Nordictrack Vs. Proform: Which Bike To Choose?

By Robbie Ferri

Personal Trainer & Cycling Instructor

Robbie from “Riding with Robbie” is a Personal Trainer living in in Norfolk, UK. He has bikepacked all over the World, and also raced ultra distance at a top-level. He has worked closely with industry leaders such as Shimano.

In the past decade, indoor cycling has completely changed fitness. The experience of riding your bike indoors has advanced so much that it has gained a huge audience. People no longer have to head to the spinning studio for their fitness fix but can get it from their bikes in their own homes. 

With so much popularity in indoor cycling, many companies rushed to create bikes they could sell to indoor cycling enthusiasts, and we got some amazing creations. One of the biggest brands is Peloton, which was the bike to have ten years ago.

In recent years Peloton isn’t favored like it used to be, and indoor cycling enthusiasts have turned to other companies. Two of those companies are NordicTrack and Proform, making some of the best bikes to be had. Many people ask us, “Which bike should I get? A NordicTrack or a Proform?” In this article, we’re going to answer that question by discussing the following:

• Who Are Nordictrack And Proform?
• Nordictrack And Proform Bikes
• Comparing The Brands And Bikes
• Which One Is For You?

Who is Nordictrack?

NordicTrack started in 1975 out of Logan, Utah. IFIT Health and Fitness currently own it. They are very well known for making high-quality fitness equipment. You will see treadmills, bikes, elliptical trainers, and much more from them designed for anyone from beginners to professional athletes. When NordicTrack makes a piece of equipment, it is built to last, and many of their products end up in gyms.

They use advanced technology within their goods to create amazing experiences for their users. One of the best things about NordicTrack bikes is that they think outside the box and seem to look at what other companies are doing and push the boundaries further.

Who is Proform?

Proform also doesn’t just do bikes. They made a wide range of fitness equipment, from treadmills to elliptical bikes and even rowers. They are owned by IFIT Health and Fitness, one of the world’s biggest fitness equipment manufacturers, and lead the way for many other brands. 

Proform is well known for making high-quality products, but their bikes are exceptional and very good value for money. Proform bikes also come packed with great technology and have lots of special features that other brands don’t. Proform seems to be excellent at offering exceptional products much cheaper than its competitors. 

Why NordicTrack and Proform?

You might be questioning why we are comparing NordicTrack and Proform. We wanted to compare these two brands because, firstly, we get asked about them a lot in comparison with each other and also because they are both owned by the same company, iFit Health and Fitness, whose application they both use.  

iFit is an excellent application that offers a great experience for the user. It gives you live spinning workouts where the instructor can adjust the bike, strength training, yoga, and many other kinds of workouts. You also get google maps integration so that you can cycle interactively on almost any road worldwide.

Nordictrack And Proform Bikes

Now you know about the companies, let’s learn about the bikes they offer. We have decided to pitch you the best and most popular bike these brands have to offer, as this is the best way to compare them.

The NordicTrack Bikes

We will start with the NordicTrack range of bikes. Here are the bikes we have selected to cover and that we feel are the best bikes NordicTrack has:

NordicTrack S27i

• Belt Drive and Magnetic Resistance
• 27” HD Screen With Fans
• Automatic Resistance and Incline Decline Features
• 24 Resistance Level working on buttons
• iFit with Google maps integration
• Cost $2499

The NordicTrack S27i is the flagship bike and the one everyone wants. Coming in around $2499, you can expect it to be amazing. With a 27” HD screen and high-end speakers, you get an amazing interactive experience. With a belt drive and magnetic resistance system, you get 24 levels that could challenge even a professional. 

It has some excellent technology. Unlike many spinning bikes, the resistance works on buttons, not a dial. With the iFit program, you can use the google maps integration to cycle anywhere in the world on nearly any road easily, even feeling the hills.

