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

Ohiyo!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

Ohiyo!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lisa:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ohiyo!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Proform 860 Competitor Treadmill Review -- An Average Treadmill

Ohiyo!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ohiyo!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ohiyo!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Bladez 850E Elliptical Trainer Review - Best New Technology in an Elliptical

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei loves to check out new treadmills and ellipticals. It is one of my favorite things to do, both here at the DOJO and at fitness tradeshows like the Health & Fitness Business Expo and the IHRSA show. Speaking of the IHRSA show, a few of us from here at TreadmillSensei.com will be there roaming the floor this week on March 5. If you see us, feel free to say "hi!"

Back to new equipment, at the 2007 Health & Fitness show, one of the coolest new technologies we saw for elliptical trainers was the Adjustable Width Technology (AWT) from Bladez/BH Fitness. Their patented new technology allowed users to adjust the spacing between pedals to accomodate different sized users. As a feature found on no other ellipticals, I thought this was a fantastic feature and wished it had come out years ago.

A lot of people are familiar with being able to adjust the angle of an elliptical's pedals, and tons of ellipticals have that feature. However, one of the biggest issues with elliptical workouts, especially when you have mutliple users of differents sizes, is the distance between the two pedals. For some people a wider spacing is preferred, while others like their pedals tighter together. Poor spacing can cause foot numbness, as well as thigh cramps in extreme cases of bad pedal placement. Thankfully, the Bladez 850E Elliptical trainer has addressed this issue in outstanding fashion.

While we had been walked through the new Bladez 850e Elliptical back at the trade show in Denver, I didn't get a long enough time on the machine to give it a full testing. Luckily, we were able to order an 850e elliptical trainer from Amazon.com almost a month ago and have been able to put it through its paces.

Out of the box, the Bladez 850e was very similar in size and slightly heavier than the Sole E25 or the Spirit XE100/Spirit XE200/Spirit XE300 ellipticals. In fact, the looks of the machines is very is very similar in design. Even assembly was almost the same and took us around 20 minutes to complete -- figure on it taking someone with average mechanical abilities around 45 minutes...or, if you're like my wife's Uncle Chris and have no mechanical aptitude, it could take 90 minutes. I prefer the slightly heavier support tubing on the Bladez model but otherwise it is very comparable to the Sole E25 and far exceeds the comparable Spirit ellipticals.

Once Mat and I were able to get to our 10 days or so of testing, we were both highly impressed by the stability and comfort of the Bladez E850e Elliptical. To see a stride of 20" on an elliptical priced at under $700 was amazing, especially when you consider the ability to adjust pedal width to further customize your workout and your comfort. That adjustment allows the 850e to have easily one of the best elliptical feels on an elliptical priced at under $1500. It raises the bar on what an elliptical should have, how it should perform and what its price should be. If you're looking at a Spirit XE100, Spirit XE200 or Spirit XE300, then you're doing yourself an injustice by not taking a look at the Bladez 850e Elliptical as it out-performs them in just about every situation.

In addition to a 20" stride, adjustable width pedals, heavy duty 24 pound flywheel and solid, steel frame, the 850e Elliptical also has 16 levels of resistance, padded foot pedals, pulse grip heart rate monitoring, 12 fitness programs and a 300 pound user weight limit. The only things missing are wireless heart rate monitoring and heart rate control programs, but for an elliptical priced under $700 these features really aren't required or even missed.

Bladez has done a stupendous job with the design and engineering of the 850e elliptical trainer and for that the Treadmill Sensei gives it 5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

A truly remarkable machine, the Bladez 850e Elliptical gets a perfect 5 gold buddahs and may be the best new elliptical of the year.




Get more information and find the lowest price on the Bladez 850E Elliptical Trainer. Save more with NO TAX and FREE SHIPPING


Bladez 850e Elliptical Trainer Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: approximately 24 pounds
Articulating Foot Pedals: Yes
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, Distance, Speed, RPM, Heart Rate & Calories & Program profile
Resistance Levels: 16
Programs: 12
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 175lbs
Price: Under $700

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

The Esprit EL5 Elliptical by Spirit Review - A great deal at under $1100

Ohiyo!

When it comes to equipment made by Spirit Fitness out in Jonesboro, Arkansas, the Treadmill Sensei generally gets one of two questions. The first is usually from disgruntled Spirit dealers who are having problems selling this year's lower quality Spirit equipment and generally amounts to "why aren't you supporting Spirit equipment as much this year because I have a warehouse full of stuff that I can't get rid of."

The second question is from you, my loyal readers, who want to know how the "new" Esprit ellipticals are and whether or not you can trust product from Spirit Fitness with their recent drop in quality (long time readers of a certain Doctor's website probably noticed Spirit's absence from the "best buy" listings this year as opposed to last year when they were all over it - and the same went for my best buy awards).

I think I can address both of those questions with today's review of the Esprit EL-5 elliptical, which we brought in to the DOJO on a loan from a local online retailer. For those of you who don't know, the Esprit line of ellipticals is just a repainted version of the old award-winning 2006 Sole ellipticals, and the Esprit EL5 is just a repainted 2006 Sole E55, while the 2008 Spirit ellipticals are brand new designs. That, my friends, is a great example of the problems with the current line of 2008 Spirit products: their equipment shined in the past when their units were just repainted versions of the Sole treadmills and ellipticals (and received a ton of awards both online and off), but their new shorter frame ellipticals just feel stunted and ill-conceived. That doesn't even mention that most industry experts find the 2008 Spirit treadmills and ellipticals highly over-priced.

Luckily, someone at Spirit was smart enough to keep the old award-winning line at least partially alive with the Esprit line of ellipticals this year. Sure they painted them a funky "refrigerator white" color, but at least the units themselves don't have the issues and bad press associated with the 2008 Spirit ellipticals. But I digress a bit. Let's get on to the Esprit EL5 Elliptical review. We received a note from Ryan C (a regular reader here at www.TreadmillSensei.com), asking for more information on the EL-5 elliptical trainer. Let's see what he has to say...take it away, Ryan!

Do you know anything about the spirit esprit el5. I found it for $1095.00 (plus $4.99 shipping!). I heard it is a repainted version of the sole e55. How odes this item compare to the sole e25? - Ryan

Ryan:

Thanks for your note and questions. You are absolutely correct, the Spirit Esprit El-5 Elliptical is currently on sale at Amazon.com for $1095 and, at that price, the Esprit EL5 is a fantastic buy. You may see it on some slightly shady online retail sites for as much as $1397.99 but don't be conned into paying more (some of those shadier dealers may also try to get you to "convert" over from a Sole unit at a that higher price).

You are also correct in that the Esprit EL5 from Spirit is a repainted version of the older 2006 Sole E55 elliptical. It is a slight downgrade from the current 2008 Sole E55 but at a more budget friendly price. That price is the reason for the high rating on the Esprit EL5 - you are getting a very solid elliptical with a 20" stride, 20 levels of resistance, 6 preset programs, heart rate monitoring, heart rate control programs, articulating and adjustable foot pedals. The unit also offers a very smooth elliptical motion and Sole's patented 2% inward incline pedals for a much more natural feel to your workouts.

The only real downside to the Esprit units is the lesser warranty, the so-so color and lack of the higher-end Sole padding on the foot pedals. It isn't a huge downside, especially at the $1095 price point, but is something worth thinking about.

If you've been checking out the Sole E55 but can't afford the price, or if you were turned off by the stair-stepper feel of the Spirit XE200/Spirit XE300/Spirit XE400 and their outrageous prices, then the Esprit EL5 elliptical is a very nice alternative at a great price.

For being a budget alternative to the Sole E55 and for being more comfortable than standard Spirit ellipticals, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Esprit EL-5 Elliptical by Spirit a sturdy 4 out of 5 golden buddahs. Wow, a 2008 elliptical from Spirit that isn't a disappointment...who woulda thunk?

UPDATE: I don't know how long the Amazon sale will last but this rating is for the Esprit EL5 priced at just under $1100.

The Esprit EL5 Elliptical from Spirit Fitness gets 4 gold buddahs out of 5 but only if priced at under $1100. Anything more than that and I'd suggest sticking with the current 2008 Sole ellipticals instead.




Get more information on the Esprit EL5 elliptical and find the lowest price online.

Spirit Esprit EL-5 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: Listed at 30lbs
Display: LCD
Resistance Levels: 20
Watts: 1000
Programs: 6 preset
Heart Rate Monitoring: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Articulating Pedals: Yes
Adjustable Pedals: Yes
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Unit Weight: 200lbs
Price: Under $1100

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

The Smooth 4.25 Treadmill Review - Top pick for those with limited space

Ohiyo!

Today we received a great question from a loyal reader in the midst of an exercise dilemma. Sherry wants to know what a top rated or best buy treadmill can be found for someone with a small amount of space to dedicate to it. Let's see what she has to say...take it away, Sherry!

Dear Sensei,

I was wondering if you could help me. It's quite overwhelming to see all the different treadmills and I wondered if you could give me your advice. Size is a problem, but I want the best out there. We have limited space in our house. I'm in my mid-50's and out of shape and am relying on the treadmill to get into some kind of good health and shape. My 18 yr. old daughter is also using it as well as my husband.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Many thanks! -Sherry

Sherry:

Thanks for your note. Yours is a question that pops up a lot and really isn't covered all that often by the various review "experts." Since your question is a bit against the grain when it comes to what most people are looking for (this also goes for those shorter buyers who are looking for treadmills or ellipticals which will work for them), which is a larger sized unit with a huge running area.

What you need is a smaller unit which will still stand up to use and abuse by a number of family members. Luckily, this year Smooth Fitness has released a treadmill which may be a great answer to your fitness needs. The Smooth 4.25 Treadmill is their budget priced unit for those who don't have the space for a bigger treadmill. It also happens to be a very sturdy and very solidly built treadmill that will stand up to the abuse of a 3 person household looking to get back in shape.

The first thing to mention about the top rated Smooth 4.25 treadmill is that it ships full assembled. That's right, no more having to mess with putting together a treadmill before you have to use it. The Smooth 4.25 comes ready to plug in and use right out of the box. This, when factored with the free shipping Smooth offers, may be one of the best reasons to get the Smooth 4.25 for a lot of people. Having watched my wife's Uncle Chris try to put together a Proform Elliptical at his house let me experience first hand what the average person goes through when putting together a piece of fitness equipment. For some people this will entail a lot of frustration and more than a little cursing. My Uncle Chris it was a HUGE amout of frustration and a DISTURBING amount of cursing.

The next thing to mention is the size. The Smooth 4.25 treadmill folds up to 11" x 29" x 60," which is small enough to fit in most closets and under most beds - heck, it will even fit in the back of a lot of SUVs or larger cars. The only downside to such a small folded size is that the running area of the 4.26 comes in at about 16"x50," however if you're a smaller person or only in need of a walking or jogging treadmill then that isn't a downside at all.

Where the Smooth 4.25 goes above and beyond the call of duty is in its frame. Made from welded 11 gauge steel, the 4.25 is made of a sturdier metal than most $1500 treadmills and easily outperforms higher end treadmills by lower-end manufacturers such as Spirit, Proform or Epic. Smooth has done an excellent job in making sure the 4.25 treadmill gives one of the most solid workouts available in a treadmill priced at under $1000.

Last, the Smooth 4.25 also still comes with a lot of great features: a large, cool-running 2.0 horsepower motor, 8mph top speed, 7 programs and heart rate monitoring round out what is an excellent buy at about $799. The Smooth 4.25 is a very strong contender for our 2008/2009 treadmill best buy awards later in the year.

For being a top-notch treadmill for shorter people or those lacking in workout space, the Treadmill Sensei gives the excellent Smooth 4.25 Treadmill 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The Smooth 4.25 receives 4.5 gold buddahs from the Treadmill Sensei for being a very sturdy treadmill priced at under $800.

Smooth 4.25 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2hp
Max Speed: 8mph
Max Incline: 7%
Running Area: 16" x 50"
Display: LCD
Programs: 7
Heart Rate Monior: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Rollers: 2"
Folding: Yes
Max User Weight: 250lbs
Unit Weight: 155lbs
Assembly: Pre-assembled
Price: Under $800

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

The 2008 Sole E95 Elliptical Review -- Another excellent update from Sole for 2008

Ohiyo!

Tonight I am continuing my ongoing reviews of the brand new 2008 Sole Fitness Ellipticals and Treadmills. Sole has done an incredible job in their upgrades, which in the ellipticals consists mainly of thicker, sturdier tubing on their supports. You have no idea how great it is to see a fitness manufacturer who has found a near perfect design and then stuck with it, without making meaningless changes. Sole continues to produce some of the best award-winning ellipticals around.

The elliptical I want to single out for today is the 2008 Sole E95 Elliptical trainer. We picked our review model up by ordering it direct from Sole Fitness. With the current trend of some of the shadier retailers who like to use bait-and-switch and other tactics to bully you in to the wrong equipment (something I talked about in-depth recently), we've found the two best places to order your Sole E95 are at Amazon.com, Sole's largest authorized distributor, or direct from the manufacturer, Sole Fitness, itself. These are the only two ways to make sure you are getting exactly what you order and the only way to guarantee that your warranty will be support. Luckily, you'll be able to get the best prices online from them as well.

Best Buy Elliptical Award runner up for Best Elliptical under $2000

The Sole E95 was one of the runner ups this year for the Treadmill Sensei's Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards for an elliptical priced at under $2000 and, to tell the truth, it was a solid contender for the top spot. With the upgraded heavy duty tubing and slick new design, the Sole E95 has carried over all the features from last year that made it a top rated elliptical.

It's got 20 levels of magnetic resistance to allow even a hardcore user to tweak their workouts to meet their fitness needs.

It still has 10 workout programs, including heart rate control programs, as well as wireless and pusle grip heart rate monitoring options. It also still possesses Sole's patented 2% inward incline pedals. Those pedals, some of the most comfortable on the market, are also articulating and adjustable. For anyone getting on a Sole E95 Elliptical for the first time, my recommendation is to play with the pedal adjustment. What may seem like a minor tweak may wind up giving you an incredible feeling work out.

The Sole E95 strangely is listed with a 29 pound flywheel this year. I have absolutely no clue as to why Sole has changed the spec on this because, when you take it apart, it seems to be the exact same flywheel as was in the E95 Ellipticalcrosstrainer last year. A lot of manufacturer's play with their specifations on paper to mess with consumer reactions to a product and to show some sort of change has taken this place. In this case, the two flywheels are the same.

The Sole E95 Elliptical has all the features to make it a great elliptical. From the comfortable, naturally positioned and padded footpedals, to the four rear wheels which ride along rails (as opposed to the two rear wheels often found on lesser ellipticals), the Sole E95 shines.

The only reason the Sole E95 elliptial receives a ranking just short of perfect is because of the plastic guide rails on the back of the unit. This year the plastic is quite a bit more sturdy than in years past (and sturdier than what you'll find in its lesser counterpart, the Spirit XE ), but it still seems a little wrong to me. While the user manual states you shouldn't stand on the plastic guiderail shrouds on the Sole E95 Elliptical, most people will end up doing so - often accidentally. This would be ok except the plastic will crack under too much abuse. This is a minor nitpick on an otherwise great machine because the plastic shrouds do help protect the elliptical's railings from dirt and dust, but I would have like to have seen the Sole E95 elliptical trainer with a metal shroud instead of a plastic one.

For being just short of a perfect performing elliptical crosstrainer, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Sole E95 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

The Sole E95 receives a near perfect 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5.




Get more information on the Sole E95 Elliptical. Find the best price online, avoid gray market bait-and-switch, protect your warranty and Save More with Free Shipping!


You can also order the Sole E95 from Sole Direct and save more with Free Shipping and Pay NO TAX

Sole E95 Elliptical 2008 Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: Listed at 29lbs but same as last year's 30lb flywheel
Display: LED
Programs: 10
Resistance Levels: 20
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Articulating Pedals: Yes
Adjustable Pedals: Yes
Max User weight: 400lbs
Product weight: 215lbs
Price: Under $1700

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

Reader Mailbag: Sole F80 Treadmill vs Bodycraft TR1120/TR1140 Treadmills

Ohiyo!

As much as the Treadmill Sensei dislikes these questions, we get enough of them from you, my loyal readers, that they just have to be answered. Today we have Leslie asking us which treadmill is better for her situation, the Sole F80 or the Bodycraft TR1120/TR1140. Obviously, I can't tell anyone what a "better" treadmill is, but I can give you my opinion on the matter.

Let's see what Leslie to say...take it away, Leslie!

Dear Sensei,

I was directed to your website for the first time tonight (and loved it!). My husband and I want to purchase a treadmill for both walking and running (my husband, in particular, plans to run on it a lot). He is 5’10” or 5’11”, 175 lbs. and I am 5’4”, 135 lbs. I have had 3 knee surgeries, and have no restrictions with regard to my activity, but want to make sure I am always supporting my knees as much as possible when doing any kind of exercise.

You rated the Sole F80, Bodycraft TR1120 and TR1140 treadmills very highly. We obviously like the price of the TR1120 best, but the Bodycraft website lists this as a ‘walking treadmill’. We can afford the SoleF80 or the TR1140 if necessary, but don’t want to spend more money if we don’t need to.

What is your opinion when comparing these machines for running? We obviously don’t want to wear out a machine by running on it if it’s not made for that use. Thanks Sensei! -Leslie

Leslie:

Thanks for your note and your question. To start off with, have you considered an elliptical trainer over a treadmill? With your knee surgeries the nearly zero impact workouts of an elliptical might be beneficial to your physical health. Not that a treadmill is a bad thing, but any sort of standard running (on the ground or on a treadmill) will cause some stress on your knees. Just a thought I wanted to make sure to toss out to you.

In regards to the Bodycraft TR1120, the machine is a fantastic one for the price. At under $1000 it gives its owners an incredible stable and durable treadmill, and one that will out perform any other treadmill in its class. Bodycraft has done an excellent job in the TR1120 treadmill's design. That being said, it is most definitely a walking/jogging/light running treadmill...although, for someone your size it would probably stand up very well to running. Your husband might be a bit too large for hardcore running workouts, but he'd be fine to jog on the thing.

For more intense running type workouts then moving up in class to the Sole F80 or Bodycraft TR1140 is something definitely looking in to. Also, the BodyCraft TR1160 Treadmill has had a bit of a price drop on Amazon.com and you can now find it for almost the same price of the TR1140, which gives you a larger running area, or the Sole F80 looks like it has dropped down to $1299 on AMazon.

To give you my opinion on what the best buy is, I'd actually recommend another option altogether. Probably the best treadmill deal going right now is for the Spirit Fitness Z500 Treadmill on Amazon. This is a closeout model and is the exact same unit as the best buy award winning Sole F83 Treadmill from 2007 - the only difference between the two units is the paint job. They both came out of the same factory and used the same off-the-shelf parts. For $1299 you're getting a step up from the Sole F80 and a unit that is very comparable to the Bodycraft TR1140/TR1160 for a $200+ savings.

Right now, anyone looking to purchase a treadmill in the $1000-$2000 price range who isn't looking at either the Spirit Z500 Treadmill or BodyCraft TR1160 Treadmill is really just throwing money away. I have no clue how long the sale is going to last or how many of these sale units Amazon has, but jump over and take a look. This is a great chance to save $200-$500 on some very high end treadmills.

That's it from this end, I'll be back tomorrow with more treadmill wisdom from the DOJO.

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

The Sole E25 Elliptical 2008 Review - Still the best elliptical under $1000

Ohiyo!

This past month, the Treadmill Sensei has been able to track down a few of the 2008 Sole ellipticals and treadmills. The units are cosmetically a little different than models from the previous years, and some key components have been upgraded, but overall they are still essentially the same best buy award winning units from years past.

Today I want to talk about the 2008 Sole E25 Elliptical - you can read my review of the previous year's model here. For over three years now, the Sole E25 Elliptical has been one of the best performing, highest quality elliptical priced at under $1000. This year, Sole has done some nice upgrades to the machine while keeping it at the same fantastic price and allowing new elliptical shoppers a chance to purchase on of the smoothest, most natural feeling ellipticals on the market.

2008 Ichi-Ban Best Buy Award Winner.

I'm going to start with the only thing that could even remotely being considered a downside to the Sole E25 elliptical: the lack of heart rate control programs. Aside from wanting to differentiate this unit from the Sole E35, I don't really know why Sole didn't decide to make the upgrade to heart rate contol on the Sole E25 - you're talking about a fairly simply electronic component. However, 95% of elliptical owners never actually use heart rate contol during their workouts, so it is a very minor little quibble.

Assembling the 2008 Sole E25 is almost identical to models from previous years. The precision machining Sole uses means putting it together should be a snap. If you can get someone to assist you, it might take 30-45 minutes and comes with almost no frustration involved. If you're looking for more frustration in your ellipticals, I'd suggest a unit from Proform, Bodyguard or Spirit. If you want something easy and unannoying, then stick with the Sole.

Aside from the lack of heart rate control, the Sole E25 is nearly a perfect elliptical machine. This year Sole has added slightly thicker tubing to give the already stable e25 elliptical even more solidity and sturdiness. Normally you'll feel a wobbly, side-to-side shake on most budget ellipticals, such as those from Proform or Spirit, but with the addition of the heavier supports and a nearly 200 pound unit weight, the Sole E25 will hold up to the heavier workouts that go on with those of us who are trying to lose those extra pounds gained over the holidays. When you factor in the heavy flywheel - listed at 23 pounds but identical to the flywheels on the more expensive Sole ellipticals like the E35 or E55 - and Sole's patented 2% inward incline on the pedals, the solid construction of the Sole E25 provides one of the most natural feeling elliptical workouts on the market.

Sole has done an excellent job with the 2008 upgrade of the Sole E25. This year, in addition to the heavier frame, the Sole E25 now features 20 levels of resistance and 10 programs - that's up from 16 resistance levels and 6 programs on the 2006/2007 version of the E25. It's nice to see an elliptical manufacturer actually coming through with a worthwhile upgrade.

