Top 10 Best Buy Ellipticals for Summer 2007

Ohiyo!

Well, my son arrived yesterday afternoon and the Treadmill Sensei was a bit shocked by what he saw. I don't believe my formerly clean-cut son has had a hair cut since my wife gave him a trim last summer when he was home for his summer vacation. When I asked him how he had become such a mess, the fruit of my loins replied, "I didn't want to waste my comic book money." I blame his mother.

Tonight we're taking the entire family out, including my daughter, new grandchild and son-in-law...him, I'm still not completely sure about but at least he cuts his hair!

Today I wanted to follow up with a list of the Top 10 Elliptical Best Buys for the Summer of 2007. Enjoy the list!

The Treadmill Sensei's Top 10 Best Buy Ellipticals for Summer 2007

Best Buy Ellipticals Under $1000
1. BEST BUY: Horizon EX75 Elliptical for $799.99 - priced the same as the Horizon EX65, this is one of the best deals currently on the internet.
2. Schwinn 430 Elliptical $599.00 - a great elliptical for those on a budget.
3. Sole E25 Elliptical for $995.00 - still one of the elliptical best buys under $1000.
4. Schwinn 438 Elliptical for $999.00 - another home run by the people at Schwinn Fitness.

Best Buy Ellipticals From $1001-$2000
1. BEST BUY: BladeZ 7.9 Elliptical for $1599.00 - the best TV elliptical on the market.
2. Smooth CE7.4 Elliptical for $1999.00 - the top Smooth unit is one of the top rated ellipticals in its price range.
3. New Balance 9000 Elliptical for $1299.99 - solid, sturdy and now $100 less.
4. Sole E55 Elliptical for $1499.99 - Sole Fitness just can't help making darn good ellipticals at darn good prices.

Best Buy Ellipticals Over $2000
1. BEST BUY: Matrix E5Xc Elliptical for $4795.00 - the best feeling, best built elliptical on the planet, bar none.
2. Quantum Q210H Elliptical for $2499.00 - this is the best home elliptical at any price range.

I'll be back this weekend with new reviews.

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

Top 10 Best Buy Treadmills for Summer 2007

Ohiyo!

Today the Treadmill Sensei's son is coming in from New York City to stay with us for a few months this summer. Based on the recommendation of a family friend, he went out to study art at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan...much to my chagrin, he is entering in to his 5th year to get a 4 year bachelor degree. If we're not careful he may go another year after this upcoming school term. I'm not sure what happened because he was a great student all through high school. There must be something in the water out there that lazies him up. Luckily, he'll be staying in my house for the next 2 months and I'm going to get a lot of work out of him!

Since I'm going to have to run down to the hell that is the Los Angeles International Airport in a few minutes, my review for the day is going to be cut short. I'll try to get one in this evening but for the meantime I wanted to post what I think are currently the Best Buy Treadmills for Summer 2007. This list is based on treadmill specifications as well as current low pricing which is going on for the summer. Retailers and manufacturers are in the midst of their slow season right now and it is the best time to get a deal on treadmills and ellipticals.

Let's check out the list!

The Treadmill Sensei's Top 10 Best Buy Treadmills for Summer 2007

Best Buy Treadmills Under $1000

1. BEST BUY: Tunturi T20 Treadmill For $899.99 - this is an incredibly solid treadmill that was overpriced at $1499 but is a fantastic deal at just under $900.

2. New Balance 1400 Treadmill for $979.99 - another excellent treadmill bargain from New Balance.

3. Sole F63 Treadmill for $995.00 - still one of the best buys under $1000.

4. Smooth 5.25 Treadmill for $999.00 - you can't go wrong with a treadmill from Smooth Fitness.

Best Buy Treadmills $1000-$2000

1. BEST BUY: BladeZ ION 2007T Treadmill for $1489.00 - one of the best TV treadmills from any company at any price.

2. Quantum 2.5s Treadmill for $1799.00 - the most sturdy home treadmill under $2000.

3. Sole S73 Treadmill for $1649 - The S73 further demonstrates why Sole is a leader in the fitness industry.

4. ProForm Perspective ES TV Treadmill for $1499.00 - as much as I dislike a lot of Proform's products, this is another excellent TV treadmill under $1500.

Best Buy Treadmills $2000 and Higher

1. BEST BUY: BladeZ 710-ME Treadmill for $2399.00 - the top higher end TV treadmill currently available.

2. Matrix T3X Treadmill for $5795.00 - the single finest treadmill on the market today.

Check back tomorrow for this month's top Best Buy Ellipticals.

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

The New Balance 1600 Treadmill Review - Not enough of an upgrade for the price

Ohiyo!

I think this week is about reviewing equipment which has disappointed the Treadmill Sensei. You see, we are all a pretty big fan of New Balance equipment here at the DOJO - especially their treadmills. With recent huge price drops on Amazon, a customer will get way more for their money in a New Balance treadmill than from any other unit in the $799 to $1299 range. In fact, if the models stay the same and the prices continue to be as low as they are, chances are looking good for New Balance to sweep the Ichi Ban Best Buy Awards later this year and look for revised ratings to match their revised pricing. As decent as some of the units from Horizon, Spirit and Schwinn are, they just can't compete with the New Balance models going in to the next busy season.

