| Author | Post |
|---|
Jessiboo
New Member
| Joined: | 9 July 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 9 |
|
Posted: 10 July 2006 07:02 am |
|
I am in the market for a treadmill. I went to a store that sells them and they told me all of these things I need. The cost is really high. I need to know what is a good treadmill. The people at the store told me that I need a really long treadmill because my husband is 6 foot 9 and will need a long track. We don't want to do something stupid and by a horrible treadmill just because we are being cheap. Is it true that you should spend at least 1200 to get a good one . Any help and suggestions would be great !
Thanks
Jessiboo
|
Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
|
Posted: 10 July 2006 09:36 am |
|
I don't know much about this subject, except that I have read that if you buy one with a really small (weak) motor it won't work as well.
About the length, I am over 6 feet and my treadmill is just over 3 feet long!
I can't run and have to walk, so that could make a little difference. It goes up to 25% incline and that's how I get a good workout walking.
Mine was on sale under $1000 a few years ago.
Peter
|
Jessiboo
New Member
| Joined: | 9 July 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 9 |
|
Posted: 10 July 2006 06:19 pm |
|
| Thanks for your reply. This is exactly what I want to hear. I hope others reply and help me out as well! Thanks Peter!
|
Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
|
Posted: 11 July 2006 08:13 am |
|
I have to add something!
I walked much faster than usual tonight and noticed that -- until I got used to it -- my feet were feeling the end of the treadmill... in the back.
But you can try it at the store and test for the length.
Peter
|
genXY
New Member
| Joined: | 15 June 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 139 |
|
Posted: 18 July 2006 05:01 pm |
|
I would suggest that you mention to your family/friends that you are in search of a treadmill. EVERYONE has one, and usually they are used as a clothes-hanger/coat rack!
I got a great electric treddy with power incline with less than 100 miles on it from a friend who moved to Jersey and she sold it to me for only 100 bucks! I don't have any complaints!
Otherwise, I would still go the cheap route at first because it's easy to buy exercise equipment and fall into that slump where you too use it as a coat rack! If I were you, I'd get a decent cheap-o at first, and if I used it a lot, I would gradually save up for a more expensive, more durable one. Maybe something like, for every mile, put a fiver in a jar!
|
personsmom
Distinguished Member
|
Posted: 18 July 2006 06:09 pm |
|
Does that mean if you're broke you cant use it. :D Just kidding. I also suggest looking around. Classifieds is a start, Yard Sales, and Friends. I just purchased one at Sears. I have used one in many gyms I have visited or belonged to. So I knew the features I most wanted. A coworker said his father wore out 2 motors in 10 years on his. Thinking it was the kill switch that he never removed when finished. I bought a Proform 400e for $399. I also bought a matte that protects the carpet underneath, worth the extra $35. It included motorized incline and cross trainer poles for upper body, 10mph max, & a heart rate monitor. The model down was manual incline & no cross-trainer. The one I purchased has a calorie counter but I find no way to input weight or age to adjust for me. Will look on line for info as to what the cal. burned is based on. Also consider the Max. weight, especially if there will be multiple users. Mine is rated for 250 lbs. which is more than enough for me.
The classifieds yielded nothing in my area, I checked the sports store a few weeks earlier and knew basically what they had. I thought it was a decent deal and within what I have saved for purchase. Purchasing it at Sears gives you a little better customer service. They even had a paper in there offering someone to put it together, for a fee I'm sure. It wasn't hard just time consuming and you will probably need help moving it around. Definitely not a one person operation.
Shop a little in your area and see what manufacturers are offered, then use the web to compare features. Go back and get on it and use it. I looked at Walmart and the ones they had were up high on a shelf. I'm sure so the kiddies don't play while mommy isn't looking and get hurt. I ruled them out as I could not compare shop there. Good Luck
Lee
P.S. The sales people will tell you what they want you to believe to sell the model with the most "incentive" commission. Often either the store or the manuf. may offer employee encentives to move a product. Do some investigating on your own, without the salesman. Go to the gym or Y. Maybe someone there will share their knowledge.
Last edited on 18 July 2006 07:58 pm by personsmom
|
EJ33
New Member
|
Posted: 31 March 2007 12:31 am |
|
Check out ht tp://www.treadmilldoctor.com
Click on "Treadmill Reviews" then click on 2007 Treadmill Basics & Tips for Buying Home Treadmills.
They use to have an excellent document that would ask all sorts of questions, like how many hours a week will it be used, how many people will be using it, what is the weight of each person, do you plan on running or walking, how tall is each person. Taking all the questions into account it would basically tell you what type of motor you needed, the treadmill belt size, and the price range you should go for. I did a quick check on their site but couldn't find it. It may no longer be a free document.