For continuing to be one of our favorite budget best buy ellipticals under $1000, the Treadmill Sensei gives the 2008 Sole E25 Elliptical 5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

As still one of the best budget ellipticals and best buy ellipticals under $1000, the Sole E25 comes through once more with 5 gold buddahs.




We have found the lowest price online for the Sole E25. Don't be fooled into paying $90 or more for shipping. Click to get more information or find out how to Save more with FREE Shipping and no Tax.


2008 Sole E25 Elliptical Specifications
Stride Length: 20 inches
Flywheel: 23lbs
Articulating Foot Pedals: Yes
Resistance Levels: 20
Display: Blue LCD
Readouts: Time, Distance, Calories, Levels
Programs: 10
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Fans: Yes
Max Weight Capacity: 325 lbs.
Unit weight: 190lbs
Price: Under $1000

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

The Sole F63 Treadmill 2008 Review - Still one of the best treadmills at any price

Ohiyo!

For more than 3 years now, the Sole F63 treadmill has been one of the dominant treadmills in the under $1000 price range. It has been one of the top sellers online and is one of the best reviewed treadmills at any price. This year Sole has upgraded the unit while keeping it at the same under $1000 price tag that consumers have gone crazy for.

The 2008 Sole F63 Treadmill comes with the same monster, cool running, low RPM 2.5 horsepower motor from years past. The F63 motor was the same one found in most of the Spirit treadmills as well as in last year's best buy award winning Sole F80 treadmill. When properly maintained, the motor on the Sole F63 should outlast the 20-year warranty it ships with.

It still has the same 10mph top speed, fantastic 15% incline, large precision machined 2.5" rollers and large 20"x55" deck. The only real changes in the Sole F63 this year are in its look and in the larger support tubing in the upright console supports. The large supports give the already solid SOle F63 even more stability and sturdiness, making the Sole F63 the single most stable and shake-free treadmill under $1000...and it gives higher priced treadmills a run for their money as well. Step on a Sole F63 after checking out a higher priced Spirit treadmill and you'll see the difference immediately. Gone are the shakes and bouncies often found in the Spirit XT175, Spirit XT275 or Spirit XT375 treadmills. The budget-priced Sole F63 out-performs them all.

I can say that I was glad that Sole Fitness decided to keep this best buy award winning treadmill unchanged aside from the cosmetic changes and the larger tubing. The Sole F63 was about as close to a perfect treadmill as you could find in the budget price range.

My one warning about purchasing the Sole F63 comes in where you buy it. A lot of online retailers are knocking a few bucks off of the price of the unit (you may see it listed at $995 some places), but they are tacking on a $99 shipping fee. What that means is that even with a promised 5% discount you'll still end up paying more than market value for the Sole F63. Check out Amazon.com for the Sole F63 priced at $999.99 with free shipping. Don't get conned into paying more by shady sales people, especially when you can get it at a lower price on Amazon as well as take advantage of Amazon's buyer protection.

For being a solid, best buy treadmill, the Treadmill Sensei gives the 2008 Sole F63 Treadmill 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The Sole F63 gets a great 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5.




We have found the lowest price for the Sole F63 treadmill online. Don't be fooled into paying for shipping...get more information and save more with Free Shipping at Amazon.


2008 Sole F63 Treadmill Specifications
Horsepower: 2.5 HP
Max Speed: 10 MPH
Max Incline: 15%
Rollers: 2.5"
Belt: 2 ply
Deck Size: 20" x 55"
Display: LCD
Readouts: Speed, Incline, Time, Distance Traveled, Calories, Pulse, pace and 1/4 mile track.
Programs: 6 standard
Heart Rate Monitoring: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Folding: Yes
Max Weight Capacity: 325 lbs.
Weight: 245 lbs.

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

The SportsArt E81 Elliptical Review - Highest quality, low price, fantastic elliptical

Ohiyo!

Today's review was actually written back in November when we received a number of SportsArt Fitness pieces in from a vendor in Arizona. The retailer was kind enough to let us borrow a few units for review since the Treadmill Sensei was having a bit of a difficult time in locating the ellipticals here locally.

SportsArt Fitness continues to be one of the leaders in quality and design for the fitness industry. It is fantastic to see SportsArt bringing that level of quality (normally found only in ellipticals priced in excess of $2500) to a more accessible price range.

If you are in the market for an elliptical in the under $2000 price range, then you're shooting yourself in the foot if you aren't taking a look at the SportsArt E81 and its little brother, the SportsArt E80. These two machines can best be described as the closest thing to a commercial elliptical feel in the price range.

As with the SportsArt E80, the E81 Elliptical was quick and easy to assemble -- the unit we reviewed came in fully assembled, but we broke it down and I handed it off to Hikaru to put back together. Hikaru is pretty skilled at assembly, which only took him about 20 minutes. For those of you with more average mechanical abilities, figure on the SportsArt E81 going together in about 45 minutes with very little to no cursing involved.

The E81 seems to have the same heavy duty, well-constructed steel frame as the SportsArt E80 elliptical. It also uses all bearings in its joints and pivot points. This is a great upgrade over lesser quality machines from places like Spirit which use much flimsier and break-down prone brass bushings. The bearings will provide a much smoother, quieter and more natural feeling workout as well as extend the life of the elliptical by years over an elliptical with bushings.

It was great to see that SportsArt has upgraded the number of resistance levels in the E81 over the old E80, which only had 10 levels of resistance. This allows SportsArt E81 owners to better fine tune their workouts and maximizing their exercise time. All-in-all, the SportsArt E81 is a fantastic upgrade to the very solid SportsArt E80 elliptical, and is easily one of the best ellipticals priced at under $2000. I'd look for this unit to be a heavy contender for the best buy elliptical award in 2008.

For being a fine example of a great commercial quality elliptical at a budget price, the Treadmill Sensei gives the SportsArt E81 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

SportsArt steps up their game with the new SportsArt E81 Elliptical.


We have found the best price for the SportsArt E81 Elliptical online. Get more information, Save More and protect your warranty by going factory direct.


SportsArt E81 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 19"
Flywheel: Approximately 22lbs
Display: LCD
Display Readouts: Level, strides per minute, time, heart rate, total strides, watts, distance and calories
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Resistance Levels: 14
Programs: 8
Unit Weight: 170lbs
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Price: Under $1800

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

The Fuel FT94 Treadmill Review - The Best Treadmill Available Under $1000

Ohiyo!

Every so often the Treadmill Sensei gets to take a look at a truly spectacular piece of fitness equipment here at the DOJO. That was the case about a month ago when a box labeled as the "Fuel FT94 Treadmill" was dropped off here at our warehouse doors. I've already talked a little bit about their great ellipticals, and due to high reader demand we decided to follow up and check out their two brand new treadmills.

I have to say that I was blown away by what we saw during our tests of the Fuel FT94 treadmill, especially considering the under $700 price. The test we ran were the standard, hardcore Treadmill Sensei tests - 12 days of running and walking workouts by two people (myself and my parter who actually exceeded the weight limit of the FT94) over the course of a two week period. The workouts were between 15 and 45 minutes in length and consisted of walking, jogging and light running by both of us. Keep in mind, we don't have any of the magical testing machines that other review sites claim to use -- it is just a couple of guys working out exactly the same way you, our loyal readers, will be using the machines. Although, to tell the truth, we're probably a bit rougher on the treadmills than the average user is going to be.

Out of the box, the Fuel FT94 treadmill was about average in ease of assembly. Figure on it taking around 30-45 minutes to put together. The unit we received had one hole in the console that was a bit hard to get lined up. At first we thought it was mis-drilled but we quickly discovered it was a little plastic burr that hadn't been cleaned out. As with all treadmills, putting the Fuel FT94 together is easier with a second set of hands helping out.

For those of you who are not familiar, the Fuel equipment is made at the same factory that the best buy award winning Sole treadmills and ellipticals are manufactured. In fact, the Fuel FT94 seems to be very similar in components to the Sole F63 treadmill. The only real difference seems to be in electronics and warranty -- the 2.25hp motor on the Fuel FT94 appears to be almost identical (if not the same) as the Sole F63.

The Fuel FT94 treadmill shares all the great features found in the higher priced Sole treadmills, including heavy duty frame, easy-assist folding, MP3 speakers, shock absorption system and hand grip heart rate monitoring. A quick glance "under the hood" seems to reveal the same "off the shelf" components that was found in the majority of the old Spirit, Sole and Esprit treadmills. The Fuel FT94 appears to be a case of putting a new name on an older unit. The only real difference between the Sole F63, Esprit or Spirit treadmills and the Fuel FT94 is in the shorter parts warranty on the FT94.

If you are in the market for a high quality home treadmill but don't want to spend the $1000-$1299 it normally costs, check out the Fuel FT94 for one of the best value treadmills for your money. Also, check out the Fuel FT96 for some great upgrades to the awesome Fuel FT94. The Treadmill Sensei gives the Fuel FT94 5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs for being the best bang for your buck under $1300.

The Fuel FT94 treadmill is one of the most stable treadmills available for under $700 and out-performs a lot of treadmills priced at $1000 or more!

Fuel FT94 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.25 hp
Speed: 10 mph
Incline: 10%
Unit Weight: 220 lbs.
Max User Weight: 270 lbs.
Running Surface: 20" X 55"
Belt: 2 ply
Rollers: 2.5"
Folding: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Display: LCD
Standard Programs: 5
User Defined Programs: 2
Price: Under $700

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

The 2008 Sole F80 Treadmill Review - A world class treadmill upgrade

Ohiyo!

This year Sole Fitness has tweaked their entire, award-winning line of treadmills and ellipticals. In general, most of that tweaking was cosmetic -- color, shape of console and thickening of tubing to make the units stronger -- but for the already spectacular Sole F80 Treadmill, Sole has gone one step further and added in a larger, cooler running motor. That's right, last year's great 2.5 horsepower motor was replaced with an even larger 3 horsepower motor that runs at low RPMs in order to extend it's life and give owners fairly care-free maintence.

It's very very easy to see why just about every fitness expert out there, as well as more consumers than you can shake a stick at, consider the Sole F80 to be the best buy treadmill for under $1500.

2007-2008 Ichi-Ban Best Buy Award Winner for treadmills under $1500.

Last year I talked about the sturdy platform and frame of the Sole F80 and how it would hold up to some fairly hardcore workouts. How runners and walkers alike would enjoy the stability of the machine, as well as Sole's patented shock absorption system. Well, that is all back this year, along with the extra large 2.75", precision machined rollers, heart rate monitoring and control programs, and one of the best hydraulic-assisted folding found in any treadmill at any price.

The 2008 Sole F80 treadmill continues to shine as the best buy treadmill award winner and one of the best machines in any class. For still being a great treadmill, the Treadmill Sensei gives the newly upgraded Sole F80 treadmill 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

For the second year in a row, the Sole F80 Treadmill gets 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5.




Get more information on the Sole F80 Treadmill. Find the guaranteed best price online, and Save More with FREE Shipping Now!


2008 Sole F80 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 3 HP
Speed: 11 mph
Incline: 15%
Unit Weight: 250 lbs.
Max User Weight: 350 lbs.
Running Surface: 20" X 55
Belt: Double Woven 2 Ply"
Rollers: 2 3/4 inches
Folding: Yes - with hydraulic assistance
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Display: LED
Standard Programs: 6
User Defined Programs: 2
Heart Rate Programs: 2
Cooling Fans: Yes
Price: Under $1500

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

The 2008 Sole E55 Elliptical Review - A small upgrade this year

Ohiyo!

Today the Treadmill Sensei is going to continue with my reviews of the 2008 Sole treadmills and ellipticals. This time around I want to talk about the outstanding Sole E55 elliptical. This unit has been around for a few years now and Sole has done an excellent job with it. This year they've updated a few things but kept it almost exactly the same as last year. As with the other 2008 Sole equipment, this was a stroke of brilliance on the part of Sole management. Heck, when you've got a best buy award winning line of equipment, why would you change it?

For all intents and purposes the Sole E35 and Sole E55 ellipticals are the same unit. The only real difference comes in the form of the console and heart rate control programs the Sole E55 has. Yes, it has a slightly different monitor, but aside from the HR Control programs it doesn't do anything beyond what the console of the Sole E35 does.

In regards to the flyhweels being listed as being of different weights for each machine...as I've mentioned in a few other spots, the flywheels actually appear to be identical and one could be used for the other. I believe this is the same flywheel that was used in all of the Sole products last year (or one very similar). Strangely enough this flywheel was listed as being 30 pounds. I think Sole is just trying to help customers differentiate product with those different flywheel weights, but in reality I'm very much of the mind that they are the same.

So really what you've got with the Sole E55 is the exact same great elliptical as the Sole E35 but with the addition of heart rate control. HR Control, if you use it, is an outstanding feature and gives that extra little "Umph" to the Sole E55 and makes the elliptical well worth the additional $150 it costs. However, if you're like most owners, it is a feature you will never actually use and that makes it a bit of a waste. In other words, if you use HRC programs then the Sole E55 and its higher price tag make perfect sense, but if you're the average joe customer then you should save that $150 and stick with the Sole E35.

For being a top rated machine but for not being enough of an upgrade, the Treadmill Sensei gives the 2008 Sole E55 Elliptical 4 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

The Sole E55 is a fantastic machine IF you make use of heart rate control programs. If you don't, then make sure to check out the 2008 Sole E35 elliptical instead and save yourself $150.




Get the absolute Lowest Price online for the Sole E55 -- Save More with Free Shipping, Pay No Tax and protect your warranty


2008 Sole E55 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: 27 lbs
Articulating Pedals: Yes
Programs: 8
Resistance: 20 Levels
Display: LCD
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max Weight Capacity: 375 lbs
Elliptical Weight: 200 lbs
Parts Warranty: 5 years
Labor Warranty: 2 years
Price: Under $1450

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

The Fuel FE44 Elliptical Review - Big Quality for a Little Price

Ohiyo!

Today's review has bummed the Treadmill Sensei out a bit. It's bound to happen, but every so often a treadmill or elliptical is release just after we post our awards and misses out being included in them. Unfortunately, in this case, it is very likely the Fuel FE44 Elliptical would have won the best buy elliptical under $1000 Award with little effort.

Word of the Fuel ellipticals and treadmills started filtering in to us here at the DOJO a month and a half or so ago. A lot of you, my loyal readers, wrote in asking about these great feeling new ellipticals found primarily at Dick's Sporting Goods and online. As I mentioned in the Fuel FE46 Elliptical Review, everyone in the industry had been hearing rumors of Dick's getting their own line of budget treadmills and ellipticals, but I hadn't heard they were going to be out for this season. And, just like it's big brother, the Fuel FE44 Elliptical shows all the signs of being one of the best ellipticals under $1000 produced in a very, very long time.

When our Fuel FE44 Elliptical arrived here at the DOJO, my first thought was "Yup, that looks almost exactly like last year's Sole or Spirit equipment." The resemblence is remarkable and, if rumors proove to be true, the Fuel equipment can actually be found in Sole's warehouse here in southern California. It looks like Dick's has turned to one of the best sources for quality equipment for help in Sole Fitness out of Utah. Excellent choice on the part of Dick's.

The best way to describe the Fuel FE44 Elliptical is as a very slightly toned down version of the Fuel FE46 or Sole E25 or Spirit XE100/XE200 Ellipticals. Without having the Sole or Spirit to compare side by side, I'd say the Fuel FE44 has the exact same flywheel as the higher priced models. It may be a touch smaller, but I'm betting they are the same except for on paper.

The only real or significant different between all the units is in the stride length. The Fuel FE44 is listed as having an 18" stride. However, we've received numerous emails from readers saying they tried a Sole E25 side by side with a Fuel FE44 at a local Dick's and found them to feel almost identical in stride and elliptical motion. From my own tests here at the DOJO I'd say the Fuel FE44 Elliptical feels like it has closer to a 19" stride and is incredibly smooth and comfortable. It has the same articulating pedal design as the Sole equipment, which gives it one of the most natural elliptical feels around.

Fuel has produced the single best elliptical you can buy for under $700 in the Fuel FE44. I'd even go as far as to say that this is the best possible value for your money in an elliptical under $1000. For the price, the Fuel FE44 delivers the best workout you can find and is the most solid, sturdy and stable ellipticals in the budget price range under $1000. Through the force of its size and market strength, Dick's has taken what should have been an elliptical priced at $999 or more and dropped it down to a mind-blowing $699. This finally gives those of us on a budget the chance to own a high end elliptical without having to break the bank...or steal from our children's college funds!

For being nearly perfect, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Fuel FE44 Elliptical 5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

The Treadmill Sensei wishes the Fuel FE44 Elliptical had been available a few months earlier in time for the Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards for Ellipticals because it would have blown away the competition.


Fuel FE44 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Articulating Pedals: Yes
Flyhweel: 19lbs
Display: LCD
Programs: 14
Resistance: 15 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 290lbs
Product Weight: 175lbs
Price: Under $700

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

The 2008 Sole E35 Elliptical Review - The Best Buy Elliptical under $1500, Bar None

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei really hates fitness manufacturers because they keep putting out new treadmills and ellipticals every year. Sheesh, can't they just take a year off so I can catch up! Don't they see that I'm freakin' swamped here!!

Seriously, though, every year fitness manufacturers release either all new equipment or ugraded, updated versions of their older equipment. Just like the auto industry, the next year's new equipment starts appearing in June or August of the previous year. So what I'm going to do here at the DOJO for the next week or so is to focus on the new 2008 models of previously released equipment. This will, I hope, help everyone see what new offerings are available on some old favorite machines.

Today I want to talk about the brand new, 2008 Sole E35 Elliptical. With its newly redesigned ellipticals, Sole Fitness continues to deliver some of the best feeling, most comfortable and most natural feeling ellipticals available for under $2000. It's easy to see why the Hilton and Omni Hotels have chosen Sole to exclusively provide equipment for their hotel chains. For the past 2 years the Sole E35 has come away with the Ichi-Ban Best Buy Award for an Elliptical under $1500 and, if Sole keeps up their quality and innovation, I expect it to continue to win in the future.

Winner of the 2007-2008 Ichi-Ban Award for Best Buy Elliptical Under $1500.

In an effort to further differentiate their product from Spirit Fitness Ellipticals, this year Sole has redesigned the Sole E35 Elliptical. They've kept the best features from the past and fine-tuned the Sole E35 to be, once again, one of the best ellipticals available on the market today.

The first thing I want to mention about the Sole E35 unit we received in here at the DOJO is just how freaking great the new design looks. Now, I know that has absolutely nothing to do with the E35's performance but it is worth mentioning. The new Sole E35 has surpassed the great look of last year's model and is now one of the spiffiest looking machines I've had the pleasure to work on.

Next, I want to mention the flywheel on the Sole E35. Flywheels have been a bit of a shell game when it comes to elliptical manufacturers. It's really hard to tell what is there under the shroud and what a manufacturer is basing their weight estimates on. This year Sole has given different flywheel weights to all of its ellipticals. However, and this is based purely on our observations here at the DOJO, the flywheels all seem to be exactly the same again this year as they were last year (and actually look to be the same flywheel drive as last year). I truly believe they only gave the Sole E35 and E55 different flywheel weights in order to allow their salespeople to "upgrade" consumers to a "better" unit for more money. The only significant difference we found in the SOle E35 and Sole E55 ellipticals was in the heart rate control programs. That's it. The two ellipticals have the same exact feel when you get on them...and it's a very nice workout feel.

The elliptical itself is slightly beefier than last year's model, weighing in at about 15-20 pounds heavier and with an increased maximum user weight capacity (375 pounds this year versus 300 last year). This comes from a slightly heavier duty shroud around the flywheel and an upgrade in the unit's tubing. Individually it doesn't amount to much, but when you add it up you've got a much more solid elliptical in the new Sole E35 and one that will handle much harder and punishing workouts.

There are a few other changes as well, some upgrades and some features have been removed. Most interesting is the lack of heart rate control programs in the Sole E35 this year. Sole must have decided that users in this price range really aren't interested in the HRC programs and so saved them for the upgraded Sole E55. I do think the heart rate control programs are one of the most misunderstood features in treadmills and ellipticals both. While it is a nice feature to have, most users really have no need for it and will never actually make use of it. If you're an athlete doing heart rate training or you've been set up with one by your doctor for medical reasons, then you'll want to check out the Sole E55. For everyone else, the Sole E35 is going to be more than enough of an elliptical for your needs.

The 2008 Sole E35 elliptical has also been upgraded to 20 levels of resistance over 16 last year, which is a nice little bit of icing on the cake.

Aside from that, the Sole E35 still has most of the same best buy award winning features as last year - adjusting and articulating foot pedals with a 2% inward incline, a fantastic 20" stride, 8 programs, pulsegrip and wireless heart rate monitoring and the great Sole warranties and customer service.

Sole has done a great job in their redesign and it's nice to see a beefier, sturdier Sole E35 elliptical this year. For being the best buy awarding winning elliptical under $1500 for yet another year, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Sole E35 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

Another "WOW" from Sole, the Sole E35 elliptical is a best buy elliptical with 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5.





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


2008 Sole E35 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: 25 lbs
Articulating Pedals: Yes
Programs: 8
Resistance: 20 Levels
Display: LCD
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Heart Rate Control: No
Max Weight Capacity: 375 lbs
Elliptical Weight: 200 lbs
Parts Warranty: 5 years
Labor Warranty: 2 years
Price: Under $1300

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

The Fuel FE 46 Elliptical Review - A high quality elliptical at a budget price under $900

Ohiyo!

Every day the Treadmill Sensei gets in reader email asking about a treadmill or elliptical we haven't covered yet on the site - most of the time it is about low quality Proform or Nordic Track ellipticals. However, from time to time a reader sends in a note asking about an intriguing piece of equipment and it spurs me to send out my feelers for a model to test out.