Unfortunately, New Balance's run on great equipment comes to an end with the New Balance 1600 treadmill. This unit really exists as a slight upgrade from the New Balance 1400, having a different batch of programs and a 12 mph top speed versus the 11mph on the 1400 treadmill. The New Balance literature also lists a 57" length deck, but without having the 1400 side by side with the New Balance 1600 treadmill I really couldn't tell the difference between the two. This could be a bit of "creative measurement" on the part of New Balance.

I'm really not sure what New Balance was thinking when they put together the specs on the New Balance 1600 treadmill because there isn't enough of an upgrade from the New Balance 1400 to warrant the additional $200 in cost, and if you're already willing to spend $1199 for it I'd suggest spending the additional $100 for the much better New Balance 1800.

I do want to take a second to mention how incredibly easy all the New Balance units are to put together. These are easily the most user friendly machines out there in regards to assembly.

Now, keep in mind the New Balance 1600 treadmill isn't a bad machine at all and completely blows away just about any other unit at its price, it just falls short when compared to the rest of the New Balance line. For being not as good of a deal for the cost, the Treadmill Sensei gives the New Balance 1600 3 out of 5 golden buddahs.

New Balance gets 3 gold buddahs out of 5 for trying to stretch their line too thin.


Compare the New Balance 1600 Treadmill.



New Balance 1600 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.5 hp
Running Area: 20" X 57"
Deck Thickness: .75"
Programs: 18
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, speed, incline, distance, approximate calories burned and pulse rate
Max Speed: 11mph
Max Incline: 12%
Folding: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: No
Rollers: 2.4"
Max User Weight: 325lbs
Unit Weight: 250lbs

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

The Smooth CE 3.2 Elliptical Review -- Exciting 2008 Upgrade

Ohiyo!

I've already reviewed a version of the Smooth CE3.2 Elliptical with my CE2.1 Elliptical review. The Smooth CE3.2 is an upgraded version of the CE2.1, with a slightly higher end LED console, wireless heart rate monitoring, the addition of 9 user profiles and a longer parts warranty.

The Smooth CE3.2 has a very solid, smooth and comfortable elliptical feel to it, and is one of the better designed rear drive ellipticals. The 18" stride, articulating foot pedals and great pedal placement give the CE3.2 the same natural motion the CE2.1 elliptical has.

While I do like the feel of the Smooth CE3.2 elliptical and the additional features it has, I'd recommend the Smooth CE2.1 over the CE3.2. For the money, I feel the CE2.1 is a better value at under $1300. The upgraded console and wireless heart rate monitor are great for those looking for to refine their workouts, but for most people the pulse grip heart rate monitor should be more than enough.

For being a very decent addition to the Smooth line, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Smooth CE 3.2 Elliptical 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The Smooth CE3.2 gets 4 gold buddahs out of 5.


Compare the Smooth CE3.2 Elliptical.



Smooth CE3.2 Elliptical Specifications
Stide: 18"

Articulating Foot Pedals: Yes
Flywheel: 18lbs
Max Weight Capacity: 300 lbs.
Resistance Levels: 16
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes

Heart Rate Control: Yes
Programs: 9
Display Type: LED

Readout: profiles, speed, time, distance, heart rate, calories, resistance level
Grade: Residential

Price: Under $1700

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

The Horizon E30 Elliptical Review -- Decent Folding Elliptical for under $600

Ohiyo!

One of the questions the Treadmill Sensei gets asked a lot here at the DOJO is: what about folding ellipticals? Truth be told most of the folding ellipticals on the market today are poorly made and shoddily constructed. They really are meant for people who will rarely if ever use them.

That being said, if you're short on space and need an elliptical of the folding variety, then make sure to take a look at the Horizon E30 Elliptical. This is a fairly heavy duty unit for a folding elliptical and doesn't scrimp on quality like some of its cousins over at Proform do. The unit I was able to get my hands on belonged to the sister-in-law of one of the other Senseis here at the DOJO. She was nice enough to load me her E30 for a week so I could put together a review for you, my loyal readers.

The three most important things to know about the Horizon E30 elliptical are its sturdiness (right at 160 pounds...an excellent weight for a non folding elliptical under $600 and fantastic for a folding one), the large flywheel (just over 20 pounds) and the durable folding joints. Horizon has obviously listened to all of the complaints about folding ellipticals and addressed each one of them very well. This is a solid, sturdy elliptical and very comparable with non folding units in its price range. When compare to folding ellipticals at the same price, the Horizon E30 blows them all away.

The max user weight of the Horizon E30 is listed at about 300 pounds. I'd downgrade that and say don't use this unit if you're too far in excess of 200 pounds. The e30 elliptical stood up well to my 170 pounds and to a fairly extensive set of 45 minute workouts over the course of 6 days.

The only real down side to the unit is the stride length. At 16" the stride on the Horizon E30 is a bit short for taller people, but should do well for anyone 5'9" and under. 10 programs and 20 levels of resistance round out a very good offering from the fine folks at Horizon Fitness. For being a surprisingly good folding elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Horizon E30 Elliptical 3.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

A folding elliptical that doesn't suck? Who would have thought?


