The Mileage ST7100 Treadmill Review -- Best Incline Trainer for under $2000

Ohiyo!

Every so often one of the Treadmill Sensei's reviews sparks an email or two full of desperation from a reader. Usually the reader has made up his mind on a treadmill or elliptical he really wants to purchase and has come online to validate his choice. Sometimes, generally in the case of an Icon Fitness or Bowflex product, the reader discovers that his choice might not be the best one based on low quality or performance problems in a given machine. At this point the reader will sit down and write the Sensei a frustrated note.

Today we've got such a note from Mike, who was looking for a high incline trainer treadmill to help him workout with a bad back. Let's see what Mike has to say...take it away, Mike!

Sensei,
If you don't recommend the nordic track x5, what would you recommend if you want more than 15% for walking. Running jars my back to much so to burn more calories, I wanted a steep incline. Thanks -Mike

Mike:

Thanks for your note and your question. Believe it or not, there are a lot of readers out there who have asked that very same question. Unfortunately, the Nordic Track X5 incline trainer just doesn't hold up to the intense level of most high incline workouts. The low quality components give it a lifespan of less than a year in a most cases and, even if it does last, the unit specs really aren't that impressive.

Now, I received Mike's note a while ago and took extra time to answer it while I searched out a solution to his problem. I then took an additional week to run (well, walk!) some intense testing on the treadmill I found for him. If you've got a bad back or if you are looking to do the steep incline, or hill style workouts, there is an excellent option for you in the same price range. A company out of Canada called JK Fitness produces an incline trainer called the Mileage ST 7100 Treadmill and its performance is as cool as its look.

The first thing I want to say is that I'm a guy...and, as a guy, I love cool looking futuristic gadgets. I must admit that when we popped open the box for the Mileage ST7100 treadmill I was excited at the incredibly slick design of the unit. The design has nothing to do with the performance, but they really did WOW me with the ST7100's design. Very spiffy indeed.

How cool does the Mileage 7100 Treadmill look? Very cool indeed!

The assembly on the Mileage ST7100 really isn't all that complicated but because of its size I do recommend getting someone to help you. The instructions were very easy to follow and we had the unit here together in less than 30 minutes. A lesser mechanically-inclined person might take as long as an hour or hour and a half if forced to do it alone. Still, not a daunting task at all.

For an incline trainer, the most important things to look at are the unit's sturdiness and stability, the main motor, the incline motor and the position of the handgrips. All of the other stuff -- the 20 programs, the heart rate monitor and control, the monstrous 20" x 58" running area -- means nothing if the unit doesn't hold up as an incline trainer. Luckily, the Mileage ST7100 exceeded my expectations in all of those regards.

In stability, the Mileage ST7100 ranks up there as one of the most stable and sturdy treadmills short of a higher priced Landice or Star Trac. This machine is solid -- and it has to be to hold up during a 40% incline workout. The design and quality of the upright supports allows a user to place his (or her) full weight on the machine while climbing. The design also factors in where and how a user will be holding the handgrips on the Mileage ST7100 treadmill...the very cool curved supports are an excellent example of form following function. Plus, they more than held up to my weight on them. Even Hikaru said the machine felt solid to him and his rather copious bulk.

The other two important factors are the twin motors on the ST 7100 treadmill. If JK Fitness skimped on cost and placed smaller, higher RPM motors in the machine, everything would just burn out, leaving a customer with a very cool but worthless $2000 piece of equipment. Thankfully, they decided to put in a pair of very powerful, very large and very cool-running motors which function at low RPMs and pull in very low AMPs - even running at the upper end of capacity.

Hikaru and I both took turns working on the ST7100 over the course of 6 days and we wore out before the treadmill did!

With high quality components and a truly outstanding design, JK Fitness has produced an excellent contender for "best incline trainer" at any price. The Treadmill Sensei, and his very tired legs, give the Mileage ST7100 treadmill 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

High quality and class exudes from the Mileage ST7100 and gets the treadmill 4.5 golden buddahs out of 5.


Find out more about the Mileage 7100 Treadmill



Mileage ST7100 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.5hp
Folding: Yes
Max Speed: 11mph
Max Incline: 40%
Programs: 20
Display: LED
Readouts: Distance, Calories, Pulse, Time
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Running Area: 20" x 58"
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 275lbs (approximately)
Cost: Under $1800

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

The MultiSports ECT-3000 Elliptical Review -- Sturdiest Elliptical Under $700

Ohiyo!

A common complaint the Treadmill Sensei receives here at the DOJO is from readers who are used to working out on ellipticals at their local gyms and who quickly discover that they can't get that same feel in ellipticals under $700. They also complain about how flimsy and shaky most budget ellipticals feel. Unfortunately, there just aren't any commercial feeling ellipticals around in that sort of budget price range, especially with the number of features a commercial quality elliptical will have. I'd love to be able to tell you otherwise but I'd just be lying.

Now, before you run off pouting, the Treadmill Sensei is a kind and merciful reviewer and will let you on a little secret of the elliptical industry. This secret won't get you all the bells and whistles of a Precor or Life Fitness elliptical, and won't get you one of their 20"-21" strides. What the secret will get you, however, is the single sturdiest and most solid elliptical manufactured under about $1000 in price. That secret comes in the form of an often overlooked elliptical manufacturer from Texas by the name of MultiSports fitness. The unit I'm talking about is the MultiSports ECT-3000 Elliptical which is priced at under $700.

MultiSports has been around the fitness industry for a very long time and has made their reputation in producing some of the most durable, long lasting equipment on the market. In terms of durability and product life I'd rank them up there with Tunturi, Precor and Life Fitness. MultiSports uses 11 gauge steel in their welded frames. For a sub-$1000 unit, the Multisports ECT-3000 Elliptical will stand up to even the heaviest of workouts.

