The Second Annual Treadmill Sensei 2007-2008 Ichi-Ban "Best Buy Awards" for Treadmills

Ohiyo!

It is that time again.

Welcome once again to the Treadmill Sensei's Ichi-Ban Best Buy Treadmill Awards. For those of you keeping track, these are our second annual awards for treadmill best buys.

For those of you who are wondering, the phrase "Ichi-Ban" is Japanese for "Number One" or "The Best" and that's what we'll be discussing -- the Best Buys for Treadmills (the elliptical best buy awards can be found here) in the 2007 through 2008 buying season.

Like we saw in the first annual awards, most of the action in the treadmill industry seems to be in the under $800 range and between $1000 and $2000. This year there are a lot of really good units, with Sole still being dominant under $2000. This year, though, Sole has some suprise competition from an unexpected source in Bodycraft. The Bodycraft treadmills are just plain great machines and I can't wait to see what they come up with next. In the higher price ranges, SportsArt, Bodyguard and Landice all have some very exciting equipment.

As with the best buy awards last year, the treadmills are picked with no real scientific technique. All reviews and ratings are based on our group's 20+ years of experience as sales people and service/repair techs for fitness equipment. Our opinions and thoughts come from having worked on most of the machines out there and on our actually getting on the machines we review. When an elliptical comes in to the shop for either installation or repair, we run pretty extensive tests on the machines to make sure they are up to snuff (generally 5-10 hours per unit). This includes running fairly hardcore routines on the machines, going through all of their programs and so on. After our testing any machine that is going out to be installed for a customer, or which has had repairs done, has been run through the ringer to make sure everything is working.

Reviews are not made with manufacturer input. We don't get free equipment from manufacturers. We aren't bought off by bribes and we don't sell advertising to manufacturers.

More detailed reviews of all of the Ichi-Ban winners will be posted throughout the upcoming week.

Now, on with the awards!!

Best Buy Treadmill Under $500
Merit 720t: In the ultra low end of the treadmill spectrum, the Merit 720T is far and away the best buy treadmill under $500. There is little else in this price range worth looking at. Check out the full review.

Runner Up: There really isn't a whole lot of quality to be found in the under $500 price range because of the cost of components that go in to quality treadmills. It is just tough to build a good treadmill for under $500 and most units people buy wind up turning in to expensive clothes racks.

Best Buy Treadmill From $501-$799
Horizon T81: When it comes to budget treadmills for under $1000, you can't go wrong with the Horizon brand. Taking over for the excellent Horizon T71, the new Horizon T81 treadmill is sturdy, well-built and great for those on a budget. Check out the T81 review here.

Runner Up: We've added a new price range this year because of the lack of quality treadmills for under $500 and because of the huge number of great treadmills right at $1000. In this range, Johnson's Merit and Horizon treadmills completely blow the competition away. The HealthTrainer HT502T also makes a return appearance from last year's Best Buys.

2. Merit 730t
3. Horizon T82
4. HealthTrainer HT502T

Best Buy Treadmill From $800-$1000
Bodycraft TR1120: From out of nowhere, Bodycraft takes the best buy treadmill under $1000 award. The TR1120 is the single best, single sturdiest and single most reliable treadmill available for under $1000 this year. It out-performs a lot of treadmills priced at $1500. Take a look at why the Bodycraft TR1120 gets top spot for under $1000 HERE.

Runner Up: This price range is absolutely packed at its higher end. There are a large number of great treadmills available for $999 and that is where all the action is. Although the Sole F63 has dropped a slot over last year, it is still a great buy. The Smooth 5.25 also returns at the #3 spot. This year the amazing Lifespan TR1000HRC comes in at the #4 spot, edging Horizon out of the best buys in this range.

2. Sole F63
3. Smooth 5.25
4. Lifespan TR1000-HRC

Best Buy Treadmill From $1000-$1500
Sole F80: Improved over last year with a bigger motor and more solid frame, the new Sole F80 hits a homerun for Sole this year, taking the best buy award for treadmills under $1500. Check out the new and improved Sole F80 treadmill here.

Runner Up: Getting in to the range of where those looking for a treadmill a little closer to what they find in a gym, the $1000-$1500 is packed with creamy goodness. The contenders for this price range almost exactly mirror the $800-$1000 winners. Bodycraft, Lifespan and Smooth set the bar, but in this price point Sole takes it one step further. Watch out for Icon fitness brand units in this price range -- they have the gloss but underneath their fancy looks and loaded features are still the same poorly constructed units of the past.

2. Bodycraft TR1140
3. Lifespan TR2000
4. Smooth 6.25

Best Buy Treadmill From $1500-$2000
Bodycraft TR1180: For a company that wasn't on the radar last year, Bodycraft has pulled out the stops with its comfortable tank, the TR1180. This is a gym quality unit for a home price. Read the entire review here.

Runner Up: Probably the hardest contested price range this year, the $1500-$2000 spots are filled with some of the best treadmills on the market. You can't go wrong with any of these picks.

2. Smooth 7.1HR PRO
3. Sole F85
4. Bodyguard T240
5. BladeZ 710ME

Best Buy Treadmill From $2000-$2500
Smooth 9.25X: Smooth's big boy takes top honors in the under $2500 awards. This treadmill is solid, well built and feature packed. A pleasure to review and a great treadmill to own. Get the full review to find out more.

Runner Up: This price range is a tough one because the units don't offer as much as a $3000 unit and really aren't that much better than the under $2000 units. I'd suggest taking a look at units in those two price ranges to see if you can get a better deal. However, if this what you want to pay, check out units from Bodyguard, SportsArt and Smooth. You can't go wrong.

2. Bodyguard T240P
3. SportsArt TR21F
4. Evo 3I

Best Buy Treadmill From $2500-$3000
SportsArt TR31: SportsArt takes its first best buy award with the TR31. This unit is where SportsArt's design and engineering really start to shine. The full review tells the story of why the TR31 gets the trophy this year.

Runner Up: Tunturi makes its first appearance with the new T60F, and Bodyguard and Lifespan both do well with their units as well. Like the $2000-$2500 price range, you may find a better deal by dropping down to the under $2000 range or by going up a bit to a $3000+ unit.
2. Bodyguard T280P
3. Lifespan Pro 5
4. Tunturi T60F

Best Buy Treadmill From $3000-$4000
SportsArt TR33: The Sportsart TR33 is the best treadmill available at any price. With its manual shock adjustment, excellent program selection and SportsArt's continued dedication to quality and class, the SportsArt TR33 is my pick for Treadmill of the year. Check out the full review now!

Runner Up: Bodyguard and Landice both have some excellent offerings in the $3000-$4000 price range. This is where top atheletes find the treadmills to train on. I believe the best performing treadmills available at any price are in this range. Quantum's new Q3.2EX rounds out the list quite nicely.

2. Bodyguard T460x
3. Landice L7 Pro Sport
4. Quantum Q3.2EX

Best Buy Treadmill From $4000 and Over
Landice L7 Cardio: For 30+ years, Landice has been the cream of the crop for high end treadmills and this year is no different. The Landice L7 Cardio trainer treadmill is the perfect combination of performance, design and cost. Check out the full review for more information.

Runner Up: You can't go wrong with any of the treadmills in this class. Star Trac and Matrix produce some of the best equipment on the market and have stuck to the same designs from last year. All excellent machines for those with the money to buy them.

2. Star Trac Pro
3. Matrix T3X
4. Star Trac Elite

The Treadmill Sensei Ichi-Ban Best of the Best Award:

This year we have a tie for the best of the best treadmill award. The two outstanding units this year are the BodyCraft TR1120 -- an incredible unit that is under-priced at $999 -- and the absolutely perfect SportsArt TR33 for $3799. SportsArt put together one of the best treadmills we've ever seen with the TR33 and we look forward to watching this unit over the years to come.

Thanks it for this year's Ichi-Ban Awards. I hope you enjoyed them and we'll see you next year. Until then, take care and have a great workout!!

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

Why Ellipticals Make Your Feel Fall Asleep

Ohiyo!

Elliptical trainers have been around in the fitness industry for just a bit less time than the Treadmill Sensei has. They first popped back up in the early 1990s (me? the late 1980s) and have taken off like no other piece of equipment before it. While there has been a wide acceptance, and even love, of the elliptical trainer (or the crosstrainer), there has been one nagging question which has plagued people working out on them since the very beginning. Let's check out the note below from "Christine" to see what that question is.

Take it away, Christine!

Sensei,
Your website is fantastic, and enjoyable, too!

I was almost ready to place an order tonight when I read your comment about getting foot pedals that won't make your feet numb. I recall that being a real problem for me in the gym, causing me to cut my workouts short. However, none of the specs provided on any of the models I have looked at under $1000 say anything about the footpedals. Can you point me toward some models that have non-numbing foot pedals for $1000 or under? I was most interested in the Ironman Evo1 or any of the elipticals in your best buy section.

Thanks for your website - it is pretty much the ONLY place for reliable information! -Christine

Christine:

Thanks for your note and I'm glad you were able to get some help from the website. As I mentioned above, having your feet go numb during a longer elliptical workout has been a problem since ellipticals first appeared in gyms. If your workout went longer to 30 minutes you'd generally start to feel a strange tingling in your feet, and if you continued beyond 45 minutes then your feet and toes would go completely number or "asleep." It was and is a pain for a lot of people and it causes a lot of people to cut their workouts short or to even quit working out on the machines all together.

The problem stems from an inherant flaw in the way a lot of ellipticals are built. The pedals on a lot of ellipticals are set at an unnatural angle to the way we walk and keep your feet completely flat on them during a workout. And what happens when your feet are set unmoving, and with constant pressure on them while you stand? That's right, they fall asleep! Think about it like standing still in a line for 45 minutes -- that constant pressure on your feet will cause you to get the very familiar "pins and needles" sensation known as paresthesia, which comes from prolongued pressure on your nerves (my wife's Uncle Chris causes this sensation to appear in my head when I'm around him too much).

The funny thing is that what helps your knees and joints on an elliptical (keeping your feet planted) is what causes the elliptical's biggest problem!

Unfortunately, a lot of elliptical manufacturers are still producing units using some very outdated designs which will still cause your feet to fall asleep while working out on them. Luckily, tho, a number of units are produced which should reduce this effect. Units which have "articulating footpads" are ellipticals which are specifically addressing this problem. As are units which place pedals closer together and/or place them at a slight inward incline.

There are a number of things you can do to further reduce the chances of your feet falling asleep during a workout.

• Wear comfortable, well padded shoes. This is just basic common sense for any workout and applies to elliptical training as well. Keep your shoes laced up a bit looser than normal. The tighter the shoe the more chance your feet will take a nap during your workout due to lessened circulation.
• Change the positioning of your feet during the workout. Make sure to move them around on the pedal a bit and wiggle your toes. Believe it or not, this will help and will keep the circulation up on your feet.
• Keep your workouts shorter and do multiple "sets." Instead of doing a 1-hour workout, try two 30-minute ones instead. Truthfully, multiple workouts over the course of the day are more effective for weight loss and in keeping you metabolism up for a longer period.
• Try breaking up your workout with a short period going in reverse. Even if your elliptical won't track the workout, changing the direction of your workout for a few minutes will work a different set of muscles and the change will help keep your feet from falling asleep by altering where the pressure is falling on them: from the ball to the heel.
• If your elliptical has an incline option, use it and vary the settings. Changing the degree of your elliptical's workout arc will help by keeping constant pressure off of one area of your feet.

If your feet keep falling asleep during your workouts, don't dispair and don't stop working out...there are things you can do to help yourself, even if you're stuck on an old Tunturi Elliptical. The most important thing is to keep working out and to get healthy.