In this case, about a month and a half ago, a number of readers wrote in asking about the new line of Fuel ellipticals found at Dick's Sporting Goods stores and online. At first I was a bit surprised because I hadn't heard anything specific about the units. Everyone in the industry was aware that Dick's had been pursuing its own line of budget ellipticals and treadmills for quite sometime, but it was still a bit of a shock to see it actually launched. Luckily, Dick's has a lot of experience in what works for an elliptical -- and how to keep customer service issues from popping up with them -- and that shows in these new ellipticals.

First off, when our Fuel FE46 Elliptical arrived at the shop and we unpacked it, we all immediately suspected that it was an elliptical produced by the same manufacturing plant as the Sole, Spirit and Red Zone equipment, Dyaco out of Taiwan, or one of their sister plants. A lot of the parts looked interchangeable with the higher priced Sole, Esprit, Spirit and much-higher priced Red Zone ellipticals. The flywheel (sometimes rated as 21 pounds, sometimes as 25 pounds and sometimes as 30 pounds, depending upon what a manufacturer is trying to sell you on) on the Fuel FE46 elliptical seems to be very similar or just about identical to what you see on the Spirit XE100/XE200/XE300 or Sole E25/E35/E55 ellipticals.

Moving on to the assembley, as with any elliptical, the assembly is a bit trickier than that of a treadmill. Figuring on it taking you about 45 minutes to get together if you can have someone help you hold pieces while you attach them to the unit. If you're doing it alone, count on 90 minutes and a lot of swearing. This is pretty standard for all ellipticals.

In regards to the Fuel FE46 elliptical itself, the unit is very comparable to the Sole E25 ($995) and Spirit XE100 ($1099) ellipticals - which are all almost identical units except for strangely varying prices. If I was forced to guess, I'd have to say the Fuel FE46 is just a repainted version of the 2006 Sole E25 Elliptical. That's not a bad place to start, especially when you consider the Fuel FE 46 elliptical is priced $100 lower than the current Sole E25 and $200 lower than the nearly identical Spirit XE100. The only real differences you'll find are in the number of rails -- the FE46 is a single rail elliptical versus the dual rails on the Sole E25 -- and in the lesser warranty on the Fuel FE46. If Dick's had raised the warranty to 3 years on parts, this would have been a home run unit for them.

The Fuel FE46 elliptical is an excellent choice if you're looking for a more budget version of the Sole E25/E35 or the Spirit XE100/XE200/XE300 ellipticals and don't mind the lesser warranty. For about $899 you're getting the awesome feeling adjustable foot pedals that Sole/Spirit are known for, a solid flywheel, one of the most comfortable elliptical workout feels available for under $1300 and a well built, solid and sturdy elliptical in the Fuel FE46 Elliptical. Fuel has put together a unit that could very well be a best buy elliptical award contender for next year's Ichi-Ban Best Buy Elliptical Awards for under $1000. However, if the warranty is more important than saving money, I'd check out the Sole E25 elliptical for a slightly beefier $100 upgrade.

For being an excellent, very sturdy and comfortable elliptical with a so-so warranty, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Fuel FE46 Elliptical 4 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

The Fuel FE46 Elliptical gets a very respectible 4 gold buddahs out of 5 for being well built and well designed.

Fuel FE46 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: 21 lbs.
Display: LCD
Programs: 15
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Resistance: 15 Levels
Max User Weight: 325 lbs.
Elliptical Weight: 190 lbs.
Articulating Pedals: Yes
Price: $899

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

The Spirit Esprit EL3 Elliptical Review - Old Elliptical, New Name, Great Value

Ohiyo!

Happy Post-Holiday Season! Now that the Christmas season is over and visiting family will soon be heading back to their own little corners of the world (most exciting is that my den won't be doubling as a second guest room for too much longer), the Treadmill Sensei can get back to work and to you, my loyal readers. I absolutely love Christmas-time, but I feel more tired the day after Christmas than almost any other time of the year. Of course, large numbers of my wife's family can have a draining effect on anyone!

One of the most confusing parts of the Treadmill Sensei's job is to delve in to the naming game a lot of manufacturers like to play. Much like the electronics industry, fitness manufacturers like to put different names or labels on units when they're sold through different outlets. If a unit is sold at Costco or Sears it may have one name, or if a unit is sold online versus offline it may have a different name. The Icon Health and Fitness companies (Proform, Reebok, Image, Weslo and so on) are masters at this game .

Another company that has been guilty of this is Spirit Fitness. As I was the first one to let the cat out of the bag last year, we all now know that Sole and Spirit treadmills and ellipticals were almost identical units pre-Summer 2007. In spite of semi-shady rankings to the contrary, their units came off of the same assembly line and used the same parts. The only difference came in the QC process done once units reached the US, in customer support and warranty support. That has changed a bit this year with both Sole and Spirit redesigning their units independently of one another.

Now, while Spirit has been getting hit pretty hard by experts everywhere over the decrease in quality of their X-series Treadmills and Ellipticals, they have done an incredibly smart thing. Spirit has put together a brand new line of equipment, made up of award-winning older units under a brand new name. The Esprit line of treadmills and ellipticals from Spirit is made up largely of last year's best buy award winning Sole Ellipticals and Treadmills. Better yet, these units are all around $200-$300 cheaper than their poor-performing Spirit X-Series cousins. The best thing Spirit could have done was the give these great units their own brand in order to keep them from the stigma of the current Spirit X-Series reputation (easily one of the poorer perfoming lines on the market right now). Besides, why pick a brand new unit with a new, untested design when you can pick up a design that has been tested and highly rated for 4+ years...AND get it for more than $200 cheaper?!

That brings us to the new Esprit EL3 Elliptical, formerly known as the 2006 Sole E35 of years past. This unit has been one of the best and most consistantly performing ellipticals on the market for 3 or 4 years and has dominated its price range. The Sole E35 has won just about every consumer and expert award on the market, and the Esprit EL3 is the exact same unit with a new paint job.

The Esprit EL3 Elliptical has the same 2% inward incline in the pedals which Sole has been known for. The 2% incline, when added to the smooth 20" stride and articulating pedals, gives the Esprit EL3 (and Sole E35) the best elliptical feel and workout available in a best buy elliptical under $1000. It is easy to see why owners love the comfort and natural stride the El3 Elliptical gives them.

I do want to talk for a moment about the Esprit EL3's flywheel...and the flywheel on the new Sole E35. They're both ranked as 25 pounds for some reason this year -- 5 pounds less than the Sole E55 or Esprit EL5. It's nonsense. They all use the same flywheel and should be rated the same. There has been no change in the size of the flywheel since last year and the Esprit EL3 has the same 30 pound ranked flywheel that last year's Sole E35 had.

With the price at under $1000, the Esprit EL3 may be one of the absolute best buy ellipticals available for under $1000. You're getting the exact same great feel, the exact same solid frame, the exact same best buy award winning elliptical as the 2006 Sole E35, but with the Esprit EL3 you're getting it for more than $200 off the comparable Spirit XE200/XE300 ellipticals. In comparison to the Esprit EL3, the Spirit XE200/XE300 ellipticals are incredibly over-priced and under featured, especially when you consider the large number of reported problems on the Spirit Ellipticals this year.

Save yourself $200+ and check out the Esprit EL3 Elliptical by Spirit. It is head and shoulders above the Spirit X "equivilent," the Spirit XE200/XE300, in design and manufacture, and blows away the competition.

For being the same great unit as the old 2006 Sole E35 elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Esprit EL3 Elliptical by Spirit 4.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

It was a great elliptical as the 2006 Sole E35 Elliptical and it's a great elliptical as the Esprit EL3 Elliptical, getting a best buy elliptical ranking of 4.5 gold buddahs.




We've found the absolute lowest price on the Esprit EL3 by Spirit at Amazon.com. Save even more with No Sales Tax and FREE Shipping!

Spirit Esprit EL3 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: 25 lbs
Programs: 8
Resistance: 16 Levels
Display: LCD
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip and wireless
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max Weight Capacity: 300 lbs
Elliptical Weight: 190 lbs
Price: Under $1200

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

The York T780 Treadmill Review - High quality backed by a so-so warranty

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei is always amazed at the odd assortment of equipment which makes its way here to the DOJO. About 3 weeks ago we had a set of York T780 Treadmills roll in to the DOJO for installation at a local YMCA. You're probably thinking exactly what I thought when they arrived - York Barbell makes Treadmills? Yes they do, but the things just don't pop up very often at all. Let's see how they faired up against 12 days of testing by the Treadmill Sensei crew.

York Barbell was founded back in 1929 and has a long history of producing some very solid weight lifting equipment. York began producing treadmills in the mid-1990s and their equipment is well-known in the industry for having some of the best rated treadmill motors around. In fact, their treadmill motors produce a reported 7 times the torque of most other home or light commercial great treadmills. What that means to the everyday user is that the treadmill will operate much more consistantly even when running at higher speeds, higher inclines or under maximum load conditions. In other words, York treadmills will out-perform just about every other treadmill in their class and their motors tend to have a much longer life-span without repair.

The York T780 Treadmill we received here at the DOJO was very easy to put together. Total assembly time for us was right at about 10 minutes with 2 people. For someone going solo, figure it will take 15-20 minutes and should cause very little frustration at all. York has done an excellent job in the machining of their parts.

In putting the York T-780 together we noticed some very interesting things. First off, the cooling system for the motor is top-notch and one of the best we've seen. Keep your motor cool is one of the key components to a longer life for the entire treadmill and the York's high volume fan produce excellent results.

The next thing we noticed was the high-quality, 4-ply treadbelt on the York T780. The diamond cut design is such that it gives some great traction while running. A lot of home grade treadmills have thinner belts with a much slicker surface that can be a bit slippery to run on. The thickness and design of the York belt also prevents it from stretching and becoming misaligned, allowing for fewer belt replacements over the life of the York T780 Treadmill.

Finally, the rollers on the York T780 are works of art. Both front and rear rollers are crowned and fitted with precision bearings. Those two things, when factored together, ensure proper alignment and position of belt and roller, greatly reduce lengthening (or stretching) and give users a much quieter operation, less maintenance and add to the life of the treadmill belt.

When you add those components in with the monster 3 horsepower, ultra-high torque motor and rock-solid steel-welded frames, what you come up with is one of the most durable, most reliable and, just as important, most comfortable treadmills around for under $2000.

While the York T780 treadmill ranks high in components, design and performance, there are a couple of minor issues I've got with the unit. First off is the size of the running area, where the York T780 comes up a little short when compared to competition in its price range. The 20"x55" is just a tad short for what most people expect from a just under $1800 treadmill. Keep in mind, though, that for most people 20"x55" is actually more than enough. Only the super tall (6'4"+) or those doing intense running/marathon training will even notice the difference between a 20"x55" deck and a 20"x58" one.

The second nitpick I have is with York's warranty. For a treadmill that performs as well and is built as solidly as the York T780, it is a shame to see a 10 year motor and 5 year deck warranty. I'd love to see both of those upped just a bit.

For being an excellent machine, and a solid contender for a best buy treadmill award next year, the Treadmill Sensei gives the York T780 Treadmill 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The York T780 Treadmill gets 4 gold buddahs for one of the best motors on the market.


Get more information on the York T780 treadmill and find the lowest price online. Save even more with Coupon Code TMSENSEI.

York T780 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 3HP
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 12%
Running Area: 20" x 55"
Belt: 4 ply
Display: LED
Readouts: Time, speed, distance, calories, pulse and elevation
Programs: 7
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Folding: Yes
Max User Weight: 330lbs
Unit Weight: 240lbs
Price: Under $1800

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

The Schwinn 431 Elliptical Review - A Solid Upgrade from the Schwinn 430

Ohiyo!

The Thanksgiving holiday over I can tell you that the Treadmill Sensei is very thankfull...thankfull that all of his wife's relatives have all gone back to Arizona. Don't get me wrong, I like and enjoy the company of most of her family, but having an extra 5 people crammed in to our house, plus our 3 grown children and their families, is always as stressful as it is enjoyable. Plus, they were eating all of the turkey leftovers that I selfishly wanted to eat as sandwiches all this week for lunch!

Speaking of Thanksgiving and the holiday season, now is probably one of the times most people are thinking about getting fit...well, thinking about how much weight they've gained from the constant eating. I know the scale here at the DOJO is showing that I've gained 6 pounds and am back up to just about 170. Mrs. Sensei is going to kill me.

The downside of all that eating and weight gain is that a lot of people will be out looking for fitness equipment to try to shed those pounds, and a lot of really bad ellipticals and treadmills will be bought. A treadmill or elliptical, even a budget one, should never be a whim or impulse buy. Do you research and get the most you can for your money.

A great new addition to the Schwinn line of ellipticals from Nautilus is the Schwinn 431 elliptical. We received one of these units in here at the DOJO to do a setup for a nice elderly couple out in Corona. At first I thought there was a typo on the packing slip and assumed they had ordered a Schwinn 430 elliptical. Much to my surprise, when we unpacked the unit it did indeed turn out to be a brand new Schwinn 431 elliptical. And I have to say I was very impressed with the new unit.

At first glance, the Schwinn 431 elliptical is a much more solid and substantial unit than the Schwinn 430, which makes sense because of the $200 more it costs. The frame tubing is thicker and heavier on the SChwinn 431, giving it a much more stable feel during workouts, allowing use by much heavier users. This is a great upgrade because the stability increase helps give a more comfortable and smooth workout where users no longer have to worry about the unit shaking left or right.

The Schwinn 431 still features the same articulating footpedals of the Schwinn 430, along with the reverse motion workout ability. Now, however, Schwinn has upgraded the elliptical drive on the 431 to a 25 pound flywheel - this is the biggest, heaviest flywheel available for under $800 and the can be felt in the very smooth feeling you get when riding the machine.

Schwinn has done an excellent job with the upgrade to the Schwinn 431, which now has a staggering 20 workout programs. This elliptical is definitely a contender for one of the best buy ellipticals for under $800 and, had we reviewed it in time for the Ichi-Ban Awards would surely have been in the best buy lists.

For being a fantastic unit for a great price, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Schwinn 431 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

As a heavier duty version of the great performing Schwinn 430, the Schwinn 431 Elliptical gets 4.5 gold buddahs.


The new Schwinn 431 Elliptical can be found for the best price online at Amazon.com - save with free shipping and pay now tax. Click Here for more information.




Schwinn 431 Elliptical Trainer Specifications
Stride: 18"
Max User Weight: 300 lbs
Unit Weight: Approximately 172 lbs.
Programs: 20
Resistance Levels: 16
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, Interval Time, RPM, Watts, Distance, Pulse, Speed, Calories, Resistance
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Footpads: Articulating
Reverse Direction: Yes
Price: $799

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

The Horizon T83 Treadmill - Another Excellent Upgrade for under $1000

Ohiyo!

Is it me or is this year just flying by? I apologize for not updating the site more this past month but things have been hectic here at the DOJO for the Treadmill Sensei. It looks like the busy season is here and it's kicking the heck out of us! I was able to finish up a review from a batch of units that we ordered through Amazon a few months ago from Horizon Fitness. So, without further ado, the Horizon T83 treadmill review for your perusal.

Back in August or thereabouts, we received an order we had placed for 6 Horizon Fitness units - a number of treadmills and ellipticals, most of which I have already review. One of the last ones that came in was the very slick looking Horizon T83. I was a bit wary of the new look for the upper end Horizon line because, at first, I didn't think they'd stand up to much abuse. In the box they just looked like flimsy plastic. Luckily, Horizon knows what they are doing and the T83 was quite a bit sturdier than I had first thought.

The unit itself weighs over 210 pounds and is very bulky for an under $1000 treadmill. The uprights are very solid and attach well to both the console and the deck. There are a few more bolts in the frame design than I normally like, but that is not at all uncommon in these upper end budget treadmills.

We had been hearing some complaints about assembly issues with last year's Horizon Treadmills, thankfully Johnson Tech has listened to its consumers and has radically improved the assembly process and requirements on the 2007-2008 treadmills. Assembly on the Horizon T83 was a snapp and we had ours together in about 10 minutes. Figure 30-45 minutes for those with average mechanical ability. I would suggest having a second person on hand to help out with mounting the console. The T83 has a bigger console this year and it can be a bit tough to get situated just right if you're by yourself.

The Horizon T83 has a very good sized running area, at 20"x55", and a fantastic 2.5 horsepower motor. The increase in size by Johnson Tech is an excellent addition to this year's line and the T83's motor is easily one of the biggest in the under $1500 treadmill price range. I was also surpised at how quiet ours ran, even during heavier duty workouts.

Probably the best feature found in all of the Horizon line is their shock absorption system. Any regular reader of the site knows how much I hate the long, often very silly names that manufaturers come up with their technolog, and the Horizon is no different. They call it the "Air Cell Shock Absorption System" this year -- how that is different from their "Gel Cell" technology of the past is anyone's guess. All that matters is that it significantly reduces the impact on your joints even during running...something my tired old tennis knees were appreciative of.

The only real downside to the Horizon T83 treadmill is one of the features that Horizon has been pushing for it -- the MP3 speaker system and iPod dock. Truthfully, the speakers aren't the best in the world and you'll do better with headphones. I'm just glad that Horizon decided not to increase the price of the units because of that feature and we're still left with a very solid under $1000 treadmill even without the speakers.

All-in-all, the Horizon T83 treadmill continues Horizon's streak of very impressive treadmills and ellipticals this year. If you're looking for a great buy for under $1000 then check it out. You'll be as pleasantly surprised as we were.

For being a solid treadmill with some nice features for under $1000, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Horizon T82 Treadmill 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

A solid offering for under $1000 from Horizon Fitness, the T83 treadmill gets 4 gold buddahs out of 5.


Get the best price online and find more information by clicking HERE.




Horizon T83 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.5hp
Running Area: 20" x 55"
Max Speed: 12 MPH
Max Incline: 12%
Console: LCD
Programs: 16
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 325 lbs
Unit Weight: 216 lbs
Price: $999

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

The Smooth 7.1HR PRO Treadmill Review - One of the Best Treadmills Under $2000

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei has talked about it time and time again, but fancy consoles, lots of programs or bells-and-whistles are not the things to look at when picking a treadmill. Those things are nice but all that really matters is stability and a large, cool-running motor -- well, those are the main things. A good warranty is also a factor. Too often we get questions about Proform or NordicTrack treadmills that are "fully loaded" on the outside but are shallow where it counts.

One of the best treadmills on the market in the $1500-$2000 range is the Smooth 7.1HR Pro Treadmill and it is a great combination of stability and bells-and-whistles. We received one to install for a client here at the DOJO about 2 months ago and were very excited by what we found.

As with all of the Smooth Treadmills, assembly was a breeze. It took my son about 15 minutes to put the Smooth 7.1HR Pro together and shouldn't take more than 30 minutes for someone with average mechanical ability. Smooth has done a great job with their instructions. My son normally comes away with extra pieces left over, but not with the Smooth treadmill, surprisingly enough.

2008 Ichi-Ban Best Buy Award Winner.

Something that seems a bit redundant to mention in regards to a Smooth treadmill, but the 7.1HR Pro felt as sturdy as any commercial treadmill out there during our workouts. My 165 pounds don't test the limits of the machine, but Hikaru's near 300 pounds do and, let me tell you, the Smooth 7.1HR Pro held up with flying colors. The frame is solid, sturdy and well-constructed.

Following the cue of the frame, the 2.75 horsepower motor is a monster. It's large size and low RPMs allow it to pull fewer amps than other motors in its class, and let it run cooler. Those things all add up to a much longer motor life and less maintenance problems. Interestingly enough, even with such a large motor the Smooth 7.1HR Pro runs incredibly quiet. Smooth has picked an excellent motor for the 7.1HR Pro.

The Smooth 7.1HR Pro treadmill also comes with 8 preset programs, 9 user profiles for those of you with multiple users, heart rate monitoring and control, and the very cool power folding feature. With the touch of a button the 7.1HR Pro folds up or down all on its own, saving you from the strain of lifting the heavy deck up yourself.

The only real downside in an otherwise fantastic machine is the smallish runner area. If Smooth upped this to a 20"x56" deck then they'd have a perfect machine on their hands. It's a minor nitpick on a great treadmill.

For being a solid treadmill with some nice shiny features to boot, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Smooth 7.1HR Pro Treadmill 4.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

A best buy treadmill runner up, the Smooth 7.1HR Pro gets 4.5 gold buddahs.

Smooth 7.1HR PRO Specifications
Motor: 2.75hp
Running Area: 20" x 54"
Folding: Yes
Rollers: 2.5" commercial grade
Speed: 10mph
Incline: 15%
Display: LED
Readouts: speed, distance, time, calories burned, heart rate and more
Programs: 8
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Unit Weight: 280lbs
Price: Under $1700

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

The Smooth 9.25x Treadmill Review - 2008 Best Buy Treadmill under $2500

Ohiyo!

From time to time we here at the Treadmill Sensei dot Com head online and place an order for a piece of equipment we haven't been able to get a hold of through our regular channels. Some machines are just tough to come by. That was the case with the Smooth 9.25x Treadmill. I had been searching around for one for a couple of months -- trying to beg, bribe and borrow a unit from everyone we know. When our quest came up empty, I pulled out my trusty credit card and went directly to the source to buy one.

The ordering went smooth enough, but there were some delivery issues which caused the 9.25x treadmill to be delayed for almost 2 weeks before we were finally able to get it here to the DOJO. In Smooth's defense, it was an issue caused by the freight company and Smooth's customer service was a pleasure to work with and very friendly no matter how many times we were on the phone to bug them. Once the original unit was determined to be lost (how you lose a 350 pound package is beyond me), Smooth had a replacement unit out the next day.

