Echelon Stride Review (2023)

Released in 2020, the Echelon Stride treadmill is one of the newest interactive running machines on the market. There are a few reasons that it made my list of the best treadmills for home, namely because of its foldability and portability. I like its compact size for people in tight spaces, and I also like that although imperfect, it at least makes an attempt at imitating higher-end treadmills through its connectivity with an interactive app.

Want to learn more? Read on for our full Echelon Stride review.

Why You Should Trust Us

I’ve personally utilized close to three dozen machines and investigated dozens more with the Garage Gym Reviews crew. I’m familiar with industry treadmill standards and what you should expect based on your budget.

I conducted an in-depth Echelon Stride treadmill review to look at the way the Stride performs, its key features as well as some important things you need to know before you buy.

This included using the Echelon Stride on a daily basis, examining its motor capabilities, checking the deck for stability, and testing out some of the built-in workouts.

Echelon Stride

Echelon Fitness Stride

Functionality and technology meet intelligent design in the newest addition to the Echelon product family. Designed with convenience in-mind, the Echelon Stride features auto-fold technology to make heart-pumping workouts more accessible than ever before.

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A Quick Look at the Echelon Stride

The Echelon Stride is available in two models: The Stride and the Stride-S. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the Stride, which is the more budget-friendly option. The Stride-S comes with an interactive touchscreen, whereas the Stride just has a basic LCD console.

Is the Echelon Stride Treadmill Worth It?

By their very nature, treadmills are large machines. Thanks to its compact size and auto-fold technology, the Echelon Stride treadmill fits well in small spaces and home gyms. When folded in half, the Stride is just 10.25 inches deep. There are wheels on the front that make it incredibly easy to move around for easy storage. It does have a weaker motor, so this isn’t ideal for very serious, high-volume runners.

RELATED: Best Treadmill for Tall Runners

Echelon Stride Construction

Here’s everything you need to know about the Echelon Stride’s hardware.

Frame

The Echelon Stride has a steel deck with plastic parts. Usually plastic gives me pause because it means certain parts can crack and therefore decrease a piece of equipment’s durability. But the Stride feels solid during use and, if well cared for, should last for many years. Although small, it’s not shaky.

Deck

The Echelon Stride has a 20-inch wide by 55-inch long treadmill deck, which is shorter than most treadmills that usually have a 60-inch long deck. This shouldn’t matter for most users, but if you’re taller than the average home gym owner you may find that you can’t get into a good stride on it.

Motor

The 1.75 CHP (continuous horsepower) motor isn’t the strongest treadmill motor, but for a machine of this size, it gets the job done. It should be said that if you’re a serious runner who plans on using this everyday then you should probably find something with a stronger motor.

Echelon Stride Treadmill Functionality

Assembly

A huge perk of the Stride is that it basically comes completely assembled (when you’re unboxing and assembling equipment every day like me, this is a huge perk.) Getting it out of the box is the hardest part. Even that’s really not so bad if you use a blade to cut through the tape and unfold the box around the machine. The only thing you have to do is unfold the arms, which is simple, and plug in the emergency stop.

All in, it took me less than 10 minutes from when I started cutting into the box to when it was ready to go. I will say that the machine itself is about 156 pounds, so it could require two people to move it out of the box.

Footprint and Portability

The Stride is a leader in treadmills when it comes to being the best compact exercise equipment. When unfolded, it is 69.3 inches long by 31 inches wide by 49.2 inches tall. Note: That does mean a smaller running surface that’s more accommodating to shorter strides (pun intended.) The belt on the Stride is just 55 inches long. Taller people are usually more comfortable with a 60-inch running deck.

This is a folding treadmill. However, unlike other treadmills that fold, this one doesn’t just have a lifted deck. The Stride folds up extremely easily with the deck going into a totally vertical position, making the machine’s footprint just 10.25 inches deep (so the dimensions become 69.3 × 31 × 10.25).

Folding and unfolding is simple. To fold the machine up, you have to fold the console down. Then, at the bottom of the handlebars are a pair of red buttons that you push to bring the handles flat against the uprights. Next, you just step on a lever along the left side of the machine, and the treadmill takes it from there.

Durability

At just 156 pounds, this is pretty lightweight compared to other machines. I had no problem folding the Stride and moving it around my space. It gets an A+ from me for portability.

On the downside, the motor only has 1.75 continuous horsepower. I really like to see at least a 3.0 CHP rating on treadmill motors for a few reasons. First, higher-powered motors are better for people who run frequently, as in more than a few times a week. Second, a weaker motor means the machine usually doesn’t withstand heavier people. Lastly, stronger motors break down less often and require less maintenance than weaker motors.

The Stride has a max user weight of 300 pounds. However, you have to keep in mind that with a CHP of just 1.75 on that motor, you’re better off buying this machine if you are lighter in weight and don’t plan on heavy use.

Conveniences

This is one area where the Stride is a little lacking for those that care about these sorts of things. Some treadmills in this price range are really tricked out in that they have every convenience you can imagine. The Stride features two water bottle holders as well as a media shelf for your phone or smart device.

