SOLE E95 ELLIPTICAL TRAINER REVIEWS
Mon, Jul 26, 2010
Sole E95 Elliptical Trainer
- Features a 30-pound flywheel and dual-action functionality for an upper and lower body workout
- Grip pulse monitoring and heart rate chest strap; oversize and adjustable foot pedals
- Twenty resistance levels and ten programs for a challenging workout
- Offers a 20-inch stride length, LED display monitor, cooling fan, and water bottle holder
- 400-pound maximum weight capacity; measures 82 by 33 by 68 inches (L x W x H) when assembled
Enjoy an efficient full-body workout without heading to the gym with the Sole E95 elliptical trainer. Boasting a heavy 30-pound flywheel, a high gear ratio not found on most comparable models, and a pair of upper body handles, the E95 delivers an extremely smooth workout with plenty of top-end resistance. Users will also appreciate the one-of-a-kind oversize and adjustable foot pedals, which were designed in collaboration with a leading physical therapist and sports enthusiast. The pedals are not only
List Price: $ 2,699.99
SALE Price: $ 1,699.00
Rating: 
(out of 39 reviews)
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Tags: Elliptical, Reviews, Sole, Trainer
Review by PghYinzer for Sole E95 Elliptical Trainer
Rating:
I have been researching home ellipticals for a while now. I was spoiled with the LifeFitness machines (20 inch stride) at the gym and I know many home ellipticals fall short – they feel shaky, flimsy, the stride is short… I had read great things about Sole machines and went to a local store to try them out.
They had the e95, e35, and e25 in new 2009 models as well as an old (2008) e55 being sold as a floor model. I had originally thought I wanted the e55 but the new e35 is actually better than the old e55 so that ruled out the floor model, even at a killer price.
I looked mainly at the e35 and the e95.
Both are very, very, very sturdy machines. I was amazed at how much they feel like the LifeStride – very solid and a nice, long stride. I am only 5’4 but anything less than 20″ in stride length feels choppy to me – I don’t know how anyone can stand most home machines!
If I really, really got going hard and fast, I could feel a slight difference in sturdiness between the two machines. I should point out I am between 140-150 pounds – the sales guys said if they were me, they’d go with the e35 but someone of a higher weight would notice the difference more than I did. The difference in sturdiness alone was really too slight to justify the difference in price, but since we could afford to go higher, I wondered if we should.
The other thing I debated, though, was the computer. For the most part you can do the exact same thing with both machines, but the computers are a little different. The e95 is flashy red LED and has a numeric keypad. The e35 is blue LCD and has arrow keys for input (ie it says “Input age” and it starts with, I think, 32 – you then have to toggle to the right age). It’s a little annoying but something that will be annoying at the start of the workout and that’s all. Again a case of we can afford to pay more and this would be nice, maybe we should.
Both machines have buttons on the handlebars for adjusting resistance and incline – VERY cool. Both machines allow you to adjust the foot pedals although the e95 has a knob you turn so you can adjust to any angle within the range whereas the e35 has a lever you pull out and then lift the pedals which have 2 or 3 notches in them that catch on the lever when you push it back in – like an exercise bike seat – so you may not get THE perfect adjustment.
So it seems like if you’re willing to spend the cash the e95 is the way to go, right? Not so fast. There was one big drawback to it and one small drawback. The small was, I didn’t care for the padded footbeds. They neither added nor detracted from the workout but I didn’t see the need to pay extra and I worried about the padding breaking down over time. If you’re wearing tennis shoes who needs padded footbeds? The biggest drawback was, the e95 has fat, molded handgrips. I found these felt chunky and sticky in my hands. Maybe if you are a 6′ plus beefy guy with bigger hands, you would prefer this, but I really didn’t like it and it would bother me the entire workout. The e35 has thinner, smoother handgrips, like I was used to at the gym. I did not want to pay extra for the e95 and hate those handgrips.
