Reader Mailbag: Treadmill Sensei Readers Lose Weight..oh and an Elliptical Maintenance Question!

Ohiyo!

In case anyone was wondering, the Treadmill Sensei absolutely loves to get reader email here at the DOJO. I especially love to hear from readers who have had success with a treadmill or elliptical. Today, let's hear from Scott, who lost an amazing 50 pounds using a Sole E25 and has a question about elliptical maintenance. Take it away, Scott!

Sensei,

Thank you for your wonderful reviews. Because of them I purchased a Sole E25 Elliptical and have been loving it and it has helped me drop over 50 pounds. I have found it to be more comfortable to work out on than some of the semi-commerical units I've found in hotel gyms I've had to use.

But the questions I have are regarding elliptical care. I bought my unit as a floor model and the owners manual I was able to download from the website did not list any do's or don'ts when it came to elliptical care & maintenance.

I've read where you talked about the white tube of lube that was provided to one purchaser. But since I did not get that I have been using silicone spray to clean the rails once a week and also cleaned the wheels themselves of the gunk that seems to build up on them. Is there anything I'm doing wrong or could you make a suggestion as to better cleaning and maintenance tips? Respectfully, Scott

Scott:

Thanks for your note. It sounds like you are cleaning your elliptical above and beyond what is required. The spray silicone should be ok, but it would be best to call Sole's tech support and supply them with the brand name you're using to make sure there are no issues. There shouldn't be, but it's best to be certain.

What you're already doing should keep your elliptical running well for a long time. The wheels and rail are where most of the problems will pop up. Also, keeping the unit dust free is important as well. Aside from that, not much will go wrong with an elliptical.

Thanks again and great job on the weight loss!

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

Reader Mailbag: How much height does an elliptical add?

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei, master of all things treadmill and insomnia related, just couldn't sleep last night. I took my early morning hot shower (nothing gets me going like hot water on my old bones!) and headed in to the DOJO by 6am today. I love the workshop in the morning -- it's quiet and it's a great place to get work done. Well, until Hikaru and the other Senseis come in at 8am. Then it gets loud.

In spite of the peaceful morning so far, today is going to be a bit of a sad day here at the DOJO. The nice lady who drove our local lunch truck announced yesterday was the last day our particular stop was on her route. While I was disappointed because the lunch truck generally made some really good food (except for that time I ordered a bacon and egg sandwich that tasted like fish...), Hikaru in particular is going to be crushed. You see, there was a cute girl on the truck who cooked all the food and Hikaru was in love...ok, maybe LOVE isn't the word but it works for the story. Since his first day of work over two years ago he's been plotting to ask her out. Unfortunately, he was never able to work up the courage to say more to her than "breakfast torta and a Mountain Dew" when he ordered every day. Poor Hikaru.

Now, on to fitness related things. I received a note from "Dave" recently. Dave has a low ceiling and wants to know how much clearance is needed for an elliptical. Let's see what he has to say...take it away, Dave!

Hey Sensei, I wasn't able to find this information on the manufacturer's website. How high up does an elliptical place it's user? I ask as I would like to purchase one for my workout room in my basement. However I only have 14.5" of clearance from the top of my head to the ceiling. Thanks, Dave

Dave:

Thanks for the note, Dave. The way to determine how much height an elliptical will add to you is to measure the pedals at the lowest and highest points. Then you average that amount to get the added height, i.e., if an elliptical's lowest point is 8 inches and highest is 16 inches then the height addition would be 12 inches. The standard addition is going to be 12 to 14 inches, but I generally tell people to figure the full 16 inches just to be safe. No one wants to bumped their head during a rigorous workout.

Some units put you up a bit higher, such as commercial ellipticals like the Star Trac Pro or Elite. Your best bet is to either measure yourself or ask the retailer you're purchasing from what the pedal heights are.

Thanks again for your note!

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

The Bowflex Series 5 Treadmill Review -- Not Quite Average

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei has been wanting to review the Bowflex Series 5 Treadmill for a while now. You see, I'm just a little OCD and needed the closure of finishing up my Bowflex line of reviews. Unfortunately, I generally only review equipment which comes through for set up or repair and I just haven't seen a Series 5 in a very long time. For a while I was beginning to think they had gone the way of the DoDo bird. Luckily enough we received one in just before the holiday weekend and I was able to give it a bit of a work out before it went out to our customer.

We picked up the boxed Series 5 treadmill from a local retailer whose customer wanted the unit installed in their garage-based fitness room out in Woodland Hills. Normally I'd have one of the younger Senseis (Hikaru, I'm talking about you!) set up the residential grade treadmills but I really wanted to have the whole Bowflex experience myself and took up the tools to do it on my own.

Now, I can't give anyone a totally unbiased opinion on a treadmill assembly because I've done so many of them. However, putting together the Bowflex Series 5 treadmill was very easy. It should take someone with average mechanical ability around 30-45 minutes to assemble. We had ours together in about 10 minutes.

The good news is that, like the Bowflex Series 7 treadmills, the Series 5 had a very sturdy frame and a nice 20" x 60" deck on it. The frames on these things are very sturdily constructed. You also get a lot of workout options (12 programs) and some fairly well made 2.5" rollers -- not commercial grade, but still very nice.

