Nautilus Mobia Review - Part 3

Conclusions

Mobia is definitely an innovative training machine. If you choose to buy this equipment feels like bringing home the latest technology. Most of us enjoy that feeling: having something new, unique, the latest in sports fashion.

But we need to evaluate the other factors as well.

From our point of view, Mobia stands to its reputation. The purpose is to use the machine when you want to lose weight/maintain your weight. How do you do that?

Your train on Mobia 3 times a week for 30 minutes each day. This is not a piece of cake and don’t give up if you can’t complete the workout from your first attempt. Through regular exercise you’ll get there.

With the machine Mobia sends you also a recommendation for diet plan to combine with your workout sessions. We recommend visiting also a nutritionist to give you a diet plan that works with your body/health.

Once you get over the initial exercise pains the machine is pretty easy to use. You walk regularly, change the intensity gradually and keep doing that based on the schedule you impose to yourself.

So, Mobia is definitely a home use machine for basic training. Don’t expect to run in a marathon or do a 5k race just buy doing Mobia training. This is not its purpose.

Regarding maintenance we recommend choosing a 3rd party Assembly Service recommended by Mobia. It’s easier and safer, although it may cost additional to the machine price.

Pay attention to the technical requirements that must be followed for a proper usage of the machine. If you need help, call Mobia Support. You have 2 years warranty for almost every part.

Speaking of Warranty, we find the 2 year limitation a little annoying. This is a Nautilus product so you would expect at least life time warranty for the frame.

You don’t receive any entertainment features. We agree this is an advantage, but some consider it a fault. A simple iPod will do the trick (for us it does).

How do you decide if it’s worth spending
$1,700 on Mobia by Nautilus? Well, the answer depends on your needs, budget and personality. From our point of view the buyer for a Mobia machine is a regular trainer, has $1,700 in his account (with the latest offer) and likes his training machine to be fashionable. For other information you can visit the Mobia website.

Follow the Mobia vs Treadclimber vs Incline Trainer part 1 link and you will read a comparison review between this product and 2 others that could worth your attention before deciding on which to spend your money: Mobia ($2,000) vs Bowflex Treadclimber TC 5500 ($3,300) vs Nordictrack X7i Incline Trainer ($2,000).


Burn up to twice the calories as a treadmill.

You can buy this treadmill:

At Bowflex: Mobia by Nautilus for 1699 $

Comments

45 Responses to “Nautilus Mobia Review”

  1. Karl says:
    February 3, 2010 at 12:11 pm

    You forgot to mention that the Mobia is a take-off of the Bowflex Tread-Climber. I ordered the free DVD for both machines and found the two to be quite similar. They each listed the same exact calorie burning rates for their machines as well as the same exact values of calories burned for treadmill and eliptical machines used in a comparisons between machines. Also, the Treadclimber 3000 and Mobia were similarly priced.

    I was curious about the similarities and then I saw a page in the Nautilus Mobia booklet that showed other company logos (which I assumed meant they were owned by, or a family of Nautilus), and sure enough, there amongst some of the other logos was the Bowflex logo.

    During my recent research on the Tread Climber, I learned of many problems with the units (burned out motors, electrical issues, rubbing components, etc.). I had to wonder if the machine was re-designed to eliminate these issues and now re-marketed under the Nautilus name?

  2. admin says:
    February 5, 2010 at 9:55 am

    @Karl. We’ll definitely look into this more attentively. We heard about the Bowflex TreadClimber but until now we haven’t had the chance to see and test it. Your questions are pertinent. It’s very possible Nautilus is an improved version of the Bowflex TreadClimber. We’ll keep you posted (hopefully in a month or so we’ll get the chance to test the Bowflex too). Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention!

  3. Alley says:
    February 5, 2010 at 5:47 pm

    I am Have been looking at options for myself for in home training coming off a knee surgery I saw this and the bowflex edition, the Mobia seems “slightly” Bunny Housewife Marketed vs the Bowflex which has a manly more rugged design. The Mobia is definitely one of the most astheticly pleasing pieces of at home equipment on the market.

