The 7 Best Outdoor Ellipticals
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The ElliptiGO 8C leads seven outdoor ellipticals for runners, with an adjustable running-length stride, eight gears for hills and a five-year frame warranty. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A two-wheel outdoor elliptical has to be balanced, while a three-wheeler stands on its own at a stop. Either way, you ride standing up, pushing two foot platforms through a running-like stride instead of turning pedals from a seat. Runners use them to train with less impact, while others ride them for fitness or for short trips.
From the manual
- The 250-pound limit covers the rider plus everything carried, and letting a heavier rider use it voids the warranty. pp. 12-13
- Brake and shifter cables stretch over the first 30 to 90 days, so ElliptiGO recommends a tune-up within 90 days. p. 13
- Wet roads cut the rim brakes' stopping power, and the maker discourages riding in the wet; if you must, brake much earlier. pp. 31-32
- Which shifter lever raises or lowers the gear varies between 8C bikes; push the thumb lever a few times and watch the gear indicator. p. 38
Why the ElliptiGO 8C is our top pick
For a runner, the 8C comes closest to running itself. Its stride sets anywhere from 16 to 25 inches,1 a length its maker says makes the ride feel more like running,3 while our runner-up, the StreetStrider 7i, has a fixed 13.8-inch stride and swinging handlebars that work the arms.4 A physical therapist who rode an 8C for five months wrote that it asks for much less hip flexion than a bike and kept him training through a foot injury.7
It is also easier to live with. It weighs 44 pounds to the 7i's 54,1,4 and it ships almost fully assembled, where the 7i needs assembly.1,4 Its eight gears are rated for 20 to 30 percent grades;1 StreetStrider gives no grade figure, only that gears 1 and 2 climb steep hills.4 The frame warranty runs five years instead of three.2,5
The runner-up wins on stability and load. Three wheels hold it up at a stop,6 and it carries 300 pounds.4 Our pick's 250-pound limit counts the rider plus anything carried, and a heavier rider voids the warranty.2 The 7i also stops with disc brakes,4 while the 8C's rim brakes lose stopping power on wet roads, its manual warns.2 Heavier riders, and anyone who doesn't want to balance, should take the 7i.
| ElliptiGO 8C | StreetStrider 7i | |
|---|---|---|
| Stride | 16-25 in, adjustable | 13.8 in, fixed |
| Weight | 44 lb | 54 lb |
| Climbing rating | 20-30% grades | Steep hills in gears 1-2 |
| Rider limit | 250 lb incl. gear | 300 lb |
| Frame warranty | 5 years | 3 years |
Sources
- ElliptiGO 8C 1Specifications 2Owner's manual, long-stride models (PDF, archived), pp. 12–13, 31–32, 78 3FAQ
- StreetStrider 7i 4Specifications 53i and 7i owner's manual (PDF), p. 32 6FAQ
- 7Doctors of Running: ElliptiGO 8C review by Nathan Brown, DPT (May 2024)
From the manual
- It arrives in parts with wrenches, hex keys, tire levers and two spare tubes; you supply scissors, pliers, a tape measure and grease. p. 10
- After assembly, the front wheels must sit parallel to within an eighth of an inch, measured tire to tire. p. 21
- The warranty holds only if it was assembled as the manual says, and labor and shipping for warranty work are the owner's cost. pp. 5, 33
- Returns within 30 days carry a 10% restocking fee, and you pay return shipping. p. 34
Compare the specs
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Product | Wheels | Rider limit (lb) | Weight (lb) | Gears | Stride (in) | Frame warranty (years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. ElliptiGO 8C | 2 | 250 | 44 | 8 | 16-25, adjustable | 5 |
| 2. StreetStrider 7i | 3 | 300 | 54 | 7 | 13.8 | 3 |
| 3. StreetStrider 3i | 3 | 300 | 53 | 3 | 13.8 | 3 |
| 4. ElliptiGO 11R | 2 | 250 | 39.4 | 11 | 16-25, adjustable | 5 |
| 5. StreetStrider 8s | 3 | 300 | 44 | 8 | 13.8 | 3 |
| 6. ElliptiGO 3C | 2 | 250 | 42 | 3 | 16-25, adjustable | 5 |
| 7. Me-Mover Speed Ultra | 3 | 220 | 55 | Automatic | — | 2 |
Makers' figures. ElliptiGO's 250-pound limit counts the rider plus anything carried. Me-Mover's gearing changes on its own, and it publishes no stride length.
