Nordictrack Grand Tour Exercise Bike Review – Pros & Con’s

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Last Updated: January 1, 2023

The Grand Tour Pro is an upright bike similar to the Grand Tour Pro with a few minor differences that keep the price low. The Grand Tour features a 7” HD touchscreen (rather than 10” on the Pro), offers 32 onboard programs (instead of 35) and 24 resistance levels (rather than 26). The Grand Tour is iFit compatible, includes the innovative +10% Incline and -10% Decline feature, and offers tech found on more expensive bikes at an attractive price-point.

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Who It’s For: Riders looking for impressive specs on a comfortable upright bike

The GrandTour is best for users looking for:

• 7” Touchscreen to display iFit programs
• Built-in Incline/Decline
• Freewheel clutch so bike pedals stop when you do
• Upright design for comfort
• Extra-wide pedals
• Large padded saddle

Our Video Review

In-depth Review of NordicTrack Grand Tour Pro

Construction

Frame: Welded Steel

• Material: Steel bar construction with welded support beams and stabilizers hold the bike securely. Black plastic molding protects the flywheel and drivetrain. Similar to the Grand Tour Pro, the handlebars are a combination of powder-coated steel bars with plastic molding on the corners and ends of the grips.

Geometry: Upright Articulating Cycle

• Upright Design: The Grand Tour is an upright, articulating cycle, so you can set the seat post and handlebars as low or as high as you want. This has appeal for riders who like to sit upright rather than hunched over. However, you can also bring the seat and handlebars into alignment, decreasing torso angle, for a more race-style body angle.

FlyWheel: 16 Pound Freewheel clutch

• • FlyWheel weight & functionality The freewheel clutch on the Grand Tour mimics the wheel motion of a traditional bike. The Grand Tour flywheel is only 16 pounds, so without momentum, the wheel will almost instantly stop. The benefit of this is no energy is lost in inertia on the flywheel. When you pedal, all of your effort goes into moving the flywheel — it won’t keep spinning on its own. One negative is the pedal motion can feel jerky until you get used to it. It also requires a higher resistance level to counterbalance the weight of the rider when riding up out of the saddle in 2nd or 3rd position.

• Type of Resistance: There are 24 preset digital resistance levels on the Grand Tour. Magnets in the flywheel create resistance without friction. Magnetic resistance is silent and accurate — and usually a feature found on more expensive bikes.
  • Specific resistance levels are nice on an indoor cycling bike. Many spin bikes have a tension knob, but no specific resistance settings, so you can’t regulate or measure the resistance. It is hugely beneficial to be able to select any of the 24 resistance levels on this bike. It translates into more accurate wattage stats and allows the rider to always find the same resistance at the same setting.
  • Resistance can be adjusted manually on the handlebar controls or on the touchscreen.
  • When using an iFit or onboard program, the resistance will automatically adjust for you. Manual controls override automated controls when needed.

Saddle: Adjusts up/down and forward/aft

• • Adjustments: The seat can be moved forward and aft via a knob on the carriage bar. A knob on the seat post allows the seat to be raised or lowered. Large notches in the steel post hold the seat post securely and the tension knob tightens easily.

• Comfort: The Grand Tour saddle wide and comfortable. It offers more padding than other indoor cycling bikes. The saddle cannot be swapped out for a different seat, but that’s not an issue because it is soft and well-designed.

Pedals: Wide and flat with adjustable straps

• • Included Pedals: Flat, extra-wide ergonomic pedals are included on the Grand Tour. These feature a strap that holds your foot securely in the pedal. The strap helps facilitate greater hamstring and glute engagement as you ride, so you can pull up at the top of the pedal stroke.

• Can they be swapped: Pedals cannot be swapped out, but you won’t need to. They can be used with any athletic shoe.

Console/Controls

Screen: 7” Touchscreen

• • Size: As with other NordicTrack machines, the 7” HD touchscreen is designed to be the central feature on the console. There are preset speed buttons on the right and resistance buttons on the left of the screen. A white stat bar keeps track of your incline, wattage, duration, distance and resistance. You can toggle through screen settings to choose which stats to display.

• • Screen Movement: The screen does not move. It is embedded in the console and connected to the handlebar stem.

• • Resolution: Resolution is clear. From the main menu icon in the top left corner, you can go to equipment settings and adjust the resolution as needed.

• Touchscreen: Much of the functionality of the bike is embedded in the touchscreen, so you can manipulate various settings with just a finger-touch. The screen is centered between the handlebars, right in your line of vision and within easy reach.

Handlebars: Multiple Grip Positions

• • Design: A horizontal grip bar extends in front of the weight tray at the base of the console. From here, two grip bars extend alongside the console so you can lean forward. There is plastic molding at the corners and the ends of the grips.

• • Comfort: This is not my favorite handlebar set. Handlebar comfort is one area the Grand Tour could improve. The steel bars are powder coated, and they are good length, but the powder coating isn’t as soft as the spongy-grip found on other spin bikes. I like to ride in a horizontal position with my seat in line with the handlebars and my torso down. I found the plastic molding on the handlebar corners to be hard and the weight tray got in my way on more than one occasion. You can set the weights to the side and throw a soft towel over the handlebars for more padding, but this is kind of a hassle.

• • Span between Handlebar Grips: There is a 20” span between handlebar grips.

• • Depth of Handlebars: Handlebars are 20” in length. They extend 10” from the horizontal grip bar and then angle up at 120 degrees with another 10” in depth.

