Ohiyo!

Every so often the Treadmill Sensei gets a really great piece of email that makes all this work worthwhile. Today let’s hear from Ben in New Jersey. He’s just bought a treadmill and has a few words. Take it away, Ben.

Dear Sensei:

Domo Arigato, Ben

Ben:

Thanks for the note and the very kind words. I am glad that my website was able to help guide you in the right direction. The most important thing is that you’re going to get started on your exercise and your walking. Truthfully, the brand you buy doesn’t matter as long as you’re using whatever it is to get healthy.

Thanks again and take care, Ben.

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

A reader recently asked the Treadmill Sensei “Why don’t you review more Proform product? They have a lot of treadmills and ellipticals that people see every day” At first I just laughed to myself because Proform reviews tend to be made up of me mocking some really low quality equipment by a company which doesn’t care about its customers. Plus, as the reader said “they have a LOT of treadmills and ellipticals.” Sometimes it feels like if I reviewed a Proform every day that I wouldn’t ever finish because they release new product so often. Why on Earth would I want to support that?

However, thinking about the question further I realized the reader was correct. Proform (and Icon in general) dominates much of the fitness industry, especially the lower end of the budget spectrum, and should be getting a larger presence on this website to show that. Of course, to Proform’s annoyment (if they’ve even noticed this website yet), I plan to continue to warn customers away from bad buys on budget treadmills and ellipticals. I will try to do at least one Proform or Icon review a week to keep everyone updated on what to avoid. What this means to the Treadmill Sensei is that I’ll be getting my “bad treadmill” headache a lot more often now. Because of that I will be accepting donations of Tylenol and Hard Liquor from you, my loyal readers, to combat that Bowflex Headache (which I may have to rename the Proform Headache)!

If you are looking for a best buy treadmill for under $400 then the Proform 350 Treadmill is an excellent one to avoid. If you are looking for a very noisy,plastic-constructed and rickety budget treadmill that isn’t going to last through a year of regular use then the Proform 350 is the perfect treadmill for you.

Starting with the assembly of the unit, we had a bit of trouble on the Proform 350 we ordered to review here at the DOJO. A number of the holes were cut incorrectly and the bolts didn’t quite fit. Also, alignment in general was just a tad off. Once together, the Proform 350 Treadmill was very shaking and not the most solid of units. The product specifications from Proform mention a 250 pound user weight limit, but I would drop that top weight down to no more than 160 pounds at the most. And, truthfully, even that might be stretching it.

Once together, the Proform 350 didn’t function at all. There was a problem with one of the control boards. What I thought would be a quick call to customer service turned in to what I like to call the “Icon Nightmare.” You see, I didn’t mention to the customer service department that I was an authorized Icon repair tech and just pretended to be a regular customer. What I went through was a terrible experience that lasted nearly a month with constant calls to get assistance. An amazing discovery was that the Icon customer service agents we spoke with seemed to consider themselves repair techs and were trying to diagnose the problem over the phone. We quickly received a vast array of different, very cheap, parts from Icon but none of them were what we needed. I finally gave up trying to act like a regular customer because I was developing a rather nasty ulcer from the experience. Receiving the control board we had the Proform 350 treadmill up and running in about 20 minutes…plus 30 or so days.

The very interesting thing was that I was never offered an “in-home” service tech by Icon, being told that I could install any of the parts they sent in just a few minutes. The other interesting thing was that one customer service rep suggested I remove the 350′s motor and take it to a local mechanic to have checked out…on my own dime of course. This is actually the second time I had been told this on a Proform treadmill in the past year.

Before I get to what I found in the course of my 2 days of actually working out on the Proform 350 treadmill, I want to go over the features and facts of the unit. The Proform 350 has a very small motor in it. Icon has labelled the motor as a 2.25 THP motor and what that means in reality is a 1.25 horsepower or possibly even smaller motor. It also has no programs, a small running area for the price at 17″x50″, top speed of 10mph and maximum incline of 10%. I was very surprised to see no programs at all on the unit because that is one of the cheapest features to add to a treadmill.

