If you know your ellipticals well enough, the Sole Fitness brand isn’t a new player in the market. While other brands have unique elliptical offers, Sole Fitness has, over the years, maintained its focus on delivering durable, affordable, and quality elliptical trainers.
The Sole E20 is an entry-level model that still offers some remarkable features compared to other elliptical machines sold at the same price range. It’s a solid choice for fitness trainers looking for an affordable elliptical.
The Sole E20 elliptical trainers run with an ECB magnetic tension system. The system has 16-level settings for trainers to work with. Add that to the 14.4-pound flywheel on its front-drive system, giving a smooth, quiet motion during workouts.
Contents
Sole Elliptical E20 Features
Build & Design
The Sole E20 fitness machine is a fairly lightweight elliptical. However, it has the same basic design as most of its competition. This is understandable as it’s Sole ellipticals entry-level machine for the brand.
Sole e20 is constructed with 38mm heavy steel giving it the right stability and balance in all the right places. However, it’s still a relatively compact elliptical with easy relocation and storage with its transport wheels.
The console has a 5.5-inch backlit LCD that displays heart rate programs and performance stats for trainers to see. In addition, backlit features on the screen makes it easy to use under low lighting conditions.
But for the money, the E20 is not a bad choice by any stretch. We thought the workout was very good, far better than we’ve experienced on some ellipticals models under $1000 and certainly better than most ellipticals in the $300 or $500 range.
Flywheel
Flywheels play an important role in the overall operation of ellipticals. They allow for a low-impact cardio workout by acting as the powerhouse of the machine. Flywheels are often rated in weight. The heavier the flywheel, the more silent and fluid its movement will be.
However, heavier flywheels come at a higher cost. Judging by the price of the Sole E20 fitness machine, it’s understandable to see it comes with a 14.4 pounds flywheel. It’s enough to control the front-drive system, but it’s smooth and quiet drive system cannot be compared to others with heavier flywheels.
Like most Sole ellipticals, the Sole E20 elliptical uses an ECB magnetic resistance system to control the flywheel. The resistance system has 16 adjustable levels for users to control intensity. At higher levels, the tension on the foot pedals will be greater, causing greater exercise intensities.
The E20 also comes with a power incline. This means trainers wouldn’t have to worry about manually adjusting the incline every time before getting on the machine. The incline has a range between 0 and 20 degrees.
Handlebars
Both the movable and stationary handlebars work in tandem to deliver a full-body workout. The moving handlebars enable trainers to target specific muscle groups in the upper body. While the stationary handlebars can be used for support, they are sometimes designed with grip sensors to track and monitor the trainer’s body vitals.
The Sole E20 machines come with movable and stationary handlebars and deliver a total body workout to users. Trainers can use its grip sensors or connect an external chest sensor strap wirelessly for more informed, detailed readings.
Stride Length
The distance between the foot pedals must be comfortable enough for the trainer to get the best workout performance from an elliptical. This is what an elliptical stride length is all about. Naturally, the taller the trainer, the wider the stride distance they’ll need. The recommended average stride distance is 20″.
The E20 ellipticals come with a stride distance of 18″. For the price of this model, this is a good stride distance. It may not be too comfortable for taller trainers, but smaller, average-height trainers would find it extremely comfortable.
It also has 15″ cushioned pedals. The size is ideal for many trainers, but it may feel a bit uncomfortable during workouts for those with larger feet.
Size
With a weight of 174 pounds, the E20 can be considered a compact elliptical. It may not have the fold-up feature, but it will require less floor space than other larger elliptical machines. It can also hold a maximum weight capacity of 300 pounds.
Smart Features
Workout Tracking:
The Sole E20 has a 5.5″ backlit LCD with which trainers can access fitness exercise stats. A hand grip sensor on the handlebars reads the trainer’s heart rate and feeds the stats to the LCD screen. The machine also has a built-in receiver to connect a chest sensor strap wirelessly.
