If you’re looking for a great way to break a sweat and improve your cardiovascular fitness, the best treadmills for home gyms are a great option, especially with the technology that’s often built into modern treadmills.
Echelon is known for its connected fitness equipment. They specialize in all kinds of home gym equipment that can be synced with on-demand workouts, allowing you to get a great workout from real instructors. The Stride-6s is Echelon’s most affordable option for a treadmill with a built-in screen and a good choice for nearly all fitness levels.
However, while it has a sleek and modern design, how does it hold up to our testing? Let’s take a closer look and find out what our expert testers thought in this Echelon Stride-6s review.
Tested by Treadmill Experts
Here at GGR, we know treadmills. Our team has tested over 40 treadmills and counting, and our testers include certified fitness professionals, home gym owners, competitive weightlifters, and more.
For this treadmill review, Lindsay Scheele, CPT, tested every feature of the Echelon Stride-6s, carefully noting the pros and cons of the treadmill using our equipment testing methodology.
After extensive testing, we used our methodology to assign scores of 1 to 5 for various categories, giving us the unbiased information needed to arrive at a final score.
The Echelon Stride 6 has all the features you’d expect in a heavy-duty treadmill, along with auto-fold technology and zero assembly.
What our tester says:
“It is very easy to move around, and that handlebar is a nice touch.”
A Quick Look at the Echelon Stride-6s
Echelon specializes in connected equipment designed to work with the Echelon Fit app, and sells a variety of treadmills, exercise bikes, rowers, ellipticals, and more.
The Echelon Stride-6s is a budget-friendly treadmill with a sleek and modern design that’s meant for home use and includes a built-in screen for users to follow along with Echelon’s streaming workout classes.
This is a good combination of value and quality at a price that’s often on sale for as low as $1,359. Sure, there are plenty of cheaper options, but quality can vary greatly among treadmills. If you’re looking at the cheapest treadmills you can find, you’ll want to be very careful when doing your research to make sure you choose a good one.
RELATED: The Best Treadmills Under $400
The Stride-6s is powered by a 3.0 CHP DC brushless motor, providing a smooth and quiet workout experience. Its folding design with a built-in handlebar and transport wheels makes it very portable between uses, and assembly is easy.
It’s not the most cushioned treadmill, but this may be a positive for those looking to simulate road running on a treadmill. While we had a few minor callouts with some of the design features, overall, this is a great addition to your home gym that won’t break the bank.
Before You Buy
- At the time of writing, the Stride-6s is the most affordable Echelon treadmill with a built-in screen.
- The treadmill does have some cushioning, but it’s firm and feels closer to road running.
- While the Stride-6s has a small footprint, the waterfall design means there’s plenty of room in the front, and you don’t have to worry about stepping on the front of the treadmill.
Echelon Stride-6s Video Review
Is the Echelon Stride-6s Worth It?
While the list price is $1,899, the Echelon Stride-6s treadmill is often on sale for as low as $1,359. While this is a great deal for a high-quality treadmill, it’s still a significant investment to make. Here’s who we think would benefit the most from the Stride-6s.
Great for:
- Those looking for a portable treadmill
- People with longer strides
- Anyone looking to add more cardio to their fitness journey
Not recommended for:
- Those who regularly use interval training
- Anyone who has a hard time reading small text
- People who want the most cushioning and support
Echelon Stride-6s Specs
| Price | $1,899.99 |
| Footprint | 64” L x 32.4” W x 57” H (5.4′ L x 2.7′ W x 4.75′ H) |
| Running deck | 60” L x 20.5” W |
| Weight | N/A |
| Weight capacity | 300 lbs |
| Max speed | 12.4 mph |
| Incline | 12 levels |
| Foldable | Yes |
| Motor size | DC brushless (3.0 CHP / 3.5 PHP) motor |
| Display | 10″ class HD touchscreen |
| Warranty | 1-year limited warranty with extended warranties available; 5-year extended warranty included for Active Premier members |
Workout Experience on the Echelon Stride-6s
Our tester was Lindsay Scheele, an equipment expert, certified personal trainer, and the lead tester and reviewer for our Garage Gym Reviews Everything channel. She has extensive experience using all kinds of cardio equipment and knows exactly what to look for when testing new products.
Lindsay tried several workouts on this treadmill and had several independent testers try it to see what they thought, making sure our final scoring reflects a fair, unbiased testing process.
She was very impressed with the Echelon Stride-6s, especially for the price. She did note that it’s not very cushioned, which some may not enjoy, and the screen is a bit small. She still loved using the treadmill and thinks it’s a good fit for most, but not all users.
