Why You Can Trust CNET Best Buy Has Some Killer Deals on NordicTrack and Bowflex Exercise Bikes
At $800, the NordicTrack Commercial S15i is $500 off, while the Bowflex C7 is down to only $350 or 50% off.
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The NordicTrack Commercial S15i.
As part of its Black Friday in July sale, Best Buy is discounting a number of electronics items, and we're highlighting some of the best deals. But we'd be remiss not to point out a couple of deals on indoor exercise bikes we've spotted, the best of which may be the NordicTrack Commercial S15i, which retails for $1,300 but is now down to $800, a $500 savings. Bowflex's C7 bike is also on sale for $350 or half off its list price of $700.
What's a little confusing is that the NordicTrack Commercial S15i Studio Cycle is also available -- it retails for $1,600 but is on sale for $960. That model is the older NTEX05119 while the cheaper one ($800) is the updated NTEX05121. The two models are nearly identical but the NTEX05121 includes a DC lift motor and an added Bluetooth Smart HR Receiver.
Read more: Best Exercise Bike for 2022
NordicTrack latest model is the NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle ($1,500). It's the same bike but has a larger 22-inch screen. Both it and the S15i models are at their best when you combine them with NordicTrack's iFit streaming fitness service ($300 a year) that allows you to follow re-creations of real-world bike routes and even ride famed stages of the Tour de France. The key advantage of these NordicTrack bikes is the integrated lift mechanism that simulates hill riding.
The Bowflex C7 also has a similar sibling, the C6, which Bowflex sells for $1,000 but is on sale for $900 or $100 off. I've used the C6 and it's a really solid exercise bike with quiet, smooth operation and 40-pound flywheel. Interestingly, the thing that people fault the C7 for is the integration of a small 7-inch HD touchscreen (operation is a bit sluggish) that runs Bowflex's JRNY subscription streaming fitness service, a year of which is included and costs $150 a year thereafter.
The Bowflex C7 in action.
With the C6, you can use your own tablet to run the JRNY service (a stand is integrated into the design), and most people seem to prefer that option. However, the bike is the same. So with the C6 you're actually paying more to get less. That may be better for some, but if you can live with that 7-inch screen, that $350 price tag is hard to beat and the lowest price we've seen for the C7.