Performance
Workout Program:
The Sole E20 comes with 10 preset programs. These programs include manual, interval, fat burn, hill, strength, cardio, 2 user-defined, 2 HRC – 60% THR & 80% THR.
Noise:
With a 14.4 pounds flywheel, the Sole E20 is relatively quiet.
Sole E20 Specifications
| Display | 5.5″ backlit LCD |
| Sensors | Pulse Grips & Chest Strap Compatible |
| Drive System | Front-drive |
| Resistance Mechanism | Magnetic |
| Resistance Level | 16 levels |
| Incline System | Power adjustable Incline levels 0 to 20% |
| Workout Programs | Standard Programs 6 Custom Programs 2 Heart Programs 2 |
| Dimensions | Height 67.3″ Length 82.3″ Width 21.7″ Stride length 18″ |
| Elliptical Weight | 174 lbs |
| User Weight Capacity | 300 lbs |
| Extra Features | 14.4 lbs Flywheel cooling fan Water bottle holder Integrated built-in speakers MP3/Apple device connectivity 15” comfort foot pedals with 2-degree inward slope Tablet holder USB port |
Sole E20 Elliptical
best budget elliptical for home use
HIGHLIGHTS:
- SOLE E20 was designed to meet your budget and has all the features to achieve your fitness goal.
- Sole E20 can monitor HR with any standard wireless chest strap or by the built-in pulse grips.
- Built with 14.4 pound flywheel and high gear ratio for a smooth yet challenging workout.
CUSTOMER RATING
3/5
OUR SCORE
7/10
WORKOUT PROGRAMS
10 Programs
RESISTANCE LEVEL
16 Level Up
- It has 10 built-in workout program features (manual, interval, fat burn, hill, strength, cardio, 2 user-defined, 2 HRC – 60% THR & 80% THR).
- The 5.5" backlit LCD screen delivers workout data even under poor lighting conditions.
- Its pulse Grips & Chest Sensor Strap Compatible can be used to track and monitor heart rate and pulse.
- It has 16 levels of magnetic resistance for controlled exercise intensity.
- It has an 18" stride length that's comfortable for an average fitness trainer.
- Pedals are not adjustable
- It doesn't come with a chest sensor strap
Demo Footage
Assembly Guide
The Sole E20 elliptical is pretty easy to assemble. It comes with all the necessary tools and parts needed. Moreso, the main unit comes pre-assembled. Identifying and securing the other parts is easy when the assembly manual is followed. The assembly manual comes with the product package.
Warranty
The Sole E20 comes with a lifetime frame warranty, 3 years warranty for its electronics, a 1-year warranty for parts, and another 1-year warranty for labor.
Sole E20 is a good elliptical, but if we had to choose one Sole elliptical, we would probably recommend the Sole E35 or E95 elliptical, which seem to compare more favorably to other ellipticals in the price range.
FAQ
1. Does the Sole E20 elliptical fold up?
No, it doesn’t. The Sole E20 may be a compact elliptical, but it doesn’t have the fold-up design feature.
2. Does the Sole E20 have Bluetooth?
No, it doesn’t. The Sole E20 elliptical doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity, but it has a built-in receiver to connect to chest straps for heart rate monitoring and also Bluetooth audio speakers.
3. What is the weight limit for a Sole e20 Elliptical?
The weight limit of the Sole E20 is 300 lbs. It shouldn’t be used for weights larger than 300 lbs, or it would compromise the integrity of the machine’s frame and parts.
4. How to adjust stride length on sole e20 elliptical?
The Sole E20 has a manually adjustable stride length. To adjust stride length, trainers will have to adjust the settings manually.
Conclusion
The Sole E20 is a compact, affordable elliptical. It is an entry-level model for Sole and has most of the basic features of ellipticals. It also comes with accessory features like a water bottle holder.
It has a 14.4 pounds flywheel that ensures smooth running motion. It has a magnetic tension mechanism that is adjustable up to 16 levels. Trainers can adjust the levels to match their desired workout intensity.
