Ohiyo!

Today I want to make everyone aware of a special deal on purchasing a replacment treadmill belt for your machine. We have been working closely with TreadmillDoctor.com on a special promotion to help say thanks for all of the participation with us here at the DOJO.

10% off on all replacment Treadmill Belts. One of the most important things you can do to keep your machine around is keep it maintained. A quality belt and regular lubrication will do the trick to keep you from purchasing the more expensive replacment parts. The Treadmill Doctor belts also have a full one year warranty.

Just Click the link below and buy your replacment belt. The discount will appear in the shopping cart at checkout.

Treadmill Belts Promo.



Here is a copy of the html link if you want to let other people know about it.

<a href="http://www.treadmilldoctor.com/treadmill-belts?promocode=belt-promo">Treadmill Belts</a>

Reader Mailbag: Problems with the Sole E25?

Ohiyo!

Sole Fitness has become one of the dominant brands in the fitness industry over the past few years. Their great position has come from producing some of the best treadmills and ellipticals for some of the best pricing, and also from their great customer service. That being said, even the best companies have problems with their equipment and we're here to take them to task for it.

Over the past couple of months, the DOJO has been receiving emails asking about issues with the current Sole E25 ellipticals. A few readers a week have written in and mentioned they were having problems with their E25 and asked if we could help them out with it. I know there is nothing worse than getting a new piece of equipment and not being able to use it. For me, it's computers. I always seem to buy a computer that has some sort of problem which requires me to pack it up and take it back to where I purchased it from. I hate that feeling.

Before I get to addressing the problems with the Sole E25, let's hear from Dan in Texas who has a question about problems with the unit. Let's see what Dan has to say. Take it away, Dan!

Hi Sensei,

First off thank you for all the hard work in putting together all the information on the elliptical machines. I went to Dick's Sporting Goods to try out a few ellipticals (Sole and Horizon). I tried the Sole E25 and E55 and the Horizon E900. All three machines felt very sturdy. There was no shaking or side to side movement. I really could not tell a difference in the strides between the Sole and Horizon models. I noticed on all three machines that the tracks were marred and scratched especially the Sole models. I read the reviews the Dick's website on the Sole machines (models E25, 55, & 95). There are many bad reviews on the Sole E25 due to the wheels coming off the tracks. There was nothing said about the Sole E55 and E95 models. I am curious as to you take on the problem. Is it the owner's error while putting the machine together or a design flaw?

Thanks, -Dan from Prosper, TX

Dan:

Thanks for the note and the great question. We've been getting in a lot of reader emails about problems with the Sole E25 elliptical, but this is the first real chance we've had to sit down and investigate the issue.

First off, the Sole E25/E55 and the Horizon E900 are all very solid units. The difference between the Sole E25 and Sole E55, and why only one of the units has had any problems, is probably because they are manufactured at two different plants (from what I understand, the Sole E25 comes from a Chinese plant versus a plant in Taiwan for the Sole E55). The Horizon E900, in particular, is a spectacular incline elliptical for the price. It is a very tough elliptical to beat for those looking for a sturdy incline elliptical at a budget price. The Horizon E900 elliptical is a great value for your money and I whole heartedly recommend it even over its bigger brother, the Horizon E1200 incline elliptical.

In regards to the issues with the Sole E25 ellipticals over the past few month, we've turned up two recurring problems. The first was from a thoroughly annoying squeak coming from the pedal assembly. We received a number of readers asking about the issue and whether or not it would work itself out. The problem itself came from the articulating pedal assembly and how it connects to the E25 itself. The squeak didn't affect performance of the unit but was annoying to find on what is normally a very quiet elliptical. The fix came in the form of a bushing which can be obtained from Sole's customer service department. From what we've heard, this problem was in a small number of units and Sole reported to us that the issue had been fixed back in January.

The second issue we've been hearing about sounded a lot more drastic. We received emails from our readers reporting a problem with the pedal assembly of the Sole E25 elliptical jumping or popping off of the track during workouts. When we heard this we ordered up a Sole E25 elliptical to test out ourselves and saw no mechanical problems in the machines at all -- in fact, we couldn't for the life of us get our unit to jump the track like we'd been hearing about. So we took the mass of reader emails directly to Sole Fitness to find out what the issue was.