  4. admin says:
    February 8, 2010 at 5:28 am

    @Alley – let us know which one you have decided to buy and how you’ve made your decision.
    And we wish you a fast recovery :)

  5. MJ says:
    February 11, 2010 at 9:49 am

    I subscribe to Consumer Reports and they say that you do get a better work out on the Treadclimbers vs a treadmill but I see a lot of bad reports regarding the quality of the Treadclimbers on line I called Mobia and asked what is the differnece since they own Bowflex as well she told me that the Bowflex can be changed into just a stepper and the Mobia can not. I can only walk so that’s OK with me but this is the second person I spoke with there and they are horrible they really don’t provide information unless you ask direct questions and some of them they avoid. It a lot of money to spend and I just want to make sure I get a good machine.

  6. admin says:
    February 11, 2010 at 10:30 am

    @MJ, you’re right, it does cost a lot of money and the Sales Support should be 100% for the client. We will do the TreadClimbers review, hopefully in 3 weeks. Then we’ll be able to make our own recommendation, if it will help you, our readers, to make a decision before you buy the product. Until then, thank you for your insight, MJ! It’s really helpful.

  7. Frank says:
    February 16, 2010 at 12:54 pm

    I live in an apartment house with wooden floors , which I cover with a rug. Can anyone tell me how loud the Mobia is and will it vibrate through the floor. Much thanks.

  8. admin says:
    February 19, 2010 at 7:04 am

    @Frank – Mobia is less louder than an usual treadmill because of its less powerful motor. What we recommend you is to buy a thick, rubber mat to put under the machine (it can help in some situations, depending on the building walls you live in). The machine will need to be placed on the wooden floor (not on the rug) so the mat could be a solution. Hope it helps.

  9. Karen says:
    February 20, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    An owner of an exercise equipment store said this is a rip off. He said notice that you only see a few seconds of the woman using it and then it gives another angle view. Reason being that you are going side to side not straight ahead and they don’t want you to see it. That might be hard on your hips. I am anxious to read a review from you. Can you let me know when you do it?

  10. admin says:
    February 22, 2010 at 5:14 am

    @Karen: We didn’t experience any side by side movement but we followed the instructions accordingly. The idea is to set the Hydraulic Resistance Cylinders accordingly to your weight and the surface resistance you want to feel during the exercise. You also have to adjust the belt if the 2 treadles are not aligned when in motion. We mentioned in this review how these steps are completed. You can always request to do a test before you buy it. The pressure may be too much for some people. If you need more info from us, we will be happy to share with you more of our experience.

  11. Frank says:
    February 26, 2010 at 5:42 pm

    Administrator
    Thank you for the information, it is helpful. I would note that they do ahve it on a rug in your clip above.
    Karen–the reason I am interested in this machine is that I used their Industrial size one in a gym in the carolina’s and was very impressed and did not move side to side–not an issue, but again that is a bigger machine.

  12. admin says:
    March 2, 2010 at 4:26 am

    @Frank. We’re happy we could help and thank you for posting your opinion. The comparison is up. The URL is posted at the end of this review. Cheers

  13. Red says:
    March 18, 2010 at 12:49 pm

    I just purchased the Mobia–and every single time I try to use it, after 30 seconds, it stops and I get an error code. After I called customer service every single time, I was told I’m walking too fast and it has a very sensitive motor. The only time I have been able to successfully use it was at speed 1.8 (which was way too fast for a beginner IMHP) and after 5 minutes, I was ready to collapse. At this point, I’m ready to box it up and ship it back.

  14. admin says:
    March 19, 2010 at 6:03 am

    @Red – this is an awful experience and definitely Mobia Support team’s answer is the wrong one. You should ship it back and ask them to send you a new machine. This one seems to have a problem from the manufacturer. It’s not supposed to collapse every 30 seconds, under no circumstances.

  15. Craig says:
    April 2, 2010 at 11:26 pm

    I’m 6’5. The belts look very short. Worried I may not get a full stride out of it? Any tall people out there with good/bad experiences?

  16. Charles says:
    April 3, 2010 at 4:49 pm

    I bought a TC-3000 and it was defective. The motor mounts were broken and some parts were broken too. I received a refund. At first they wanted me to pay for the return shipping, but that did not happen as I raised a lot of he…l. A few months went buy and ordered another Bowflex. It too is defective. The stairclember does not move up and down. I still like the concept of the machine. I am returning the TC-1000 and will try the Mobia. I hope it works this time!