Compare the Horizon E30 Elliptical.



Horizon E30 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 16"
Flywheel: 20lbs
Programs: 10
Resistance: 20 levels
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, distance, speed, calories burned, heart rate, pulse, resistance level, watts, program profile
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Elliptical Weight: 160lbs

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

The Proform 495 PI Treadmill Review -- Poor Performance Under $400

Ohiyo!

You know, every time a Proform treadmill comes in to the DOJO, the Treadmill Sensei really wants to like it. I've read on another site about how Icon Fitness is turning around its poor quality for a bright future. Unfortunately, that's just not the case. Whenever I see a new Proform unit I still find all of the same old problems - poor welds, cheap plastic, thin decks and generally low quality parts. The unit I'm reviewing today, the Proform 495 PI Treadmill, is no different.

Let's start with my favorite 2 places on a treadmill: the frame and the motor. The frame on the 495PI is flimsy at best. The max user weight on it is listed as 250 lbs., but I'd guess the rating should be down closer to 150 lbs to be safe. I'm a nice 170 pounds and the Proform 495 PI I worked out on had a terrible case of the wobbles. It also groaned and creaked more than a machine should during a light workout.

On to the motor. Again, I believe Proform is fudging their stats a little. The tiny motor I found when I opened up the motor hood was listed as 2.25 hp but after watching and listening to it (as well as testing the AMPs it was pulling), I'd guess it was closer to a 1 or 1.25 horsepower motor. This is another fine example of Icon's fairly worthless "THP" motor rating.

Normally here is where I'd talk about the tiny 18" x 45" running area, the 10 mph top speed, 10% max incline, 10 programs or some other feature. However, the deck on the Proform 495PI Treadmill we were testing cracked almost in half about 4 hours in to testing. Again, I'm not a heavy guy and I don't do insane workouts...this unit should have had absolutely no issues with my weight or my workout. The sickening crack I heard while walking on the 495PI treadmill was just another indicator pointing at Proform's continued lower levels of quality.

If you absolutely MUST buy this $399 machine, try to keep your workouts down to 15 minutes no more than 3 times a week. Then you should be safe. I'd also suggest walking only as the increased impact of running may crack your deck like mine. For being another poor unit, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Proform 495PI Treadmill 1 out of 5 golden buddahs.

At under $400, the Proform 495PI gets 1 gold buddah out of 5.


Compare the Proform 496 PI Treadmill.



Proform 495PI Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 1.25 HP
Running Area: 18” x 45”
Max Incline: 10%
Max Speed: 10 mph
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: No
Programs: 10
Display: LCD
Readouts: Speed, time, pace, laps, distance, calories burned, fat calories burned, and pulse.
Folding: Yes
Max User Weight: 250lbs
Unit Weight: 120lbs

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

The BladeZ 710-ME Treadmill Review -- Solid TV Treadmill for under $2400

Ohiyo!

One of the things the Treadmill Sensei likes to do from time to time is take on a repair/remanufacturing project that is a bit too difficult for some of the younger Senseis here at the DOJO. To me there is nothing better than being able to take a nearly destroyed treadmill or elliptical and rebuild it to look and perform like new. Having recently done a couple of BladeZ Fitness reviews, I decided to see if I could search out and find a BladeZ treadmill to put back together.

What I was able to find, thanks to some contacts at Yellow Freight, was a freight damaged BladeZ 710-ME Treadmill. One quick inspection, the damage was fairly extensive but not unmanagable: a cracked motor shroud, cracked deck, bent wheels and a variety of scratches and dings. I also discovered, part of the way through the restoration that there was a short between the incline motor and board. The remanufacturing process starts with stripping the unit down to the bar frame, sandblasting and repainting it, then ordering replacement parts and putting it all back together. I replace anything with cracks or unfixable scrapes, drop on new overlays, test the electronics boards and motors, replace the belt and anything else which has been worn. When I'm done the machine is as close to new as it can be and, on a lot of treadmills, it will end up with a much better maintenance record than a new unit because we go over the units with a fine tooth comb.

Anyway, that's enough about the remanufacturing process, let's get right to the BladeZ 710-ME Treadmill review since that is way you're here! If you're looking for a higher end, commercial quality TV treadmill, then look no further than the 710-ME. After my rebuild, I spent nearly 2 weeks running the machine through a very extensive workout with a minimum hour run per day. Because I was a little unsure of the 3.2 horsepower motor on the unit (having been damaged and all), I did a lot of walking to put extra stress on it -- as counter-intuitive as it sounds, walking puts a lot more stress and wear & tear on a motor because your slower strides remain in contact with the belt (and motor) much more than when you run.

The second thing I always look at on a treadmill is the frame. Like every other BladeZ treadmill I've seen, the 710-ME is as solid as a brickhouse. This thing will stand up to just about any heavy-duty workout you can throw at it. The company sales pitch says "robotically welded frames." I'm not sure what kind of robots they use, but they do good work. Add in the well-made 2.4" rollers and you've got all the pieces for a treadmill with a very long life.