The ECT-3000 elliptical doesn't come with a whole lot of bells and whistles. It only has manual programs, pulse grip heart rate monitoring, no heart rate control and only 8 levels of resistance. The unit may be stripped down in features but it performs where it counts: in solidity of frame, smoothness of elliptical motion and with a comfortable stride. The Multisports ECT3000 is an elliptical for someone looking to do more intense workouts without having to pay $1000 or more. You won't feel the "bouncies" on this machine.

The only downside to this machine is the lack of crosstraining handles. It makes up for this missing feature with very long static handles which are easy to use and comfortable to hold on to.

We don't get many of the Multisports ECT3000 Ellipticals in here at the DOJO. When they do come in, the service is generally because the owner didn't take care of the elliptical and not because of any failure of the ECT-3000 itself. The unit I worked out on for this review came in from a customer who hadn't lube his ECT3000 in the year he'd owned it, causing the wheels to make some horrible sounds on the rails while he used it. Some quick clean up and lubrication and he was good to go again. These machines are solid and will last a long time if properly cared for. I'd recommend the ECT3000 for anyone looking for performance over bells and whistles.

For being a budget elliptical that doesn't skimp on quality components, the Treadmill Sensei gives the MultiSports ECT-3000 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

An excellent low-priced elliptical entry from MultiSports, the ECT3000 gets 4.5 golden buddahs out of 5.


Get more information on the MultiSports 3000 Elliptical and find the lowest price online.



MultiSports Elliptix 3000 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Flywheel: 11lbs.
Display: LCD
Readouts: Calories burned, Speed, Time, Distance, RPM, Pulse
Programs: Manual
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Resistance Levels: 8
Max User Weight: 250lbs
Unit Weight: 115lbs
Cost: Under $700

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

The Proform 160 Elliptical Review - Low Quailty and Over Priced

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei absolutely loves Proform Fitness -- and Icon Fitness brands in general. Not because of their quality, which we all know is generally terrible, and not because of their customer service, which is even worse. The reason the Treadmill Sensei loves Proform is because their equipment and its problems is so much fun to test out and review -- I think some of my best written reviews are on Proform equipment. I always know there will issues with their treadmills and ellipticals, and the fun part is waiting for the failures to pop up. We were working out on a Proform treadmill a few months ago for a review and its deck cracked in half! Now, in spite of what Mrs. Sensei says about my waistline, the Treadmill Sensei is not a big guy at all -- around 5'7.5" and 170 pounds. For a treadmill to crack with me doing a walking workout on it is insane.

The Proform elliptical I purchased recently to review is no different. The Proform 160 Elliptical (also known as the XP 160 elliptical in some places) was a below average machine with some very "interesting" problems. The only really positive thing I can say about it is that it shipped and arrived very quickly once we placed the order. If nothing else, Proform ships their units very fast.

The Proform 160 elliptical arrived in a small to medium sized box (for an elliptical) and weighed in at somewhere around 135 pounds. I'm guessing at the exact weight because we couldn't find the precise weight listed anywhere on the unit we received. Assembly on the unit was fairly standard for us, but the instruction booklet wasn't the best and could be more than a little confusing for the average consumer. Figure on it taking about 90 minutes to assemble the Proform 160.

As a front drive elliptical, the Proform 160 will feel a bit more solid than a rear drive unit in the under $600 range. I'm not saying that it is an overly solid or sturdy unit, but the front drive ellipticals tend to perform a lot better in the low end than rear drive ones. The 160 elliptical's flywheel is a bit on the small size...again, we were unable to find an actual weight listed anywhere for the unit's flywheel, but I'd estimate it at 10-12 pounds in size at the most. The smaller, lighter flywheel makes the Proform 160 elliptical feel a bit bouncier than a larger or heavier one would, but the 18" stride on the unit isn't the worst I've felt on a low-end elliptical. I'd rank it at about average.

A few problems I did notice on the machine were that the front shroud and crank designs are aren't the best thought at. The 160 elliptical has a lot of problems during workouts at RPMs of 55-60 or higher. At these higher RPMs you'll start to notice a rather lound sound coming from the front of the machine. This is from the lower-quality plastic pieces becoming bent and rubbing against crank arms and gears. In fact, on our machine, the crank cover became so warped it was rubbing against the arm and producing a rather nasty plastic dust inside the machine. In general, the Proform 160 Elliptical is one of the noisiest lower end ellipticals I've encountered in a long time.

The last problem I want to mention, and it isn't as bad as the mechanical ones above, has to do with the elliptical's console and fans. First off, batteries go in to the underside of the console and are a bit touchy to get placed in properly. Speaking of the batteries, for some reason the Proform 160 elliptical's console is a battery hog and went through 1 set during my 2 week long workout. The other problem with the console is the fans: they just don't work all that well. Well, they work well once you get them started -- they don't seem to want to start up on their own and required a "kick start" each time I wanted to use them. I think it has to do with the power issue in the console.

Overall, the Proform is a very poor performing machine and really isn't worth the under $600 price it current goes for. It has a lot of problems I'd expect to see in a sub $400 unit and there are much better choices from companies like Horizon, Schwinn and Merit. For being another Proform let down, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Proform 160 Elliptical 2 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

Another low quality unit gets Profom 2 gold buddahs out of 5 for their XP 160 Elliptical.


Get more information on the Proform 160 Elliptical now.

Proform 160 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Flywheel: 12lbs (approx)
Programs: 10
Resistance Levels: 10
Display: LCD
Readouts: Distance, resistance, time, speed, pulse, RPM, carbs burned and calories burned
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 200lbs
Unit Weight: 135lbs

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

The Spirit XE550 Elliptical Review -- Smooth like butter

Ohiyo!

One of the main things the Treadmill Sensei hates about bad ellipticals is their foot pads/pedals. The worst thing that can happen to you is your feet falling asleep during your workout. I hate that more than anything. The sad part of the problem is that it doesn't have to be happening anymore. Elliptical manufacturers know about the problem and they know about how to fix it.

