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Review: NordicTrack Fusion CST wins w/ power-based strength training for cyclists

NordicTrack Fusion CST home gym review and tech details
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Among serious cyclists, power is the key metric by which we measure our performance and gains. It’s easily quantifiable, easy to measure (with power meters getting cheaper by the minute), and easy to see how you’re progressing. But when we hit the weights in the winter, those pound and kilogram numbers force us to measure something else entirely. The new NordicTrack Fusion CST changes all that, providing flywheel-based resistance that shows your output in watts.

NordicTrack Fusion CST home gym review and tech details NordicTrack Fusion CST home gym review and tech details

I’ve been testing the Fusion CST for a couple months, combining it with body weight movements and some riding (it’s been pretty cold, and without specific goals, it’s hard for me to stay motivated on the trainer). The machine combines strength and cardio training with video-based personal coaching to provide total body conditioning, something many cyclists ignore as they focus purely on on-the-bike speed and endurance.

The flywheel combines with magnetic resistance, letting you change the resistance to match your strength or needs. At the highest setting, 12 full-effort jump squats makes for a great set. Switch to single leg efforts to make it harder. It doesn’t replace a 300lb deadlift (what does, really?), but it’s more than enough to work your muscles over. Stepping further away from the machine makes it harder, and the cables are a very generous 95″ (2.41m) long.

For smaller muscle groups, it’s plenty of resistance. For exercises like rows, pull downs, shoulder press and flys, it’s easy to go from repping it out with what feels like a 5lb dumbbell to slow motion, full strength paddling a webbed glove through cement. The downside is there’s no negative resistance, so all of your workout is coming from the concentric motion.

Three sets of handles offer a variety of angles. The machine comes with a poster showing moves that target every major muscle group, most in several ways. That’s key to hit things from different angles to avoid developing muscular imbalances…which can happen if all you do are pushups, pullups and abs. I speak from experience, and such things take time and work to correct. So I really like the variety the Fusion CST offers. Resistance is changed by pushing a +/- button, so it takes just seconds to switch between moves.

The design also makes it very kid friendly. Because if you have kids, you know they’re going to mess with it. I’ve got my kids actually working out on it and they think it’s fun.

MAKING WORKOUTS EASY. AND FUN.

NordicTrack Fusion CST Portal workout app with subscription based programming

One of the stumbling blocks for people who have never worked out before is that they don’t know how to workout. If you don’t know where to start when it comes to weight training, the partner app iFit Coach and $15/month subscription service has more than 50 different workouts, with new ones being added regularly. That not only keeps it interesting, but it lets you pick and choose based on your goals. Or pick a training plan and it’ll select the workouts for you each day. Most are 20-30 minutes, with some shorter ones and some longer ones.

iFit Coach app shows you how to perform full body exercises

The videos show you how to do each exercise in real time. Different coaches have different personalities, but all of the ones I’ve tried seem to do a good job of explaining the movement and offering safe alternatives if they’re too hard or you’re unable to perform them.

Once selected, the included 10″ Portal tablet (which is basically a customized Android tablet on which you can download other normal apps to, too) syncs with the Fusion CST via Bluetooth to control the resistance throughout the workout. As does an included Bluetooth heart rate strap.

NordicTrack Fusion CST home gym review and tech details

The workouts are good. Initially I was not excited about trying them, but after running through a variety of them, I’m a fan. Here’s why: Even though I have some specific workouts and movements I like to do on some days, the videos fill in to keep it fresh on other days. And they force me to work harder, faster and longer than I probably otherwise would. Same for Kristi. Because they move quick, they keep both of us engaged for the duration.

THINGS THAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Overall the equipment is great and I recommend it highly. These are just a few small nitpicks: I wish the resistance could go a little higher. The lack of negative resistance will be a turnoff for body builders, but seriously, who among the cycling crowd is really trying to get huge? The only real drawbacks are with the app’s user interface. During a workout, you can pause it, but there’s no way to rewind it. The instructions move quickly, and it’s easy to miss their tutorial while you’re getting set up. It could also use a search function, making it easier to find, say, all workouts for a certain body part.

Lastly, there’s only one login/account per subscription…which means for a family, you’ll need to pony up for the $39/month family plan if you want to track everybody individually. Personally, I don’t mind if Kristi’s workout data mixes with mine. I know what I did, she knows what she did. But, if you pay up front for a year’s family subscription, you get a free set of NordicTrack Speedweight adjustable dumbbells ($399 MSRP) and iFit Vue activity tracking wearable ($129 MSRP). Individual subscriptions come with only the Vue when paid annually.

PRICING & DELIVERY

the best home gym for cyclists and endurance athletes

Current retail is $1,599 and includes the Fusion CST main unit with built-in tablet holder, a separate freestanding tablet stand, six handles, two ankle straps, the Portal 10″ Android tablet, Bluetooth HR strap, power cord, and workout poster. They offer several financing options that bundle 18 to 36 months of iFit Coach Premium subscription and a 3-year extended warranty into the price.

NordicTrack Fusion CST white glove home delivery and assembly review
White Glove delivery lets you pick the room it goes in and have it professionally assembled and set up for you.

Base price includes delivery to the curb. They offer in-home delivery for $99 more, and full white glove in-home assembly, set up and packaging removal for $249. They sent it to us with the latter service, which is awesome because it’s big. And super heavy. As in, really, really heavy and you’ll need a hand truck to move it. One caveat: Make sure they get all of the parts out of the box…ours was missing the tablet, which we think was simply overlooked in the unpacking process (they promptly sent a replacement).

A PERFECT COMPLEMENT TO RIDING?

NordicTrack Fusion CST home gym review and tech details
The wide variety of workouts means there’s something for everyone and every fitness level.

