Best Rear Drive Ellipticals of 2023

Rear Drive Ellipticals Buying Guide

Stride length is the most obvious difference among the ellipticals on our chart. The shortest stride is found on the Yowza Pompano rear drive elliptical. At 18″ it’s ideal for shorter trainees but could feel choppy to taller users. Other models shown on the elliptical comparison chart have variable strides. The adjustability is of course useful in households with exercisers of different heights. Another advantage of choosing an adjustable stride elliptical is targeted muscle toning: Depending on the stride length you set, you can focus on your hamstrings, calves or other muscles.

Rear Drive Ellipticals Buying Guide

The first question to answer when shopping for an elliptical machine is “Do I want a front, center or rear drive elliptical trainer?” Some exercise enthusiasts are unwavering devotees to rear drive machines. Years ago this was especially wise — the alternatives all had important shortcomings — but today you can buy high quality ellipticals with front drives and center drives too. The three types of ellipticals all have good selling points when well-engineered. Here we compare rear drive ellipticals with front drive and center drive alternatives.

Rear drive ellipticals were the first kind to hit the market. When developing the world’s first elliptical trainers, the company Precor discovered that the rear drive design most easily supports a natural-feeling stride. Precor patented this setup. Consequently, competitors have to pay for the rights to create their own rear drive ellipticals — or else devise alternatives. Thus front drive and center drive ellipticals are created.

Many front drive elliptical trainers support motion that’s more similar to stair climbing than the flat striding offered by Precors and other rear drive trainers. Whether that’s “good” or “bad” is a matter of personal preference. Some people aren’t as comfortable on these cross trainers because they tend to encourage you to lean forward; feeling balanced is often easier with the rear drive design. However, some manufacturers — particularly Sole Fitness — produce front drive ellipticals that have the same flat and smooth motion as rear drive trainers. This is possible thanks to innovative pedal designs, heavier flywheels and other smart modifications. Center drive ellipticals also make it easy to stay upright and not lean into the console.

Another advantage of rear drive ellipticals is that fewer parts are involved in the design. The simpler the system, the less likely something will go wrong. Rear drive ellipticals on average require less maintenance.

Why choose a front drive or center drive elliptical? One advantage is price. All things being equal (such as flywheel weight and programming), these types of machines cost less than their rear drive counterparts. Another advantage is size. Rear drive ellipticals require the most floor space. Still, some can be made compact for storage after workout time.

In sum, rear drive ellipticals have earned bragging rights but they shouldn’t discourage you from considering alternatives, especially if paying a lower price and saving space are among your priorities. Just be sure to read honest elliptical reviews (not just the sales pages) before making your choice.

More Rear Drive Ellipticals

The following products aren’t on our “Five Best Rear Drive Ellipticals” chart, but they are still worth checking out:

So many choices! We’re here to help. Feel free to contact FitRated for advice about choosing the best rear drive elliptical for your budget and skill level.