Posts Tagged ‘Durability’

Do I Really Want A Landice Treadmill?

Posted on November 30th, 2009 by admin  |  No Comments »

So really, whats so great about the Landice Treadmill? Well, anyone whos been unfortunate to endure exercising on a bad treadmill will tell you exactly what to look for when chasing down the best treadmills. And anyone who knows anything about this type of fitness equipment will be able to tell you this, too that the Landice treadmill really is the best treadmill of the bunch.

Running on a bad treadmill can be an annoying and even dangerous affair, but it really is a great way to gain some treadmill perspective, and help you work out just what exactly will be included in the best treadmill for you and your personal fitness needs. Landice treadmills undoubtedly have lot to offer any exerciser, from fitness fanatic to absolute beginner, but it is a universal truth that sometimes price considerations can remove some of the best treadmills from your prospective treadmill list. While this is understandable, a short time with one of those cheaper treadmills will have you wishing youd invested in a Landice treadmill.

In fact, the experience of some exercisers with fitness equipment that would not make the best treadmill list is the very thing that directed them towards a Landice treadmill. While personal preferences may differ from user to user, issues of comfort and safety are universal and are met perfectly with a Landice treadmill. While some Landice treadmill supporters place their machine on the best treadmill list because of its durability or its ease of use, factors that are undoubtedly important in deciding which machines earn a place in your personal best treadmills compendium, others have experienced those dreaded poor quality treadmills, and know all too well the safety and comfort benefits of a Landice treadmill.

With precision construction and a sturdy frame, the Landice treadmill offers the running or walking support you need to keep you comfortable while you exercise, and also to protect the joints in your legs, which can often take a pounding when you run. After a few sessions on one of those less than best treadmills and you will appreciate just how safe and well supported a Landice treadmill keeps you while you exercise.

Fitness is clearly important to those of us who invest in a treadmill, so we want to be sure that we choose the best treadmill that we can. A Landice treadmill helps you exercise safely, reducing the amount of aches, pains and more serious injuries that can you off your feet. You want to exercise with confidence, so exercise with a Landice treadmill. You wont go back from the best.

Why Choose Smooth Fitness Treadmills?

Posted on November 22nd, 2009 by admin  |  No Comments »

Exercise treadmills have been the biggest selling type of cardio products for more than two decades. SmoothFitness.com is a volume seller of quality home exercise treadmills and has actually been accredited with being the #1 retailer of domestic treadmills online for over a decade. So what makes Smooth Fitness #1 in home treadmill equipment?

Well with over 20 yrs in the exercise equipment industry they are able to offer factory direct pricing together with next day shipping. Additionally all of their products are backed with a 30-day money back guarantee which removes most of the risk of buying equipment online. Couple this with extended service support and some of the best warranties in the business and it is clear to see why they are the market leader. 

Looking at customer reviews of Smooth Fitness treadmills features the adjectives that are frequently used to describe them are:Stability, solidity, quietness and durability. Smoothfitness build treadmills that are virtually maintenance free and designed to last the course. But why are Smooth Fitness treadmills so durable?

They achieve this by constructing their treadmills from quality components and materials that have been carefully engineered for their intended task.

At the heart of any treadmill lies the motor. A treadmill of any quality should have at least a 2.5 HP continuous duty motor. The phrase”continuous duty” refers to the fact that the motor is able to deliver the stated horsepower continuously without overheating rather than just for a brief period. Smooth treadmills have as a minimum a 2.5 HP continuous duty motor on all treadmills across their range and back them up with a lifetime warranty.

Any serious treadmill should have a 20 inch wide tread belt so that you have sufficient space in order to walk or run without your natural gait being restricted. All smooth Fitness treadmills across their range are fitted with 20″ wide tread belts.

A component of the treadmill which is very often overlooked is the flywheel. The flywheel acts to smooth out the power supplied from the motor to the tread belt and contributes greatly to the smooth running of a treadmill. The flywheels on Smooth treadmills are carefully balanced by being spun at high speed and checked to make sure they are running true. By taking care to ensure the flywheel is balanced allows the motor to run efficiently and results in treadmill that is silky smooth in operation.