The bad news is: that's all the good news. As with the other Bowflex units, the Series 5 Treadmill has an under powered "2.5 horsepower" motor. I put 2.5 horsepower in quotes because I really think it should have been rated 2 horsepower at best. The motor just doesn't have the get up and go of other 2.5 hp motors in this price range and I think it is a prime example of a manufacturer tweaking their specs a bit.

The Series 5's belt is a bit flimsy as well. I only had a few hours worth of working out on the Bowflex Series 5 treadmill we brought in here to the DOJO (over 4 days I worked out a little over 3 hours doing running and walking), but my opinion is that the belts will wear out with even moderate use in about 6 months. If you pick up one of these, make sure to budget 1-2 new belts a year.

The other problem I found, and have been hearing about from other techs, is a sorely under-powered incline motor. I don't weigh all that much (I'm at about 170 lbs right now thanks to a Mrs. Sensei-enforced, no red meat diet...I love red meat and I think she took it away to punish me for making fun of her family on this website), but the incline motor was obviously straining during my tests and caused the entire unit to power down on more than one occassion from other overheating or an internal short. Not a good sign.

At around $1299, the Bowflex Series 5 treadmill just does not hold up to the competition.

I would have loved to have given the Bowflex Series 5 treadmill the same completely average rating its big brother, the Series 7, received but the poor belt and undersized motors add up to 2 out of 5 golden buddahs from the Treadmill Sensei.

The Bowflex series 5 falls just short of being an average treadmill.


Compare the Bowflex Series 5 treadmill.



Bowflex Series 5 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.5 HP
Max User Weight: 300 lbs. (I'd suggest 250 lbs or less)
Folding: Yes
Reversible Deck: No
Programs: 12
Max Speed: 11 mph
Max Incline: 12%
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse Grip
Display: LED
Roller Size: 2.5" inches
Belt Thickness: 1 ply
Deck Size: 20" x 60"
Treadmill Weight: 250 lbs.

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

The Spirit Z88 Treadmill Review -- A solid treadmill with a major problem

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei is back to work at the DOJO after the long Memorial Day weekend. It's always tough to get back in the groove of things after mini-vacations like that...and when we spend most of that time with my in-laws I feel like I need to get back to work just to recover from my "vacation" time. Why God created in-laws escapes me and I'll always be more than a little annoyed at him for it. Thankfully he also created Coldstone, so everything comes out even.

Because I am recovering from a long weekend with the in-laws, I'm going to do a bit of an easy treadmill review today. While I've already done a review of the Sole F63, I wanted to do a follow up on its twin, the Spirit Z88 treadmill, in an effort to answer reader some reader questions about the unit.

Like most of the other Spirit treadmills and ellipticals, the Z88 treadmill has a Sole Fitness counterpart which is as close to identical as you can get under the differing paint jobs. In the case of the Z88, the duplicate unit is the fantastic Sole F63 treadmill. As readers of this site already know, the Sole F63 was top winner of my Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards last year.

The reason I rated the SOle F63 over the Spirit Z88 version was because of the paint problems the Spirits had. The Dyaco plant which produced the Spirit Z88 treadmills must have picked up a lot of different paint at a great price because the colors of the units seemed to change from batch to batch. This is further evidence of the quality control problems Spirit has been having over the last year or so.

Unfortunately, the QC problems seem to have extended to the walking belts on the Spirit Z88 treadmill as well. Here at the DOJO I've gotten quite a few emails talking about belts fraying very quickly from even light usage. So, if you do pick up a Z88 treadmill instead of the Sole F63 version, make sure your retailer gives you a guarantee on the belt as well, at least for 6 months...most problems with faulty belts will pop up in the first couple of months so you'll know pretty quickly if you've gotten a bad batch or now.

Aside from that, the huge 2.5 horsepower motor, well crafted 2.5", solid deck and great design make the Spirit Z88 an excellent choice for best buy under $1000. If I had any quibbles (aside from manufacturing defects and weird paint issues) would be the lack of heart rate control programs and lesser warranty.

UPDATED: Due to a high volume of reader complaint emails regarding and increased number of wiring and console issues on the Spirit Z88, I have downgraded the ranking of this unit and it is no longer recommended. Check out the Sole F63 Treadmill for the same unit but without the quality control issues of the Spirit.

Because of the QC and wiring issues, the Spirit Z88 treadmill comes up just short of the Sole F63 version and gets 3 out of 5 golden buddahs from the Treadmill Sensei.

A top performer, the Spirit Z88 gets 3 gold buddahs out of 5.


Find out more about the Spirit Z88 and get the lowest price online.

Spirit Z88 Specifications
Motor: 2.5 HP
Folding: Yes
Speed: 10 MPH
Incline: 15%
Running Area: 20" x 55"
Rollers: 2.5"
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Heart Rate Control: No
Display: LCD

Programs: 6
Max User Weight: 300 lbs
Treadmill Weight: 245 lbs.

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

Happy Memorial Day!

Ohiyo!

I'm taking the day off today to spend it with my family. We're having a bit of a barbecue. Best wishes to everyone and I'll see you all tomorrow with a new review.