Sources
- ElliptiGO 8C specs 11R specs 3C specs Owner's manual, long-stride models (PDF, archived)
- StreetStrider 7i specs 3i specs 8s specs Warranty information
- Me-Mover Speed Ultra specs FAQ and warranty
From the manual
- Folding means locking the rear brake with its pin, pulling off the left crank arm and tipping the stem forward. p. 24
- Steering stability is adjustable by tightening or loosening the kingpin bolts on both front steering knuckles. p. 23
- Grease the pivot joints, rod ends and roller bearings regularly, oil the brake and shifter cables, and keep tires at 80 to 85 psi. p. 30
From the manual
- Its steering column folds for transport; the 3C's and 8C's don't. p. 20
- It's built for pavement: gravel, sand or dirt can get into the foot-platform tracks, and riding there could void the warranty. p. 12
- Wipe the guide tracks with a dry cloth before each ride and check the load wheels; if one is cracked, don't ride. p. 72
- Indoors, use only ElliptiGO's Fluid 365 trainer; other bike trainers can damage the frame. p. 70
From the manual
- The caster angle adjusts in steps of about 7 degrees: low settings steady slow riding, high ones lean more at speed. p. 17
- Any caster change must be matched on both sides, and the front wheels must be realigned afterward. p. 18
- Folding also means unscrewing a brass coupling on the frame strut and folding the strut back. p. 19
- Note the serial number, on the frame just behind the bottom bracket, and keep your sales receipt as proof of purchase. p. 3
From the manual
- The three-speed shifter uses two thumb levers: the upper one for a harder gear, the lower one for an easier gear. p. 38
- Pump both tires to 85 psi during setup; they use Presta valves, which need a matching pump head. p. 11
- Bought straight from ElliptiGO, it can go back within 30 days for a refund minus return shipping; dealers' own return policies apply otherwise. p. 78
From the manual
- Me-Mover's guide for the Speed also covers the Ultra; its assembly differs only at the left grip and brake lever. p. 4
- It's heavy out of the box, and the guide asks for a second person to lift it out. p. 9
- The front brake stops abruptly; the guide says to use it cautiously, especially in the wet and when carving turns. p. 22
Editor's Notes
November 5, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
We read ElliptiGO's long-stride owner's manual and StreetStrider's 3i, 7i and 8s manuals, and added a spec table, a section on why the 8C leads and manual notes for each pick. We corrected the Me-Mover entry, which wrongly said its maker publishes few specs, and our claim that no lab test of these machines exists; the one we found used an older StreetStrider. The recall section now names the ElliptiGO models in the 2013 recall.
October 16, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The ElliptiGO 8C stays on top, with the long, running-style stride the category is known for and enough gears for real hills. Outdoor ellipticals are still mostly a two-company field, and prices have climbed since our 2021 ranking. Riders who would rather not balance should look at the StreetStrider 7i, and the StreetStrider 3i is the cheapest way in.
We dropped the Stamina Fitness Strider, because it stays in one place and belongs on an indoor list. The Zike Wingflyer Z600 is gone too: we couldn't find a working maker site or confirm it's still sold, and its 180-pound rider limit was low. ElliptiGO replaced the Sub with two stand-up bikes, the RSUB and MSUB. We couldn't confirm they're sold where we link, so they moved to the special honors. The one new pick is the Me-Mover Speed Ultra, a Danish three-wheel stepper.
We found no independent lab test of the current models; the one we found, from 2011-12, used an older StreetStrider. We worked from the makers' spec sheets and warranty terms, a few long-term reviews and recall records. At these prices, a test ride is worth the trip.
Earlier notes
April 17, 2020, by Kaivaan Kermani:
The outdoor elliptical market is interesting in that two big brands, namely StreetStrider and ElliptiGo, dominate the market with high-quality, well-made models, while virtually no other brands even enter, let alone flood the market with cheaper alternatives. This could be because of the higher entry barrier created by manufacturing sophisticated parts like the elliptical drivetrain, but it might also be because, in 2010, ElliptiGo secured the exclusive rights to the patent for an elliptical bicycle, which I believe they still control and which would naturally limit the design features that other companies can copy. I know that the company’s cofounders strongly believe in patents as a means to drive innovation, and if you look at StreetStrider, you can see that their design is completely different in terms of its frame and number of wheels. I do slightly prefer StreetStrider’s design because it’s a little quirkier and affords better stability at the kind of high speeds that you can reach on these machines at up to 20mph, but it might take more getting used to.
All of the models from these two companies are recommendation-worthy in their own right – especially when compared to any of the half-a-handful of other options on the market, which are cheap and poor-quality and many of them like the WingFlyer are made for kids. The brand Zike has – or at least used to have- a reputation as a cheaper alternative to the two main brands, and for good measure, I’ve included the Zike Wingflyer Z600 as a replacement for the previously-listed Z150, at least so you have some brand and price variety, but I don’t see any models beyond that as even worth a mention.