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

Reader Reviews

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei gets a lot of email everyday, and far too much of it goes unanswered. So, starting today I am going to be posting some of the reader comments here on the website. If you've got something to say - positive or negative - then it can end up here for every to read. In fact, if you've got your own review of a piece of equipment you've purchased, then send it in and I'll post it too! Check back every day for new comments and reader reviews.

Enjoy!

READER REVIEWS AND COMMENTS

7/16/07
I really love your humor and personality that shows through on your web site, and have suggested that my hubby read some of your entries just because they are kind of funny. You've been a great help - thanks! -Christine

Hello Sensei,
I'll be buying a treadmill sometime over the next few months: Your website has been a HUGE help in figuring out what I need to buy in a machine. -Kat

First of all, great website. It is a must read for any less than professional shoppers. Very easy to understand and very much appreciated. The only other thing I can find are user reviews and those are usually less than helpful. -Rob

Hi Sensei,
First of all, I just wanted to say that your website is absolutely wonderful! Great information that I feel is completely trustworthy and brutally honest :) -Ted

Sensei,
Thanks so much for your efforts on behalf of those who are looking for sound fitness equipment!! It is a great thing to find someone who is knowledgeable and that can be trusted!! -Bob

7/3/07
Hi Treadmill Sensei,
Your website was so helpful!! I just placed an order for the F63 from Sole. Thanks! -Theresa

Osu Sensei!
Your site has been a great source of information while I am researching which elliptical to purchase. - Bob

Hello Sensei,
Love your site and treadmill advice. When the time came to buy a treadmill for my wife and myself, it was extremely helpful. -Jacob

Dear Sensei,
Your site is wealth of information and I love your witty humor! Thanks to you I am moving toward achieving elliptical enlightenment! -Nicole

Hi!
I just found and love your web site…best info I’ve found on the web, Thanks! -Steve R.

Hello Sensei,
I found your site the other day because the wife and I are looking for a good piece of health equipment for you house. I really like your view as a mechanic on the products. It really seems to allow you to see the guts of the machines and let us buyers know what to watch out for...Thank You! -Jeff T.

Treadmill Sensei,
I've been looking for sound advice on elliptical trainers, and your blog is a revelation. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. -David V.

I was looking for some reviews on the sole ellipticals and stumbled across your website. Needless to say I was very entertained AND received some great information.
Regards, Cary L.

Dear Sensei:
What a terrific discovery your website has been as I search for the ideal home elliptical machine for me and my wife. You've been a great resource. -Mark C.

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

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

Ohiyo!

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

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

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

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

The Treadmill Sensei...hard at work

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

I had to bite my lip to keep from chuckling.

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

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

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

• Cleaning equipment is more important than selling it.


• Continus Duty is a good program.


• Incline is bad.

I love chain fitness stores!

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

Online Equipment Assistant and Chooser

Ohiyo!

Just a quick note to announce a new feature here on treadmillsensei.com. I just put up an online assistant program for those of you who are looking for a treadmill or elliptical but have no idea which one or where to start.

I call them my Online Chooser's and you can now find the links at the top of every page. Direct links can be found below:

Treadmill Online Chooser

Elliptical Online Chooser

Check them out if you need help...and always feel free to email me with any questions!

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

Read Mailbag: Tips to Burn More Calories

Ohiyo!

Your Treadmill Sensei gets tons of questions asking about fitness or health advice. I try not to answer those questions because they really are something people should be asking their doctors or other health professionals. While I have been in the fitness industry for over 20 years now that does not qualify me (or anyone else doing fitness reviews) to give you medical advice.

That being said, I can give technical advice and my OPINION on things. If you want to know what I THINK about something and are prepared to take those THOUGHTS with a grain of salt, then I'll babble all day...especially if you're asking technical questions. I workout every day myself and can tell you about my own experiences.

Today we have a note from Linda. She is having problems with her elliptical's heart rate monitoring system and its "Calories Burned" readings. Let's see if we can help her out. Take it away, Linda!

Hello,

I recently purchased an elliptical machine and am troubled by the number of Kcals I am burning...prior to the elliptical I had a treadmill and a 30 minute walk at 4 mph burned about 200 cal and covered a distance of about 2 miles.

On the elliptical, in 30 minutes I burn 65 Kcal, 10-12 mph (about 70 watts), level 5, cover 5 miles. Now something isn't quite right cuz I'm sweating profusely at 30 minutes and I had to have burned more than 65 cal. I could walk 5 miles at a leisurely pace and burn more than 65 calories.

Age 48 Wt 165

I know these machines aren't all that accurate but this is ridiculous...Is there a formula to convert Kcal to cal.

Appreciate your thoughts. -Linda

Linda:

Thanks for your note. From not being able to take a look at the machine, it seems like the pulse grip heart rate monitor on it either isn't reading correctly or isn't calibrated correctly. The quickest fix would be to use a heart rate chest strap instead. The chest straps or HR monitor watches are much more accurate. The units should burn a similar amount of Calories during similar workouts. The main advantage of an elliptical is going to be the low to no impact workouts.

A KCal and a Calorie are actually 2 names for the same thing in this respect - KCal is an abbreviation for Calories like we're talking about (basically "food calories").

I'd suggest giving the manufacturer's tech support a call and seeing if they can either recalibrate it for you or get you a new unit. If you like the machine and don't want to worry about the less-than-accurate results, pick up a good heart rate monitor.

While we're talking about Calories burned during an elliptical workout, I thought I'd go in to a bit more detail on it. First off, the 750-1000 burned Calories per hour some manufacturers claim isn't true for 99% of people working out on the machines. More than likely, that is just the top amount they encountered during months or years of testing. In general you'd be looking at 450 to 500 Calories per hour, which still isn't bad at all.

Truthfully, for a well-built man (say 170 lbs like your Treadmill Sensei...ok, maybe I'm not well-built, but I am around 170 lbs now) to lose 1000 Calories in an hour of running, he'd have to be able to maintain around 8 miles an hour for the entire time.

A few tips for getting the most Calorie burn:

• Vary your work out: Use you elliptical's resistance or incline levels to increase the intensity of your workout and push yourself to burn more Calories. This sort of workout can increase your metabolism for up to a full day after your workout.


• Workout forward and backwards: Changing the direction of your workout changes the muscle groups being worked out and will increase your Calorie burn. Also, try changing your positioning on the elliptical itself to work different muscles.


• Use hand weights while you work out: (anywhere from 2-15 pounds, depending on your conditioning) Yes, I know the upper body arms are they, but they won't do anywhere near as much for you as a pair of hand weights will. Strength training is required to maximize your cardio workouts.


• Multiple Sessions: A great way to maintain your Calorie burn is to do a few shorter (at least 15 minutes) workouts during the day. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon or evening is best. That way you keep your metabolism on increased burn mode for the entire day.


• Most Important: Only YOU know what is right for YOU. If it doesn't feel right to you, in spite of what the experts say, try something else. You have to enjoy what you're doing in order to keep doing it. If you want it to last then make sure it doesn't hurt!

I hope this helps, Linda! Thanks again for your note and stay fit!

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

Treadmill / Elliptical Delivery Explained

Ohiyo!

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

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

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

Lisa:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reader Mailbag - Where to try out treadmills

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei is loving the new site! I was very excited to get out of the old one and in to something a lot more user friendly and easier to navigate. If anyone sees any problems on the website, definitely email me here at the DOJO and I'll get on fixing it. Also, if there is anything you'd like to see on the site let me know and I'll see what I can do to make the reader experience better.

Today we have a question from a reader in Southern California (stomping grounds of the Treadmill Sensei) who is having problems finding places to try equipment out. Let's see if we can help her out. Take it away, Lisa!

Hello,

I enjoy reading your website. It is very funny and informative. However, it seems that a lot of the treadmills that are highly rated (in your site and others) cannot be tested by the consumer before purchase. Specifically, Sole, Smooth, and Spirit brands. I live in Mission Viejo, CA and have only found one "brick and mortar" store chain that carries a Spirit treadmill. (And they only have one fold-up model and one non-folding one.) Do you have any recommendations for how the average consumer can try out some of these treadmills? I'm not a serious runner who needs an expensive machine. I just want one that is quiet, durable, and preferably priced under $1,000. So far, my research doesn't come up with many options. I was excited to see the Spirit in person, and it is one of the quietest that I've tried, but I would like to be able to compare it to the other two brands because the prices vary so much. Also, you recently wrote that you are seeing some problems with the quality of the Spirit XT200 ( the only model available in the store), so I'm worried about spending a lot for something that might not hold up very well. I'm more afraid of purchasing a treadmill over the internet, sight unseen, that weighs a ton and can't be returned easily if it doesn't work well.

Thank you for your time and any advice you may have.

Sincerely, Lisa

Lisa:

Thanks for your note and I'm definitely glad you're enjoying the website. I want to apologize for taking so long to get back to you, but I get in around 150 emails a week and I tend to run a little slow on answering. Unfortunately, I don't really like to recommend one retailer over another for questions like this. I can say that the Spirit Fitness website has a dealer locator section that might help you. Sole mainly sells direct and through Dick's Sporting goods, so they don't have a dealer list, but you should be able to call them for a dealer in your area. Between the two companies, they have thousands of dealers across the US.

Unfortunately, Smooth is an internet only company -- and, in fact, Smooth will only sell their main line of equipment direct to customers. While they do make some excellent equipment, the internet-only attitude makes it impossible for customers to see a unit before they buy it.

What I'd suggest if you can't locate a unit to test out, and manufacturers will completely hate me for saying this, but negotiate a 30-day risk free trial with the equipment. Most reputable dealers who are confident in the equipment will have no problems shipping a unit out for you to try. Don't be conned in to having to pay the shipping on a unit you've never tried before because you'll get stuck for as much as $600 or more to return the unit. You want free shipping to and from if you are unsatisfied and you should be able to get it from most dealers if you're buying something site unseen.

Right now is probably one of the best times to buy treadmills and ellipticals because it is the slow selling season for the fitness industry. Because the weather is nice outside most consumers are just not buying treadmills or ellipticals during the summer and retailers are generally hurting for sales. That makes it a great time to buy because you can pressure a dealer for lower prices, even on normally MAP (minimum advertised price) companies like Spirit, Landice or SportsArt. Play a little hardball during the summer and you can come away with $100 or more off a list price. So there's a huge piece of advice that I'll probably add to my treadmill buyer's guide -- buy during the summer to save money.

For under $1000, the units you'd want to try out are the Sole F63 or Spirit Z88. They are actually the same unit. I'd also look at treadmills from New Balance and Horizon which have some great pricing right now if you check out my reviews for them.

The issues with the XT200 seem to have come at the end of the busy season, which runs October through April. I would recommend avoiding the Spirit XT200 treadmill until the replacement unit comes out at the end of the year. In general, though, Sole, Smooth and Spirit are all very good brands.

Thanks again for your email and fee free to zap me if you have any other questions. Take care.

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

Reader Mailbag -- What Does Horsepower Really Mean?

Ohiyo!

Once more the Treadmill Sensei has returned from the depths of the DOJO to answer your treadmill and elliptical questions. Mrs. Sensei and I had a relaxing weekend where we did absolutely nothing constructive at all. We hung out at home, we went to Claimjumper (one of the greatest restaurants in the universe -- the "I Declair" is easily the most perfect dessert ever created), and we watched the grandchild who was not named after me but should have been...but I'm not bitter.

Taking a weekend off from the fitness industry was great but then Monday rolls around and I still have a couple of hundred emails to answer as the Treadmill Sensei. Back to work!

A question I get asked quite often is about treadmill motors and about horsepower. I received this note from "Shane" a while ago, but it sums up the question pretty well. Let's see what Shane has to say. Take it away, Shane!

Hello,

I am so excited to have found you and your website via yahoo answers. I am in the process of shopping for a treadmill.