Another important component of the treadmill is the tread belt. This should be of  two-ply construction with a polyurethane top layer and base layer constructed from nylon polyester weave. The belt is formed from a single strip of material which has to be joined together in order to form the endless loop of the tread belt. This can be joined as a simple lap joint but the preferred method is to use a diagonal join. Smooth Fitness use this method in their belts which not longer results in a stronger join but helps reduce noise.

The component that under pins the tread belt and is responsible for the feel of the treadmill is the “deck”. A good quality treadmill such as the ones made by Smooth Fitness use solid wooden decks of appx. 1″ thickness. The deck is typically supported by rubber grommets and helps to absorb the pounding the deck takes when the treadmill is being used.

In order to move the tread belt has to run over rollers. This is another component that most potential buyers of treadmills are unaware of but which are important to the smooth running of the treadmill. Ideally these should be 2″- 3″ in diameter but the type and quality of the roller bearing is a more important consideration. Top end treadmills are usually fitted with crowned rollers and Smooth Fitness fit these even to their entry level (5.45) machine.

The control systems that regulate the treadmill and facilitate such features such as heart rate control, custom programs, and user profiles require some fairly complicated electronics. Unfortunately the some what hostile environment that these electronic circuit boards reside in means that they are more likely to fail than other components. The electronics in Smooth Fitness treadmills are covered by a 3 yrs warranty against failure. This is the standard of cover you should expect to see in other treadmills but unfortunately not all manufacturers offer this sort of cover.

By using quality components, and over engineering their products to meet the needs of the most demanding users, Smooth Fitness continue to meet consumer’s demand for a reliable, high quality, home treadmill.

Treadmill Review 2009

Posted on October 15th, 2009 by admin  |  No Comments »

The followng is a synthesis of information provided from ConsurmerSearch.com. They, in turn, have sythensized reviews from multiple sources

Best Among Cheap TreadmillsGolds Gym 450 Few professional reviewers pay much attention to super-cheap treadmills, but TreadmillDoctor.com does rank the Gold’s Gym 450 alongside other models. TreadmillTips.com’s review doesn’t refer to any testing, but it does a better job outlining the Gold’s Gym 450’s features than TreadmillDoctor.com does. Nearly 400 users post mostly positive reviews for this treadmill at Walmart.com, but they often post soon after purchase, so these reviews don’t shed any light on the Gold’s Gym 450’s durability over the long term.The Gold’s Gym 450 has one thing going for it, reviews say: It’s cheap. Experts find little else to praise about this treadmill, although one reviewer points out that it does include some nice features for a machine at this price point, such as a quick-set speed control and power incline. Reviews recommend the Gold’s Gym 450 more often than other under-$500 treadmills, such as the ProForm 380E (*est. $400), which has a slightly weaker motor and lower user weight limit. Owners say the Gold’s Gym 450 works well for walking, and the belt is both short and narrow. Experts are leery of this treadmill’s short warranty (5 years motor, 1 year frame, 90 days parts and labor). They are more likely to recommend spending a little more for a sturdier treadmill, such as the Gold’s Gym Maxx Crosswalk 650 (*est. $600).

Best-Value Treadmill for WalkingGolds Gym Maxx Crosswalk 650 Expert testers at TreadmillDoctor.com and Consumer Reports rate treadmills on several measures and then clearly rank the best models. TreadmillTalk.com’s review is based on other experts’ and users’ opinions, rather than on its own testing. The Gold’s Gym Maxx CrossWalk 650 gets plenty of user feedback at Walmart.com, giving some insight into how this treadmill performs for its owners.The Gold’s Gym Maxx CrossWalk 650 is the least expensive treadmill that experts recommend with any enthusiasm. Unlike other budget treadmills, such as the Gold’s Gym 450 (*est. $375) — which reviews say probably won’t be especially durable — the Maxx CrossWalk 650 comes with a lifetime warranty on its frame and 25 years on its motor. Reviewers are impressed with upscale features such as adjustable cushioning and quick-set speed and incline controls. However, experts and users find fault with some features, such as the hand-grip heart rate monitor that fails to work properly in several reviews. The one-year parts-and-labor warranty is relatively short, and the Maxx CrossWalk 650 isn’t recommended as often as the more expensive Sole F63 (*est. $1,000) with its heftier warranty. Reviews also recommend the CrossWalk 650 only for walking, saying the 1.75-hp motor isn’t powerful enough for running.