ElliptiGo makes only a few models that fall into 1 of 3 categories – SUBs or Stand-Up Bikes, as well as compact-stride and long-stride models. SUBs are technically not ellipticals, but they’re relatively similar and tend to get bundled into the same narrow market. I’ve therefore decided to leave in the ElliptiGo Sub from the previous update, which is ElliptiGo’s entry-level SUB. I was tempted to add the MSUB - the company's high-end half-bike- but I decided to leave it out. I’ve also added a special honor for the compact-stride model, the ElliptiGo Arc 8. [2026 update: ElliptiGO recalled the Arc 3, Arc 8 and Arc 24 in October 2021 because their frames could break, and the Arc is no longer on this list.] The compact-stride model is sort of a hybrid between SUBs and traditional long-stride ellipticals.
StreetStrider has four models - three of which I’ve added to the list - the StreetStrider 3i, StreetStrider 7i, StreetStrider 8s and StreetStrider 11s, with the latter two having some advanced features like an aluminum alloy frame, an adjustable front-wheel caster angle, and obviously more gears – the number of gears is denoted by the number in the model name. The 11s actually uses a more sophisticated transmission than the other models, with electronic shifting components.
Special Honors
ElliptiGO RSUB and MSUB ElliptiGO's stand-up bikes drop the long stride for a round crank, so they ride more like a bicycle you never sit on. The RSUB road model weighs 31.4 pounds and uses 700c wheels and disc brakes, and the MSUB adds 27.5-inch tubeless-ready tires and a 100-millimeter air fork for dirt. Both carry riders up to 300 pounds, the highest limit in ElliptiGO's range, and both cost less than its long-stride models. elliptigo.com
StreetStrider 11s and e-Strider StreetStrider's top models build on the alloy 8s. The 11s adds an 11-speed hub with electronic shifting, and the e-Strider adds an electric motor that StreetStrider rates at 500 watts. Check your state's e-bike rules before buying a motorized model. Both are sold through StreetStrider and its dealers. streetstrider.com
Two Wheels Or Three
ElliptiGO gives a rider height range of 4 feet 11 inches to 6 feet 8 inches for all its models.
The first choice is balance. ElliptiGO's machines have two wheels, so you balance and steer them like a bicycle; ElliptiGO says most riders feel comfortable within minutes (ElliptiGO FAQ). StreetStrider builds three-wheelers with two wheels in front and one behind. They stand on their own at a stop, and you steer by leaning (StreetStrider). That stability adds weight: StreetStrider's steel models weigh 53 to 54 pounds and its alloy 8s weighs 44, while ElliptiGO's long-stride models weigh 39.4 to 44 pounds.
Rider weight comes next. ElliptiGO's long-stride models carry up to 250 pounds, a limit its manual says includes anything you carry, and only its stand-up RSUB and MSUB reach 300 (ElliptiGO FAQ). Every StreetStrider is rated for 300 pounds, and the Me-Mover Speed Ultra for 220 (Me-Mover). ElliptiGO gives a rider height range of 4 feet 11 inches to 6 feet 8 inches for all its models.
Then think about storage. An ElliptiGO long-stride model is 75 inches long. A StreetStrider folds to 24 inches tall but stays 68.5 inches long, and the Me-Mover folds too. Measure your car's cargo space and your storage spot before you buy.
Stride, Gears And Hills
These machines move your feet in different ways. ElliptiGO's long-stride models (3C, 8C and 11R) send the feet around a long oval, with a stride you can set from 16 to 25 inches, so the motion is close to running. StreetStriders use a 13.8-inch stride with handlebars that swing, so the arms work too. ElliptiGO's RSUB and MSUB use a round, cycling-style crank, and the Me-Mover uses separate up-and-down steps, so neither is a true elliptical.
Gears decide which hills you can climb. ElliptiGO rates the three-speed 3C for flat roads and grades up to about 5%, while its eight- and 11-speed models handle hilly routes (ElliptiGO 3C). Gear range, given as a percentage, compares the easiest gear with the hardest: 177% on the 3C, 306% on the 8C and the StreetStrider 8s, and 409% on the 11R. A wider range means easier climbing and a higher top speed. StreetStrider says its seven-speed 7i can climb steep hills in its two lowest gears (StreetStrider 7i).
For runners, a physical therapist who rode an 8C for five months wrote for Doctors of Running that it asks for less hip flexion than cycling and let him keep training through a foot injury (Doctors of Running). ElliptiGO claims riders burn 33% more calories than on a regular bike; treat that as the maker's figure. The one independent lab study we found is older. For the American Council on Exercise in 2011-12, a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse team led by exercise scientist John Porcari, PhD, had 15 adults ride an eight-speed StreetStrider Summit 8r, which burned about 12.7% more calories per minute than a stationary elliptical. Porcari also said its handles "almost come in too close to your body, like it's built for a smaller person," so larger riders should try a StreetStrider first (ACE).