One company which has gone out of its way to address the problem of numb feet, and uncomfortable workouts in general, is Spirit Fitness. This is especially true in their XE550 Elliptical. You see, I am convinced the the engineers and designers at Spirit have a bit of a foot fetish. Not only did they give the Spirit XE550 Elliptical some of the best articulating food pads around, but they placed them closer together and gave them a 2% tilt to make them feel as close to natural as possible. The XE550 takes the elliptical comfort one step further by adding on an adjustable feature, allowing every different user to set the pedal angle to what feels best to them. Very few other ellipticals, at any price range, come close to the incredible feeling you can get from working out on an XE550 elliptical.

Moving out past the pedals, Spirit has taken the frame from their XE350 and extended out, adding on plastic rail coverings for the back of the unit. The extended length flattens out the elliptical path of the XE550's 20" stride and makes it move like butter. Or, for those of you who are watching your cholesterol, like "I can't believe it's not butter."

We work on a few Spirit XE550 Ellipticals every week here at the DOJO and I have to say it is one of my all time favorite machines to service or install. They are solid and sturdy, they don't give you that awful bouncy feel of lesser ellipticals (Proform, I'm talking to you). If you can afford the price tag of just under $1700 then I wholeheartedly recomment the Spirit XE550. I like it so much I helped one of the girls in the DOJO's front office get one for her workout room at home.

Just so I can't be accused of being completely in love with the XE550, I do have a tiny nitpick. The plastic shroud on the back of the machine isn't durable enough to stand on. It looks solid, and is well made, but the plastic will not hold up to someone attempting to stand on it. I'd love to see the plastic replaced by metal, but that is a minor complaint in an incredible machine.

If you're looking for a decent feeling workout in the $1700 range then try out the smooth and comfortable Spirit XE550 Elliptical...the Treadmill Sensei gives the thing 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

UPDATE: The Spirit XE550 is now discontinued and out of stock. Check out the upgrade 2008 Sole E95 for a new alternative.

It has Spirit, yes it does! The Spirit XE550 is an excellent buy for under $1700 and gets 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5.


Find out more about the Spirit XE550 Elliptical. Save an additional 3% with coupon code TMSENSEI.


Spirit XE550 Elliptical Specifications
Stride Length: 20"
Flywheel: 30lbs
Programs: 10
Resistance Levels: 20
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Display: LED
Readouts: Time, weight, speed, RPM, distance, calories, level, laps, heart rate, and age
Max User Weight: 400lbs
Product Weight: 203lbs

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

The Landice L7 Cardio Trainer Treadmill Review - Best Buy at $4000

Ohiyo!

One of the things the Treadmill Sensei is most often called to task on is the current lack of Landice reviews on the website. Of course, most of the people chastising me are Landice dealers and are looking for the sales boost a Treadmill Sensei review will give them (I even had one retailer send me a rather upset note because I dared to give another treadmill a higher rating than a Landice - How dare I?!). With the quality of mid-range units like Sole, Bodyguard and the fantastic Lifespan treadmills, and the downturn of higher end sales, I just haven't seen the need to review too much on the higher end of the price spectrum that Landice occupies. There just aren't a lot of people looking for $4000 treadmills right now so the Treadmill Sensei focuses on what his readers (that's you!) want to learn about.

2007-2008 Ichi-Ban Best Buy Award Winner.

This week, though, about 10 emails came in here at the DOJO asking about Landice treadmills and their quality. So, in response to my readers (that's you!), I dusted off my notes for a Landice L7 Cardio Trainer Treadmill review from a unit that came in a few months ago.

The low down on Landice Treadmills is this: Landice has been around for over 35 years, making them one of the oldest fitness manufacturers specializing in treadmills only. They produce some excellent, high quality equipment on the upper end of the market ($4000+ for most of their treadmills). The downside of the way they brand their units is that a few very shady individuals use their model structure to sell you the exact same unit, under a different name, at a higher price. If a dealer "upsells" you from a residential to a club model, for instance, you're getting the same exact unit but with a lesser warranty because the club unit is meant to go in to a commercial setting (commercial warranties are generally shorter term than home warranties because of their higher level of use). This is not through the fault of Landice at all, but don't get fooled by "used car salesman" masquerading as specialty fitness dealers.

Recently the DOJO received in 3 Landice L7 Cardio Trainer Treadmills to be installed at a Los Angeles area recovery center for plastic surgery patients. It was a high end facility used to dealing with movie stars, sports stars, political figures and the super rich, so having a set of Landice treadmills in their workout room was a natural fit for them.

The Landice Cardio Trainer Console.

All Landice L7 treadmills share the same motor, frame, deck and so on, with the only real difference being in the treadmill's console. You get the same ultra solid steel construction frame that supports a maximum user weight of 400 pounds. The L7 Cardio Trainer treadmill will not shake or bounce during even the hardest of running or marathon training workouts. Add in the large 20" x 58" running area and you have a runner's dream treadmill in the making.

The huge, US-made 3 horsepower motor holds up just as well. I believe the Landice L7 Cardio Trainer treadmill has one of the largest 3 horsepower motors available today. Those things are giant, cool running, geared to run at low RPMs and pull low AMPs even when running at the upper end of capacity. If you keep your motor dust free and have a mat under the treadmill then this motor has a great chance of lasting for 10-15 years or more. Landice has done an excellent job with their motor selection on the L7 Cardio Treadmills and their treadmills in general. One thing you never hear about in a Landice treadmill is motor slippage.

The last thing I want to talk about is the shock absorption and belt on the Landice L7 Cardio treadmill. Landice has been making these treadmills for a long time and have had the time to perfect their cushioning system. It comes in two parts, the 4 ply belt and their "VFX" system. I have no idea what "VFX" stands for but it is one of the most comfortable cushioning systems available at any price and makes the Landice units heaven to run on. I've got the standard knee and ankle problems that come with a lifetime of running and playing tennis, but I absolutely love running on a Landice. A normal treadmill workout for me is around 45 minutes in length. However, when I have access to a Landice I often find myself running for an hour or 90 minutes without realizing it.

The Landice L7 Cardio Trainer Treadmill, with its painfully long name, is my #1 pick from Landice. It has the optimal combination of features and price to make it one of the best treadmills around and a best buy at $4000. For being a treadmill that makes my bum knee feel good, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Landice L7 Cardio Trainer Treadmill 5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

The Landice Cardio Trainer series is the best treadmill in a brand of excellent treadmills and gets 5 gold buddahs out of 5 from the Sensei.


Get more info on one of the best treadmills at any price, and find the best price online.



Landice L7 Cardio Trainer Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 3hp
Max Speed: 12 MPH
Max Incline: 15%
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Programs: 7
Running Area: 20" x 58"
Deck Thickness: 1"
Belt: 4 ply
Rollers: 2-1/2"
Folding: No
Max User Weight: 400 lbs.
Product Weight: 300 lbs
Price: Under $4000

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

Treadmill Sensei at Health & Fitness Expo in Denver

Ohiyo!

Just a quick post right now to let everyone know that the Treadmill Sensei will be at the Health and Fitness Trade Show in Denver next week (August 2-4). If you see us walking around, feel free to say "Hi!" Or, if you're a manufacturer and want to have us check out your equipment then drop me a note.

We'll have some reports from the show next week, talking about new equipment and what buyers have to look forward to in the next year. There is a lot of exciting new equipment coming out and a lot of bad equipment, and we'll be there to make sure you know the difference!

I'll be back later on today with a new review.

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

The LifeSpan TR1000HRC Treadmill Review - A Best Buy Treadmill Under $1000

Ohiyo!

One of the problems the Treadmill Sensei has here at the DOJO is the sheer number of treadmills and ellipticals on the market today. Back when I first started in fitness, back in the "ye olde days" of the early 1980s, there were maybe 100 models to worry about. Now I'd have to estimate there are 750-1000 out and available at any given time. What that means since I update this site only once a day during the week is that a lot of treadmills, ellipticals and manufacturers don't get the recognition (positive or negative) they deserve.

One such company produces some excellent treadmills and is, in fact, one of my favorite companies to work with. Lifespan Fitness out of Utah has been around since the early 1990s and has been producing their current Lifespan treadmills and ellipticals since about 2001. They target the over 55 crowd as well as those on a budget looking for exceptionally high quality equipment that will last.

If you are looking for the very best or top rated treadmill under $1000 then you should set your sights on the Lifespan TR1000HRC Treadmill. The TR1000HRC is a treadmill where the specs can be a bit deceiving because of the ultra high quality components Lifespan Fitness has engineered in to it. I was glad to be able to test out one of these units over the course of 10 days here at the DOJO recently.

I'm not going to go in to my usual long, drawn-out detailing of my workouts because it isn't needed on the Lifespan TR1000HRC. My workouts consist of at least an hour a day for a week and a half to two weeks where I try every conceivable feature of a treadmill and try my darnedest to beat the heck of out it. I'm just going to talk about what I found at the end of my review period.

What I found was a treadmill possessing the best shock absorption system for under $1300. I don't know what elaborately trademarked name Lifespan has for the cushioning system, but they have done an incredible job with it. If you have any sort of joint problems or just want to get the lowest impact treadmill workout on a budget then trying out a Lifespan TR1000HRC treadmill is an absolute must. I have problems with my left knee from running and from a life time of tennis, and my Lifespan work outs were some of the best I've felt outside of a gym.

The next thing I discovered was one of the most thought out and executed set of workout programs on any treadmill. Lifespan Fitness only gave the TR1000HRC treadmill 6 programs but they made them count. It is readily apparent that Lifespan has aimed their product very squarely about those who want to maintain or improve their health. They don't confuse you with 20 programs, hoping to get luckly. Instead they've developed a very solid workout routine which blows away anything else in its price range.

Overall, Lifespan has followed that same train of thought: top rated specs don't mean a thing without quality...i.e., Quality over Quantity. Their 2hp motor may seem a little on the light side until you life up the hood and check it out. The motor on the TR1000HRC treadmill is large, runs quiet at low RPMs and doesn't pull a lot of AMPs even under load. What that means to you is a treadmill that will run smooth, that will run consistantly and that will last a very long time. When you factor in the high quality machined 2" rollers, you've got a treadmill belt that will give you a supreme workout.

To sum it all up, I absolutely adored the Lifespan TR1000-HRC treadmill and look forward to reviewing more Lifespan Fitness equipment in the future. For being a big contender in this year's Best Buy Awards, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Lifespan TR1000HRC Treadmill a stupendous 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The Lifespan TR1000HRC is a best buy treadmill for under $1000.


Get more information about the Lifespan TR 1000-HRC treadmill.



LifeSpan TR1000-HRC Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2hp
Rollers: 2"
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 12%
Running Area: 18"x54"
Deck Thickness: 3/4"
Display: LED
Programs: 6
Readouts: Incline, time, distance, speed, heart rate, lap count, calories
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Folding: Yes
Max User Weight: 275lbs
Unit Weight: 175lbs

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

Reader Mailbag: Should you replace a Proform Motor?

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei rants and raves about the horrors of Icon Fitness products all day here at the DOJO. Aside from one or two semi-decent units, Icon and its brands (Image, Proform, Weslo, Reebok, Nordic Track) produce some of the worst equipment in the industry. Their treadmills almost always look really spiffy and have a lot of extra little gadgets on them to confuse poor consumers in to buying their equipment, but low end components, poor QC and downright terrible customer service have most Icon buyers cursing their existence after a few months.

In spite of my repeated warnings, the Treadmill Sensei still gets tons of people asking whether or not they should buy a Proform or other Icon product. Let's hear what Greg has to say about his Proform. Take it away, Greg!

Kon ba wa sensei...
I'd like to know your thoughts about replacing a wimpy motor from a Proform treadmill for a more heavy-duty and larger motor makes sense...eh? (I live in Canada).

By the way, are you the t_sensei that posted at Lakers Blog at the LA Times recently? I am a transplanted So. Californian living in Canada...Arigato! -Greg

Greg:

Thanks for the note and the great question - Beauty, eh! (See? I speak Canadian too) To start off with, I don't post on the Lakers Blog, sorry. The only forums I post on as the Treadmill Sensei are on Runners World. Must just be another Sensei running around out here!

In regards to whether or not replacing the stock Proform motor with a larger or heavier-duty motor is worthwhile. I'd have to give you an emphatic "No!" The Proforms not only have problems with their motors, but their control boards burn out very quickly and aren't usually covered in the Proform warranty. Their treadmills have such a high rate of failure and problem that your money would be better spent buying a better unit at the combined cost of the new motor and the Proform treadmill itself.

Also, anyone who recommends you purchase an upgrade motor on a Proform (or any Icon brand) treadmill should be considered just a little shady. Either that or they are just plain ignorant of Proform's reputation for low quality components. A lot of the less honest repair/service shops will sell Icon "upgrade" parts and motors knowing full well that you'll have to come back to them to fix even more problems down the line. I'd suggest staying far away from that person or company. And don't even get me started on "review sites" who sell upgrade parts to the treadmills they sell.

Check out some other treadmills in the price range you're thinking of right now. You'll be a lot happier in the long run...especially if you have to deal with the Icon customer service department. They're worse than the DMV!

Thanks again, Greg!

That's it from the DOJO for right now. I'll be back around later to post a new treadmill review.

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

The Ironman 530e Elliptical Review - Decent for those on a budget under $800

Ohiyo!

About three weeks ago the DOJO received a shipment of 4 Ironman 530e Ellipticals bound for a local fire station. I was a bit surprised to see those units going to a non-residence because they are most definitely home units. Because the Treadmill Sensei worries about people too much, I called over to the fireman who ordered the units -- he was the head of the station and his name was Ronald, so I'm going to call him Captain Ron. I love that movie and I don't care what anyone says. Anyway, once I had informed Captain Ron that they were going to be receiving home grade units and not commercial or light commercial ones, he went back to his office to find out why they had been ordered.

The answer that came back was very interesting. The machines had been recommended by a number of the firemen who worked at the station because they owned them at home and thought they held up very well to their workouts. This intrigued me because I knew the Ironman 530e elliptical had a shorter stride of 17.5" and Captain Ron mentioned all of the guys there were in excess of 6' tall. I couldn't imagine that the workout would be very comfortable to them, so I asked Captain Ron if I could borrow one of the 530e ellipticals for two weeks to do a review. After getting me to agree to do a free installation of the units once I was done, Captain Ron gave me the go ahead.

In additional to my normal review process, the things I was most interested in testing were the stability of the Ironman 530e Elliptical and the comfort of its stride for a taller person because the 4 units we had in the DOJO were going to be used fairly extensively by 200 pound, 6' tall firemen. If the units didn't hold up to us here in the shop then the Ironman 530e ellipticals definitely wouldn't hold up to them.

An interesting aside: if you're a single lady in the Burbank, California area then you should go and check out the firemen there. When I stopped by one of the firehouses there I was amazed to see a group of guys that looked like big, buff models who stepped right out of a photoshoot for a calendar! It was incredible. So, ladies, the firemen of Burbank are hunks and I'd recommend calling in for them to get your cat out of the tree sometime...you won't be disappointed.

Back to the review!

Being just over 5'8" I knew that I couldn't be the one to test the ellipticals, even with a recent 7 pound weight gain that I'm in hot water about with Mrs. Sensei. I knew that I'd have to recruit both Hikaru and my son-in-law. Since I'm Hikaru's boss I knew he'd be no trouble to get to "volunteer." And, since Mrs. Sensei and I watch my beloved grandson every Thursday night so my daughter and son-law-law (who didn't name their child after me) can have some "alone time," I knew he'd jump at the chance. Well, I knew my daughter would make him jump at the chance.

These two big guys, both over 6' and hefty in proportion, worked out for 30-45 minutes for 10 days over a two week period on the Ironman 530e Ellipticals, paying particular attention to the feel of the stride and the durablity of the machine. Amazingly enough, both 530e ellipticals they used stood up to the heavy duty testing. Hikaru mentioned that it was one of the sturdiest ellipticals he'd been on under the $1300 price point and that he didn't mind the shorter stride because of the elongated elliptical motion the Ironman 530e possesses. For the laymen out there, an elongated elliptical stride is preferrable to a rounder or "D" shaped stride because it feels much more natural and has less of a bobbing motion or feel to it. If you've ever been on a bad elliptical then you know exactly what I mean about the bounciness of its workout.

Raymond (the son-in-law) thought it was a bit short for him at 6'3". He did have a very interesting comment tho. He said that at his height it felt like a very smooth stepper and that might be why the firemen liked it. He also thought the wheels felt a bit less solid than the ones on the BladeZ elliptical he has at home. That's not a bad thing because his unit costs around $1000 more than the $770 Ironman 530E Elliptical.

I worked out on one of the Ironman 530e Ellipticals for the last 2 days of testing in order to get a feel for the machine myself, and to show the two young punks that the "old man" could keep up with them. At my height, the 17.5" stride felt surprisingly smooth and the pedal positioning was very very naturdal. Ironman did a great job with the design. I do wish it had articulating foot pedals, but at $770 it out performed most of the Schwinn and Spirit units that were under $1000.

As a budget elliptical priced at under $800, the Ironman 530e Elliptical is an excellent option. For being such a great budget buy, the Treadmill Sensei gives the 530e Elliptical 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The Ironman 530e is a great elliptical buy priced under $1000.


Get more information and find the lowest price online for the Ironman 530e Elliptical.



