Eclipse elliptical trainers are made and sold by Fitness Quest - the same people that make the Ab Lounge, Total Gym and the Tony Little Gazelle.
While this doesn't give them the best reputation for building high quality, strong elliptical trainers, surprisingly their Eclipse line of ellipticals seemed to be very popular for a while.
This was in large part due to their low prices - these ellipticals ranged from 0 - 0. They were also featured in infomercials and sold through discount stores like Kmart.
Lately however, the brand seems to have stagnated and Fitness Quest is no longer offering many of the more popular models like the 4100. In fact, as of this writing, the only one Fitness Quest is even selling is the 1100 HR elliptical.
Plus, other brands are overtaking them with affordable (under 0) ellipticals that offer longer strides and better warranties.
So let's say you can find an Eclipse elliptical - probably the 1100 HR trainer. Is it a good value? And how does it stack up against similarly priced machines?
The Eclipse 1100 elliptical does have some decent basics. The console is well-laid out and easy to read. There's a heart rate monitor and even 6 built-in programs. User reviews have also tended to be positive - commenting on how fast and efficient the customer service people acted when there were problems.
However there are some major weaknesses.
You only get a 15" stride. This is quite short - most people want a longer stride to ensure your legs are getting the full range of motion. A longer stride also feels more comfortable and gives a more effective workout. Most quality ellipticals will offer a stride of 18" or 20".
And while the reviews are good for this elliptical, most users acknowledge that they had to fix their elliptical once or even several times over the course of owning it. There have also been problems reported with the flywheels coming loose.
Also note that the 1175e Eclipse trainer was recalled for safety by Fitness Quest. The cranks that connect the foot platforms to the wheel at the rear of the machine can break during use. If a crank breaks, the exerciser can fall off the machine. People who own this machine should stop using it immediately.
So what's the bottom line?
It's really up to you but keep in mind that these are discount ellipticals from a company that produces some of the more gimicky infomercial fitness equipment. So you're not buying from a manufacturer that has years of experience producing high quality, long-lasting elliptical trainers.
While user reviews have been positive overall, most do admit to having to fix their elliptical in some way. So if you're not handy, this may mean some headaches for you - or just a lot of wasted time shipping the elliptical back to the store.
And while these ellipticals used to be more popular, they've been overtaken by stronger brands that give you longer strides, better warranties, more fitness programs, and much better overall construction.
