Buying Sole F80 Direct vs. Sears

Posted on May 14, 2012 by
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I had the following question from a reader…

Hello Fred, I’ve been reading your review site in my research into a treadmill for the home and I’ve come across a couple of items that I was wondering if you could shed some light on.
 
Are there differences in the warranty when purchasing through Sole, as opposed to going to a partner of theirs? I’ve seen a few poor/negative reviews around those bought through Sears, so I was confused as to that, and why where you bought the treadmill would have any affect on the warranty. Have you come across anything of this nature in your research?
 
I’ve been looking for a machine to complement my riding indoors and the F80 seems to appeal to a beginner like myself.
 
Any information that you could relay around the above issue would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks! – M
 
Response…
 
The warranty is exactly the same for the Sole F80 treadmill whether you purchase it direct online or through Sears.  However, the servicing of equipment is handled differently.  Sole utilizes a national network of service contractors, while Sears uses their own staff.
 
So there is no real difference from buying at either resource.
 
The Sole F80 treadmill is a great choice, especially at the current price. It can more than accommodate walkers, joggers and runners.
 
Regards,
Fred
Categories: Sole Treadmills

Treadmill Desk Review

Posted on April 30, 2012 by
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I’ve had several inquiries regarding treadmill desks.  They’ve been big news lately as a way for workers to exercise on a treadmill while they do their desk work.  I  personally do not think the concept is practical.  I can’t see myself getting any serious work done while I am in constant motion.  The other issue is that you cannot just buy any treadmill and put a desk over it.  The treadmill console is an integral part of the treadmill and it is where your controls are.  So you have to find a treadmill that does not have a console, or specifically has a desk built with it. Below was an email from one of my site visitors and my response…

Dear Fred,

I hope you don’t mind I contact you directly. I’m looking for a treadmill to create a walking desk. As you probably know, the speed one needs for a walking desk is up to 1.5 mph.

So, the main features should be:
- durable (I hope to use it for years)
- stable and quiet (I need to work while using it)
- can be assembled without the handles (must fit under a desk)
- the console can be placed separately (for example, on a shelf)
- incline (nice but not essential)

I don’t need any of the other features (fast speed, fan, programs, speakers, etc.)

I can pay up to $1,000.

There are some treadmills created specially to be used under a desk (http://www.treaddesk.com/products/the-tread/the-tread/) but I don’t know how good they are. I couldn’t find reviews.

Thank you in advance for any help!

Cheers,
Roberto

My Response…
I have never heard of the Tread, so I cannot comment on it. I will say for the money it has a very small treadbelt.

The one company that I do know that builds a combination treadmill and treadmill desk is Lifespan. Their treadmills have a very good reputation, and the treadmill they use with their desk has a much larger walking surface. I’ve personally visited their headquarters. Here is the link. Lifespan 1200-TD.

Regards,
Fred

Categories: Treadmill Reviews, Walking Treadmills

Proform 510E Elliptical vs. NordicTrack E5.7 Elliptical

Posted on April 26, 2012 by
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A question from a viewer to my site…
 
Hello,
First of all, I would like to thank you for your website. It is full of great information and tips.I am in the market for an elliptical for my wife and I, but do not have a vary large budget. At the time I found your website, I was looking at the ProForm 510E for a few reasons including size, stride length (18″-20″ adjustable) and cost ($600). After reading your comments about ProForm with respect to quality, warranty and cost, I looked at NordicTrack as well. I found the NoridcTrack E5.7, which appears to me to be the same machine. Additionally, it looks like the Healthrider H50E sold through Sports Authority is also the same machine.My first question is, can you confirm these are the same machine? Are there quality difference between them? The warranty listed is the same for each, contrary to your general brand comments.I noticed that the cost of the NordicTrack and Healthrider are both $699 as opposed to the ProForm for $599, can you comment on the reason for this?

Finally, do you know enough about this/these to be able to recommend them? Is there another machine that you would recommend over this/these? Is it worth pushing our budget up to $700-$800-$900-1000?

What are the advantages of the ProForm 710E over the 510E?