  17. admin says:
    April 7, 2010 at 6:12 am

    @Charles – Thanks for sharing this with us and our readers. I really look forward to your feedback about the Mobia experience.

  18. admin says:
    April 7, 2010 at 6:18 am

    @Craig – I’m 5’5 and for me it worked smoothly. For you, the belt may be too short to do a full stride. Hope someone as tall as you can confirm if they read your comment. All the best. Anna

  19. Jerry says:
    April 17, 2010 at 11:42 am

    What is the incline of the treadles?

    I have used treadmills during physical therapy and had problems with my knees if the incline was too steep. I’d hate to order this machine only to find out that I can’t use it.

  20. admin says:
    April 19, 2010 at 5:31 am

    @ Jerry – The treadles don’t remain in a fix incline level so you don’t need to worry. This machine has a different workout system than treadmills: imagine you climbing stairs always moving forward. If you must follow restrictive orders from your doctor, you should consult with a specialist before purchase. Also, call Mobia Support to ask where you could go to test the machine. There must be options for you to test before buying.

  21. Larisa says:
    April 25, 2010 at 6:11 pm

    Admin…you had stated in one of the comments that a customer can always request to do a test before you buy, how would I go about doing that?

  22. admin says:
    April 28, 2010 at 4:55 am

    @Larisa – I know they allowed tests at their Headquarters, some time ago. I am not familiar with the current offer. But try to call them at the Support number from their website. They can offer directions better than me. If you have the time let us know what results you got from them.

  23. Katie says:
    May 4, 2010 at 9:06 pm

    We bought a Mobia a few months ago. Since then the price has dropped considerably, along with free shipping offers and/or accessories, so being an early buyer was not a great move. That said, we haven’t had any problems using it at various speeds, and have experienced no side-to-side motion. Definitely gives a good cardio workout. Biggest complaint is how long it took to receive the Mobia after we ordered it – 3 weeks, I think? Kind of hard to stay enthused about it when you have to wait that long.

    @Craig – I’m 5’8″, husband is 6’0″, stride length is not a problem for us. We have both found that we actually have to pay attention to intentionally lengthening our stride, because we’ve found ourselves taking shorter steps when we first got started. Length of the treadle is 40″, and I frequently step off the front edge ever so slightly as the belt moves. I actually think you could be okay with it, but make sure you have tall ceilings. When I’m on it, seems like I’m looking at the top of the door casings.

  24. admin says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:00 am

    @Katie – thanks for sharing your experience!

  25. her says:
    May 28, 2010 at 8:36 pm

    I was thinking about getting a Mobia, but these comments have convinced me that maybe i should just get the Nautilus Treadclimber. It has a low price, and I haven’t heard any bad reviews for it either.

    Thanks Admin

  26. admin says:
    May 31, 2010 at 4:11 am

    @Her- if you can, please let me know how Nautilus Treadclimber works for you. Mobia is also produced by Nautilus. Thanks for passing by our website :)

  27. George says:
    June 10, 2010 at 10:38 am

    I received a Mobia yesterday and spent 4 hours assembling it (They honored their free shipping deal, but said the free assembly was not available in my area). This morning, I tried it out and noticed a few things. 1) one of the hydraulic pistons squeaks on every step…very annoying…can these be oiled without damaging? 2) I am 6’3″ and while I can get a full stride if I stand very close to the front, my foot still drags on the back step plate from time to time 3) I weigh about 240# and I can barely make the treadles move, even on the loosest setting…is there anything that can be done about this?

    I love the LifeFitness Treadclimbers at our local Y, but they broke so often, they got rid of them. I was hoping the hydraulics would work better than the mechanical up/down motion. Given the issues with my stride length and lack of up/down motion on the treadles, I’m seriously considering sending it back within the “satisfaction guarantee” period.

  28. admin says:
    June 10, 2010 at 12:49 pm

    @George – I can only give you my own personal opinion, but I am not an authorized technician. First you should lubricate the treadmill parts with silicone lubricant. This is the only lubricant you should use with Mobia and will solve the squeaks which are totally normal. Then you should consult a specialist to confirm you assembled it right. Maybe you need to align treadles more carefully. Read everything in the manual. For me it helped a lot.

    6’3” is a little too tall in my opinion to be able to do a full stride. Mobia’s dimensions and design are more appropriate for people with maximum 5’7”. Your weight is OK and shouldn’t influence the up/down motion. You need to be sure you assembled it correctly to confirm the machine has a problem or not.