Surprisingly, Sole was completely upfront with the issue. I say "surprisingly" because a lot of other manufacturers would try to hide problems like this from us. The problem itself comes from over lubrication at the overseas manufacturing plant. Too much lube on the rails causes the wheels to slide over the track instead of rolling along it. This sliding would cause the wheels on some units to pop out of place and would cause scratches in those that didn't. The fix is to clean off the lubrication and then reapply a small amount back to the rails. If you contact Sole Fitness customer service they can walk you through it and have a PDF they send out to illustrate how to do it.

Sole said they have since fixed the over lubrication issue and new units are back up to the high quality consumers have come to expect from them. That being said, there are probably still a few of the over-lubed units running around at local fitness dealers.

Sole E25 Elliptical

The Sole E25 elliptical was and is a very solid budget-priced elliptical, even with the pair of burps it experienced recently. However, there is a great alternative with the same basic design. A great alternative to the Sole E25 is the Bladez 850e, which is an almost identical elliptical in feature and design to the E25 but at a crazy-low price of just under $700. The Bladez 850e elliptical also features one of the coolest new technologies out on the market, adjustable width on the pedals. The AWT feature of the 850e elliptical allows you to change the distance between the foot pedals, giving you a much higher level of comfort to your workout.

The Bladez 850e elliptical is easily one of the best deals for ellipticals going on right now.

Thanks again for your note, Dan. Good luck with your elliptical search!

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

The Fuel T96 Treadmill Review - A perfect budget treadmill for under $1000

Ohiyo!

Wow, I have to say that I've been surprised by the sheer amount of email we're received here at the DOJO asking for a review of the Fuel FT96 Treadmill.

We had a Fuel FT96 (or T96) treadmill here in the DOJO a while back and I had put together notes for a review, but being swamped like we were I never got around to finishing it. Now that things are a bit calmer here I am able to get it done for all of you looking for more information on the big brother of the Fuel FT94 treadmill.

Like the aforementioned FT94, the Fuel FT96 is made by the same factory as the Sole Fitness treadmills and has a lot of the same higher quality components. Fuel is basically just a more budget conscious line of treadmills and ellipticals from Sole and is sold exclusively through Dick's Sporting Goods.

Popping the box open and removing the Fuel FT96 gave us our first glimpse at the treadmill -- a treadmill which looks surprisingly like the Sole F83 treadmill, but with a smaller 2.5 horsepower motor similar to the one found in the current Sole F63 or the 2007 Sole F80. A very solid motor, especially for a treadmill priced under $900. Assembly of the Fuel Ft96 was, again, very similar to the Sole treadmills and took us under 20 minutes to get together. If you've got a second pair of hands I can't imagine it taking more than 30 minutes for most people to get ready to use.

The outstanding features of the Fuel FT96 include a very solid frame, huge 20" x 58" running area (far larger and more stable than anything else in the under $1000 price range), the large, cool running 2.5 horsepower motor, an equally large incline motor providing 12% incline to the treadmill, heart rate monitoring, heart rate control programs and a monster 325 pound maximum user weight. Fuel has done a great job in putting together a $1500+ treadmill and making it available to consumers for under $900.

If I had to nitpick about the unit it would come in the form of the treadmill's belt. The Fuel FT96 comes with a pretty average belt for a budget treadmill -- nothing terrible, but it would have been nice to see a more expensive belt with this fantastic unit. Of course the belt still matches up nicely with any other treadbelt on a unit under $1200.

If you are in need of an absolute best buy treadmill for under $1000 or want a budget treadmill with a larger deck for running workouts then the Fuel FT96 treadmill is a must to check out. For being a spectacular budget treadmill and a best buy contender for 2008/2008, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Fuel FT96 Treadmill 5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

A solid treadmill with a large motor and solid frame, the Fuel FT96 gets a perfect score from the Treadmill Sensei.



Fuel T96 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.5hp
Running Area: 20" x 58"
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 12%
Display: LCD
Programs: 9
Heart Rate Contol: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Folding: Yes
Max User WEight: 325lbs
Unit Weight: 200lbs
Price: Under $900

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

Reader Mailbag: Bladez 850e Elliptical vs the Horizon E900 Elliptical - to the Death!

