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Issues with all the Moving Parts
 The
people who bring you the BowFlex strength machine, are now in a marketing frenzy
with their BowFlex TreadClimber. The TreadClimber is an innovative fitness machine
that combines features of a treadmill, elliptical trainer and stair climber. So
is the BowFlex TC5000 the next great cardio equipment, or an overpriced piece
of junk?
The BowFlex TreadClimbers are probably the most hyped cardio equipment
out. The commercials are relentless on TV. You can also request a free DVD that
will convince you this machine works miracles. BowFlex uses the same promotional
strategy as their strength machine. Moreover, if you are not completely sold,
there is a 6-week guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the results, you can
return the TreadClimber and get your money back. Oh yeah, minus the shipping and
handling charges, which adds up to a few bucks. Don't Get Caught Up
in the Marketing Hype  When
it comes to marketing, the cost for all those ads and free DVDs has to be factored
into the price of the product. Therefore, when you purchase a BowFlex TreadClimber,
part of the price of the machine is the marketing. Since this is the most highly
marketing cardio product, a significant part of the cost of the machine is the
marketing.
Our Review There is no denying that the TreadClimber
is a great concept for a cardio workout. So is the BowFlex TreadClimber TC5000
worth $2,300? I don't think so. There are several reasons you do not want to buy
the TC5000. First, the concept of the TreadClimber is very complicated. There
are too many moving parts. If used regularly, the equipment will have to withstand
strenuous abuse. Meanwhile you have two mini treadmill belts constantly moving
up and down. The complexity of the mechanics, combined with the stress and weight
of the user, would suggest that there would be more service problems than with
a treadmill. And that fact was reinforced by a discussion I had with a salesperson
who sold TreadClimbers. He said they were constantly being returned for repairs.
This is the second salesperson that provided that same feedback. Customer
Review
Below are a couple of the most extensive reviews I have received on any fitness equipment. Whether positive or negative, people are passionate about the TC5000
Comments: Well my wife and I love the workout. However
we already have had a issue with the treds. After 2 weeks of moderate use, about
an hour a day, the treads started to make a loud grinding noise. Too loud to talk
over. For some reason when you step on the treads the noise stops and the machine
works properly. I have to say I was very disappointed we were already having problems.
I will say the customer service is top notch. My treads are on the way
as we speak. So I called on Saturday and they were on the way on Tuesday. It's
going to be a pain to change them out and then ship the broken ones back.
I'm hoping this is just a small glitch and that everything will be fine. If
it happens again I might have to return the whole thing. I don't want to do it
because it's a great workout. Much better than walking up hill on a treadmill.
I had lost 4 lbs in 2 weeks doing nothing different than using the TreadClimber
4 times a week for 35 minutes on the average. I never got those kind of results
on another elliptical or treadmill.
$2400.00 is a lot of cash for something
that broke so soon. I'll update this comment after I swap out the new treads Follow-up
Comments:I located a new owner on overstock.com who appears to have had the same
problem as i have. I contacted customer service and they confirmed there was a
batch of treadclimbers in the 5000 series that went out with the same problem.
The left drive bracket bolts were not entirely screwed in and were rubbing against
the drive pully. I was going to tighten them but after talking to
the service rep I'll just wait for the new treads. Which have already been shipped. Yeah
it's a lot of cash to spend on the thing. Is it as well built as I thought it
would be..NO. I had a nordic-track treadmill for 7 years with 1 minor problem.
But I was bored with it. My wife hates to run. So we thought this would be a great
way to get in shape. And it is. We don't get bored at all. 30 minutes go by in
no time. I do love it. I'll let you know if I hate it because it
breaks all the time. Do I think this will be the last time I have
a problem? No. But it's hard to get mad when I call customer service and they
are so nice. When we first got the machine we couldn't get it to calibrate. The
rep stayed on the line the whole time it took us to get the plastic covers off
and then walked us through the process. 2.5 hours to put it together.
I bet an hour now that we know what we're doing. The worst part is those plastic
covers! The way they are set up it's a real bitch to get the holes lined up. I've
read a lot of reviews and I'm a little afraid I spent a lot of cash for a pain
in the ass. I hope not. If I had read the reviews before I don't think I would
have bought it. But I will say this I look forward to using it. When it's working
it's GREAT!
