Looking for an elliptical bike? You have probably noticed that there are 2 different designs on the market. These designs are based on the location of the main steering wheel.

Front-wheel drive elliptical trainers have the steering wheel positioned in front of the pedals and under the console. Rear-wheel drive ellipticals will have the steering wheel located behind or behind the pedals.

Which is the best?

Well, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive “best” design, they just are different. So which style is “best” is really up to you. But here are some things to know about each to help you decide:

Front-wheel drive elliptical trainers

Front-wheel drive elliptical trainers tend to give you a steeper elliptical path, similar to a climbing motion. Also, because the steering wheel is located just below the console, this tends to anchor the elliptical trainer a bit more than a rear-wheel drive machine.

So this design (all things being equal) can give you a more stable machine. This is especially important if you plan to make heavy use of your elliptical or if you have more than 1 user in your home.

If you search a bit, you’ll notice that many of the higher-end commercial-style machines tend to have a front-wheel drive design.

Rear-wheel drive elliptical machines

Rear-wheel drive ellipticals give you some unique benefits, too. For example, the elliptical track on these machines tends to be flatter than a front-wheel drive machine.

So it feels more like a running move than a climbing move, which many people prefer.

Also, rear-wheel drive ellipticals tend to be on the more affordable side of the market. This is why many entry-level models under $ 1000 have this design.

Plus, you have a bit more design flexibility with these elliptical bikes than you do with front-wheel drive machines.

So, for example, there are several rear-wheel drive ellipticals that also fold flat to save you space (not found on a front-wheel drive machine). So if you have a small space to exercise, a folding machine might be the right option for you.

Another option?

There is another design that is not seen too often, but it is worth mentioning. That’s the center-drive elliptical.

This requires two smaller handwheels (instead of one large handwheel) and places them on either side of the pedals, providing a more square and compact machine design.

This design keeps the user a little more upright with the pedals closer together, which for especially long workouts can reduce stress on the hips.

However, the downside to this design is that you cannot typically lean on a center drive elliptical. (The incline changes the slope of the elliptical and helps give you better cross training.)

So those are the benefits and drawbacks of the top elliptical trainer designs. As you can see, it really depends on what you want as a buyer.

The good news is that elliptical trainers just get better every year, giving you more for your money. You can find elliptical machines with iPod docks, speakers, decline, web browsers, and even built-in televisions.

Just remember to take your time, do your research, and pick a good brand that gives you all the features you need!