    As an alternative I could recommend you an Incline Trainer, a Life Fitness Incline Trainer if this is the brand you like. It’s more suitable for tall people.

    Let me know what you decided to do.

  29. Albert says:
    June 16, 2010 at 10:46 pm

    My Mobia came tonight..you have to be contortionist with tiny hands to put it together..(and that takes between 4&5 hours.).Finally got it together and the motor does not work. >:| Customer service is closed..Im so pissed

  30. admin says:
    June 23, 2010 at 5:56 am

    @Albert – If I were in your place I would be pissed too. How did it go when you finally reached Customer Service?

  31. George says:
    June 23, 2010 at 11:12 am

    As a follow-up to my post a couple weeks ago…

    I applied some silicone lubricant spray to both hydraulic pistons, and the squeaking went away and there seemed to be more movement. The next time I used the Mobia, the squeak was back, but a second application of lubricant seemed to do the trick. I’ve used it a half dozen times since with no squeaking.

    My stride length is a non-issue as long as i stay as far to the front of the treads as possible. I just needed to adjust where my hands hold the rails.

    Finally, this is a heck of a workout! I am in pretty good shape, but I can barely get in 20 minutes at 3.5 mph. I love seeing the calorie count approach 400 after only 20 minutes.

    Albert, I hope you can get the help you need. I think you will be happy with the workout once you get it working.

  32. admin says:
    June 29, 2010 at 5:39 am

    @George – thanks so much for the follow up. It’s great to receive your good news :) Happy exercise :) @Albert – I hope to receive your news soon too.

  33. Kevin says:
    July 16, 2010 at 8:56 pm

    Hi:

    I have had my mobia for several months and I really like it except for one thing. The cylinders BANG every time I use it. I have called customer service and they sent out replacement cylinders and they do the same thing.

    I spoke with the person who put together my machine and he said it’s a design flaw with the mobia. He said that the cylinders bang against a plastic stopper. He suggested the company switch to some sort of rubber stopper and it would eliminate the loud banging noise with each step.

    He suggested I do the following and now my mobia makes no noise. The solution suggested was to go to home depot and get some sort of rubber washer or something to put between the cylinder and the plastic bumper. I have not had time to go to home depot as of 7/16. I will update this post when I do.

    In the short term he suggested I take some of that cheese cloth type material that the mobia came with (I still had my mobia box in my house)and wrap it around the cylinders and tape it so when the cylinders bang with every step it will hit the cloth type material and make no noise. I tried it and it worked perfectly…

    So I would recommend to anyone who is having issues with their cylinders to try the suggestions above.

    Kevin

  34. admin says:
    July 22, 2010 at 1:12 am

    @Kevin: This is a great tip. I would have never thought of it. Thanks so much for posting and we welcome new updates from your experience anytime.

  35. Nathan says:
    July 31, 2010 at 5:32 pm

    Kevin,

    I too had this same problem. When I assembled my Mobia, one of the hydraulic cylinders banged against the stopper. I called the customer service department and had them send me another set, both of which did the same thing. I called the customer service department again and they agreed that if the next set of cylinders they sent out did the same thing, then they would take it back and I wouldn’t have to pay for the return shipping. So far no banging noise, but one of them does squeak. I have to go to Home Depot to pick up some silicone spray, but I think I’ll try the washer trick too. Good tip!

  36. Jacki says:
    August 11, 2010 at 9:08 pm

    I have back issues and was wondering if anyone that owns a Mobia has back issues? Does it bother your back or knees? I really want to find a good machine that will help me get back in shape.

  37. Kevin says:
    October 13, 2010 at 10:39 pm

    In case anyone is interested, MOBIA.COM has the mobia for $799 and free shipping. Enter code M9HFSA1 at checkout. Don’t know how long this will last… great discount on this one!