On to the findings of my workout on the Proform 350 Treadmill, why it only lasted for 2 days and why I mentioned a top user weight of less than 160 pounds. My workout was cut short on day 2 because I cracked the deck of the Proform 350 Treadmill during a walking workout of around 2 miles per hour. I hadn’t even gotten to a full run or jog, and I hadn’t even done my patented “bounce test” yet. Also, when we were taking the 350 apart to place it out in the DOJO’s “treadmill graveyard,” I noticed the left strut had bent and was cracked at its base. Now, I’m not a heavy man by anyone’s definition and this should not have happened during a light walking workout — heck, I think entire runtime on the Proform 350 was only around 2 hours at that point.

To be fair to Proform (God, I hate saying those words!), this may have been an isolated instance of a manufacturer’s defect. We would normally tried to find a second unit to try out but the overall experience on the treadmill and with Icon’s customer service turned me off on the idea. With or without the cracked deck and bent upright support, the Proform 350 is a very low quality, poorly manufactured treadmill that I would not recommend to my worst enemy. Don’t be fooled by the look of the Proform 350 and don’t be lured in by the price. In the end you’ll just be throwing your money away.

For being a truly horrible unit (and that caused me to look silly when it cracked and I fell off of it in front of Hikaru…who is still making fun of me), the Treadmill Sensei gives the Proform 350 Treadmill 0.5 out of 5 golden buddahs…that’s right, half a buddah!

The Proform 350 makes the Treadmill Sensei wish he had a 0.25 golden buddah rating.

ProForm 350 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 1.25 HP, listed as 2.25 THP
Running Area: 17″x50″
Max Speed: 10MPH
Max Incline: 10%
Folding: Yes
Display: LCD
Programs: 0
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 250lbs
Unit Weight: 125lbs
Price: Under $400

P.S. The Sensei was joking about the donations of Tylenol..although you can always send Hard Liquor.

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei has a Bowflex-sized headache again today, which interestingly enough isn’t from Bowflex related equipment. You see, over the weekend we took in 8 Proform treadmill repair jobs here at the DOJO. The jobs came from a bunch of unrelated people who all happened to breakdown at the same time. The reason this is a headache for me is because I am generally the one in charge of having to deal with Icon’s “customer/tech service” — I put that phrase in quotes because I don’t think the works “customer service” should ever be used together with the word ICON or PROFORM. It’s an oxymoron. Actually, you could leave the “oxy” portion of that word off and it would still fit them quite nicely.

To counteract the headache I thought I’d do a review of something quite a bit higher quality than a Proform treadmill…and, if you want quality, one of the names standing out this coming season is Lamar Fitness (or “Lamar Health, Fitness and Sports” as they like to be known…me? I think the name is way too long). To tell the truth, I wrote the notes for this review when a Lamar L1200 Treadmill came in to the DOJO about 2 months ago. Since we had an unusually busy summer this is my first chance to get back and do a full write up on the L1200 Treadmill, one of my top rated choices for a best buy treadmill under $1700.

The main reason I am a fan of Lamar equipment in general, and the Lamar L1200 Treadmill in specific, can be summed in three words: high quality components. Where a lot of mid-range manufacturers will overload their treadmills with plastic, Lamar goes out of its way to produce quality by using 14 gauge steel in the manufacture of their L1200 Treadmill. Most manufacturers are using 16 or lower gauge steel! The only other treadmills in the price range which can compete with the Lamar L1200 treadmill’s solid design and sturdy build are by BodyCraft and Quantum. Nothing else comes even close.

To help me run the Lamar 1200 through its treadmill paces, I had Hikaru “volunteer” to do a little running on it…well, to do a LOT of running on it. Over a 2 week period I had Hikaru do 2 workouts a day — a running workout in the morning for 20 minutes and then a walking one in the after noon for 45 minutes. The reason for doing dual workouts was to test two specific items: the stability of the unit with the running workout and the power and durability of the motor and drive system with the walking workout. You see, walking puts a lot more stress on a motor than a run does because your body weight is in almost constant contact with the belt, which can slow it down and put considerable strain on motor performance.