2008 Ichi-Ban Best Buy Award Winner.

When our Smooth 9.25x Treadmill arrived after the delay, I was surprised at how solid its design was. If I had gotten on the 9.25x without any information beforehand I would have guessed that it was a full commercial unit meant to go in to an upper class gym or hotel workout room. The treadmill itself weighs a bit over 300 pounds and is rock solid. Both my partner and my son, two big burly guys, took turns working out on the unit and it held up marvelously to the tortue they put it through. There was almost no visible shaking in the uprights or console when either ran on the Smooth 9.25x treadmill and no creaking or bending in the deck itself. Smooth did an excellent job when they designed and constructed this unit.

The Smooth 9.25x is powered by an absolutely monstrous 3.5 horsepower motor. We tested it with both my son and Hikaru on the machine at once (totally over 500 pounds) and it ran smoothly even from a cold start. The combination of the huge, cool-running motor and the precision machined 2.5" commercial quality rollers keeps the treadmill's belt running like butter during even the most gruelling of workouts.

The 9.25x treadmill also features a sound system which, while nice to have, really doesn't do anything to improve the treadmill. What's more important is the solid incline motor, powering the treadmill to a great 15% incline, the large 20"x62" running area, the 12.5 mph top speed, the 12 preset programs, wireless heart rate monitoring and heart rate control programs. Sure it's nice to have a decent sound coming out of your treadmill but the workout you get is more important. Luckily, the Smooth 9.25x treadmill delivers on that workout in spades.

Another feature we all like, and was especially nice to have with my old-man eyesight, was the large and easy to read console. The multiple windows and very readable quick start buttons are great for those of us who don't like to hunt and peck through screens to find what the information we need to adjust our workout. Everything is there and immediately visible while you're working out. Other manufacturers should take note of the 9.25x's flawless console design.
During out 10 days of review the Smooth 9.25x treadmill met or beat all of our tests and passed with flying colors. For being an absolute dream to workout on, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Smooth 9.25x treadmill 5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The simply amazing Smooth 9.25x treadmill gets a perfect score of 5 gold buddahs.

Smooth 9.25x Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 3hp
Running Area: 20"x62"
Rollers: 2.5" commercial grade
Speed: 12.5mph
Incline: 15%
Display: LED
Readouts: 1/4-mile running track, speed, distance, time, calories burned, heart rate and more
Programs: 12
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 400lbs
Unit Weight: 300lbs
Price: Under $2500

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

The Horizon T82 Treadmill Review - Solid upgrade and a best buy runner up for 2008

Ohiyo!

It's a new day and the Treadmill Sensei is glad the Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards are now finished. You, my loyal readers, how no idea how much work goes in to compiling those every year. My brain is fried!

Today I want to talk a bit about one of the top offerings from Horizon Fitness this year, the Horizon T82 treadmill. We got in a batch of their equipment a couple of months ago and have been slowly sorting through and testing it all. We reviewed the T82 back in September but this is my first chance to sit down and actually write that review up.

As with all of the Horizon units, assembly is fairly straightforward and easy to manage on the T82 treadmill. The instructions that come packed with the Horizon T82 were clear and simple to follow. On the unit we reviewed, there was a minor alignment issue in one of the holes in the console, but nothing major at all. Total assembly time, even with the alignment problem, was less than 10 minutes. For most people that time will probably be in the 15-20 minute range or so. Very quick and hassle-free.

It seems like Horizon upgraded the plastic they use in their equipment this year. Normally on these lower cost treadmills you have to be very careful when you put them together for fear of cracking the thin, rigid plastic that makes up the consoles and shrouds. However, the plastic on the Horizon T82 was very sturdy and thicker-feeling than normal. This is an excellent addition and will allow the Horizon T82 to hold up to more of a beating than other treadmills in the under $800 price range.

The Horizon T82 is a great buy at about $799, featuring the standard large and cool running Johnson-Tech motor, coming in at a fantastic-for-the-price 2.25 horsepower. The T82 also features a good-sized 20" x 55" running area, 10 mph top speed, 10% incline, heart rate monitoring and a staggering 14 programs. Horizon went all out when putting together the design for the T82 treadmill this year, making it a huge upgrade over last year's award-winning Horizon T72 treadmill.

The key to the Horizon T82 is that it is an incredibly sturdy treadmill, weighing just under 190 pounds. With the addition of that plastic upgrade, the T82 is one of the most solid treadmills available at its price point. For being a great new unit from Horizon, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Horizon T82 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The best value Horizon treadmill on the market today, the T82 gets 4.5 gold buddahs.


Get more information on the award-winning Horizon T82 Treadmill NOW and get the lowest price online. Click HERE.




Horizon T82 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.25 hp
Running Area: 20"x55"
Speed: 10mph
Incline: 10%
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, Pulse, Distance, Calories, Incline, Speed and Program Profiles
Programs: 14
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 185lbs
Price: Under $800

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

The Bodyguard E230X Elliptical Review - Best Buy Elliptical Under $2500

Ohiyo!

I've been writing a lot about lower priced ellipticals lately, so I thought I'd take a break and move up to some mid-range ellipticals instead. Although, when talking about the Bodyguard E230x elliptical "mid-range" probably isn't the best of descriptions. I've compared ellipticals and treadmills to everything from Lexus and BMW to Volkswagon and Pacers. I'd compare the Bodyguard E230X to my brand new Ford F250. You see, it's solid, it's heavy duty, but it's also got the most comfortable pedals on the market and it has a very smooth ride. This thing is incredible.

Let's talk a bit about Bodyguard. They are a Canadian company (something we shouldn't hold against them) and have been producing some of the finest fitness equipment on the market since the late 60s. In the past they've been best known for their amazing treadmills, but this year they've come up with a pair of incredible ellipticals as well. When we were shown the Bodyguard E230X at the Health & Fitness Expo in Denver this year I couldn't wait to sit down and do a full review on one of these bad boys.

I could go on and on about all the features that come packed into the Bodyguard E230x - the Heart Rate Training Zone, the Reverse Motion Detection System, the fantastic warranty, optional posture bar, ability to get the unit with either a 20.5" stride or an 18.5" one, the 15 programs, or any one of about 20 other great specs. But I'm not going to do that.

You see, when I got on the E230X all that matter to me was the comfort I felt during my workouts. Starting off with the pedals, the padding Bodyguard uses is incredible. It is a firm cushion that feels great during your workouts. We all know that ellipticals are nearly zero-impact workouts and cushioning isn't a requirement, but when you want comfort to help keep your feet from getting sore or from falling asleep, then the Bodyguard E230x has the best solution. Top that off with the most natural feeling pedal spacing around (at just under 2") and the sturdiest adjustable pedals around, and what you've got is not just the best buy elliptical for under $2500, but one of the best feeling ellipticals at any price. For use in the home, I would choose the E230X over just about any higher priced machine out there.

In addition to the comfortable pedals and near-perfect elliptical motion, weighing in at nearly 300 pounds, the Bodyguard E230x elliptical is one of the most solid machines around. I don't care how close you are to the machine's maximum user weight of 350 pounds, when you get on the E230x you'll feel how heavy duty the elliptical is. And, more important, you won't find any of the shakies or side-to-side rocking you often find in lesser ellipticals. Even the shroud, often made up of thinner plastic, is thick and will stand up to quite a bit of abuse.

A final, excellent bit is that the E230X elliptical comes almost fully assembled and is a breeze to put together. Bodyguard's instruction manual makes assembley a task that takes under 30 minutes and causes little to no frustration for the non-mechanically minded of us.

UPDATE: We've gotten in a number of complaints from readers in regards to this machine. Problems in specific have been related to the handgrips on the unit being incredibly uncomfortable during workouts. A number of taller readers have also had issues with the placement of the handlebars in relation to their leg position during workouts. Because of these reason, we are downgrading this unit from a best buy.

For its current number of reader problems, the Bodyguard E230x has been downgraded to 3 out of 5 Golden Buddahs by the Treadmillsensei.

Recent reader complaint emails have dropped this unit to 3 gold buddahs.



Bodyguard E230X Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20.5" (can be shipped as 18.5" if requested)
Flywheel: approximately 30lbs
Adjustable Footpedals: Yes
Display: LED
Programs: 15
Resistance:
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 350lbs.
Unit Weight: 280lbs
Price: Under $2200

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

The Tunturi CF35 Elliptical Review - A Best Buy Under $2000 Runner up for 2008

Ohiyo!

One of the biggest surprises in the fitness industry this year came from Tunturi. Tunturi is one of the oldest fitness companies around and manufacturers the majority of their equipment in Europe (the company is based out of Finland). Tunturi is best known for high quality, streamlined design and uncomfortable, rear-drive ellipticals. This year the high quality and streamlined design remain the same, but Tunturi has radically changed their ellipticals for the better with the new front-drive Tunturi CF35.

Tunturi has taken their ability to produce some of the most solid, sturdy equipment on the planet and has moved that ability in to putting out one of the most solid and sturdy front drive ellipticals. The Tunturi CF35 features and incredibly steady frame and drive system that will hold up to the most heavy duty use around. If you want a hardcore, quiet workout then the CF35 elliptical is a great place to start.

Assembling the Tunturi CF35 was a breeze. The instructions are well written and easy to follow. If you've got average mechanical ability it shouldn't take more than 45 minutes to an hour. More important, there should be a minimum of swearing as the parts are well machined and go together easily.

Once we put the CF35 together and stepped up on it, I was blown away by how smooth and comfortable the feel of the elliptical was. In the past I've talked about how incredibly uncomfortable the old Tunturi ellipticals were and how longer workouts on them caused your feet to fall asleep. This is no longer the case with the Tunturi CF35 elliptical. It's got a great 19" stride, near perfect pedal spacing and a heavy duty flywheel to help keep the elliptical motion as natural and comfortable feeling as anything else out there.

It's nice to see that Tunturi has listened to its customer and put together an incredible new front drive elliptical. For being a great blend of form and function, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Tunturi CF35 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

An excellent elliptical and a best buy for under $2000, the Tunturi CF35 elliptical is high quality at a great price.





Find out more about the Tunturi CF35 and get the lowest price online. Save more with FREE Shipping and Pay NO TAX.

Tunturi CF35 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 19"
Flywheel: approximately 35lbs
Display: LCD
Programs: 23
Readouts: Time, RPM, Distance, Speed, Heart Rate, Energy Consumption, Constant HRC
Resistance: 16 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 150lbs
Warranty: Lifetime frame, 3 years parts, 1 year labor
Price: Under $1600

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

The Kettler CT2000 Elliptical Review - The 2008 Best Buy Elliptical under $500

Ohiyo!

When it comes to buying a lower budget elliptical the two key requirements - beyond programs, levels of resistance, heart rate monitoring or any of the extra features - are stability and a comfortable elliptical motion. If you give up those two things then all of the cool little bells and whistles in the world won't give you a good workout or an elliptical that will last for a long time.

For us, the budget elliptical which out-performed every other elliptical in its price range with those 2 requirements was the Ketter Verso CT2000 Elliptical. Kettler is a German fitness manufacturer known for producing some of the sturdiest ellipticals around and have a reputation for long lasting equipment. The Kettler CT2000 is a price example of one of those high quality ellipticals available for a low price.

2008 Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards Winner.

The reason we picked the Ketter Verso CT2000 as the best buy elliptical for under $500 is because it is the single sturdiest elliptical in its price range. Kettler has done a fantastic job of designing a solid frame that will hold up to quite a bit of abuse. This is one of the few under $500 ellipticals that will outlast its warranty.

On top of that solid construction, the Kettler CT2000 also has a very nice feeling elliptical motion. The stride is a bit short, but should be perfect for any user under 5'10 or so. The rest of the features aren't anything to write home about, but would you rather have a flimsy feature-packed elliptical that will only last a couple of months or a solidly built elliptical that will allow you to continue to work out for years to come? The Kettler CT2000 is that elliptical.

For being a well-built German fitness machine, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Kettler CT2000 Elliptical 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The Verso CT2000 by Ketter gets 4 golden buddahs.



Kettler CT2000 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 15"
Flywheel: approximately 16lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: Program, Speed, distance, time, calories and pulse
Programs: 6
Resistance: 6 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 280lbs
Unit Weight: 120lbs
Price: Under $500

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

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

Ohiyo!

I can't believe it's already been a year since the first annual best buy awards for ellipticals. Time sure flies when you're having fun! This year there are a lot of really cool new entrants in to the awards, along with some returning favorites from last year.

This year, like last year, ellipticals under $1500 are dominating the industry and it is easy to see why. This year we finally see a lot more quality in that price range as well as a lot of equipment actually worth buying as manufacturers refine their designs and pump up their quality without pumping up their prices.

As with the best buy awards last year, the ellipticals 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 show!!

Best Buy Ellipticals Under $500
Kettler CT2000: For stability and durability the German-made Kettler CT2000 simply cannot be beat in the under $500 budget price range. Click here to check out the full review.

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. Merit is still a strong contender for great units for budget-conscious buyers and Ironman continues to produce quality at a low cost.

2. Merit 710E
3. Ironman 250e
4. Merit 720E

Best Buy Ellipticals from $501-$1000
Sole E25: For the second year in a row, the Sole E25 takes the top spot for best elliptical under $1000. The Sole E25 continues to be one of the best value ellipticals available. For the full review click HERE.

Runner Up: The Schwinn 438 makes its second appearance as a runner up Best Buy elliptical. Along with the new Horizon Incline Trainer EX76, Multisports makes its first appearance in the under $1000 market with its very sturdy Elliptix 3000 elliptical. As with last year, there is a lot of very solid competition in this price range and a lot of great ellipticals.

2. Horizon EX76
3. MultiSports ECT 3000
4. Schwinn 438

Best Buy Ellipticals from $1001-$1500
Sole E35: Another returning Best Buy from last year, the Sole E35 continues to be one of the best buy ellipticals around, especially with Sole's upgrades this year. Click here to find the full review of the award-winning Sole E35 elliptical.

Runner Up: The $1001-$1500 price range continues to be the dominant area for the serious elliptical buyer. This is where the quality jumps up a notch and that serious buyer can find a great elliptical for his money. This range looks almost exactly the same as last year with the Smooth CE2.1 and Sole E55 still holding strong. Surprisingly, SportsArt has pulled a great unit out of its hat with the SportsArt E80, a truly fantastic machine at a great price.

2. Smooth CE2.1
3. SportsArt E80
4. Sole E55

Best Buy Ellipticals from $1501-$2000
Smooth CE7.4: With the SportsArt 803 elliptical being discontinued, it left the top spot open for the number 1 Smooth elliptical, the CE7.4. Heavy duty, a great feel and long stride, the Smooth CE7.4 is the best buy elliptical choice under $2000. Click here to read the full review.

Runner Up: Returning again from last year, the Sole E95 is joined by two great new units. The awesome SportsArt E81 and the unbelievable front drive Tunturi CF35 round out the under $2000 price range with some incredibly solid new ellipticals.

2. Tunturi CF35
3. SportsArt E81
4. Sole E95

Best Buy Ellipticals from $2001-$2500
Bodyguard E230X: Coming out of nowhere, Bodyguard has taken their skill at designing top rate treadmills and brought it to ellipticals. The E230X is one of the best feeling ellipticals at any price. Click here to read the review and find out why.

Runner Up: A big change over last year, 2008 brings a whole gaggle of great ellipticals for $2001-$2005. New units from Smooth and Tunturi join the still great-performing Quantum Q210H. This price range is where home ellipticals begin to feel like those you'd find in a gym.

2. Smooth CE Plus
3. Quantum Q210H
4. Tunturi C65

Best Buy Ellipticals from $2501-$3000
SportsArt E83: This year SportsArt has hit a grandslam home run with the E83 Elliptical. With its manual adjustable stride, heavy duty frame and perfect design, the SportsArt E83 gets my pick for best elliptical of the year. Find out why by clicking Here for the full review.

Runner Up: The only unit making a return to the best buys this year is the Precor EFX 5.19, still a solid machine. However, Bodyguard and Vision both come in with some great machines as well to fill out the line-up.

2. Bodyguard E250x
3. Vision Fitness X6700HRT
4. Precor EFX 5.19

Best Buy Ellipticals from $3001-$4000
Smooth Agile DMT: The heir-apparent to the Cybex Arc-Trainer, the Smooth Agile DMT takes it one step further and brings the Arc-trainer's design in to the 21st century and beyond. It's big, it's bad and it's worth every penny. Read the full review by clicking here.

Runner Up: This is where the big boys play. Serious atheletes or those looking for the best of the best check out this price range. While Smooth took the best buy, the new front drive offering from Tunturi is a close second in quality, features and value.

2. Tunturi C85
3. Quantum Q210C
4. Life Fitness X7 Basic

Best Buy Ellipticals Over $4000
Matrix I5X: The new incline trainer from Matrix Fitness is one of the slickest elliptical units around. They've taken the award-winning Matrix E5X and added an amazing new incline feature that blows the competition away. Click here to be blown away by this new elliptical masterpiece.

Runner Up: With the Matrix I5X taking the top spot this year, the runner ups look like a carbon copy of last year's winners. I take my hat off to Matrix, Star Trac and Precor for keeping their near-perfect equipment around again this year.

2. Matrix E5Xc
3. Star Trac Pro
4. Precor 546


The Ichi-Ban Best of the Best Award for Elliptical Excellence: The SportsArt E83 Elliptical

The SportsArt E83 Elliptical is such a fantastic machine that I went out and bought one after putting our review together. This machine is absolutely fabulous and is perfect for families with members of varying heights. This is a machine that looks great and performs even better. If you've got the money for the Lexus of the elliptical world, then check out the full review.

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

The Ironman 250e Elliptical Review -- A Budget Best Buy Elliptical for under $500

Ohiyo!

One of the questions we get asked most here at the Treadmill Sensei is "which elliptical is best for under $500?" Unfortunately that question is also one of the hardest to answer. You see, that budget price range is a tough one for both ellipticals and treadmills as there really isn't really much you get for your money for under $500. Ellipticals do hold up just a bit better than treadmills do because they don't have the additional cost of a motor, but as with everything else you get what you pay for.

When you're looking at an elliptical for under $500 you've got to be prepared to sacrifice stability, features or stride length (and sometimes more than one of those). If you are looking for a solid elliptical with a lot of programs and don't mind a shorter stride, then the Ironman 250e is an excellent choice. Made by Keys Fitness, one of the largest fitness manufacturers in the country, the Ironman 250e continues the company's great track record for making budget priced ellipticals.

The Ironman 250e is solidly built, weighing in at over 115 pounds and with a 300 pound weight capacity (although I'd rate it at closer to 250 or so). It also has a larger than average flywheel for an under $500 elliptical, weighing about 12 pounds and a nice elliptical feel to it. The unit also comes with 12 programs, 16 levels of resistance and heart rate monitoring and control. The 250e has a lot of features that you just don't often find on ellipticals in its price range.

The only real downside is the 14" stride length. The Ironman 250e is great for shorter users looking for a quality workout at an insanely low price. For being a solidly built budget elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Ironman 250e 3.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

3.5 gold buddahs for the Ironman 250e Elliptical.



Ironman 250e Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 14"
Flywheel: approximately 12lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: program profile, time, speed, pulse, calories and distance
Programs: 12
Resistance: 16 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 115lbs
Price: Under $500

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

The SportsArt E83 Elliptical Review - Best Buy Elliptical for Under $2600

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei has been neglecting his readers this month and I want to apologize. We're just about done with the 2008 Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards and that has been taking up most of our time around here. I've had this SportsArt E83 elliptical review started for over a month now, but this is my first chance to sit down and get it finished. Over the last few years SportsArt has become one of the most consistant companies in the industry in terms of quality and customer service. SportsArt shines when it comes to mid and higher end ellipticals and treadmills, and that quality is particularly obvious in their E83 Elliptical this year. The E83 wins hands-down for best buy elliptical in the $2500-$3000 range and may even be the best buy elliptical under $4000.

2008 Ichi-Ban Best Buy Award Winner.

Be warned if you do order a SportsArt E83 Elliptical because this thing is solid and well-built...in other words, it is a heavy beast. Weighing in at just under 300 pounds, the E83 is one of the most sturdy ellipticals around, and definitely the most rock-solid available for the home market. And you can feel what that weight does when you get on the machine. Even a heavier or more hardcore user will be surprised at the lack of side-to-side motion in the E83. The weight and stability comes from the back and is even felt in the thicker, heavier-duty upright supports on the E83. Those uprights and the console center support combine to give users a steady base to put their weight on -- a very different experience from most rear drive ellipticals where the upright supports are thin and more than a little wobbly.

Putting together the SportsArt E83 is a bit of a task but is still doable without too much cursing even for those of average mechanical abilities. I'd say look at it taking an hour to an hour and a half. If you have problems putting together Ikea furniture then you might want to either get help or get some valium before you start. We worked with a preassembled unit but did a quick disassembly to see just how tough it would be. My recommendation is to make sure to have someone help at least when you're working on the uprights.

One of the main selling points of most SportsArt Ellipticals is their adjustable stride lengths. SportsArt has addressed the problem of users of various heights in a fantastic fashion, and the E83 has a manually adjustable stride feature.

I'm going to say something here that may go a bit against the grain. In my experience, I actually prefer the manual adjustment on the E83 over the electronic adjustments on the higher end SportsArt ellipticals. The comput controlled adjustments work great on those units but the manual adjustment on the SportsArt E83 is a lot less complex in design and will last just about forever with proper maintenance. The manual adjustable stride on the E83 elliptical ranges from 17 inches to 25.5 inches - we've seen it listed as 26 inches, but a lot of times manufacturers will round up on their measurements. Either way, it has a fantastically long and smooth stride range and will suit users of any size from 5' to 6'6" or more. This is great for the tall husband-short wife syndrome we get lots of emails about.

The welded steel frame, ball bearing joints instead of cheaper bushings, 8 programs (including the spectacular "random" setting which literally gives you a thousand different workouts), near-silent workouts, great 5-year parts warranty and an incredibly comfortable, natural feeling elliptical motion all add up to a high-quality elliptical that is truly the Lexus or Mercedes of the fitness industry.