In the end I ordered the new 2009 e55 from Sole because it has all the features I like – a little sturdier than the e35, numeric keypad though screen is LED not LCD, smooth handgrips with buttons, killer warranty, fully adjustable and non-padded foot beds. I wish I could have tried this one in the store but I liked both the e35 and the e95 so much I am quite sure this was the right choice. These really are great machines but the handgrips on the e95 were a deal breaker for me.
If you have a Dick’s near you – try this machine, you will be amazed. I really don’t think you can go wrong with any of the models – it all comes down to slight differences between them. (But of course as you go up in weight, they say the heavier flywheel does make a bigger difference)
Review by BrianW for Sole E95 Elliptical Trainer
Rating:
I’ve been into health and fitness for about 12 years, and I’ve owned several cardio and weight machines over that time. Also, I go to the gym so I have experience using commercial grade equipment. I purchased this machine so that I could do my cardio at home and only have to go to the gym for my weight training. I’ve been using it about 4 days a week, for 45 minute sessions, for about 4 weeks now and I absolutely love it! This is a very sturdy piece of equipment, and is very smooth. I am very happy with this product, and as long as it doesn’t break on me any time soon, I will continue to be a supporter of Sole products.
Some people mentioned some difficulties in assembling this machine, but I don’t recall having any major problems other than the issues mentioned below, which I don’t think were really related to the assembly. I did take it real slow (and had someone looking over me lol) just to make sure I didn’t mess anything up, so just be sure to set aside plenty of time so you can follow the directions exactly. Fortunately, they include all the tools you need and all of the small parts (screws, bolts, etc.) are separated out in a package according to the step you use them.
There were 2 very small issues I had after I assembled the machine, but they were very minor so I didn’t think it warranted taking a star off the rating. First, after assembling it and getting on it to test it out, I noticed some type of squeaking noise. After narrowing down where the sound was coming from I found out that it was caused by the rollers, so I applied the supplied lube to the rails and that solved that problem. The other issue was another noise I noticed while being on it for a few minutes. I narrowed that noise down to one of the “O” bolts that screw into the end of the end where you connect the leg arm to the arm handle. The problem was caused because you couldn’t screw the “O” bolt in all the way because if you did you could line the arm handle up with it. Anyways, I called Sole and they had a technician call me. He shipped me the part I needed (another “O” bolt, washer, etc.) and that solved the problem. It should be noted that, after seeing what they sent me, I could have very easily fixed this problem myself by just using a washer on the “O” bolt, but I figured I’d just let the part come in from the technician. These 2 issues were very minor and the noises were not very loud, but I thought I should at least mention them.
Some other things:
- Another poster mentioned the tube of lube that comes in the box, and I believe that is used to lube the railings that the rollers ride on. At least that’s what I used it for.
- Someone mentioned the arm grips being a bit large, and they are somewhat large compared to other machines, but I got use to them after a few workouts.
- If you like really hardcore, grueling training sessions then get on this thing and pump the resistance level up to 10+ (it goes to 20 I think). This thing has more resistance than any home piece of equipment I have ever seen, and just as much as most of the commercial ones. The bottom line is no matter how strong you are, I don’t think you are going to outgrow this thing.
You usually get what you pay for, and if you are serious about getting a good piece of home exercise equipment that will give you an awesome workout, then expect to pay at least this much. I actually purchased this thing from a local Dick’s Sporting Goods because it was the same price but I probably paid a good bit more once you figure in sales tax (10% here in Montgomery, AL). If you have a local sporting goods store that carries this elliptical, you may want to go check it out there first just to make sure it feels ok to you.
May 15, 2009 update: I’m still very much enjoying this machine and getting a lot of use out of it. I didn’t say anything about the included heart-rate monitor in my original review but thought I should mention it now because I’ve been using it a lot. Unlike the hand-grip monitor that this machine and others like it have, the included chest strap monitor seems to be very accurate! I’ve experimented with it a few times by slowing the pace down and picking the pace up and watched as the on screen display accurately reflected the change in heart-rate.