This is a continuation of the customer's
saga: Well the nightmare continues. I got my second set
of treads the other day and was all set to take the whole thing apart and put
it back together when I noticed the motor was loose. I took off the cover over
the motor to discover that the bolt holding the motor in place was loose and on
an angle. For the life of me I could not get it to sit straight. Then the spring
and the two plastic spacers would slide up and down the bolt.
I called
customer service and the person who I spoke to had no idea of what the problem
was. I originally was told the loud noise was from a bad bearing and that's why
they sent out the new treads. Now that I find the motor is loose I think that
is what was the problem.
The customer service rep wanted to send me a
new motor bracket. This would require taking the motor out and then putting the
bracket back. I'm not sure this would fix the problem since it's the bolt not
holding the motor in place properly. So I asked her to send a whole new base.
She was reluctant to do so. I explained I spent $2400.00 on this and it's not
working after only 3 weeks. So after talking to a supervisor a new base is supposed
to be shipped this week.
I will again put it back together and hope it
works. I have until April 10 to send the whole thing back and get a refund. I
may ask for an extension since I haven't been able to use it for a week and a
half. I doubt I'll get that. Frustrating to say the least.
My wife and
I want it to work. It's a great workout. But I'm worried now I'm going to be out
a lot of money for a headache.
My husband and I bought the Bowflex Treadclimber TC 5000 in February 2006.
We love this machine for some reasons, and don't like it for other reasons. I'll explain below.
ASSEMBLY:
We assembled this machine ourselves. The assembly instructions were fairly easy to follow. Two persons must work together to lift and assemble some parts. It took us about 2 hours to put the machine together.
IMPRESSION:
We chose this machine because of its compact size. The space available in our home does not allow room for a treadmill or elliptical machine.
We feel great, invigorated, and sweaty at the end of each workout on this machine.
My husband says that this machine gives him a more vigorous workout than regular treadmills.
USAGE AND RESULTS:
Since 2006, I've been using this machine 5 days a week for 35-45 minutes, at medium speeds ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 mph.
For nearly 2 years, my husband stuck to a fast-paced (3.5 to mostly 4.0 mph), 5-days-a-week, 80-minute regimen. He now reduces the workout to 3 days a week
Before buying this machine, we were in good health. Now, we're in excellent health, God willing.
I've lost about 3 lbs. My husband has lost about 7 lbs. We've toned up visibly over the last 2 years, but not entirely because of this machine.
After each Treadclimber workout, we add 30-40 minutes of lifting weights (25-50 lbs).
When time and energy permit, I also add a 10-15 minute abdominal exercise, and about a 25 minute Taebo workout to my daily routine.
RESISTANCE LEVEL:
We started at the lower resistance levels. Within a few weeks, we quickly progressed to the maximum setting.
Since then, we leave the resistance at the maximum level. We feel no need to interrupt any workout to adjust the resistance level.
FUNNY NOISES:
We put a rug under our machine for cushion and noise reduction.
When we began to use this machine, the right hydraulic piston made squeaky noises. Terribly annoying.
We sprayed silicon oil on all the hydraulic joints we could think of. But the noise continued.
After a month or so, we sort of became tone-deaf to this squeak. Eventually, it disappeared.
Thereafter, from time to time, we hear unusual noises from the machine. Not loud, but clearly noticeable.
Out comes the silicon spray can. A squirt here. A squirt there. Silence restored.
If you own this machine, arm yourself with a lubricant spray can, and prepare for sporadic battles to vanquish weird noises.
MOTOR:
After almost 2 years of usage, our machine broke down. The odometer reading was 49,400. (This is the number that briefly flashes on the console after you insert the safety key.)
Through the phone, Bowflex customer service department walked us through different diagnostic steps to pinpoint the source of the problem.
Yes, one needs to be next to the machine (i.e. at home) while calling in for help. Calling from work is futile without the machine.
The final verdict? The motor died, within the 5-year warranty period. Thank God.
We weren't happy to learn that the warranty covers parts, not labor. Customers must replace the parts themselves. This is an important point that you need to keep in mind, if planning to buy a Treadclimber.
After our machine was kaput for 5-weeks , the motor finally arrived. Without instructions. Perhaps a shipping oversight. Again, we called Bowflex. They sent the instructions by e-mail.
We're the do-it-yourself type. In spite of previous engineering degrees, we found the written instructions hard to follow. But the photos in the instructions were helpful.
It was a great challenge to replace the motor. The most difficult part was pulling the tight, new drive belt over the roller pulley and motor flywheel.
Without my husband's muscles, there's no way I can do the work myself. Together, we spent over 3 hours on this project.