First I'd like to thank you for saving me from purchasing a Proform...by the way, I laughed so hard at the review (the one about your wife's uncle and his purchase from Cosco's) LMAO!!!! Of course I was going to head down to my local sears and buy the same one. Who knew???? I am very keen on doing research first before making large purchases especially something as important as a treadmill!!!

Your sight is fantastic, I was wondering if you could help me with one aspect:

I've been reading about the CHP vs. the HP I'm reading that a 2.0 CHP is better than a 2.0 HP. Is this true and how so? Thanks! - Shane

Shane:

Thanks for the note and I'm glad you enjoy reading the site. I have a lot of fun writing it as well. My wife calls it my "therapy." She likes it because it keeps me from talking about treadmills and ellipticals when I get home from work...now it's all out of my system by the time I leave the DOJO.

From all the letters I get about it, I can tell that this whole horsepower things is a little confusing to treadmill buyers in general. If it helps, it's all confusing to me too. Let me see if I can help clarify things a bit.

Horsepower is a bit of an ambiguous power rating in the fitness industry and there are no real standards to how a manufacturer has to rate its motors. According to the dictionary, one (1) horsepower is a unit which produces 746 watts of power. That's all fine and dandy, but when you put a 150 pound person on a treadmill with a 3 horsepower machine which produces 2238 watts at its peak, you find the actual horsepower and watt output of the motor drops dramatically. That is where you have the two familiar horsepower ratings in treadmills: peak horsepower (PHP or THP) and continuous horsepower (CHP).

For simplicity's sake, peak horsepower is what the motor can produce without anyone on it and continuous horsepower is what a motor produces when it is being used at capacity (meaning, with the heaviest weight it is rated for). When you're looking for a horsepower rating on a treadmill you want to make sure you are getting the continuous duty rating.

To make things more confusing, a lot of manufacturers will increase the RPMs on a their treadmills to "gear up" a smaller motor and have it produce more wattage. In the short run a smaller motor running at higher RPMs might work the same for you as a larger motor running at low RPMs, but in the long run the smaller motor will run hotter, have more problems and break down quite a bit faster.

It's all a little more complicated than that (to determine HP you need to know the voltage, amps and efficiency of the motor), but the bottom line is to make sure the HP rating you see on a treadmill is a continuous duty rating. A peak rating (PHP or THP) doesn't do you any good at all -- how powerful a treadmill is when you're not on it is meaningless.

So say it with me "I want a big motor, running at low RPMs and I want to know its continuous duty rating." It may all sound confusing but it is the difference between a treadmill with a motor that will burn out in 6 months and one that will last 5-10 years or longer.

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

Treads and Climbers -- This Sensei Bows to No One

Ohiyo!

Yes, I know I promised to post a review on the Star Trac Elite treadmills we received in at the DOJO earlier this week and I will get to it later on today. Before that, though, I wanted to write a bit about a couple of emails I've received recently.

A manufacturer isn't happy with the Treadmill Sensei.

Over the past week or so I've had a manufacturer's rep who was very upset that I gave their "best treadmill on the market" an average rating. This rep went so far as to imply that I had no idea what I was talking about and that my story about almost being injured on one of their units was wrong -- what he said was to the effect of "you were probably at someone else's booth and tried their faulty machines." Finally, he asked that I remove or rewrite my review so it was more favorable to his company and brand.

This is a guy sticking a bit too close to the company line. If you're a manufacturer, before you write me, make sure to read my FAQ section. All of my reviews are based on hands on experience with the treadmills and ellipticals I review, and I will report on my past experiences with the equipment. If I'm saying a machine isn't the highest of quality, you can be assured there are numerous other bad reviews for it online...and you can be assured the manufacturer knows about the problems even if they won't admit it to the public.

In this particular manufacturer's case, the specific event I mentioned was at the 2006 IHRSA fitness trade show out in Las Vegas. It took place a few months before I started this website in March 2006 and a couple of the guys from the DOJO and I were roaming the convention to try out new equipment. It was one of the things that led me to becoming the Treadmill Sensei.

One of the first booths we encountered was the manufacturer's and we decided to give their units a bit of a test drive. We lined up on the 4 units in the front row and started to workout. What we quickly found was their hybrid treadmill-elliptical machine (you know which machine I'm talking about) was one of the most uncomfortable units any of us had ever been on. When you first start you feel like you're going to pitch forward and the motion of the twin treadmill-elliptical tracks going up and down is very very unnatural. The think I noticed was that, in spite of this equipment being at a high profile trade show, that the buttons weren't working properly. I hit the "accelerate" button once and the unit lurched up to its top speed almost immediately, which sent me shooting off the back of the unit. I could have been hurt if not for my cat-like reflexes (ok, in reality, Hikaru caught me and kept me from falling). We tried to shut the machine down but the console was fairly unresponsive.

Interestingly enough, one of the other Senseis, Mike, encountered the same problem on the machine he was using. The speed controls just didn't work properly. Fortunately, Mike is about 15 years younger than me and in great shape so he was able to catch himself and keep up with the sudden increase of speed. This was a bit unsettling because manufacturers generally bring their best equipment to these conventions to show off to press and potential buyers. What this made me assume was that those malfunctioning units WERE the BEST units from the aforementioned Bowing and Flexing company.

We informed one of the sales reps about the non-working machines (and even mocked the company a bit because of it) and the offending pair of machines were quickly turned off. They were back on during the next day of the show but I was too scared to try the unit again.

I bet you're wondering what the point of this rambling post is, aren't you? If you're a manufacturer and you don't like my reviews, then make better equipment. If you're a company that is well known for producing poor product or having bad customer service then don't email and complain to me about a bad review. If your quality is bad in my opinion then I'm going to be letting the public know about it.

I don't mind a manufacturer, retailer or customer disagreeing with my reviews because everyone has their own opinion (and manufacturers have their own agendas). That's totally cool. Don't, however, harass me about changing a review once it has been posted. It's not going to happen. The reviews are my honest opinion of treadmills and ellipticals I come in to contact with. If I have an opinion I'm going to express it. And, if nothing else, you don't ask Ebert & Roper to change a movie review just because you don't like it.

I'm not here to make manufacturers happy, I'm here to keep my readers well informed.

That's it for right now. I'll be back with that Star Trac Elite Treadmill review later in the day.

Take care!

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

Treadmills and Ellipticals - online buying vs offline buying

Ohiyo!

As the Treadmill Sensei and knower of all things fitness related, a lot of readers email me here at the DOJO and ask, "Oh, great Sensei, where should I purchase my new treadmill or elliptical? Should I buy it at a local store or online? Which is better?"

While I don't really like recommending specific stores or websites to purchase from, I can break down the pros and cons of placing an internet order versus going in to a local store and buying the unit from a brick and mortar location. I'm not going to get in to "how to choose" in this post because I've already done that in my "Treadmill Buyer's Guide" and "Elliptical Buyer's Guide" articles. Check them out if you haven't already done so.

The single best way to start researching a treadmill, and the easiest, is to load up your favorite search engine and start poking around. The internet has more information on it than any sales rep at a brick and mortar store...more than any 10 sales reps combined into a super sales rep. Start with review sites like this one (the Treadmill Sensei, www.treadmillsensei.com). Take a look at multiple sites because a lot of them out there have personal agendas in regards to which treadmill or elliptical they are "prescribing." I'd suggest checking with at least 3 sources.

Once you've got a decent handle on a few ellipticals or treadmills that meet your needs, I suggest trying to find a local store to go and try them out. This is a large purchase for most people and it is for a piece of equipment that you're going to spend a lot of time sweating on. Make sure the unit feels good to you.

Once you're completely convinced you've found the perfect treadmill for yourself or the perfect elliptical for your den, get back online and start doing some price comparison. There are a lot of places online that will give you some fantastic prices on equipment. You'll also generally get free shipping and won't have to pay sales tax. Shopping online can save you hundreds dollars on the "hidden costs" that will pop up when purchasing at a local fitness store.

Let's go over some of the pros and cons for online stores versus local shops.

Local Stores -- The Pros:

• The best thing about a local store is that you'll be able to try out the actual equipment you've been researching online. You can do a run on a treadmill or take a quick workout on that elliptical you've had your eyes on.


• The other positive is that you'll be able to walk out the door with the equipment right there. You see it, you like it, you buy it and you take it home. Instant gratification is a wonderful thing.

Local Stores -- The Cons:

• You may get instant gratification, but more than likely it'll cost you. Even if the actual cost of the elliptical or treadmill is good at a local shop, don't forget you're going to be hit with taxes which can add up to a hundred dollars or more on a lot of the treadmills and ellipticals. You might save that $25 or $50 on the price of your dream treadmill but that gets eaten up by $80 in sales taxes!


• From there, you'd better have a big truck or SUV to cart that unit home because once you buy it you'll have to deliver it yourself! Or, for anywhere from $50-$200, that local store can deliver it for you.


• Now, the biggest Con about brick and mortar stores in product knowledge. Unfortunately, in my experience, most brick and mortar sales cashiers have very little actual product knowledge. In fact, if you go to your local seller of sporting goods/fitness equipment you'll find it very hard to even get someone to help you! Most of the reps you'll encounter are going to be young kids who get paid a minimum wage for a minimum amount of work...which is a shame because that will be a turnoff for most people interested in actually buying a treadmill or elliptical.


• The last major problem you'll find at a local store is: pushy salesmen. There's nothing I hate worse than a sales person who treats me like an idiot and pushes hard on whatever product will get them the best commission. I dislike the "used car" style sales people you'll find at a lot of fitness specialty stores. There is a big company here in the LA area that is known for their hard-selling salesmen who bully customers in to some truly bad equipment. If a salesmen gets pushy with you just walk out and don't go back. There are lots of other places to buy a treadmill or elliptical where you won't have to put up with that sort of attitude.

Internet Stores -- The Pros:

• You'll find the widest selection of product around. The big fitness sites will have hundred or thousands of products available for you to take a look at and compare.


• With that extensive product selection you'll also find a lot more product knowledge. If you've got a question or problem, you can generally call up or email an online rep and find them to be incredibly well-informed on everything they carry.
  You will also find better pricing, free delivery in most cases and most of the time you won't have to pay taxes. When you add it all up you'll find yourself saving a lot of time and money when ordering online.

Internet Stores -- The Cons:

• No instant gratification -- you will be waiting around 2-3 weeks to receive your order. Most of the units will be shipped out via a freight company which take 7-10 business days to travel across the country.


• The big con for internet stores is that you don't get to touch or test out their equipment. You're having to deal with facts and opinions. Luckily, there are tons of sites out there and you'll be able to get a good idea of what is a well-built machine and which ones are duds (Icon Fitness).

All-in-all, buying online is a lot easier and less painful. The brick and mortar shops have their place (say, for buying a floor model at a ridiculously low price), but for buying a new treadmill or elliptical I'd say check out online stores for a great deal and larger selection.

That's it for today. Take care!

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

Reader Mailbag: Elliptical Lube and Maintenance Question

Ohiyo!

Today the Treadmill Sensei is posting from his room at Ceasar's Palace here in Las Vegas. Sure Mrs Sensei and I took the weekend off to go and have some fun, but she's sleeping and what she doesn't know won't hurt me!

Last night I received an email from a reader who just purchased a Spirit ZE120 and had a question about a little white tube she found in the packaging of the elliptical. Take it away, Carol!

Hey Sensei,

Thanks for your advice on the ZE120. It was a great deal, and seems like a great machine. I was wondering if you could answer another question. When assembling the machine, we were given a tube of lube, but not told where to use it? Do you know which parts should have the lube applied to them? Thanks again for your help! -Carol V

Carol:

Thanks for the note. About which parts need lube...that sounds like a personal question! Sorry, I couldn't resist. The little white tube of lube (why Spirit decided to put a completely plain white tube in a lot in completely plain white packing material is beyond me -- lots of people accidentally throw their tubes away!) is used to lubricate the shiny elliptical rails on the Spirit ZE120. What it does is reduce the friction between the rails and the wheels which the elliptical runs on.