Review by kerbo for Sole E95 Elliptical Trainer
Rating:
I just finished assembling my 2009 Sole E95 and felt compelled to comment on the assembly process. It took about 3 ½ hrs from opening the box to powering up the unit for the first time. Here are some tips:
1. The assembly process isn’t that complex but it does require some mechanical reasoning (like understanding a schematic) to fill in the many gaps in the instructions. If you are able to assemble a more difficult piece of Ikea furniture, then you should have no problem.
2. The parts kit includes the necessary tools (wrench, screwdriver) but realistically these tools are too poor quality to be effective. If you don’t own tools, that might be an indication you shouldn’t be tackling this project.
3. I opened the box outside and carried the parts into the house. Technically you could carry the box inside but that would be difficult and require 2-3 people. You can use a hand truck to carry the box but the box is too wide (34″) to fit through most doors. The heaviest part is the flywheel assembly. You can rotate the assembly up on its wheels and pull with one person but that won’t work going up stairs.
4. There are four basic assembly steps: connect back frame to flywheel assembly, connect post to flywheel assembly, connect arms and attach the many plastic covers.
5. The hardest step was connecting the post to the flywheel assembly. In this step, you have to feed the wires through the post, slip the whole thing through a plastic cover and slide down into the flywheel assembly where you will attach with bolts (making sure to tighten the fourth bolt already in place). The trick is making sure the wires are routed up the right channel in the post otherwise they will get pinched when inserting the post. You also should leave the foam insert in place at all times when working with the bolts. When the wire didn’t fit correctly, I had to remove the bolts and since I already removed the foam, I dropped a bolt into the flywheel assembly. This required me to remove the plastic side around the flywheel to retrieve the bolt (taking 20 min).
6. Connecting the wires to the control panel assumes you know how to plug in small connectors correctly. The wires going to the hand rails are not marked left or right. I’m not sure if it matters. Everything worked correctly when finished so maybe I got lucky.
7. The instructions slightly mention a grommet that must be inserted into the post to protect the wire going to the hand rail. Couldn’t find a grommet in the parts kit so I assembled anyway thinking I’d have to call later. Turns out the grommets were in the bag with the electrical cord (last bag opened) so I had to disassemble the plastic covers to insert the grommets (more time).
8. Connecting the plastic covers with the sheet metal screws is difficult because the holes are deep and the screw doesn’t want to find the hole. Using a small magnetic screwdriver is very helpful as once the screw is stuck to the screwdriver, you can slowly insert into the hole making sure to keep the screw centered.
9. Included is a tube of lube. The instructions don’t mention what to do with the lube but I hope it it’s just for the rear rails.
Fortunately no parts were damaged or missing. That was my worse fear starting this project. Cross my fingers and hope everything stays working.
Review by Robert T. Muir for Sole E95 Elliptical Trainer
Rating:
I can’t add much to the previous excellent reviews, but I will add my thoughts.
WARNING: Take ceiling height into consideration! I had planned on installing it in my basement which has an 84″ ceiling. It ended up in my garage with a 91″ ceiling, less 1/2″ for the matting. My height is 5’10″ (70″) and the 90.5″ garage feels comfortable using the elliptical. Much less than that though, and it wouldn’t be comfortable at all. I would say to add at least 17″ to your body height.
On assembly: Not too bad. As someone said, if you can assemble complicated Ikea furniture, you can probably handle this. There are LOTS of parts. The rubber grommets for one of the steps were with the power cord, other than that, all the bolts and washers are separated in a tray by the assembly step number.
Positives: Very solid. When using it, it only very slightly wobbles and that’s because it’s setting on 1/2″ foam matting. Once I move a light fixture out of the way, I’ll probably move it over to the edge and remove the matting from under it.
Very quiet and very smooth.
Negatives: At the lowest level, it provides probably too intense a workout for some folks. For me it’s fine. This morning I did the interval with a max level of six and it was no problem. (I’m not exactly Mr. Buff.) For my wife, who doesn’t do much physical exertion, after 5 min. on level one, she was back to walking on the treadmill. So I’d say if your normal exercise is walking, then you may need to work up to an elliptical.
