The best treadmill reviews you can trust
The Echelon Stride-6 is a unique folding treadmill for studio-style training in small spaces. Read our review of the Echelon Stride-6 Treadmill to learn more.
Updated: February 27, 2024
The Echelon Stride-6 folds flat for upright or horizontal storage. It’s an excellent treadmill for the walker or runner who does not have a lot of space to spare for a larger machine. The training service provides various types of content from studio classes to entertainment apps to virtual racing games. If you are looking for a subscription platform with a lot of variety, Echelon is worth checking out. While the Stride-6 has some really nice features, it may not be the most suited to a dedicated long-distance runner who is logging a lot of indoor miles. In this review of the Echelon Stride-6 Treadmill, I’ll get into why that is and more.
The Echelon Stride-6 is an innovative Echelon product with compact folding. This feature is the essential component of this treadmill’s build. Echelon is one of the only home fitness brands that has mastered this design and incorporated smart features and content. As the most affordable treadmill in their current lineup, the Stride-6 is the perfect stepping stone into Echelon’s unique designs created to be practical and useful when paired with their subscription content.
The Echelon Stride-6’s frame can support a maximum user weight of 300 lbs. It weighs 182.35 lbs itself. This lightweight frame is designed to fit in small spaces when stored. I’m curious how stable it will be when running on it. The uprights and console are not quite as robust as those of a traditional folding treadmill. If I am able to run on the Stride-6 in the future, I will update this review with its performance.
The motor is only a 2.5 HP DC brushless motor. The brushless aspect should make the motor a bit quieter, though the noise of a brushless motor is sometimes whinier in my experience.
The 2.5 HP is lower than we expect from most treadmills at the Stride-6’s price, but our previous experience with Echelon treadmills suggests it can still support running. While I wouldn’t recommend the Stride-6 for a marathon runner or anyone else running super long distances regularly, it should be appropriate for light to moderate running use. If you like the boot camp-style classes with segments on and off the treadmill or like to alternate walking and running intervals, this treadmill is a good choice.
The Echelon Stride-6 has a 20.5-inch wide belt. 20 inches has become the standard for home treadmills recently, but I don’t think you are going to notice that extra half-inch that much. Still, it’s nice that Echelon went with a wider belt over a more economical narrower belt. The running surface is 60 inches long. This provides plenty of room for running hard and helps support the treadmill’s 12.4 mph maximum speed.
Echelon has auto-fold technology that allows the console to lower automatically once released to the treadmill deck. From there, it can be left horizontal or lifted onto its front end for upright storage. The treadmill’s 182-lb weight makes it harder to lift the treadmill upright than you might expect. Some users may find that they need help to get the Stride-6 into its vertical storage position. Fortunately, the treadmill has both vertical and horizontal transport wheels to make moving it around easier.
There are 12 levels of incline. This does not necessarily mean that the treadmill inclines to a maximum incline grade of 12%. Previous Echelon treadmill models had 12 levels but only inclined to 10%. Either way, the incline should provide an additional challenge that you don’t often see on such a compact folding treadmill.
There is no decline option, but we wouldn’t expect it on a treadmill of this size and design.
Compared to Echelon’s other treadmills, the more affordable Stride-6 does not have as many features. It lacks a touchscreen, but it still pairs with Echelon content to deliver smart training content.
The Stride-5 has buttons on either side of the console to help you jump to the desired speed or incline metric very quickly. There’s not quite a button for every speed level, but it’s pretty close. There are also the speed and incline dials on either arm of the treadmill. These dials make it super easy to control your performance settings. Dials are my favorite way to make adjustments on a treadmill because they are so easy to use while running. They are very intuitive.
The console also has standard features like a safety key and start/stop buttons. These are located on the stability bar at the front of the console.
There’s no touchscreen on the Stride-6. It has a large tablet rack to hold your smart device. You can connect to the Echelon app from your tablet or phone here. There are also LED windows for viewing your training metrics if you are not connected to a device.
The speakers are Bluetooth and can pair with your phone to hear the training audio. You can also pair the app to the treadmill itself to sync your metrics with the app. As far as I can tell, you cannot connect a heart rate monitor via Bluetooth, but I need to conduct more testing to verify this.
The Stride-6 has EKG pulse grip sensors on the stability bar. These sensors are not as accurate as most wearable devices, but it is a convenient feature to have.
The Stride-6 has a blue fan to help cool you off while you are training. The blue color is in keeping with the Echelon brand and looks nice.
Plenty of storage is available on the Stride-6. There are two cup holders and two narrower storage slots. These storage compartments should be roomy enough to hold your phone, keys, and other small items.
Runners and walkers can use the Echelon Stride-6. The 2.5 motor may be somewhat limiting to the Stride-6’s performance. If you are a dedicated walker or new runner, it should work very well. Despite its compact folding design, its speed, incline, and deck size are very impressive. This treadmill is an awesome addition to a home gym for users who already subscribe to Echelon.
I haven’t run on the Stride-6 yet, so I can’t comment on its cushioning, long-term/short-term performance, and other details. I’m really keen to get my hands on another Echelon treadmill in the future, so I will update this review when I have more information!
The Echelon training service provides training content for the treadmill, strength, cycling, and more. While Echelon expanded their offerings to include Echelon Worlds (a Zwift competitor), it does not look like the Echelon app will have this option. At least, it does not have the content available at the time of writing this review.
Echelon treadmill classes are very similar to Peloton in their format. The trainers are upbeat and create playlists for each class. The quality isn’t quite as refined and as Peloton, but that could make the classes less intimidating for some users. I felt a little overwhelmed when I first started using Peloton. The classes are also more beginner to intermediate runner friendly. I would like to see longer classes tailored toward dedicated runners than what Echelon currently offers. However, it is a great selection for the broader audience that Echelon serves.
The Echelon app connects to Apple Health, Strava, Fitbit, and Spotify.
When you purchase an Echelon treadmill, it is quite hard to get around the prompting to subscribe to the service. To buy a treadmill without purchasing a membership, you have to create an Echelon account for free. Then, login and make your purchase through the Member Deals page. The reason Echelon makes this so complicated is because the treadmills aren’t the best without a subscription. There are no onboard training programs without the app. With the app, you have a few free training options. You will need a free account to train manually on most Echelon machines.
Echelon members, boot camp athletes, new runners, and more exercisers will enjoy the Echelon Stride-6. The Stride-6 connects via Bluetooth to the Echelon app for smart training. It has an impressive folding design that allows it to fold flat for upright or horizontal storage. This compact design makes it perfect for users with small spaces. The Echelon Stride-6 has very limited features and is difficult to purchase without a subscription, so I do not recommend it for non-subscribers. If you are interested in getting guidance for your exercise routine on the treadmill and beyond, Echelon provides a beginner-friendly training service.
