Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
  • What to look for in a treadmill?
  • BeardedDave
    Free Member

    Ms BeardedDave has succumbed to the most obvious of New Year cliches and decided that she needs to get fitter. To do this, she’s decided she needs a treadmill. The problem is, between us, we know next to nothing about them.

    It looks like you can spend as much as you want on them (kind of like bikes!). We don’t want to spend a fortune on something that may well end up as a handy place to hang clothes, in a few months but, equally, don’t want to end up with something that’s not fit for purpose and breaks.

    Anybody out there got any thoughts on what we should look for? Any models we should avoid? With nothing else to go on, we spotted that Argos currently have this Reebok Treadmill reduced from £1099.99 to £399.99, which seems like a deal that’s too good to be true. But I’m dubious about Reebok branded sports products, as their bikes are hardly high quality!

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    I gather that the ability to support an aeroplane is vital.

    big_n_daft
    Free Member

    I would look at resale prices

    there is a fair chance you may be interested in them in a few months 😉

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    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    A real daft question, but what’s wrong with the free pavement outside your house?

    neverownenoughbikes
    Free Member

    Get one with incline adjustment as you should really be running at a 1% incline to replicate running on a flat road. Top speed should be at least 18kph so that sprints can be done. You get ones that aren’t motorised,they use your leg / foot movement to drive the belt ( cheap ones), don’t go there, they are awful.
    heart rate measurement can be useful as can one with different programmes although it has recently been proven that the “fat burning zone” is a lot of rubbish.
    if I were you I’d go to a fitness equipment showroom and have a go on a few as you want quite a sturdy one, they get quite a battering and also to see how quiet they are in operation, machine noise and running impact noise.
    I prefer them to indoor cycling as you can easily beast yourself but outdoor running is more interesting. Good for a quick workout though.

    BeardedDave
    Free Member

    FunkyDunc, we live in a tiny village with about three streetlights. By the time she finishes work, it’s completely dark. Unless she wants to spend her time doing shuttle runs between the lamposts, the treadmill is the only viable option.

    mikey74
    Free Member

    Headtorch?

    huckleberryfatt
    Free Member

    I bought a Bremshey about five years ago and it’s still going strong–solidly built, nice generous running ‘deck’, useful programmes and it’s fold-uppable so it can live in the kitchen and get used (rather than in the garage and get forgotten). I prefer running outside but it’s a v useful bit of kit esp when it’s icy/dark outside.

    surfer
    Free Member

    Hate them with a passion but use them when away on business and its difficult to run outside.
    As a runner of 30+ years a headtorch isnt a safe option I only ever use one on the fells. I would not “allow” my partner to run relying on one both to see or be seen.

    Big and Daft +1

    IME Powerjogs are the best but they are large and heavy. If you can find a closing down Gym or Ebay then thats the best bet.

    BeardedDave
    Free Member

    Funnily enough, my missus doesn’t feel safe running along pretty much deserted roads, in the pitch black, with just a headtorch for company.

    Just having a quick look at the Bremsheys and they look pretty good, although probably top end of what we want to spend. Fold up option isn’t something we definitely need, but I guess it would be handy as it’s going to be in our spare bedroom, so would be handy to be able to fold it up, if we had people stay over.

    josephrohdes221
    Free Member

    A few years ago I lucked out and managed to pickup a used LifeFitness 9100 from the local Y for $25. I’ve since worn the belt and deck out. The parts will cost more than it is worth, so I’m also in the market for a new one.

    As others have mentioned, Woodways are awesome. They are also expensive. Very expensive. Think superbike with zipp wheels expensive ($10k). The used ones are significantly less expensive in the same way that a used Ferrari is not nearly as expensive as a new one. But $3500 for a used one is a lot more than what I want to pay. If cost was no object or I was running a gym I’d get a bunch of them. But for the one hour a day I average on it the Woodway simply does not make financial sense.

    In looking around for a replacement it seems that you pay a lot of extra money for a few extra features which never get used. In the past 6+ years I found that I only use one of the “programs” on the treadmill: manual. I set the speed, I set the incline, I run for an hour. I’m done. I found that I never used the “hills” or “fat burn” or anything else like that. Likewise, I have a garmin, I don’t need yet another heart rate monitor. Entertainment is better served by my iPod or a small TV I picked up from Costco. I just one a treadmill that will let me run. The only numbers I really care about are max speed (12mph is a good number) and incline (15% is my target for a usable mill, but only because I run the Pikes Peak Ascent each year).

    A lot of folks bring up the shock absorption capabilities of the running deck. I found that all of the mills are a lot softer than running on pavement or sidewalks. If you need more than what the low end mills will provide, save yourself a small fortune on the higher end treadmills by getting a pair of Hokas and call it a good day. You’re inside, so you don’t have to worry about anybody making fun of you for running in moon boots.

    A NordicTrack C970 is $999 and you can save even more with a Google search for some coupon codes. If you are worried about reliability, just remember that you can get 3 or 4 of them for the cost of a “more reliable” treadmill that may only last 2x as long.

    Anyway, that is my $0.02 worth.
    brazil white wood
    Hope it helps.
    Joseph Rohdes

    JCL
    Free Member

    Get something as light as possible for when you take it down the landfill in a year or so.

    mogrim
    Full Member

    Not bought a treadmill, but use them at the gym two or three times a week, and have done so for the past 5 years or so… The main things I’d look for are a) max speed of at least 16kph, ideally more; and b) incline up to 10%. It also needs to be sturdy – which means heavy.

    Different workout programmes can be good and help maintain interest, but they’re not 100% necessary – they’re all easy enough to do manually.

    What I wouldn’t care about are HR monitors, calorie counters, built-in MP3 players…

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