ProForm Smart Strider 495 CSE Elliptical Review

Quick Summary

The ProForm Smart Strider 495 CSE is an entry level elliptical trainer for light workouts.

It arrives almost entirely assembled and can be folded to conserve space between workouts.

Key specs include an 18″ footpath, a rear drive to promote easy balance, 18 preset workouts and iFit readiness.

This home fitness machine has a $599 sale price and carries a one-year parts and labor warranty. Get the details from our full 495 CSE review below.

Specifications

Model	ProForm Smart Strider 495 CSE
Rating Our custom rating considers all of the elliptical's features, specs, warranties, and 100's of user & expert reviews, to save you time!	82.6%
List Price Suggested retail price, typically higher than the price you'll pay with our recommended retailers.	$599
Best Price Since prices change daily, this link goes to our preferred retailer for the best price we've found.
Resistance Resistance is what determines calories burned per stride. The more levels, the more precisely you can control the difficulty.	18 Levels
Resistance Type The type of resistance affects the performance of your elliptical. Magnetic and Eddy-Current are the most common types.	SMR Silent Magnetic
Stride Length Stride Length is important for comfort and smooth strides. A stride length of 18-21 inches is ideal for most heights (5'3 - 6'7).	18"
Pedals Elliptical pedals can be cushioned and adjustable for maximum comfort and minimum impact on joints for injury prevention.	Adjustable & Oversized
Incline Some elliptical trainers can be set at an incline to increase difficulty and burn more calories.	no
Flywheel The flywheel controls the smoothness and resistance of your workout. In general, the higher the better.	13 lb. Inertia-Enhanced
Programs Elliptical Programs allow you to complete a workout with changing speeds and inclines, without changing anything manually.	18
User Profiles For each profile the elliptical allows, you can create a custom user account with saved programs and goal settings.	1 User
Heart Rate Heart Rate programs allow you to track how many times your heart is beating per minute (bpm), and some control the workout for you.	Pulse Grips
Display Elliptical Display refers to the screen you'll look at to monitor workouts. LED and LCD displays are similar to TV screens.	Round Watts LED
Max. Weight Max User Weight is the amount of weight, in pounds (lbs), that it can safely support, which can represent durability.	275 lbs
Dimensions Dimensions are included to help you figure out if this elliptical will fit properly (Length x Width x Height and Height x Depth).	65" x 32" x 80"
Upper Body Most ellipticals have handles to hold while you're working out that provide an upper body workout.
Accessory Tray Some ellipticals include an accessory tray for holding items such as water bottles, wallets, keys, or MP3 players like iPods.
Speakers Ellipticals that include a sound system allow you to listen to your MP3 player/iPod through built-in speakers (without headphones).
Cooling Fans Cooling Fans are designed to help keep you cool during an intense workout on your elliptical.
Folding? Some ellipticals are designed to conserve space by folding up. This is a convenient option, but some features might be reduced.
Quick Controls Quick Controls allow you to select speed, incline and even workout programs with the touch of a button (usually on the handles).
Warranty The warranty is an important part of your investment. The longer the warranty, the longer you can get free/discounted repairs.	Frame: Lifetime Parts: 1 Years Labor: 1 Year

Our Rating

Rating: 82.6/100. The Smart Strider 495 CSE by ProForm is a very light duty elliptical machine for whole-body training. It’s the new entry-level model in the ProForm CSE Series, a collection of four elliptical trainers that require minimal assembly time, share 18″ strides, and are compatible with the iFit app for unlimited workout downloads and easy tracking of fitness activity.

The 18″ stride makes ProForm Smart Striders an especially good match for people with shorter gaits, who find that the standard 20″ elliptical path is a bit of a stretch. But it’s not so good for tall folks; riders around 6’0″ and taller report that their knees knock into the machine.

Also important to consider is the resistance. The Smart Strider 495 CSE has a 13-pound flywheel, which is the lightest we’ve seen on an elliptical trainer. It explains why this trainer is priced at just $599, which is well below average for home elliptical machines. Compared with the other Smart Striders and most other elliptical machines, the 495 CSE offers less of a challenge. It also won’t feel as smooth-running, with the difference being more noticeable by people who carry more weight.