Take care and Stay Fit!

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

One Year Anniversary Elliptical Give-Away Contest!

Ohiyo!

I can't believe it, but the www.treadmillsensei.com is about to celebrate its one-year anniversary of being online! It seems like just yesterday that I started writing up my reviews and articles. The magic date was actually June 9, 2006 and in celebration of that day we're going to give away a FREE Quantum Q-210H Elliptical to a randomly chosen reader who joins our mailing list. The unit is one used for a review, will be fully assembled and will ship curbside to the winner. The contest will run through June 8 and the winner will be announced on June 9, 2007.

Get more information on the Quantum Q-210H elliptical

So hurry up and join my mailing list for your chance to take home this fantastic commercial-quality elliptical trainer from the fine folks at Quantum Fitness.

What are you waiting for?!

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

The Nordic Track X5 Incline Trainer Treadmill - Not Great

Ohiyo!

Every month or so we'll get in one of these Nordic Track units at the DOJO and the repairs are almost always the same: burned out motor, burned out incline motor and broken or bent upright bars. We've also had in a few broken decks. In my opinion, based on my 20+ years in the industry, the two motors in the unit are much too small and low powered for the amount of work they are being required to do -- 2 HP for a high incline walking treadmill just doesn't cut it. As regular readers of this site already know, walking (especially at high inclines) puts far more stress on a motor than running does, and the amount of stress at a 30% incline on top of that will burn out any small, over geared motor in just a few months.

When you factor in the light weight upright bars, you have a treadmill that is only meant for the smallest and lightest of users. 165lbs or 180lbs at the most. Any more than that and you'll have a burned out motor on your hands.

Unfortunately, using the Incline Trainer at lower inclines isn't practical either with its 20" x 52" deck at $1599 price point. Coming in shy of $1600 you can find a number of higher quality treadmills.

For being an iffy workout choice, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Nordic Track X5 Incline Trainer 2 out of 5 golden buddahs.

Two buddahs...that's it.


Compare the Nordic Track X5 Incline Treadmill

Nordic Track X5 Incline Trainer Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2hp
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 30%
Walking Area: 20" x 52"
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Programs: 23
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Display: LED
Folding: Yes
Unit Weight: Approx. 250lbs
Price: $1599

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

Treadmill / Elliptical Delivery Explained

Ohiyo!

Two posts in one night?! The Treadmill Sensei is on a roll! I received a great follow-up note from a DOJO student by the name of Lisa in Mission Viejo. As part of her note asking about the New Balance 1800 treadmill she also had some questions and concerns about the delivery side of her purchase. Questions I'm sure a lot of you have. Let's see if I can shed a bit of light on them. Take it away, Lisa!

(I'm editing Lisa's note down to just the portion referencing her freight problem - check out my New Balance 1800 review for the rest of her message)

Here's my (very silly) question. Just how hard is it to get one of these treadmills inside a house? Does it take more than two people and do they have to be very strong? I only ask because the only shipping offered is curb-side. I just found out that that means it will be dropped on my driveway and I have to get it inside somehow. I really don't want to permanently injure myself or any of the neighbors I will have to bribe if I buy one of these online. I even called the freight company that New Balance uses and asked if I paid extra if they would bring it inside. They said no. If there is even one step into the house, forget it. The gentleman I talked to thanked me for calling and asking though. Apparently, a lot of people think that the driver will bring it inside and they get a lot of angry phone calls. -Lisa

Lisa:

Thanks for the note and the great question! I know that the thought of buying a treadmill or elliptical online can be a bit daunting...especially when faced with the prospect of a 300 pound box showing up on your doorstep. Most delivery services for treadmill or elliptical purchases are going to be what is called "curbside." What this means is the driver will pull the unit off his truck and leave it right out in front of your house or apartment. If you sweet talk him a bit, the driver will probably take the box in to your garage if it is off the street.

Most internet retailers will offer an "inside delivery" option and some will offer an "inside delivery with set-up" option for an extra fee (if you're paying more than $250 for set up and delivery then you're getting ripped off!). These options are generally NOT performed by the trucking company. Most of the time a service tech (like yours truly) will be on hand to bring the unit inside and set it up, or we'll have the treadmill or elliptical delivered to our repair shop and then deliver it ourselves. The trucking companies generally do not do that -- although some, such as ABF Trucking, will handle the entire job.

About taking the units in yourself...ellipticals are generally no problem. If you have a dolly or hand truck then you're golden (unless you're talking about a Star Trac Pro or Elite elliptical, then you're screwed!). One person can generally handle an average size elliptical. Treadmills tend to be a bit heavier and larger than their elliptical cousins. You need a heavy duty hand truck/dolly and 2 people to do the move safely. I'd suggest having the dolly on hand when the driver arrives and having him place the treadmill on it properly.

As for paying for set up once you have the units inside. I'd say don't waste your money on a treadmill set up because they are generally very easy to put together. Ellipticals are a bit tougher and can take 1-2 hours to put together for an average person.

Here's a Treadmill Sensei tip for you: if you want a treadmill (or elliptical) brought inside and set up, and the retailer you're buying from doesn't offer it (or if the price is a bit out of your budget), then call around to local fitness shops and see if one of them has a tech who will do it. A lot of times you can get a local repair/service guy to come out, bring the unit in and set it up for under $100.