NordicTrack S22i

• Belt Drive and Magnetic Resistance
• 22” HD Screen With Fans
• Automatic Resistance and Incline Decline Features
• 24 Resistance Level working on buttons
• iFit with Google maps integration
• Cost $1999

With much of the same technology as the S27i, the Nordictrack S22i still packs an incredible punch as far as spinning bikes go. However, the design is slightly different compared to the bigger S27i. It still gives a very similar experience even though you only get a 22” screen and the weights in front of you instead of on the rear.

You still get the 24 levels of resistance, and that’s all magnetic on a belt drive. Coming in at around $500 cheaper, you do get incredible value for money and can still use all the same features, such as google maps rides and live sessions. 

NordicTrack S10i

• Belt Drive and Magnetic Resistance
• 10” HD Screen With Fans
• Automatic Resistance and Incline Decline Features
• 24 Resistance Level working on buttons
• iFit with Google maps integration
• Cost $1849

Then we have the baby of the NordicTrack bikes, the S15i. This bike comes with a 14” HD screen, and although the screen looks more basic, the bike itself still has all the best features from its brothers and sisters, such as the incline and decline and all the connectivity for live classes.

You still get 24 levels to challenge you, and the belt drive with magnetic resistance makes silky smooth work of it. Coming in at only $1849, it’s not cheap, but you get a lot of bike for your money. 

Proform Bikes

Now for the Proform bikes. Although they might not be as well known as Peloton or NordicTrack, they still are contenders for some of the best intelligent spinning bikes on the market. Here are the bikes that were brought in to speak about:

Proform Studio Bike 22

• Belt Drive and Magnetic Resistance
• 22” HD Screen 
• Automatic Resistance 
• 24 Resistance Level using a dial
• iFit with Google maps integration
• Cost $1299

The Proform Studio Bike 22 is currently on the list for Proforms spin bike range. It’s got amazing specifications and will be a silky smooth ride. With automatic magnetic resistance and 24 levels to challenge you, there will never be a dull moment, and of course, the resistance works automatically too. 

Proform is also a user of the iFit application, so you get all those live classes and unlimited rides anywhere in the world with the maps integration. Coming in at $1299, it’s incredibly cheap and definitely a bargain compared to its competitors. 

Proform Studio Bike

• Belt Drive and Magnetic Resistance
• 10” Screen 
• Automatic Resistance 
• 22 Resistance Level using a dial and buttons
• iFit with Google maps integration
• Cost $1400 or free

The Proform Studio Bike comes with a slightly smaller specification than the Studio Bike 22 but shares a huge amount of similarities. The first thing to mention is it has a smaller screen of only 10”, which many riders prefer. 

Instead of 24 levels of resistance, you get 22, but it’s still automatic and enough to challenge a professional. Coming in at $1400, it’s much cheaper than many other bikes on the market but doesn’t have all the special features. Proform actually offers this bike for free if you sign up to iFit for 3 years on one of their current deals.

Proform Carbon CX

• Belt Drive and Magnetic Resistance
• Tablet Stand
• Automatic Resistance 
• 16 Resistance Level using a dial
• iFit with Google maps integration
• Cost $599

Finally, we have the Proform Carbon CX, and this bike is the cheapest on this list, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t excellent. Coming in at 25% of the cost of the NordicTrack S27i, you don’t get a screen and have to use your own tablet, but you still get iFit and automatic resistance. 

It’s still got a belt drive and magnetic resistance system with 16 levels to challenge you as the rider. Many indoor cyclists start with a bike like this, which is either enough for them, or they upgrade to one of the bikes above. 

Comparing The Brands

Now for the fun bit, let’s start comparing these two brands against each other with their bikes. We have broken it down into subjects where we feel they differ. Here’s what you need to know:

Quality

The first thing to mention is quality, and both of these brands have a very high standard of bike. There’s no denying that. When it comes to NordicTrack, you are spending a lot more but getting incredible quality. The feedback from users is always incredible, and generally, very few of these bikes see returns. 

When it comes to Proform, you can’t fault the quality either. They are well renowned for making very solid bikes that last for years and years. We do notice that NordicTrack is just on a different level when it comes to quality, and there’s something about the finishing touches to the bike that offer something else. 