As much as Crossfit might promote muscular endurance, doing jump squats and lunges won’t make up for time on the bike. But, despite using the Fusion a lot and riding less, I did manage to get 3rd, 4th and 5th places in some of my cyclocross races. And I’m feeling stronger on the bike than my riding hours would explain. Building strength means you’re using a smaller percentage of your available output on each pedal stroke, so while my endurance might not match a real racer’s, my max power output isn’t too bad. So I can hang on group rides.

The other benefit to cyclists is that you can add real resistance to non-forward-linear movements. Or work your hamstrings. The Fusion CST makes it easy to do lateral hip work and leg curls, two things that are underworked during cycling. Again, muscular imbalances are bad, m’kay? This fixes them.

While you don’t neeeed the iFit Coach subscription to use the Fusion CST, it really does turn the equipment into a legitimate cross training platform. At $15 per month, this could be your 2nd sub behind Zwift, The Sufferfest or TrainerRoad. If you’re investing in cycling training, it’s worth investing in total body conditioning for you and your family, too, right?

Most of all, what we (as a family) like about the NordicTrack Fusion CST is how quick, easy and fun it makes to get a solid workout. Definitely worth a look if your idea of fitness goes beyond the bike, especially if you really, really don’t want to go to a gym.

NordicTrack.com

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22 Comments
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terp
terp
6 years ago

not a bike

Robin
Robin
6 years ago
Reply to  terp

Congratulations. You answered correctly. Please note that judges also would have accepted the following answers: jelly bean; lemur; tesseract; and Eleanor Roosevelt.

ChrisC
ChrisC
6 years ago
Reply to  Robin

Also: “Cottage Cheese”, “4”, “Who are three people who have never been in my living room”, and “the number Q”

AK_Ben
AK_Ben
6 years ago
Reply to  terp

“Check out the big brains on @terp! You a smart motherf***er!”
(Credit Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson)

Jeff Scott
Jeff Scott
6 years ago

Not a bike.

Douglas McSaladbath
Douglas McSaladbath
6 years ago

Really just looks stunning in the home too. Blends right in…

JBikes
JBikes
6 years ago

The fact that people don’t know how to work out in the most basic form (running and weights) makes me sad. It really says something about our culture.

I don’t expect everyone to be an athlete, but basic strength training and gym coaching (for running, sprinting, etc) should be mandatory through high school (maybe it still is?)
Kids can be cruel though and those that are less corrdinated tend to remove themselves which is likely the group that will benefit the most, long term, from good coaching and learning/realizing the beauty of maintaining fitness and your human body. It’s easily the most amazing overall “machine” I’ve ever known in overall ability and to not use it is sad.

Robin
Robin
6 years ago
Reply to  JBikes

Where in this article does it say or indicate that people don’t know how to work out in the most basic form? Where does it say that running and weight lifting are the only acceptable forms of exercise? Is this something we’re supposed to be judging people on?

JBikes
JBikes
6 years ago
Reply to  Robin

“One of the stumbling blocks for people who have never worked out before is that they don’t know how to workout”

I’m not judging anyone and that is not the intent. Neither are those the only acceptable forms of exercise but running is the most basic human movement besides walking and lifting a weight is the same…both require little to no equipment and can be taught to anyone regardless of ability or income. The physical and mental skills learned by simple exercise coaching lasts a lifetime with far reaching benefits and wide application to other sport/exercise. It’s why adults encourage sports in kids even if we know they won’t be Olympians/pros or anywhere close to that ability.

JBikes
JBikes
6 years ago
Reply to  JBikes

And obviously certain disabilities will prevent running…but we have and should encourage sports in those adolescents too as they benefit the same.

It’s not judging, the use and ability to use your able body is a gift which shouldn’t be wasted.

james valiensi
james valiensi
6 years ago

The green wall makes me sad…

Eggs Benedict a.k.a Darth Baller
Eggs Benedict a.k.a Darth Baller
6 years ago
Reply to  james valiensi

I like the green wall.

But what’s with all the bike crap you have lying all around the room? Are you into cycling or something?

T number One
T number One
6 years ago
Reply to  james valiensi

The green wall makes me happy. How about that hardwood floor? It looks impeccably clean!

James
James
6 years ago

While I understand the reasoning behind this product, I can’t help but think about cost benefits of doing all the same exercises in the gym for $10 – $20 a month using the cable machines and whatnot. Plus one can also do those 300lb deadlifts which are not exactly substitutable with a machine.

Gerald
Gerald
6 years ago
Reply to  James

Where can you find a gym membership for $10 a month? Did you time travel here from the year 1989?

onrhodes
6 years ago
Reply to  Gerald

Planet Fitness….usually run a $99 a year thing right around the start of the year.

networkman
networkman
6 years ago

Maybe if you used the other workout equipment you have lying around you would be in shape already. You also have the nicest shop floor I’ve ever seen. Ninja Turtles on the wall for motivation ??

Fred Gravelly
Fred Gravelly
6 years ago

BR, would you like to do a story on the weed I (may or may not) have for sale? It enhances almost every bicycle ride and it helps you not worry about things like watts, ceramic pulleys or the latest gravel specific shoe-lace. One of the stumbling blocks for people who don’t partake is that they don’t know how to lighten up

BT
BT
6 years ago

Sweet ninja turtle pictures!

Christian Messerschmidt
Christian Messerschmidt
5 years ago

Hey there,
totally agree with your assessment, as a lifetime runner, I had always neglected this aspect of training because of the imbalances and lack of motivation to stick to a regime as well as fear of injury from free weights, this is a revelation for me, really like it a lot. as for the inflated subscription prices, I was grandfathered into my basic ifit subscription from my wife’s elliptical which brings the price down big time. best piece of equipment ever.

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