Footprint and Portability
Echelon designed this treadmill to fit in most homes, with a relatively small footprint of 64” L x 32” W x 57” H.
The handle rails fold down, and the back of the treadmill has a built-in handlebar for portability. With the rear handlebar and built-in front wheels, tilting the treadmill to roll it around between uses is effortless for most healthy, fit people, so this compact treadmill is great for easy storage between uses.
RELATED: Can You Put a Treadmill On Carpet?
For footprint and portability, the Echelon Stride-6s earns a 5-out-of-5 rating.
Durability and Construction
When it comes to treadmill construction, the motor is one of the most important aspects to consider. The Stride-6s uses a 3.0 CHP DC brushless motor, which Lindsay noted is quiet and will not be loud when used at home.
This home treadmill also has a maximum user weight of 300 pounds, which is the industry standard for home treadmills.
One minor callout is that while Echelon claims a top speed of 12.5 miles per hour, our testers found that the treadmill maxed out at only 12.4 miles per hour. This is a very small difference, but something that we noticed during our motor testing.
RELATED: Best Treadmills for Running
The treadmill is durable and feels sturdy to use, so the overall durability and construction score is 4 out of 5 stars.
Adjustability and Ergonomics
While there are many benefits of walking on a treadmill, many users are looking for a treadmill they can safely run on, without worrying about stepping on the front or falling off the back.
One of the features Lindsay loved the most is the waterfall design, which means the front of the treadmill isn’t covered by a large hood. For those with a longer stride, accidentally stepping on the front of the treadmill isn’t a fun experience, especially at higher speeds. We love that the Stride-6s doesn’t have anything to get in your way.
Lindsay also pointed out that the cushioning is very similar to the Peloton Tread, and feels similar to road running. Those who prefer extra cushioning may need to choose a different treadmill, but this is a nice choice for anyone who enjoys a more stable, solid surface.
RELATED: Best Treadmills For Running
Finally, Lindsay’s biggest callout is the buttons used to adjust the speed. She said you have to scroll your thumb across the speed buttons to adjust it and it’s not the most intuitive adjustment system, especially when running at high speeds. You have to do the same thing when adjusting the incline. Because of this, she wouldn’t recommend this treadmill to anyone doing interval training who regularly needs to adjust the speed.
The treadmill has 12 incline levels, but as we’d expect at this price point, it does not have decline options.
For adjustability and ergonomics, the Stride-6s earns a 3-out-of-5-star rating.
Technology and Conveniences
Echelon designed most of its equipment to work with its on-demand classes, which are available in the standard FitPass for $11.99 per month, or the Premier membership, which costs $39.99 per month or $33.33 per month when paid annually.
The streaming classes provide thousands of instructor-led classes. The Premium membership also unlocks scenic runs, live classes, Echelon Worlds gamified workouts, a 5-year extended warranty, and integration with Strava, Apple Health, and more. Bluetooth audio allows you to stream your music through the built-in speakers or sync with the Echelon app.
The biggest callout from our testers was the size of the screen. It’s not uncommon to see a smaller screen on a smart treadmill with this size and price point, but Lindsay felt the screen was hard to see. Several other testers who tried out the Stride-6s had similar comments.
RELATED: Best Treadmill App
Lindsay didn’t have any problems seeing the instructor when following along with classes but noted that many of the metrics are displayed in small text on the bottom, and may be difficult to read.
The treadmill also includes a built-in fan, heart rate sensors, a device holder for your phone or tablet, and two water bottle holders.
We give the Echelon Stride-6s 3 out of 5 stars for technology and convenience.
Echelon Stride-6s vs Echelon Stride-8s
Echelon Stride-8s
Echelon Stride-8s
Product Highlights
- Modern design
- Changing LED lights under the belt
- Quiet but powerful 3.75 CHP motor
- Swiveling 22″ touchscreen monitor
- 12 levels of incline
- 20-inch deck
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Modern design
- Changing LED lights under the belt make running fun
- Quiet when changing speeds or inclines
- Powerful 3.75 CHP motor
- Swiveling 22" touchscreen monitor
- Long 20-inch deck
- Minimal assembly required
- Wireless charging pad
Cons
- Monitor can be wobbly when changing speeds or inclines
- Treadmill deck may be too firm for some runners
- Inconsistent volume on the built-in workouts
- No decline options
- Not foldable
Bottom Line
The Echelon Stride-8s is a sleek treadmill with unique features (like color-changing lights under the belt) that help make your workouts more engaging. However, for a similar price, you can find other treadmills that offer much more.
