ElliptiGO | Half bicycle, half elliptical hybrid workout
Created by an Ironman who was severely injured, the ElliptiGO is a hybrid form of transport. The device is an elliptical machine that operates like a bicycle. The eight-gear machine promises a low-impact, high-intensity workout anywhere you could ride a bike.
The design of an ElliptiGO
An “outdoor elliptical bicycle,” the ElliptiGO takes the chain drive of an elliptical machine and uses it to drive a set of bicycle tires. The machine has an adjustable stride length and steering column to allow for riders between 5 feet and 6 feet 6 inches tall. Standard bicycle gear shifters move through eight gears, and the carbon-fiber frame holds riders up to 250 pounds.
How an ElliptiGO works out
An ElliptiGO machine claims to be a better workout than bicycling or running alone. A moderate pace on the ElliptiGO is similar to a bicycle, at about 12 to 18 miles per hour. There is a very wide range of motion of your hips and knees on an ElliptiGO, wider than a bicycle but with less impact than running. By standing, rather than sitting, the ElliptiGO causes your body to burn more calories with each motion. Because your body is always in motion, and riders the full leverage of their legs and hips behind them, even hills that are a challenge on bicycles can be easier on the ElliptiGO.
Is an ElliptiGO worth it?
At a price of $2,200, the ElliptiGO is not an inexpensive exercise machine. The price is about on-level with a high-end carbon fiber bicycle. As an “investment,” the ElliptiGO is part crosstrainer and part self-propelled transportation. An ElliptiGO, because it allows you to stand while moving, won’t wrinkle your clothing, which is a common problem with bicycle commuting. At one-tenth the price of a car, though, an ElliptiGO may well be a transportation investment that is worth every dime.