Ohiyo!

For today's episode of the reader mailbag we have the fitness version of the Celebrity DeathMatch, this time featuring two very solid performing best buy ellipticals priced under $1000. Brad from Pennsylvania wants to know how the Bladez 850E Ellipticalstacks up against the Horizon E900 Elliptical when it comes to value, durability and performance. Let's see what Brad has to say. Take it away, Sir!

Ohiyo!

Gotta say, I'm a recent discoverer of your site, but thanks so much for the time you put into it -- It's a fantastic service. I'm hoping you can answer a question for me, if you have a moment, though I realize you are busy so anytime.

First, a bit of background - My girlfriend and I are looking to purchase our first elliptical. This will be the only piece of cardio equipment we have. We're on a budget. But at the same rate, I don't want junk. Just the best for my money. I currently use high end Precor ellipticals at my gym so I am used to them. My girlfriend likes treadmills but is anxious to try an elliptical. She is in her 20's and I'm in my early 30's. Weights are average, nothing too high or too low (she is actually quite light for her age). I'm around 180 so no weight issues.

Anyway, here's my issue - The Bladez 850Ereview you wrote really has me thinking, do I want to throw caution to the wind and order it? I dunno how important the pedal spacing feature is to us, but it seems like the main reason you love it so much. The pro is the price is SO good, it's got a 20" stride, I pay no tax or shipping on it. We're in Pennsylvania, and have Dick's all over the place, so if I buy there, I gotta pay 6% tax. I was looking at the Horizon E900 which you gave 4.5 and the Dicks site visitors unanimously LOVE. Is that a better built unit than the 850e? I realize it's costing me $300 more plus tax, but I'm wondering, comparitively, is it better?

My biggest fear with ordering the 850e is that once I get it, I am stuck with it. I can't try it ahead of time, and if I don't like it, sending it back would cost a fortune. With Dick's, I can try it, even take it back to the store, though I don't want to pay the extra cost if the Bladez unit is superior.

Basically, I just want something that is built solid, not wobbly, not noisy, etc. I don't care about bells and whistles. I realize it's not going to be the smooth quality of a gym Precor elliptical, but I want the best smart buy for my money.

So what do you think? Do I take a risk with the Bladez you gave 5 buddhas too, or should I play it safe with the Horizon or another Dick's model? If only I could try both of them, it would be so much easier, but I do value your opinion given my stats.

Much thanks for all you do! -Brad

Brad:

Thanks for your note and your very kind words. Believe it or not, you're in a really good position. You've picked two very strong, well-designed ellipticals and which ever way you go you are in a win-win situation. The two units are going to feel very similar when you get on them. They have nearly the same stride-length and unit weight - the Horizon E900 is about 160 pounds with a 19" stride and the Bladez 850e is around 175lbs with a 20" stride length. They are also both based on a shorter frame style, similar to the Sole E25 elliptical in feel...although I believe both units are more sturdy and durable. If I was placing a bet, I'd say strides on the two units are actually the same -- closer to 19.5" from what I've seen.

The Bladez has a heavier flywheel upfront, but the Horizon E900 is balanced with its heavier backend to even things out. The only significant differences in the two units (since they are both based off the same basic elliptical trainer design) is going to come in the form of the incline and additional price on the Horizon E900. You're paying for the ability to add an incline to your workouts, which can be a great thing for sure.

If I was nitpicking, I would say that the Horizon E900 has a sturdier upright support which does make a difference during heavier-duty workouts. Of course, just to be difficult, the adjustable width technology is a fantastic new feature and is great if there is a major height differential between your wife and yourself.

I'd suggest going in to Dick's and trying the Horizon E900 out. The Bladez 850e will feel very similar to the E900, but you can also hop on a Sole E25/E35 for another unit with a similar design. That should give you a decent comparison in regards to the basic feel of both units. Just keep in mind that you will be able to adjust the pedals with the 850e to your individual stance style and that will make a bit of difference in comfort.

Yes, Brad, I realize I'm probably not helping you make your decision! I'm going to make it even worse by saying, if you're used to a Precor then you really should go out and get on a home grade elliptical to see how you like the feel. There is a difference (it's kind of like going from driving a BMW to driving a Nissan...both are good cars, but they're hard to compare).

My advice would be to buy the Horizon E900 if the incline feature is important to you and something you'll use. If it's not, I'd suggest saving the $300 and going with the Bladez 850E Elliptical (and, really, the savings will be closer to $450 or so after shipping and tax is factored in).

Thanks again for the note and the fantastic question, Brad. I hope I didn't make things worse for your decision-making!

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

The NordicTrack Commercial 1300 Elliptical Review - An Ok Incline Elliptical for under $1000

Ohiyo!

Reader email is one of the Treadmill Sensei's favorite things here at the DOJO. I truly believe some of the best articles here on www.TreadmillSensei.com come out of questions sent in by you, my loyal readers. Today's post is no exception.

Lisa is looking for a new elliptical and has come across one from Nordic Track. Let's see what she has to say and let's see if we can help her out. Take it away, Lisa.

I love your site and I've read through every elliptical review you've written.

I know the Icon line is primarily crap just waiting to break down once it's out of the box. I did try out a 990 Audiostrider at Sears and I really liked the feel of it with the incline (the wobbly base was another matter). That one has horrible reviews in general, but I did find a Nordic Track Commercial 1300 at Costco that has the incline ramp at a probably too-good-to-be-true price. My question: Does Nordic Track's "commercial" line have any better quality than the rest of their products, or is it more of the same crap under a different name? I've seen some good reviews, but for all I know they were written by people who work for Nordic Track.

I tried the Precors because I'd like to have an incline, but they weren't as comfortable for me as the Sole ellipticals. Surprisingly, I liked the feel of the Nordic Tracks with an incline better than the feel of the Soles, but I don't trust the Nordic Track quality. The 1300 appears more sturdy than their other lines, but I'd hate to spend good money on a piece of equipment that will break down within a month.

Thanks for hosting a great site - it's nice to know there's an unbiased site for reviews. It's so hard to sort through other sites not knowing the motives of the people doing the reviews. -Lisa

Lisa:

Thanks for your note, your kind words about the website and your great question. It is always nice to hear that our site is actually helping people out in finding the best equipment for their fitness needs. In regards to your questions about Icon in general and the Nordic Track line specifically, overall their equipment falls in the middle of the pack when it comes to quality of components, durability and lifespan of the equipment. The Nordic Track line is a little better than the poorer performing Proform, Image, Weider, Gold's Gym and Reebok brands, but it still isn't all that much to write home about.

One of the misconceptions I want to address in regards to the Nordic Track line is the "commercial" quality they enjoy talking about. Unfortunately, it doesn't actually exist. You see, what makes an elliptical or treadmill commercial quality is the manufacturer's willingness to give it a commercial warranty. In other words, a warranty which supports the equipment being used in a high traffic, commercial gym -- usually 120+ hours of use a week. Equipment a manufacturer has the financial confidence to warranty in that environment is generally heavier duty and will take more of a beating (and will generally have fewer of the bells and whistles often found on residential grade equipment). If you want to see whether or not the Nordic Track "Commercial" 1300 is indeed a commercial grade elliptical, tell the retailer you're looking to purchase from that the unit will be going in to a 24-hour Fitness style gym and you want to know what the commercial warranty is.

If Icon only gives a residential warranty of 90 days for parts and labor, I can't imagine what they'd give as a commercial warranty, if they'd even offer one at all. Warranty is a great judge in a manufacturer's confidence in a product. The shorter the warranty (especially the labor warranty), the shorter the lifespan of the elliptical or treadmill.

As for the Nordic Track Commercial 1300 elliptical itself, we get a few in for servicing each month. I believe the unit is now either discontinued or in the process of being discontinued. The 1300 is a fairly solidly built elliptical and doesn't suffer from the side-to-side shakes of a lot of lesser ellipticals, such as those from Proform, Weider, Spirit or Image. That being said, the light weight flywheel and non-articulating pedals give it a fairly uncomfortable elliptical motion, especially for longer length workouts. The unit is really meant for shorter people doing shorter, lighter workouts.

The Nordic Track Commercial 1300 Elliptical (I hate typing out that long name!) isn't a bad elliptical by any means, it is a sorely average one tho. If you absolutely have to get one I would very much suggest paying for the extended warranty as well because chances are you will need it.

Now, just to be confusing, if you've tried one and you like the feel, then go for it. Getting an elliptical that "feels" right to you is the most important thing -- and the main factor in making sure you continue to workout for the long haul. Just make sure to be aware of the issues with purchasing from a more budget level manufacturer like Icon and Nordic Track. In particular, I have heard about issues with the incline motors giving out fairly quickly on a number of the Icon incline elliptical trainers.

For being a solid but average elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Nordic Track Commercial 1300 Elliptical 3 out of 5 golden buddahs.

Not overly bad but not overly good, the Nordic Track Commercial 1300 Elliptical comes away with 3 gold buddahs.

Nordic Track Commercial 1300 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Flywheel: approximately 12lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, speed, distance, resistance, pulse, RPM, carbs burned and calories burned
Programs: 18
Resistance: 16 levels
Incline: 10%
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Unit Weight: 200lbs
Price: Under $1000

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

The Esprit ET4 Treadmill by Spirit - Decent but a downgraded Sole F63

Ohiyo!

As regular readers of this site are aware, I go back and forth on my opinions of treadmills and ellipticals from Spirit Fitness. Dyaco, their owner and manufacturer, produces some great equipment for Spirit's sister company, Sole Fitness, but the Spirit equipment has fallen short on quality of late.

That being said, their Esprit line of treadmills and ellipticals have been doing decently well because they are repainted versions of the high quality 2006 Sole equipment. In fact, my unrequested advice to Spirit would be to get rid of their current sub-par Spirit XE ellipticals and XT treadmills and go full on with the Esprit line. The Esprit brand just needs to be beefed up a bit to be able to compete with everything else out there.

That leads us in to today's review of the Spirit Esprit ET4 Treadmill. The ET4 is a stripped down and repainted version of the 2006 Sole F63 treadmill. The treadmill itself is very solid but doesn't completely stand up to what is being offered by current year equipment from top competitors like Sole, Bodycraft or Smooth. For instance, the lack of fans (something found on almost every treadmill at any price point these days) has to be one of the silliest oversights I've ever seen. The lesser warranties are a bit of a bummer as well. I'm guessing that is done to help try to bolster the value of the highly over-priced Spirit XT line of treadmills.

In regards to the Esprit ET4 treadmill itself, there are a few things I want to mention. First off, the ET4 assembles exactly the same way all of the other Sole and Spirit treadmills assemble. Assembly is fast and fairly trouble free.

Next, the motor in the Spirit Esprit ET4, while listed at 2.25 horsepower, seems to be the exact same motor listed as 2.5 horsepower in the Spirit XT175 treadmill and as 2.75 horsepower in the Spirit XT275 - and the same motor found in the Spirit Esprit ET6 treadmill as well (listed there as 2.5hp). This may be a case of creative labeling to bolster the value of the high priced units, but I wasn't able to get the units all together at once to do a side-by-side comparison.

Finally, the Esprit ET4 seems to have the same frame found on all of the Spirit and Esprit treadmills, which is a decently solid frame for a treadmill priced at under $1000.

All-in-all, the Spirit Esprit ET4 Treadmill is a solid, sturdy treadmill buy at under $1000. On its own it is a good value, but when you compare it to treadmills in its price class from Sole, Smooth or Bodycraft, the Esprit ET4 comes up a bit short. For being better than average but not by much, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Spirit Esprit ET4 Treadmill 3.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

The Esprit ET4 Treadmill gets a decent 3.5 gold buddahs for being a sturdy re-release of the 2006 Sole F63 but loses a few points as a stripped down version of the current model.

Esprit ET4 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.25hp
Rollers: 2.5"
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 10"
Running Area: 20" x 55"
Display: LCD
Programs: 9
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 220lbs
Price: Under $1000

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

The Proform 860 Competitor Treadmill Review -- An Average Treadmill

Ohiyo!

