Trupace is a fairly new discount brand of elliptical to the North American market - although TruPace products have been distributed in Europe for over 15 years.
Trupace recently partnered with 1800 Treadmill to distribute these affordable ellipticals to North American buyers.
Starting around $499 and up, these are not your typical cheap, flimsy, department-store elliptical. They actually have much more substance to them than you'd expect - like wide 18" stride lengths and pivoting foot pedals to reduce the stress on your joints.
This is probably because they are being sold direct-to-customer, without the store markup. So you're getting them at cost basically (with Free Shipping too).
Are they a good buy for you? Here's a review of the strengths and weaknesses of Trupace elliptical trainers to help you decide:
Strengths:
1) 18" Stride Length
Stride length is the furthest distance between the two elliptical foot pedals.
A wider stride length (18 - 20") ensures that you work your leg muscles more fully whereas a shorter stride length (14 - 16") won't give you an optimal workout (and may feel uncomfortable when you pickup the pace).
Most discount ellipticals carry a shorter 14 - 16" stride length so the 18" stride on these ellipticals is a great feature to see here.
2) Backlit LCD Displays
This is another feature you wouldn't expect to find in a discount brand. All Trupace models have backlit LCD consoles. This is important since it makes it easier to read and track your workout stats while on the machine.
3) Articulating Foot Pedals
Trupace crosstrainers all come with articulating foot pedals - so the footpedal follows more closely the action of your ankle while you workout. This can help lessen the strain and stress on your ankle joints and reduce soreness post-workout.
4) 22 Built-in Workouts
If you like a workout challenge, these ellipticals come with lots of built-in workout programs. There are manual, goal-based (time, distance and calories), preset programs, heart rate control and custom programs.
5) iPod Docks with Speakers
You can plug in your iPod or mp3 player and play your favorite workout tunes through the built-in console speakers.
6) Integrated Heart Rate Monitor
Stay in your target fat-burning zone with the EKG grip pulse sensor heart rate monitor.
7) 30 Day Trial
You can try out your Trupace elliptical from 1800Treadmill for 30 days. And if you're not completely satisfied, you can return it, no questions asked.
Weaknesses:
While the prices are excellent on these machines, the consoles are a bit simple, which may or may not matter to you. Also, be aware that the warranties are very sparse (90 days parts and labor) - which is pretty much the same as any discount elliptical brand.
Summary:
Trupace is a starter elliptical brand. It's not going to give you the feel or luxury touches of a health club brand. Still, considering what you get at this price point, it's made a pretty good start. The construction is much better than you'd find with several other brands. Stride lengths are decent and consoles are attractive and easy-to-read.
If you're looking for a decent discount brand you may want to consider Trupace. They are offering a 30 day trial and Free Shipping.
Where To Buy At A Discount:
You can buy Trupace ellipticalss direct online here. They're also currently offering Free Shipping which will save you about $150.