I hope I've helped. Take care and stay fit!

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

The New Balance 1800 Treadmill Review - Fantastic under $1500

Ohiyo!

From time to time the Treadmill Sensei will get a follow up email here at the DOJO from people who have written in the past. A couple of weeks ago I responded to "Lisa" in Mission Viejo about where normal, non-sensei people can go to check out treadmills and ellipticals. She followed up with a note asking about New Balance in general and the 1800 Treadmill in specific. Let's see what she had to say:

Hello again,

I followed your suggestion and looked at the New Balance brand. Sport Chalet currently has the model 1600 on sale for $999.00. It is very quiet, has a nice long warranty and is comfortable to use. The only New Balance model that offers "Silver service" delivery is the 1800. It is being offered for $100 more than the 1600 and includes free delivery and silver service delivery. I think that this model is being phased out. The price is too good and this model isn't on the New Balance website. I'm tempted to buy it just because someone else will get it in the door for me. I read your reviews of the 1200 and the 1400 and they were very flattering of both models. Do you know anything about the 1800? Apparently it has some sort of Ortho flex deck that is different than the other models. I'm wondering if this feature isn't very good and if that is why the model isn't being offered by the main company.

I'm sorry for the long-windedness of this email. I'm getting very discouraged.

Thank you for any insight you can offer. -Lisa

Lisa:

I edited your note down a bit because you had some points I wanted to talk about in another post - including your problems with the Spirit Z88 treadmill and your questions about inside delivery -- hopefully I can get to those tonight. But right now I wanted to focus on the New Balance 1800.

To start off, New Balance has some great equipment -- treadmills AND ellipticals. This is especially true now that Amazon has dropped their price down so low. If the prices had been this low back when I was doing the 2006-2007 Ichi-Ban Awards, New Balance may just have sweeped the Best Buy ranks. I'm going to go out on a limb and say, at the current pricing, the New Balance treadmills are some of the best deals on treadmills around. Period. No one comes close - not Spirit, not Vision, no one. I'm not sure how or why they're doing it, but Amazon is just about giving these units away (same with the Tunturi treadmills, such as the Tunturi T30 - another great machine at much too low a price).

That being said, the New Balance 1800 elliptical is a fantastic unit (it is being discontinued, so act fast if you're going to buy one) and we have been getting in an insane number of them to set up and install for customers. With that in mind, I'm going to do something a little different with my ratings and compare the New Balance 1800 to the other New Balance treadmills which will give it a slightly lower rating.

You see, while it is a spectacular buy at $1299 (and blows away competition at the same price point such as the Spirit XT10), it just doesn't offer much of an upgrade to the other Balance treadmills out there. The bigger motor, slightly higher speed, incline and programs and the addition of wireless heart rate monitoring isn't enough to warrant the additional cost. The "ortho flex deck" you mentioned really isn't anything better than the decks on the other New Balance treadmills and should have been upgraded to a 1" thickness.

Don't get me wrong, the New Balance 1800 is great (awesome at $1299, in fact -- the 20" x 57" deck and 3 HP motor is mindblowing!) when compared to other treadmills but isn't as much of an upgrade when you check out the other New Balance Treadmills. If you need the 3 horsepower motor, additional weight and programs, then the New Balance 1800 Treadmill is a perfect choice. However, if you can make do with 2 or 2.5 HP, then I'd check out one of the light New Balance treadmills.

For being a great treadmill and a mind-blowing price, the Treadmill Sensei gives the New Balance 1800 treadmill 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The New Balance 1800 pulls in 4 gold buddahs out of 5!


Compare and get more information on the New Balance 1800



New Balance 1800 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 3.0
Max User Weight: 350 lbs.
Folding: Yes
Max Speed: 12 MPH
Max Incline: 12%
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Programs: 20
Readouts: Time, speed, incline, distance, approximate calories burned and pulse rate
Grade: Residential
Treadmill Weight: 254 lbs
Rollers: 2.4"
Deck Thickness: .75"
Running Area: 20" x 57"

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

Merit Fitness Brand Review -- Under $500 Fitness Experts

Ohiyo!

It's been a long day at the DOJO for the Treadmill Sensei. Today we received a huge shipment of equipment for a brand new women's fitness center down in Orange County. Actually, it was 5 shipments from various vendors and nearly 30 pieces of equipment. It was a crazy time and I am glad Hikaru is still in the doghouse because I put him in charge of getting everything unloaded from the trucks and sorted in the big warehouse space. As Mrs. Sensei constantly reminds me, I'm not as young as I used to be and I shouldn't be messing with 200+ pound treadmills, ellipticals and strength circuit equipment...leave it to the younger Senseis who have yet been crushed by the weight of the world!

So now that everyone has left and the DOJO is dark and quiet, I thought I'd sit down and write a quick piece on one of the newest entries in to the world of treadmills and ellipticals, Merit Fitness.

Merit Fitness is a line that is less than a year old and is the latest in a very long list of brands from Johnson Tech, which includes Horizon, Matrix and Vision. Merit is Johnson's first real foray into the lowest end of the realm of fitness that Proform has previously dominated. Luckily for budget-consious consumers, Merit does an excellent job at producing some decent treadmills and ellipticals in the under $500 range.