The games fitness manufacturers play to confuse their customers can often be incredibly annoying, especially when you, my loyal readers, are trying to decide on the best treadmill for your money. Now, to be fair to fitness manufacturers, they aren't the only ones who seem to love the practice of releasing the same product under a number of different names at different retail outlets. Electronics manufacturers are just as bad. It is a technique that keeps you, the consumer, from being able to price match between stores.

In the fitness industry, Icon Health & Fitness (makers of Proform, Image, Epic, Weider, Gold's Gym, Reebok and Nordic Trac equipment) is one of the worst offenders when it comes to releasing the same treadmill under 40 different names. A fine example of that practice showed up at the DOJO this past week. The Proform 860 Competitor Treadmill we unpacked and assembled was almost identical to the Proform 9.0 Competitor Treadmill we've worked on in the past. There are some minor coloration differences, but aside from that the two units could be twins. On the plus side, I've heard the 9.0 Competitor has been discontinued and Proform is now liquidating their stock.

The Proform 860 Competitor is a perfect example of a Proform manufactured treadmill. It is overloaded with features to hide the fact the 860 Competitor is an average performing treadmill. First off, we had a number of minor problems while assembling the Proform 860 competitor - a high number of the screw holes did not line up from one part to another. One of the uprights was also cracking in shipping -- the uprights themselves were flimsy when compared to treadmills from other manufacturers, even treadmills in the same under $900 price point. In general the quality of the components were very low.

When you get passed the assembly issues, the Proform 860 Competitor treadmill performs ok but for every plus the unit has a negative balances it out. For example, the deck size is a very large 20"x60" -- a fantastic size for a sub-$900 treadmill. Unfortunately, the frame isn't the most stable due to the thinner uprights and the motor, listed at 2.5 horsepower, is small, runs at high RPMs and runs hot. What this means is the lifetime of the motor on the Proform 860 competitor is going to be shorter than it should be. If I was rating the motor it would have been closer to 1.5 horsepower.

Overall, the Proform 860 Competitor Treadmill isn't a bad buy...there are lot worse treadmills on the market for $900. Unfortunately, there are a lot of better ones as well. If you can get a great deal on this unit (say $599) then I'd go for it, otherwise I'd move on to a sturdier unit from another manufacturer.

For being an ok treadmill, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Proform 860 Competitor Treadmill 3 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

An average unit, the Proform 860 Treadmill gets a decent 3 gold buddahs out of 5.

Proform 860 Competitor Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.5hp
Deck Size: 20"x60"
Rollers: approximately 2"
Max Speed: 12mph
Max Incline: 12%
Folding: Yes
Display: LCD
Readouts: speed, pace time, distance and calories burned
Programs: 20
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: approximately 175lbs
Price: Under $900

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

The Horizon E900 Elliptical Review - An excellent best buy incline elliptical for under $1100

Ohiyo!

I think I've mentioned this before, but every so often a surprise shows up here at the DOJO and the Treadmill Sensei gets to check out a piece of equipment he hasn't seen or done a review on before. About a week ago the guys unloaded a decent-sized boxed which has the label of "Horizon E900 Elliptical" pasted all over it and I was very eager to take a look at the unit...not eager enough to risk my own back unloading the elliptical from the large truck, but definitely eager enough to stand around and encourage those doing the lifting to do it a little faster.

Once unloaded and unpacked, the Horizon E900 elliptical took us about 30 minutes to put together. It should take a pair of people with average mechanical skillz (I like to toss a "Z" in to the mix every now and then to show how "hip" and "cool" I can be) about an hour to assemble. I've heard of some people taking as long as two hours but that really shouldn't be the case. The instruction manual for the E900 elliptical is very well put together and incredibly easy to follow.

Once we had the unit installed it was an easy thing to realize the Horizon E900 is almost identical, if a bit slimmed down, to the Horizon E1200 Incline elliptical. The frames seem to be the same from my memory and the only major differences are in the console, the slightly smaller flywheel, a few features and the hugely reduced price of the Horizon E900. They even have the same iPod dock and stereo set up built in.

