Looking for Eclipse elliptical exercise machines? Eclipse ellipticals used to be quite popular several years back, especially models like the Eclipse 1100 HR. Most models were priced under 0 which made them very popular with buyers on a budget.
You used to be able to find them in discount stores like Kmart for example.
The Eclipse brand itself was manufactured by Fitness Quest - the same company behind the Ab Lounge, Total Gym and the Tony Little Gazelle.
That didn't necessarily give Fitness Quest the best reputation for being in the exercise equipment industry. Surprisingly however, their Eclipse elliptical exercise machines seemed to be very popular with buyers for a while.
However since then, the brand seems to have stagnated and probably will disappear altogether in a few years. In fact, Fitness Quest isn't even selling these ellipticals from their website and you can't find them in stores anymore.
The machines themselves are a mixed bag. They have a lot of the 'basics' like heart rate monitor, a few built-in workouts, easy to read consoles, forward and reverse motions and moving arm bars.
However there were a few reports with users of the flywheels coming loose and the Eclipse 1175E was recalled for safety several years ago. Plus you get pretty short stride lengths with these machines - around 15" - (stride is the furthest distance between the pedals), which doesn't give you the most optimal workout. It can feel pretty short for people taller than five feet two.
While for the most part, they aren't in stores anymore, you can probably find a few older Eclipse elliptical exercise machines kicking around on Craigslist or your local classifieds.
However be aware that the warranty on these machines isn't great - and it probably won't cover you at all as a second buyer. So if the elliptical breaks as soon as you get it home, you may be out the money to fix it (or buy a whole new machine).
The good news is that there are several other brands that sell ellipticals for low prices as well - and you're getting more for your money every year with these brands. Examples of brands with lower priced decent ellipticals include Proform, Fuel and Schwinn. Again though, do your homework with these brands as some models offer better value than others.
Regardless of what you choose to do, take your time, do your research and know what you need in an elliptical trainer before you invest in an exercise machine.