Now, Merit's equipment is too new to see how well it will hold up to the test of time, but in their first year there have been almost no major complaints on any of their equipment. Knowing the track record of Johnson's other budget brand, Horizon, I can see some very bright things in their future.

Merit Ellipticals:

• Merit 710E Elliptical - A solid contender with 4 buddahs.
• Merit 720e Elliptical - a great elliptical now priced at an amazingly low cost, and a unit definitely in the running for a 2007-2008 best buy award from the Sensei.

Merit Treadmills

• Merit 710t Treadmill - A very decent treadmill at a rock bottom price.
• Merit 720t Treadmill - A slight upgrade from the 710t treadmill.
• Merit 730t Treadmill - Merit's top of the line treadmill at $499.99.

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

Taking the night off!

Ohiyo!

The air conditioner here at the DOJO has been broken all day and the Treadmill Sensei is positively roasting! I know it's a cop out but I'm going to keep today's post very short...don't worry, I'll be back with a new review tomorrow.

I do, however, want to comment on how incredibly brilliant Hikaru can be (that's sarcasm). You see, most wise Hikaru bought the elliptical I reviewed yesterday as a closeout from a local chain store. What that means to us is: no returns! Curses, foiled again! Icon Fitness, you may have won this round (and my money), but the last laugh will belong to the Treadmill Sensei!

Now, I must go and make Hikaru move boxes around in the main warehouse as punishment.

Take care and stay fit...I'll be back tomorrow.

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

The Reebok RL545 Elliptical - Not good, not good at all

Ohiyo!

I would like everyone to know that the Treadmill Sensei is a gentleman and a humanitarian. You see, for some reason I've received 10 or 15 requests for me to review and rate a low end elliptical from Icon Fitness over the past month or so. I can't figure out why but the Reebok RL545 Elliptical has received more requests as of late than any other single piece of equipment. I'm guessing it's because of a huge price drop for the elliptical on Amazon.

Unfortunately, I had never actually seen one of these ellipticals before and I very much doubt one would ever come in to my shop, althought I was surprised recently with the appearance of a Motus treadmill so anything is possible. But, I decided to go the distance for you guys: I love my readers so much I sent Hikaru out to purchase a Reebok RL545 from a local chain store just so I could try it out. After 2 days of searching he decided to pick one up from Amazon instead and, 10 days later the RL545 arrived.

We unboxed the surprisingly heavy-for-the-price unit and wentto work setting it up. Once it was together, I decided to workout on it myself because Hikaru's rather copious frame would have snapped the elliptical as if it were an origami crane.

Here's the short version of my review: Don't buy it. Save your money, go to the store and buy yourself something pretty instead. A Kate Spade handbag or LAMB purse will do more for your appearance and health than the Reebok RL545 elliptical. If I were a superhero and had an arch enemy (say, an evil Treadmill Professor of some kind), I would not wish this elliptical on him.

I dread doing a longer review for fear of somehow unintentionally encouraging some poor, dimwitted fool to go out and purchase one. I just couldn't have that crime on my conscience. Sadly, as a treadmill and elliptical reviewer, it is my job to bear the burden of spreading the truth on bad fitness equipment. So....here we go!

The first thing I want to talk about is the problems we had putting the Reebok RL545 together. Now, I realize not every unit will have this same problem, but the fact that we had it on a random machine is not a good sign. You see a number of the bolt holes were either drilled to the wrong size or we were sent incorrect bolts. A number of them were too large for the holes and other seemed to be too long for the space they were intended. This is a major, major problem.

From there we noticed how flimsy and thin the plastic parts of the machine, in particular on the pedas and shroud...and that's not even mentioning how the machine groaned under even my light weight (I currently weigh in at a comfortable 175 pounds...although Mrs. Sensei thinks I should be 160 pounds). The bushings for the crosstraining bars loosened over the course of my 45 minute workout in spite of initial tightening. And,even though I don't have a laser level at the shop to confirm, I believe the lower bars bent under my weight.

There is really nothing in the Reebok RL545 elliptical that is worth mentioning...well, except for the receipt Hikaru remembered to keep that lets us return it for our money back.

For living down to the Icon Fitness reputation, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Reebok RL 545 Elliptical a magnificant 1 out of 5 golden buddahs.

We're returning our Reebok RL545 and buying the complete 7 season boxed set of the Friends TV show instead. My hope for Ross and Rachel getting together in the end far exceeds the hope I had for the RL545 not sucking.


Compare the Reebok RL 545 Elliptical.



Reebok RL 545 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Reverse Motion: Yes
Resistance Levels: 10
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Display: LCD
Programs: 8
Readouts: Resistance Readout, time, calories burned, calories/minute, heart rate, distance
Max User Weight: 250 lbs
Weight: 180 lbs
Price: $479.99

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

The Spirit XE350 Elliptical Review -- Another solid Spirit under $1500

Ohiyo!