I'll make a number of comments to hopefully help you get better prepared to go shopping for a treadmill. You want to get a treadmill motor that has at least 2.0 CHP. CHP is continuous horsepower. This way if you want to do a 1 hr, a 2 hr, or 3 hr workout the treadmill motor will be able to handle it and not overheat.
A 2.0 CHP motor is satisfactory for walking and lite jogging or lite running. If you expect to be doing a lot of running you need at least a 2.5 CHP motor but I'd go for the 3.0 CHP motor.
If you only plan on walking 3-4 miles an hour you can squeeze by with a 1.75 CHP motor. For walking there are some satisfactory treadmills in the $800-$1000 range.
If you plan on walking and doing lite jogging or lite running think $1200-$1600.
If you plan on doing a lot of running think $2000-$2200 or more.
A treadmill in the $1000 range and above usually allows you to enter in your weight and this way it can give you a more realistic estimate of how many calories you burn.
You want a treadmill that has a running speed of 10 MPH. If you are a real athlete you might want a 12 MPH machine.
The treadmill also has a motorized incline. As the incline increases you also will be burning more calories. It also simulates running up a hill.
The treadmill should have a number of built in programs. Some people find the programs unnecessary but take a closer look. My treadmill allows me to manually create 3 programs. Each program has 20 segments and I can program each segment to be at a particular MPH and also set the incline for that segment. When it is time to use my program I can enter in a workout time of 1-99 minutes. If I pick 60 minutes then each segment will run for 3 minutes then cycle to the next segment. I also enter my weight so that when I'm doing the 60 minute workout the treadmill calories burned formula is based on my weight. I like creating my own program so that once I start the workout I don't have to touch any buttons while I'm doing my workout plus everytime I do my program I know how many calories I will be burning.
My treadmill also has two heart rate programs. When using a heart rate program I put on a Heart Rate Monitor over my chest and this monitor sends my exercising heart rate to the program in the Treadmill and it moves the incline up and down to keep my heart rate at 65% or 85% but I can also slow it down if I don't feel I can keep up with the pace.
Some treadmills have a Heart Rate Monitor built into the console but you have to put your hands on sensors to find out what your heart rate is currently at but people say these types of Heart Rate Monitors don't work well.
I think the biggest treadmill belt is like 20" x 60" and usually has a 3 CHP motor. I would guess you would need at least a 20" x 55" belt but your husband would have to get on a treadmill and run to really find out if you can get by with a 55" belt.
The cheaper treadmills come with a 90 day warranty; a $1200-$1500 treadmill usually has a 1 year labor warranty and 2 years for other things - plus a 5, 10, or 30 year warranty on the treadmill motor; A $2000 treadmill usually has a 2 year labor warranty and a 3 years on other stuff - plus a good motor warranty.
The Landice Treadmills in the $2700 and up range come with a 1 or 2? year labor warranty but a lifetime warranty on parts.
Treadmills don't last forever and if you use it a lot you will need repair service. Think $90-$125 for every hour a technician spends at your house plus repair parts are usually quite expensive. A treadmill is kind like a car once you get enough mileage on it you get an opportunity to experience a few repairs. But I hear people can go 5+ years without needing a repair.
I own a Proform Elliptical and I have been repairing it for 4 years. If I were to buy all the replacement parts and build my Elliptical from scratch the cost would be more than 6 times the price I paid for it. Buying repair parts is a bit expensive but my costs to keep my elliptical running have been relatively inexpensive and I'm just happy I can order replacement parts online and keep my machine running.
If you buy a treadmill from a mail order company they normally deliver it to the edge of you driveway. It may even be your responsibility to take it off the truck. Some offer a whitecoat delivery for an extra $200 or so and they will carry the treadmill into a room in your house and you get to unpack and set it up. Sometimes companies offer free whitecoat delivery.
I had thought I would get a much better deal by buying a treadmill at one of the department stores but when I took a serious look at a local fitness store I found their prices were not only competitive but they also delivered to the 2nd floor in my house and then set it up and checked it out for a cost of $0.00.
When I have checked treadmill prices from mail order sites they are no cheaper than the best deals I can get miles from my house.
I would suggest going to a local fitness store and have your husband do a little running on a few treadmills to see what works for his size and then you try the treadmill and if you're both happy find a spot in your house for it.
I think a lot of people end up using a treadmill as a dust collector or a coat rack so you might be able to get a good deal on a treadmill that hasn't been used much. I know my treadmill reports how many miles I have logged on it since I bought it so if you decide to go for a used unit try to figure out how many miles have been logged on it. That will give a clue of how soon you may be needing to call a service technician.
