NordicTrack GX 4.7R: A Product Review

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In April of 2020, I purchased a NordicTrack GX 4.7R Recumbent Bike.  Honestly, it was kind of an impulse purchase.  A few weeks before purchasing the bike, my mother passed away.  I had lost my father just three months prior to that.  I had been going to therapy and my therapist and I determined that I needed to find a way to deal with all of my stress and anxiety. 

The night that I purchased the bike, I had been perusing the Internet all evening looking at reviews and videos trying to determine which bike I would buy.  I have shied away from exercise bikes for years because I had previously experienced knee pain from riding traditional upright bikes.  Trying to find the best solution to this issue, I continued to search the Internet, which led me to the recumbent bike.  

My interest in this particular bike was piqued when I saw on several websites that the recumbent bike is often chosen for ergonomic reasons.  I knew that my chances of using the equipment for an extended period of time would increase significantly if the bike was comfortable and easy on my joints.  Additionally, I wanted my husband to benefit from the bike as well, and since he had recently experienced some issues with his back, the recumbent bike seemed to be the best choice for our needs.

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The Purchase

After clicking through pages and pages and pages of recumbent bikes, I finally narrowed my search to NordicTrack.  I think the name NordicTrack caught my attention because it was a brand that both my husband and I had heard for years.  Though I’ve never owned a NordicTrack, I remembered the name from infomercials from when I was young.  I figured the brand had to be reputable if it had managed to stick around for all these years.  When we searched review sites, we consistently saw four- and five-star reviews.  So, we decided to purchase the NordicTrack!

Next, I did what I always do when making a big purchase – I shopped for deals!  I ended up on the Best Buy website and found a NordicTrack recumbent bike on CLEARANCE for $379.00 and there were only two left so I quickly grabbed my card (Who am I kidding? I have the number memorized!) and purchased the bike.  

The Delivery

Due to the pandemic, I couldn’t get in-home delivery of the bike, but Best Buy delivered the bike to my door threshold within four days!  I was pleased with how quickly it arrived.  My husband and son put the bike together with ease in less than one hour!  According to them, the instructions were very straightforward and everything that was needed to put the bike together was included in the box (even the tools)!  

A free trial of the iFit app was included with my purchase.  This app works with NordicTrack bikes (and a few other brands) to give users access to interactive, personal training, right at home!  This was especially important to me since my gym was closed and I knew I needed the leadership of a trainer to help me stay motivated and push me past my comfort zone. The nice thing about the app is that there are workouts available for other types of equipment and there are even workouts available that don’t require equipment. 

The First Ride

I bugged my husband (my words, not his) to put the bike together the instant the delivery guys brought it in the house.  In return, he bugged me (my words) to test out the bike the moment he finished assembling it.  This wasn’t in my plans.  I honestly hadn’t thought past getting the bike in the house and put together.  I hadn’t really considered riding the bike.  At least not so soon, anyway.  I needed to wrap my brain around starting a workout regimen, especially since I had been mostly sedentary for several months.  I needed to ease my way back into this workout thing. 

Begrudgingly, I got on the bike the first night. I rode for about 20 minutes.  I played around with the features:  got my seat and pedals adjusted just right, played around with the resistance, adjusted the fan, etc.  The ride was pretty good.  Since I was just testing it out, I didn’t work too hard.  But, I could instantly tell that the bike would deliver the level of comfort that I was looking for.  I know it’s silly to think “comfort” when you’re talking about exercise, but I knew that I wouldn’t ride consistently (or again) if the seat hurt my bottom or if it hurt my knees.  So, after surviving my first ride, I vowed to ride for four or five days per week.  

I knew that it would be easy to meet this goal since we were stuck inside the house due to the quarantine.  For the next few weeks, I rode the bike almost every day, using the app to guide me through various exercises that varied in difficulty.  Those next few weeks turned into months and now here I am approaching my fifth month of riding the bike consistently (minimum of four days per week)!  

By the time I returned to work (almost three months after purchasing the bike), my rides had become a habit that I wasn’t willing to compromise.  So, I found the place in my schedule where I could maintain the most consistency to schedule my bike rides.  I ride every morning before work and occasionally on the weekend.  Using the iFit app, I plan my workouts in advance so that I don’t waste time figuring out how long or how hard I’m going to work out.  

Conclusion

Since I began riding in April, I am stronger, healthier, and more confident.  My rides allow me to release stress and overall I feel so much better.  I’ve even experienced the benefit that most people seek when they incorporate regular exercise:  I’ve lost over 20 pounds!  Purchasing this bike has been exactly what I needed to get me on the path to a healthier lifestyle.  I am so glad that I purchased my NordicTrack and am already looking forward to adding another piece of NordicTrack equipment to my home gym!