Other specs include 18 built-in workout apps, iFit readiness for unlimited workout downloads (iFit subscription required), oversized pedals and soft-grip upper-body workout arms. This unit has a steel frame with lifetime warranty. Parts and labor are free for one year.

Pros:

Rear drive stability
Arrives almost fully assembled
18 preset workouts
Smartphone-compatible (2″ speakers)
Grip heart rate sensors
Tablet/smartphone holder
Water bottle holder
Steel frame has lifetime warranty
Holds up to 275 pounds
Space-Saver® design (Folds for storage)
Transport wheels attached

Another important spec is the 18″ stride. This is a “pro” if you have a shorter natural gait because it will feel very natural. Otherwise it could be a “con” and we’d choose a different series of ProForm ellipticals.
Cons:

Very light drive (13 pounds)
No incline
No workout fan
No wireless heart rate receiver
Short warranty on parts

Introduction

With a full price of just $799 and sale price hovering around $599 the ProForm Smart Strider 495 CSE is one of the lowest-priced elliptical machines on the market. It has a rear drive design, which helps promote a rider’s balance, and an 18″ stride that’s ideal for smaller adults and teens. Here’s a look at the 495 CSE’s workout programming and other features.

Workout Programs

The Smart Strider 495 CSE has 18 preset workout programs to help you work on endurance and calorie burn. Each program has a preset duration and adjusts the machine’s resistance. Programs draw from 18 resistance levels that are produced with a 13-pound flywheel.

Besides having preset workouts the 495 CSE is iFit-Ready. With an iFit membership (monthly or yearly) you can download an unlimited number of workouts that you generate with Google Maps™. Virtually visit your favorite cities, hike the Rockies or the Alps, jog along scenic coastlines… With iFit and a streaming Google Street View, the possibilities are endless. Additionally iFit lets you download a new and customized personal training workout anytime, and members get access to a library of high-def video training programs. You can access iFit through your own smartphone or tablet computer docked on the elliptical console. iFit is also available on desktop computers, where you can check your workout stats, use a workout calendar and more.

ProForm Smart Strider 495 CSE Features

The 495 CSE and other ProForm Smart Striders have 18″ elliptical paths. That’s on the shorter end of industry standards for residential and commercial ellipticals. It’s ideal for people with shorter inseams. The taller you are, the more the Smart Strider will feel more like a stepper than an elliptical.

The Smart Strider 495 CSE has a 13-pound flywheel, which is relatively light. (Other Smart Striders have 18-pound wheels.) You can choose from 18 resistance levels with easy digital controls.

A dashboard with circular Watts display and LED screen tops the 495 CSE. The Watts readout uses color-coded lights to help you quickly understand your exertion level. The LED screen shows time, distance, estimated calories burned, and your heart rate as measured by grip pulse sensors built into the handlebars.

A water bottle is integrated with the console to make hydration convenient.

For quick and easy storage this machine has a Space-Saver design and transport wheels. When unfolded its dimensions are 80″ long x 32″ wide x 65″ high.

The elliptical machine’s frame is built from commercial-gauge steel and is under lifetime warranty.

Warranty & Guarantee

The ProForm Smart Strider 495 CSE warranty package includes:

– Frame: Lifetime

– Parts: 1 Year

– Labor: 1 Year

ProForm also provides a 30-day money back guarantee.

Conclusion

The $599 ProForm Smart Strider 495 CSE is one of the lowest-priced rear drive ellipticals. When used with an iFit membership it can be especially motivating. But owing to its very light drive and lack of incline, the machine would be easy to outgrow within a year of regular use… just around the time that its parts warranty expires. For most shoppers interested in a Smart Strider, we recommend checking out a higher model number instead (or our main elliptical trainer page). When sale prices kick in you might pay just a few hundred more for a much more capable and longer-lasting fitness machine.