Witmaster

My Wife has decided that she wants a treadmill for her birthday. I need some feedback/advice on a quality machine that we can use in the home. I've used treadmills at the gym more times than I can count but the huge commercial models are not practical for the home.

I'm hoping someone here has a home model they can recommend or possibly warn me of models to avoid.

I'm looking to spend up to $1,500. I appreciate any advice on a quality manufacturer/model to purchase.

NEVER write a check with your mouth that you can't cash with your ASS!!

I can run faster mad than you can scared

"All right brain... I don't like you and you don't like me. So let's just do this and I'll get back to killing you with beer" ~ Homer Simpson

Witmaster

Well... Given the astounding replys I recieved from this solicitation I have setteled on the Sole_F83 as my choice of purchase.

Consumer reviews are good on this particular item. Aparently it is used by a lot of Hotels who offer in-room fitness equipment. These machines take quite a bit of punishment and they last. Furthermore, the warranty on this equipment is unmatched by any other I've seen. Additionally, although the thing retails for around $1800 I was able to land a new one on Ebay for 1500!!

I'll be sure and type a thorough review of the product once I recieve it and get it set up

NEVER write a check with your mouth that you can't cash with your ASS!!

I can run faster mad than you can scared

"All right brain... I don't like you and you don't like me. So let's just do this and I'll get back to killing you with beer" ~ Homer Simpson

mike456

A treadmill is one of the worst purchases my mother has ever made.
Good luck to you and your wife, but I am pretty sure it will only be used once or twice, it is one of the most boring things ever, unless you already purchased one, get a bicycle or go jogging outside, there is alot of fun ways to do cardio, and treadmill is on the bottom of the list.

Journal

MyK

I'd go with an eliptical over a mill!

CowPimp

Looks like a nice treadmill, but what really separates them?

Any you came across which you don't recommend to others?

It would be good to know for future reference I suppose. I've never really looked into it.

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Witmaster

Yea.. I know. I prefer to do my cardio outside (Running, Biking, Swimming, etc.) However, my Wife prefers the treadmill. We'll see. (Hey, it's only money, right?)

I would too but she hates elipticals?

NEVER write a check with your mouth that you can't cash with your ASS!!

I can run faster mad than you can scared

"All right brain... I don't like you and you don't like me. So let's just do this and I'll get back to killing you with beer" ~ Homer Simpson

joesmooth20

get her a gym membership! If you must throw money away

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Witmaster

She has that too. She's wanting an alternate cardio source to use in the morning before work.

NEVER write a check with your mouth that you can't cash with your ASS!!

I can run faster mad than you can scared

"All right brain... I don't like you and you don't like me. So let's just do this and I'll get back to killing you with beer" ~ Homer Simpson

Witmaster

Wit's Treadmill Review:

Well, as I previously mentioned, I purchased a Sole F83 Treadmill for our home. I didn’t just purchase this model on a whim.. I did do a bit of research prior to my purchase to best ensure I chose a quality product.

Like most rookies, I first went to several sporting good shops and looked at the equipment available. Although this is a great way to familiarize yourself with the vast array and varieties of cardio equipment available, it is also a great way to leave yourself with far more questions than answers.

I’ll never forget one day while I was in a rather popular sporting good franchise. I was looking over the treadmills and was greeted by a rather large and very oddly shaped man named “roger” who identified himself as the “fitness specialist” to answer any questions I might have about the treadmills. Now, when I Say “Large” I mean LARGE. Probably a good 330-350 pounds. And when I say “Oddly Shaped” what I mean is, this guy had the body of a wilted pear. Needless to say, I found the whole title of “fitness specialist” to be amusing.

After spending a few minutes with “Roger” it was quite clear to me that the focus was NOT on my goals in Cardio Training, but rather something along the lines of, “looky at the pretty lights on this one” and “this one plays MP3 files” or “this one only weights 75 pounds so you can store it real easy”…. You get my point.

I think Roger about had a heart attack when I knelt down, pulled out my leatherman, and began removing the cover-plates that house the motor in the front of the machine. I removed the shrouds from two different treadmills made by separate Mfg’s and discovered and interesting find. Both machines claimed to have a 2.0 HP motor and yet, when compared side-by-side it was obvious that one motor was about half the size of the other! I asked Roger about this difference and promptly received a blank stare followed by a perplexed expression that could only be compared to Homer Simpson.

I replaced the shrouds and politely thanked Roger for his time.

Upon my return home I starting searching the technical specs for various treadmills and made a startling discovery. The reason there was a difference in size between the two aforementioned motors is because there is NO INDUSTRY STANDARD when rating Treadmill Motors. Now, I’m not saying that the smaller motor didn’t have the same power output as the larger but my guess is it sure as hell wouldn’t have the same lifespan and reliability. This might explain why the unit with the smaller motor only had a 5-year warranty as opposed to the 10 year of it’s rival.

My research also revealed that the lighter models may be easy to fold and store but they also have the most common problems with bent frames, torn belts, and broken motors. Bottom line… a 600 dollar treadmill may seem appealing to your wallet but in the long run, you’ll just end up spending twice that in repairs or buying a better machine altogether.

One caveat I’ll add here: If all you intend to do is WALK then a cheaper treadmill will probably suffice. However, if you are looking for a high impact cardio session then it would behoove you to consider the more expensive models.

In the end, I walked away from the mass-merchant dealers and decided to take a direct approach with Cardio-specific Manufacturers. Now, there are a TON of MFG’s out there with reliable products. The choices can seem quite daunting if you try to compare them all.

I narrowed it down by searching for the following criteria:

2.5 – 3.0 HP motor
Programmable console for varied training needs
Steel-Frame construction with a warranty beyond 10 years
2-ply belt with a warranty beyond 2 years
“whisper” drive system (I use it early in the AM and don’t want to wake the house)
Aesthetics (Hey, it’s in my house. Its gotta look good)
And finally…a good costumer review

I landed on the following models:

Smooth 6.25 = $1,500
Pacemaster Gold = $2199
Sole F83 = = 1,799

All 3 models are great choices but I selected the Sole F83. Although it retails anywhere from $1799 to $2100 I managed to score one on Ebay for $1599 (Brand new w/ 100% warranty and free shipping)!!

The F83 had all the features and performance measures I was looking for and the price was right. I’d recommend it to anyone.

NEVER write a check with your mouth that you can't cash with your ASS!!

I can run faster mad than you can scared

"All right brain... I don't like you and you don't like me. So let's just do this and I'll get back to killing you with beer" ~ Homer Simpson

CowPimp

Cool writeup Witmaster. Hopefully she does you well, and I'm not talking about the treadmill. Hehe.

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