Lubrication on the Spirit ZE120 and its brothers (the ZE110, XE125, XE150 and XE350) is pretty simple. Squirt a little lube on your finger and then run it along the rails. Then, use the Spirit ZE120 for a minute or so and you'll notice the difference -- the machine will be a lot quieter and run a lot smoother. It will also help elongate the life of your elliptical.

Thanks again for your note, Carol, and good luck with your lube!

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

Article Index

Treadmill Sensei Article Index:

• Ici Ban Best Buy Awards for 2006-2007 - Ellipticals
• Ichi Ban Best Buy Awards for 2006-2007 - Treadmills
• The Home Buyers Guide to Choosing a Treadmill
• The Home Buyers Guide to Choosing an Elliptical Trainer
• Buying Online vs Offline
• Retailer response to "Buying Online vs Offline"
• The Lifetime Warranty Scam -- What does a Lifetime Warranty Really Mean?
• Remanufactured Treadmills, Ellipticals and Fitness Equipment -- Why and How to Buy It Without Getting Ripped Off!
• Treadmill Maintenance -- 11 Tips for the care of your treadmill
• The Landice Treadmill Mystery Solved -- Which unit is right for you
• How to replace your treadmill belt
• Care and Cleaning of your treadmill motor
• The fitness name game -- what you're really buying
• Reviews -- How does the Treadmill Sensei rate treadmills and Ellipticals?
• Adjusting your treadmill speed settings
• Top 5 Treadmills Under $1000 for Sept 2006
• The Proform Treadmill Problem
• The Sensei Bows to No One!
• On the Road: Pictures from IHRSA 2007
• What does horsepower mean?
• Treadmill / Elliptical Delivery Explained
• Tips to burn more Calories during a workout
• Treadmill Online Chooser
• Elliptical Online Chooser
• Why An Elliptical Makes Your Feet Fall Asleep

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

The Lifetime Warranty Scam

Ohiyo!

One of the things, as a service tech, I get asked a lot about is "what is a lifetime warranty." I'd say I get asked about this a few times a week -- more now that this site is getting 1000+ unique visitors a day. Unfortunately, there isn't a good answer to this question.

The Lifetime Warranty tends to be a bit of a shell game with most companies. They put "lifetime warranty" on a product and either assume a consumer won't take the time to read the fine print or don't even take the time themselves to write it. With some companies, such as Craftsman tools, lifetime means lifetime. If you have a problem with a Craftsman hammer in 15 years they will replace it with no questions asked.

Sadly, most other companies do not take to heart this old school attitude of honoring your word. They may define "lifetime warranty" as a time period as long as the equipment lasts -- in other words, once the product "dies" it's lifetime is over. This happens quite a bit with electronics and computer manufacturers. Another game of theirs is to set an arbitrary length of time for the life of a product -- 3 years for computer RAM is pretty standard. Once you go beyond that length of time, you are out of the warranty coverage.

With fitness equipment, unless otherwise stated, a lifetime warranty generally means "7 years beyound the end of production cycle of the equipment." For example, if you purchased a Horizon T54 (whose production ended in 2005), your lifetime frame warranty would only be valid through 2012.

When you look at that example you'll see that a lifetime warranty isn't quite as good as you initially thought and isn't as goog as a 10 year warranty. The manufacturer is figuring most buyers will only use their equipment for a couple of years before discarding it...that thinking is kind of sad considering that a lot of this equipment should have a lifetime of 10 years or more. Here at the DOJO we do a lot of service on old Precor units from the 1980s which are still running fine. Same goes for Life Fitness and Star Trac.

There are a few vendors out on the net which use a "free upgraded lifetime warranty" as a selling point but really all they are selling you is a bill of goods -- they're selling you the perceived value of a lifetime warranty and not really anything worthwhile. In fact, if they're offering you a lifetime warranty "upgrade" on a unit with a 20 year warranty then you're actually being downgraded!

My warning to you, the consumer, is to be very careful when it comes to buying a piece of equipment based on a lifetime warranty. It may not be as good a deal as you'd expect. I'd ask for a 20 year warranty instead of the lifetime just to mess around with the vendor!

Whatever you do, make sure to read the fine print AND get clarification on the lifetime warranty if it isn't provided for you. Don't get caught by the Lifetime Warranty Scam.

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

The First Annual Treadmill Sensei 2006-2007 Ichi-Ban "Best Buy Awards" for Ellipticals

Ohiyo!

Welcome to the second part of the Treadmill Sensei 2006-2007 Ichi-ban "Best Buy Awards." This time I'll go over my choices for "best buy" ellipticals. The interesting thing about ellipticals vs treadmills is that there are some decent choices in the under $500 range. This is because ellipticals, unlike their treadmill cousins, do not have the added expense of motors, and this allows a little more quality on the lower end of things.

As with the treadmill "best buy" awards, the ellipticals are picked with no real scientific technique. All reviews and ratings are based on my 20+ years of experience as a service/repair tech for fitness equipment. My opinions and thoughts come from having worked on most of the machines out there. When an elliptical comes in to the shop for either installation or repair, we run pretty extensive tests on the machines to make sure they are up to snuff. This includes running fairly hardcore routines on the machines, going through all of their programs and so on. After our testing any machine that is going out to be installed for a customer, or which has had repairs done, has been run through the ringer to make sure everything is working.

Reviews are not made with manufacturer input. We don't get free equipment from manufacturers. And, something that has just started up, we're not given equipment to repackage and relabel as our own commercial brand like a couple of review sites who are now selling insanely priced commercial equipment of their own -- you know who you are!

More detailed reviews of all of the Ichi-Ban winners will be posted throughout the upcoming week.

Now, on with the show!!

Best Buy Under $500
Merit 710E Elliptical: Merit is yet another line of equipment produced by Johnson Tech and its Horizon Division. The Merit 710E is one of the sturdiest units under $500 and one of the few to give you a decent workout. For the full review click HERE.

Runner Up: At these prices, you have to be very careful or you'll wind up spending money for something that will turn in to an expensive clothes hanger. Stay away from Image, Proform or any of the Icon Health & Fitness machines or you'll just be throwing your money away.

1. Ironman 230E
2. LifeGear Dual Action Magnetic Elliptical
3. Eclipse 2100HRA

Best Buy from $501-$1000
Sole E25 Elliptical: AKA Spirit ZE120. Spirit and its repackaging company, Sole, have done it again with one of the best valued ellipticals out there. Priced at just under $1000, the Sole E25 is the standard by which all other ellipticals are measured by. For the full review click HERE.

Runner Up: The Ironman unit of many names, the Ironman 600E, is still one of the best ellipticals around and a killer now that it (or one of its many relabeled brothers) can be found for under $1000. There is a lot of great competition in this price range and a lot of great machines.

1. Ironman 600e/Alliance A7e/Ironman Evolution
2. Horizon EX55
3. Schwinn 438

Best Buy from $1001-$1500
Sole E35 Elliptical: The step up from the Sole E25, this unit gives you the stability more often found in higher priced commercial ellipticals. Check out the full Sole E35 review.

Runner Up: The $1000+ price range is where the serious home buyers come. This is the bottom end of where you'll get a commercial, gym quality elliptical feel in a machine. Spirit really dominates this price point, and check out the Sole E55 for a heavier version of the Sole E35.
1. Smooth CE 2.1
2. Sole E55
3. New Balance 9.5e

Best Buy from $1501-$2000
SportsArt 803: With its adjustable stride and sturdy construction, the SportsArt 803 elliptical stands out in a very crowded area. Check out the review.

Runner Up: This is a difficult price point because the ellipticals don't offer that much more than the $1000-$1500 units, but also don't stand up to the $2000+ units like the Fitnex E70 or Precor 5.19. Avoid the Tunturi units because of their uncomfortable feel during longer workouts.

1. Smooth CE 7.4
2. Sole E95
3. Multisports ECT-880

Best Buy from $2001-$3000
Fitnex E70: If you're looking for a solid, commercial quality elliptical with the same incredibly smooth and comfortable feel of the fantastic Matrix E5Xc, then this is your elliptical. The Fitnex E70 is, hands down, one of the best feeling ellipticals on the market today. Factor in the lifetime parts warranty and you've got one of the all around buys. For full review click HERE.

Runner Up: This is a pretty sparse price point for ellipticals. There are a lot of models in this range, but there isn't much worth looking at. Aside from the Fitnex E70 and the Precor 5.19, if you've got $2000-$3000 to spend, I'd check out higher end remanufactured units. You can get a decent remanufactured Life Fitness rear drive elliptical or a Precor 546.

1. Precor EFX 5.19

Best Buy Over $3000
Matrix E5Xc Elliptical: This is the best Elliptical on the market today. Period. Check out the full review HERE.

Runner Up: As with the treadmills, this is a difficult price range to rank. There is so much good in this range that you really can't go wrong when you stick with the big plays -- Star Trac, Life Fitness, Precor and Matrix.
1. Star Trac Pro
2. Precor 546
3. Life Fitness 9500HRR

The Ichi-Ban Best of the Best Award for Elliptical Excellence: The Spirit ZE120 Elliptical
Yes, the Spirit ZE120 and the Sole E25 are the exact same unit, but I like to give props to the manufacturer of this excellent unit. The Sole version was a Dick's exclusive last year and it's nice to see Spirit come out with a version available through better outlets. For the money, the Spirit ZE120 and its twin, the Sole E25, are the best buys around. For the full review click HERE.

The First Annual Treadmill Sensei Baka Awards for 2006-2007!

The Please Fire Your Product Manager Award: Star Trac
This award goes to the incredibly unwise product managers at Star Trac Fitness for ceasing production of the Star Trac Natural Runner. Bringing out the Star Trac Elite with its multi-mode arm work outs was great, but it really isn't a replacement for the incredible feel of the Star Trac Natural Runner series of machines. There was and is nothing on the market that felt as smooth or as comfortable as the old Star Trac Natural Runners and whoever decided they should be removed from production should be fired.]

The Biggest Piece of Crap Award: Tony Little Gazelle
I just can't say enough bad things about the Tony Little Gazelle line of products. They con more people out of their money than anything I've ever seen before. The units are terrible and wind up sitting unused in people's apartments and houses. Buying a pie from Marie Callenders will give you a better workout than the Tony Little Gazelle. Run away!

The Biggest Gimmick Next to the TreadClimber Award: LifeGear Power 3-n-1 Elliptical Bike
I don't know who came up with this toy or what they were smoking to make them think it was a good idea, but I'd sure like to meet them. This unit is marketed to be an upright/recumbent/elliptical machine all in one. This unit is a gimmick and is far too complicated to actually work well. I see this unit having more problems than the TreadClimber machines. Stay away, far away.

The Miscategorized Equipment Award: Cateye EC-6000
The Cateye EC-6000 is either one of the most uncomfortable elliptical machines the Treadmill Sensei has ever been on, or it is a decent stepper. If you've ever been on this machine then you know what I'm talking about. Somehow Cateye rates the unit with a 19" stride but I can imagine that's true. This machine is a stepper that they've tried to disguise as a really bad elliptical. It is probably perfect for firefighter ladder training but not for an elliptical workout.

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

The First Annual Treadmill Sensei 2006-2007 Ichi-Ban "Best Buy Awards" for Treadmills

Ohiyo!

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, to the First Annual Ichi-Ban Treadmill Awards! You may not be able to see it from up in the cheap seats, but your Treadmill Sensei is wearing his finest tuxedo for the first in what I hope to be a long running annual "Best Buy" awards. The phrase "Ichi-Ban" is Japanese for "Number One" or "The Best" and that's what we'll be discussing -- the Best Buys for Treadmills (Ellipticals should follow over the weekend) in the 2006 through 2007 buying season.