To be able to answer the last one, perhaps it would help for me to give you more information about how it will be used. My wife and I will be the only ones using (but not abusing) it for likely no more than 1 hr a day each, and this will be limited by time allowed by our toddler and infant. The impact on the machine shouldn’t be significant as I am about 5’11″ 185 lbs and my wife is smaller than me, about 5’6″. We are not interested in the bells and whistles, just a sturdy machine that will get out heart rates up.

Thank you for your help!
Mark

 
My Response…
 
Hi Mark,
 
Yes, the ProForm 510 E and the NordicTrack E5.7 are basically the same machines. They relabel many of their models and sell them through different retailers like Sports Authority and Sears. The ProForm 710 is primarily the same, but it has more programming and I suspect a heavier flywheel.
 
There are two models I would encourage you to check out. The NordicTrack E7.1 and the NordicTrack AudioStrider 990 Pro. The design is based on commercial grade models of Precor. In fact, the front drive design and the incline feature are leased from Precor by NordicTrack. I prefer the rear drive design, it tends to have a more natural elliptical motion. It also tends to be more stable. There are ProForm equivalents for both models.
 
 
 
I hope that helps.
 
Fred
Categories: Elliptical Trainers

Sole Treadmill Sale – Save Up To $300

Posted on April 24, 2012 by
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Note: This sale alert on Sole Treadmills was posted of 4/24/12 and the prices possibly went up by the time you read this. 

I heard from my sources that Sole Fitness has an excessive overstock of several of their treadmills.  Consequently they offering the some of the lowest prices ever on certain models.  For example, the Sole F80 treadmill is selling for $1,199 with shipping.  I have been monitoring prices on the Sole F80 treadmill for over 5 years and the lowest I have seen this model sell for is $1,399.  This is one of the best values for any treadmill at this price.

Other exceptional deals are the heavy duty Sole F85 Treadmill, reduced by $200 to $1,799. Ive never seen the Sole F85 discounted below $1,999. Another excellent bargain is their entry level model, the Sole F63 Treadmill.  It is reduced by $150 to $849. 

Sole Treadmills have an excellent reputation for quality and durability.  So take advantage of Sole’s over estimating their inventory and get some great deals.

Categories: Sole Treadmills, Treadmill Sales

Benefits of Owning a Treadmill:

Posted on April 23, 2012 by
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It’s almost summertime!  That means it is exercise season for many of you.  I know that I am trying my best to get in shape before the warm weather gets here. I’m sure most of you are exercising daily, right?  We’d like to think so, however, sometimes things come up in our very busy and hectic lives.  The struggle is not exercising itself; It’s finding the time to work out. I’ve had my gym membership for over 8 months now, and out of those 8 months I’ve made it to the gym probably less than 10 times.  No joke. 

It’s not that I don’t have the motivation or drive to be fit, because I do.  I find it difficult to go to the gym because it is all the way across town and sometimes I just do not feel like driving. Other times, I simply cannot find a gym buddy to go with.  Recently, I have considered buying a treadmill for my home.  It just seems a lot easier to exercise right at home rather than downtown at a gym where I feel uncomfortable.

A treadmill is one of the best exercise equipment available on the market right now.  There are many advantages of owning your own treadmill.  Here are the top 5 benefits to owning your own treadmill:

  1. It allows you to exercise at any time of the day.  This is a huge benefit for those of us who are extremely busy and have difficulty finding the right time to exercise. For most of us, time is the biggest excuse we have to not exercise.
  2. You can use a treadmill in the winter. Many people buy a gym membership during the cold seasons because they realize they won’t be able to exercise as conveniently.  Owning your own treadmill will eliminate this worry and even save you money in the long run!  If you are anything like me, where making it to the gym everyday can be a struggle, then a treadmill may be the right decision for you!
  3. Running on a treadmill burns major calories.  A treadmill offers some of the greatest fitness benefits!  Obviously running is going to allow a person to burn substantial amount of calories. However a treadmill offers something more.  For example, the  NordicTrack Incline Trainer X11i  has 44 workout programs!  This is a tremendous benefit, because when you work out the same muscles each day they will adjust to the work out, therefore, eventually you will not get anything out of it.  You must keep your work out new and diverse in order to see improvements!  A treadmill will allow you to keep a diverse workout because it offers so many workout varieties.
  4. Your progress will be tracked.  One of the great things about a treadmill is the heart rate control/monitor.  This control will allow users to see their progress, such as, losing weight or getting in some cardio.  It is also useful to see the rate you are running at and the distance traveled.  It is motivating to look down and see yourself running at a good pace for a long distance.
  5. Watch TV or read while running.  Being entertained while running can be a life saver. Sometimes listening to an mp3 player is just not enough. Many people enjoy reading while running, but face it, you can’t just bring a book outside with you and hold it the whole time you run.  Treadmills allow you to set your book down and makes reading easier.  Watching television on a treadmill is also extremely convenient. If you enjoy either of these hobbies, a treadmill allows you to enjoy these while getting in a great run as well!

 Katy is a 19 year old college student who enjoys exercising and learning about fitness.  She has a passion for writing and graphic design. If you liked this post, check her out on Google+ .

Categories: Treadmill Reviews

The Benefits Of An Incline Trainer Over A Traditional Treadmill

Posted on April 12, 2012 by
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Trying to find the perfect treadmill is like trying to find the perfect boyfriend- we all want to think they exist and that one day we’ll meet, but it doesn’t happen for most of us. However, some of us do get lucky, and recently I met “the one.”

I am talking about the NordicTrack X9i Incline Trainer. Most of you are probably familiar with the X7i model and the commercial with Jillian Michaels and iFit Technology. The X9i is the newest model from NordicTrack in the incline trainer family.

So just what makes this incline trainer so special? I won’t get into too much detail about the X9i here. You can see a full review here: http://www.treadmill-ratings-reviews.com/models/nordictrack-x9i-incline-trainer.html. But I do want to talk about how amazing it is to use an incline trainer rather than a normal treadmill.

Most treadmills these days come with the ability to incline. A typical treadmill will incline up to 12% or so. An incline trainer can go nearly four times as much! The X9i for example can incline up to 40%. If you think walking or running on a treadmill is hard, try doing it at 40% and whatever you were doing before will seem easy.

But why does this even matter? Well, think about walking outside. Is it easier or harder to walk up a hill? Does your heart rate increase or decrease when walking up a hill? Do you use more or less muscles to walk up a hill?

The idea of walking up a hill is exactly what makes an incline trainer more effective than a regular treadmill. You can go at all the same speeds, you can use all the same technology, you have the same size walking surface, the only difference is you can get very steep inclines.

To illustrate this, a couple guys posted a video online where they both walked on a treadmill for two and a half minutes at 2 mph. One guy was on a 0% incline on a normal treadmill. The other guy was on a 40% incline on the X9i. When they were done, the guy on the X9i had burned way more calories and his heart rate was much higher. Check out the video below:

So just imagine- keep doing what you are already doing and you will work harder and burn more calories doing it. Sounds great to me! That’s why I got myself the X9i recently. And I haven’t regretted it one bit. I don’t even need to run on this treadmill. I just kick up the incline to 40% and go back and forth between 20% and 40% and walk at 2-3 mph. I do this for only 20 minutes a day and burn more calories than when I jogged for 30 minutes a day!

So don’t believe what they say. The perfect treadmill for you just might be out there. I found my soul mate. Hopefully my experience can help you find yours!

About the author: Jessica Staheli is a health and fitness nut. She loves to write about being healthy and getting in shape at her blog at http://www.jessicashealthblog.com.

Categories: Treadmill Buying Tips, Treadmill Reviews

The ProForm 505 CST vs. Proform 590T Treadmill

Posted on April 2, 2012 by
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Question from a reader…

Thank you for the thorough info on your site. I am a 56 year old woman. I weigh approximately 260 pounds and am 5′ 10″ tall. I belonged to a gym for quite a while but recently terminated my membership, and plan to buy a treadmill for home use. I will use the treadmill for walking only.