Best Value for Walking and some joggingSole F63 TreadmillDoctor.com and Consumer Reports test the Sole F63, score it on several measures and rank it against other treadmills. Reviewers at TreadmillSensei.com, TreadmillTalk.com and About.com make only brief comparisons between the Sole F63 and other treadmills, and they do not mention testing the F63 themselves.If you mostly walk or jog on your treadmill, reviews suggest you probably don’t need to spend more than $1,000. Experts are most likely to recommend the Sole F63, which has the best warranty in its price range (lifetime motor and frame; three years deck, electronics, belt and rollers; and one year labor). You won’t find a warranty like that on cheaper treadmills like the Gold’s Gym Maxx CrossWalk 650 (*est. $600), reviews say. However, if you plan to run a lot on your treadmill, critics say you may want to step up to the Sole F80 (*est. $1,500), which offers more speed, a more powerful motor and bigger rollers than the F63.

Best All-Around TreadmillSole F80 A variety of specialty treadmill-review websites, including TreadmillDoctor.com, TreadmillSensei.com, TreadmillTips.com and Treadmill-Ratings-Reviews.com, weigh in on the Sole F80, as do owners posting at Amazon.com. Unfortunately, Consumer Reports does not include this treadmill in its comparison tests, nor is it tested by Runner’s World.All of the sources we consulted are in solid agreement about the Sole F80 folding treadmill, calling it the best treadmill in its price range. This machine has a generous 350-pound weight limit with big rollers that help reduce wear and tear. One especially credible reviewer praises the Sole F80’s hydraulically-assisted folding action, which makes it easy to store. Its belt is comfortably wide (20 inches) but only 55 inches long, so although the F80 is sturdy enough for running, reviews say tall runners may want to step up to the Sole F85 (*est. $1,750), which has a longer belt. The Sole F80’s warranty (lifetime motor, deck and frame; five years electronics, belt, rollers and labor; and two years in-home service) is one of the best at this price. If you don’t think you’ll do much (or any) running on your treadmill, reviews say you probably don’t need to spend so much. Consider the Sole F63 (*est. $1,000) or Gold’s Gym Maxx CrossWalk 650 (*est. $600) instead.

Best Heavy-Duty Treadmill for Daily RunnersLandice L7 Cardio Trainer TreadmillDoctor.com and Consumer Reports both subject the Landice L7 Cardio Trainer to expert testing and rank it against other treadmills, but neither provides much information about the model’s features. Runner’s World gets runners to test treadmills, and it provides more detailed test results, but it does not score or rank models. The review at TreadmillSensei.com is longer than the others; it is based on the reviewer’s personal experience with the L7 Cardio Trainer. About.com includes the L7 Cardio Trainer in a list of the best $3,000-and-up treadmills, but it provides almost no information about the treadmills on the list.If you run on your treadmill every day, experts say the heavy-duty Landice L7 Cardio Trainer) is well worth its relatively high price. Its powerful 4-horsepower motor and inch-thick running deck are built for abuse, reviews say, and you won’t find the L7 Cardio Trainer’s warranty (lifetime frame/parts/wear items, one year labor) on even the best mid-priced treadmills, such as the Sole F80 (*est. $1,500). The L7 Cardio Trainer doesn’t fold up or have that many bells and whistles, but critics are more likely to recommend the more basic L7 Cardio Trainer than any other upscale treadmill. They mostly like the features it does include, such as a wireless chest strap heart rate monitor, which is optional on the less expensive Landice L7 Pro Trainer (*est. $3,000). Another less expensive Landice, the L7 Pro Sports Trainer (*est. $3,000), does include the monitor, but reviews more often recommend the L7 Cardio Trainer with its additional built-in workout programs. More than one review cautions buyers to read the fine print on the Landice warranty, to make sure they don’t do anything to invalidate it.

