NordicTrack GX 3.9 Review

NordicTrack make some fantastic cardio equipment, their 2021 line of products are looking like they’ll actually compete with Peloton, Echelon & offer the ultimate coaching experience. However, that range of equipment isn’t the most suitable for those shopping on a budget, even I don’t have £1,000+ to spend on a cardio machine.

The exercise bike in their range that took my eye was the GX 3.9, which is undoubtedly an affordable machine for everyone. In this post, I’ll be looking at this & reviewing it against it’s ‘older’ brother, to see if it actually packs a decent punch for the cost.

01/01/2021 Important Update
Notice from Tom – HGR Team:
NordicTrack have received quite a few bad reviews in the last 6 months, to the point where I would now advise against this exercise bike. There seems to be a new king in town, JLL and the IC400 Pro. I would definitely recommend you taking a look at their offerings, as they are receiving lots of 5 Star Reviews… and their bikes are priced more competitively!
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JLL IC400 PRO Indoor Cycling Exercise Bike, Direct Belt Driven 22kg Flywheel,...

Last update was on: September 18, 2024 6:49 pm

Without hesitation, let’s get into this NordicTrack GX 3.9 Review & learn more about this exercise bike.

Are you looking for an Indoor Exercise bike which offers an immersive experience, whilst not breaking the bank? I can’t stress how important that equipment cost is and the NordicTrack GX3.9 definitely ticks the boxes for being good value.

NordicTrack GX3.9 Exercise Bike

A Fantastic Indoor Cycle
initial thoughts
Although this is a solid exercise bike, I was really looking forward to testing an iFit compatible bike. Let’s be honest though, you won’t find a bike with this spec for sub-£700… yet alone £399. I actually really like the design of this bike, the Matte Silver & Black colours won’t look out of place in any home gym.

  • Upright Exercise Bike
  • 18kg Flywheel
  • Adjust the Resistance easily with the Quick Release Knob
  • Maximum User Weight: 115kg
  • Vertical Adustable Non-Slip Multi-Position Handlebar
  • Weight: 45kg
  • Safe Transports with Front Mounted Wheels
  • Dimensions – 118L x 53W x 107H cm
  • 2 Year Warranty (Parts and Labour)
  • 5 Year Frame Warranty (Once Registered with NordicTrack)

NordicTrack GX3.9 Exercise Bike Review

In-Depth Review

Founded in 1975, NordicTrack began manufacturing Ski equipment. They quickly expanded to other fitness equipment, where they soon found their segment with Cardiovascular machines. Now, they are owned by Icon Fitness, a huge player in the fitness game. They own iFit, NordicTrack, Proform Fitness & Weider to name a few.

The equipment that NordicTrack produced is designed specifically for home use, with ease of use the centre of their focus. Their equipment ranges from £399 to £3,499. Today, we are focusing on the GX3.9 which is their £399 model.

Sitting just short of 120cm long, the GX3.9 is a good sized bike, compact enough for your home gym requirements. It supports a 115kg maximum weight, which means it’s adequate for most. If there’s enough weight allowance left, you could also add a weighted vest into your workout for even more resistance.

That may be overkill though, as the 18kg flywheel should offer sufficient resistance for you when exercising. I was quite surprised by the 18kg flywheel, as most bikes with this size are over £700. You would expect one of the biggest brands to follow suit, but it appears they’re breaking barriers down with this exercise bike.

I’m left scratching my head with this one, as I’m looking for where they’ve managed to cut down on costs. The gel padded seat is comfortable enough for your workout needs, albeit not comfortable enough to the point where you’ll consider selling your sofa. The same seat also adjusts horizontally, aswell as vertically which means that all heights have been taken into consideration.

What this system does lack, is what makes it hundreds of pounds cheaper. The presence of a physical integrated display is the reason why this bike is priced so competitively. Other models like the GX4.9 have an in-built, pretty looking display console whilst the GX4.6 pro has the complete iFit experience.

The GX3.9 has a less pretty looking, battery assisted LCD console, which offers calories, distance, odometer, scan, speed and time readings. This is the only let down, but I can’t say that I expected a higher quality device or the bike would’ve been £599, instead of £399.

The 18kg flywheel will offer an immersive experience, making this a fantastic alternative for when you can’t hit the tarmac on your road bike. Typically, the heavier a flywheel, the smoother the performance. NordicTrack thought of everything even with this lower end model, supplying the pedals with toe cages & straps to secure your feet in place.

I think for £399 it’s a great exercise bike for beginners, or someone who needs to put in a few hours cardio per week. It’s priced very well & the competitors in this price range are less-known bikes, whereas with this you get the NordicTrack engineering excellence.

If you are a more seasoned cyclist, you may want to consider the below table as we compare various bikes that NordicTrack offer, including the vital differences.

How does it compare?

Comparison
Exercise BikeMy Rating (/5)Flywheel WeightMax. WeightCostScreen Type
NordicTrack GX3.9 – Best Cheap Exercise Bike4.818kg115kg£399.99Basic LCD Console
NordicTrack GX4.6 Pro – Best All Rounder4.911kg Inertia-Enhanced130kg£799iFit Compatible 7″ Touchscreen
NordicTrack Grand Tour Pro – Best Expensive Exercise Bike4.97kg170kg£1,499iFit Compatible 10″ Touchscreen

2 Comments
  1. have a new 3.9 sport model, however the console will not display in kilometers no matter what I try, any idea’s?

    • Hi Jim,
      Have you tried this?

      For an elliptical or bike press the RESISTANCE UP arrow button to take you to ENG2. Press the ENTER button. Now press the START button, the display will change between Miles and KM (Kilometers). Once it is displaying the desired output, press and hold the STOP button for 3-5 seconds to exit the menu.

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