Archive for November 2008
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You are browsing the archives of 2008 November.

![]() Equipped with real pull brakes for quick stopping. | ![]() Features knobby tires and a handy kickstand. |

Too big for 7 year old
I purchased the scooter for my 7 year old son this Christmas. He loves his Razor and goes everywhere he can on it. While assembling the scooter was not particularly hard, it did take a good couple of hours. I found the directions to be inadequate. Putting together, and checking, the brakes took the longest. However, I still am not completely comfortable with the brake mechanism.
Still, the scooter is pretty sharp and drew admiring looks from other kids and parents when we took it out for a test run. We tried some steep hills and the brakes did stop the scooter. The one drawback is that the scooter is a bit big for a 4ft3" tall 7 year old. He found it hard to comfortably manage the scooter. His older 9 year old brother was better able to handle the scooter.
So the bottom line is that it is a snazzy looking scooter for an older child (at least 4ft9") though you may want to have the brake mechanism checked out by a technician at a bike shop.

![]() The Ascender includes a large 7-inch TV built into the console. |
Users on a strict training regimen will love the built-in software, which monitors your body fat percentage and BMI, helping you stay on track with your fitness goals. The Ascender's 19 built-in workout programs, meanwhile, include 12 preset programs, four heart rate control programs, one custom program, one watt control program, and one pulse recovery program. And to improve your workout efficiency, Ironman mounted EKG pulse grips on the handlebars, letting you monitor your heart rate and keep your workouts safe and effective. Other features include 16 resistance levels, front transport wheels, a water bottle holder, and cool blue backlit console buttons.
The Ascender measures 29.5 by 68 by 47 inches (W x H x D), offers a capacity of 300 pounds, and carries the following warranties: lifetime on the frame, two years on parts, and one year on the electronics and labor.
Specifications:
![]() The oversized 18.5-inch cushioned footpads keep you comfortable and secure. |
Manufacturer's Warranty
Frame - lifetime, parts - 2 years, electronics - 1 year, labor - 1 year
About Ironman Fitness
Engineered for endurance, strength, speed, stamina, and performance, Ironman Fitness is continually striving to define the fitness industry. Their collection features top-of-the-line treadmills, stationary cycles, elliptical trainers, weight benches, and single- and multi-station exercise machines. The features on Ironman's fitness equipment introduced over the years have become the standards of today. With superior components, multiple patents, and award-winning products, Ironman's fitness products have consistently exceeded the expectation of customers and are the heart of a true champion.
About Elliptical Trainers
Elliptical trainers represent the next wave of advancement in low-impact cardiovascular exercise machines and continue to grow in popularity. By simulating motions experienced through walking, stepping, cycling, and skiing, elliptical machines allow for a smooth and fluid motion while building strength in the arms and legs. Similar to the exercise position for treadmills, elliptical trainers are used by standing in an upright position while holding the handrails of the machine. With elliptical trainers, however, your feet remain in the foot pedals throughout the exercise regimen and circulate in a smooth and seamless motion, resulting in little to no impact on the knees, back, and hips.
Elliptical trainers are compatible for all ages and fitness levels and allow you to select the difficulty level through the incline and intensity settings. Additionally, elliptical trainers allow you to determine the complexity of your workout based on your needs, all while listening to music, watching television, or reading a magazine while exercising in the comfort and safety of your own home.
Although different types of elliptical trainers offer an assortment of features, many of them include an array of challenging programs, forward and reverse directional movement, EKG grip pulse handles, a lightweight portable design with easy fold-up capability, and a monitor displaying calories burned, distance, speed, time, and heart rate. Other types of exercise machines, namely treadmills and bikes, offer excellent cardiovascular exercise and muscular training for the legs in a forward-motion exercise. Elliptical trainers take this to the next level by offering an upper and lower body workout with dual motion, challenging and diverse programs, and a low-impact exercise machine that won't strain sensitive joints.

Perfect at-home elliptical
I bought this for use in my condo, and it is quiet, doesn't take up much space, and has everything I could hope to have in an elliptical trainer. I love having the TV in the screen. It has a lot of parts, and my boyfriend spent a few hours putting it together for me. The base weighs a ton, and somehow the delivery team and my boyfriend managed to carry it up four flights of stairs. That's something to note as well - this is a heavy duty piece of equipment, and I don't expect this to fall apart or break anytime soon. Now that it is all installed, I use it every day. I would definitely buy this again.

![]() The Ripstik's unique twisting motion moves you forward with out ever pushing off the ground. |
Key Features:
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SICK AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
these things are sick fun! i got one for xmas and the only thing i do outside! They aren't that hard to ride. I've fallen only three times on a crack filled driveway. The best way to spend a day!
Ps. I might do a video review with some footage of me riding.


Discovering my Suunto T6C for the first time
I'm 54, I'm running twice a week (12 km each time) and was searching for tools that could help me to have a better training. I had a Polar for 15 years, but found wasn't sufficient. So I looked first for a new Polar and finally switched to Suunto because of it's ability to measure my tiredness after training and the global efficiency of my running, using all my personal parameters (for example, EPOC).
I found here in my Suunto a very good product, that could help. The belt is very comfortable and I was satisfied with all the measures I discovered. Surprising all what I got from the watch.
Drawbacks (to justify 4 stars versus 5) - To my mind, directions are not sufficient or could be clearer to exploit all the possibilities of this watch. I was also slightly disappointed with the software (training manager) as there is finally no direct coach function. "Just" showing you the results (details and summary are though excellent) but not proposing you something to have a better training and guide you.
You'll have to do your DD and go further than the pdf guide...
Not yet tried the foot pod though but I realized I was running too hard (over-training) and when I had to change my running.
Despite these details, you can go ahead with it, you will be satisfied, this is a very good watch for running.