Working in a service/repair facility like the DOJO, the Treadmill Sensei gets to see a lot of treadmills and ellipticals. I'm also able to get a good sense of what equipment is popular among customers, at least here in Southern California. This past season, perhaps the hottest model on the market was the Spirit XE350 and its counterpart, the Sole E55. From what I've seen and heard, retailers have had a problem even keep these units in their stores.

The reason for this is because Dyaco, the manufacturer of Sole and Spirit treadmills/ellipticals, has stumbled upon a great combination of features, price and aesthetics. With the Spirit XE350 you get some fantastic specs and a great price all in a great looking package (hopefully, they won't do something silly for their upcoming line like paint the things white). This past year we had a huge number of the XE350 ellipticals come through the DOJO and I was able to get a lot of hands on work out experience with them (would that be feets on?). Let me give a quick run through of what I've found.

First off, the 16 pound plastic flywheel on all of the upper end Spirit models gives an ok feel to your workouts, nothing spectacular but decent. I really would have like to have seen a heavier metal flywheel and gotten a true weight for it instead of the fake 30 pounds Spirit gives for the XE350. We have heard from a number of readers about problems with the plastic flywheel, but the unit we review felt solid. Add that to the 20" stride and you have a fairly comfortable feel.

Once you have the smooth, solid workout down, everything else on the unit is gravy: 20 levels of resistance is nice (although, truthfully, 16 is the perfect number), heart rate monitoring and control, 10 work out programs and Spirit's famous 2% incline pedals. When you drop those bonuses on an already great machine, then you've got a top-ranked elliptical in the $1000-$1500 price range.

Like I warned with the Sole E55, make sure to keep the elliptical's rails well lubricated and dust free. It'll save you a lot of problems down the line. I'd also suggest checking out the Sole E55 Elliptical for an alternative color choice...it's not a big deal, but it's nice to make sure the equipment goes with your room decor.

For being a well-put together elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Spirit XE350 Elliptical 3.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

UPDATE: The Spirit XE350 is now discontinued and out of stock. Try the upgraded for 2008 Sole E55 for a better priced alternative.

The Spirit XE350 gets 3.5 gold buddahs out of 5 for being a better than average elliptical for under $1500.


Find out more about the Spirit XE350. Save an additional 3% with coupon code TMSENSEI.


Spirit XE350 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20"
Max User Weight: 350 lbs.
Unit Weight: 195 lbs
Resistance: 20 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Programs: 10
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, distance, calories, weight, speed, RPM, level, laps, heart rate
Articulating Footpads: Yes
Flywheel: 30 lbs.
Price: $1399

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

The Bowflex Series 3 Treadmill Review - Below Average under $1000

Ohiyo!

You know, the Treadmill Sensei really hates to write bad reviews for treadmills and ellipticals. Well, strike that, the Treadmill Sensei hates having to write reviews for bad treadmills and ellipticals. I also hate to write a review which I know the manufacturer (or one of its reps) is going to write me to complain about (again). Unfortunately, because of my love for my loyal readers I have to do it and I have to warn you about less than spectacular treadmills. In this case, the Bowflex Series 3 Treadmill.

Now, the Series 3 treadmill I'm basing my review on is one we purchased about 6 months ago when I thought it was a good idea to purchase some equipment for the Treadmill Sensei reviews. I figured I'd order treadmills I knew people wanted more information on instead of waiting around for one to come through the repair shop. The unit itself has only been used for approximately 30-35 hours since its arrival at the shop. In spite of constant maintenance in our service shop it has not held up very well at all.

Before I get in to the problems I see with our specific model, I want to go over some of the features (and lack of features) of the Bowflex Series 3 treadmill. I'll start with the pros.

The only two things which set this unit above being a glorified dirty clothes hamper are its very spiffy design (if nothing else, Bowflex has some great designers!) and its weight. The unit looks cool and has a very solid mass to it.

That's all.

The cons, sad to say, out number the pros almost 5 to 1.

In spite of being a fairly heavy unit (I'd estimate around 250 pounds), the unit contains a lot of flimsy plastic. Our unit, which sits in my office and gets very very light use (I think only 1 or 2 of the techs have used it consistantly), already has a major crack in the motor shroud, a number of cracks in the console and a crack on the side rails. The shroud crack came strictly from an average sized person running on the deck for less than 2 hours a week. This is not a good sign.

Speaking of the deck, for the $1000 price, I really wish Bowflex hadn't scrimped with a 20" x 54" deck. For the price it really should have been at least 20" x 55" or 20" x 56". The same goes for the 10 mph speed and 12% incline. Most people won't need more than that, but it is a strange place to cut corners on a $1000 machine. The lack of a heart rate control mode or wireless heart rate monitoring is a disappointment, too.

In what we're now hearing is a fairly common occurance, there is quite a lag in response time on the Bowflex Series 3 treadmill's buttons. This was also a problem when we tried out their Treadclimbers at the 2006 IHRSA show, so it may be a company-wide issue.

Other problems come from a tiny 1.75 HP motor which seems to strain under even light usage. A 1-ply belt which on our under 6 month old machine has already begun to fray and come apart. For heavier use my opinion is that the belt will last for 3 months or less before needing replacement.

Finally, due to all of the plastic and the under powered motor, the Bowflex Series 3 is a very loud treadmill to work out on. You'll run in to problems if you like to watch television or hold a conversation while you work out. The sounds which spill off the Series 3 are annoying at best.