The SportsArt E83 Elliptical shines in a price range filled with quite a bit of quality. Solidly built, expertly designed and reasonably priced, the SportsArt E83 is a nearly perfect elliptical that will outlast just about any other machine on the market today. The SportsArt E83 is in my top 5 absolute favorite ellipticals of all time and for that the Treadmill Sensei gives it 4.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

Easily one of the best ellipticals at any price, the SportsArt E83 scores with 4.5 gold buddahs.


Get more information on the incredible SportsArt E83 Elliptical.


SportsArt E83 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 17"-25.5" manually adjustable
Flywheel: approximately 22lbs
Display: Dot Matrix LED
Readouts: Workout Level, Calories, Time, Stride Length, Distance, Cal/Hr, Strides/Min, Total Strides, Heart Rate, Heart Rate Target
Programs: 8
Resistance: 14 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Unit Weight: 282lbs
Grade: Residential
Price: Under $2600

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

The Horizon T81 Treadmill Review - A semi upgrade to the Horizon T71

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei and company are still very hard at work on this year's Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards which we hope (cross your fingers) to post sometime in early October. We are still waiting to find a few more units to test and are sad that some new equipment won't be shipping until late October after the awards go live. This is one of the most fun parts of doing this website. We sit down with all of the reviews we've done (including some that haven't been posted yet) and compare specs, pricing, positives, negatives, complaints we've come across (heard, experienced) and put together the best buy lists. We're also doing another round of Baka Awards this year for the compaines, people and equipment that was just plain Baka ("stupid") from this past year. Lots and lots of fun.

However, in all that fun I've been neglecting the site just a bit and am going to try my darnedest to get back to posting a new review once a day. Today's review, for the Horizon T81 treadmill, is one of the more difficult ones. Not because of anything exceptionally good or bad about the treadmill, but because the lower end units are harder to rate and rank. One of the things I had to decided when I started this site was "do I rank budget units in the same manner, and up against, the more expensive units?" or "do I rank budget units only against other units in the same class and price range?" Both modes of thought are valid - budget treadmills (and ellipticals) are ALWAYS going to be less sturdily constructed and with lower cost components than higher end or commercial equipment. There's no way around that.

2008 Best Buy Award Winner.

What I decided was to rank units against others in their own class. A budget treadmill goes up against a budget treadmill and I give you my opinion on which one is better. What that doesn't mean is that a 4.5 buddah budget treadmill is better than a 4 or even 3.5 buddah commercial treadmill. You're comparing apples to oranges at that point and, most of the time, the lower ranked commercial treadmill will blow away the budget one.

With that incredibly long build up to a fairly short review, we received in a batch of equipment we ordered from Horizon Fitness a few weeks ago. In that batch was the new Horizon T81 Treadmill, which replaces the 2006/2007 Horizon T71 Treadmill (check out the T71 Review). Now, a lot of you may be wondering why Horizon seems to come up with new model numbers every year for what is generally the same equipment. I can't answer that question for Horizon but my guess would be that they are pressured to do so by their big box (Sears, Amazon, etc.) retailers so those retailers have something shiny and new to sell, even if it is basically the same unit.

The Horizon T81 Treadmill is indeed, basically the same unit as last year's T71, with a few decent upgrades. The main differences (aside from the cosmetic differences in the console and plastic tooling) are in the slightly larger motor in the T81, which clocks in at 2 horsepower this year versus 1.75 in the old Horizon T71. It really isn't a major change and not one most people will notice.

The other change is in the size of the running area on the Horizon T81. This year the model gets an additional 2 inches tacked on to the sides with a 20"x50" inch deck. As with the motor, this isn't something most people will notice.

Overall, the Horizon T81 Treadmill is a very decent budget treadmill for under $600 and should more than meet the needs of anyone looking to do a light work out a few times a week. If you're working out daily or putting any major mileage on it, I would suggest moving up to a heavier treadmill.

For being a solidly built treadmill for those on a budget, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Horizon T81 Treadmill 4 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

Another solid budget treadmill for Horizon, the T81 gets 4 gold buddahs.


Find out more about the very solid Horizon T81 Treadmill.



Horizon T81 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2hp
Display: LCD
Readouts: Speed, Distance, Time, Calories and Heart Rate
Programs: 8
Rollers: approximately 1.75"
Running Area: 20"x50"
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 10%
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Folding: Yes
Max User Weight: 275lbs
Unit Weight: 175lbs
Price: Under $600

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

The Horizon EX76 Elliptical Review - Best Buy Elliptical with Incline under $1000

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei fears fads in just about all forms. The thought of fads brings up memories of bad perm-afros in the late 70s (I don't know why my parents let me get one because it is not a good look for a Japanese man), pet screws, parachute pants (see the above remark about not knowing why I was allowed to get them) and Billy Ray Cyrus. That brings up the latest fad in the fitness industry, home ellipticals with inclines. Up until now home incline ellipticals have been truly frightening and of exceptionally poor quality thanks to the fine folks at Icon Fitness. Thankfully, Horizon Fitness out of Wisconsin has decided to get in on the action and has produced a very solid incline elliptical in their Horizon EX76 elliptical.

Horizon is the perfect company to be producing the standard for home incline trainers because they have been at the top of the mountain for manufacturing high quality treadmills and ellipticals for those on a budget. Not only do they put our their own lines of equipment but they also make units for Schwinn in the Schwinn 438 elliptical. They've also got quite a bit of experience in the incline world as they manufacture units and components for Precor as well. As any regular reader of this website knows, Precor is one of the top end, commercial brands which has been producing incline ellipticals for more than 10 years and owns the patent on the incline ramp. Johnson Tech (Horizon's parent company) and its relationship with Precor has given it the insight to design an incredibly feature packed and solid elliptical this year in the EX76.

The first thing we noticed when unpacking our Horizon EX76 was the great new look Horizon has gone with for the 2007/2008 season. They've done away with the boxier look of the old EX75 and gone with something much slicker looking. They've also slimmed down the plastic on the front shrouds and added more weight to further stabilize the EX76. As soon as we had assembled the elliptical (which took about 30 minutes for us and would take around an hour for those of average mechanical ability), my son mounted up and immediately noticed that the EX76 felt solid even with his 250+ pounds rocking it back and forth.

The next thing we noticed was that the Horizon EX76 had a huge number of upgrades over the elliptical it replaces, the EX75. They have the same 14.5 pound flywheel and pulse grip heart rate monitoring, but the similarities end there. The biggest two new upgrades on the EX76 are the fantastic 16% incline and the adjustable stride which allows users to vary their stride length from 18" to 19," two things rarely found individually in an elliptical under $1000 and never found together. The elliptical features a very buff incline motor similar to the ones found in Horizon treadmills. It's great to have a budget elliptical now available with these two features.

Horizon has also upgraded the number of progams on the Horizon EX76 elliptical to 16 over the 10 programs last year and, along with that, upgraded the console to a commercial style LED console.

The only downgrade in the new unit seems to be the number of resistance levels dropping from 20 on the EX75 to 16 on the EX76. That is a very minor nitpick because the amount of resistance has remained the same, only the incremental adjustments have changed.

My son and I both tested the Horizon EX76 elliptical over the course of about 8 days. We found it to be one of the sturdiest ellipticals priced at under $1000 and it really held up to ellipticals in the $1300-$1500 range very well. Factoring in the great new incline and adjustable stride makes the Horizon EX76 a top rated and best buy elliptical in the $1000 range. For being a solid new addition to the Horizon line of ellipticals, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Horizon EX76 Incline Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

A near perfect new machine from Horizon gets a near perfect 4.5 golden buddahs for its efforts and quality.


Get more information about this best buy elliptical with incline for under $1000 and find the lowest price online.



Horizon EX76 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: Variable - 18"-19"
Flywheel: 14.5lbs
Incline: 16%
Display: LED
Programs: 16
Resistance: 16 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 180lbs
Price: Under $1000

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

The Spirit XE700 Elliptical Review -- Overpriced and under featured

Ohiyo!

One method fitness manufacturers use to confuse consumers is by classifying a machine as "light commercial" or "commercial," making buyers think they are getting a heavier duty machine because of this classifications or "grade." To tell the truth there is no actual difference between a home unit and a commercial unit. Now, I don't mean that most commercial units are more expensive or build with heavier materials, what I mean is the classification itself doesn't automatically make a unit "light commercial" (for example). All the classification really means is that a manufacturer is willing to warranty a particular unit in a particular setting. Home units are generally warrantied for a few users in a home setting for 10-15 hours a week, where a light commercial unit would be warrantied for use in a non-commercial gym and 20-30 hours. What some manufacturers of home fitness equipment do is upgrade a unit's rating from home to light commercial knowing full well the majority of their customers will be placing equipment in their homes where that light commercial warranty is meaningless anyway. It is a great little bit of bait-and-switch that is hard to pin down because there are no industry standards for what can be called "light commercial" or "commercial" grade equipment.

One "light commercial" machine is the Spirit XE700 Elliptical. The XE700 is the 2007/2008 version of the Spirit XE850 and, thankfully, is still built on the same frame instead of the shorter, more stunted feeling compact frame of the rest of the Spirit XE Elliptical line. From our time on the unit at the recent Health & Fitness Expo in Denver, the XE700 seems to be the same downgraded elliptical the XE850 was last year.

Let's start with the positives. The longer frame on the Spirit XE700 is the same sturdy frame from last year with a metal guide rail shroud on the back for additional support and protection. It also features articulating foot pedals with Spirit's very nice 2% inward slant that give a very natural feel to the unit's elliptical motion and long 20" stride. Finally, it's also got the great new "Safety-Lok" software to help give parents with small children peace of mind for security.

Unfortunately, the downsides balance out those positives. While the pedals are well-positioned, Spirit has decided to remove the cushioned foot pads their lower end ellipticals feature and there is a major difference in comfort in the Spirit XE700 without that padding. The XE700 also lacks the adjustable pedals found in all of the lower end units, a very surprising oversight and one that keeps an owner from being able to further adjust the comfort of his workout. There is nothing worse than getting on an elliptical and having your feet fall asleep because the pedals are at the wrong angle for your body. Finally, the XE700 even lacks the wireless telemetry belt included on the rest of the Spirit ellipticals. A strange cost-saving measure on an already stripped-down elliptical, at least in my opinion.

Overall, the Spirit XE700 is a sturdy unit but is over-priced for the limited features and lower specs it possesses at a just under $2000 price. I'd consider this a worthwhile buy at $1399 or so but it is a definite pass at $1999. For being an average unit, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Spirit XE700 Elliptical the same average rating its predecessor received with 3 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

Still lacking bang for the buck.



Spirit XE700 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: 30lbs
Display: LED
Readouts: Time, distance, calories / weight / speed / rpm, level, laps, heart rate / age
Programs: 6
Resistance: 40 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 400lbs
Unit Weight: 200lbs
Price: Under $2000

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

The Horizon EX66 Elliptical Review - A solid hit for under $800

Ohiyo!

The 2007/2008 Horizon Fitness ellipticals and treadmills have arrived! Well, they actually arrived about 10 days ago on a truck but this is my first real chance to get to talk about them. Back when the Treadmill Sensei heard the new units were out a month or so ago, I decided I needed to order up a few units to check out and review. So, 2 weeks and $3000 later, we've got in a couple of their new ellipticals and treadmills to check out and review.

When we opened up the box for the Horizon EX66 elliptical I was pleasantly surprised to see a slick new design for the unit. While Horizon stuck with a slightly updated version with the EX56, they instead decided to go with a complete upgrade for the EX66 elliptical. Based on what appears to be a much heavier duty version of their Merit ellipticals, the Horizon EX66 elliptical one of the niftiest new designs I've seen on an elliptical priced at under $1000.

At about the same weight as last year, the Horizon EX66 features a lot less plastic than the old EX65 did. The shroud is now tighter and heavier than before which will give users of over 200 pounds a very stable platform to work out on. It also features the same solid 14.5 pound flywheel as before.

The upgrades on the unit are great. The Horizon EX66 now features articulating foot pedals and a very natural feeling pedal placement. Last year I felt the pedals were a bit too far apart for my taste, but now they feel very similar to what you might find in higher priced units from Spirit or Vision. Over the course of my ten workouts of 30-45 minutes, I found the Horizon EX66 elliptical to be one of the best feeling ellipticals I've seen under $1000. A definite best buy.

The other upgrades come in the form of a new easier-to-use console featuring 14 programs, 4 more than last year's model. Horizon has done a great job in its program selection and has developed a fitness package that will challenge light users and hardcore fitness buffs alike.

The only downside I found was in the 1 year parts and labor warranty. I really wish Horizon would beef those up to 2 years for the part. Now, the 1 year warranty is very competitive with everything else in the budget price range, but going up to 2 years would make the EX66 elliptical a homerun.

For a customer on a budget or looking for a best buy elliptical for under $800, the Horizon EX66 shines and gets 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs from the Treadmill Sensei.

A great new design gets the Horizon EX66 4.5 gold buddahs.


Get more information on the best buy Horizon EX66 elliptical and find the lowest price online.



Horizon EX66 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Flywheel: 14.5 lbs
Articulating Footpedals: Yes
Display: LCD
Programs: 14
Resistance: 10 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 275 lbs
Unit Weight: 160lbs
Price: Under $800

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

The Horizon EX56 Elliptical - A best buy elliptical gets a nice upgrade

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei is glad the Gods of heat have heard his pleas because it finally cooled down yesterday. That makes me very happy because the electric bill here at the DOJO should go back down now that we can turn the air conditioner off. It also means that Hikaru won't be sweating nearly as much as he was, which is good for every at the repair shop.

Every year there is one consistant thing we can all be assured will take place in September. The event is as reliable as the changing of the seasons: Horizon Fitness updates and renames their equipment. This sort of thing normally annoys me a bit even if Horizon always puts out some quality treadmills and ellipticals. It annoys me because most of the time Horizon is just re-releasing the same equipment with a new paint job and some minor tweaks. This year, aside from the Horizon EX56 elliptical I'm reviewing today, it looks like they've gone with some major and very exciting changes. I look forward to being able to share those changes with you, my loyal readers, over the next week.

But first, let's talk about the new Horizon EX56 Elliptical. Not having heard anything from the folks at Horizon for 6 months or more (I guess they don't like the Sensei), I was very surprised when we received the call to do an inside delivery and set up on a Horizon EX56 Elliptical. I had to check the paperwork twice and call the company who was having us do the installation because I was convinced there was a typo. Not only was I unaware about what the new units were but I had no clue they were already out and available to the public! Like Uncle Chris teases me, I guess that's why I'm not the Elliptical Sensei!

The Horizon EX56 is the updated version of the Horizon EX55 (and the old Horizon EX22). It uses the same frame that has been perfected by Horizon over the past 3 years or so, a frame which is incredibly sturdy especially considering the under $600 price of the elliptical.

It also has the same 18" stride, 8 programs, 8 resistance levels, 14.3 pound flywheel (huge for the price) and heart rate monitoring of the previous units. The changes come in their updated articulating foot pedals, which are great to see on an under $600 elliptical. Combined with the sturdy frame and the 18" stride, the Horizon EX56 we received here at the shop felt a lot more like a $1000 elliptical than one with a budget price.

The only other major change is in the console on the EX56 elliptical. They've put on an upgraded and much more powerful console with a better look. While it has the same number of programs as the old EX55, it's got much more reliable electronics inside and should last a lot longer with little to no maintenance.

I was able to work out on the Horizon EX56 elliptical here at the shop for about 4 days -- not as long as I would have liked, but it held up very well. We didn't tell the owner, but Hikaur gave it a 3 hour work out and it held up even in spite of him being 50 pounds or more over its suggested maximum user weight...something I wouldn't suggest you doing at home. The listed 250 pound limit is probably about right for any sort of regular or heavy duty use.

This year, the Horizon EX56 elliptical continues Horizon's streak of producing best buy ellipticals under $600 and ellipticals for people wanting a great workout on a budget. For keeping the best parts and adding on some great new ones, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Horizon EX56 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

An upgraded unit gets an updated 4.5 golden buddahs.



Find out more about the 2008 Horizon EX56 Elliptical. Get the lowest price online and save with FREE shipping.



Horizon EX56 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Flywheel: 14.3lbs
Display: LCD
Programs: 8
Resistance: 8 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 250lbs
Unit Weight: 125lbs
Price: Under $600

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

The Landice L7 Pro Sport Trainer Treadmill Review - You can't go wrong with a Landice

Ohiyo!

When I wasn't looking, someone went and moved California on to the Sun because it has been bloody hot here this past week. Mrs. Sensei and I were out driving over the weekend and her car's temperature gauge showed over 119 degrees at one point! I am a delicate flower and am not built for such cruel environs. I wilt! So, we boarded ourselves up at home over the long Labor Day weekend and kept the air conditioner firmly planted at 78 degrees. I now officially rename Los Angeles to "Hell-A."

Interestingly enough, I spent most of the 3 days running on a new treadmill at the Sensei household. An old friend of ours was having a bit of trouble with his new Landice L7 Pro Sport Trainer Treadmill (which gets my top 5 award for having one of the longest names in the fitness industry). It was nothing to do with the treadmill itself, but the silly service techs who installed it for him didn't put it together quite right. Once I fixed the problem at his house, I asked if I could borrow the unit for a few days to write a review for you, my loyal readers.

For those of you who don't know, the Landice L7 Pro Sport Treadmill shares the exact same frame and motor as the rest of the Landice L7 models. The frame and construction on the L7 Pro Sport is a prime example of how a treadmill should be built. I don't care how heavy you are -- 250, 300, 350 pounds or more -- when you run on the Landice L7 Pro Sport you will see no shake in the uprights or console, and you'll find the frame and base to be the most sturdy you've ever run on. Things things are like tanks...if tanks were designed and built by BMW that is.

The Pro Sport Trainer Treadmill has the same giant 3 horsepower motor as the rest of the Landice L7 line. The motors are so big and so well-made that Landice might pulling them out of cars. Over the 35 or so years Landice has dominated the top end of the treadmill market, there has never been a better treadmill motor than what they use. You very rarely, if ever, hear about a problem with a properly maintained Landice motor even on units 15 years old or older. This is the reason Landice is so generous with its warranties, they know their motors will outlive most of their owners.

The Landice L7 Pro Sport is a prime choice for a runner's treadmill for a couple of reasons. First, it comes with a large 20" x 58" running area on that incredibly stable Landice L7 frame, which makes longer workouts of an hour or more a dream. Second, it has the cryptic sounding "VFX" shock absorption system. I still have no clue what "VFX" stands for but I do know that it feels really good on my poor old knees and ankles. If you are a runner or worried about your joints, you will be very happy on the Landice L7 Pro Sport trainer treadmill. Sheesh, that is a long name to type!

Anyway, the only difference between any of the Landice L7 treadmills is in their console. The Landice L7 Pro Sport Trainer has the middle of the pack console. I don't mean that in regards to quality, but in number of features and price. The Landice L7 Pro Sport doesn't have quite as many programs as the L7 Cardio Trainer or Executive (it only has 5 versus the 7 on the Cardio) and it doesn't have heart rate control programming. It does come with wireless heart rate monitoring but the contact HR pulse grips are optional on it.

Now, for most people, the Landice L7 Pro Sport Trainer is going to be the best buy treadmill from the Landice line because they don't actually do heart rate control programs. The savings of around $400 on the Pro Sport trainer versus the Cardio trainer is an excellent bonus as well. If you don't care about heart rate control then you can pick up the L7 Pro Sport Trainer for around $3600 with free shipping. Not a bad price for the fitness equivilent of a BMW.

The L7 Pro Sport Treadmill is a best buy treadmill for under $4000 and THE best buy for runners who don't need heart rate control. For being as close to perfect as a treadmill can get, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Landice L7 Pro Sport Trainer Treadmill, and its painfully long name, 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

4.5 gold buddahs for the high quality, US-made Landice L7 Pro Sport Trainer Treadmill.


Get more information on one of the best high end treadmills on the market and get the lowest price online.



Landice L7 Pro Sport Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 3.0hp
Running Area: 20" x 58"
Max Speed: 12mph
Max Incline: 15%
Programs: 5
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Rollers: 2.5"
Deck Thickness: 1"
Belt: 4 ply
Folding: No
Max User Weight: 400lbs
Unit Weight: 300lbs
Price: $3600

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

The Stamina Silent Magnetic Elliptical - A budget elliptical with far too many names

Ohiyo!

In spite of the Treadmill Sensei's oft-repeated advice, I still get tons of emails every week from customers looking for the cheapest possible elliptical or treadmill on the market that will magically hold 300 pound users or hold up to 10 mile a day workouts. Unfortunately, there is no such elliptical out there. You will not find an incredibly solid elliptical that will stand up to hours of running a day, every day by 200 plus pound users for a price under $1000 or so.

You can, however, find some decent ellipticals that are good for light workouts by heavy users, or heavier workouts from lighter users for under $1000. For under $300, you really won't find much for someone looking for a serious workout. Manufacturers just can't make a high quality machine with the $50-$100 or so an under $300 machine costs them to produce.

Now if you are absolutely in need of an elliptical for under $300 and understand the limitations of that price range, the Stamina Silent Magnetic Resistance Elliptical is a decent choice for just under $250. Luckily incredibly long names on ellipticals don't cost a manufacturer any extra.

In general, product from Stamina fitness is well manufactured, lower end equipment. They work in a budget price range and do well with what they have to work with. The Stamina Silent Elliptical in particular is a well-crafted budget elliptical priced at about $250. What you get for the price is surprising -- you get 8 levels of resistance, 6 programs, heart rate monitoring (but not heart rate control) and a 100 pound unit weight. The Stamina Silent Magnetic Resistance Elliptical is one of the heaviest duty ellipticals under $500.

Again, even being one of the heaviest duty ellipticals for the price, the Stamina elliptical isn't going to hold up to any serious workouts. I wouldn't advise more than 30 minutes a day for 3-4 times a week, but that should be more than enough for most casual exercisers.

The only real downside to the elliptical is the 14" stride length, but even that is competitive with everything else in the price range.