Technology

The Stride doesn’t have the fancy touchscreen that you’ll find on treadmills in higher-pricing tiers. Instead, you have a basic panel that shows all your workout metrics, like time, speed and distance. I like that you can control the incline through a button on the handlebar instead of having to reach up to the console. (This is kind of similar to how Peloton put knobs on the Tread handlebars to adjust speed and incline, which is one of my favorite features of that treadmill.)

Although you need to use your own device to stream your workouts (or movies), there is a USB port on the Stride for charging.

A heart rate monitoring strap is included with your purchase. Using Bluetooth, you connect the strap to the machine for your readout. This was an easy process and in comparing my heart rate on my Fitbit with the heart rate on the Stride, the strap seemed accurate.

Echelon Fit App

Before we dive into the app, here’s what you need to know: You have to have your own phone or tablet to use the app. The treadmill itself will sync up with the app via Bluetooth once you get going. This is one reason the Stride is cheaper than treadmills from Bowflex or Proform or NordicTrack: Essentially, you save a few bucks by providing your own technology.

RELATED: Proform Pro 9000 Review

Now, on to the app:

Like many other top brands, Echelon Fitness has developed an interactive programming platform. The Stride connects to Echelon United, which features thousands of on-demand workouts. These include running classes as well as yoga and total body workouts.

The instructor-led running classes feature a coach on a Stride guiding you through the workout, telling you when to increase your speed and/or incline, which you have to do manually. You can choose between live classes and on-demand classes.

This is a great function, though it does pale in comparison to the Peloton Tread and iFit-enabled connected treadmills like the NordicTrack Commercial 1750, which auto-adjust incline and speed for you. Also, all the Echelon United workouts are just studio classes, whereas Peloton and iFit actually take you on a journey somewhere scenic. However, Echelon United does offer leaderboards like those other brands do.

RELATED: NordicTrack Commercial 1750

There are three options for purchasing the Echelon United membership (buying a subscription actually leads to a reduction in the cost of the Stride itself, which is usually priced at just over $1,300):

Incline Range

Despite its small size, the Echelon Stride Treadmill will slope to a 12 percent incline. Hill action helps you build muscle in your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps while walking or running. You may change up your exercise with different inclination levels for more variation and greater conditioning. Because it avoids overuse injuries and maintains muscular balance, variability is a vital aspect of every training program. Walking uphill burns more calories than walking on a flat path since it is more challenging.

Noise Level

Even while jogging quickly, the Echelon Stride belt slides effortlessly across the deck and isn’t overly noisy. Because of the extra cushioning, the belt produces less track noise.

Motor

A 1.75 horsepower engine powers the Echelon Stride Treadmill. This isn’t the most powerful motor, but it’s barely noticeable when walking or running.

Running on the Echelon Stride Treadmill

I was prepared for a really shaky run on the Stride. With a 1.75 CHP motor and with such a lightweight machine, I expected it to feel like a cheap treadmill, but it really doesn’t.

The Stride has a max speed of 12 miles per hour and a max incline of 10%. I tested the extremes on these, and even then, the machine really doesn’t shake much. The belt isn’t very cushioned, so I’d rank this on the lower end in terms of comfort.

I also decided to see what the machine would be like without using the app. There are eight built-in treadmill workouts, like hills and intervals. So really, if you don’t want to pay for a subscription, you don’t have to. The machine would work just fine without it. At that point, what you’re paying for is a small size and compact nature of the Stride.

Warranty and Returns

The warranty on the Echelon Stride treadmill is just one year. This is well below industry standard, as even the warranties that I would rate as “subpar” would cover the frame alone for at least five years. Echelon Fitness offers the ability for you to purchase a three-year extended warranty for $150. It may be worth it, given the weaker motor and already manageable price point for this machine.

When it comes to returns, you have a 30-day window to try out the Stride. However, to be eligible, you have to return the treadmill in brand new condition and send it back in the original box with the manual and charger. You will have to pay a $100 restocking fee.

You may be able to return the Stride after that 30-day window, but you’ll sacrifice an additional $100 return fee.

Final Verdict

The Echelon Stride treadmill is priced correctly for what it offers.

My takeaways:

• The interactive programming is beneficial but doesn’t quite compare with the Peloton

• Incredibly easy assembly

• Great for those who want a treadmill that is easily stored and moved around (check out the Best Compact Treadmills if this is especially important to you)

• Not great for those who plan on logging 20+ running miles a week

Full Rating

Echelon Stride

The Echelon Stride is a great treadmill for people looking for an interactive machine that is easy to build, store, and move around.

Product Currency: USD

Product Price: 1599

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
4.3

Echelon Stride Review FAQs

Cooper Mitchell

Cooper is a graduate of Missouri State University with a degree in Finance. He found his love for fitness while training for hockey, a sport he played with various teams throughout his career, including Lindenwood University, St. Louis AAA Blues, and the St. Louis Jr. Blues. At IFP, Cooper focuses on the training layout and client experience. In addition to co-owning Intentional Fitness & Performance, Cooper runs the website and associated channels for Garage Gym Reviews. When not eating tacos or staring at a screen, Cooper can be found with his Wife Mollie, son Ezra, and dog ‘famous’ Amos.

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