In my view, the Series 3 treadmill is lackluster and performs more poorly than its bigger brother, the Bowflex Series 7. For being another Bowflex disappointment, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Bowflex Series 3 Treadmill 2 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The Bowflex Series 3 Treadmill is another "No Buy" unit from Bowflex...what can't they learn from their sister-company, Schwinn, and put out some decent equipment?


Compare the Bowflex Series 3 Treadmill.



Bowflex Series 3 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 1.75 HP
Speed: 10 mph
Incline: 12%
Programs: 6
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: None
Display: LED
Max User Weight: 250 lbs
Treadmill Weight: Approx. 250 lbs.
Deck Size: 20" x 54"
Rollers: 2"
Belt: 1 ply
Folding: Yes
Price: $999

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

Reader Mailbag - Another retailer/repair tech weighs in

Ohiyo!

Although I was a little unsure about this who computer-internet thing back in May, 2006 when I started this website, I am in love with the email I get in from my readers. I especially enjoy getting in notes from other members of the fitness industry. This morning I received the below note from Dan Sharshel, owner of Stay-Fit Fitness in Kansas. Let's see what he has to say.

Take it away, Dan!

Hello my name is Dan Sharshel, owner of Stay-Fit Fitness Equipment in Wichita, KS. I was looking at your web site on some of the ratings. I have been working on exercise equipment for over 32 years now and am always curious what others have to say about some of the equipment I have worked on and in some cases regreted ever laying my eyes on. Yes we are a retail store as well as a service center here.

I do agree with some of what you are saying here. I will continue watching your web site to see if I agree or do not agree with what you say and let you know some of my opinions. As you well know, opinions are like back sides, everyone has one.

I do not claim to know everything but I do know that when the number of repairs we do here on some of the equipment exceed what they should and we contact the manufacturer and they tell us the old BS line of "gee, we have never heard of this issue before" you want to just reach into the phone and slap the crap out of them. Take care and good luck, Dan.

Dan:

Thanks for the note and I'm glad you are enjoying the website. It is always good to hear from a retailer or another service tech. I know what you mean about manufacturer BS. Just like you, we run in to that "we had no idea that was a problem" crap almost weekly. A prime example was the Z700 treadmill from a certain manufacturer. They shipped those units knowing full well there was an issue with the consoles loooking blurry due to the distance of the plastic screen from the console below it. It was a design fla; tt was known about well in advance of the unit shipping; and they still shipped it out, denying knowledge of a problem they knew about in advance when customers and retailers called in with complaints or trying to get repair. That's not even mentioning the poor retailers who got stuck selling the closeout stock without being warned of the issues in advance. Do I even need to go in to what some of the bigger manufacturers pull on customers and retailers?

We all know some of the manufacturers are a little shady and people like you and I are left to clean up the mess.

Enough ranting from me. Thanks again for the note, Dan! For those of you in the Wichita, Kansas area, make sure to check out Stay-Fit Fitness.

Take care and I'll "see" you all tomorrow. Stay fit!

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

Schwinn Fitness Brand Review -- Over 100 years old and still kicking

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei had a bit of insomnia last night. You see, Mrs. Sensei left for Phoeniz, Arizona yesterday and after more than 25 years of marriage I have a bit of a problem sleeping in bed without my wife. I know it's a bit corny but I miss my wife already...don't worry, though, she gets back on Saturday!

Since I reviewed one of their ellipticals yesterday, and since I'm sleep deprived and don't really know any better, I thought I'd talk a bit about Schwinn Fitness. Schwinn as a company has been around since the late 1890s and has been producing bicycles ever since. In fact, Schwinn is probably the most recognizable bicycle brand in the world and their reputation has been excellent for much of its existance.

In the late 1990s, Schwinn enters in to the non-bicycle areas of the fitness industry and then is purchased by Nautilus (known originally as Direct Focus) in 2001. Unfortunately for Schwinn and consumers, the quality of those early Nautilus-produced fitness units did not live up to the 100+ year old standards of quality Schwinn was known for. In the eyes of the fitness industry (and lowly service techs like the Treadmill Sensei), Schwinn became known for putting out some pretty low end, poorly manufactured units...even their higher cost units were full of manufacturing and quality control problems. Top this off with the level of customer service at Schwinn/Nautilus being known as some of the worst in the industry and you've got a company in need of improvement.

I am glad to report those improvement came in 2006 with refinements in the Schwinn ellipticals in general and the production of the very fine Schwinn 430 and 438 in particular. The Scwhinn treadmill line is anemic and a bit of a disappointment, but the ellipticals are solid and worth checking out if you're looking for a good workout on a budget. Finally the company seems to be getting back on track. Hopefully they will be able to overcome their continued reputation for terrible customer service and live up to their 100+ year legacy of quality.

Schwinn Ellipticals:

• Schwinn 418 Elliptical
• Schwinn 430 Elliptical
• Schwinn 431 Elliptical
• Schwinn 438 Elliptical

Schwinn Treadmills:

• Schwinn 820p Treadmill

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

The Schwinn 430 Elliptical Review -- Surprising excellence under $600

Ohiyo!