Best Treadmill for Incline/Decline TrainingPaceMaster Platinum Pro VR We found the best review of the PaceMaster Platinum Pro VR at Runner’s World, which conducts thorough tests of various models. (Since Runner’s World is aimed at serious athletes, it considers treadmills in a higher price range). TreadmillDoctor.com, an online retailer of treadmill accessories, also reviews this model, and we supplemented these analyses with reports from Treadmilltips.com and Bodybuilding.com. Consumer Reports also includes the PaceMaster Platinum Pro VR in its latest roundup of treadmills.The PaceMaster Platinum Pro VR treadmill is unique in that it features a negative incline (down to a -3 percent grade), helpful for those who want to strengthen the fronts of their legs by simulating downhill running. A wide range of programs includes six “Virtual Reality” courses that automatically adjust the incline along the route. The PaceMaster treadmill has a wide and long 20 by 60-inch belt and a high user weight limit of 400 pounds, so it’s appropriate for heavier individuals. Although there’s a lot of competition in this price range, reviews say the negative incline really sets this model apart. If you are a more occasional runner that doesn’t need the decline feature, you can spend less by considering the Sole F80 (*est. $1,500) or F63 (*est. $1,000), both of which have a 15-percent incline but no decline.

All of the treadmills reviewed above can be purchased at considerable savings from Treadmill Bargains 4U at http://www.treadmillbargains4u.com.

 

Treadmill buying guide to purchase the right treadmill

Posted on October 14th, 2009 by admin  |  No Comments »

A treadmill buying guide helps users to shop for the right treadmill that suits their workout requirements and budget. They incorporate a lot of information which users should consider before and at the time of purchasing a treadmill.

Treadmill buying guides specify the price ranges for the treadmills. The general break down of price ranges is Budget $500-$1500, Mid-Range $1500-$3000 and Quality $3000-up. Offers and discounts while purchasing the treadmill depend upon the season and treadmill manufacturer’s policies.

Treadmill buying guides specify the workout features which users should look for and consider while buying a treadmill. Users should choose a model that has the most pre-set and programmable workouts to vary pace and incline. Treadmill buying guide emphasize bringing fun while workouts by means of book rack on the treadmill. Some models plug into a VCR, CD, or internet.

A treadmill buying guide specifies the treadmill type which users can buy i.e. manual or motorized treadmills. It provides information on the operation of manual and motorized treadmills. Treadmill buying guide emphasize on the proper selection of motor in a treadmill. The treadmill motor matters since it gets the heaviest workout. Treadmill buying guide specifies the horsepower rating requirements between 1.5 to 2.5 HP. Treadmill buying guide also recommends looking for the longest warranty on the motor about 1 year at least.

Treadmill buying guide insist on the durability and life of belt since it’s the part which undergoes a lot of wear and tear. It also specifies that the belt thickness should be two ply which will help the belt to last longer and not to curl less around the edges.

Treadmill buying guide recommends the deck size to be the running surface size. A longer deck allows for a more comfortable stride and easier motion than a shorter surface.

The overall treadmill size specified in the treadmill buying guide is the measure of space available in the user’s room. Treadmill buying guide recommends buying noiseless treadmill so you can hear the TV or music while working out. The size of the treadmill when folded or stored should be checked as per the information given in the treadmill buying guide.

Treadmill buying guide will also provide information on shock absorption in the treadmill. The higher shock absorption, the less wear on user feet, legs, and joints. Shock absorption techniques specified in the treadmill buying guide vary from thicker belts to shock absorbers under the deck or floating decks. A treadmill buying guide will enumerate the fact that higher shock absorption equals higher price.

Treadmill buying guides specify speed details in a treadmill that should be considered while purchasing a treadmill. Users should make sure that the max speed of the treadmill suits their fitness needs. Walkers can probably get by with speeds of .5 to 6 mph while runners (or very fast walkers) need a higher maximum speed.

Inclination required in a treadmill is specified in the treadmill buying guide. Inclines vary widely with maximum inclines from 2% to 25%. The larger this range is the more variety users can have in their workouts. Treadmill buying guides recommend users to take into consideration whether the incline is adjusted manually or using controls.

Treadmill buying guides emphasize that most motorized treadmills have built in electronic feedback that will show miles walked, calories burned, heart rate, mph, etc. Preset programs and customized programs are optional and depend upon the user selection. Treadmill buying guide considers the feature of drink holder in the treadmill as important especially when it avoids getting off the treadmill every time users need a drink.Treadmill buying guide emphasize on the wise selection of a treadmill. Treadmill buying guide makes users aware about the information of treadmill and the points they should consider while buying a treadmill. Treadmill buying guide helps user to buy a treadmill that suits his/her fitness needs and cost.