After 2 weeks we found the Lamar L1200 Treadmill performed with flying colors. Running in burst of 6-7 miles per hour, jumping up and down and general harsh treatment couldn’t weaken the L1200′s frame. In addition to that, neither long, slow steps or doing a cold start with Hikaru on the treadmill belt was a problem for the Lamar L1200′s motor. It started well and ran consistantly for the entire time. Lamar made an excellent choice when they chose the 2.5 horsepower motor for the L1200 treadmill.

From there the additional great features on the L1200 treadmill were just gravy. It has a monstrous 20″x60″ running area which is great for its price range — great for any price range — 8 workout programs, heart rate monitoring and control. and heft 225 pound unit weight, 10 mile per hour top speed and a 12% maximum incline.

If I had to nitpick about this unit, I would have wished for a higher top speed and incline, but that is such a stretch for a complaint it is barely worth mentioning. The Lamar L1200 Treadmill is a near perfect choice for the causal walker or the serious runner both. For being a best buy treadmill for under $2000, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Lamar L 1200 Treadmill 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

Another top rated treadmill from a solid company, the L1200 Treadmill gets 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5.

Get more information on the Lamar L1200 Treadmill.

Lamar L 1200 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.5HP
Running Area: 20″ x 60″
Programs: 8
Max Speed: 10 MPH
Max Incline: 12%
Display: LCD
Readouts: Speed, Time, Distance, Calories, Incline, Pulse
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 225lbs
Price: Under $1700

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

In the fitness industry we all spend a lot of time talking about manufacturing in Taiwan versus China versus the US. What we tend to forget is there is still some very fine manufacturing being done over in Europe. So, to broaden all of our horizons the Treadmill Sensei wants to answer an email from the Reader Mailbag about the quality of a long standing German company called Kettler. Let’s see how Kettler measures up to its Asian cousins out in the marketplace. Take it away, Don!

Sensei,

Thank You. -Don

Don:

Thanks for your note and I’m glad you are enjoying the website! It’s true, I did have a SportsArt 803 at home but I recently gave it to my Sensei partner, Mat, who was in search of a solid elliptical to workout on. He’s about your size but a tad bit shorter at 6’1″ and he’s loving the machine. He works on it every morning before he comes in to the DOJO to work out even more during the day! The 803 elliptical holds up very well to his more super-sized workouts.

In regards to Kettler, they do make some very high quality product. A quick history of Kettler for those of you who aren’t familiar with the brand. As a manufacturer of sports and fitness equipment, the German-based Kettler has been around since the late 1940s and has been known for producing some very high quality equipment ever since. Their “made in Germany” slogan is one filled with pride, and rightly so because German manufacturing is still some of the best in the world. Now, although Kettler has been in the US since the 1980s, it is still lesser known brand to most buyers in spite of their higher quality production.

I wasn’t sure which Kettler unit Don was interested in, so I put my feelers out and brought in a couple of units after I returned from the Fitness Trade show at the beginning of August. The first one I was able to get my grubby little hands on was the Ketter Vito XL elliptical, which can be picked up for just under $1200.

The very first thing I want to talk about is the misconception of the “45 pound flywheel” that Don mentioned. What Kettler actually does is give you the weight of the entire rear drive assembly and not just the flywheel (much like Spirit does when quoting 30 pounds for their lightweight plastic flywheels). I didn’t have the time to disassemble the entire drive assembly, but by eyeballing it I’d estimate the metal flywheel to be in the 25-30 pound range. Still a very large and smooth running flywheel if not quite the 45+pounds they like to brag about.

The second thing is how freaking well the Kettler Vito XL elliptical was made. It has the single most solid frame I’ve seen on a home elliptical under the $1200 range. In addition to the incredibly sturdy frame, the unit also uses sealed bearings instead of cheap bushings in all of its pivot points. What that means is a much smoother motion and a quieter ride. It also means the Ketter Vito XL elliptical will last for a very long time without much additional maintenance.

Now, for being such an incredibly well-made machine a lot of you will be surprised at the rating I give the Vito XL elliptical from the fine folks at Kettler. The reason for that is because of the lack of features on the unit: it has a very small 16″ stride length (very short for a $1000+ elliptical), no programs, only 10 levels of resistance control (if it were priced under $600 that would be acceptable) and the old-style non-articulating, non-adjustable foot pedals. The bummer is that while the elliptical motion of the Kettler Vito XL is great, the stride is much to short and the static pedals will be uncomfortable for any workout of 20 minutes or longer.

