NordicTrack Freestride Trainer FS5i Elliptical Review 2020

Last Updated: 1-9-2020

As far as ellipticals go, the Freestride series from NordicTrack is pretty exciting. They’ve created a home elliptical that does all-things-elliptical with the added bonus of a stair climbing movement. This combo engages more muscles in the legs, butt, and core. Our review of the FS5i will dive deeper into the product and it’s available features, which are pretty impressive considering it’s enticing price tag of only $999.

Buying The NordicTrack FS5i

At Treadmillreviews.com, we purchase our ellipticals out-of-pocket so we get the same customer experience as our readers. While it’s priced between $1999 and $1499, we caught a sale on NordicTrack.com for $999. Since buying the FS5i, we’ve checked back on the pricing and it’s remained at $999. We opted for free shipping and curbside delivery. Because we had already bought and assembled the FS7i, we new assembly would be a cinch for the FS5i so we took the plunge and put it together ourselves with no problems.

Home Delivery and Set Up

• The FS5i comes with free curbside delivery. The delivery person will leave the packages outside of your home under the nearest covered spot (usually the garage) - they do not bring them into your house.


• You can opt for in-home delivery. This is an additional $99 and you can have the delivery person bring the packages into your home. We believe this means you’ll have the packages indoors, near the front door, but not far from it. Because the option to have in placed “anywhere” in your home is an additional fee...


• To have the packages moved to your desired room of the house, you’ll have to opt for white glove delivery which is currently $250. The good news is that they will assemble the elliptical for you.

Who The FS5i Is Built For

If you’re looking for a new cardio accessory for your home gym, the FS5i is a great addition.  While the FS5i might not be the end-all, one-stop-shop for home cardio, it sure is fun! And it’s $999 price tag makes it only a minor financial commitment.

If you’re new to fitness or hoping to find an affordable piece of equipment to help you stay mobile and flexible, the FS5i will work for you.  This is a great little machine to get you off the couch and stretch your legs.

The FS5i Earns 4 Stars For Ellipticals Between $1000 - $1500

The FS5i might not be our BEST BUY for ellipticals between $1000 and $1500, it’s still a great home elliptical at this price point. We give it 4 stars for a number of reasons.

The Versatility - By combining an elliptical with a stair climber, you get to engage more leg and butt muscles. It’s still a low-impact form of cardio but it’s able to deliver a better cardio workout.

The Stride - Typically as you go down in cost, you lose length on your stride. But the FS5i still has a huge 32-inch stride that can accommodate taller users.

The Price Point - Considering all that comes on this elliptical, the price point ($999) is really impressive.

The Subscription Service - NordicTrack equipment comes paired with iFit Coach. It’s a great tool for tracking your goals and has the added benefit of providing tons of engaging workout classes to follow along with on your elliptical.

NordicTrack FS5i Build Quality 4/5

Weight Capacity: 350 lbs
Stride Length: 32-Inch adjustable stride
Footprint: 58.5" L x 29.5" W x 74" H

Drive:

• Center drive
• 16 lb inertia-enhanced flywheel

Step-Up Height: 14 inches
Materials: solid steel construction

Resistance:

• 22 resistance levels
• Silent magnetic resistance

Moving The FS5i

Moving the FS5i around the house is tricky. It’s lightweight and rolls on wheels but it’s long and awkward. We secure the foot pedals before we move it so that we aren’t knocking into walls and dinging up door jams. This helps. But it’s no harder to transport than any other type of elliptical. We recommend having a dedicated space for the FS5i. But if you do need to move it, it’s not a problem.

NordicTrack FS5i Features & Accessories /5

Display: 5” LCD, backlit display

On-Board Workouts:

• 32 on-board workouts
• iFit Coach compatible via Bluetooth

Speakers: yes, 2
Fans:  yes
Handles: moving
Incline/Decline: 0-10%
Heart Rate Monitor: sold seperately, $80

NordicTrack FS5i Display

The display on the FS5i is pretty similar to what you’d see on an elliptical at the gym. It’s a small, 5” LCD display that gives your standard overview of stats. You can also mount your mobile device on the tablet holder and view iFit Coach/Cardio info when it’s paired to your elliptical.

Heart rate monitoring - This elliptical doesn’t have a heart rate monitor, which is kind of strange for NordicTrack. There are no EKG pulse grips. You can opt to buy a chest strap heart rate monitor that connects to the FS5i via Bluetooth. It’s really reliable and comfortable. But it’s an additional $80. The perk to buying a Bluetooth chest strap that connects to your equipment is that it’ll sync with your iFit Coach and keep track of your workouts + heart rate.

NordicTrack FS5i Subscription Service 5/5

Name: iFit Coach
Brief Description: View an expansive library of studio elliptical classes, outdoor running, walking, and hiking tours, google maps, and more. iFit classes control your elliptical to change your incline/decline and resistance to mimic real-world terrain and training scenarios.
Cost: $15+
User Profiles: $15 per month for one user profile OR $33 per month for up to 5 user profiles

Class Varieties:

• Cycling
• Running
• Bootcamp
• Outdoor
• Strength
• Yoga

Community: Share results, create and join challenges, post to message boards
Subscription Limitations: We’re crossing our fingers that iFit can make their UX more user-friendly and intuitive. Currently, the learning curve is a little uncomfortable.

NordicTrack FS5i Warranty

With the FS5i comes a warranty to cover the frame, parts, and labor.

• Lifetime frame warranty
• 3-Year Parts Warranty
• 1-Year Labor Warranty

Additional coverage is available for $179.95 - $339.99. You can extend the life of your warranty by 3 years and/or you can opt to have a service technician come out to your house once a year to check your FS5i and make sure all things are working properly.

NordicTrack Freestride Trainer FS5i Review - Bottom Line

We like the Freestride trainer series a lot, including the FS5i. Its low price point is pretty enticing and really will meet the needs of a large audience of users. If you’re stuck with this price point, have no fear. The FS5i is a good purchase and a reliable home elliptical.

Take a look at our list of BEST TREADMILLS for more home cardio equipment options. The popular SOLE F63 and the ProForm SMART Performance 800i are in the same price range of $700-$1000 and highly rated.

We Recommend Buying The FS5i Directly From NordicTrack

You’ll find NordicTrack ellipticals on different retail sites and in physical retail locations near you but these models are slightly different than what you’ll see on NordicTrack.com. Buying directly from the manufacturer gives you more options for equipment models, accessories, warranties, delivery, and customer service. We recommend buying directly from the manufacturer, always. This tends to be the best way to save money and have a good experience in the long run. You can look online for coupons and promo codes as well that are exclusive to online purchases that’ll save you money when buying your home gym equipment.

Incase you aren’t sold on the FS5i, take a look at these reviews, too: