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Lengthen your stride or step up and down–one machine lets you do a little bit of everything! Read the rest of this NordicTrack FS14i Freestride Trainer review to learn how it performs.
Updated: September 6, 2023
The NordicTrack FS14i FreeStride Trainer is a variable stride length elliptical and stair stepper all-in-one. Its bow-like legs allow the Trainer to move from 0” to 32” in stride length along the flywheel crank. The FS14i has moving arms to keep your full body engaged during the workout. Not all sports are easily replicated by indoor cardio machines. Athletes feeling neglected by the offerings comparable to their sport may find luck with the FS14i. The FS14i elliptical is a low-impact cardio machine that works the arms and legs. Its unique movement requires coordination, but it is safe for beginners to practice and get the hang of it.
The NordicTrack FS14i FreeStride Trainer has a steel frame. It is powder-coated gray with black NordicTrack branding. The frame is not the sturdiest we have seen from NordicTrack products, but if exercisers use the FS14i properly on a flat floor, they should not experience issues. Most of the instability arises when the stride is pushed beyond its limit or when the user does not yet have the coordination to move the machine smoothly. I never felt unsafe or like I could fall while using the FS14i. It has a 375 lb maximum user weight capacity, well over the 300 lb industry standard.
The NordicTrack Fs14i FreeStride Trainer is stated as having a 20 lb flywheel. There appear to be two flywheels, which we estimate to weigh 10 lbs to meet a 20 lb total. It is a center drive, so the flywheels are located on either side of the pedals while the user is positioned over the crank arms. Moving the pedals smoothly can take some practice, but the flywheel helps you rotate the crank more fluidly once you get the right motion down.
The pedals are drastically oversized, measuring 17” long and 6” wide. This space should provide plenty of room for all foot sizes. The pedals are cushioned, alleviating foot soreness or numbness. I was lucky not to have any while on the FS14i. That said, the pedals are not adjustable like those of the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical, so I cannot say if all users will have this same experience.
The NordicTrack FS14i has a stride range of 0 to 32”. How might one have a 0” stride length? Well, it might not be exactly 0, but the pedals can move up and down to create a stair-stepper-like workout. The longest stride length is too much for shorter users, but that is where the variability comes in handy. It takes some effort to control the stride length. We wish there were a way to fix the stride to a specific length. With time, the movement should become easier and feel more natural.
The FS14i does not fold. While not in use, it has a fairly compact footprint. Its two wheels improve its portability, but I recommend keeping it where it will be used. Extra space around the machine is necessary to accommodate its full range of motion.
Twenty-six silent magnetic resistance levels take your workout from easy bounding to moderately difficult. The resistance is quiet and low maintenance compared to friction alternatives. The FS14i works best for low impact and low to moderate intensity, reflected in the resistance difficulty. It’s not the strongest resistance, but it is difficult to sustain for long periods of time.
The incline/decline range is -10% to 10%. The motor is very loud. It can be jarring to go from silent striding to sudden loud motor noises, but the adjustment is fast. Changing the incline does not really impact the workout's difficulty, but it taxes the muscles differently. The incline is a cool bonus feature, but it doesn’t approximate outdoor hill work or a treadmill incline. The iFIT content adjust to match real-life terrain. The incline and decline increase the immersive quality of the iFIT content.
The NordicTrack FS14i FreeStride Trainer is built for the iFIT experience. The large touchscreen is complemented by the audio features. Distractions are kept to a minimum for a concentrated and uncluttered workout experience.
The console places all the controls you need right in front of you. There are four sets of buttons. The two large outer sets control the incline (on the left) and resistance level (on the right). There are repeats of these buttons at the tops of the moving handles. The handle buttons are difficult for a short user, like me (5’4”), to reach. I often had to press the buttons more than once to change the resistance or incline. Taller users should not have this problem. I was comfortable gripping the bottom half of the handles and using the onscreen or console resistance and incline controls.
The inner two sets of buttons on the console control the fan and the audio. Beside the speakers, at the top of the console, is the Bluetooth button. Pressing this button will help you pair your Bluetooth device.
The 14-inch touchscreen display tilts to account for glare and slight height differences. It does not pivot. The size is nice. I used the onscreen controls primarily, which is not always the case on 10-inch or smaller screens. The screen displays iFIT content and must be connected to WiFi for the most training options.