If you like the Stride-6s style but want something a little bigger, you could go with Echelon’s premium treadmill, the 8s. It’s not a folding treadmill like the 6s, but it has nicer features built in to the machine.
Compared to the 6s, the 8s has a significantly larger screen that can swivel around, a more powerful motor, and more cushioning under the deck. It also has several other upgrades, like a built-in wireless phone charger.
The Stride-6s is the better choice for those on a tighter budget or who prefer less cushioning, while the 8s is better for those willing to spend more for a larger screen and a more cushioned run.
To read more, check out our complete Echelon Stride-8s review.
| Echelon Stride-6s | Echelon Stride-8s | |
| Price | $1,899.99 | $2,799.99 |
| Footprint | 64” L x 32.4” W x 57” H (5.4′ L x 2.7′ W x 4.75′ H) | 67.2” L x 33.6” W x 63.6” H (5.6′ L x 2.8′ W x 5.3′ H) |
| Running deck | 60” L x 20.5” W | 60” L x 20” W |
| Weight | N/A | N/A |
| Weight capacity | 300 lbs | 300 lbs |
| Max speed | 12.4 mph | 12.5 mph |
| Incline | 12 levels | 12 levels |
| Foldable | Yes | No |
| Motor size | DC brushless (3.0 CHP / 3.5 PHP) motor | 3.75 CHP motor, brushless DC type |
| Display | 10″ class HD touchscreen | 22” HD touchscreen with 180 swivel feature |
| Warranty | 1-year limited warranty with extended warranties available; 5-year extended warranty included for Active Premier members | 1-year limited warranty with extended warranties available; 5-year extended warranty included for Active Premier members |
Customer Experience
We rate Echelon’s customer experience 3 out of 5. Customer support can be reached via phone, text, or chat, and business hours are clearly listed on the website.
One of Echelon’s biggest standout features is the extended 5-year warranty customers receive when paying for the Premiere membership, but you need to pay for the annual membership ($339.99) to receive the extended coverage. This isn’t cheap, but if you’re paying for the Premier membership anyway, this is a nice way to extend the warranty coverage.
Ordering and Assembling the Echelon Stride-6s
Echelon offers many checkout options, including Shop Pay, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal. Customers can also finance their purchases through Shop Pay or Echelon’s own financing plan.
Assembly is very easy, and Lindsay said that one person should be able to assemble the treadmill in under 30 minutes.
The Stride-6s earns a 5 out of 5 for the ordering and assembly process.
Customer Reviews
At the time of writing, the Echelon Stride-6s only has 29 reviews, all of which are positive and have a 5-out-of-5-star rating.
Customers love the convenience, scenic runs, and instructors available through the streaming classes.
Final Verdict of Our Echelon Stride-6s Review
Our testers were very impressed with the Echelon Stride-6s, especially its footprint, portability, and sleek design. This versatile piece of exercise equipment is a great choice for most home gym owners, especially those who enjoy doing their cardio indoors.
It has a 12.4 mile-per-hour speed, 12 incline levels, and a 300-pound weight limit, so many users will be able to enjoy this treadmill.
Lindsay felt it wasn’t the most cushioned run, and the screen was small. She also noted that adjusting the speed is a little tricky, so she specifically said those who do HIIT training and need to regularly change the speeds should avoid this treadmill. However, if you’re looking for something that can handle steady cardio sessions, this is a great choice for the price.
- The Stride-6s is relatively small, but the waterfall design makes the deck feel bigger than it is.
- Echelon often runs sales on this treadmill, bringing the list price of $1,899.99 as low as $1,359.99 at times.
- The portable design and small footprint will help this treadmill fit in most home gym spaces, even with limited space.
Full Rating
Echelon Stride-6s
The Echelon Stride 6s is a compact and impact-absorbing treadmill that’s perfect for people of all fitness levels, and comes with a 10-inch touchscreen to watch live and on-demand fitness classes.
Product Brand: Echelon
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 1899.99
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.67
Echelon Stride-6s: FAQs
Do you need a subscription for Echelon Stride-6s?
No. Most of the features are included in the membership, like streaming classes, off-equipment classes like Pilates and yoga, and member profiles to store data, but you can still use the treadmill without these features.
Can you run on an Echelon Stride-6s?
Yes. Even though the Stride-6s has a shorter deck than many commercial treadmills, the waterfall design removes the standard front hood found on many treadmills, giving you plenty of room for running.
How many mph does the Echelon Stride go 6s?
The Echelon Stride-6s has a maximum speed of 12.4 miles per hour.