A quick aside on how I put this best buy list together. Unfortunately, there is no real scientific method behind how I do it. It's based solely on my 20+ years of experience in the fitness industry. It's based on the thousands of hours we spend each year here at the DOJO building treadmills, installing them in gyms and homes for our customers, doing service on the units and from my general love of tinkering and testing treadmills (and ellipticals).

The ratings are not based on input from any of the manufacturers (in fact, I've heard a few of them are genuinely upset by some of the ratings I've given). Unlike some larger review sites, the ratings are not based on side deals or payouts from the manufacturers. And, unlike some manufacturers, the ratings are not based on receiving free equipment from manufacturers. All reviews are done either on equipment that comes through our repair service to either be fixed or installed. Although, sometimes a local gym will get in a fancy or unusual treadmill which I've never seen before and I'll go down and abuse the equipment on location -- such as the insanely priced Motus Treadmills.

Towards the bottom of the Ichi-Ban awards you'll also find my "Baka Awards." Baka, in Japanese, basically means "stupid," and the Baka Awards will feature some of the worst buys or worst units. They'll also feature a couple of industry manufacturer awards. The Baka Awards are for entertainment purposes only...so Enjoy!

Finally, more detailed reviews of each of the top units will follow over the next week or two. Unlike some of the larger review sites, it's just your overworked Treadmill Sensei writing these reviews and it takes me a bit longer than them to get things up and posted. Have patience!

Now, without further ado, I now bring you the First Annual Treadmill Sensei Ichi-Ban Awards for 2006-2007!

Best Buy Under $500
Leisure Works 539: In the low, low end range, the dominant treadmill is the Leisure Works 539. It doesn't offer much in the way of programs, but it will give you a solid workout with a long life. Check out the full review HERE.

Runner Up: This is a difficult price range to rank because the majority of what is available out there is just plain crap. Icon Health & Fitness dominates the under $500 market and it really is better to just buy some good shoes and go running than to throw your money away. I just can't recommend treadmills which will breakdown under even light usage in under a year. If you can, try to save up for a Horizon T71 at $599.

1. Keys HealthTrainer HT502T

Best Buy from $501-$1000
Sole F63 Treadmill: You've seen the rest, now check out the single best buy in all of treadmills. The Sole F63 continues to be the best treadmill for the best price on the market today. It's basically a $1500 Sole F80 with a home console on it instead of the higher priced commercial style console. For about $1000 you're getting a 2.5 horsepower motor, a 325lb weight capacity, large rollers and a solid deck. There is no other unit that comes even close to the value you get for your money in the Sole F63 treadmill. Sure, you can pay $1500 for a treadmill, but with the Sole F63 you don't have to. Click HERE for the full review.

Runner Up: At these prices, don't be tempted by the Icon Health & Fitness models you'll find at Sears or Costco. Avoid Image, Weslo, Proform and the lower end Reebok or Nordic Track treadmills. There are better options out there. The Fitnex T30 had been in this list but due to a major mistake and downgrade from its manufacturer, the Fitnex T30 is now a "don't buy." (click for full reviews)

1. Smooth 5.25
2. Horizon T72

Best Buy From $1001-$1500
New Balance 1400: In a crowded arena, with a larger deck and motor, as well as long history, the New Balance 1400 stands out strong as a great buy. Click HERE for full review.

Runner Up: This is the price point for the serious treadmill buyer and seems to be more active than any other price range outside of the under $500. Again, don't be fooled by the higher priced Proform or Nordic Track models. High prices don't necessarily make the quality better. And, for god's sake, don't buy a Treadclimber at any price!

1. Spirit XT10
2. Horizon T74
3. Smooth 6.25

Best Buy from $1501-$2000
Sole F85/Sole S77: Short of the highest end units by Matrix, Star Trac and Landice, I think the Sole F85 and its non-folding counterpart, the Sole S77, are the best treadmills out there. These are high end units at a nice mid-range price. You can't get a better treadmill for under $3500. Check out the full review HERE.

Runner Up: For those of you looking to move in to the light commercial area, this is the price range for you and it offers probably the best features versus price comparison around. The new Tunturi T30 is a great contender for the top spot, as are the Quantum and Bodyguard treadmills.

1. Tunturi T30
2. Quantum 2.5s
3. BodyGuard T240

Best Buy from $2001-$3000
Quantum 3.0s: These units are made by the fairly unknown, but long historied, Quantum Fitness. Quantum is best known for its strength equipment but they have been producing ultra durable, no maintenance treadmills for a while now and the Quantum 3.0s is an example of this excellence. If you're looking for the heavy duty stability of a Star Trac, Matrix or Life Fitness, but don't want to pay $4000+, then check out the Quantum 3.0s Treadmill.

Runner Up: A strong area with a lot of good options. All of the manufacturers in the top spots have multiple units that are all great buys. Sole, Spirit and Quantum could easily have filled a top 10 list by themselves.

1. Spirit XT800
2. Life Fitness T30
3. Pacemaster Platinum

Best Buy over $3000
Matrix T3X: I just can't say enough about Matrix and their equipment. These machines are a pleasure to work on and to work out on. This is what running on a cloud must feel like. Add the optional TV to the Matrix T3X and you'll find yourself looking for excuses to run. Perfection. Check out the full review HERE.

Runner Up: This is one of the hardest categories to rate. It's like comparing a Lexus versus a BMW versus a Mercedes. While the Matrix units in general are some of the best around, if you stick to the top manufacturers you won't go wrong. Check out Matrix, Star Trac, Life Fitness and Landice for the top treadmills around. Stay away from Precor treadmills -- they make good ellipticals, but their treadmill units tend to fall a bit short on quality, design and features.

1. Star Trac Pro
2. Landice L7 Cardio Trainer
3. Life Fitness 95ti

The Ichi-Ban Best of the Best Award for Excellence: The Sole F63Treadmill
The Sole F63 treadmill is the all-around best buy in a consumer grade treadmill. Well made, well designed and surprisingly low-maintenance, the Sole F63 should be the first treadmill a new buyer looks at. Check out the full review HERE.

The First Annual Treadmill Sensei Baka Awards for 2006-2007!

The Stinkiest Treadmill Award: Proform 650e Treadmill
This very special award goes to the Proform 650e Treadmill from Icon Health & Fitness. Starting earlier this year, your Treadmill Sensei began to get emails from the poor people who were conned in to buying this treadmill. The surprising thing I was asked about was why this treadmill smelled so bad after use. The majority of complaints came from a bad "B.O" smell which came from the treadmill belt and motor when in use. Some folks were so horrified by the smell that they put it down in their basements to use only when guests weren't going to be coming over. I've yet to completely identify where the stench is coming from, but with 20+ email complaints from all over the US, it seems to be an epidemic! So, if you just have to buy a Proform 650e Treadmill, then make sure to buy some Fabreeze air freshener to go along with it!

The Most Confusing Manufacturer Award: Horizon Fitness
Anyone who has been a regular reader of my pearls of treadmill wisdom knows the Treadmill Sensei likes the product Horizon Fitness puts out. Horizon and Johnson Tech, its parent company, do a really good job with their equipment. Unfortunately, in what seems like a way to either limit internet sales or pander to individual sporting good chains, Horizon has decided to put out multiple versions of each of their products, under different names to each and every outlet they sell to. You'll find their standard T70 series relabeled and sold under an ungodly amount of names (and with some very minor cosmetic changes) at places like Dick's, Sports Authority, and at specialty fitness shops -- sometimes priced considerably more for the exact same unit! My plea to Horizon is to stop trying to confuse your customers and go back to just one name for a unit!

The Hidden Agenda Award: Fitness Review Sites
This award goes out to reviewers who have cut deals with manufacturers to rate their product higher regardless of the facts. In specific, this award goes to the review sites who rank SOLE treadmills above SPIRIT treadmills when they are THE EXACT SAME UNITS! If you've been in the industry for any time at all, then you know that SOLE is a repackaging company with a fantastic marketing division...they put out great product, but they're just putting out great SPIRIT product with a new name. There's nothing wrong with that, but if you're going to post reviews at least make them honest. If we can't trust you on the SOLE/SPIRIT reviews then how are we supposed to trust you on the rest of them?

Thanks it for this year's Ichi-Ban Awards. I hope you enjoyed them and stay-tuned later in the week for the Ichi-Ban Awards for Ellipticals. Until then, take care and have a great workout!!

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

Adjusting the speed settings on your Sole Treadmills (Spirit Z Series)

Ohiyo!

Today is a work day at the DOJO so the Treadmill Sensei won't be able to get to a review until later tonight. However, I wanted to talk about "treadmill specifications" for a moment. Manufacturers like to play games with the listed specs of their units in order to have them look better against other machines. They also do this to make the exact same machine seem different when being sold under different names (Horizon does this with the treadmills they sell online and through brick and mortar stores -- they'll give the same unit three different sets of specifications depending upon which store it is being sold through and which they want to give more sales to). It's all a little shady, but it is how the industry works.

Another interesting thing is that a lot of the specifications can be changed through the diagnostic settings in your treadmill's console. You can adjust the incline amount, the speed of the motor, the speed your treadmill starts at, even the resistence levels! Those are all changes which can be made with just a little know how and about 3 minutes of work.

Here is an adjustment I just did this morning to a Sole F83 (you might know it better as a Spirit Z500), but it should work on any of the current Sole treadmills or the Spirit Z series Treadmills (Z100, Z300, Z500, Z700 or Z900). What it will let you do is drop the starting speed of your treadmill down to .2 mph from the factory setting of .5mph. This is good if you've got physical limitations. We did it for a really nice lady whose daughter has MS.

Here we go...

First off, remove the safety key.

Second, press and hold down the "star, fast and slow" switches while replacing the safety key. The display will show "Factory Settings." Once that pops up, release all 3 keys.

Next, hit the "Enter" key and the display will show "units." It should show English units but you may use the "Fast/Slow" keys to change to metric. Press "Enter" once more.

The display will then show "Wheel Size" and a number will be displayed in the "Time" window (2.74 for the F73/S83 and the Z series mentioned above). Press the "Fast" key until the number changes to 3.50.

Press "Enter" 3 times and then press "start." The treadmill will then perform the speed and elevation calibration. Once the calibration is finished, the machine will say "Passed." The console will reset and the new low speed will be set to .3mph even though the display will show .5 mph. You can then use the "Slow" key to reduce the display down to .3 mph but the speed will actually be .2 mph.

And there you have it, a treadmill whose "manufactuer's specifications" say it has to start at .5mph is quickly and easily changed to .2mph. Using the diagnostic settings you can change your top treadmill speed from 10mph up to as much as 17mph. In the future I'll go over some other tricks for tweaking out your treadmills.

Take care and good running!

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

Treadmills Sensei FAQ & Disclaimers

Ohiyo!

I'm still fairly new to this whole internet thing, so bear with me as I try to answer some of the questions I get every week. If there is a question you'd like to see answered, then send it in and I'll post it up for everyone to read.

1. Who the heck is the Treadmill Sensei?
A treadmill and elliptical reviewer! The person behind the Treadmill Sensei and treadmillsensei.com is a 20+ year service and repair tech who is the elder partner in a repair business. Beyond that I am a husband, a father and a self-confessed video game junkie.

2. What is your real name?
Since an incident with a certain fitness manufacturer last year who discovered my poor reviews of their products and promptly cancelled our service accounts, I've been writing under a pen name.

3. Can we come out to your shop or send you repair work?
Nope. Again, I am keeping the two "jobs" apart from one another. That way manufacturers can't influence reviews with offers of work or by threatening me with loss of work.