BELT:
We keep the treadles and belts regularly lubricated, even more often than instructed in the manual.
Almost immediately after we installed the new motor, the belt on the treadle began to make a scraping noise.
We squirted silicon oil, and adjusted the belt tension. But the noise got worse and more annoying.
When the odometer reached 49,600 or so, the scraping sound progressed to a loud screeching noise.
The belt was tracking excessively to one side, and scrape against something under the treadle.
Again, we called Bowflex customer service. We had the number memorized and on speed dial by now.
The customer service representative told us to adjust the belt tension. Several times. No good. She could hear the screeching noise over the phone.
The final diagnosis? The belt got old, and over stretched. So, they sent new belts, under the 3-year warranty. Thank God.
A few days later, a set of new belts arrived. With instructions this time, luckily.
Unfortunately, the belt replacement instructions is a complete enigma.
No pictures. No drawings. No idea what they're talking about.
Again. Two laborers. Two engineering degrees. Much head scratching and muttering. Many cuts, scrapes, and grunts. More than 4 hours later. Two aching backs. New right belt.
The left belt? It's worn, too. But not making any noise yet. And we had no energy left to replace the left belt.
The left belt is tougher to replace than the right. We must remove the drive belt, roller pulley, and motor flywheel to remove the left belt.
With fresh memory of our struggle with these parts, we want to leave them in peace for now.
So, we're walking very carefully on the left belt, and hope to delay its replacement as long as possible.
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
If you buy this machine, guard the receipt with your life. When problems develop, to get parts under warranty, you must first fax your receipt to Bowflex.
Their customer service department is open on weekdays, from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST.
This meant having to juggle our work schedules to be at home during the times that we contacted Bowflex.
You need to be next to your machine when calling Bowflex for help. Their customer service representative will walk you through certain steps.
You'll have to follow each step, and describe over the phone what your machine is doing.
It's like getting your car mechanic to figure out, over the phone, what's wrong with you car.
He'll send you the replacement parts and instructions. Although in English, some written instructions make absolutely no sense to you.
At the end, you'll have to take your machine apart and fix it yourself.
Below is our tally of contacts with Bowflex after our machine broke down.
- 13 phone calls to Bowflex - too many wasted hours to recall without pain.
- 10 days delay for Bowflex to return our 1st phone call.
- 9 Bowflex representatives - some inept, 2 helpful, 1 knowledgeable.
- 3 wrong diagnoses (replacement of speed sensor, jumper wire, and circuit board).
- 3 failed attempts to take the machine apart pursuant to wrong diagnoses.
- 1 correct diagnosis (motor replacement), finally given by the 6th representative.
- 1 shipment delay due to bad data entry - wrong shipping address.
- 4 e-mails sent to 2 representatives - no reply received.
- 3 weeks delay for new motor - part not available.
- 1 run-around attempt to get supervisor's contact information - wrong information given, still no clue who's the head honcho of customer service.
The above is the good, bad, and ugly account of our experience with our TC 5000 Bowflex Treadclimber over the last 2 years.
We hope that you find it helpful in your decision whether to purchase one for yourself.
When I first purchased the Bowflex TC5000 I was so excited until I encountered several problems while working out. 1) changing the resistance level is not on the console so I have to stop my workout and get off the machine to adjust the resistance on the hydraulics, 2) the tread climber doesn't allow for long strides, 3) feet can slip between the belts if your not careful with your steps which can make you stumble, 4) the belts move over on the treadles causing the belts to shred ( customer service stated that this is normal wear.) The price of $2,299.00 plus shipping and handling and tax is not worth the hassle of this machine. - Dayna
In Contrast a Couple
of Positive Reviews
- The TreadClimber gives me a good workout when going either slow or fast. Going
fast is an obvious way to get the heart rate up, but going slow will cause the
treads to go higher with every step. The display is decent and the included heart
rate monitor synchs with the machine, thereby providing a more accurate readout.
However, the machine does not feel very sturdy. Too much movement
during each step. The biggest complaint with this machine is that you can't pause
it. Pausing it will reset all the workout tracking. 
The Best Piece of Workout Equipment Available ! Full Cardio Workout in Minutes
- Easy to use ! I've had my TreadClimber for 3 months now - I love it - no cons.
My
conclusion is the BowFlex TreadClimber TC5000 is a great concept that needs some
work. Also See BowFlex TreadmillClimber
1000 Review
BowFlex TreadmillClimber
3000 Review
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