    Kevin

  38. Jennifer says:
    January 18, 2011 at 8:04 pm

    We just received our Mobia about 4 days ago. A couple of things: if you can’t afford the $200 assembly fee (or whatever it was) I wouldn’t get it. It took an experienced assembly person over 3 hours and looked pretty difficult.
    We would have never been able to do it! Also, it took like 10 or so days to arrive once ordered, so there is a bit of a wait. No turning off or strange noises as some people have had in the previous reviews. It’s much quieter than a treadmill and much more visually appealing as a machine.
    Basically, so far, my husband and I love this thing. It is a hard work out–20 to 30 minutes is about all I can stand at this point. My husband is 6’5” and although his stride is long he says he can still use effectively without issues. He is a big guy and burns over 400 calories in a half hour going 2mph. I am 5’4/135 lbs, average 2.4 mph, and burned 238 calories in 30 minutes. And it wasn’t on the hardest level–it was on 3. So we are quite pleased thus far. Hoping to see the results it claims!

  39. SabrinA says:
    August 4, 2011 at 1:50 am

    Hi I am 5’2 118 lbs and the treadles are not moving up and down for me more than 1.5 inches, I just had it assembled professionally today, any advice? Btw I have tried it at different resistance levels.

  40. admin says:
    August 4, 2011 at 6:04 am

    @Sabrina. From your comment description, it appears the machine works correctly.

  41. Lou says:
    August 10, 2011 at 4:58 pm

    For those with budget constraints, I see that Nautilus is now offering a $750 discount plus free shipping with promo code M75FSU7. Considering some of the problems people have had, is $1000 worth taking a chance on getting a machine without defects? I see some people posting used ones for around $800 on craigslist. Is this a machine you would want to buy new for the warranty? Your thoughts? Thanks.

  42. admin says:
    August 11, 2011 at 2:52 am

    @Lou – definitely buy a new model with full warranty.

  43. Jennifer says:
    August 30, 2011 at 6:44 pm

    After reading some of these comments, I want to share my experience. I bought the Mobia about a month ago for $599, which included free shipping, a mat, and the body fat scale (found this deal on BradsDeals.com). We had been looking for a new treadmill and I couldn’t pass that deal up! I put the machine together myself in about 3 hours (I’m a 5’6″ woman). All of the pieces were clearly lableled and it was just a matter of taking my time and reading directions thoroughly. If you are considering this machine, buy it NOW. At any price. My husband and I both agree it is the best piece of equipment we have ever owned.

    He is in much better shape than I am but still cannot complete 30 minutes of walking on this machine at half resistance. I cannot imagine the day will ever come when we can walk at full resistance. I am currently walking 20 minutes, resistance setting of 6, at 2.0 mph. At the end of the 20 minutes, I am so wet from sweating that you would have thought I just stepped out of the shower. I wanted this machine because I abhor running, but there is no amount of running on a regular treadmill that could give me this kind of workout anyways. I have lost almost 2 inches from my waist in 30 days from this machine and moderate dietary changes.

    I really can’t believe that anyone who has actually used this machine would give it a bad review. I have no clue what some people mean by “side to side”. The treadles may not look like they are moving up and down very much but why does that matter? All I can say is actually get on the machine and use it. If it doesn’t kick your butt then you must be the Incredible Hulk!

  44. admin says:
    September 5, 2011 at 3:07 am

    @Jennifer – Thank you so much much for your feedback! We are very happy for you and we hope your Mobia lasts for long long years. Happy training!

  45. cecilee says:
    September 12, 2011 at 8:52 pm

    Please be sure you do not have GFCI outlets. Nautilus does not list this under “specs” on their site for electrical requirements. Now, after research I know that most treadmills don’t work w/GFCI outlets. We are in an older home and found out the hard way when we ordered it. Got an error code immediately, they sent out a new motherboard which didn’t even work at all. Finally, had someone come out and say it was the GFCI. We had to return it, they refused to work w/us on shipping and wanted us to pay out of pocket to ship it back(would not give us their “discount”) so if we shipped it ourselves it would have cost us $1,000 through Fed Ex. They were so unprofessional that they told us we just needed to sell it on Craigslist so they wouldn’t have to take it back! Finally, they worked out a deal so that I could get a Schwinn Airdyne as a replacement. I had to pay $200.00 more for that(got the $599 deal on the mobia) because they wouldn’t let me use a discount code. It’s been a month and I still haven’t gotten the bike. It was my birthday gift from my husband and was absolutely beautiful. I think we got a lemon though because before we shipped it back we hauled it(all 200lbs!) over to the neighbors house to make sure it was our GFCI problem and it didn’t work there either! Very disappointed w/Nautilus Customer Service and I would never purchase anything else there again.

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