Ironman 530e Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 17.5"
Flywheel: approximately 18lbs
Programs: 12
Resistance Levels: 16
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, speed, distance, watts, RPM, calories, heart rate and calories
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 180lbs

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

Reader Mailbag: A comment on buddahs

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei has a new addiction to confess to. Mat, who helps me out with all things internet and website, introduced me to a magnificent service called Statcounter, which is a statistics and monitoring service we use here at the DOJO for treadmillsensei.com. What it lets you do is see how many people are on the site, what pages they go through, where they are from and so on. I've gotten so addicted that I check my stats every few hours now just to see where people are coming from and what they are looking for. It helps me figure out what I should write about next. An added benefit is that I get to see when manufacturers, retailers and even competitor reviewers are checking out my page. My favorite two visitors are an Arkansas manufacturer and a review site from Memphis...both are here on the site a few times a day soaking up the wisdom of the Treadmill Sensei. Great going, guys, the best place to learn is at the feet of the master! If you both stick at it then you might just become possessed by the spirit of the Sensei.

Anyway, I have to bail out on doing a review tonight because my beloved grandchild is going to be staying with Mrs. Sensei and I until tomorrow and, to tell the truth, I'd much rather play with him! However, I will answer a piece of new reader email with a suggestion I will be following up on.

Sensei,

I absolutely enjoy the site. It's magnificent what you do and have done.

I'm in the midst of researching ellipticals and thought I had it narrowed down only to find yet a new one pop up on your 2007 list. I was wondering if you'd like a couple of suggestions on the site. Obviously you can ignore them.

Since the buddah rating is in the reviews, could they be added to the right hand index, perhaps at the end of the elliptical/treadmill name maybe in parenthesis? Or, I was also wondering if the right hand lists would be better off in buddah order from top to bottom. That way, a quick stop at the site could immediately show what's at the "top of the heap", instead of having to search through every one to see if there's a new winner.

Each time a better one comes up in your reviews, etc, you just pop it into the appropriate spot on the list. Thanks and regards, -Stephen

Stephen:

Thanks for the note and I'm glad you like the site...I hope it's helped at least a little on your search. About getting the buddah ratings listed in the right navigation bar: I think you're on to something. I am going to try and get that implemented this weekend. I'm not sure if they'll show as a picture in the right nav because of the limited space, but I know they'll work as a mouse over bit of text. In other words, when you place your cursor over a unit a little box will pop up with the treadmill or elliptical buddah rating in it. Will that work? What do the rest of you think?

Before I sign off I want to put out an open call to everyone who has bought a treadmill or elliptical in the past. I am looking for buying horror stories. Did you run in to an incredibly pushy sales person? Were you unable to even get a sales person's attention at a big box store? Did it take forever to get your treadmill delivered? Or did your elliptical show up completely destroyed in transit? Send in your buying horror stories and I'll publish them all in the next few weeks.

That's it from the DOJO tonight. I'll be back with a couple of new reviews tomorrow to make up for tonight. Take care and stay fit!

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

Reader Mailbag: Is a 21" Stride too long for a shorter person?

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei will be back later today for a treadmill review, but to hold you over I wanted to answer an email that came in to the DOJO this morning. Craig is worried that the 21" stride on a Smooth CE 7.4 Elliptical is too long for his 5'3" wife. Let's see what Craigs has to say...take it away, Craig!

Dear Sensei,

Thanks for putting together such an informative site. My wife and I are about to purchase an elliptical for both of our use and we tried out the Smooth CE 7.4 a friend recently purchased and we both really liked it. However, while I am 5' 8", my wife is 5' 3" and everything I have read (including the Smooth website), says the 21" stride on this machine is too long for her, even though she said it felt fine during the test run she gave it.

Would it be a mistake to purchase this machine given her height? Thanks, -Craig

Check out the 21" stride on the CE7.4 Elliptical from Smooth Fitness.

Craig:

Thanks for the note. If your wife tried out the Smooth and the stride felt comfortable to her, then it is fine. A lot of people who use ellipticals at their gym are already used to the longer stride found in Precor, Life Fitness and Star Trac units (generally 20"-21"). I personally find the longer strides to be much more comfortable and less choppy. I'd suggest seeing if she could try the machine out for a 30-45 minute workout and see how it feels in a longer workout.

One of the things I've noticed in the 15 or so years Ellipticals have been on the market is that longer strides tend to be easier for shorter people to adjust to than shorter strides. Getting a machine with a stride that is too short is just plain uncomfortable and will kill your desire to workout.

I would say if she tried it and liked the 21" stride then go with it because what is most important (and more important than any review site) is how it feels to the both of you. Do it if it feels good! The Smooth CE7.4 is a good buy elliptical for around $1999.

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

The IronMan CDT Elliptical Review (aka CardioZone Center D) - Ironman in name and Performance

Ohiyo!

There are times when the Treadmill Sensei wishes that his son would come to his senses, give up art and take after his old man...perhaps one day even take over the DOJO. Unfortunately, on days like today such dreams of the Sensei are crushed. You see, I heard my beloved son yelling for a tool from one of the repair bays near my office. I couldn't quite make out what he was saying so I poked my head out the door and asked if I could be of service (excited that he was even asking for a tool). To my dismay, the now adult child who sprang from my loins (my son), was calling out for "one of those starry headed screwdriving things." I just shook my head and passed him one of the starry headed screwdriving things I had in my toolbelt. Needless to say, the boy takes after his mother. I believe the only hope for the DOJO lies in my first grandchild, in spite of him not being named after me.

Today we have an email from a reader asking about a CardioZone Center D Elliptical. Let's see what he has to say. Take it away, Rolly!

Sensei,

I'm looking into getting an elliptical since it would be great for my off days of running and I hate running anyway, but need to for the military. The elliptical will help my knees hold up longer.