For being a decent solution for a low-budget workout, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Stamina Silent Magnetic Resistance Elliptical 3 out of 5 golden buddahs. He gives it's far too long name 1 gold buddah for being so bloody annoying to have to type out.

3 gold buddahs isn't bad for a $250 elliptical. Not bad at all.



Find out more about the Stamina Silent Magnetic Resistance Crosstrainer Ellipticals...and maybe find out why it has so darn many names!




Stamina Silent Magnetic Resistance Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 14"
Flywheel: 8lbs.
Display: LCD
Readouts: time, speed, distance, calories burned, and heart rate
Programs: 6
Resistance: 8 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 175lbs (approximately)
Unit Weight: 100lbs
Frame Warranty: 3 years
Parts Warranty: 90 days
Price: Under $250

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

The Spirit XE300 Elliptical Review - A drop in quality and value

Ohiyo!

The biggest dissapointment for the Treadmill Sensei this year is a company which built a great reputation in the past, but has decided to cut corners and drop quality this year in hopes of being able to save costs by exploiting that reputation. The company in question is Spirit Fitness and their 2007/2008 line of treadmills and ellipticals. I think they've decided to cut costs and quality and are praying customers don't notice before buying some substandard equipment.

All I can say about Spirit's new X-Series line of ellipticals is that I am very confused. For some reason, instead of sticking with tried and true units that were perfected by Sole on their E35, E55 and E95 over the past few years, Spirit has decided the best way to break out from the shadow of Sole by creating an entire line of ellipticals based on the architecture of the shorter profile Spirit XE125 Elliptical. Unfortunately for buyers, the XE125 was recalled this past year due to manufacturing defects and some pretty major problems...and somehow Spirit has gotten the idea to use that design for all their new equipment. This has to get the award for 'single dumbest idea of the year." Instead of changing their equipment up Spirit should have instead worked on improving its customer service and quality control process because those were their biggest problems this past year.

As with the rest of their new X models, I was able to get some time on the Spirit XE300 Elliptical this past August, 2007, at the Health & Fitness Expo in Denver. What I saw was a huge disappointment. The XE300 is a perfect example of an elliptical that "looks good on paper" but doesn't perform up to its specs. I believe Spirit intended for the XE300 to be a replacement for its older Spirit XE550 elliptical, which was based on the incredible Sole E95, but they failed horribly.

What was once a long, elegant and sturdy elliptical has been replaced by a shorter profile frame with a much lighter, flimsier feel to it. Getting on to the Spirit XE300 gave me the impression of standing on a sub-$1000 elliptical. The supposed 20" stride felt more like an 18.5" stride to me, and the plastic flywheel didn't have the smooth start up and slow down of the old XE550 flywheel. Why Spirit has insisted on remaining with a plastic flywheel when metal is the industry standard at this price point is as baffling as their choice of basing the unit on that of a recalled elliptical instead of sticking with the award-winning frame of year's past. I am still unsure of how the light weight plastic flywheel can be called "30 pounds" when it probably weighs closer to 16 or so pounds in reality.

In my opinion, it looks like Spirit is trying to fool its buyers in to thinking they have a more stable unit by placing a lightweight plastic guide rail shroud on the back of the unit. It is a pity the shroud does absolutely nothing for the Spirit XE300. The plastic on it is much too thin too put any weight on, it doesn't add any sort of stability to the machine and seems to be a completely cosmetic feature to try and make the XE300 look like more of an upgrade to the Spirit XE200 elliptical which is $300 cheaper.

I was also very disappointed to see a low number of programs on the Spirit XE300...for a near $1700 price I would like to have seen 10 programs or more. On the plus side, the XE300 does have 20 levels of resistance, the very comfortable Spirit/Sole pedals and an upgraded parts warranty of 10 years. The drop in labor warranty down to 1 year is also a huge error in judgment for Spirit. Cutting your labor warranty in half shows a lack of faith in long term performance of the new Spirit equipment. Hopefully, they'll get wise and raise the warranty back up to where it should be...otherwise, expect to pay a lot for service in 18 months or so when you begin to have problems with that plastic flywheel or shroud.

Overall, the Spirit XE300 is over-priced and under-performing for a $1699 elliptical. For having too much plastic and cutting too many corners, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Spirit XE300 Elliptical 2.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The Treadmill Sensei gives a very generous 2.5 gold buddahs to the Spirit XE300.



Spirit XE300 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20" (feels closer to 18.5")
Flywheel: 16lbs (listed as 30lbs)
Display: LED
Readouts: Time, weight, speed, RPM, distance, calories, level, laps, heart rate, and age
Programs: 6
Resistance: 20 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Unit Weight: approximately 160lbs
Price: Under $1700

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

The Lifespan TR2000HRC Treadmill Review - Everything but the kitchen sink

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei feels like he just won the Superbowl because he's going to Disneyland today! My wife has an addiction to the themepark and goes at least once a month with our daughter, her husband and my beloved grandson (who they mistakenly named after someone other than me, but I'm not bitter). My partner, Mat, and his wife are also tagging along this time because his wife has a similar addiction to the House of the Mouse.

However, I woke up extra early today to put together a new review for you, my loyal readers. One comment we get a lot here at the DOJO is about just how bloody big treadmills area. Now, the same people who complain about the size of treadmills are also the ones who want a longer deck size to run on. Sheesh, you just can't please some people! Luckily, for those insane people who want a smaller treadmill with a longer deck, the fine folks at Lifespan Fitness have found a way to bend the rules of time and space to give you exactly that in the Lifespan TR2000HRC Treadmill.

In an effort to expand our range of reviews, I had Hikaru purchase a Lifespan TR2000HRC treadmill online about 4 months ago. Because I'm an absent minded little man, the notes for that review sat on my desk for most of that time.

The Lifespan TR2000HRC features a very interesting design -- Lifespan calls it "step through" but I don't think that is the best name for it. What they've done is move the motor placement to under the machine in order to reduce the frame length while still having a very large running area. This design allows for a 20" x 56" running area on a frame that is 14-16 inches shorter than any other treadmill with the same deck size. In other words, it is a space saver and an excellent treadmill for runner's with limited space in their homes.

The other feature you don't see in this price range (and rarely see at all) is a decline option. In addition to a 10% incline, the Lifespan TR2000 HRC allows uses to workout at a 3% decline which works a completely different set of muscles than an inline or flat workout. I had Hikaru do a heavy jog using the decline and inclines in order to see if there was a comprise of stability or sturdiness and am very happy to say the TR2000HRC treadmill held up exceptionally well.

As with the rest of the Lifespan line of treadmills, the TR2000HRC featured very high quality components, a solid frame, very large low RPM and cool running 2.5 horsepower motor. One component that I particularly appreciated, but will mean absolutely nothing to most casual readers, was the very high quality machined rollers Lifespan has given the TR2000HRC. Good, large sized rollers like these will help to extend the life of both your motor and your treadmill belt.

We worked out on the Lifespan TR2000HRC treadmill between us for approximately 20 hours over a 2 week period and were all very impressed by the unit. It is solid, reliable and, if properly maintained and cleaned, should last 10 years or more for most owners. Even the warranty shows longevity with lifetime coverage on the frame and motor, 5 years for parts and 1 year for labor (my one nitpick is that I'd love to see the TR2000HRC with a 2 year labor warranty, but that is a minor complaint about a great machine). It is great to see a company with as high a commitment to quality as Lifespan has shown.

For being an excellent treadmill with some great features found nowhere else, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Lifespan TR2000HRC Treadmill 4.5 out of 5 buddahs.

Quality, quality, quality.


Get more information on this innovative product and find the lowest price for it anywhere.





Lifespan TR2000HRC Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.5hp
Rollers: 2.5"
Running Area: 20" x 56"
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 10%
Max Decline: 3%
Display: LCD
Readouts: Incline, speed, time, distance, calories, heart rate, lap count
Programs: 6
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Folding: Yes
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Unit Weight: 200lbs
Price: Under $1400

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

The Lamar Ignite 841 Elliptical Review - Excellence on a budget under $700

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei has been very impressed with Lamar Fitness over the past few months. When they first popped on the fitness scene in the early 2000s they produced some fairly forgetful equipment. However, since that time they've spend the last 5-6 years slowing improving their quality, their design and their manufacturing to the point where they are no producing some of the best budget and mid range ellipticals and treadmills. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any of their sales people to talk to me at the fitness expo in Denver this past August, 2007, so my information is limited to the units that either come through the DOJO for setup or repair, or from units we purchase to review. The Lamar Ignite 841 Elliptical is one of those I was so excited about that we went out and bought one to review a couple of months ago (along with the Ignite 821).

The Lamar Ignite 841 is essentially the same fantastic elliptical trainer as the Ignite 821 elliptical I have already reviewed. The only differences are in the 841's electronics -- Lamar has give it an upgrade to having wireless heart rate monitoring for about $100 more.

With or without the wireless heart rate integration, the Lamar Ignite 841 Elliptical is still the heaviest duty, smoothest feeling elliptical under $700 -- and, to tell the truth, is probably the single best buy elliptical under $1000. The Ignite 841 outweighs every other elliptical under $1000, coming in at about 175 pounds and with a huge 16 pound metal flywheel. When you factor in the 18" stride then you have a very smooth workout for a budget price.

A feature that I was very surprised to see on an elliptical priced at under $700 is articulating foot pedals. Most units in the budget range have static pedals which can lead to numbness in your feet during longer workouts. By adding in the articulating pedals, Lamar has gone above and beyond the call of duty in their design and manufacturer of the Ignite 841 Ellitptical.

If you're on a budget but still looking for a top rated elliptical and a best buy under $1000, then make sure to check out the Lamar Ignite 841 Elliptical as it shines in a world of low end, poorly manufactured ellipticals. In my opinion it out-performs a lot of ellipticals under $1300. This unit is amazing and under priced...get it before Lamar gets wise and tries to raise the price!

For being a truly elegant, sturdy and well-designed elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the best buy Lamar Ignite 841 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The same mechanics as the Ignite 821 but with some upgrades get the Lamar Ignite 841 4.5 gold buddahs.



Lamar Ignite 841 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Flywheel: 16lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: time, pulse, distance, RPM, calories, speed, temperature, and watts
Programs: 10
Resistance: 16 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 275lbs
Unit Weight: 175lbs
Price: Under $700

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

The Spirit XE100 Elliptical Review - Another lesson in mediocrity

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei has mentioned a few times about how he attended the Health & Fitness Business Expo in Denver this past August 2007. Going to these shows helps me get on equipment that I haven't had a chance to look at back at the DOJO, and I get to test out and review a lot more treadmills and elliptical for you, my loyal readers. One of the exhibits I was able to visit and spend quite a bit of time with was the one belonging to Spirit Fitness. I was anxious to see Spirit's new X series of treadmills and ellipticals as well as their "budget line" which they call Esprit.

As I entered Spirit's booth at the Denver trade show this year, I was a little worried when I saw what was being called the Spirit XE100 Elliptical because of how many problems their Spirit XE125 had last year...to the point of it even having to be recalled back to the manufacturing plant in China due to issues with the entire line. Thankfully, based on what I saw the new unit looks to be more than just a repackaged and repainted version of that recalled unit.

Let's start with the "upgrades" on the new XE100 elliptical over the problem elliptical of last year. First off, the specs list the unit as having a 20 inch stride. As I mentioned in my review of the Spirit XE200 elliptical, if I had gotten on the unit with no prewarning of a long stride, I would have guessed the stride to be at 18.5 or so inches in length and not the 20 inches listed. This could just be an issue with the elliptical motion due to the shorter frame.

From there the number of resistance levels have been upped from 16 to 20. This is a nice upgrade to get for those of you who like to tweak your workout more -- it doesn't increase the amount of resistance on the machine, it is just increasing the increments you can tweak your workouts by.

The next upgrade seems to be the newly adjustable pedals on the Spirit XE100. Believe it or not, I really like this feature. Having the ability to further customize your workout and make it more comfortable is a great feature. Cudos to Spirit on this one.

The final "upgrade" if you can call it that is a $100 increase in pricing over the XE125. The street price on the Spirit XE100 is going to be about $1099, which is about $100 more than it should be. Spirit should have taken a cue from Sole on its E25 elliptical unit (almost identical with a 20" stride but without the problems of the XE125). At $999 it would have been a unit to take a look at, but with a price tag of basically $1100 it is most definitely a "pass" in my book.

The last thing I want to mention is the flywheel on the Spirit XE100 elliptical. This is a similar, but smaller, version of the plastic flywheels in the larger Spirit Ellipticals. I'm not exactly sure where Spirit gets its 30 pound weight for the thing but my guess is that they are weighing the entire front drive assembly instead of just the plastic flywheel. If I were to guess a weight on the XE100's flywheel I would say 10-12 pounds at the max. If I can find an exact weight I will post it here, but I can't imagine the plastic to weigh much more than that on the XE100 elliptical trainer.

To be honest, the Spirit XE100 isn't a terrible elliptical, I think it is just a bit overpriced at $1099. If it were priced at under $1000 it would be a very nice budget elliptical. I will post updates as I hear from readers who have purchased the Spirit XE100 elliptical. I would recommend my readers check out the Sole E25 Elliptical instead. It has a better price and better quality control record.

For not being a terrible elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Spirit XE100 Elliptical 2.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

The Spirit XE100 gets a tentative 2.5 gold buddahs.

Check out the Sole E25 Elliptical for a solid version of the XE100.

Spirit XE100 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: 12lbs (listed as 24lbs)
Display: LCD
Programs: 13
Resistance: 20 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: approximately 190lbs
Price: $1099

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

The SportsArt E80 Elliptical Review -- A step up in quality without the step up in price

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei has contacts and spies every where in the fitness industry. I get emails and calls from service techs working at various manufacturers, emails from other fitness writers and lots of emails from retailers and independent repair techs. One of the benefits of those contacts, aside from aiding me in benevolent world domination, is that I am able to get my hands on all sorts of equipment to try out and test. One of my minions came through for me superbly by rounding up a number of SportsArt treadmills and ellipticals from a very kind dealer out in Arizona. The only requirement was that I go out to meet the store owner in person and pick the units up. So, after a "quick" 7 hour drive out, we were able to pick up 4 SportsArt floor models for testing and review over the course of 2 weeks. The units had to be returned once we were finished and they couldn't be damaged. Thankfully, SportsArt makes their equipment solid enough to endure 2 trips in a freight truck between states.

The first piece off the truck was the SportsArt E80...ok, it may not have been the first one off of the truck but, as the lightest of the line, I wanted to review it first. I don't really know which unit came off the truck first because I made the younger Senseis unload it because I'm old and broken...and they are young and in need of getting broken.

The E80 was fully assembled so Hikaru and I did a quick breakdown of the machine. I passed assembly along to Mat to watch how someone of average mechanical ability handled putting the unit back together using the instructions. Re-Assembly went off without any major hitches and Mat had the thing back together in about 45 minutes with a little help. SportsArt did an excellent job with its instructions and putting an E80 elliptical together should be around an hour job for most people.

Once it was all back together, Hikaur, Mat and I took turns with 1 hour workouts each over the next 10 days. We all found the unit to be very solid and incredibly well constructed. In addition to a heavy duty frame, the SportsArt E80 elliptical also uses bearings in all of its joints and pivot points. Using steel bearings instead of cheaper, flimsier bushings (made of brass a lot of time) allows for much smoother and quieter workouts as well as extends the lifespan of the elliptical. Plus, you'll have a much lower maintenance rate.

The thing about the SportsArt E80 elliptical that blew us all away was its "random" workout mode. The version in the E80 literally allows for thousands of possibilities in workout variety. Why this is good is because your muscles do become used to repitition in workout and using the same program over and over because less effective over time. If you step on the SportsArt E80 and hit "Random" every time, you'll never have the same workout twice. Also, and this isn't health related, having the ability to change up your workout is a great way to avoid boredome.

The only real downside any of us could find was in the lower number of resistance levels (16 would have allowed for a bit more workout control versus the 10 the E80 comes with) and the non-articulating footpedals. While the footpedals didn't articulate with the elliptical's motion, they were still comfortable enough for 30-45 minute workouts. Just make sure to vary your foot position while you are on it.

The best way to describe the SportsArt E80 Elliptical is as the fitness equivilent to a beginner's Lexus or Mercedes. You get the finest design, components and manufacturing but you lose a few of the bells and whistles in exchange for an affordable price. You'll notice an almost immediate different in smoothness, comfort and natural motion when you get on a SportsArt trainer versus an elliptical from any other home unit out there. The difference in quality is amazing. Even without the "bells and whistles," the SportsArt E80 elliptical is a commercial quality unit for a very reasonable budget price.

While the SportsArt E80 is a very solid elliptical made up of high quality components, I would actually suggest upgrading to the E81 Elliptical for another $300. With that you get extra cushioning in your footpedals, additional programs including heart rate control options, as well as some additional feedback options. Even if you stick with it, the SportsArt E80 is an excellent introduction into the world of higher end fitness equipment.

For being SportsArt's version of a "starter Lexus," the Treadmill Sensei gives the SportsArt E80 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

Another great quality unit from SportsArt, the SportsArt E80 Elliptical comes away with 4 gold buddahs.


Find out more about the SportsArt E80 Elliptical and get it for the lowest price online.



SportsArt E80 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 19"
Flywheel: approximately 22lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: Workout level, strides per minute, time and calories
Programs: 5
Resistance: 10 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: No
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 165lbs
Price: Under $1500

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

The LifeCore LC-21 Elliptical Review - Innovative doesn't always mean Good

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei loves new and high tech gadgets. I'm a sucker for them. Here at the DOJO my office is covered in the things. Anything that is cool and unusual seems to wind up on my shelves or cluttering my desk. I especially love it when fitness manufacturers come out with some spiffy new technology or do something creative with a standard unit. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't,

The LifeCore LC21 Elliptical is a prime example of a company that went out of its way to be cutting edge and experimental, but who also failed to achieve what they had intended. The idea of using a smaller, secondary flywheel mounted on the larger flywheel in order to get a longer stride on a small unit is a good one. Unfortunately, the feel when you get on the LifeCore LC-21 just isn't quite...right. Some just feels off about it. The elliptical motion isn't as flattened or as smooth as it should be. I wouldn't compare it the feel to that of a stepper but I will say that it isn't as natural as a standard elliptical.

On the plus side, the inner workings and components of the LifeCore LC21 are of some of the highest quality at this price point. Their use of sealed bearings in all of their pivot points instead of bushings is fantastic. It also had a large number of programs at 12 and included the option to create and save your own programs.

I had my partner, Mat, try out the LC21 Elliptical to get a second opinion. He said he felt more awarkward from the way the unit's weight was distributed than from the strange elliptical motion of the pedals. He thought the very heavy weight almost directly under him interacting with the lightweight upright support in front seemed very unusal and unstable, at least for someone of his size, and that he felt like the console and handlebar were going to snap off when he used the static bars.

Lastly, neither of us liked the old school style static footpedals which can lead to numbness of feet and toes in longer workouts. As a bigger guy, Mat liked the width between the pedals, but I thought they were a bit too wide for anyone of average or shorter height.

That being said, if you are looking for a very solid elliptical with a shorter profile the LifeCore LC21 might be worth taking a look at. However, I'd suggest something like an Octane or SportsArt short profil unit instead. I'm just not sure an experimental unit is worth trying out at just under $1700.

For being creative but unfulfilling, the Treadmill Sensei gives the LifeCore LC21 Elliptical 2.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The LC21 gets 2.5 gold buddahs out of 5 for being unique...a little too unique.


The LifeCore LC21 Elliptical is interesting but unnatural.

LifeCore LC21 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 21"
Flywheel: approximately 24lbs
Display: LCD
Programs: 12
Resistance: 16 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 400lbs
Unit Weight: 175lbs
Price: Under $1700

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

The Spirit XE200 Elliptical, good solid equipment at a good Price!

Ohiyo!

I was looking at a few ellipticals the other day, and I was reminded of an oldie and goody I found in Spirit. Spirit has always had good prices, but there products have improved. While their prices have stayed fairly static, and in the fitness industry this is darn near unheard of (and impossible)! In a sea of products, some old, and some new we find that certain models are always a favorite. The XE200 is one of mine!

The reason I like the XE200 is that the price point is not scary to tell, write or read about when looking to buying new equipment. At around $1200 or $1300 (depending where you shop) most people will be thrilled with the features and quality of this elliptical for many years to come! The XE200 has a great compact design, which is a feature that almost everyone appreciates!

Do not think that just because this machine is on the more compact side, that the XE200 is lacking in any other area! This thing offers a wonderful 3 position adjustable pedal position, with huge footings and a wonderful 20 inch stride length with a 2 degree inward slant that really makes this comfortable to use for anyone in your house!

The 30 LB steel fly wheel is huge compared to many more compact models and truly feels like a club model! The 30 LB steel flywheel allows for 20 resistance levels. This is so important for users of all fitness ranges! The varying resistance levels allow anyone to accomplish the task at hand, and not feel over or underwhelmed by their individual fitness level.

The XE 200 comes with all the fun stuff you would expect, like a water bottle holder, programs, a pretty screen, fan, heart rate monitor via polar telemetry strap or contact on handles and attractive appearance, but the really cool thing is that structurally, this is a well made machine that many companies in the fitness industry would slap “Commercial” in the name and add at least $1000 to the price tag!

This machine has a few features that many of you really don’t care about, but I am gonna tell you anyway just to drive home the point that the Spirit XE 200 is worth a second and third look-see!
First, this thing has a weight limit of 400 lbs! Second, the frame is made of oversized, commercial grade steel and is warranted forever!
Third, there are four guide rails covered with an aluminum sheaths for added stability and durability from the inside out. Last, but not least, the resistance mechanism is an electronically controlled magnetic brake that is covered for LIFE! This is worth a few Goggle’s!

Happy Shopping!

