[Review] The Amazingly 3.5-starred EilliptiGO

I saw this guy riding his ElliptiGO in the Minneapolis Bike Tour last weekend. I went to their website and immediately signed up for a test ride, arranged, oddly enough, with this guy right here for the next weekend.

Physical Stuff
The ElliptiGO weighs 40 lbs and is predominantly aluminum, but the elliptical arms are carbon fiber. The handlebar post folds down so that the ElliptiGO can be transported more readily. There are a few bike racks , that can hold an ElliptiGO, but most will not because it lacks a cross bar and is pretty wide. The tires are 80-100 psi and look pretty sturdy-- probably a relatively low likelihood of flats. Because all of the components on the ElliptiGO, most bike shops will be able to do minor repairs relating to the drive train, shifters, etc. The ElliptiGO has eight gears and the stride length can be modified.

How it rode
It took a bit of getting used to. The ElliptiGO requires more active balancing than a bicycle, due to the upright position in which you ride. I found the shifting to be really smooth and had no problems ascending hills. My pedaling movements didn't feel as smooth as I would have liked, which may have been due to the stride length being set too long. It felt a little wobbly, but I think that is the nature of it. The ElliptiGO may always feel a little less steady than a bicycle. I never mustered up the courage to pass a slower cyclist because I didn't feel that I had that fine of control over the ElliptiGO. That may be something that comes in time. I was impressed at the speed that I could achieve, especially considering the upright position.

As an extra bonus, I rode in my Vibram Five Fingers, and they definitely work for shorter rides on the ElliptiGO.

The day after
The ElliptiGO is definitely a better full-body workout than a bike. All that balancing really works your core. I noticed soreness in my abs and lower back (the muscle kind of soreness, not the hunched over on a bike kind of soreness). I also felt it in my arms, again probably as a result of steadying myself. It also really works your legs, which should go without saying. Notably absent were butt pain and elbow pain, two of the most common in my repertoire.

But wait...there's more
There is now at least one stationary trainer that will hold an ElliptiGO, making the price easier to swallow if you were thinking about getting an indoor elliptical. This is the idea that intrigues me the most.

Yowch!
It costs $2200. So there's that.

Verdict?
3.5 out of 5 stars. It's definitely on my list of desired toys. Contributing factors in the non-perfect rating were: the price, the unsteadiness (which, again, may be more me than the ElliptiGO), and the lack of cargo space. It will definitely not be replacing my bicycle, but I am intrigued.