Audio speakers are *tiny*! Also tinny. Rather like the audio from an old transister radio. Usable in a pinch I suppose, but I wouldn’t count on them for a pleasurable workout experience.
It has two “user” memory storage buttons that are virtually worthless. You can, step by arduous step, program a specific workout with twenty different segments!!! if you like, but it’s hard to imagine real people using this feature. I would much rather have two buttons that memorized two different people’s weight, age, etc. As it is, if two people alternate on it, you have to enter all the information every time you use the machine. Fortunately for me, it looks like it’ll be a while before my wife gets back on it.
I think the built-in profiles are adequate, although I wish they had a profile with continuous random “hills” of various heights for more diversity.
If you want a non-impact full-body workout that can raise a serious sweat, with the possible exception of a rowing machine, you can’t beat an elliptical. All in all, I’m glad we bought it.
Edit: I wanted to add a few more positives. I like that the foot pads are adjustable. You can’t even tell that they’re “padded” – not sure why they market that “feature”, but the pads don’t appear to be easy to wear out, which is a good thing.
After using it some more, I can tell that I need to adjust my height recommendation. If you’re going to use the Incline feature, (where the back rails lift the foot pads higher when they’re in the rear position), then you’ll probably need 18″ or 19″ above your height. When the Incline is at the highest position, my head doesn’t hit the 90.5″ ceiling, but it’s pretty darn close!
Don’t let my thoughts on the resistance at the lowest level disuade you. It’s very likely to be that way for all ellipticals. See if you can get a trial membership at a gym for a day to try an elliptical to see if it’s too much for you.
It comes with a tube of lube without instructions. Customer service said to apply a dime size dollop on each track and the wheels would spread it out naturally.
Review by Jeffrey C. Key for Sole E95 Elliptical Trainer
Rating:
After doing much research for the right elliptical for me and finding glowing reviews from many fitness sites I settled on the Sole E95. I couldn’t find one to try before purchasing, but I decided to go with it anyway and I’ve been completely pleased with this purchase.
Assembly -
It arrived very well packaged, but as noted by others it is very heavy and the delivery man will probably not help you get it in the house. I opened it up in the driveway and carried it in piece-by-piece, only needing help with the flywheel piece. Assembly wasn’t fun, but it wasn’t the nightmare some other reviewers would have you believe. The instructions were straightforward and while the parts weren’t labeled it was easy enough to tel what was what by the pictures. I did the actual assembly process without help and the whole thing from opening the box to powering up the machine took about 2 to 2.5 hours. Tip – If you have a socket wrench and/or electric screwdriver you will speed the normal process up considerably.
The Workout –
Using the machine feels so good! One reviewer states that it’s not good for tall people, but I’m 6’5″ and it feels very natural and smooth to me. It has many different programs for a large variety of difficulties which will help keep you interested and challenged. The controls are easy to use and the buttons for the incline and difficulty level are very conveniently placed to make it easy to change the workout whenever you feel like it. One of the best features is the wireless heart rate monitor which helps you control the pace of your workout and keep your heart rate where you want it.
Other features -
This machine is almost completely silent! You won’t have to turn the volume up on a tv at all if you choose to watch it. The padded footpads feel great if walking bare or sock-footed, and keep you slip free if wearing shoes. The hand grips also feel great and are easy to hold for long periods, but they might seem a little large if you have small hands. It’s also a very sturdy machine and holds my 270 lbs without a single bit of trouble. The speakers for the MP3 player are OK. Nothing special, but good enough for most people. The fan, as many others have noted, isn’t worth much but it’s better than nothing. It comes with a little water bottle and includes two spots to hold it or other bottles.
All in all, this is one great machine! After only a few days of use you will start to tell a difference and feel better. And when you add on the incredible warranty (you won’t find a better warranty for an elliptical) and features it’s hard to believe that this machine doesn’t cost much more. I think you will be pleased with this machine. Thank you for your time.
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