4. How do we know your reviews are objective or fair?
Truthfully, they aren't. My reviews are based on my opinions and what I've experienced over the course of my career in the fitness industry. The reviews are not influenced by treadmill or elliptical manufacturers (in spite of what some of them wish). I have had a few manufacturers try to pressure me to change a review to be more favorable to them but they've always been turned down. I also do not make side deals with manufacturers like some other review sites -- having parts made available for my sale, getting access to treadmills or ellipticals to retool into my own equipment or getting paid trips out to another country where a manufacturer's plant is. There are other review sites which do some or all of these things in exchange for positive reviews.

So, to make a long answer even longer, I just get on the equipment and report to you, my loyal readers, what I encounter. These are not corporate facts, they are not the "official" word on any equipment, they are just my opinions and my experience and should be taken as such.

5. So, how the heck do you make money if your website offers so many free reviews and advice?
I have a good day job! Now, if you're asking how the website itself makes money, that is another story. I put links up to where a customer can purchase a piece of equipment. Some of those pieces can be bought on Amazon and, when they are, I get credit for it. Now, keep in mind, that I also put links to other retailers that have no such programs and tell all my readers to check at least 3 websites before making a purchase...which does me no good at all! I also post a lot of bad reviews and get in to specific equipment details that only someone with quite a bit of industry experience with actual time on the treadmills (or ellipticals) can provide. I'm not posting nebulous charts with vague number rankings and a 1 sentence description of a product. It's sad what some review sites are calling "reviews" these days.

6. Can you rate the (insert model here) treadmill or elliptical?
Sometimes. I can only rate machines that I can physically get on and those are generally units that come in to the DOJO for either service/repair or installation. Sometimes I will go out to other repair shops or local stores to test out a piece that I get a lot of requests for, but generally I just write on things I have a chance to review in the comfort of the DOJO. That's one of the reasons you may see strange units pop up every so often.

7. Can we write you an email with a question or comment?
Sure you can! Just keep in mind that any email I get may wind up on the website. Do not send a private note to the Treadmill Sensei. By emailing me you are consenting to publication on the web. This includes any manufacturers out there reading this. You write me and there is a chance it will wind up on the site.

8. I wrote you a week ago and you still haven't answered my email...why not?
Now that the site has been up for a while, I get a lot of emails. A lot of emails. Generally 20 or so a day at the moment (during the "busy season" that number tripled) and I just can't answer every single one. I don't type very fast and I just don't have the time outside of work. I do read every note I receive and keep all questions in my head. If I don't answer you directly, I may integrate your question into one of my reviews or articles, so just keep checking back.

7. Can you tell me how to fix my (insert model here) treadmill or elliptical?
Probably. But I generally won't do it. I don't want you to void your warranty by attempting home repairs and I don't want someone less skilled to get hurt while working on a treadmill motor (or whatever). I can tell you what I think the problem is but I won't walk you through a treadmill repair.

8. Can I replace my treadmill deck with a piece of plywood?
You can but you shouldn't. It's not a good idea and isn't the same as the deck that was designed and engineered for you treadmill.

9. We are a manufacturer and don't like a review you've written, what can we do?
Make better equipment. If you get a bad review here, then you've got some issues with your equipment. It could just be that I ran in to a bad unit, but more than likely you already know about any issues I am bringing up...whether you want to acknowledge them in public or not is another thing completely. There are large numbers of reviews out there on the internet by actual customers who have purchased units and had problems with them and they are easy to find with a quick Google search. If you don't like a review, use it to help fix the problem and let me know when a new version of the unit is out and I'll do a new review of it.

Disclaimer:
This is generally where there is a lot of legal speak and I may eventually resort to that. For now, I just want to say: take my reviews and any others you read out there (online or offline) with a grain of salt. My reviews are my opinions and only that. Go out and try the equipment in order to make up your own mind. Reviews are a great guide but you need to use your own judgment when spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a piece of fitness equipment. These reviews are for entertainment purposes only!

Copyright:
Finally, all material on this website is copyright and trademarked 2007 by the Treadmill Sensei.

Take care!

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

Best 5 Treadmills Under $1000 for Sept 2006

Moshi Moshi!

Way back in June 2006 I promised to write something up on top treadmills under $1000...and, as many of you noticed, that particular list never materialized. The main reason was because I had decided to hold my first annual ICHI-BAN awards for Treadmills and Ellipticals later on this year (coming in October 2006) and wanted to wait to do an all emcompassing "best of" list then. For those of you not familiar with the language of the Treadmill Sensei's forefathers, ICHI-BAN means "number one" or "the very best." Since I'm getting 4-5 emails a day asking for (and some downright DEMANDING) a best of summary, I've decided to whip something up for the mean time.

What follows is a top 5 treadmills under $1000 and isn't determined by any sort of long, drawn out scientific process. These are the top 5 units that come to me from my 20 year experience and knowing what's currently out there. I'm going to do them in reverse order and after the list you'll find short descriptions of each unit, with a link to a previous review if I have one up and a pointer where you might be able to buy one...although no one really needs that these days with internet shopping so widespread and so easy to do now.

Drum roll please...

#5: Fitnex T30 $899
#4: Smooth 5.25 Treadmill $999
#3: New Balance 1200 Treadmill $910
#2: Horizon T72 Treadmill / Horizon T62 Treadmill $799
#1: The Sole F63 Treadmill (aka the Spirit Z88 Treadmill) $999

Best Treadmill under $400 -- The Spirit Leisure Works 539 $399

Filling our Honorable Mention spots is the Leisure Works 539 (LW539) Treadmill. You can check out the original review HERE. Although it doesn't have much in the electronics department (no programs, no HR monitor, etc), the Leisure Works 539 is as solid as it is budget conscious. Great for walking and for those with limited space.

The Fitnex T30 Treadmill: Coming in at a respectible 5th place, the Fitnex T30 is a nice solid buy. The deck size isn't going to win it any awards, but this very beautiful, sturdy machine comes with a mind blowing lifetime warranty for in-home use. You just can't beat that in a treadmill.

The Smooth 5.25 Treadmill: At number 4, the Smooth 5.25 is the top pick for a lot of people. After a rough couple of years, Smooth has made a nice comeback in the form of the new 5.25 treadmill. Check out the review HERE.

The New Balance 1200 Treadmill: Our #3 treadmill is the New Balance 1200. The New Balance 1200 gives you one of the largest running surfaces available on treadmills under $1000.

Click above to purchase the New Balance 1200 for $910

The Horizon T72 Treadmill: At a strong #2, the Horizon T72 Treadmill (and its predacessor, the Horizon T62) is an incredible machine at an incredible price. I haven't had a chance to do a full review on the Horizon T72 yet, but check out the Horizon T62 review HERE.

The Sole F63 Treadmill: This year, I think the top spot on almost everyone's list is filled by the jaw-dropped Sole F63 Treadmill. This treadmill gives you the best bang for your buck at $999...heck, I proclaim it one of the best buys under $2000 for sure. You can't go wrong with the F63. Check out the full review HERE.

Click above to buy the Sole F63/Spirit Z88 for $999.
Use the code TMSENSEI for an addition 3% off!

Thank you and good night!

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

The fitness name game -- what you're really buying

Ohiyo Gozaimasu!

The Treadmill Sensei is a bit annoyed today. Luckily for the other Senseis here at the DOJO I was out of the repair shop for most of the day. I was at Best Buy trying to pick up a new TV for the bedroom to keep Mrs. Sensei happy and able to watch Nip/Tuck on Tuesday nights. The problem I ran in to was Best Buy offering a free TV if you could find the product available at a lower price elsewhere. I'd seen the exact same television I wanted at Wal-Mart but for about $10 less, so I took the ad in to Best Buy to get myself a free 32" tv. What I was told was that the television had a different model number from the Best buy version and therefor the tv was excluded from their advertisement. They went even further to say that the two televisions were entirely different and just appeared to be similar.

Now, knowing what I do about the world and being very stubborn, I took my digital camera back to Wal-Mart and proceeded to photograph every inch of the television they had on their floor for $10 less than Best Buy. I even convinced the poor clerk to allow me to take off the rear shroud of the tv to photograph the interior parts and boards as well. I printed out the pictures at home and went back to Best Buy. I showed the manager all of the pictures and how the interior parts were all exactly the same. The TVs even had the same part numbers on the inside (neither of which matched the Wal-Mart or Best Buy part numbers for the set)! For all intents and purposes, the tvs were identical except for what the two stores called them. After 45 minutes of arguing, the Best Buy manager finally broke down and admitted they were the exact same television and that the companies were given slightly different model numbers so they wouldn't have to actually deal with the price matching guarantees they all offered.

"Ah-hah!" I said triumphantly and demanded my free television set. They declined giving it to me for free but did give it to me at cost which made me very happy. Now, I didn't really expect to get the tv for free but I knew I wouldn't leave the store until the manager admitted that I'd been lied to and that their advertising practices were bordering on false representation. I knew this were the truth because the practice is actually prevailant in the fitness industry as well. There are a number of companies that put out the exact same unit under different names (and sometimes even alter the paper specifications of the machines) in order to keep the price matching down between their product lines. On the lower end of the spectrum, Icon Fitness does this with a lot of their product, as does Horizon...both in an attempt to keep their internet and brick & mortar dealers away from each other's business. Keys Fitness and their Alliance/Ironman/Keyes/Evolution lines are another fine example. Finally, on the higher end, Spirit does it with Sole and Cardio Strength. Think the Spirit Z88 looks an awful lot like the Sole F63? Well, it's because they're the same treadmill.

A very interesting fact is that the Cardio Strength units only exist on paper. If you order one from a vendor you'll actually just get the Spirit version! Cardio Strength doesn't exist in reality.

Do you want to know who I feel is one of the biggest perpetrators of the "name game" is? Landice. Have you ever wondered what the difference between a home , a Light Commercial (LTD) and a Club landice is? Absolutely NOTHING. They are the exact same unit. A home Cardio trainer, an LTD Cardio Trainer and a Club Cardio Trainer are the EXACT same machine. The only difference is in the use warranty. A Landice home model with a lifetime warranty can only be sold within 60 miles of a dealer. An LTD is the same model but can be sold online with a lesser warranty (probably to keep internet dealers from competing with local stores -- idiocy if you ask me) and the Club is the same model yet again but is given a commercial warranty for use in gyms, fitness centers and so on. So, if you're a home user you're paying more for the same unit but with a lesser warranty! How crazy is that?

The benefit of buying a Landice online is that you can get free inside delivery and have the unit set up for you for free. Of course, you lose that fantastic lifetime parts warranty, but luckily the Landice treadmills are so well built they'll generally outlast their user if properlay taken care of. If the Landice treadmills weren't so damn good I'd almost say this practice was criminal. If nothing else it is misleading to customers, especially home buyers.

This act displeases the Treadmill Sensei for a number of reasons. First off, it makes my life more confusing! Aren't there already 5000 different types of treadmills I already have to keep straight in my head? Do we really need fake names as well? Sheesh. Second, interestingly, it causes some review sites to rank the treadmills (and ellipticals) differently even if they are the exact same unit physically! I'm sure you've seen a couple of review sites out there who rank a Sole treadmill with excellent marks while only give the Spirit version average ratings. Finally, as in the case of a Landice, it can cause a buyer to spend a lot more money than they have to for something that is widely available for a lower cost under a different name or model number.

It's a bit silly once you realize what is going on...BUT, when you figure out what game the manufacturers are playing you can use it to your advantage and get the unit you want for a lower price! For example: if you really want an Alliance A7e from Keys Fitness, then knowing you can get the Ironman Evolution for $300 less and get the exact same elliptical with a different paint job will help you save some of your hard earned cabbage.

Do your research when you're buying equipment because with enough investigation you'll probably be able to find exactly what you want under a different name for a lower price!

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

Reader Mailbag - Treadmill Motor Maintenance and Cleaning

Nihango!