To tell the truth, as good as the Horizon E1200 performed in our tests from 2007, the Horizon E900 performed just as well. The slight difference in flywheel sizes was almost completely unnoticeable and the features are close enough where a person might mistake one machine for the other if they weren't labeled. In fact, the only very minor nitpick I had with the Horizon E900 Elliptical was the same one I had for the E1200 -- the lack of heart rate control. Thankfully, most consumers never even use this feature so it isn't missed.

If you are looking for an incline elliptical priced under $1500 or even $2000, then the Horizon E900 Incline Elliptical is worth a look. It has the solid base and frame of a light commercial elliptical, along with a fantastic feeling elliptical motion and articulating foot pedals...everything a customer could possibly want from an incline elliptical PLUS an incredibly budget price point of under $1100.

For being even better than its very solid bigger brother, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Horizon Performance E900 Incline Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

A very solid 4.5 gold buddahs for the incline elliptical by Horizon, the E900.

Horizon E900 Elliptical Trainer Specifications
Stride: 19"
Articulating Footpedals: Yes
Flywheel: Approximately 14lbs
Incline: 16%
Display: LCD
Readouts: resistance, time, incline, calories, heart rate, distance and strides per minute
Programs: 14
Resistance Levels: 16
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 300
Unit Weight: Approximately 160lbs
Price: Under $1100

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

The Proform Epic 1200 Pro Elliptical Review - Quality Incline Elliptical Under $1000

Ohiyo!

Here at the DOJO we get a lot of emails asking about the Icon Health & Fitness lines of treadmills and ellipticals. Icon is one of the largest fitness manufacturers in the world and is best know for budget priced equipment and so-so quality. You may have seen their equipment under one of the following brands: Proform, Nordic Track, Epic, Reebok (in the US...outside of the US Reebok is made by Smooth Fitness), Image, Weider, Gold's Gym and a few others I'm probably forgetting. Overall their equipment seems to be cheaply made and for consumers looking to spend as little on equipment as possible because they won't be using it in 6 months. Icon tends to tack on a ton of special features to help take the focus off the lack of quality in construction and components, and this is reflected in their often very short term warranties. Why support a project that won't be used (or working) in a year?

Now, with all that being said, a recent arrival here at the DOJO really surprised the Treadmill Sensei with its durability and solid construction...heck, even the components it was built from were fairly decent. The product I'm talking about is the Proform Epic 1200 Pro Elliptical. Yes, it has an ungodly long name but I was impressed by the unit we brought in to the shop and was very impressed by its incline feature. An incline ramp is something not often done well and especially not at a budget price point. I don't know how they did it, or what kind of deal they had to sign with the Devil to do it, but Icon has produced a very solid incline elliptical trainer in the Proform Epic 1200 Pro.

Before I get in to the positives on the Proform Epic 1200 incline elliptical, I want to talk a bit about the problems with the machine. The only major issues we encountered with the unit were in assembley. A few of the holes in the Proform Epic 1200 were machined just off enought to be very annoying. The holes weren't so far off that assembley was impossible but they were a bitch to get the elliptical put together. What should have been a 20 minute assembley turned in to about 45 minutes of frustration. From speaking with other service techs who deal with the Proform Epic 1200 Pro, this seems to be a fairly common occurance. Estimates are at about 1 in 10 of the ellipticals have this problem.

The only other problem I had with the Proform Epic 1200 was the lack of articulating pedals. Since the unit is a rear drive elliptical, Proform went with static pedals as is most common with the design. Now, in Proform's defense they did an excellent job in providing some very comfortable pedals (Gelstride) and great pedal placement for anyone under about 6'1". Someone taller than that may want to go with a longer stride unit. Also, the large, heavy duty flywheel provides an excellent elliptical motion during your workouts. So, the lack of articulating pedals is a minor strike but the machine makes up for it with a well designed drive and elliptical motion.

And that was really it for the negatives of the unit. Mat and I worked out on this machine for 5 days at an hour a day. Being taller, he prefers a 19"-20" stride but thought the frame was very solid - Mat weighs right around 300 pounds so he was definitely pushing the weight limit. He thought it would hold up to heavy duty work outs for sure. As a smaller user, the Proform Epic 1200 Incline elliptical felt as solid as a rock...something very unusual to say about a Proform elliptical. In the past their machines tended to feel a bit more rickety. Not so with the Epic 1200 pro elliptical which is built from much heavier duty steel tubing than normally found in a budget priced elliptical.