I have to say that running on the BladeZ 710-ME was great. The gigantic 20" x 60" deck had just enough bounce back without having too much recoil. Plus, the extra large running area gave me a lot of room to full out run. I could go on and on, talking about the 15% incline, 12 mph max speed (which, I do wish went up to 15 mph), 10 programs and more, but it all really just comes down to the fact that BladeZ did an excellent job with their engineering and design on the 710-ME Treadmill. This is an example of where you can see the 20+ years of DK City's experience in manufacturing fitness equipment.

The bonus on this machine is the 10" cable-ready television mounted in to the console. As with the other BladeZ units, the screen was bright and sharp and quickly hooked up to the cable TV hook-up in my office. Watching the Wiggles while I have my grandson hanging around my body in a Baby Bjorn was more fun than I can describe...although, that 17 pound baby did start to kill my back about 20 minutes in to my run -- I mentioned I was getting old, right?

At about $1700 delivered, the Treadmill Sensei gives the BladeZ 710-ME Treadmill 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

At 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5, the BladeZ 710 ME Treadmill
is one of the best higher-end TV treadmills on the market.


Find out more about the BladeZ 710ME Treadmill and get the lowest price online.



BladeZ 710-ME Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 3.25HP
Running Area: 20” x 60”
Max Incline: 15%
Max Speed: 12 mph
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Programs: 10
Display: 10" LCD monitor/TV, 4 LED windows
Rollers: 2.4”
Belt: 4-Ply
Deck Thickness: 1”
Max User Weight: 400lbs
Unit Weight: 275lbs

Price: Under $1700

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

The Spirit ZE110 Elliptical -- A Rugged Contender Under $700

Ohiyo!

Yes, I know it seems like the Treadmill Sensei has been on a run of elliptical reviews lately, but it's what we have coming through the shop right now! Ellipticals seem to be coming through at a rate of 3 to 1 versus ellipticals. So, for today you can call me the Elliptical Sensei (and this will teach Uncle Chris to mock me for not knowing about the Proform 20.0 Elliptical...not the Elliptical Sensei? I'll show you, Uncle Chris...I'll show you!)! But, never fear, I'll be back tomorrow with a treadmill review.

I've reviewed a lot of Spirit Fitness equipment this past year because it was one of the most popular units to come through out shop here in Southern California. This was a huge change from years past when Spirit deliveries were few and far between. Heck, Hikaru still teases me about renaming our shop the "Spirit DOJO." One of the Spirit units I was surprised not to have seen more of was the rugged little ZE110 Elliptical. I say "surprised" because this machine holds up fairly well to ellipticals from the marketplace juggernauts Horizon and Schwinn. While this unit was priced at an outrageous $899 earlier in the season, Spirit dropped it down to the much more competitive $699 it is currently priced -- at $899 it is an average elliptical, but at $699 it becomes a solid unit that performs well against other models in the same range.

The ZE110 itself is a slightly downgraded version of the Spirit ZE120, with the main differences being a shorter 18" stride, a single rail for each wheel, a slightly lesser console and lesser warranty. However, for being $400 less than its bigger brother, the Spirit ZE110 is an above average by for sure.

With a solid 135 pound frame, comfortable 18" stride, articulating footpedals and a 24lb flywheel (although, I'd estimate it at being closer to 18 or 20 pounds, but that's just an old service tech nitpicking), the Spirit ZE110 will give you a ride more often seen in the higher priced Schwinn 438 or Horizon EX75. Factoring in the 13 programs and 16 levels of resistance gives you a great choice in the under $700 range.

Now, I've seen mention online of loud squeaks coming out of the ZE110 and ZE120 machines (and Spirit ellipticals in general). This actually isn't as big of a problem as it might initially seem. What this is caused by is either slightly bent wheel shrouds or non-lubricated rails. Unbending the wheel casings and properly cleaning and lubricating your rails should quite that noise down to almost nothing. Normally Spirit ellipticals are very quiet machines.

The only real downsides to the machine are the single rails for the wheels to run on. Double rails would have given the unit an even smoother ride. That and I really wish the Spirit ZE110 had been given Spirit's standard warranties of 5 years for parts and 2 years for labor. However, 3 years and 1 year for a budget elliptical isn't bad.

If you're looking for an elliptical priced just under $700 and want an alternative to Schwinn, Horizon or Proform, then check out the Spirit ZE110 because it is great for light to medium workouts. For being a slick little machine, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Spirit ZE110 elliptical 3.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

UPDATE: The Spirit ZE110 has been discontinued by the manufacturer and is no longer available.

The Spirit ZE110 gets a very solid 3.5 gold buddahs out of 5.


The Spirit ZE110 Elliptical has been discontinued and is now completely unavailable.

Spirit ZE110 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Flywheel: 24lbs
Display: LCD
Programs: 13
Resistance: 16 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Elliptical Weight: Approximately 135 lbs

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

The Tunturi C20 Elliptical Review -- Another average unit from Tunturi

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei just realized he hadn't done a review for one of the oldest manufacturers on the block in a very long time. The manufacturer in question is Tunturi from Europe. While Tunturi treadmills have done well in my reviews, their ellipticals have fallen a bit short because of their older design style and pedals which tend to be uncomfortable during longer workouts -- I think I described the Tunturi C60 as "built like a tank and about as comfortable as one." Unfortunately, the Tunturi C20 isn't a whole lot more comfortable, but it is a lot of machine for under $600.