I was originally looking at the sole and spirit, but came across this (CardioZone) Center D (Elliptical). I guess Keys makes it, but on their site, they only have 2 higher-end models. Cardiozone has this one and was curious if you knew anything about it. Thanks. -Rolly

Rolly:

Thanks for the note! I am indeed familiar with the Ironman CDT Elliptical, which you've seen online as the "CardioZone Center D." CardioZone is a fitness brand own by the fine people at Fitness Blowout. The CardioZone line doesn't actually exist in the most part and is just rebranded equipment from other manufacturers, Keys/Ironman making up the majority of their product and what appears to be BH Fitness units making up a good chunk of their treadmills. The CardioZone units are the same as the Ironman/Keys units, but tend to be a bit overpriced and sometimes over-spec'd. The CardioZone versions also have their MSRP double or triple what it really should be.

The Ironman CDT Elliptical is one of the better "center drive" style ellipticals out there and I think it performs slightly better than the New Balance 9000 because of the CDT's heavier weight. The additional weight gives the CDT elliptical a huge amount of stability and sturdiness for even the heaviest duty work outs. This is a huge advantage when you factor in the incredibly natural pedal positioning on the Ironman CDT. Ironman has done an excellent job in the design of this unit and it gives one of the most comfortable workouts under $2000.

Going along with the stability and pedal placement, the Ironman CDT also has a fantastic feeling 21" stride. Even at my shorter height of 5'8" the Ironman CDT elliptical I reviewed and worked out on for 2 weeks here at the DOJO felt great. This unit will work for anyone from about 5'6" up to 6'5" or more. Even the static center handles are well placed and won't get in the way of taller users (Octane take note!).

Rounding out the features on the CDT are 18 programs, 16 levels of resistance, heart rate monitoring and heart rate control. The lack of an adjustable stride on this elliptial isn't missed due to the well-designed feel of its workouts. If you want a solid, natural feeling elliptical workout and you haven't checked out the center-drive Ironman CDT Elliptical, then you're really missing out.

The only real downside that I've seen on this unit is the console. It really isn't the most user friendly or intuitive and the instruction manual isn't much help. It might take a bit longer to get the hang of the more advanced features but the workout makes the additional effort worthwhile.

The rather confusing display on the Ironman CDT Elliptical (also known as the CardioZone Center D elliptical).

For being another solid performer from Ironman for under $1600, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Ironman CDT Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The Ironman CDT Elliptical is one of the best mid-range center-drive ellipticals around.


Find out more about the Ironman CDT Elliptical Now.



Ironman CDT Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 21"
Flywheel: n/a
Programs: 18
Resistance Levels: 16
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, speed, distance, calories used, watt level, and pulse
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 240lbs

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

The Horizon E1200 Elliptical Review -- An Incline Elliptical Under $1500

Ohiyo!

We don't get a huge amount of traffic over on the Treadmill Sensei forums but we do get some. In order to try and support that budding community, the Treadmill Sensei tries to respond on there as often as I can. In fact, I'm usually on there once or twice a week at least and if you have a question that is one of the best places to get an answer to it.

Anyway, about a month ago on the forums, I was challenged to do a review on a new Horizon Fitness elliptical, the Horizon E1200 Elliptical. A loyal reader had seen one at a local Dick's store and asked my opinion on it. Since we do not have Dick's stores here in Southern California, and since the unit seems to only be available from Dick's, I grabbed my credit card back from Mrs. Sensei and ordered one online. About 2 weeks later I received my brand new Horizon E1200 at the DOJO and assigned my now short-haired son to put the thing together. He grumbled a bit because he isn't the most mechanically inclined person in the world -- which actually makes him an excellent choice to find out how easy the E1200 incline ellipticals are to assemble. I told him if he did a good job I would buy him an ice cream. To that he informed me he wasn't 12 years old any more...but he'd still take the ice cream.

Judging by my son's cursing, I will estimate that the standard assembly of a Horizon E1200 elliptical will take around an hour for someone with moderate mechanical abilities. I'd give it a slightly harder than average rating for assembly -- figure 3 out of 5 for complexity. Which isn't bad at all. Most ellipticals take 45 to 90 minutes to get together and ready to go. Horizon's instruction booklet did an acceptable job in illustrating the process.

Once it was all together, Hikaru and my son were both very excited about the IPod port on the top of the Horizon E1200's console. From what I saw you can control your IPod through the E1200's console controls. It's a very neat little feature but doesn't enhance the elliptical's performance at all. It is a nice step up from just having speakers on an elliptical.

The IPod docking station on the E1200 Elliptical.

The main exciting features on the Horizon E1200 elliptical are the Precor-style adjustable incline ramp, the incredibly comfortable 19" stride (if all Horizon models had a 19" stride they would be dominating the lower end market for sure) and the pivoting/adjustable foot pedals. It's not often you see those features in an elliptical under $2500. Horizon has done an excellent job in their design and implementation with the E1200 elliptical.

The E1200's frame is solid and sturdy, and its flywhell is large, providing a smooth elliptical motion to its workouts. Horizon has taken the standard front-wheel design of the Spirit ellipticals to a new level of comfort, stability and excellence. With a 19" stride, 16 programs, 16 levels of resistance, a 16% maximum incline and articulating footpads, Horizon has set the bar higher than any other manufacturer in its price range.

My two quibbles with the unit come mainly in the form of its lack of heart rate control. I would have also liked to have seen a 24lb flywheel on the unit to take it to an unbeatable level. However, the addition of the adjustable foot pedals and incline ramp more than makes up for my nitpicking. The Horizon E1200 elliptical is an incredible value at just under $1500.

While I was doubtful at first, the Treadmill Sensei was impressed by the Horizon E1200 Elliptical with incline and gives it 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

For bringing the patented Precor Ramp to home users, the Horizon Performance E1200 Ellipticals comes away with 4 gold buddahs out of 5.


Find out more about the Horizon E1200 Elliptical.

Horizon Performance E1200 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 19"
Flywheel: 17lbs
Max Incline: 16%
Programs: 16
Display: LED
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: No
Resistance Levels: 16 levels
Articulating Footpads: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: Approximately 150lbs

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

The Motus 995TL Treadmill (with TV) Review -- A Caviar Treadmill at a Caviar Price

Ohiyo!