One of the problems with the way your Treadmill Sensei does reviews is that I just don't have the time to search out every single elliptical or treadmill out there. And, unlike some other review sites that like to prescribe equipment to you, I don't want to write up a mass of reviews on equipment I've never seen before. It's not fair to you, my readers, and it's not fair to the manufacturers. Unfortunately, that means I miss some equipment and some equipment doesn't get reviewed fast enough to make it in to my Best Buy Awards. One such piece is the one I want to talk about today -- the Schwinn 430 Elliptical. I'm a bit bummed that I didn't have a chance to review this unit for the Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards last year because it may very well have been a top contender. I'd expect it to do very well in this year's Awards.

As a side note, the 430 elliptical I'm basing my review on was actually brought in by Hikaru to work on this passed week. Hikaru is doing a lot of extra work at the DOJO and has been out looking for additional repair jobs every single day. I don't like to admit it to him, but he's a good kid and is on his way to becoming a very fine Sensei in his own right.

The 430 Elliptical is a unit which Nautilus started producing a little over a year ago as their entry in to the budget fitness arena. Interestingly enough, when it comes down to a unit versus unit comparison of the Schwinn 430 and it's higher priced brother, the Schwinn 418, the 430 comes out on top. This little unit packs a lot of value for a $599 elliptical.

The 430 elliptical is solid, weighing in somewhere at around 150 pounds and with a flywheel in the 14 pound weight (unfortunately, I could find no official specs on the weight of the unit or the flywheel, so these are my estimates based on one of my daily 45 minute workouts). The 430 is exceptionally smooth for a lower cost elliptical and compares well to a lot of units up in the $999 range.

With 16 levels of resistance, 8 programs, very comfortable articulating foodpads (an excellent and rare feature in a lower end elliptical), heart rate monitoring and control, the Schwinn 430 is an excellent choice for someone looking for a high quality elliptical on a low budget.

After having worked out on a unit here at the DOJO a couple of times this week, I will say that you need to keep the rails well-lubricated. I'd suggest lubricating at least once every 30 hours of working out or there abouts. Aside from the lubrication, I also wish Nautilus would have given the Schwinn 430 a more competitive warranty. 90 days for labor just doesn't cut it. Adding on an extended warranty would be a worthwhile thing for most buyers.

For light workouts the Schwinn 430 is a hard unit to beat...and, for being a great little elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Schwinn 430 elliptical 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

At $599 the Schwinn 430 is a slick little elliptical.


Compare the Schwinn 430 elliptical and get more information.



Schwinn 430 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Max User Weight: 275 lbs
Unit Weight: Approximately 150 lbs.
Programs: 8
Resistance Levels: 16
Display: LCD
Readouts: Speed, Time, Distance, RPM, Watts, Pulse, Calorie, Interval Time, Resistance level Course Profile
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Footpads: Articulating
Reverse Direction: Yes
Price: $599

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

New Live Chat with the Sensei

Ohiyo!

Just a quick note while we're waiting for the freight guys to unload. You'll notice a new feature over on the right nav bar. It's for a live chat with the Treadmill Sensei. As I am on the computer during the day I'll log in and, if you have questions, comments or just want to chat, you'll be able to click on the "Live Support" button and talk to me in a little pop-up window. Unfortunately, I can't be on all the time and won't have any sort of regular schedule for it, but if you see me listed as "online" then feel free to say "hello."

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

The SportsArt 803 Elliptical Review -- Best Buy Award Winner under $2000

Ohiyo!

I can't believe it's been over 6 months since I posted the Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards for 2006-2007...and I still haven't finished doing my extended reviews for the winners of those awards. Doh! The Treadmill Sensei is a lazy bum. I promise to have the reviews done in advance of the best buy awards later on this year.

Today I want to talk about the 2006-2007 Ichi-Ban Elliptical Best Buy Award winner for $1501-$2000, the SportsArt 803 Elliptical. One of the reasons the Treadmill Sensei is excited about this review is because the SportsArt 803 is the elliptical which I work out on at home. That's right, after I a unit came in to the shop last summer and I show how darn sleek it look and how smooth the stride was, I had Mrs. Sensei get me one for my last birthday. And, before you ask, no I won't tell you how old I am.

Before I talk about one of the prides of my home workout room, I want to talk a bit about the company which produced such a fine piece of equipment, SportsArt Fitness. SportsArt Industrial has been around for over 20 years now and has had a reputation for excellence and quality for much of that time. In the past they've mainly supplied equipment to mid-range health clubs and corporate style gyms, as well as had a fairly strong presence overseas. They had a rough couple of years recently in regards to quality, but are now back on track with some of the best equipment around. If they had work their price point down a bit more on the consumer models, I think they'll dominate the $1200-$2200 home market with their quality and customer service.

Plus, and this has nothing to do with the equipment, the sales staff they had at the 2007 IHRSA fitness show was made up of some of the friendliest and most courteous people I've had the pleasure of meeting in quite some time. Both their sales staff and their customer service department knows the most important thing is keeping their customers happy, and they do a mighty fine job at it.

Let's talk a bit about the SportsArt 803 Elliptical. I workout on my 803 every day of the week for a minimum of