The Tunturi C20 is the lightest unit in the Tunturi line, but the unit itself is based on the same design and engineering as their other units. It features a very solid rear flywheel -- in fact, one of the few home grade rear drive units which is still sturdy enough to stand up to a solid workout -- and pedals mounted to the elliptical struts on the bottom of the machine. This is where my major complaint about the Tunturi ellipticals lies -- the pedals are a bit unforgiving, are mounted a bit too wide apart for a natural feel and being mounted to the struts tends to cause a user's feet to fall asleep during 30+ minute workouts. When you factor in the shorter 17" stride then you've got an elliptical machine only suited for short people or short workouts. These machines perform best for workouts lasting less than 20 minutes in length. Any longer than that and you will experience a lack of circulation in your feet and legs caused by the slightly unnatural design.

Aside from the pedal and stride issues, the Tunturi C20 Elliptical is one of the most solid ellipticals under $1000 and far exceeds any other unit in its $599 price range for stability. Add in the 30 lb flywheel and you'll find the C20 has a very nice elliptical motion.

Every other feature meets or exceeds other units in the budget class, such as 12 programs, heart rate monitoring and control, the 110 pound machine weight, 300 pound user capacity and great 3 year parts and 1 year labor warranties. If only Tunturi could move in to the new century and rework its pedal designs -- articulating footpads are a must in any elliptical.

If you're on a budget and need an exceptionally sturdy elliptical for your shorter workouts, then the Tunturi C20 may be right up your alley. For being solid but stuck in the past, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Tunturi C20 Elliptical 3 out of 5 golden buddahs.

Another average unit from Tunturi.


Compare the Tunturi C20 Elliptical.



Tunturi C20 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 17"
Flywheel: 30lbs
Programs: 12
Resistance: 8 Levels
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, step rate, distance, energy consumption, heart rate, training target zone %, distance, room temperature, and calender date
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Elliptical Weight: 110lbs

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

The Sole E35 Elliptical Review -- Elliptical Best Buy Under $1500

Ohiyo!

Do you know what the best part of the Treadmill Sensei's job is? No, it's not dating super models. It's getting to play with a lot of really cool equipment. But, being able to date super models would be great too...although, I doubt Mrs. Sensei would approve!

A lot of the cooler equipment I get to mess around and test comes out of Sole Fitness in Utah. Well, their equipment actually comes out of Taiwan, but Sole is in Utah. And one of the better units to come out of their stable is the Sole E35 Elliptical.

The Sole E35 is easily one of the best ellipticals in the $1001-$1500 range and was the winner of the Ichi-Ban Best Buy Award in that price range for 2006-2007 here on the Treadmill Sensei. It is a great elliptical at price just under $1300.

Winner of the Ichi-Ban Best Buy Award for an elliptical between $1001-$1500

As someone who works on Sole equipment week in and week out, I can tell you that the Sole E35 elliptical is one of the sturdiest units you'll find under $1300. Weighing in at about 190 lbs and with a 30 lb flywheel, a workout on the E35 is smooth, comfortable and rock solid. This unit shares the same basic frame as the Sole E55 and I think is a slightly better value (although both machines are fantastic) at about $200 less in price. The units are so impressive that Sole inked a deal with Hilton Hotels to provide the units at a majority of the hotel chain's locations.

With ellipticals you'll notice that I talk a lot about the comfort of the work out and the shape of the elliptical motion. A lot of companies are producing slightly cheaper machines which are not only a little less stable but also have a "D" shaped pedal motion as opposed to the true elliptical shape and feel of the E35 Elliptical. Sole has done a marvelous job in finding and perfecting one of the best feeling elliptical motions on the market.

The only two problems that I have with the Sole E35 are very minor. The first is the number of programs. Now, most people only use 2-3 programs regularly, but I would have liked to have seen 10-12 programs on a top rated machine like this one.

The second problem is where the Sole E35 ellipticals are sold. If you're looking to find one offline to try out your only real options are Dick's Sporting Goods and the Hilton Hotels. I feel that if it were more widely sold that it would be the biggest selling brands on the market. If you're a bit wary about buying a Sole E35 sight unseen, I'd suggest asking for a 30 day money back guarantee to try out the units because you won't be disappointed. Most retailers will give it to you on units they have confidence in, such as those by Sole.

For being a top rated elliptical for under $1500, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Sole E35 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

The Sole E35 is an Ichi-Ban Best Buy Winner and 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5.




Get the absolute Lowest Price online for the Sole E35 -- Save More with Free Shipping, Pay No Tax and protect your warranty

Sole E35 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: 30 lbs
Programs: 8
Resistance: 16 Levels
Display: LCD
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max Weight Capacity: 300 lbs
Elliptical Weight: 190 lbs
Grade: Light Commercial

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

The Lifecore LC-990 Elliptical Review -- Above Average at $1100

Ohiyo!

