amount of space. This isn’t a problem if you’ve got a large home or a dedicated workout space, but this isn’t commonplace everywhere. For those with small homes, this size could be an issue.
Extremely Poor Mobility:
Related to the above point, the size and weight of this machine means that it cannot be moved around easily. Throw in the lack of wheels or any other sort of movement assistance and you’ve got an elliptical that can’t be relocated. Again, this can make it difficult for those with non-dedicated areas to exercise.
Non Adjustable Factors:
Neither the pedals nor the stride length are adjustable, which are downsides. It would be nice to see more customization in these regards, as that would really help it feel more unique in the world of these ellipticals.
Our Final Verdict
The Life Fitness X1 cross-trainer is an entry level machine that has all of the elements that you would expect from such a machine. It has a professional (if large and immobile) build, with plenty of options for both resistance and the preset workouts that come with the consoles. Both consoles perform their job admirably and you can acquire all of this for a reasonable price. The X1 is a solid addition to Life Fitness’ elliptical lineup.
Sayed Hamed Hosseiny
Hi, my name is Sayed Hamed Hosseiny. I am a professional health and fitness trainer with nearly 20 years of experience using ellipticals, rowing machines, and spin bikes. I also have my own EU-based Rock Fitness Pro fitness brand where I design, import and sell exercise equipment such as rowing machines and spin bikes. I and writers on my team also often receive fitness equipment to review and evaluate their functionalities and performance from tens of different exercise machines manufacturers. Fitness equipment tips, guides, reviews, and comparisons on this website are my opinion (and opinions of my fitness expert colleagues) based on tens of criteria. I never accept payment to write reviews of products or say positive things about fitness equipment products. If brands are interested to have me review their rowers, ellipticals, or spin bikes, they can get in touch with me via email provided on the contact page and send a sample of their product.