Things are going well here in Colorado at the Health & Business fitness tradeshow. The Treadmill Sensei is having much fun seeing the latest from treadmill and elliptical manufacturers. Even though I am away from the DOJO (and I dread to see the condition young Hikaru and the others leave the shop in) I still wanted to share the wisdom of the Sensei with you, my fine readers.

This week we have a note from Sandy in Australia about her treadmill motor. Take it away, Sandy!

"Hello, I just came across your site and thought you could give me some ideas. I have a York Runner 61820 that I bought about 4 years ago. Lately it has been smelling like rubber (or motor!) burning. I lubricate the mat probably too much, but I thought that may be the problem. After reading your tips for treadmill maintenence, I thought it could be because I don't have a matt under it. Is there some way to clean the motor if it is because of the static you mentioned? I tried e-mailing York, but I never got a response. I am in Australia so I maybe I just don't have the correct e-mail address. Anyhow, I'd really appreciate any advice you may have. I love my treadmill and will probably never be able to afford another so I'd really like to look after it."
Kind Regards, Sandy in Australia

Thanks for your note! Just from your description of the smell, it sounds like your motor needs to be cleaned. What you can do is remove the hood that covers the motor -- make sure your treadmill is unplugged first! Then you'll probably notice a ton of dust and debris in there. You'll need to blow it out -- we use an air compressor here in the repair shop, but you can also get a couple of cans of the compressed air used for cleaning computer keyboards. It'll probably be caught in the fan portions of the motor especially. A vaccuum cleaner works as well and probably won't be as messy, but they take a bit longer to get the job done.

Get as much out as possible.

You might still smell the burning for a few days after as bits and pieces fall away, but it should disappear within a week. Make sure to clean under the treadmill for the first week because if you don't the debris will get sucked back up in to the motor.

If that doesn't solve the problem in a week or so, feel free to get back to meand we can try to work it out.

Take care.

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

How to replace your treadmill belt

Nihango!

A question I get asked a lot here at the DOJO (and by my wife's pesky relatives) is: How the heck do I replace a damaged treadmill belt?

If you find your belt slipping, or your deck slowing down and stop, or if the edges of your treadmill belt look worn, frayed or curls up, then you may need to have your treadmill belt replaced. Luckily, replacing the belt isn't as hard as you'd think.

The very first thing you're going to want to do is take a look at your treadmill deck. If the deck looks to be in good shape then there is a good chance it just needs to be lubricated (or waxed). If you see signs of wear such as scratches or grooves then both the deck and belt are probably going to need to be replaced.

If the deck appears fine but your belt is torn, curling or frayed, it's time to replace the treadmill belt. Thankfully, treadmill manufacturers have made it pretty easy to replace a belt even if you're not the Treadmill Sensei.

Most important: Turn your treadmill off and remove the power cord! This way you don't get shocked and you'll guarantee the treadmill doesn't turn on while you're working on it. That would be bad. If your treadmill inclines (which most do), adjusting it a few degrees may make the operation a little easier for you.

You loosen the belt adjustment screws in the back of your treadmill's deck and then slide the rear roller forward and away from the belt. Remove the front roller and then the rear roller. There will be a number of screws along the sides of the deck which attach the deck to the rest of the treadmill. Remove those and you'll be able to remove your deck.

At this point you can slide your belt off. Now is a perfect time to go ahead and lubricate your deck as well. From there, put on your new belt and reassemble your deck.

Taking the time to wax your treadmill deck while the belt is off may be a good idea. It'll keep you from having to do it all over again later on.

Finally, once you have it all back together you're going to want to test the adjustment. Start your treadmill at a slow speed and walk on it firmly. If the belt stops, hesitates or changes speed then you're going to need to adjst the rear screws. Adjust as needed until you are sure the belt isn't slipping or changing speed.

And there you have it, how to replace a treadmill belt.

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

The Landice Treadmill Mystery Solved -- Which unit is right for you

Moshi Moshi!

I had planned to do a detailed review of the Landice L7 Executive treadmill today, but Mrs. Sensei has laid down the law and I only have a few minutes to post a review on this fine July 4th holiday -- the DOJO itself is empty and all of the other senseis are off work and at home enjoying their families. Look for the full review tomorrow, but for today enjoy a quick rundown of the differences between the numerous models of Landice treadmills out on the market.

If you'vee spent time looking at Landice treadmills then you've probably noticed they have a large number of units available and the differences between them aren't always as obvious as they should be. Here is a guide to comparing the different models, full commercial and light commercial.

At each level (L7, L8 and L9), the only difference between a Pro Sports Trainer, a Cardio Trainer and an Executive trainer is going to be the console. The Landice Pro Sports Trainer Treadmill has the lowest end, basic display, and the Landice Executive treadmills have the highest end (really spiffy, if you ask me) displays. The difference in the consoles is very obvious upon viewing.

The differences of each Landice treadmill level (L7, L8 and L9) is going to be the size of the rollers and the length of the deck. The higher the number, the heaver and larger the rollers and the longer the treadmill deck.

The LTD versus the Club style is an easy one as well. LTD means the unit is light commercial and Club means the unit is full commercial -- meaning it is rated to run for a higher number of hours per week (full commercial usually means 100+ hours of use per week). The LTDs come in 110v and the Clubs in 220v or 110v. If you're using a Landice Club treadmill in your home, make sure to request 110v or you may not be able to run it properly.

And there you go, the mystery of the Landice treadmills is solved!

Landice L7 LTD Treadmill - Summary
3-HP continuous duty motor
20” x 58” four-ply treadbelt
2 -1/2” diameter, 14-pound steel rollers
400-pound user weight capacity
Reading / Accessory Rack
L7 Footprint 32" x 77"
Weight 300 lbs.

Landice L7 Club Treadmill - Summary
3-HP continuous duty motor
20” x 58” four-ply treadbelt
2 -1/2” diameter, 14-pound steel rollers
400-pound user weight capacity
Reading / Accessory Rack
L7 Footprint 32" x 77"
Weight 300 lbs.

Landice L8 LTD Treadmill - Summary
3-HP continuous duty motor
20” x 63” four-ply treadbelt
3 -1/2” diameter, 22-pound steel rollers
500-pound user weight capacity
Reading / Accessory Rack
L8 Footprint 32" x 82"
Weight 415 lbs.

Landice L9 Club Treadmill - Summary
3-HP continuous duty motor
20” x 63” four-ply treadbelt
3 -1/2” diameter, 22-pound steel rollers
500-pound user weight capacity
Reading / Accessory Rack
L9 Footprint 32" x 82"
Weight 425 lbs.

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

Treadmill Maintenance -- 11 Tips for the care of your treadmill

Ohiyo!!

So, you've spent the weeks you needed to research, try out, choose and purchase your brand new treadmill. You've gotten it assembled and begun your daily workouts...so what now? Well, even the highest end commercial treadmills need a bit of love and affection to keep them purring like a kitten. This guide will tell you everything you need to know to keep your treadmill in tip top shape.

Tip #1
The first thing you are going to want to do is get a good treadmill mat to go underneath your unit. Despite what you think, a treadmill mat isn't as much for protecting your floor as for protecting your treadmill. You see, a treadmill's motor builds up a huge static charge as you work out. The charge will suck dust, lint and debris into your motor, causing it to clog and run inefficiently. The more gunk in your motor the worse it will run and the shorter its lifespan will be. Sliding a nice treadmill mat underneath your equipment will help reduce that static and the amount of stuff getting sucked up in it. As a bonus, you'll also be protecting your floor and carpet. Watch out for cheap mats, tho. If you pick up a budget treadmill mat you run the risk of having it stain your hardwood floor or stick to your carpet. Supermat is a great brand of treadmill mat and can be purchased for as low as $35.

Tip #2
Sticking with dust and dirt, make sure to dust/clean your treadmill once every other week. Take special care with the belt area as any build up should be cleaned off right away or you'll risk reduced performance.

Tip #3
I know it's going to sound over obvious, but make sure to keep your power cord well away from the base of the unit and the incline mechanism. You have no idea how many cords we end up replacing on our service calls.

Tip #4
If you find your belt slipping, it may be because the belt tracking is off. You can adjust your tracking the same way you make sure the belt is properly aligned, with the alignment screws at the rear of your treadmill. An allen wrench is all you need. A quick quarter clockwise turn should tighten everything back up. Make sure never to turn either side more than a quarter turn at any given time because you the adjustments levels are very fine. Keeping your belt aligned will reduce the load on you treadbelt and belt guides. Check out your owner's manual for more information.

Tip #5
A lot of times the cause of miss aligned on a treadbelt is from the unit not being level. Make sure to get your treadmill level.

Tip #6
Unless specifically isntructed by your owner's manual, do not use silicone or oils to lubricate your treadmill's deck. A clean, dry, dust-free bed and belt combination is ideal for a long-lasting treadmill. If your manual recommends the use of a silicone spray for lubrication, make sure to precisely follow application and scheduling instructions. Some treadmill decks may require initial waxing to help reduce friction with the belt. Do not wax a deck unless recommended by the manufacturer. Lubrication to pretreated wax decks may interfere with the wax.

Tip #7
The lowest level of friction between your belt and deck is desired. If the amount of friction is too high, you'll end up with damage and wear to both your motor and your year. The best way to judge a low friction belt is that it will slide when the power is off and you can manually walk the belt when the treadmill is powered down. Improper lubrication can lead to overworking your motor.

Tip #8
One of the main problems on most treadmills (home and commercial) is in the control board. As with any computer, the treadmill's control board is subject to power surges, improper grounding and so on. The best way to protect your treadmill's computer brain is to unplug it when not in use and use a grounded plug when powered on.

Tip #9
Read your user's manual. I know, I know..."who really reads those darn things?" Well, you should. Just about everything you need to know will be found in that little book that came with your treadmill. Pop it open while you're in the bathroom for a good read.

Tip #10
Never operate your treadmill while wet. Bad idea for so many reasons.

Tip #11
Last but not least, if you are having trouble with your treadmill and need it fixed...then call the Treadmill Sensei! That's what we do! (Ok, so it's a shameless plug...but it's my website so nyah).

Anyway, a few simple steps and you'll be able to take care of your treadmill so it can continue to help take care of you for years to come.

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

The Home Buyers Guide to Choosing an Elliptical Trainer

Ohiyo!

Even in the depths of the DOJO do I hear your cries: "But, Treadmill Sensei, long ago you told us how to properly choose a home treadmill, but when will you share with us your wisdom on picking an elliptical trainer?"

Wonder no more as the Treadmill Sensei has heard your pleas and answer them with his most learned of words. I bring you the:

The Treadmill Sensei's Home Buyers Guide to Choosing an Elliptical Trainer

Over the past few years Elliptical trainers have taken the fitness industry by storm. What was once a fad relegated to late night infomercials is now perhaps the single most dominant piece of equipment at the majority of gyms and personal training centers.

Let's start with the guide by taking a look at the differences between a treadmill and an elliptical trainer. The most immediate thing you're going to notice is that the elliptical is almost entirely impact free. This means you will no longer be subjected to the lower joint pain most associated with running. Even a treadmill with great shock absorbtion and an orthopedic belt, while better than running on pavement, will still abuse your knees and ankles.

On the flip side, a treadmill is much better for targeted training for joggers and runners. You can't really train properly for a marathon on an elliptical. As close as the feel of an elliptical is to walking or running, it's still not as good as actually running.

Now, let's take a look at the "pain" of running. Recent studies have shown people to work out hard and longer on ellipticals because the perceived amount of effort seems to be much less. The more "comfortable" a work out, the longer and hard someone will go. This is one of the main reasons a lot of seniors and older exercisers have taken to the elliptical so readily.

Another glaring difference is the crosstraining arms most ellipticals have (with a few exceptions such as the majority of the Precor elliptical units). With the addition of the crosstraining bars, the elliptical allows you an additional aspect in your work out -- strength training. Almost all fitness experts agree that all proper workouts need a strength training aspect and the elliptical packages it with the cardio training quite nicely.

