The NordicTrack X24 Bike is an iFIT-connected studio bike with a 24-inch pivoting touchscreen and a frame that tilts from a -10% decline to a 20% incline. OutdoorGearLab scored it 85 out of 100 and named it its best overall exercise bike, Treadmill Review Guru gave it an overall score of 89, and Garage Gym Reviews rated it 4.6 out of 5. All three praise the incline rides and the screen. The reservations are practical ones: it ships in a 205-pound box and is hard to move, most of its features need a $39-per-month iFIT membership, and OutdoorGearLab reports that its test bikes arrived with screens that did not work, followed by a poor customer service experience.
Full review
Incline, decline and ride feel
The X24's distinguishing feature is a front support arm that raises and lowers the bike. OutdoorGearLab found that the changing geometry moves effort from the quadriceps toward the hamstrings and glutes on climbs, and that the bike does a good job of simulating hills even though it measured the range as not quite the advertised -10% to 20%. Garage Gym Reviews' tester called the incline and decline range probably the biggest she has tested.
OutdoorGearLab noticed a small amount of flex in the incline joint, most obvious out of the saddle, but still judged the bike stable enough for all-out sprints. It describes the 24 resistance steps as very gradual and the handlebar buttons as conveniently placed but vague in feedback. Its power readings were generally within 10% of a Garmin reference.
iFIT, the screen and what it costs
All three reviews treat iFIT as the reason to buy this bike. OutdoorGearLab praises the production quality of the on-location rides and the SmartAdjust feature, which changes resistance, incline and fan speed to follow the trainer. The 24-inch screen also runs Netflix and Prime Video and pivots for off-bike strength and yoga classes.
The membership is a separate cost. OutdoorGearLab and Garage Gym Reviews both put it at $39 a month, and Treadmill Review Guru lists limited features without iFIT as an area for improvement. OutdoorGearLab also notes that iFIT workouts cannot be fast-forwarded or rewound.
Fit and comfort
OutdoorGearLab measured 13.5 inches of seat height adjustment, 2 inches of fore and aft saddle travel and 5.5 inches of handlebar height, none of it indexed, so riders can stop at any point. The handlebar does not adjust for reach, which was a problem for one of its testers with a short torso.
Opinions on the saddle differ. OutdoorGearLab's testers had no complaints about it, while Garage Gym Reviews' tester said she would not want to ride it for a long time and scored ergonomics 4 out of 5.
Setup, weight and reliability
OutdoorGearLab assembled the bike in about 45 minutes but used a pallet jack to move the 205-pound box, and points out that there is no handle at the rear for lifting. Garage Gym Reviews scored footprint and portability 3 out of 5, and Treadmill Review Guru lists the weight as a drawback.
OutdoorGearLab's main reservation is quality control: it says this was the second touchscreen NordicTrack bike it tested that arrived with a screen that did not work, and that the hours spent with customer service left a bad impression. It still preferred the experience on the X24 to any other bike it has tested.
Strengths
- +Frame tilts from -10% decline to 20% incline, adjusted automatically during iFIT rides
- +24-inch pivoting HD touchscreen with Netflix and Prime Video access
- +24 levels of quiet magnetic resistance
- +350 lb weight capacity
- +Two-sided pedals for SPD cleats or regular shoes
Watch-outs
- −Heavy and difficult to move; ships in a 205-pound box (OutdoorGearLab)
- −OutdoorGearLab received bikes with non-working screens and rates NordicTrack's customer service poorly
- −Limited features without the $39-per-month iFIT membership (Treadmill Review Guru)
How it compares
The NordicTrack X24 Bike and the Peloton Cross Training Bike+ are the two bikes on this page with a built-in class touchscreen: 24 inches on the X24 and 23.8 inches on the Peloton. At $1,999.99 on NordicTrack's site the X24 lists below the $2,695 Peloton and above the $799 Schwinn IC4. Its 350 lb rider limit is higher than the Peloton's 297 lbs, the IC4's 330 lbs and the Yosuda's 270 lbs. It offers 24 resistance levels against 100 on the Peloton and the IC4, and none of the other three entries lists a powered incline.
Rating sources
Counts as 4.71/5 in our score — this publisher's 149 scores on the site average 3.69, so its scores are adjusted up to compare fairly with other publishers.
Counts as 4.38/5 in our score — this publisher's 4 scores on the site average 4.34, so its scores are adjusted down to compare fairly with other publishers.
Counts as 4.63/5 in our score — this publisher's 50 scores on the site average 4.14, so its scores are adjusted up to compare fairly with other publishers.
Our 4.6 score is the average of these published ratings, each adjusted for how strictly its publisher scores. More about methodology.