The readers on here really surprise the Treadmill Sensei sometimes, and not in a bad way at all. I recently had a reader in the area ask if he could bring by the elliptical he just purchased for me to review. The request was a bit unusual and even tho the week was more than a little hectic, I told the reader to bring it down and I'd give it the full review as soon as I could. However, I mentioned that I had no idea how long it would take me to get around to it and that the review process would take 1-2 weeks beyond that. The reader (a pleasant man by the name of Greg W.) was so in love with this machine and wanted to share it with my readers that he agreed to give up his Lifecore LC990 Elliptical for God only knew how long...and, knowing me, if was probably going to take a while.

Surprisingly, it only took me 2 weeks to clear up enough time to do the review, so Greg was able to reclaim his Lifecore LC990 after about 3 weeks. Greg said he missed his work out but that having me review his machine was worth it, and that he just knew I'd absolutely love it.

Well, Greg wasn't completely right. I didn't absolutely love the LC990 elliptical, but it wasn't a bad machine by any means and was a bit better than average.

The Lifecore LC990 is a very solid rear-drive elliptical very much in the mold of the older style Tunturi machines. I tend to be a bit hard on those style of rear-drive ellipticals for a couple of reasons:

First, they tend to be a bit less sturdy up front, especially for a larger user. When you work out on an elliptical you are generally throwing all of your weight forward and on a machine like the Lifecore LC990, there isn't quite enough there to balance you out. So what you get is a slightly wobbly feel to it. That feeling wasn't as bad on the LC990, but it was still there. If this unit was a bit heavier duty it might have recovered from that, but 150 lbs just wasn't enough.

Second, the stride length just isn't what it should be at thie $1100 price point of the Lifecore LC990. 17.5 inches was fine for the 5'5" Greg, but for average sized users it is going to feel a bit short and stunted.

Everyting else on the machine performed well during my week long of 1-hour work outs. I'm not a big guy by any means, but I rode the Lifecore LC990 hard and put it away wet...and it kept up with me the entire time. The flywheel is a decent sized and ran very smooth. It also had a solid number of programs and resistance levels -- I prefer the 16 levels on this machine to the 20 you'll see on others. The reason for that is because when you're actually working with 20 levels it seems a little more like micromanaging than I like to deal with during a workout.

All-in-all, the Lifecore LC990 was a decent performing machine with a couple of major problems. For being better than a Tunturi, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Lifecore LC-990 Elliptical 3.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The LC990 Elliptical by LifeCore Fitness gets 3.5 gold buddahs out of 5.


Compare the LifeCore LC-990 Elliptical.



Lifecore LC990 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 17.5"
Flywheel: 17lbs
Programs: 12
Resistance: 16 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Display: LCD
Readouts: Distance, speed, calories, time, heart rate, watts and RPM
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Elliptical Weight: 150lbs

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

A trip to the Sports Authority -- Why Buying Online is Better

Ohiyo!

I want to tell a little story right now but check back later today for the new review. As I've mentioned before, sometimes the Treadmill Sensei leaves the protection of the DOJO and visits local fitness retailers. Generally I just show up unannounced and don't tell the store manager or sales people that I am the Treadmill Sensei...not that most of them would even know what a Treadmill Sensei was, which is unfortunate because a lot of the sales they make were researched on this site.

One of the things I like to do is go in to what we call "big box" stores (large chain stores) to play with their employees a bit. If you've ever been in to a chain store then you've seen how poorly trained and uninterested their "sales people" tend to be. The sad thing is, even some of the smaller stores tend to have uncaring or untrained sales reps on their floor -- as was shown in my recent SportsArt review where the salesman who was helping me was unsure about a number of features on the treadmill I was looking at. Anyway, while in these chain stores you will here some very funny stuff.

Which brings me to what happened this past week while at a local Sports Authority. I went in looking for a fold up poker table and noticed 4 Sports Authority employees standing near the fitness section of the store. I also noticed 5 or 6 customers wandering nearby them who were not being serviced. As I watched, I saw the customers repeatedly try to get the attention of the employees, to no avail. Upon further observance, I realized that the store manager and someone who was obviously of higher rank than him (maybe a regional manager) were having the other two staff members cleaning some of the equipment which had gotten dusty or dirty. They were all very intent on their tasks. Surprisingly enough, none of the staff, not the sales people, not the manager and not the regional manager, seemed to think that assisting customers was more important than polishing a couple of low-priced recumbent bikes.

Being the troublemaker I am, I decided to head over and see what it would take to get someone's attention. It ended up taking nearly 10 minutes for the staff to finish their cleaning and walk over to ask if I needed help. In the meantime, I was jumping up and down on treadmills, banging on consoles and even opening up the motor shrouds of a couple of the floor treadmills. The only thing I didn't do was grab two other ignored customers and do a treadmill dance. Eventually a teenaged staff member walked over and asked if I had any questions about the treadmill I was on (a Proform 650E Treadmill).

The Treadmill Sensei...hard at work

That's when the fun began. I asked her if it was a good treadmill. She replied that it was because it had continuous duty. That comment surprised me because I didn't think anyone on the staff would even know what that meant, so I probed further and asked what that was. She then let me know continuous duty was something they programmed in to make treadmills better and only higher end treadmills had it...like the Proform I was standing on.

I had to bite my lip to keep from chuckling.