Spirit XE200 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: approximately 16lbs (listed as 30)
Display: LCD
Programs: 6
Resistance: 20 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 350lbs
Unit Weight: approximately 190lbs
Price: Under $1400

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

The BodyCraft TR1180 Treadmill Review -- Best Treadmill Buy Under $2000

Ohiyo!

Today the Treadmill Sensei is going to write about a near tragedy that occurred while reviewing today's treadmill, the BodyCraft TR1180. In the accident, I'm sad to say, my son's pride and ego were both killed. He wasn't actually hurt but any chances of him ever looking cool in the eyes of the cute offices girls next door is now gone.

You see, my son and Hikaru (who have been friends since childhood) decided to take 6 of the treadmills we had in our repair bays, including the BodyCraft TR1180 treadmill I'll be reviewing in a minute or two, and set them up so they could perform a "treadmill dance" for the DOJO crew and the fine people in the home design studio next door (including a pair of very lovely young ladies the two boys have been hoping to go out with). They decided to do this after seeing some video on YouTube and after having heard my stories of the Motus girls at the IRHSA tradeshow earlier this year.

2008 Best Buy Award Winner.

Unfortunately, the boys didn't have some of the advantages the people in the video and the girls at IRSHA had: such as a choreographer, weeks of practice and, most importantly, natural rhythm and the ability to actually dance. Heck, they both still have problems walking straight...I can't imagine what made them think they could dance on treadmills.

Being a fairly busy man at the DOJO I missed out on the first minute or so of the performance. What got my attention was a loud burst of cheering and the laughing of a good 20 people in what is normally a fairly empty receiving dock. Some sort of robot-sounding music could also be heard blaring in the background. Heading out I was very surprised to see the aforementioned 20 people surrounding a group of treadmills with my son and Hikaru in the midst of what I at first thought was an epileptic seizure of some sort. I was later informed the seizures were actually their "moves."

After another minute or so of thei convulsing and hopping back and forth on the treadmills, the pair zigged instead of zagged and wound up running in to each other with a fairly loud "THUMP" as their heads collided. My son was knocked 45 degrees and fell flat in the middle of all the treadmills. Hikaru almost held his balance but tripped of my fallen son, took a face plant in to the BodyCraft TR1180's console, went down to his knees which were pulled out from under him as he crashed in to my son. The whole group was in shock until a tiny voice came out of the mass of bodies and said, very quietly, "Ow."

I laughed so hard I just about crapped my pants. This probably makes me a bad father because I should have rushed over to help my son out, but it was easily the funniest thing I've ever been blessed to see and I wish we had a video camera because the footage would have made me rich.

To end a long story, they were both ok once we shut the treadmills down. Hikaru came away with a nice sized black eye and my son was distressed that one of his shoes was torn. I readily volunteered to buy him new shoes in exchange for the day's entertainment.

What I learned while putting the treadmills away was that inspite of being hit with the very large, very solid head of Hikaru, the BodyCraft TR1180 showed almost no damage at all. Hikaur is a big boy (he and my son both weigh in excess of 260lbs) and his full weight slammed in to the console of the TR1180 and neither it nor the upright supports were knocked loose or damaged -- well, aside from a gouge in the front of the console where I assume Hikaru's teeth impacted.

The stability and sturdiness of the frame on the BodyCraft treadmills continues to astonish me. Their use of high gauge steel (14 gauge I believe) and rock-solid welds makes the BodyCraft TR1180 a best buy treadmill under $2000. This is definitely a perfect example of a commercial quality treadmill being sold at a home treadmill price. The TR1180 is just an upgraded version of the BodyCraft TR1160, so it features the same frame and huge 20" x 58" deck.

Where the BodyCraft TR1180 differs is in the large commercial-quality 3.0 horsepower motor. I can say with great confidence that this is one of the best treadmill motors on the market right now, and definitely the best under $2000. I don't want to be accused of getting creative but if you can get it up to 77 miles per hour it will let you travel through time. Seriously, tho, the TR1180's motor, with proper care, will last 10-15 years or more.

Aside from the motor, the TR1180 treadmill features a slightly higher running speed and an included wireless chest strap. The reason to buy the BodyCraft TR1180 is if you're looking for a heavy duty treadmill that will stand up to the most hardcore of running workouts, use in an small office or apartment style workout room, or if you just want the best possible treadmill around for under $2000.

The last thing I want to mention is BodyCraft's "EZ Lubrication" system. If you hate trying to figure out how to properly lubricate your deck then this is a dream come true. It takes about 2 minutes to do and is the easiest lubrication system on the market. It's easy enough that I would even let Hikaru or my son do it!

For being a remarkable, top rated treadmill and a best buy under $2000, the Treadmill gives the BodyCraft TR1180 treadmill 5 out of 5 golden buddahs and thanks it for not killing my son.

The BodyCraft TR1180 is an amazing machine and recipient of 5 gold buddahs out of 5.


Find out more about this nearly perfect treadmill and get the lowest price online.




BodyCraft TR1180 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 3HP
Max Speed: 12mph
Max Incline: 12%
Running Area: 20' x 58"
Display: LED/LCD
Readouts: speed, time, distance, calories, incline, pulse, pace, elev gain
Programs: 15
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Folding: Yes
Max User Weight: 400lbs
Unit Weight: 275lbs
Price: Under $2000

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

The Proform 350 Treadmill Review -- One of the Worst Treadmills Under $400

Ohiyo!

A reader recently asked the Treadmill Sensei "Why don't you review more Proform product? They have a lot of treadmills and ellipticals that people see every day" At first I just laughed to myself because Proform reviews tend to be made up of me mocking some really low quality equipment by a company which doesn't care about its customers. Plus, as the reader said "they have a LOT of treadmills and ellipticals." Sometimes it feels like if I reviewed a Proform every day that I wouldn't ever finish because they release new product so often. Why on Earth would I want to support that?

However, thinking about the question further I realized the reader was correct. Proform (and Icon in general) dominates much of the fitness industry, especially the lower end of the budget spectrum, and should be getting a larger presence on this website to show that. Of course, to Proform's annoyment (if they've even noticed this website yet), I plan to continue to warn customers away from bad buys on budget treadmills and ellipticals. I will try to do at least one Proform or Icon review a week to keep everyone updated on what to avoid. What this means to the Treadmill Sensei is that I'll be getting my "bad treadmill" headache a lot more often now. Because of that I will be accepting donations of Tylenol and Hard Liquor from you, my loyal readers, to combat that Bowflex Headache (which I may have to rename the Proform Headache)!

If you are looking for a best buy treadmill for under $400 then the Proform 350 Treadmill is an excellent one to avoid. If you are looking for a very noisy,plastic-constructed and rickety budget treadmill that isn't going to last through a year of regular use then the Proform 350 is the perfect treadmill for you.

Starting with the assembly of the unit, we had a bit of trouble on the Proform 350 we ordered to review here at the DOJO. A number of the holes were cut incorrectly and the bolts didn't quite fit. Also, alignment in general was just a tad off. Once together, the Proform 350 Treadmill was very shaking and not the most solid of units. The product specifications from Proform mention a 250 pound user weight limit, but I would drop that top weight down to no more than 160 pounds at the most. And, truthfully, even that might be stretching it.

Once together, the Proform 350 didn't function at all. There was a problem with one of the control boards. What I thought would be a quick call to customer service turned in to what I like to call the "Icon Nightmare." You see, I didn't mention to the customer service department that I was an authorized Icon repair tech and just pretended to be a regular customer. What I went through was a terrible experience that lasted nearly a month with constant calls to get assistance. An amazing discovery was that the Icon customer service agents we spoke with seemed to consider themselves repair techs and were trying to diagnose the problem over the phone. We quickly received a vast array of different, very cheap, parts from Icon but none of them were what we needed. I finally gave up trying to act like a regular customer because I was developing a rather nasty ulcer from the experience. Receiving the control board we had the Proform 350 treadmill up and running in about 20 minutes...plus 30 or so days.

The very interesting thing was that I was never offered an "in-home" service tech by Icon, being told that I could install any of the parts they sent in just a few minutes. The other interesting thing was that one customer service rep suggested I remove the 350's motor and take it to a local mechanic to have checked out...on my own dime of course. This is actually the second time I had been told this on a Proform treadmill in the past year.

Before I get to what I found in the course of my 2 days of actually working out on the Proform 350 treadmill, I want to go over the features and facts of the unit. The Proform 350 has a very small motor in it. Icon has labelled the motor as a 2.25 THP motor and what that means in reality is a 1.25 horsepower or possibly even smaller motor. It also has no programs, a small running area for the price at 17"x50", top speed of 10mph and maximum incline of 10%. I was very surprised to see no programs at all on the unit because that is one of the cheapest features to add to a treadmill.

On to the findings of my workout on the Proform 350 Treadmill, why it only lasted for 2 days and why I mentioned a top user weight of less than 160 pounds. My workout was cut short on day 2 because I cracked the deck of the Proform 350 Treadmill during a walking workout of around 2 miles per hour. I hadn't even gotten to a full run or jog, and I hadn't even done my patented "bounce test" yet. Also, when we were taking the 350 apart to place it out in the DOJO's "treadmill graveyard," I noticed the left strut had bent and was cracked at its base. Now, I'm not a heavy man by anyone's definition and this should not have happened during a light walking workout -- heck, I think entire runtime on the Proform 350 was only around 2 hours at that point.

To be fair to Proform (God, I hate saying those words!), this may have been an isolated instance of a manufacturer's defect. We would normally tried to find a second unit to try out but the overall experience on the treadmill and with Icon's customer service turned me off on the idea. With or without the cracked deck and bent upright support, the Proform 350 is a very low quality, poorly manufactured treadmill that I would not recommend to my worst enemy. Don't be fooled by the look of the Proform 350 and don't be lured in by the price. In the end you'll just be throwing your money away.

For being a truly horrible unit (and that caused me to look silly when it cracked and I fell off of it in front of Hikaru...who is still making fun of me), the Treadmill Sensei gives the Proform 350 Treadmill 0.5 out of 5 golden buddahs...that's right, half a buddah!

The Proform 350 makes the Treadmill Sensei wish he had a 0.25 golden buddah rating.



ProForm 350 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 1.25 HP, listed as 2.25 THP
Running Area: 17"x50"
Max Speed: 10MPH
Max Incline: 10%
Folding: Yes
Display: LCD
Programs: 0
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 250lbs
Unit Weight: 125lbs
Price: Under $400

P.S. The Sensei was joking about the donations of Tylenol..although you can always send Hard Liquor.

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

The Lamar L1200 Treadmill Review -- A best buy treadmill under $2000

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei has a Bowflex-sized headache again today, which interestingly enough isn't from Bowflex related equipment. You see, over the weekend we took in 8 Proform treadmill repair jobs here at the DOJO. The jobs came from a bunch of unrelated people who all happened to breakdown at the same time. The reason this is a headache for me is because I am generally the one in charge of having to deal with Icon's "customer/tech service" -- I put that phrase in quotes because I don't think the works "customer service" should ever be used together with the word ICON or PROFORM. It's an oxymoron. Actually, you could leave the "oxy" portion of that word off and it would still fit them quite nicely.

To counteract the headache I thought I'd do a review of something quite a bit higher quality than a Proform treadmill...and, if you want quality, one of the names standing out this coming season is Lamar Fitness (or "Lamar Health, Fitness and Sports" as they like to be known...me? I think the name is way too long). To tell the truth, I wrote the notes for this review when a Lamar L1200 Treadmill came in to the DOJO about 2 months ago. Since we had an unusually busy summer this is my first chance to get back and do a full write up on the L1200 Treadmill, one of my top rated choices for a best buy treadmill under $1700.

The main reason I am a fan of Lamar equipment in general, and the Lamar L1200 Treadmill in specific, can be summed in three words: high quality components. Where a lot of mid-range manufacturers will overload their treadmills with plastic, Lamar goes out of its way to produce quality by using 14 gauge steel in the manufacture of their L1200 Treadmill. Most manufacturers are using 16 or lower gauge steel! The only other treadmills in the price range which can compete with the Lamar L1200 treadmill's solid design and sturdy build are by BodyCraft and Quantum. Nothing else comes even close.

To help me run the Lamar 1200 through its treadmill paces, I had Hikaru "volunteer" to do a little running on it...well, to do a LOT of running on it. Over a 2 week period I had Hikaru do 2 workouts a day -- a running workout in the morning for 20 minutes and then a walking one in the after noon for 45 minutes. The reason for doing dual workouts was to test two specific items: the stability of the unit with the running workout and the power and durability of the motor and drive system with the walking workout. You see, walking puts a lot more stress on a motor than a run does because your body weight is in almost constant contact with the belt, which can slow it down and put considerable strain on motor performance.

After 2 weeks we found the Lamar L1200 Treadmill performed with flying colors. Running in burst of 6-7 miles per hour, jumping up and down and general harsh treatment couldn't weaken the L1200's frame. In addition to that, neither long, slow steps or doing a cold start with Hikaru on the treadmill belt was a problem for the Lamar L1200's motor. It started well and ran consistantly for the entire time. Lamar made an excellent choice when they chose the 2.5 horsepower motor for the L1200 treadmill.

From there the additional great features on the L1200 treadmill were just gravy. It has a monstrous 20"x60" running area which is great for its price range -- great for any price range -- 8 workout programs, heart rate monitoring and control. and heft 225 pound unit weight, 10 mile per hour top speed and a 12% maximum incline.

If I had to nitpick about this unit, I would have wished for a higher top speed and incline, but that is such a stretch for a complaint it is barely worth mentioning. The Lamar L1200 Treadmill is a near perfect choice for the causal walker or the serious runner both. For being a best buy treadmill for under $2000, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Lamar L 1200 Treadmill 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

Another top rated treadmill from a solid company, the L1200 Treadmill gets 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5.


Get more information on the Lamar L1200 Treadmill.




Lamar L 1200 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.5HP
Running Area: 20" x 60"
Programs: 8
Max Speed: 10 MPH
Max Incline: 12%
Display: LCD
Readouts: Speed, Time, Distance, Calories, Incline, Pulse
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 225lbs
Price: Under $1700

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

The Kettler Vito XL Elliptical Review - A well-crafted let-down

Ohiyo!

In the fitness industry we all spend a lot of time talking about manufacturing in Taiwan versus China versus the US. What we tend to forget is there is still some very fine manufacturing being done over in Europe. So, to broaden all of our horizons the Treadmill Sensei wants to answer an email from the Reader Mailbag about the quality of a long standing German company called Kettler. Let's see how Kettler measures up to its Asian cousins out in the marketplace. Take it away, Don!

Sensei,

I like many other of your readers (fans) have found your reviews the best I have found, I have read that you have a Sports Art 803 at home and I am leaning that way myself. I'm 6'3" 340lbs and the wife is 5'2" 130lbs so an adjustable stride and heavy duty machine is what I need.

So here finally is my question, what do you know about Kettler machines, it says made in Germany and I am seeing 45 lbs flywheels and all ball bearing and I'm thinking?? so I ask the pro- the guy what fixes them not the guy what sells them are they as good or better as the Sports Art for the money or should I stay with the 803.

Thank You. -Don

Don:

Thanks for your note and I'm glad you are enjoying the website! It's true, I did have a SportsArt 803 at home but I recently gave it to my Sensei partner, Mat, who was in search of a solid elliptical to workout on. He's about your size but a tad bit shorter at 6'1" and he's loving the machine. He works on it every morning before he comes in to the DOJO to work out even more during the day! The 803 elliptical holds up very well to his more super-sized workouts.

In regards to Kettler, they do make some very high quality product. A quick history of Kettler for those of you who aren't familiar with the brand. As a manufacturer of sports and fitness equipment, the German-based Kettler has been around since the late 1940s and has been known for producing some very high quality equipment ever since. Their "made in Germany" slogan is one filled with pride, and rightly so because German manufacturing is still some of the best in the world. Now, although Kettler has been in the US since the 1980s, it is still lesser known brand to most buyers in spite of their higher quality production.

I wasn't sure which Kettler unit Don was interested in, so I put my feelers out and brought in a couple of units after I returned from the Fitness Trade show at the beginning of August. The first one I was able to get my grubby little hands on was the Ketter Vito XL elliptical, which can be picked up for just under $1200.

The very first thing I want to talk about is the misconception of the "45 pound flywheel" that Don mentioned. What Kettler actually does is give you the weight of the entire rear drive assembly and not just the flywheel (much like Spirit does when quoting 30 pounds for their lightweight plastic flywheels). I didn't have the time to disassemble the entire drive assembly, but by eyeballing it I'd estimate the metal flywheel to be in the 25-30 pound range. Still a very large and smooth running flywheel if not quite the 45+pounds they like to brag about.

The second thing is how freaking well the Kettler Vito XL elliptical was made. It has the single most solid frame I've seen on a home elliptical under the $1200 range. In addition to the incredibly sturdy frame, the unit also uses sealed bearings instead of cheap bushings in all of its pivot points. What that means is a much smoother motion and a quieter ride. It also means the Ketter Vito XL elliptical will last for a very long time without much additional maintenance.

Now, for being such an incredibly well-made machine a lot of you will be surprised at the rating I give the Vito XL elliptical from the fine folks at Kettler. The reason for that is because of the lack of features on the unit: it has a very small 16" stride length (very short for a $1000+ elliptical), no programs, only 10 levels of resistance control (if it were priced under $600 that would be acceptable) and the old-style non-articulating, non-adjustable foot pedals. The bummer is that while the elliptical motion of the Kettler Vito XL is great, the stride is much to short and the static pedals will be uncomfortable for any workout of 20 minutes or longer.

Speaking of the pedals, they seemed a bit too far apart for my taste as well. A taller user might like that more than someone of my 5'7"-ish height, but then that user would be turned off by the shorter stride.

If you're looking for an incredibly well made elliptical and are under 5'8" or so then I would recommend checking out the Vito XL Elliptical from Ketter, otherwise I'd suggest looking elsewhere. For being an incredibly well-made disappointment, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Kettler Vito XL Elliptical 3.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

3.5 gold buddahs out of 5 isn't all that bad...it isn't all that good either.


Find out more about the Kettler Vito XL Elliptical and get the lowest price online.



Kettler Vito XL Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 16"
Flywheel: approximately 26lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, distance, Kilojoules burned, RPM, pulse
Programs: 0
Resistance: 10 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 280lbs
Unit Weight: approximately 145lbs
Price: Under $1200

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

The Spirit ZE120 Elliptical Review -- Solid Elliptical Under $1100

Ohiyo!

The end of the Summer and the start of Fall brings in new treadmills and ellipticals from manufacturers as they launch their new lines for the upcoming holiday season. But, before the new equipment arrives buyers still have time to check out some really cool equipment in the current line...and even save some cash at the same time..

To be perfectly honest, the Treadmill Sensei was very unsure about whether or not to review the Spirit ZE120. You see, Spirit is discontinuing the unit and it will no longer be available once current stock is sold off. The current Spirit Z Series is being replaced by their new Esprit line which is less than impressive. However, I wanted to go over the Spirit ZE120 elliptical in order to give my readers one last look at a top rated elliptical before it is gone and, hopefully, give you a chance to pick one up before they are all gone.

To start off, the Spirit ZE120 is basically just a slight upgrade of the Best Buy Award winning Sole E25 Elliptical. They share the same frame and same mechanical parts, with the only difference being the lighter color paint and more programs, including a heart rate control option. If you like the Sole E25 but want more exercise programs or want to do heart rate workouts, then the extra $100 is a small price to pay.

The Spirit ZE120 is a very solid elliptical, featuring 4 rear rails to assist in giving you a very stable workout. Spirit has also done a great job with the articulating foot pedals and their 2% incline to give the ZE120 elliptical's 20" stride one of the most natural and comfortable feels on the market. All of the Spirit and Sole ellipticals share this great feature.

The unit also comes with 13 workout programs, heart rate monitoring (pulse grip but also with a wireless option), heart rate control and 16 levels of resistance. For the price point it is an excellent buy.

Spirit has produced a very fine elliptical in the ZE120 and it will be a shame to see it vanish from stores in the next couple of months. If you want a top rated elliptical best buy for under $1100 then you'd be foolish not to check out the Spirit ZE120 elliptical. Luckily, if you miss out on the ZE120 version, the Sole E25 will still be around.

For being a well-designed elliptical in the $1000-$1100 range, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Spirit ZE120 Elliptical 4 out of 5 golden buddahs...we're sad to see you go!

4 gold buddahs out of 5 for the excellent Spirit ZE120 Elliptical.


Get more info on the Spirit ZE120. Save an additional 3% with coupon code TMSENSEI

Spirit ZE120 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 20"
Flywheel: 24lbs
Display: LCD
Programs: 13
Resistance: 16 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 160lbs
Cost: Under $1100

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

The Lamar Ignite 821 Elliptical Review -- The Best Elliptical Available for Under $700

Ohiyo!

Continuing in my review of budget treadmills and ellipticals under $1000, this time your Treadmill Sensei answers something from the Reader Mailbag. Today's question is from Pam up in Toronto, Canada. Let's see what she has to say...take it away, Pam!

Hi Sensei,
I love your website and your sense of humour/style! Great info for someone like me who knows little about fitness equipment.
The Ignite 821 elliptical has been recommended to me by a local fitness equipment seller (and they're willing to give me some $ for trading in my treadmill). Of course, they're recommending what they're trying to sell. I haven't been able to find any reviews of this model and I'm hoping you have some advice you can share.

Many, many thanks!! -Pam in Toronto

Pam:

Thanks for your note and your kind works. I'm glad you like the website! It is really a shame, but there is a lack of reviews for most of the Lamar Fitness treadmills and ellipticals out on the internet. As I said in some of my other Lamar reviews, they are a brand that flies a bit under the radar of most consumers but they produce some very good equipment. If you keep on reading you'll see that their budget ellipticals have a number of features you very rarely see in ellipticals under $1000.