Speaking of the pedals, they seemed a bit too far apart for my taste as well. A taller user might like that more than someone of my 5’7″-ish height, but then that user would be turned off by the shorter stride.

If you’re looking for an incredibly well made elliptical and are under 5’8″ or so then I would recommend checking out the Vito XL Elliptical from Ketter, otherwise I’d suggest looking elsewhere. For being an incredibly well-made disappointment, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Kettler Vito XL Elliptical 3.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

3.5 gold buddahs out of 5 isn’t all that bad…it isn’t all that good either.


Find out more about the Kettler Vito XL Elliptical and get the lowest price online.

Kettler Vito XL Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 16″
Flywheel: approximately 26lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, distance, Kilojoules burned, RPM, pulse
Programs: 0
Resistance: 10 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 280lbs
Unit Weight: approximately 145lbs
Price: Under $1200

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

The end of the Summer and the start of Fall brings in new treadmills and ellipticals from manufacturers as they launch their new lines for the upcoming holiday season. But, before the new equipment arrives buyers still have time to check out some really cool equipment in the current line…and even save some cash at the same time..

To be perfectly honest, the Treadmill Sensei was very unsure about whether or not to review the Spirit ZE120. You see, Spirit is discontinuing the unit and it will no longer be available once current stock is sold off. The current Spirit Z Series is being replaced by their new Esprit line which is less than impressive. However, I wanted to go over the Spirit ZE120 elliptical in order to give my readers one last look at a top rated elliptical before it is gone and, hopefully, give you a chance to pick one up before they are all gone.

To start off, the Spirit ZE120 is basically just a slight upgrade of the Best Buy Award winning Sole E25 Elliptical. They share the same frame and same mechanical parts, with the only difference being the lighter color paint and more programs, including a heart rate control option. If you like the Sole E25 but want more exercise programs or want to do heart rate workouts, then the extra $100 is a small price to pay.

The Spirit ZE120 is a very solid elliptical, featuring 4 rear rails to assist in giving you a very stable workout. Spirit has also done a great job with the articulating foot pedals and their 2% incline to give the ZE120 elliptical’s 20″ stride one of the most natural and comfortable feels on the market. All of the Spirit and Sole ellipticals share this great feature.

The unit also comes with 13 workout programs, heart rate monitoring (pulse grip but also with a wireless option), heart rate control and 16 levels of resistance. For the price point it is an excellent buy.

Spirit has produced a very fine elliptical in the ZE120 and it will be a shame to see it vanish from stores in the next couple of months. If you want a top rated elliptical best buy for under $1100 then you’d be foolish not to check out the Spirit ZE120 elliptical. Luckily, if you miss out on the ZE120 version, the Sole E25 will still be around.

For being a well-designed elliptical in the $1000-$1100 range, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Spirit ZE120 Elliptical 4 out of 5 golden buddahs…we’re sad to see you go!

4 gold buddahs out of 5 for the excellent Spirit ZE120 Elliptical.

Get more info on the Spirit ZE120. Save an additional 3% with coupon code TMSENSEI

Spirit ZE120 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20″
Flywheel: 24lbs
Display: LCD
Programs: 13
Resistance: 16 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 160lbs
Cost: Under $1100

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

In the rush of getting ready for the Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards later this year the Treadmill Sensei has been a bit lax on answering reader emails. It’s not that I don’t love you guys, I’ve just been trying hard to get as many reviews done as possible and between running for hours a day on treadmills and ellipticals, and writing up reviews, all of my time seems to have disappeared! But never fear, it’s a slow day here at the DOJO and I’ve got a few minutes to open up the old Reader Mailbag to see what is in there.

Today we have a question I’m surprised I haven’t been asked more often. Calvin wants to know a bit more about what a labor warranty entails. Take it away, Calvin!