• Span from Screen to handlebars: There is 6” from the horizontal grip bar and the bottom of the console. A weight tray with two, 3pound weights rests in between the bar and the console.

Accessories:

• • Speakers: The speakers are situated directly under the screen. These are well-positioned so you don’t have to turn the sound up too high.

• • Shelf for phone/tablet: There is a shelf under the screen just above the speakers that is wide enough to hold a phone or tablet. The shelf has a little lip on the outside to keep items from falling forward while riding. From this position, any device would slightly block the screen.

• • Fans: One fan at the bottom of the console provides good airflow.

• • Weights: Two, 3-pound weights are included. These sit in a tray in between the handlebars and the screen. It’s nice the weights are included, but they got in my way a few times while riding. Not every rider is going to use the weights for every ride, so I set my weights to the side during most of my rides.

• Tablet/Phone holder: There is an included tablet holder secured just above the screen. It has an adjustable clip to securely hold any device. This is a nice addition because your device won’t block the screen in this position.

Storage: 2 Water Bottles

• Storage Pockets: Two large water bottle holders attached to the back of the seat carriage and should hold most sized bottles.

Functionality

+10% Incline to -10% Decline range

• • The incline/decline on the Grand Tour is a revolutionary feature that adds significant variability to your training routine. Rather than just ride in a linear plane with variable resistance, you now have to compensate for body angle as the bike moves. This engages and strengthens the powerhouse muscles of the lower body.

• Incline/Decline also enhances calorie burn when combined with resistance because it makes the workout more challenging. You get more metabolic stimulus in a shorter amount of time when incline is combined with resistance.

Resistance Levels

• • The Grand Tour has 24 levels of magnetic resistance. This is a significant upgrade because magnetic resistance is consistent, reduces noise, and doesn’t cause any friction or wear on moving parts.

• Resistance can be adjusted on the QuickTouch control, on the bar grip, or on the touchscreen.

Pre-programmed workouts

The Grand Tour Pro features 32 onboard workouts that are not a part of iFit.

• • Manual Workout: A white track and stat bar display stats and distance. You can manually adjust the incline and resistance to create your own workout.

• • Maps: Select from an array of full-color Google map images anywhere from Lake Como, Italy to the beach in Cambodia. Display options include: Street View; Map View; Satelite; and Rotate (which toggles between views). The images update every few seconds as you ride. The bike will automatically adjust resistance and incline to match the geography of each location. There is no audio included, so these are a great option when you want to listen to your own playlist or podcast.

• • Featured Workout of the Day: This is one of the Google map locations featured for that day. The white stat bar can be displayed at the top while you ride, or you can select full screen mode.

• • Interval, Strength, Speed, Calorie Burn: Pre-programmed workouts display a graph of the overall routine. The bike will adjust incline and resistance to match your selected workout. These are of varying length and intensity.

• Tour de France images and stage maps: More Google map images for specific stages in the Tour de France.

Subscription Options

• iFit is included free for the first month with up to five profiles. The database of over 16,000 options is impressive and the graphics on the outdoor rides are unmatched. Workouts include the following:
  • • Personal Trainer Led Cycling Classes: These classes are filmed in a studio with a trainer on a bike in front of you and other participants riding alongside. There are a range of different classes with different instructors to take on the bike. The bike will automatically adjust to whatever the trainer is doing. If you begin a hill climb, your bike will automatically incline for you. Resistance is also automated in iFit. You control your speed. Manual controls on the screen or handlebars will override automation at any time should you need to adjust it. iFit will keep track of your stats for you.

   

  • • Outdoor Routes all over the world: No other program can compete with the extensive outdoor-filmed iFit classes all over the world. A trainer rides a bike ahead of you while another cyclist rides behind with a camera. You follow along from this perspective so you can see and hear what the trainer is doing. Again, incline and resistance is automated on the bike to match the terrain and grade of the ride. The videography on these rides is impressive. You not only watch from the perspective of the second rider, iFit will also occasionally add a drone shot or overhead view of the city or landscape while you ride.

   

  • Cycling/Weight Combo Classes and Studio-Based Classes off the bike: Other classes such as strength training, yoga, stretching, and meditation can be accessed through iFit and watched on your screen or from any computer or tablet.

Noise Level

• • When pedaling: The magnetic resistance on the Grand Tour doesn’t create much noise at all while pedalling or when braking. It is a very quiet piece of equipment. When riding a flat road, the bike only generates a gentle whirr from the flywheel.

• When adjusting incline: This is the only real noise associated with the Grand Tour. There is a motor noise when the bike adjusts incline, but this isn’t constant and it isn’t too loud.

Storage / Folding

The Grand Tour does not fold, but it has wheels on the front stabilizer so you can tip it towards yourself and pull it across the floor. One person can move it easily. Just remember to move your weights before you tip the bike! I made this mistake once and the weights came crashing down, barely missing the screen and my toes. Set weights to the side before moving the bike.

Items of Note

The Grand Tour features innovative technology on a quiet, upright bike. If you like to ride in a horizontal racing position, you might find the handlebars slightly uncomfortable. However, when seated upright they are fine. The lightweight flywheel is not like the inertia-enhanced wheels on commercial spin bikes that gain and hold momentum. It might take some riders time to get used to the feel of the flywheel, but the benefit is, the pedals never get ahead of you and keep spinning after you’ve slowed your cadence.