Elliptical Trainer - Octane Fitness Q35
Octane only make elliptical trainers. The Octane Q35 was the first
home model made. This has subsequently been followed by the Q37
and Q45.
Octane elliptical trainers are noted for a more natural feeling
than other top elliptical trainer brands, such as the Precor. This
is due to its proprietary Body-Mapping Ergonomics and the QuadLink
drive for a natural, smooth, total-body motion. Octane also made
three Commercial models - Pro350, Pro3500 and Pro4500.
The Octane has received a number of consumer and industry awards
including:
Best Recommendation
Definitely the best ergonomic designed elliptical trainer.
Octane Q35 Best Features
- Ride Performance - awesome liquid-smooth feel,
great body/feet positioning, and ver very natural stride make
this a very quiet, very comfortable workout.
- Compact size – its small footprint makes
it very home gym friendly.
- Natural feel – has an auto stride adjust
to give a running feel [without the jarring]. The width of the
stance is more natural also, being narrower than most elliptical
trainers.
Octane Q35 Worst Features
- Quality - Early quality issues with the Q35
have improved in later models. See User Tips section below for
issues experienced. Check these have been resolved on subsequent
models and be wary of purchasing second hand Q35's.
- Monitor - very basic for the price paid. The
readouts are not as interesting to watch as monitors on other
more expensive machines. It provides the basics: Calories, calories/hour,
distance, pace, heart rate, and time.
- Weight - Very heavy, so make sure they deliver
if for you. Heavy is good for larger bodies.
Features
-
Weight - 255 lbs. Handles larger size bodies
effortlessly.
- Level of resistance - the lowest level is significantly
higher than that of other ellipticals. This provides a good challenge
at the lowest resistance levels; giving a good progression path
forward.
- Close pedal spacing - closest in the industry
at 1.8”, your comfort is ensured since the hips don’t
have to shift laterally and tax the lower back.
- Wireless remote heart monitor chest strap - stays in place
and works perfectly.
- User Profile Customisation - My QuickStart
supports two customized user profiles [body weight, age, starting
resistance level, and exercise program]. Assigned to two buttons
on the console. One touch and you are off on your favorite workout,
no programming needed.
- Random program mode [X-Mode] cycles through
all the various exercise programs in random sequence. Good for
breaking the monotony of your standard routine.
- Glute Kicker mode - this one hurts, so it works!
- Ten program modes: five regular programs [manual
pace, random, interval, hill, and run-simulation], and five heart
rate programs [fat burn, cardio, heart rate interval, heart rate
hill, and heart rate speed interval].
- On the fly changes to programs, resistance,
and time as many times as you like during workouts.
- Very small footprint - fits any room with a
lower step-up height than most elliptical trainers. This makes
is very easy getting on and off, which is a bonus for those with
hip or knee problems.
- Warranty - one year on labor, three years on
parts, and lifetime on frame
Download
fact sheet for Home models: Q35, Q37 and Q45
Download
fact sheet for Commercial models: Pro350, Pro3500, Pro4500
User Experiences
It's more expensive than other models, but its motion felt smoother
and more stable than anything else we tried.
After trying 3 other ellipticals at home [all the lower-priced
ones broke after 9-12 months of use]. This machine is expensive,
but the value for the money makes it a great investment in a machine
that should work well for many years.
The machine is very sturdy, stable, and has a very natural stride.
Both the footpedals and moving handlebars feel very comfortable
during a short or long [over 60 mins] workout. The footpedals are
closer together than any other machine, so the stride feels very
natural. The elliptical angle doesn't put any stress on my knees,
unlike many other ellipticals. The movement is incredibly smooth
and silent. It has the liquid-smooth feel of a Precor machine, without
all the noise or knee pressure.
The machine has a good range of resistance, so it can be easy to
use for a beginner and can also be "dialed up" to provide
a more vigorous workout. The "trainer" mode provides a
great change of pace to a workout routine, where the screen prompts
the user to use different muscle groups (pushing the bars, pulling
the bars, forward, backward, squat). The heart-rate monitor works
very well for a balanced heart rate workout -- I only wish that
they had a hand-contact monitor rather than the chest strap monitor.
The machine is almost silent in use. It is so quiet that I don't
have to turn up the TV volume while watching TV and working out
at the same time.
I like the workout better than with the gym ellipticals Precor,
LifeFitness, and Reebok.
I purchased this machine after trying out several machines both
higher and lower in price. This machine is very solid and quiet.
It provides a good workout and is easy to use and quite comfortable.
I have a very bad knee and the low impact of this machine doesn't
bother my knee at all.
It has the foot pads a little closer together than some other ellipticals
which makes for a more natural stride. The stride is a little longer.
The heal comes up on the back stroke making for a more stable ride.
It is easy to get onto which is important for my 5'1" wife,
but it also handles my 5'11" stride with ease.
Have done NO maintenance on it and it feels like the day they delivered
it.
Easy to get on. More natural stride. Stable. Good heal support.
You can try the Octane Commercial Models at a number of gyms and
health clubs - Click
here for directory
User Tips
Noise - Machine started whisper quiet and smooth.
6 Months later it has loud movement sounds with rotation and one
foot petal developed a side to side wobble. Technical unable to
fix or diagnose. Disappointing for a $2,100 unit.
Does not hold up under heavy use - Used two out
of every three days for 50 minutes each day (8-9 miles). Use a Stairmaster
4600 on alternate training days (every third). Q35 has does not
stand up to a stout workout regimen.
Poor quality of some components – Emits
a loud grind/squeak noise from the right pedal rail area. Tried
replacing the right wheel assemblies, then the right pedal lever
and then the chrome rail assembly. The only part left to change
is the rail assembly. Octane personnel have been supportive in quickly
sending parts but there are only a few qualified techs to repair
it, so you are it!.
Inoperable within two weeks of purchase - replaced
by another unit. The second unit developed a clunking noise after
6 months of light use. Two service calls later, one of which took
2 weeks to get a replacement part for the resistance mechanism and
the second to fix a mislocated belt preventing the pedals from working,
left us without use of the machine for nearly a month.
QuickStart feature - program for setting two different
users is not working properly. The setting for the first user keeps
overriding the settings for the second user.
Clanking Noise - Two weeks into ownership a metallic
CLANK developed inside the guts of the machine with every revolution.
The technician diagnosed a loose connection at the axle that goes
through the main flywheel where it connects to the left pivot arm.
He tightened up the axle, but 10 minutes of use after he left and
the CLANK reappeared. The store sent out a brand new one to replace
it within 48 hours. No problems thus far with the replacement.
Octane Website
NB: Known issues of elliptical trainers are only those experienced
by individual users are are not necessarily and indication of poor
quality on all units. They are included here purely as a guide as
to likely problems with tips on how to remedy.
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