Treadmill Sensei,

Thanks! -Calvin

Calvin:

Thanks for the note and the great question. A full labor warranty (as opposed to a “limited labor warranty” you might see on some of the lower end equipment) should cover all costs incrued from a service or repair tech coming out to your location (home, office or whatever) to work on your treadmill or elliptical. It’s really that simple. In general, if your equipment is still under labor warranty and a manufacturer (or, more often, the retailer you purchased it from) tries to bill you or make you take the equipment to a location to get repaired, then you’re getting ripped off.

Now, different manufacturers have different terms in their warranties so make sure to read their supplied warranty information if you have any questions. The better manufacturers cover their warranties themselves while others require their retailers to cover them.

Now, and manufacturers will hate me for saying this, but I’d suggest calling in for service a month or two before your labor warranty is up — have your treadmill belt changed, get your elliptical all lubed up, have everything recalibrated and so on. And then, before your parts warranty is up, call again to get a new treadmill belt then as well – there’s not as much to do part-wise on an elliptical unless something actually goes wrong. Doing this will help get a longer life on your equipment.

I hope I’ve answered your question, Calvin. Thanks again for your email!

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

Continuing in my review of budget treadmills and ellipticals under $1000, this time your Treadmill Sensei answers something from the Reader Mailbag. Today’s question is from Pam up in Toronto, Canada. Let’s see what she has to say…take it away, Pam!

Hi Sensei,
I love your website and your sense of humour/style! Great info for someone like me who knows little about fitness equipment.
The Ignite 821 elliptical has been recommended to me by a local fitness equipment seller (and they’re willing to give me some $ for trading in my treadmill). Of course, they’re recommending what they’re trying to sell. I haven’t been able to find any reviews of this model and I’m hoping you have some advice you can share.

Many, many thanks!! -Pam in Toronto

Pam:

Thanks for your note and your kind works. I’m glad you like the website! It is really a shame, but there is a lack of reviews for most of the Lamar Fitness treadmills and ellipticals out on the internet. As I said in some of my other Lamar reviews, they are a brand that flies a bit under the radar of most consumers but they produce some very good equipment. If you keep on reading you’ll see that their budget ellipticals have a number of features you very rarely see in ellipticals under $1000.

I was able to get a Lamar Ignite 821 Elliptical in to the DOJO and review it about 3 months ago but just haven’t had the time to convert my review notes over to a post and I’m glad for the excuse. THe Ignite 821 is an incredible elliptical for the under $600 price it sells for…in fact, I thought our unit had been mispriced while I was reviewing it because of how it performed. For once this is the case of a manufacturer pricing an elliptical too low!

The first thing you’ll notice when checking out a Lamar Ignite 821 is how heavy the elliptical is. Weighing in at around 175 pounds the thing is a monster and outweighs pretty much everything else out there in the under $1000 range for an elliptical…heck, it out weighs a lot of ellipticals in the $1000-$1500 range as well! Going along with that weight and solidity of frame is a heavy, approximately 16 pound metal flywheel. The combination of frame, heavy flywheel and very comfortable full 18″ stride give you the best elliptical workout available in a budget elliptical under $1000.

The other feature fairly unique in an elliptical in the under $700 price range is a pair of articulating pedals. If you’ve read my other elliptical reviews then you already know how important this feature is, especially in longer workouts. The articulating pedals allow for a more natural feel in your workout and keep your feet from falling asleep, which is a very common problem with most budget price range ellipticals. It is fantastic that Lamar had the foresight to include this feature in the already great Lamar Ignite 821 Elliptical.

On top of solidity and comfort, the Lamar Ignite I821 is also fully loaded with 6 programs, heart rate monitoring and control, 16 levels of resistance and a two-tone LCD screen. The only thing missing is wireless heart rate monitoring…but Lamar even has a solution for that — for about $100 you can get the Ignite 841 Elliptical which is the exact same unit with the additional electronics for wireless heart rate monitoring. I’m still almost conviced that someone at Lamar made a mistake in pricing the Ignite 821 as low as they did.

In the Ignite 821 Elliptical, Lamar created a best buy elliptical under $1000 and definitely the best elliptical under $600 available on the market today. For having produced an uber-elliptical at a budget price, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Lamar Ignite 821 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs for excellence.

Wow…just plain wow!

Get more information about this top rated elliptical under $600 and find it at the lowest price online.