The very nice young lady then proceeded to walk me through the features of the Proform 650e. I say "walk through" but what I really mean is "she read the little info sticker on the treadmill's console." Seein that it wasn't mentioned on the info label, I asked the girl about the treadmill's incline. What emerged from her lips is something that will remain with me until the day I die. You see, she scrunched up her face a bit and say, "Oh, no...you don't want that. It will make your workout too hard."

At that point I had to excuse myself in order to keep from laughing in this poor girl's face. That was easily one of the funniest things I'd ever heard and is a prime example of why shopping on the internet is the way to go. Get your research done online or you'll wind up not buying a treadmill that "will make your workout too hard."

So what did I learn from my trip to Sports Authority?

• Cleaning equipment is more important than selling it.


• Continus Duty is a good program.


• Incline is bad.

I love chain fitness stores!

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

Treadmill & Elliptical Comparison Charts now LIVE!

Ohiyo!

Your Treadmill Sensei has some exciting news. To go along with the new Online Assistant & Equipment Choosers, we've also put together a pair of cool new comparison charts for ellipticals and treadmills. I'll be updating both charts every weekend to include all new equipment from the previous week. These should be the most accurate treadmill and elliptical comparison charts online. Never again wonder what the horsepower, running area, max speed or anything other feature comes on the treadmill you are looking at.

Check them out!

The Treadmill Sensei Treadmill Comparison Chart

The Treadmill Sensei Elliptical Comparison Chart

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

The SportsArt TR32 Treadmill Review -- Great Treadmill for Bad Joints

Ohiyo!

Every so often the Treadmill Sensei likes to venture out from the DOJO on a quest to find equipment he hasn't been able to get a hold of. This past week I took one such adventure, this time out to the wonderous land call Thousand Oaks to try out the SportsArt TR32 treadmill...actually, I took two adventures out in order to get a couple of one-hour work out sessions on the machine at a local fitness specialy shop.

In a quick bit of disclosure, I dropped by the aforementioned shop unannounced and didn't tell them I was the Treadmill Sensei. I did this so I wouldn't be bombarded with questions. To sales reps I met I was just another incredibly attractive, middle-aged Asian man interested in a high-end treadmill.

The first thing you notice when you walk up to the SportsArt TR32 Treadmill is the beautiful design work. The thing looks every bit as slick as a BH, BodyGuard or Matrix Treadmill, which is great company to be in. The next thing most people will notice is the price tag at right around $3700. The sticker shock may scare away most people, but the TR32 is very much worth the price if you can afford to pay for it. If Matrix is a Lexus and Landice is a BMW, then SportsArt is a sleek Infiniti.

The next two things, which are some of the most important for a treadmill, are the frame and the motor. On the SportsArt TR32 both of these features are top-notch. The frame is every bit as solid and steady as a higher-end commercial treadmill. And the 3.2 horsepower motor runs cool at low RPMS and is big enough to strap wheels to and drive down to Tiajuana. SportsArt built their TR32 treadmill motor to last a lifetime.

During my work outs, I found the console on the SportsArt TR32 to be one of the most user-friendly I've come across. Everything is very intuitive and easy to use, and even a treadmill novice will be able to start their workout within a couple of seconds. I was a little surprised to only find 9 workout programs and a 12 mph top speed on a high end unit like this. With everything else being above and beyond the call of duty, it was a bit of a let down in those two departments. Not a major problem but worth mentioning...most other units in this range have a similar top speed, but with the unit being so outstanding otherwise I expected the 15mph speed.

The feature which makes the SportsArt TR32 Treadmill a fantastic unit in my book is the Adjustable Cushioning System (imagine a little "trademark" sign after that combination of words, please). What that fancy phrase does is allow the user to manually adjust the amount of shock absorbtion on the deck.

Anyone who has read this site before will know how much I really hate when a manufacturer comes up with a fancy, but meaningless, term describing something that every other treadmill out there has too (Proform, I'm talking to YOU!). However, in this case the ACS is a very cool piece of technology that will actually help your workout in a way unique to SportsArt. During my workouts I could really feel the difference when I altered the ACS settings on the SportsArt TR32. I don't know if it reduces impact by the 90% the salesman told me, but the reduction was significant and, more important, comfortable. If you have problems with your feet or joints then this is a solid feature.

The last thing which was very nice on the treadmill was the warranty package: lifetime on the motor and mechanical parts, 7 years on electronics and 1 year on labor. Bumping that up to a more competitive 2 years for labor would have made this a homerun for SportsArt.

For my pair of workouts, the SportsArt TR32 Treadmill performed like a dream -- huge motor, rock-solid frame, nice sized running area and the ACS give users a commercial quality workout at just under $3700. The TR32 Treadmill is a fine example of why SportsArt is one of the leading treadmill manufacturers in the industry today. For being an excellent piece of engineering, the Treadmill Sensei gives the SportsArt TR32 Treadmill 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs...It would have ranked higher, but my limited time on the machine kept me from doing a more extensive review.

The SportsArt TR32 gets 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5.


Find out more about the SportsArt TR32 and get the lowest price online.


