NordicTrack GX 2.7 Upright Bike Review

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The NordicTrack GX 2.7 Upright Bike includes a number of features that are beneficial to your health and fitness, such as 20 onboard workouts, iFit compatibility, and full adjustability.

But it’s not without its drawbacks. A lack of telemetry heart rate monitoring, water bottle holder, and fewer workout programs than the upgraded GX 4.2 Pro model could mean it makes more sense to extend your budget.

In this review we’ll be weighing up the benefits of the two bikes with comparisons of the features, workout programs, and console functions, to help you decide which is best for your own home workouts.

Design Features

NordicTrack’s goal with the GX 2.7 was to create an affordable upright bike that delivers a wide range of workout options, while being fully adjustable to cater for a variety of user heights.

To achieve this they created a customizable riding position, with a seat that adjusts both horizontally and vertically, as well as including ergonomically designed pedals with adjustable foot straps.

The angle of the console can also be adjusted, which is a feature that’s missing from the higher priced GX 4.2 Pro upright bike.

This is built around a sturdy and stable frame that’s capable of supporting up to 275 lbs, with a 15 lb inertia-enhanced flywheel to create a more natural cycling motion.

To provide a challenge for different fitness levels, the NordicTrack GX 2.7 features 20 digital resistance levels, which use Silent Magnetic Resistance (SMR) to provide smoother transitions and a quieter cycle.

Having the oversized, cushioned seat also helps improve the comfort level during longer workouts, but you’re missing the water bottle holder that comes with the later GX 4.2 Pro model.

One final feature that emphasises this bikes adjustability is the levelling feet attached to the base stabilizers. These can be rotated individually to compensate for any slightly uneven surfaces, creating a stable base for your cycle.

Console Features

Despite being one of NordicTrack’s entry level exercise bikes, the GX 2.7 actually includes many of the features from the higher priced GX 4.2 Pro model.

You’re still getting the 5″ backlit LED screen which is large enough to display a variety of useful workout feedback, including time, distance, resistance level, number of calories burned, and heart rate.

You also have a ‘Speed’ metric, which indicates your pedalling speed in miles or kilometers per hour. This wasn’t something we noticed in our reviews of NordicTrack recumbent bikes, making it exclusive to their upright cycles.

In addition to the stats that track your performance, you also have a visual representation of a quarter mile running track. This doesn’t just show how many laps you’ve completed, but also how you are progressing around the current lap.

Watch Films and Listen to Music via Your Tablet or Ipod

In terms of entertainment options, you’re not getting the same HDTV screen and web-enabled console that you get with their Commercial treadmills. But you do still have a port that allows you to connect your iPod or MP3 player for listening to your favourite music.

Tablet support is also available, but only via a shelf that obstructs your vision of the console buttons and feedback if you actually use it for holding a tablet.

Although we have seen some exercise bikes with a tablet holder or screen on top of the console (ProForm 440 ES recumbent, Precor UBK 835, etc.), it’s not a feature we see as often as we would like.

Heart Rate Monitoring

If you like to keep track of your heart rate while you cycle, this is something that the NordicTrack GX 2.7 supports, but not via a chest strap (telemetry).

Having the CardioGrip™ touch sensors built into the handles is great, but only if you plan on maintaining the same grip position for the duration of your workout.

It’s highly likely that at some point you will want to change the fan speed, resistance level, workout program, or music volume, so we would have like to see a console that could receive signals from telemetry chest straps.

If this is a feature you’re interested in, we would recommend taking a look at the upgraded model (NordicTrack GX 4.2), which supports both touch and telemetry (chest strap) heart rate monitoring.

To help keep you cool during your workouts you also have a twin speed CoolAire™ workout fan. However, unlike the GX 4.2, you’re without a water bottle holder, making it more difficult to stay hydrated.

NordicTrack continue to uphold their reputation for designing intuitive consoles that are easy to use, with OneTouch controls. These make it easier to switch between the 20 digital resistance levels.

One final console feature worth mentioning is the fact that the console can be tilted. There’s a small hand wheel within easy reach of your seated position, which can be used to adjust the angle of the handlebars and console. This can help to reduce any stress placed on your lower back by encouraging a more upright posture.

Workout Program Selection

One of the best ways to stay motivated about future workouts is to have a variety of different programs to choose from.

Some days you might feel like more high intensity endurance workouts to build strength and muscle tone in your legs, while others you might want steady-state cardio for fat burning and improving muscle definition.

That’s why the NordicTrack GX 2.7 supports 20 onboard workouts, together with a variety of personalized routines that can be downloaded straight from iFit to the console.

But how does this stack up against other NordicTrack exercise bikes?

It’s similar to their GX 4.5 Recumbent Cycle, which has 24 onboard workouts and similar access to iFit, but falls short of the 30 onboard programs that come as standard on the NordicTrack GX 4.2 upright bike.

This is to be expected for a bike that’s one of the more affordable in the series, and still gives you 10 calorie burning workouts, and 10 performance based workouts to choose from.

The onboard workouts are split into a series of segments, and have each been designed by a certified personal trainer, following a set profile of resistance settings.

You can adjust the preset resistance for any of these segments, but it will revert back to defaults when you progress to the next.

Don’t want to follow a set profile? The ‘Set-A-Goal’ programs let you set a target for the workout duration, number of calories burned, or distance cycled.

Unfortunately you’re missing any form of heart rate control program, but you can still keep track of your pulse on the display if you want to stay within a certain range.

Ease of Assembly / Maintenance Required

One benefit of choosing an upright bike over larger equipment like elliptical trainers and treadmills is how easy the assembly is.

NordicTrack do an excellent job of pre-assembling the majority of parts, including the entire pedal crank and flywheel system, but there are a few steps you still need to follow.

But once you have the base stabilizers attached it’s just a case of attaching the saddle to the seat post and building the upright console support.

Attaching the upright is a little more difficult than on their recumbent bikes as it needs to be lowered down into the flywheel casing.

Each of the steps is clearly explained using a combination of written instructions, diagrams, and parts references, and the entire process shouldn’t take much longer than 45 minutes.

NordicTrack do offer a professional in-home assembly service for an additional charge, but this depends on your region and the equipment purchased.

To check if this is something that’s available in your area for the NordicTrack GX 2.7, it’s worth visiting their website or giving them a call.

View the NordicTrack GX 2.7 user manual

Transport Options

Something that tends to differ quite a lot between NordicTrack fitness equipment is the transport options.

When we were reviewing their recumbent bikes we noticed that some models had transport wheels but no carry handle, while others had neither. So far the NordicTrack GX 5.0 is the only one of their recumbents we’ve seen to offer both the carry handle and transport wheels.

Their upright bikes seem to follow a similar pattern, with the GX 2.7 featuring both a carry handle and transport wheels, but the higher priced GX 4.2 Pro offering just the wheels.

This isn’t such a big deal with upright bikes as you can use the higher center of gravity to tilt the bike onto the wheels while holding onto the handles at the front, but it’s still nice having the carry handle as an option.

What’s Covered by the Warranty?