Let's talk about what to look for in an elliptical trainer. First, which is better, a front wheel or rear wheel elliptical. Truth be told, they both work exactly the same. Anyone who tells you differently is just trying to see you a bill of goods. They give you the exact same workout. The only real difference is if you're a larger person or if you're on a lighter weight (or less sturdy) machine. In this case, the front drives will definitely feel quite a bit sturdier. This is because when you work out on an elliptical, you are throwing all of your weight forward. Having the drive and heavy flywheel up front will help to balance you out. Larger flywheels are better as they tend to last longer and give more sturdiness to a machine.

Most elliptical trainers have magnetic brakes and you don't want to mess with anything else. The old friction based brakes tended to wear out too quickly, so stay away from any dinosaur machines that still use them.

Stride is one of the most important features on an elliptical because they have the most to do with comfort. Longer strides are better on ellipticals -- unless, of course, you're a shorter person, but for most people strides of 18" or longer are best. Personally, I've find 20-21 inch strides to be the best for anyone up to about 6'4". Anything shorter than 18" will be uncomfortable for most people.

Footpads: make sure the unit you are looking at has articulating footpads. The reason for this is because elliptical traininers with static footpads (such as the Tunturi units) can cause your feet to start to go numb on longer work outs. This is from the lack of circulation caused by the static pedals. Looks for footpads that flex with your feet. You'll thank the sensei for it.

Things like programs, heart rate control and personal fans are nice, but the above points are the main things to keep an eye on. Also, try out the feel of the way you mount an elliptical. There are two varieties of mounting -- side mount machines (such as the Precor 546 or Star Trac Rear Drive) and rear mount machines (such as the Matrix E5x or Horizon EX44). Some people have a bit of difficulty on mounting from the side and should look at rear drive options. As with the position of the flywheel, rear-mount versus side-mount ellipticals work exactly the same way.

The best way to pick out an elliptical is to head out to either a gym or local sports retailer and give them a try. Be warned, tho, once you work out on a commercial grade elliptical, it's hard to transition over to a residential grade one. The top of the line commercial ellipticals are by Star Trac, Matrix, Precor and Life Fitness. The top residential grade ellipticals include Horizon, New Balance and Endurance. Fitnex and Spirit / Sole are great mid range brands that do an exellent job of giving commercial quality work outs for not much more than a residential price.

That's it for the Sensei. I shall speak with you all again tomorrow.

UPDATE: Check out my Online Assistant and Elliptical Chooser! It will help you choose the right equipment for your fitness needs.

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

Remanufactured Treadmills, Ellipticals and Fitness Equipment -- Why and How to Buy It Without Getting Ripped Off!

Ohiyo!

A few days ago I testified a bit on how to properly choose a home / residential grade treadmill. This time, since it has been a quiet day at the DOJO, I am going to ramble a bit on the ins and outs of remanufactured commercial equipment. This guide can be used not only for cardio equipment like treadmills and ellipticals, but also for strength equipment...although I get more than enough of a strength workout every day lifting and moving heavy treadmills around the DOJO.

Remanufactured equipment (sometimes called refurbised or reconditioned -- it all depends on which company you are dealing with) has taken off quite a bit in the last few years as gym owners and home buyers both have realized they can purchase ultra high quality commercial equipment, in great condition for a fraction of the cost. Most remanufactured equipment with sell for 30-70% off of the original price! If you've ever wanted to have a Precor Elliptical or Life Fitness treadmill in your home, now you can!

The single most confusing thing about remanufactured equipment is just what it means...and what the difference between a remanufactured treadmill, a refurbished treadmill and a reconditioned on is. Unfortunately for buyers and poor service techs like the Treadmill Sensei, there are no industry standard definitions for these terms and what you get will vary from company to company. If you are going to buy remanufactured (or refurbished or whatever) equipment, make sure to ask what a company’s definition of what they are selling you is because you might be surprised at the answer. Some companies will just wipe a unit down, touch up the paint and then send it out the door as "remanufactured." Beware of these companies!

Let’s go over the life of a piece of gym equipment destined for remanufacturing...this is something I do nearly every day for my repair clients so I know of what I speak!

Most larger gym chains lease their equipment instead of buying it. This allows them to trade in their equipment every few years. Once that equipment has been returned the the manufacturer, it is then resold to a remanufacturer (or reseller who then turns the unit over for remanufacturing to someone like your Treadmill Sensei). A quality remanufacturer will then strip the unit down to the frame, sandblast it to remove any traces of rust (a number of less reputible vendors will just paint over rust) and then repaint it using the same high end paint ($250-300/gallon!) used by the manufacturers themselves. We do powder coating here at the DOJO, but the regular repaints can be almost as good. At this point, all wear items are replaced -- bearings, grips, rollers and so on. Diagnostics are then run on the electronics to make sure they are up to snuff and then cleaned up or replaced. On most equipment (treadmills and ellipticals, for example) the majority of problems will, luckily, come in the form of the control board. I say "luckily" because the boards can generally be replaced for $30 or so and take almost no time to reinstall. Also, most structural problems with a treadmill or elliptical will pop up in the first 30-60 days. Once you've made it past that point you should be in the clear and have a fine piece of equipment on your hands.

In my personal experience, and this may be because the DOJO turns out great work, remanufactured units tend to have a much lower rate of problems or defects when done correctly. This is because the treadmills and ellipticals (or strength equipment) are gone over with such a fine tooth comb and service so completely that any defects or problems which might have been missed by the manufacturer are caught and fixed as part of the servicing.

With a little bit of research, going the remanufactured route will allow a smaller fitness facility to compete with larger chains by offering competitive fitness equipment while saving money. In fact, many fitness trainers and gyms are finding they are able to reach a profit much earlier by taking advantage of the lower cost and high reliability of remanufactured equipment.

For home buyers, remanufactured equipment lets you purchase the same high end commercial equipment you work out on at your local gyms for a fraction of the price. And, if you've ever tried to go from working out on a Life Fitness, Matrix, Star Trac or Landice to working out on a crappy Proform machine, you're already familiar with the disappointment a lot of wind up experiencing when they try to make the transition. Buying remanufactured lets you stick with what you know.

A quick tip on where to buy remanufactured equipment: places like American Fitness and Big Fitness, but the highest quality seems to be coming out of Amazon right now right now. I've seen a number of their Precor 544 and 546 Ellipticals and I've been impressed every time.

Good luck with your purchasing and feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions or comments. The DOJO is always open.

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

The Home Buyers Guide to Choosing a Treadmill

Moshi Moshi!

Hello again from the Far East on the West Coast, and greetings from the DOJO. This week, before I get in to the nuts and bolts of the treadmills and the ellipticals I work on, I'm going to start with a quick guide to how to choose a treadmill -- well, how to choose a residential / home grade treadmill. Choosing a commercial treadmill tends to be a bit easier -- go Star Trac, Matrix, Landice or Life Fitness and, in spite of their great ellipticals, avoid Precor treadmills. Precor is a great company, they just don't quite have treadmills down as well as the other companies. With the commercial treadmills it's kind of like choosing between a BMW, a Mercedes and a Lexus. It's all about bells and whistles more than performance...they're all great machines and we'll talk about them another time.

Home treadmills are a tough sea to navigate for most buyers -- there are so many different brands and they all look alike to outsiders. Luckily, over the past 20 or so years, I've had to repair just about every treadmill ever made. In other words, my pain will be your salvation!

My first piece of advice is: avoid anything and everything from Icon Health and Fitness. They're the manufacturer of the units you'll find at places like Sears -- nothing against Sears, but the treadmills they sell tend to be on the lower end of the quality scale. Their treadmills seem to have specs that are too good to be true for their cost and, truth be told, they are. The old proverb, "you get what you pay for" comes in to play with them. Small motors with high RPMs to give them a perceived higher horsepower (most of their motors should really be rated at under 1.5 HP regardless of what they tell you -- a motor the size of a soda can should not be powering a full sized treadmill!), lots of plastic pieces, tiny rollers, and generally unstable machines are par for the course for the Icon brands like Proform, Weslo, Healthrider and Image. Just stay away from them! There are better treadmills even at the more affordable prices that Icon tempts the unlearned consumer with.

On with translating the arcane lore that is treadmill purchasing for the lay person.

Let's start with the motor. The first thing you want to do is make sure the motor is rated with "Continuous Duty." Any sales person or manufacturer who gives you a "Peak" rating is trying to sell you a bag of magic beans. Peak is best described as the maximum a motor will perform at before it breaks down. What's more imporant is: how the heck is that motor going to perform when you're actually using it? Another thing a shady salesperson might mention is that a common home circuit (120v/15amps) will only let you run about 2.5 HP and any motor larger than that is a waste of money. Technically that is true (about the amps vs. HP, not the waste of money), but the larger motors will tend to last longer as they are not running at the higher RPMs of a smaller motor. And, if nothing else, the larger the motor, the smoother the "ride." A bigger motor will allow you to run or walk on it without slipping.

The next thing to look at is the size of a treadmill's rollers. The bigger the rollers, the longer your belt will last and the better the running experience.

Next, and this is my favorite thing -- especially when recommending cardio equipment to my in-laws -- the warranty. Like anything else, the better the warranty the more piece of mind you will have. The 5 year parts warranty on Sole treadmills, for example, is one of the best in the business. For me, the more faith a manufacturer has in its own product (i.e. the warranty), the more faith I have in that product. Of course, doing repairs I absolutely love the lower end warranties as it means more paying work for me!

What's next? The weight and stability of the machine. There is nothing worse than getting on a treadmill and having it move back and forth, or shake, or, even worse, creak as you run on it. The heavier the unit the longer it will last. If you're used to running on a treadmill at your local gym and then get on most home units, you'll immediately notice the difference. You don't want to be running around on something that feels like it is going to fall apart now do you? Don't answer, that was a rhetorical treadmill question.

The tread and the deck are where most problems for treadmills happen. When the friction from your running builds up between the deck and the tread, the badness begins. Stick with the 4-ply belts/treads that help to reduce the amount of friction, and look at units with reversable, phenolic wax coated decks. Reversable decks let you flip over your running surface to use the opposite side when the original wears down. It's like having a free second deck if you wear out the first one.

Programs. Don't be fooled by this. Most people only wind up using 3-4 programs. If the treadmill has 20, that's cool, but you'll rarely use them. If you do heart rate training, then heart rate control is great. If not, it's just an extra you'll never use...like the clock you've never set on your VCR.

Speed and Incline are worth talking about. Most treadmills can go up to about 10 miles per hour and a 10 degree incline. Don't let speed or incline become a deciding factor unless you're doing a lot of high speed or high incline training. Obviously, electronically controlled speed and incline are the way to go. If those feature are manual just move on.

Finally, test out the shock absorbtion. You want to make sure you aren't running on a hard surface. This is a "feel" thing more than a "scientific" one. If the deck is bouncy, move on. If the deck feels like running on concrete, move on. If the deck moves from side to side, move on. You want to find a deck that feels good, with just enough give and little to no lateral motion.

Beyond that fans, speakers, cup holders, magazine racks and even television sets on the treadmill's console are all just icing on the cake. It's better to get a good treadmill without a fan or TV and spend $50 to buy your own than to get a crappy, fully loaded treadmill which will eventually just become an expensive coat rack for dirty clothes.

Now, I know I alread typed "finally" but there is one last piece to consider: PRICE. You can only get what you can get but don't be fooled into buying a lemon. There are decent (and some downright Great) treadmills at just about every price point. I'll go over some of the best, at least in my experience, treadmills in the under $1000 range in the next week.

Don't despair, there is a good treadmill out there you can actually afford!

UPDATE: Check out my Online Assistant and Treadmill Chooser! It will help you choose the right equipment for your fitness needs.

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