SportsArt TR32 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 3.2 hp
Max Speed: 12mph
Max Incline: 15%
Running Area: 22" x 61"
Programs: 9
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Display: Dot Matrix
Readouts: Calories, Speed, Incline, Time, Disatance, Heart Rate, Mets, Pace
Max User Weight: 450lbs
Treadmill Weight: 330lbs

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

The Horizon CSE4.6 Elliptical Review -- A downgrade at a higher price?

Ohiyo!

Sometimes fitness manufacturers completely confuse the Treadmill Sensei. It seems like more and more, some manufacturers are making decisions on product design with little or no regard to logic. You'll see manufacturers completely drop their top selling model, or paint them weird colors, or lie about specs, or try to sell the exact same model under different names and at different prices. It's enough to give me a Bowflex-sized headache while I'm working at the DOJO.

Sad to say, but one of my favorite manufacturers has been guilty of doing this. Horizon Fitness, maker of some of the best ellipticals under $1000, has expanded its product line this past year...expanded it a bit beyond reason by renaming and slightly retooling units, giving them a different name and "tweaking" the specs a little for different retail outlets. And, unfortunately, some "review" sites who have never actually touched or worked with the equipment they supposedly review fall for this ploy.

One of the units in question, the Horizon CSE4.6 Elliptical, came in to the DOJO last week. This unit is just a Horizon EX75 frame with a new console and handgrips stuck on to it. The bummer is that the new console has fewer features than the Horizon EX75 while being priced about $100 more.

The Horizon CSE 4.6 itself is very solid and works really well for an elliptical priced under $1000...however, I am downgrading the unit from the 4 golden buddahs of the Horizon EX75 because of it's $100 more expensive price. Why Horizon thinks they can charge more money for a slightly downgraded elliptical is beyond me.

For being a bit of a let down, but still an ok unit, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Horizon CSE4.6 Elliptical 3.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

I wish Horizon would get back to producing just a few solid ellipticals instead of just retooling units over and over again.


Compare the Horizon CSE Elliptical.




Horizon CSE 4.6 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Flywheel: 17.6lbs (I believe it is actually the same flywheel 14.5lb as the EX75)
Display: LED
Resistance Levels: 20
Programs: 8
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 150lbs

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

The Weslo Cadence C44 Treadmill Review -- Really Bad Under $400

Ohiyo!

One of the things the Treadmill Sensei hates about treadmill manufacturers is when they create (and trademark) new terms to confuse buyers. Terms like "Whisper deck," "impuse drive" and "comfort cell cushioning" all grate at my nerves because they really mean absolutely nothing at all. They are all just buzz words and do nothing to make your workout better or more comfortable. One of the biggest perpetrators of the meaningless trademarked buzzword is Icon Health & Fitness, and their Weslo Cadence C44 Treadmill is one of the units they do it on. Can you tell I'm about to go on a rant?

The Treadmill Sensei is in a bit of an annoyed moode today because my wife's relatives think they can bring in their cheap, broken-down treadmills to fix after they've been trashed. Today, one of Athena's aunts (who wishes to remain nameless...unfortunately, it's my blog and I can name names!), Aunt Nikki, brought in a burned out Welso Cadence C44 treadmill. Aunt Nikki said she bought the Weslo C44 because it had a maximum user capacity of 250 pounds and she had intended to work her way down to that quickly (Aunt Nikki currently weighs about 285 pounds). She never listens to me.

Let me repeat this again in case anyone missed it before, when you are looking at a treadmill, make sure the maximum user weight is at least 50 pounds OVER what you weight. Manufacturers generally over state the weight capacity on their machines and, if you want your treadmill to last, you need to factor that in. Meaning, Aunt Nikki should have purchased a treadmill with at least a 325 pound max user weight. She didn't and she burned out her motor.

Speaking of the motor, Icon bills the Weslo C44 Treadmill as having a 2.25 THP horsepower motor. Regular readers of this site know that THP is a completely worthless rating...it stands for peak horse power (or total) and doesn't do anyone any good. The actual horsepower rating of the Weslo Cadence C44 Treadmill is really around 1 to 1.25 horsepower...and it is the size of a soup can. This is not a motor that was ever meant to be hauling 250 pounds. I'd have given it a ranking of 200 lbs at the maximum, and said 175 lbs as a safer bet.

As I told Aunt Nikki earlier today, even at the "bargain" price of $399 the Weslo C44 treadmill is not worth buying -- $99 MAYBE. This unit has a flimsy frame, weak manual incline set up, tiny motor, very small deck/running area and no programs. Even the pulse grip seems to have been poorly designed and calibrated.

In my opinion, the Weslo C44 treadmill did more for Aunt Nikki's health as a broken unit than as a working one...at least she got a good workout carrying it down to the DOJO. For being a flimsy waste of money, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Weslo Cadence C44 Treadmill 1 out of 5 Golden Buddahs...and I think I'm being overly generous with that!

Move along, at 1 gold buddah out of 5 there is absolutely nothing to see here.


Compare the Weslo C44 Treadmill

Weslo Cadence C44 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 1.25 hp
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 9%
Running Area: 16" x 47"
Display: LCD
Programs: 0
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 250 lbs (don't believe it!)
Unit Weight: 90lbs
Folding: Yes

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