One of the things the Treadmill Sensei has always wanted to be able to do is go in to a high end shop or car dealer and say "Give me the best...and money is no option." Unfortunately, I've never been able to do that for two reasons: first, the Treadmill Sensei is but a simple repair tech and we don't make huge amounts of money; second, and more important, the Treadmill Sensei is cheap. I clip coupons, count my pennies and bring my lunch to work every day. Mrs. Sensei, on the other hand, is not cheap and I flinch whenever she comes to the DOJO to take my credit card on another shopping trip.

The reason I bring this all up is because of a question I get asked quite a bit here at the DOJO. People as "Oh, great Sensei, what would you say is the top of the line treadmill when money is absolutely no option...what treadmill would you recommend to a high class gym who wanted the finest of the fine? Tell us, oh great, wise, intelligent, good looking and incredibly nice smelling, Sensei!" Ok, so I added in that last bit to stroke my own ego.

While I don't normally bring up much of the ultra high end equipment here on the site, I thought I would sit down and write something up just for fun...or, for those few out there who really want to find out more about one of the top treadmills in the world, with the finest of components. After having spent over a month figuring out what the best of the best would be, and then another month trying to find one to review, the Treadmill Sensei has found what he considers to be the single best treadmill in the world if money were no option: the Motus 995TL Treadmill.

I know, I know. Everyone out there is saying "Huh? What the heck is a Motus?"

To answer that question I could mention that Motus is a 15-year manufacturer from Europe. Or I could mention that one of their US heads is the incredibly classy Tania Cobb -- in fact, I could mention that their entire staff and attitude is more comparable to Fendi, Lexus or Christian Dior, who know about treadmills and fitness, but also do it with a level of sophistication seen nowhere else in the industry. Truthfully, though, absolutely none of that matters. What does matter is that Motus is a solid manufacturer who uses top of the line, name brand parts in their machines. And that is what places them at the top of the fitness food chain.

Starting at the heart of the Motus 995TL Treadmill, the unit is powered by a Mitsubishi 5.7 horsepower motor. This is one of the largest motors I've ever seen in a treadmill -- heck, I think it's bigger than the motor in Mrs. Sensei's Nissan Maxima! Does a treadmill NEED a Mitsubishi brand motor? Well, no, but that does give it one of the single best motors around and gives a Motus owner the additional security of the company's reputation with high end motors. It also gives a Motus owner the knowledge that their treadmill motor might actually out last the 995TL treadmill's motor warranty.

Next, when I first got on to the Motus 995TL Treadmill I was surprised at how incredibly solid and sturdy the unit was. The only brand on the market that might be more stable would be Noramco...unless you move up to a car or horse treadmill! I had my son and Hikaru both take turns running on the 995TL and the treadmill never waivered. These things are built as solid as the reputations of their components. Plus, being able to run on a 20.5" x 63" deck as nice...I almost felt like I could have another person on there running with me and still have lots of room!

The other two things to talk about are the Samsung 15" LCD TV screen built right in to the Motus 995TL's console and the Hyundai electronics package. Both of these make the 995TL one of the best performing machines on the market. Not having to rely on OEM electronic parts manufactured at a small plant in China allows the Motus brand to blow every other treadmill on the market away. No faulty wiring. No poorly manufactured circuit boards. No fuzzy or dim TV screens. We plugged a DVD up to the 995TL here at the DOJO and all stood around and watched a few episodes of the first season of REBA. The screen was as sharp, as clear and as bright as the Sony TV I have in my office. Please, don't ask why I had the first season boxed set of REBA in my office. Just don't ask.

Every part of the unit is refined and perfectly designed as one would expect from a high end company like Motus. They aren't selling these units to small office gyms...they're selling them to the heads of multi-million dollar corporations or the top resorts in the world.

Do you want to know what the best part for me was? The anti-microbial handgrips. Why that feature? Because Hikaru sweats more than any other man I've ever seen and it has been rumored he doesn't wash his hands in the bathroom. Anti-microbial handgrips should be standard for anything Hikaru touches.

After running for more than a week on the thing, the Treadmill Sensei (plus his son and Hikaru) found the Motus 995TL Treadmill to be a world class machine. For that, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Motus 995TL a perfect 5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

5 gold buddahs out of 5 for the Motus 995TL Treadmill.


Find out more about the most upperclass treadmill in the world, the Motus 995TL.



Motus 995TL Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 5.7HP
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 15%
Running Area: 20.5" x 63"
Folding: No
Programs: 5 + 5 custom
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse Grip and Wireless
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Display: 15.1”LCD TV
Readouts: Time, Remaining Time, Distance, Watts, Calories, Speed, Incline, Resistance Level, Target HR, Telemetry HR
Max User Weight: 410 lbs.
Product Weight: 450 lbs.
Cost: Under $8500

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

The BodyCraft 1160 Treadmill Review -- Top Runner's Treadmill Under $1800

Ohiyo!

I haven't talked about my son for a week or so now because things have been a bit crazy at the DOJO, like always! Since he arrived in Southern California for his summer vacation a couple of weeks ago, I have put my son to work in the repair shop. He said it was too hard for him to find a summer job becase of his long hair so I solved both of his problems in one fell-swoop: I told him he was going to work with me at the DOJO and then informed him my beloved wife would be cutting his hair. It didn't take him long to get over the double shock and he's been doing really well helping me review and test out equipment for the reviews. He's been spending 4-5 hours a day working out on treadmills or ellipticals we have in here at the shop and seems to be enjoying it quite a bit.

Here at the DOJO the Sensei has been hearing about a lot of interesting new equipment coming up for the next busy season -- in fitness, the busy selling season runs from about November through April. I say "interesting" because while I am hearing about some very cool equipment I've also heard rumors about one formerly decent manufacturer potentially producing one of the worst ideas since allowing Rosanne Barr to sing the National An