The picture quality is great. I had no problem reading the closed captions on the screen or viewing the beautiful landscapes. The 14-inch screen is just the right size, as the handles have plenty of freedom to move, and there is no dead space on the console. The screen was responsive to my touch, even when my hands were sweaty.
One cup holder sits beneath the touchscreen. A tall bottle would obscure your view of the screen, and most bottles will stand in the way of the fan or volume controls. The holder is big enough to accommodate a smartphone, but you will have to choose which you want. There is not enough room for both. I wish there were a device rack on top of the console or other storage elsewhere on the machine.
The fan is powerful and a little loud. It hit me in the face and neck. It has an auto setting called AutoBreeze which allows the fan speed to sync to the intensity level of the iFIT program you are following. I like this feature but rarely needed the fan above its lowest strength setting. It is quite effective.
The speakers are front-facing, located above the screen. They deliver clear and loud audio. I never need NordicTrack’s speakers turned up to their maximum. I also like that you can choose how much of the trainer you hear, so you can follow along with the workouts even if you prefer to listen to the Feed.FM music instead.
There is an aux port for connecting a smart device into the console and sending audio over the speakers. Bluetooth allows exercisers to send audio in or receive audio out, so you can blast the music from your phone over the speakers or listen to iFIT through headphones. Bluetooth also connects compatible heart rate monitors to the iFIT program for more training options.
The NordicTrack FS14i FreeStride Trainer is not a machine that you can jump on and go, at least not initially. My first experience on the FS14i required a little patience as I got the hang of adjusting the stride length on my own. It responds quickly to your changes in motion, so you have to find a rhythm to keep it running smoothly. There are no stationary handles, so be careful when climbing onto the machine, as there is no place to stabilize yourself that doesn’t also move.
The FS14i Trainer excels at low-impact, steady-state exercise. It has a maximum stride length of 32”, which is shorter than most running stride lengths, so if you try to sprint on this machine, it will not turn out well. Instead, focus on using controlled and steady movements. For a more intense workout, increase the resistance. I had the best workout when I kept the RPM around 40 or under. The iFIT workouts offer plenty of guidance for intensity, so you can get the most out of your workout.
The stair-stepping motion worked best for me when the flywheel and crank turned backward. You can do it while it is moving forward, but I found it easier to maintain a more consistent motion backward. There is little difference in how moving forward or backward feels, as the pedals mostly move straight up and down with little horizontal movement. NordicTrack claims that the FreeStride Trainer can replace a treadmill, but I could only replicate a stair stepper or elliptical motion. I am fully prepared to admit this is due to a lack of skill, but other reviewers here at Treadmill Reviews did not have any more success than I did.
Elliptical content from iFIT is very diverse. There is studio elliptical content, hiking, skiing, running, and rollerskating. These workouts are led by professional trainers who provide instruction and entertainment. They can also take control of your incline and resistance settings, so you don’t have to adjust it yourself. If you find you need an easier or harder workout, adjust the setting manually. iFIT will take your adjustment into consideration when programming your next workout settings.
The FreeStride Trainer can access all of iFIT’s immersive settings. With one account, you can do one of the 16,000+ workouts, including series suitable to the machine or access content designed for other equipment. There are strength, yoga, and meditation content for off-machine workouts. The 14” touchscreen displays these workouts, though you can also access them from a smart device or TV. The FreeStride Trainer comes with a 30-day free trial of iFIT, after which you will need a monthly or annual subscription.
Without a subscription, the FreeStride Trainer’s capabilities will be limited. Without WiFi, exercisers can access the manual activity training screen–a 400-meter track. They can adjust their resistance and incline manually. With WiFi, there are a few training onboard training programs. These are preset workouts completed on the manual activity screen or a limited sampling of iFIT’s premium content.
The NordicTrack FS14i FreeStride Trainer has one lengthy name for one versatile machine. It replicates stair stepping or elliptical training for two-in-one training. It takes a bit of effort to master its motion, but when you get it, you will be on your way to a fun, low-impact, and steady-state workout. The resistance is great for increasing workout intensity while maintaining a low stride cadence. Overall, The FS14i provides a unique full-body workout with support from the phenomenal iFIT fitness training platform.