Aside from that, the incline feature was a very nice addition to have in the Proform Epic 1200 Pro. You don't often seen an incline on budget ellipticals under $1000 and when you do they are usually poorly constructed. The Proform Epic 1200 performed very well in our tests at different inclines and even held up well to the additional weight of a larger user.

Wrapping up the features of the Proform Epic 1200 Pro Incline elliptical (I get winded just saying that name!) are an 18" stride, 18 programs, 16 levels of resistance and a very beefy 350 pound user weight. All-in-all, this was a very solid offering (and a huge surprise) from Proform. If not for the construction issues and the frustration it caused me, the Proform Epic 1200 Pro Elliptical would have received a much higher rating.

For being a great incline elliptical at a budget price under $1000, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Proform Epic 1200 Pro Elliptical and its very long name 3.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

The Proform Epic 1200 Pro Elliptical is a solid buy incline elliptical priced at under $799 with 3.5 gold buddahs.

Proform Epic 1200 Pro Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Flywheel: approximately 18lbs
Incline: Yes
Display: LCD
Readouts: incline, RPM, distance, resistance, pulse and calories burned
Programs: 18
Resistance Levels: 16
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Unit Weight: Approximately 160lbs
Price: Under $800

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

Retailer Review: Fitness 909 in Corona, CA

Ohiyo!

Eegad, has it already been almost a month since I posted my first "Retailer Review" here on TreadmillSensei.Com? Wow.

Today, in honor of our fast-approaching 2-year anniversary I've got a note we received recently from a reader who last took a look at our website back in the very beginning. Joe picked up a remanufactured Precor unit based on our recommendation back in 2006. Let's see what he has to say. Take it away, Joe!

Dear Treadmill Sensei,

Its nice to see your still around. I read your pages a couple of years ago back when I was looking for an elliptical for my home. I had been working out at a local 24-hour fitness and just wasnt having it and didn't want to give up the feel of a gym elliptical. Like a lot of people I just didn't have the money for a brand new precor elliptical from busybody. Looking on google I found a place called www.Fitness909.com and saw they had the best prices I could see for remanufactured precor ellipticals. The precor 544 elliptical I bought showed up in about 2 weeks and looked like it was new and came right off the floor at busybody. I can't believe I almost paid $2000 more for a new elliptical. Tony at www.Fitness909.com was very helpful and a nice to. Two years later and the precor they sent me still works as good it did on the first day in my house. I hope you dont mind an old customer writeing in to say hello. - Joe

Joe:

Thanks for the great note. www.Fitness909.com is actually about 35-40 miles away from us here at the DOJO and we are indeed very familiar with those guys. The shop is run by Tony Mule and his wife, Barbara. Tony has been in the fitness business since the 70s when he started out with Jack Lalanne. There are few people in the fitness industry who know as much about the equipment as Tony does.

While Fitness 909 does sell a lot of new equipment (Esprit, Spirit, Bodycraft, York), they are actually better known as the producers of some of the best remanufactured or refurbished commercial treadmills and ellipticals available. In fact, they do the remanufacturing work for a lot of the larger online and offline retailers. Chances are if you've purchased a high quality remanufactured Precor or Life Fitness elliptical that it came from their shop. Their remanufacturing process is top-notch and a lot of their reman Precor ellipticals could pass for brand new. Because they are the source for a lot of the remanufactured equipment available, they are able to keep their prices down below what everyone else charges on the internet and, if you're looking for a rock-bottom price on a remanufactured commercial grade treadmill or elliptical, then they are the place to check out. More than likely they'll be able to beat any price out there on the internet for new, remanufactured or used fitness equipment. They also ship nationwide at some of the lowest rates around.

Almost as good as their pricing is how knowledgable and darn sweet the owners are. Tony and Barb will go above and beyond in their customer service because Fitness 909 is their family-run business and they take the utmost pride in what they do. For an absolute class act, check out www.Fitness909.com...and mention the Treadmill Sensei sent you with the Coupon Code TMSENSEI and save an additional 3% on any order you place.

Thanks again for the note, Joe, and I'm glad you like your Precor!

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