Design

Then we have the design, which is important because we want our bikes to look great and be functional. NordicTrack years ago was good when it came to design, but now they are great. We say this because each year or two, they are continually redesigning and updating their bikes, and now the design is great.

Proform, we feel, has always been on point with design. I firmly believe simplicity is key, and they have ticked the box on every bike. They look great, they work well, and although they could be better, they are very close. 

Cost

The cost will always be a big factor on interactive spinning bikes because there’s such a price difference between a budget bike and a high-end bike. When it comes to NordicTrack, you are spending a lot of money. They are some of the most expensive bikes, and then having the subscription on top doesn’t make them any cheaper. In our opinion, they are still good value for money as you get more features and exceptional quality. 

When it comes to Perform and the value for money, they cannot be matched by any other spinning bike brand currently. However, they might offer only some of the special features of the other bikes, such as the S27i. They offer much more than anyone else for what you’re spending, and deals like the free bike for 3 years iFit membership is incredible. 

Usability 

When discussing usability, we want a bike that can work for a wide range of users. As far as weight goes, the NordicTrack bike generally has a weight limit of 300 lbs, while the Proform generally only has 250 lbs. 

Then we have height, and ProForm bikes generally go from 5ft 4” to 6ft 4” and Nordictrack Bikes 5ft 1” to 6ft 5”. So there’s a lot of difference between the two, and NordicTrack bikes are much better when it comes to working with more people, which could be great for a family who is using it. 

Special Features

Then we have special features, and both offer some excellent features to add to the experience, but NordicTrack has to take the crown here. They have everything you could ever want, from auto resistance, screen fans, resistance push buttons, and a phone holder on some models. On top of that, the incline and decline motor on their bikes make the experience feel more realistic, and the instructor can even control it. 

Proform does tick the box when it comes to having features like auto resistance, and some models have buttons to change resistance, but they don’t have the number of features that NordicTrack does. The features can make a big difference to the experience you get on the bike, in our opinion.

Screens

The screens are a big part of an interactive spinning bike. Between these two brands, they have great screens, but it goes without saying NordicTrack is better. They have much bigger screens and, in recent years, have used new models that look better, respond quickly, and even have fans installed. 

The Proform bikes screens are still good, but generally, they are much smaller. The Carbon CX doesn’t even come with a screen; instead, you need to connect a tablet. This can save you a lot of money as the screens are a lot of what makes the NordicTrack bikes more expensive.

Warranty 

Finally, we have the warranty, and although you don’t want to have to use it, it’s important to know if you’re spending a lot of money, you have some security. On the NordicTrack, you currently get 10 years on the frame and 2 years on parts and labor. 

On the Proform bikes, you get 2 years on parts and labor. So overall, they both offer the same it’s very unlikely you will ever have any issue with a frame. We feel from both these companies it is a competitive warranty and actually more than most other spinning bike brands.

Which One Is For You?

We completely understand it can be very challenging to know what bike to choose. They are both excellent brands with so much to offer. 

Do you want the Nordictrack or the Proform?

If you’re looking for the best and have a large budget, you can’t get better than NordicTrack. The quality is incredible, and very few bikes offer the experience that the S series does. The screen is incredible, the rides are fantastic, and the auto resistance and incline and decline make every ride different and excite you for the next workout. This is the bike you want to get if you plan on riding 4 to 6 times a week. 

If you are not worried about having an all singing and all dancing bike and are looking for a spinning bike to jump on for a ride a few times a week, then the Proform is the better bike for you. You will still get a great experience, and the workout will be excellent, but it might offer less than the NordicTrack. Sometimes some cyclists do want to keep it simple, and we get that. 

A Final Note

Ultimately both NordicTrack and ProForm are owned by the same company but offer very different products. Whichever bike you may pick, you won’t make a mistake. They are both excellent and offer an incredible indoor cycling experience. Thanks for taking the time to read our article.