I was able to get a Lamar Ignite 821 Elliptical in to the DOJO and review it about 3 months ago but just haven't had the time to convert my review notes over to a post and I'm glad for the excuse. THe Ignite 821 is an incredible elliptical for the under $600 price it sells for...in fact, I thought our unit had been mispriced while I was reviewing it because of how it performed. For once this is the case of a manufacturer pricing an elliptical too low!

The first thing you'll notice when checking out a Lamar Ignite 821 is how heavy the elliptical is. Weighing in at around 175 pounds the thing is a monster and outweighs pretty much everything else out there in the under $1000 range for an elliptical...heck, it out weighs a lot of ellipticals in the $1000-$1500 range as well! Going along with that weight and solidity of frame is a heavy, approximately 16 pound metal flywheel. The combination of frame, heavy flywheel and very comfortable full 18" stride give you the best elliptical workout available in a budget elliptical under $1000.

The other feature fairly unique in an elliptical in the under $700 price range is a pair of articulating pedals. If you've read my other elliptical reviews then you already know how important this feature is, especially in longer workouts. The articulating pedals allow for a more natural feel in your workout and keep your feet from falling asleep, which is a very common problem with most budget price range ellipticals. It is fantastic that Lamar had the foresight to include this feature in the already great Lamar Ignite 821 Elliptical.

On top of solidity and comfort, the Lamar Ignite I821 is also fully loaded with 6 programs, heart rate monitoring and control, 16 levels of resistance and a two-tone LCD screen. The only thing missing is wireless heart rate monitoring...but Lamar even has a solution for that -- for about $100 you can get the Ignite 841 Elliptical which is the exact same unit with the additional electronics for wireless heart rate monitoring. I'm still almost conviced that someone at Lamar made a mistake in pricing the Ignite 821 as low as they did.

In the Ignite 821 Elliptical, Lamar created a best buy elliptical under $1000 and definitely the best elliptical under $600 available on the market today. For having produced an uber-elliptical at a budget price, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Lamar Ignite 821 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs for excellence.

Wow...just plain wow!


Get more information about this top rated elliptical under $600 and find it at the lowest price online.




Lamar Ignite 821 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 18"
Flywheel: approximately 16lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, Pulse, Distance, Calories used, Speed and Watts
Programs: 6
Resistance: 16
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes, Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 275lbs
Unit Weight: 175lbs
Price: Under $650

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

The Lamar Ignite I436 Elliptical Review -- Best Buy Elliptical Under $400

Ohiyo!

Probably the single most asked question the Treadmill Sensei gets here at the DOJO is "How can I look as handsome as you, O Great Sensei?" The second most asked question is "Where can I get a commercial quality elliptical for under $500?" Unfortunately, the answer to both of those questions is "you can't."

In all seriousness, if you're looking for anything that even remotely feels like a commercial quality product for under $500 (heck, even for under $1000) then you're in for some terrible disappointment. There just isn't anything out there like that. However, if you're on a budget and looking for a decent performing elliptical under $500 then Lamar Fitness may just have an possible answer for you in their Ignite 436 Elliptical (I couldn't figure out if this was called the Lamar I 436 or the Ignite 436 Elliptical...it was listed as both everywhere I looked!).

I was able to spend an hour on one of the Lamar Ignite 436 Ellipticals two days in a row at a local fitness shop and, in spite of the very low price, I was still impressed by its stability and feel. The Ignite 436 Elliptical weighs in right around 100 pounds which is very heavy for a budget elliptical, and I'd estimate its flywheel at right around 12-15 pounds which gave it a nice smooth elliptical feel. The stride was a bit short, but the unit itself is perfect for those of you who are smaller in stature (read: shorter than about 5'10") and looking to do a 30 minute or so workout 4-5 times a week. It is also an great choice for someone in an apartment or with a small area to put a piece of fitness equipment.

The Ignite 436 has a great range of 12 programs and 16 levels of magnetic resistance -- something more often found in ellipticals priced closer to the $1000 range.

All in all, if your budget is down in the under $400 range for an elliptical, you'd be silly not to check out the Ignite 436 Elliptical by Lamar. It feels better and will last longer than any Icon Fitness brand elliptical in the same price range and even out performs the lower-end Horizon and Merit units. Look for it to last for 3-5 years without many problems at all.

For being a great low budget elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Lamar Ignite I436 Elliptical (and it's long name) 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

Another excellent Lamar Fitness elliptical with 4 gold buddahs out of 5.



Lamar Ignite 436 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 15"
Flywheel: approximately 12lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, pulse, calories, distance, speed, RPMs and watts
Programs: 12
Resistance: 16 Levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 250lbs
Unit Weight: 95lbs
Price: Under $400

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

The BodyCraft TR1140 Treadmill Review -- A Best Buy Treadmill Under $1500

Ohiyo!

For the Treadmill Sensei this website is a bit of an exercise in contradictions. You see, when I'm wearing my "Service Tech" hat I love low quality machines like Proform or Bowflex, or machines with a lot of issues like Spirit's are currently having...but, when I'm weaing the robes of the Treadmill Sensei I despise those machines and warn my readers away from them because of those very problems. Today's review is a great example of that. As a repair tech I am always annoyed to have to install a Bodycraft TR1140 treadmill because the darn things last so long and never have any real issues at all -- unless of course an owner just doesn't take care of it. However, as the Treadmill Sensei I just can't say enough good things about it.

We received a call from a local gym owner a couple of weeks ago that said one of his members was going to be ordering a BodyCraft TR1140 Treadmill and asked if they could have it shipped to our shop. A lot of customers do that because we will bring their equipment inside and set it up for them, making sure everything is working and there is no freight damage. I agreed said we'd do a free installation if we could keep the unit for a week to give it a good review. The customer agreed and I was very happy to be getting in a TR1140 Treadmill to wreck...er..to review.

When we received the BodyCraft TR1140 in here at the DOJO I decided, since my son wasn't doing anything constructive, I would turn the review process over to him. As a bigger guy he would be able to test the stability and durability of the TR1140 Treadmill a lot better than someone of my smaller build (that's right...I'm down to 161 pounds! I lost another 8 pounds on the forced diet Mrs. Sensei has placed me on). Of course, I was right there to supervise the entire process.

To start off, my son is not the most mechanical of people -- his skills are in the much more difficult fields of playing video games and not taking out the trash. That being said, he was able to assemble the BodyCraft TR1140 treadmill with little to no trouble. The process took him about 40 minutes and there was minimal cursing during that time. If you have someone to assist, it should only take 20-30 minutes.

From there we noticed the TR1140 has the same very solid steel frame build of all the other BodyCraft units. I would have been surprised to see anything else from a company like BodyCraft which is known for its high quality components and ultra durable gyms and strength equipment. It seems they've taken that same philosophy of building the most solid equipment on the market over to their treadmill line. The best example of that is watching my son run on the treadmill. He's a bigger guy (260 lbs and about 6' tall) and even with his extra weight (something my wife is working on getting rid of before he goes back to school) the uprights and console of the BodyCraft TR1140 treadmill didn't move at all...there was very little shake in the unit at all even when I had him up his rather causal 2.5 mph walk to a brief 7 mph sprint.

The BodyCraft TR1140 treadmill also had a surprisingly large motor for one ranked at 2.25 horsepower. I've seen smaller motors from Spirit and Proform ranked as 3 horsepower or higher! To test the power of the motor I had my son stop the treadmill (something he was more than happy to do after having run off and on for nearly an hour a day for the previous 4 days) and do a cold start while standing on the belt. There was almost no slowdown from his weight as the TR1140 kicked on and started to move up to a higher speed. This is a great demonstration of the power and quality of the TR1140 treadmill's motor and is not something you often see in a treadmill priced at under $1500.

Over the course of 6 days of testing, we found the BodyCraft TR1140 to be a great performer with very reactive pulse grip heart rate monitoring (and wireless as well), 10 programs and a large 20" x 56" running area. It was easily one of the best treadmills under $1500 that we've reviewed this year and should last 10 years or more for the owner with little trouble.

For being a top rated treadmill under $1500, the Treadmill Sensei gladly gives the BodyCraft TR1140 Treadmill 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

As close to perfect as you can get in a treadmill under $1500, the TR1140 treadmill ranks 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5!


Find out more about the spectacular BodyCraft TR1140 Treadmill, a best buy under $1500.



BodyCraft TR1140 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.25hp
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 12%
Running Area: 20" x 56"
Display: LCD/Dot Matrix
Readouts: speed, time, distance, calories, incline, pulse, pace, elev gain
Programs: 10
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Folding: Yes
Max User Weight: 325lbs
Unit Weight: 250lbs
Price: Under $1500

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

The Lamar A 4400 Elliptical Review -- Great Elliptical under $1500

Ohiyo!

Last week your Treadmill Sensei and master of the fitness world took a look at the A 4200 Elliptical from the little known Lamar Fitness. The unit was a great buy at under $1300 and the only thing it was really missing with wireless heart rate monitoring and heart rate control programs. Luckily, in their infinite wisdom, the fine folks at Lamar have released the Lamar Advantage 4400 Elliptical which is an upgrade from the Lamar 4200 Elliptical.

After I reviewed the Lamar 4200 and saw that the A4400 Elliptical was the step up I decided to go out to get one for us to review here at the DOJO. What we found in the Lamar A4400 Elliptical was the exact same machine as the Lamar A4200 but with some electronics upgrades. What that means is you get the same incredibly well built and solid frame, the same very comfortable 19.5" stride with perfectly positioned pedals for most workouts, the same heavy flywheel and smooth elliptical motion and the same great 5 year parts warranty.

Now, because the Lamar A4400 Elliptical had the same frame and mechanical parts as the Lamar A4200 elliptical, we only reviewed the 4400 Elliptical over the course of 4 days. However, even after 4 days and about 8 hours of working out, we did find that the Lamar A 4400 elliptical was an excellent choice for those of you looking for a best buy or top rated elliptical under $1500 and that it will deliver as close to the feel of a commercial elliptical as you can get in the price range.

What that also means is that Lamar has produced one of the best front drive ellipticals under $1500. The only thing that keeps it from getting a perfect score is the 1 year labor warranty -- at a more generous 2 years it would have gotten a 5 out of 5 from the Sensei. If you're let down by the lightweight plastic flywheel of a Spirit elliptical or the choppy feeling of a Nordic Track, then give the Lamar A 4400 elliptical a shot...like Kevin Lamar, it might just score a touchdown with you.

For being a solid upgrade to a solid elliptical, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Lamar Advantage 4400 Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 Buddahs.

Wow, 4.5 golden buddahs for the Lamar 4400 Elliptical...I wonder if Lamar's football career would even rank that high?



Lamar Advantage 4400 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 19.5"
Flywheel: approximately 25lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: speed, time, distance, pules, RPM, watts, calories and level
Programs: 11
Resistance: 16 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: approximately 250lbs
Price: Under $1500

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

The Spirit Esprit ET-2 Treadmill Review -- Another flop from Spirit

Ohiyo!

Any regular readers of this site know how much the Treadmill Sensei hates it when a manufacturer releases the same equipment under multiple names, especially when they use some minor cosmetic changes and a coat of new paint. In the past this practive was confined to the larger fitness manufacturers who were renaming their equipment for various large chain stores like Costco, Sears and Target. Now, more and more of the smaller manufacturers are doing in an attempt to confuse consumers.

One of the latest players of the "musical name game" is Spirit Fitness out of Arkansas, and the latest unit they're playing it with is the Spirit Esprit ET-2 Treadmill. For those of you who don't know, Esprit is Spirit's new line of fitness equipment which is sold primarily online and is made up of their former Z Series treadmills and ellipticals with a new paint job. The Spirit Esprit ET2 is just a repainted version of the old Z8/XT8 treadmill and a slightly downgraded version of the Spirit XT175 treadmill. The strange thing is this downgraded unit has the same cost as the already too high-priced XT175 treadmill.

We had a chance to check out the Esprit ET2 Treadmill by Spirit at the recent Health & Fitness Expo in Denver and I have to say I was as disappointed by it as I was by its near twin, the Spirit XT175. the ET2 treadmill features the same small 20"x50" deck that it was too thin at 3/4" for anything but light walking workouts. After taking a look at the motor on the ET2 I am almost convinced it is the same motor as is on the XT175. I could be mistaken but this might just be the case of a manufacturer playing around with unit specs to try and differentiate one from another. Whether it is the same mislabeled motor or not, it really isn't a terrible motor for the light walking workouts the Esprit ET2 treadmill was obviously designed for.

I also share the same disappointment in the poor warranty on the Esprit ET2 that I had with the Spirit XT175. For a treadmill priced at almost $1100 a consumer really should expect more out of a manufacturer.

The final downside of the Esprit ET2 treadmill is the lack of fans and speakers that come should come standard on mid-range treadmills these days. I'm not quite sure what Spirit was thinking when the design for this unit was approved. I do refuse to even talk about one of the worst color schemes I've ever seen on a treadmill.

For the positives, the ET2 Treadmill by Spirit shares the same upgraded 4 transport wheels for moving a folded unit around and the great "soft drop" system that all Spirit and Esprit treadmills posses. It's a shame, as with the Spirit XT175, these two great features are wasted on such a poor performing treadmill as the Esprit ET2 Treadmill by Spirit.

If you're looking to spend around $1000 for a treadmill I'd check out the Sole F63 for a much better value.

For being even worse than the similarly over priced Spirit XT175, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Spirit Esprit ET2 Treadmill 1.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

We're really not sure what Spirit was thinking when they designed the Esprit ET2 Treadmill, which comes in at a magnificant 1.5 gold buddahs out of 5.



Spirit Esprit ET2 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2hp
Running Area: 20" x 50"
Deck: 3/4"
Roller: 2.5"
Display: LCD
Programs: 6
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 10%
Folding: Yes
Max User Weight: 275lbs
Unit Weight: Approximately 200lbs
Price: Under $1100

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

The Lamar 4200 Elliptical Review -- Top Rated Elliptical Under $1500

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei constantly gets emails from his readers asking "why haven't you review such-and-such elliptical" or "such-and-such" fitness brand. Truth be told, we're not like some other review sites who just type up a review based on what everyone else online is saying about the equipment. We literally get on every single piece of equipment we review and workout on it. What that means is that we're limited to the amount of reviews we can get done at any point and hope our quality hold out over the quantity of the other sites and what their prescriptions for good equipment are. But I do hate when I'm not able to answer reader requests about information on brands or units I haven't been able to cover.

So, in order to fix that little issue we ordered a few different treadmills and ellipticals from manufacturers I haven't had a chance to review yet. Those units have been filtering in to the DOJO over the past 8 weeks or so and I've got a new one for you, my loyal readers. Today's offering is the Lamar 4200 Elliptical, sometimes called the Advantage 4200.

A quick background on Lamar Fitness: the company was founded in 2004 by Kevin Lamar, former NFL football player and executive at Nautilus for almost 20 years. They distribute their equipment under both the Lamar and Universal brand names. Lamar is known for putting out some very innovative equipment, but their quality was down for a few years before a recent turn around. Now they are quietly producing some top notch treadmills and ellipticals, including the Lamar 4200 Elliptical.

The Lamar 4200 we received here at the had a little bit of freight damage to the box and I was worried it was going to be damaged, but we lucked out and the only problems were with the box itself. Assembly on the 4200 elliptical was pretty straight forward and standard for an elliptical. I'd estimate it will take most people 45 minutes to an hour to put together if you've got someone to help. If you're doing it alone or aren't the most mechanical of people, it might take as long as an hour and a half.

The first thing you'll notice when getting on to the Lamar Advantage 4200 Elliptical (that's a mouthful of a name!) is how heavy it is and how solid it feels. This sucker weighs in somewhere around 250 pounds which is outstanding for a home grade front drive elliptical. And, almost all of that weight is up front in the drive assembly and flywheel. The way Lamar has designed the front end of the 4200 elliptical gives a very fluid motion to the elliptical movement of the pedals. Between that and the 19.5 inch stride, Lamar gives you a fantastic and comfortable feeling in your workout.

I very much enjoyed the 8 days I spent on the Lamar 4200 Elliptical we ordered. It was incredibly sturdy and held up to some pretty hard core workouts by both myself and Mat here in the DOJO. To balance out my longer 45+ minute workouts I had Mat do some very short, very fast and very rough workouts of about 5 minutes to see how much torture the Lamar 4200 could endure...and it passed with flying colors. The unit is built to last...and the company's 5 year parts warranty shows how much faith they have in it. I do wish the labor warranty was 2 years instead of one, but that is a minor issue.

The only other problem I had was that I missed having heart rate control programs. Lamar added that feature in the upgrade Lamar 4400 Elliptical for a couple of hundred dollars more, but it would have been nice in the Advantage 4200 elliptical as well.

If you're looking for a great workout in the under $1500 range, then check out the Lamar 4200 Elliptical -- it may not have the brand recognition of Proform, Spirit or Bowflex, but it has the quality and design excellence to beat them. For being really spiffy, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Lamar A 4200 Elliptical 4 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

Who would have thought an ex-football player would know how to make a darn good elliptical?



Lamar Advantage 4200 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 19.5"
Flywheel: approximately 25lbs
Display: LCD
Readouts: speed, time, distance, pules, RPM, watts, calories and level
Programs: 11
Resistance: 16 levels
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: No
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: approximately 250lbs
Price: Under $1300

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

The LifeCore LC985Z Elliptical Review -- As Exciting as a Sleeping Pill

Ohiyo!

At the Denver Fitness Expo earlier this month, the Treadmill Sensei saw a lot of treadmills and ellipticals he hasn't gotten a chance to check out yet. Being at the show helps me to figure out what machines I absolutely need to check out before we post our Ichi-Ban Best Buy Awards later this year. What we'll be doing over the next 2 months here at the DOJO is begging, borrowing and buying as many possible units as we can get to review. I'm hoping to have another 200 reviews done by the end of October! Of course, people say I'm crazy so we'll see what happens.

That brings us to the LifeCore LC 985Z Elliptical, a fairly by-the-book old school rear drive elliptical that we purchased about a month ago and has been sitting right outside of my office just waiting to be put together. And, starting with putting it together, the Lifecore LC985z was a very easy elliptical to assemble. Unlike a lot of ellipticals, the LC985z should take less than 30 minutes to put together.

That's where the excitement ends on the Lifecore LC985z. From that point on it gets a little boring.

The real shame about the LC985z elliptical is that it has a lot going for it -- 12 programs, heart rate monitoring and control, a decent sized flywheel and a pretty good warranty of 5 years on the parts. Unfortunately, the negatives are as great as the positives. The parts warranty is long but the labor warranty (just as important) comes in at a meager 1 year coverage. The unit itself is well made, but at under 100 pounds and with an approximately 15 pound flywheel, it just isn't sturdy enough to hold up to other ellipticals at the just under $1000 price point. And that doesn't even mention the very disappointing 17.5" stride.

Actually, since we did mention the short stride on the LifeCore LC985z Elliptical I'd also like to mention that the elliptical motion of the machine makes it feel even shorter than that. When you are looking at ellipticals you want an elliptical motion that is more stretched out than shaped like a circle. In my testing the elliptical motion of the LC985z elliptical was more "D" shaped than elliptical and what that gives is a more unnatural and uncomfortable ride, especially when you take in to account the awful, non-articulating pedals of the LifeCore ellipticals in general. After doing 5 days of 45+ minute workouts on the LifeCore 985z elliptical, I don't think my feel will ever wake up and stop tingling!

I just didn't like the feel of the machine very much and, unless you're an old Tunturi C6 owner and enjoy discomfort, neither will most people who check one out.

The LifeCore LC985z Elliptical isn't a terrible machine and, in fact, has some nice features. They just aren't enough to keep the LC985z from being a very average elliptical. For being average, the Treadmill Sensei gives the LifeCore LC985z Elliptical an average 2.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

Another sturdy but unexciting unit from Lifecore, the LC985z Elliptical gets 2.5 gold buddahs out of 5.



LifeCore LC-985z Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 17.5"
Flywheel: 15lbs
Programs: 12
Resistance Levels: 16 Levels
Display: LED
Readouts: Date, Time, Pulse and Temp
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit weight: 93lbs
Price: Under $1000

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

The Spirit XT175 Treadmill Review - No Bang for the Buck

Ohiyo!

One of the cool things about the Health & Fitness Expo that went on in Denver this August is that it allowed the Treadmill Sensei to spend some time on brand new units coming out from a number of manufacturers. One of the manufacturers I was particularly interested in checking out was Spirit Fitness out of Arkansas. They produced some very good equipment at the beginning of the busy season last year, but dropped the ball with poor quality control (QC) and poor components at the end of the season that caused a lot of Spirit buyers a lot of trouble.

Unfortunately, the first unit I was able to check out from their new XT-Series line of treadmills doesn't look good. My first thought when seeing the new Spirit XT175 treadmill was that it looked to be a semi-upgrade (and partial downgrade) of the Spirit XT8/Z8 from last year. For any of you who saw my review of the unit last year, you know I wasn't a big fan at all.

For a price of almost $1100, the Spirit XT175 treadmill is over priced and sorely under powered. The upgrade to a 2.5 horsepower motor was an excellent addition, but the tiny 20" x 50" deck is almost an insult to anyone looking to drop $1100 on a new treadmill. When you factor in the smaller deck thickness this year over last (.75" this year versus 1" last year) and that "almost an insult" turns in to a slap in the face to buyers.

Adding in an additional program by bumping the number up to 6 and tacking on heart rate control seems too little too late for the Spirit XT175 treadmill. Luckily, the new plastic pan covering underneath the treadmill should stop at least some of the freight damage that Spirit treadmills were suffering last year due to the lack of such protection. Don't even get me started on my opinion of their lackluster 4 year deck (???), 2 year parts and 1 year labor warranties. For a minute I thought I was standing on a Proform treadmill.

When my fellow Sensei, Mat, did a quick 2.5 mile-an-hour walk on the XT175 treadmill at the Expo, the entire unit shook more than the San Andreas fault. Now, Mat does come in over the intended 275 pound max user weight of t