I’m vascillating between purchasing the ProForm 505 CST and 590T. Based on my situation do you have a recommendation for which would be better?

Thank you again.

Robin

My response…

Robin,

They are virtually the same machine. There is a slight difference in the console and the programming. ProForm takes very similar machines, makes minor changes, gives them a different name and sells them through different venues. One is primarily sold on ProForm.com and the other on Amazon.

If you were going to jog I would suggest you upgrade, but for walking these machines should be adequate.

You can see my review of the ProForm http://www.treadmill-ratings-reviews.com/models/proform-590t-treadmill.html

Note: The 2012 590T now has iFit Live rather than iFit cards technology.

Regards,
Fred

Categories: Best Buy Treadmills, ProForm Treadmills

Sole Treadmill Sales – Serious Discounts

Posted on March 30, 2012 by
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Sole has significantly reduced the price on several of their treadmills.  I have been a fan of Sole treadmills for a number of years, and consistently rated them a “Best Buy”. Currently you can get the Sole F80 for $1,299, which is a $200 savings.  In addition, their entry level model, the Sole F63 is discounted to $899, and their top of the line folding model, the SoleF85, is discounted to $1,799.  With these reductions in price each of these models is an excellent value.

Categories: Sole Treadmills, Treadmill Sales

Best Treadmill $2,000 – $3,000

Posted on March 23, 2012 by
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This was an inquiry from a viewer…

I’m interested in purchasing a new treadmill. I’ve had 2 Pro-form ($699) treadmills before that I wasn’t impressed with. The Pro-Form units have been very noisy, had incline issues, belt slippage issues, not programmable. I would like to be able to program my own workouts into the unit, have Iphone/Ipod compatibility, and web/online support to log or save workouts automatically. I’m looking for a folding treadmill in that $2000-$3000 price range. The units I’m considering are:

  • Life Fitness F3
  • Sole F85
  • PaceMaster Gold Elite Fold-Up VR
  • Lifespan TR4000i
  • Spirit Fitness XT485

All of these units are in my price range. I’m 5’11” and weigh 210lbs. I run on the unit and will use it 10 x a week. I want something that will hold up and last. Can you advise me on what’s the best unit, not looking at the price? Is there another unit you would recommend?

This is my response:

Life Fitness has always been an exceptional brand. In fact, I was just running on one of their machines recently at a YMCA. I am not familar with their new residential models, but I am sure they are very durable. You do tend to pay more for the name.
 
I have always been a fan of Sole and believe they build some of the most durable treadmills in their price range. The Sole F85 should be able to handle the usage you suggested, and it is at a reasonable price. If you do not need to fold the treadmill checkout their S77 model. It is $100 less.
 
 
PaceMaster went bankrupt and I am not certain about the future. In fact, someone wrote me and said they were no longer warranting the machines.
 
LifeSpan TR4000i has gotten some good press and a top rating from consumer reports for a folding treadmill. I have not gotten any feedback plus or minus from customers on the longterm durability, but I sense this machine is meeting customer’s expectations.
 
Spirit and Sole are built by the same company, although I feel Sole offers a better value.
Categories: Uncategorized

BowFlex TC5000 TreadClimber Close-out Sale

Posted on March 21, 2012 by
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Note: Sale Ended 3/28/12

BowFlex is closing out their TC5000 TreadClimber, and selling it for a ridiculously low price.  In the past it sold for over $2,000.  You can currently get this model for $1,250 with shipping.  If you are sold on the concept of the treadclimber, this is their best value.

For those unfamilar with the the TreadClimber, it is a kind of hybrid between a treadmill, elliptical and stairstepper. The design consist of dual “treadies”.  They are like two mini treadbelts that move up and down to meet your foot as it steps down.  BowFlex suggests the TreadClimber will burn calories considerably more efficiently than a treadmill.  There is some truth to that, but not to the degree they suggest.  The TC5000 was replaced by the TC10, which currently cost over $2,000.  So the savings is significant.

See the TC500 TreadClimber Review.

Categories: Treadmill Sales
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