Safety, Warranties And Where To Ride
Treat an outdoor elliptical like a bicycle: wear a helmet, add lights for dawn and dusk, and check local rules for bike lanes and paths. StreetStrider says its machines are street legal and fit a standard bike lane, but rules vary by city (StreetStrider FAQ). ElliptiGO says its bikes are meant for paved surfaces, with only the MSUB built for dirt, and it warns against standing on a bike while the kickstand is down, which can damage the frame (ElliptiGO FAQ).
Warranties differ, and both depend on where you buy. ElliptiGO covers the frame for five years; the fork, drive arms, cranks and steering column for two; and other parts for one, for the first owner of a bike bought from ElliptiGO or an authorized dealer (ElliptiGO manual, p. 78). StreetStrider covers the frame for three years and its Shimano hubs for two, also for the original owner only and only when the machine came from an authorized dealer (StreetStrider warranty). StreetStrider also says it sells direct through its own website, and its owner's manuals route claims through StreetStrider.com with the original dated receipt, so confirm the seller and keep the receipt. Both makers sell stands that turn their machines into indoor trainers.
We searched the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's and Health Canada's recall records. ElliptiGO recalled about 140 early 11R bikes in 2012 for drive arms that could crack, then 3C, 8C and 11R bikes sold from April 2011 through October 2013 for a fork and drive-arm axle fix (CPSC). Its 2021 recall covers only the Arc 3, Arc 8 and Arc 24 compact-stride bikes, whose frames could break. If you buy a used ElliptiGO, check its serial number with the maker. We found no recalls for StreetStrider or Me-Mover. With prices this high, try one before you buy: ElliptiGO lists dealers that offer test rides (ElliptiGO test rides).
How we researched this
We compared 15 outdoor ellipticals, stand-up bikes and lookalike machines and screened 11 in depth. We read ElliptiGO's owner's manual for its long-stride 3C, 8C and 11R, StreetStrider's 3i and 7i (2021) and 8s (2019) owner's manuals and Me-Mover's quickstart guide for the Speed, plus each maker's spec pages, FAQs and warranty terms. Nathan Brown's five-month review of the 8C for Doctors of Running and the American Council on Exercise's 2011-12 lab study of an older StreetStrider were the outside sources that mattered most. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada records show three ElliptiGO recalls (2012, 2013 and the 2021 Arc recall) and none for StreetStrider or Me-Mover.
Sources (23)
- ElliptiGO: 8C
- ElliptiGO: 3C
- ElliptiGO: 11R
- ElliptiGO: RSUB
- ElliptiGO: MSUB
- ElliptiGO FAQ
- StreetStrider 7i
- StreetStrider 3i
- StreetStrider 8s
- StreetStrider warranty
- StreetStrider FAQ
- Me-Mover: Speed Ultra
- Doctors of Running: ElliptiGO 8C review
- Bicycling: The Best Elliptical Bikes
- CPSC recalls
- ElliptiGO: owner's manual, long-stride models (PDF, archived)
- StreetStrider: 3i and 7i owner's manual (PDF)
- StreetStrider: 8s owner's manual (PDF)
- Me-Mover: Speed Ultra specs
- Me-Mover FAQ and warranty
- ACE: An Elliptical Cross-Trainer on Three Wheels?
- CPSC: 2013 ElliptiGO 3C, 8C and 11R recall
- CPSC: 2021 ElliptiGO Arc recall
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, ElliptiGO or StreetStrider?
It depends on balance and stride. ElliptiGO's two-wheelers have a longer, more running-like stride and weigh less, but you balance them like a bike, and the long-stride models carry 250 pounds at most. StreetStrider's three-wheelers stand on their own, work the arms, carry 300 pounds and fold, but weigh up to 54 pounds.
Are outdoor ellipticals worth it?
They suit runners who want less impact and riders who dislike bike seats. A physical therapist who reviewed the ElliptiGO 8C used one to keep training through a foot injury. They cost more than most bicycles, so try one first if a dealer near you offers test rides.
Can I use an outdoor elliptical indoors?
Yes, with a stand. ElliptiGO and StreetStrider both sell trainer stands that hold the machine in place so you can ride it indoors in bad weather.
What is the weight limit on an outdoor elliptical?
ElliptiGO's long-stride models carry up to 250 pounds, and its RSUB and MSUB stand-up bikes up to 300. Every StreetStrider is rated for 300 pounds, and the Me-Mover Speed Ultra for 220. We found no model rated above 300 pounds.
What happened to the Wingflyer 600?
We couldn't find a working maker site, independent reviews or a confirmed current listing for the Zike Wingflyer Z600, and its stated rider limit was 180 pounds, so we removed it. The StreetStrider 3i is the lowest-cost option we can recommend.
Are outdoor ellipticals street legal?
Human-powered ellipticals are generally treated like bicycles. StreetStrider says its machines are street legal and fit a standard bike lane, but local rules vary, so check yours. Electric-assist models may fall under e-bike rules.