EJ33Last edited on 31 March 2007 12:41 am by
|
EJ33
New Member
|
Posted: 31 March 2007 02:38 pm |
|
Jessbo,
I was just reading genXY post - excellent suggestion.
I know when I bought my Elliptical I set my price point at $400-$500 because I didn't know if I would have the motivation to use the Elliptical on a very regular basis or if it would be a dust collector in a few months. I figured if I ended up using the Elliptical on a regular basis after 2-3 years the Elliptical would owe me nothing. Then I could look at buying a much better Elliptical and I would have a better idea of what features were important.
When I was looking to buy a Treadmill I had been exercising on a regular basis for a few years and was prepared to spend triple what I had for the Elliptical as a price point.
I know Sears and the Home Shopping Channels regularly sell $800 Proform Treadmills at typically $600 - which might be a good starter Treadmill to meet your needs at this time.
EJ33
|
nevd
Distinguished Member
|
Posted: 31 March 2007 05:05 pm |
|
A decent elliptical trainer should enable you to exercise your upper body as well as your legs. I'd always favour them over treadmills.
I've owned a Nordic ski machine for years and find it fine (if somewhat boring) as an exercise aid. Modern ellipticals are probably even better (and quieter).
I assume that going for walks or jogs together isn't an option for some reason? The great outdoors is somewhat more scenic than the room where your exercise machine will be stashed! Added to which, since only one of you can use a machine at any time, your exercise periods must be consecutive, rather than simultaneous (maybe not important, but worth considering).
I've never talked to anyone who used a home machine regularly over a long period, but - if yours gets you the results you want, any price is worth it!
Best of luck in your deliberations.
|
Frankie
Senior Member
|
Posted: 1 May 2007 05:59 pm |
|
Jessiboo,
I had a treadmill awhile ago. I did a TON of research about how powerful the motor should be, how big the belt should be, programs, warranty, etc. The same things that EJ33 mentions.
I have found that buying cheap exercise equipment is not worth it. (I've owned a LOT of exercise equipment over the years, and have always regretted buying cheap equipment). You don't want it to move around while you're using it. You want it to feel solid, not lightweight or cheesy. You don't want to have to worry about getting it fixed. It just doesn't feel pleasant to use a cheapo piece of equipment, and if it doesn't feel pleasant, you're not going to use it.
I would definitely recommend spending some time reading treadmill reviews online (just try googling for treadmill reviews) before you invest the money.
I ended up buying a Smooth treadmill. It satisfied all the criteria I was looking for, and seemed to be a decent price for the quality ($1500). I really liked it a lot, but had to get rid of it because due to MS, I couldn't use it anymore. However, I lost a lot of weight walking on it 40 minutes a day, at an incline.
Good luck in your search!
Frankie
P.S. To replace the treadmill I bought a used gym-quality exercise bike from someone who deals in used exercise equipment. That might be a good route to consider; especially if they offer a warranty or service. If you do that, however, make sure they can provide you with the users manual, and make sure you can give it a reasonable test workout first.
|
EJ33
New Member
|
Posted: 1 May 2007 10:11 pm |
|
Frankie,
When I replied to Jessiboo I didn't realize her question was posted in July 2006. So I suspect she made her decision on a treadmill a good 6 months ago.
I know the $1500 Smooth Treadmill is rated one of the best Treadmill values on the market.
The nice thing about this forum is our comments/suggestions are posted and if someone is looking for advice on a Treadmill, at some point in the future, our comments/suggestions may be helpful.
EJ33
|
Frankie
Senior Member
|
Posted: 2 May 2007 04:40 am |
|
Oops! I didn't even look at the date. Oh well. As you say, hopefully someone else will find the info helpful.
Frankie
|
SkinnyMclinky
New Member
|
Posted: 13 February 2008 02:39 pm |
|
I bought a Gold's Gym Cross Trainer 600 Treadmill from Walmart...$576. I LOVE it. It has the upper body adjustable restistance arms and has a variety of interactive programs with "trainer". It had everything I was looking for but I did my homework before I purchased it.
I think one of the most important things to make sure off when buying a treadmill (one that is often overlooked) is that thr treadmill sustain your weight. Many treadmills sold in retail stores have only a 250lbs weight capacity, meaning if you are heavier than this, it's not going to support your weight and will cause the motor to burn out prematurely. The one that I bought has a 350lb capacity.
Also, not all treadmills are created equally. Just because a treadmill may be priced higher than the one next to it, doesn't neccesarily mean that it's a better treadmill, so make a point of listing all the features YOU are looking, remember to look for the weight capacity of the treadmill and do your homework before you make the purchase. Also, if you can, stand on the display model and see if it feels comfortable/sturdy and if it's a working display, test it out. It will save you alot of heartbreak down the road
|
Current time is 04:08 am | |
|