Lamar Ignite 821 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18″
Flywheel: approximately 16lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, Pulse, Distance, Calories used, Speed and Watts
Programs: 6
Resistance: 16
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes, Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 275lbs
Unit Weight: 175lbs
Price: Under $650

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

Probably the single most asked question the Treadmill Sensei gets here at the DOJO is “How can I look as handsome as you, O Great Sensei?” The second most asked question is “Where can I get a commercial quality elliptical for under $500?” Unfortunately, the answer to both of those questions is “you can’t.”

In all seriousness, if you’re looking for anything that even remotely feels like a commercial quality product for under $500 (heck, even for under $1000) then you’re in for some terrible disappointment. There just isn’t anything out there like that. However, if you’re on a budget and looking for a decent performing elliptical under $500 then Lamar Fitness may just have an possible answer for you in their Ignite 436 Elliptical (I couldn’t figure out if this was called the Lamar I 436 or the Ignite 436 Elliptical…it was listed as both everywhere I looked!).

I was able to spend an hour on one of the Lamar Ignite 436 Ellipticals two days in a row at a local fitness shop and, in spite of the very low price, I was still impressed by its stability and feel. The Ignite 436 Elliptical weighs in right around 100 pounds which is very heavy for a budget elliptical, and I’d estimate its flywheel at right around 12-15 pounds which gave it a nice smooth elliptical feel. The stride was a bit short, but the unit itself is perfect for those of you who are smaller in stature (read: shorter than about 5’10″) and looking to do a 30 minute or so workout 4-5 times a week. It is also an great choice for someone in an apartment or with a small area to put a piece of fitness equipment.

The Ignite 436 has a great range of 12 programs and 16 levels of magnetic resistance — something more often found in ellipticals priced closer to the $1000 range.

All in all, if your budget is down in the under $400 range for an elliptical, you’d be silly not to check out the Ignite 436 Elliptical by Lamar. It feels better and will last longer than any Icon Fitness brand elliptical in the same price range and even out performs the lower-end Horizon and Merit units. Look for it to last for 3-5 years without many problems at all.

For being a great low budget elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Lamar Ignite I436 Elliptical (and it’s long name) 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

Another excellent Lamar Fitness elliptical with 4 gold buddahs out of 5.

Lamar Ignite 436 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 15″
Flywheel: approximately 12lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, pulse, calories, distance, speed, RPMs and watts
Programs: 12
Resistance: 16 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 250lbs
Unit Weight: 95lbs
Price: Under $400

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

Since the early 1990s, BodyCraft has been known as one of the top producers of high quality gym equipment in the world. While not as well known as a Body Solid they have been quietly producing commercial level strength equipment for home and light commercial use.

BodyCraft itself was founded by Randy Lundquist and Alan Gore in 1993. They had previously worked for the Image Fitness division of Icon Fitness…but I won’t hold that against either one of them. Upon leaving they formed an independent representative firm, with Trimline being their largest account. From there they decided to fill a quality void in the fitness industry and BodyCraft was born. Since its founding, BodyCraft has received just about every quality award and accolade a company can get, including recognition from Consumer Digest and Consumer Reports.

As solid as their strength equipment has been, their newer line of treadmills and ellipticals has performed just as well. With the highest quality components and some of the sturdiest equipment around, BodyCraft looks to be on the verge of making its name as one of the top rated producers of cardio equipment as well. Their treadmills in particular, updated and improved versions of the older Trimline brand, have been turning heads since their.

Keep an out eye for BodyCraft if you are looking for some of the heaviest duty, longest lasting, commercial quality treadmills and ellipticals under $2500.

BodyCraft Treadmills:

• BodyCraft TR1120 Treadmill: Easily the most durable treadmill under $1000 bar none. 4.5 buddahs.
• BodyCraft TR1140 Treadmill: A Best Buy Treadmill under $1500 and a current Treadmill Sensei favorite. 4.5 Buddahs.
• BodyCraft TR1160 Treadmill: The closest treadmill you can get to gym quality for under $2000. 4.5 Buddahs.
• BodyCraft TR1180 Treadmill: A commercial quality treadmill and top rated treadmill under $2000. 5 Buddahs out of 5!

