Echelon Stride 50 RCX-22 Review: Is the 22-Inch Screen Worth £500 More?

Treadmill Review

The Echelon Stride 50 RCX-22 is the Stride 50 RCX with a 22-inch HD touchscreen built in. Same 2.0 CHP brushless motor, same 12.5 mph and 15 incline levels, same folding deck, but now with a large display for the Echelon Fit classes instead of propping up your phone. This review works through what the screen adds, what the membership really costs on a screen-led machine, and whether it is worth the £500 premium over the standard RCX.

By the HomeTreadmill team  |  Updated for 2026  |  Researched and compared, prices checked regularly

Who the Stride 50 RCX-22 is for

The RCX-22 is for the buyer who wants the Echelon Fit experience to feel like a built-in product rather than a phone bolted to a treadmill. If you know you will use the live and on-demand classes, value a big, fixed display you do not have to set up each time, and want it on a deck that still folds away, this is the model that delivers exactly that.

It is also for people who simply prefer an all-in-one machine and do not want to think about tablet mounts, charging cables or which app is on screen. If none of that appeals and you are happy to use your own device, the mechanically identical Stride 50 RCX does the same run for £500 less, and that comparison runs through this entire review.

Mechanically identical to the RCX

It is worth being blunt about this: under the screen, the RCX-22 is the same machine as the standard RCX. Same 2.0 CHP brushless motor (3.0 HP peak), same 12.5 mph (20 km/h) top speed, same 15 levels of powered incline, same 55 by 145 cm running deck and the same 150 kg user limit. It folds up the same way and weighs the same 120 kg.

That is good news, because the RCX is an excellent runner, but it means every penny of the £500 premium is buying the screen and nothing else. There is no extra motor, deck or incline to show for it.

The running experience

Because the running hardware is shared, the experience underfoot is exactly what we like about the RCX. The 2.0 CHP motor holds a steady pace under load, the full-width 22-inch belt gives room for a natural stride, the DuroFlex cushioning takes the edge off the impact, and 15 incline levels cover proper hill work. This is a treadmill that can genuinely run, with the immersive screen sitting on top of solid fundamentals rather than papering over weak ones.

The 22-inch panel itself tilts and adjusts to your height, which helps you line it up whether you are walking, running or following an off-equipment session beside the machine.

Screen, app and the real cost of membership

The 22-inch HD touchscreen is the entire reason this model exists. It puts Echelon Fit’s live and on-demand classes, instructor-led sessions and scenic runs front and centre, with Strava, Apple Health and Fitbit support alongside. For a screen-led machine, the content behind it is not optional in the way it is on the cheaper models, it is the point.

And that content is a subscription. Echelon Premier costs £29.99 a month or £299.90 a year (around £25 a month) in the UK, and a 45-day free trial is included with the machine. Membership is not required to run: you can set speed and incline manually and use the onboard programmes without paying a penny. There is also a useful warranty wrinkle, members who keep a continuous Premier subscription from the date of purchase get an extra four years of cover on top of the standard one year, so five years in total.

This matters more here than anywhere else in the range. You are paying £500 extra specifically to surface Echelon Fit on a built-in display, so if you let the membership lapse you are left with a very capable treadmill whose headline feature is a dark screen, and at that point the cheaper RCX would have made more sense. Buy the RCX-22 only if you genuinely intend to keep subscribing; if there is any doubt, the standard RCX hedges that risk for £500 less.

Folding, footprint and moving it

Despite the large screen, the RCX-22 keeps the folding deck, which is its real advantage over the premium 8s and 9s Pro. In use it takes up roughly 182 by 89 cm, folds up to around 106.5 cm tall, and rolls on transport wheels. So you get the big-screen, all-in-one feel of a studio treadmill while retaining the ability to tuck it into a corner, something neither of the dearer screened models can do.

At 120 kg it is still a substantial object and a two-person lift up stairs, but for a screened treadmill that folds, the footprint flexibility is genuinely useful.

Build quality and warranty

The RCX-22 shares the RCX’s solid frame and 150 kg rating, and carries the same one-year home-use warranty, extended to five years with a continuous Premier membership. On a screen-led model that warranty structure is worth noting twice, because you are the buyer most likely to keep subscribing anyway, which means the longer cover comes almost for free.

As with any touchscreen device, the panel is the part most exposed to wear over years of sweaty sessions, so a treadmill mat and the occasional wipe-down are sensible insurance.

Assembly and getting started

Assembly mirrors the standard RCX, the deck arrives built and you attach the uprights, console and covers, with the screen module adding a little weight up top, so a second pair of hands is welcome. Most people are running within an hour.

The 45-day Premier trial is activated through Echelon with your proof of purchase, and because the experience is built around the screen, it is worth setting up the app and your profile properly from day one to get the most out of the trial.

How it compares

At £1,499 with a built-in screen, the RCX-22 lines up against the touchscreen crowd. The NordicTrack T Series 9 and the iFIT-based ProForm Carbon Pro 2000 are the obvious rivals, each with their own subscription ecosystem to factor in, while the Peloton Tread is the premium benchmark for guided running if budget stretches.

Within Echelon itself, the most important comparison is internal: the screenless RCX for £500 less, and the studio-style 8s if you want a bigger, swivelling screen and do not need to fold. Our best folding treadmills and treadmills with incline guides widen the field.

Who should skip it

Skip the RCX-22 if you are even slightly unsure about committing to the Echelon membership long term, because without it the £500 screen premium is wasted, buy the standard RCX instead. Skip it too if you want the largest, most flexible screen and do not need to fold, where the swivelling 22-inch panel on the 8s is the better fit.

If you want the big built-in screen and the folding deck together, and you will use the subscription, this is the model that uniquely offers both.

Full specifications

Frequently asked questions

The verdict

The Stride 50 RCX-22 is an excellent connected treadmill, and the running hardware is beyond reproach because it is shared with our favourite Echelon, the 50 RCX. The decision comes down to one question: will you pay £500, plus an ongoing membership, for a built-in screen rather than using your own device? If yes, this is the most convenient way to get the big-screen experience while keeping a folding deck, a combination nothing else in the range offers. If you are indifferent to the screen or unsure about subscribing, save the money and buy the RCX.

We research and compare products independently using our RunRank system. If you buy through links on this page we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Prices are checked regularly and change with sales and discount codes, so always confirm the current price on the retailer’s site.