The Spirit Esprit EL- 455 20-inch stride elliptical is made by the same company that brings you the Sole line of exercise equipment. This means that you are getting the same long-standing quality and many times at a much better price point. If you are looking for a solid elliptical that will not take up a good deal of space made by a company you can trust, the Esprit, may be just what the doctor ordered. These elliptical are great for a variety of fitness levels, even if you have spent years as a couch potato!

Features

What will you get with one of these machines? Spirit Esprit EL-455 has several features you will find helpful to your weight loss and fitness goals. Some popular features include:

20" stride

Health club quality bearings

30 LB flywheel

350 pound user capacity

Mp3 speakers

Extra large display

3 position adjustable pedals

Pros

If you want a smooth ride on your elliptical pay attention to the size of the flywheel. Heavier flywheels provide even movement and do away with the jerky motion so common with cheaply made machines. This oversize wheel also helps keep the motion going, it takes a bit of effort to get it moving but once you do the reverse is true. Which means when you feel like you want to give up the machine itself kind of pushes back! Heavy flywheels combined with health club quality bearings gives you a very nice workout.

Foot fatigue is a common issue with stationary bikes and elliptical machines; the Esprit El 455 seeks to alleviate this problem by offering you three positions on the pedal. You can set the pedal to fit your body type and workout.

If you are going to use an elliptical in your home, the last thing you want is a noisy machine. Most people like to enjoy their favorite tunes or even watch television while getting in shape and if your machine squeaks and squeals it will get annoying in a hurry. Thanks to good construction, gym quality bearings and concave wheels this elliptical is super quiet and a joy to use.

Cons

The Spirit Esprit EL 455 20-inch stride elliptical does not come with a heart monitor strap. It is equipped to work with one, however they are sold separately. This leaves you to either purchase an accessory or work with the stationary hand held heart rate monitor.

Conclusion

Overall, the Esprit EL 455 offers a great workout, sturdy construction, heavy duty rubber cushioned feet, large display, Mp3 compatibility and much more. You could spend a great deal more for similar machines, but why would you want to? Consumer reports listed this model as second out of a list of 29 in 2010 for quality.