The top model in Sole's elliptical series, the E95 is a great choice for serious workout enthusiasts. The E95 is equipped with a heavy 30-pound flywheel, a high gear ratio not found on most comparable models, and a whisper-quiet drive system.
The E95's console includes a vibrant LCD display and an integrated sound system. |
As a result, the trainer delivers an extremely fluid performance and plenty of top-end resistance, helping it function like a much more expensive trainer. The E95's power incline feature, meanwhile, boosts resistance even more while targeting different core muscle groups, adding diversity to your workout. Simply press a button to raise the incline ramp to your preferred position. The ramp angle is fully adjustable from a level plane up to 40 degrees, so you can individually target and work all major lower body muscles.
The E95 makes it easy to track your workout progress via the commercial-grade 9-inch LCD display, which includes windows for resistance, incline, time, distance, calories burned, pulse, and pace. The console also offers a number of handy amenities, including built-in speakers for listening to your iPod or MP3 player, built-in cooling fans, and a water bottle holder.
The E95 comes complete with two heart-rate-controlled workout options, so you can customize the workout specifically to your needs. Throughout your HR workout, the elliptical will display a heart rate zone graph on the console while adjusting the resistance to keep you in your target zone (the trainer includes a wireless chest strap that touts a 99.9 percent accuracy rating). The remainder of the time, you can challenge yourself with the six automatic programs or two customizable programs.
To encourage a more comfortable workout, Sole added oversized, custom-designed foot pedals with durable foam cushioning to the E95. Designed in collaboration with a leading physical therapist and sports enthusiast, the pedals feature a 2-degree inward slope, helping reduce the ankle and knee stress that's common in other elliptical machines. This collaboration also produced a revolutionary foot pedal adjustment system not found on any other elliptical brand. Sole knows that not everyone walks the same way, so the company's engineers designed the E95 to adjust to your gait via a dial mechanism called a "worm drive." This allows you to set the pedal angle from heel to toe, with 10 total choices. The feature also reduces the numb toe effects and sore Achilles tendons common on other elliptical machines.
Additional features include a pair of stationary handlebars with built-in pulse sensors; adjustable incline and resistance controls built into the handles; and 20 resistance levels.
The E95 includes oversized, custom-designed foot pedals. |
Specifications: - Flywheel: 30 pounds
- Front drive: Yes
- Stride length: 20 inches
- Resistance type: Eddy Current Braking
- Resistance levels: 20
- Adjustable pedals: Yes, 10 positions
- Upper body: Yes
- Handgrip: Standard
- HGP: Yes
- Telemetry belt: Yes
- Heart rate control: Yes
- Power incline: Yes
- Display: Commercial-grade 9-inch blue backlit LCD
- Data: Time, distance, calories, resistance levels, incline, pulse, pace
- Profile matrix: Yes
- Standard programs: 6
- User-defined programs: 2
- Heart rate programs: 2, with chest strap
- Built-in cooling fans: Yes
- Water bottle/accessory holders: Yes
- Capacity: 400 pounds
- Weight: 215 pounds
- Warranties: Lifetime on frame; 5 years on parts and electronics; 2 years on labor
Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
I did a ton of research online including here at the Amazon site and allellipticals DOT com. This helped me focus my research down to two brands Sole and Smooth. Before visiting stores, my first choice was the Sole E35.
I went to Dick's Sporting Goods and Sears and tried the machines. The help I got at Dick's was tremendous. It was a slow night and the salesperson was very generous with her time. They had an E25, E35, E55, and E95 on display. I tried them all and was amazed at the difference in feel. When I left the store, I really wanted to buy the E95. My wife was more adamant than me - she loved the smoothness and heft of the E95.
Tried the Smooth at Sears. Not so good experience. Machines that have sat on a store floor are really a good way to see how they will look and feel after a couple of years in private home. Based on my in-store experience, and the fact that most of the really highly-rated Smooth reviews are two or three years old (versus new reviews highly rating the Sole machines), I decided to by the Sole.
Somewhere in the reviews here on Amazon was a guy who said he found sellers on eBay for the Sole machines. I checked and found one seller who quoted "factory delivery" and a lower price for the E95 - lower by $200 than the Dicks / Sole direct / Amazon price. I called Sole and told them I wanted to buy from them, and asked them to match. I added the $100 "deliver to any room" feature - very much worth it as my house is 175' from the road, and two flights of stairs were involved. When I ordered my machine (direct from Sole), the guy who took my order encouraged me NOT to have the in-home assembly ($140 extra). Being handy, I decided to do it myself.
Product arrived at the ABF depot within a week. They called and were polite and courteous. Ordered on a Monday, and my wife got them to deliver the product within two days - 12 days from order to home delivery total.
Delivery was friendly and professional. Two guys hauled the 260 lb box up the driveway and placed it precisely where we wanted it in the basement. The box had been roughed up in-transit, and my wife asked them to open the box and check. They did this graciously and noted the box damage in case any damage was found subsequently. The drivers said they were the ones who did the in-home assembly. They gave my wife a bunch of tips on how to assemble the machine which she relayed to me.
My wife and I assembled the machine on Saturday, and it took us about 3 hrs. Looks perfect and runs great.
Sole appears to have completely updated the packaging and assembly instructions (based on comments in other reviews). The hardware is now packaged by step, something I have never seen before. So all the little bits you need to assemble "Step 1" are packaged together in a blister pack. There are four major steps and then half a dozen or so sub-steps inside each. In addition to a master parts list, the instruction manual has a parts listing required for each step. I photocopied the full-sized parts pages (which include pictures) and held that alongside the assembly steps. As an aside, one of the reviews talks about how difficult it is to snake wires through the mast. Appears someone at Sole read this, and they now have a plastic tab preloaded into the mast to aid in snaking the wires through it.
As far as the assembly itself, there are a couple of major component parts such as the rear assembly and mast which are heavy. You really need a second adult. Doing it by yourself would be virtually impossible.
The only part of the assembly I had any trouble with was something which should have been simple - plugging in the five electrical plugs to the back of the console. This is very difficult because the wires are short. If you have large hands, find someone who can help! I ended up using a needle-nose pliers to complete the job. The driver said this was the most difficult part of the assembly - and he was right!
Having done the assembly once, it would take me 90 minutes to do the second one. I took my time, checked and rechecked, so you may do better if you assemble it.
I have completed five work-outs to date. I absolutely love the machine. That I got delivered to my house for just under $1600 ($1499 plus $100 delivery) made it sweeter.
One final note - you definitely need to pay attention to ceiling height. Mine is the basement where my ceilings are 87" high. I am 5'10". On this machine, I have 2" of clearance. Measure first!
Highly recommended.