BodyCraft Ellipticals:
Reviews coming soon.

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

For the Treadmill Sensei this website is a bit of an exercise in contradictions. You see, when I’m wearing my “Service Tech” hat I love low quality machines like Proform or Bowflex, or machines with a lot of issues like Spirit’s are currently having…but, when I’m weaing the robes of the Treadmill Sensei I despise those machines and warn my readers away from them because of those very problems. Today’s review is a great example of that. As a repair tech I am always annoyed to have to install a Bodycraft TR1140 treadmill because the darn things last so long and never have any real issues at all — unless of course an owner just doesn’t take care of it. However, as the Treadmill Sensei I just can’t say enough good things about it.

We received a call from a local gym owner a couple of weeks ago that said one of his members was going to be ordering a BodyCraft TR1140 Treadmill and asked if they could have it shipped to our shop. A lot of customers do that because we will bring their equipment inside and set it up for them, making sure everything is working and there is no freight damage. I agreed said we’d do a free installation if we could keep the unit for a week to give it a good review. The customer agreed and I was very happy to be getting in a TR1140 Treadmill to wreck…er..to review.

When we received the BodyCraft TR1140 in here at the DOJO I decided, since my son wasn’t doing anything constructive, I would turn the review process over to him. As a bigger guy he would be able to test the stability and durability of the TR1140 Treadmill a lot better than someone of my smaller build (that’s right…I’m down to 161 pounds! I lost another 8 pounds on the forced diet Mrs. Sensei has placed me on). Of course, I was right there to supervise the entire process.

To start off, my son is not the most mechanical of people — his skills are in the much more difficult fields of playing video games and not taking out the trash. That being said, he was able to assemble the BodyCraft TR1140 treadmill with little to no trouble. The process took him about 40 minutes and there was minimal cursing during that time. If you have someone to assist, it should only take 20-30 minutes.

From there we noticed the TR1140 has the same very solid steel frame build of all the other BodyCraft units. I would have been surprised to see anything else from a company like BodyCraft which is known for its high quality components and ultra durable gyms and strength equipment. It seems they’ve taken that same philosophy of building the most solid equipment on the market over to their treadmill line. The best example of that is watching my son run on the treadmill. He’s a bigger guy (260 lbs and about 6′ tall) and even with his extra weight (something my wife is working on getting rid of before he goes back to school) the uprights and console of the BodyCraft TR1140 treadmill didn’t move at all…there was very little shake in the unit at all even when I had him up his rather causal 2.5 mph walk to a brief 7 mph sprint.

The BodyCraft TR1140 treadmill also had a surprisingly large motor for one ranked at 2.25 horsepower. I’ve seen smaller motors from Spirit and Proform ranked as 3 horsepower or higher! To test the power of the motor I had my son stop the treadmill (something he was more than happy to do after having run off and on for nearly an hour a day for the previous 4 days) and do a cold start while standing on the belt. There was almost no slowdown from his weight as the TR1140 kicked on and started to move up to a higher speed. This is a great demonstration of the power and quality of the TR1140 treadmill’s motor and is not something you often see in a treadmill priced at under $1500.

Over the course of 6 days of testing, we found the BodyCraft TR1140 to be a great performer with very reactive pulse grip heart rate monitoring (and wireless as well), 10 programs and a large 20″ x 56″ running area. It was easily one of the best treadmills under $1500 that we’ve reviewed this year and should last 10 years or more for the owner with little trouble.

For being a top rated treadmill under $1500, the Treadmill Sensei gladly gives the BodyCraft TR1140 Treadmill 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

As close to perfect as you can get in a treadmill under $1500, the TR1140 treadmill ranks 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5!

Find out more about the spectacular BodyCraft TR1140 Treadmill, a best buy under $1500.

BodyCraft TR1140 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.25hp
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 12%
Running Area: 20″ x 56″
Display: LCD/Dot Matrix
Readouts: speed, time, distance, calories, incline, pulse, pace, elev gain
Programs: 10
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Folding: Yes
Max User Weight: 325lbs
Unit Weight: 250lbs
Price: Under $1500

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com