York Fitness Aspire Cross Trainer Review
Welcome to my York Fitness Aspire Cross Trainer review. In this review, I will discuss some of the pros and cons of purchasing this fitness machine. It is considered one of the best cross trainers on the market.
The first thing I would like to mention, is that the Aspire model has actually now been replaced with the York Active 120 cross trainer, however, I realise a lot of people purchase these machines ‘pre-loved’ and so I thought this review was very much still current.
The York Aspire boasts a lot of wonderful features and really packs a punch for the money you’re spending, which is one of the reasons I love it so much. I am going to break down some of my favourite features of the machine in this next section.
York Aspire Cross Trainer
Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Assembly & Sturdiness
Assembly is very quick and simple, and the instructions are extremely clear and precise.
What I also loved is that the box includes everything you will need to put the machine together, including the tools!
The whole machine took less than one hour to build and once set up feels very stable and not wobbly like some low budget machines on the market.
Of course, this machine is built for the home user, and so it still has a fairly lightweight frame, however, I still felt very safe and comfortable on the unit.
The built in stabiliser allows your cross trainer to remain sturdy even on uneven surfaces, so I feel this is a fantastic safety function which is often overlooked.
Another great build feature is the transport wheels, which allow you to easily tip and move the machine across the room. This for me is a big plus, I want my workout on the machine, not from moving it!
On that note, you will need to park your York Aspire close to a power outlet, however, I don’t mind this, as I would always prefer a mains powered console to a battery powered one.
The last thing I want to be doing is searching round for batteries at 5am before a quick pre-work workout.
The machine also looks great. Some cross trainers you see appear really bulky or ugly, but the York Aspire Cross Trainer really has quite a sleek design.
The magnetic resistance and 6kg fly wheel are beautiful! Not only do they provide super smooth action and on point resistance changes with the touch of the button, it is also SUPER quiet, meaning you can easily exercise without the worry of waking up the rest of the household.
Workout Features
One of my favourite features is the built in hand pulse sensors on the handle bars. Whilst not as accurate as a chest strap, I do feel that this feature is a fantastic addition allowing me to get to my workout faster than using an external device.
The resistance range is also impressive, so whether you are a new user or a seasoned cross trainer user, you will find this machine can provide a great calorie burning, toning workout for your individual needs.
The Console
The level of features on the York Aspire Cross Trainer Console is impressive, you have all your bog standard display items, such as time, distance, rotations per minute, speed, pulse and calories, but it also adds in a number of bonus functions.
For example, temperature and even a target pulse rate that will give you a level you should attempt to maintain during the workout for your own personal goals.
It also boasts a unique pulse recovery feature which will help you recognised when your pulse has settled in the recovery phase of your workout.
One of my favourite things about the York Aspire Cross Trainer, is having the option to put in my own statistics to ensure my calorie output is accurate. You can add your age, height, weight, gender and body fat and store it in a personal profile to ensure the readings you are getting are as close to true as possible. Which is something we should all be striving for.
Once you have added your information, there are a lot of workout profiles to choose between. This give you ultimate flexibility when deciding on your workout goals, as you can opt to focus on fat burning in one session and muscle building in the next. Such a smart bit of kit!
I won’t list all of the profiles, as frankly, there is a lot. However, some of the ones I most frequently use are: Fat burn, Intervals, Steps, Mountain and many more, however, one of the really unique features of the York Aspire Cross Trainer, is that you can even create your own programme and save it the machine memory to easily access it in the future.
I love this, as it really allows you to create a personalised experience.
If you think that isn’t enough, there are then some heart rate led, additional programmes, these work automatically when selected based on your pulse and adjust accordingly which is another feature I think is lovely to have.
Pros & Cons of the York Aspire Cross Trainer
There are clearly a lot of pros of this machine, I have outlined many of them above, however, there are also a few cons of this model. One of the main ones being that this actual model has now been discontinued from the manufacturer and replaced by the York Active 120 Cross Trainer.
This means that if you are intent on purchasing the York Aspire, you are looking to purchase a pre owned unit, and you don’t know how well the machine has been looked after.
That being said, there isn’t a whole lot to go wrong with these machines, so if you see it working then you should be fine.
The only two other cons I can really complain about with this machine are firstly the heart rate monitor is not going to be totally accurate as if they had supplied a chest strap, however, I feel this con is outweighed by the pro in the sense that you can very quickly get into your workout without having to attempt to set up an external heart rate monitor.
The other con is the fact that there are so many programmes and profiles, it may be confusing or create overwhelm if you’re simply looking to hop on a cross trainer and exercise.
Whilst some people will see the multiple programmes as a huge benefit, others I have no doubt will find them a nuisance.
But generally, I feel the pros of this machine far outweigh the cons.
Are York Cross Trainers Any Good?
Well in summary, I would have to say this was probably one of the best cross trainers on the market for the money, it makes me wonder why they discontinued it, as it was such a popular option for those looking to work out at home.
Overall, it provides a great looking machine, which is easy to use and build and with a whole host of additional features than go far beyond some of their competitors counterparts.
I would highly recommend the York Aspire Cross Trainer or the York Active 120 Cross Trainer which replaced it (if you’re looking for a new machine with warranty).
Both machines have some fantastic features and for the price are extremely well equipped to deliver the results you are looking for.
An ex-triathlete, fitness coach and writer with a Masters in Sports Physiology. Fitness is my passion and I've had my fair share of home fitness equipment tried and tested!
