Why is finding a treadmill so difficult?
October 8, 2020 7:46 AM Subscribe
I would like a treadmill, but none of the ones I am looking at seem to meet my needs and it's driving me crazy. You would think the features I want would be on the majority of treadmills, but nope. I would love someone to prove me wrong.
Treadmill for Home Use
1. No monthly subscription needed or desired.
2. Support GymKit or connection to Apple Watch.
3. Quality.
4. No professional in home set up allowed.
5. No video on display (just stats or controls).
6. Quiet.
Affordability a plus. ~$3,000
It would be nice to be able to move it, but I think once it's in place it'll stay there for a while. Maybe post pandemic I'll find a better place, but right now I plan to put it in the living room so I can watch TV while I run.
I don't need a Peleton or an iFit subscriptions. I just want to watch movies and walk/run. I'd rather put the money into the equipment than an ongoing subscription.
Treadmill for Home Use
1. No monthly subscription needed or desired.
2. Support GymKit or connection to Apple Watch.
3. Quality.
4. No professional in home set up allowed.
5. No video on display (just stats or controls).
6. Quiet.
Affordability a plus. ~$3,000
It would be nice to be able to move it, but I think once it's in place it'll stay there for a while. Maybe post pandemic I'll find a better place, but right now I plan to put it in the living room so I can watch TV while I run.
I don't need a Peleton or an iFit subscriptions. I just want to watch movies and walk/run. I'd rather put the money into the equipment than an ongoing subscription.
Precor treadmills seem to have all those features, and according to their website they are $2600.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:32 AM on October 8, 2020
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:32 AM on October 8, 2020
I got a Proform 505 based on the Wirecutter recommendation (and, I believe, a previous question here). It’s significantly less than $3000. You need to push some mystery buttons to disable the iFit “requirement” when you first turn it on, but it never asks you about it again. There’s no export to/connection to external devices/systems without iFit, but it ticks the rest of your boxes.
posted by okayokayigive at 8:54 AM on October 8, 2020
posted by okayokayigive at 8:54 AM on October 8, 2020
We just purchased a Sunny spin bike as a value alternative to the Peloton, and are thrilled with the quality (and the price). It's quiet, sturdy, shipping was free, and assembly was easy for us. They also sell treadmills, which are on sale right now: this one seems to meet your criteria and is well reviewed.
posted by stellaluna at 11:57 AM on October 8, 2020
posted by stellaluna at 11:57 AM on October 8, 2020
Response by poster: brianogilvie, I agree that quality is relative, but what I want to avoid is something that feels cheap or that won't last. Quiet is also relative, but some advertise as whisper quiet. I don't exactly believe that, but I would like someone to be able to be in the same room while it is in use without getting mad.
And #4 is yes, no professional in-home setup. Some of the higher end treadmills require you to have installers come put it together and to level it and whatnot. I am extreme isolating due to COVID and I haven't had anyone in the house since March.
I am still going through the rest of the answers.
posted by cjorgensen at 6:08 PM on October 8, 2020
And #4 is yes, no professional in-home setup. Some of the higher end treadmills require you to have installers come put it together and to level it and whatnot. I am extreme isolating due to COVID and I haven't had anyone in the house since March.
I am still going through the rest of the answers.
posted by cjorgensen at 6:08 PM on October 8, 2020
I've literally worn the belt out on a few treadmills over the years, so here are my thoughts:
1) Subscriptions: This should not be an issue for most of them outside of the Peloton ones. iFit is offered on a number of newer systems, but for basic use you can ignore that feature and keep running.
2) GymKit/Apple Watch: True, Star Trac ($$$), and Woodway ($$$x10) support GymKit. I expect others to do so as the relatively slow treadmill market moves through their refresh cycles. Most that have GymKit support initially were higher cost units or gym level mills, which are generally not worth the cost for the home user. That said, my treadmill has no direct connection to my garmin, but my garmin has a treadmill mode where it will (after a run or two) track my run fairly well. Apple Watch is similar.
3) Quality: Look at TreadMillDoctor's reviews (https://www.treadmilldoctor.com/bestbuyawards-treadmill) (no affiliation). Once you get north of $1,500 you should be safe.
4) Delivery and Setup: Check Costco, Amazon, Norditrack.com, etc. They usually offer a simple home delivery option where they just drop the box off (what you want) and a premium in home install service (that you don't want). Note that a decent home use treadmill will weigh in at a minimum of a hundred pounds or so. The commercial ones are a lot heavier. Being able to wrangle one of these into place is going to be tricky by yourself. I've always paid for inside delivery in an effort to save my back. But that was also pre-covid.
5) The units with a decent video system are expensive and are aimed at folks who like the idea of running more than actually running. So this should not be a problem here. More and more are using an 8-10" video screen for basic controls, but you can just ignore that screen and set it to the simple oval track display or something. I've also seen folks at the gym just toss a towel over the screen so they could not even see how far they had run.
6) Most treadmills are relatively quiet.... Until you start to run on them at which point the predominant sound is that of your foot smacking into the belt. This is especially true if you are a new runner who has not yet developed a quieter (and more efficient) technique. Your weight and running gait will be the primary determinations of noise levels.
Other Thoughts:
* Unless you are really space constrained, don't get a folding treadmill. They tend to be lower end (see 'Quality' above) and don't hold up to running very well. They are okay for walking.
* Check the power outlet you intend to use and make sure it is not on a GFI outlet / breaker. Treadmills love to dump the static generated from the belt down the neutral wire and that trips the GFI circuit. Trust me, having the treadmill just come to a sudden stop when running really sucks.
* While running, watching TV works only if the TV is a good distance away from you. Otherwise your head is moving up and down too much to get a steady picture. This is also why treadmill mounted screens are generally a bad idea. I just aimed my treadmill so I could look out a window (also good for ventilation) and listed to music.
* Not an option for you due to covid, but I picked up a used Preor 9.28 (basic mid range home model) from the local equipment dealer two years back for $900 or so. A new one at the time would run closer to $2k. The stores that specialize in gym equipment often have a supply of higher end equipment that they get when they rip and replace a bunch at a local gym or from somebody who trades in one. They do a quick refurb on the unit, replace the belt, and sell it for a decent discount. You can often pick up a $5k StarTrac for about $2k that way. The unit will then survive anything you can throw at it for a decade or two.
posted by SegFaultCoreDump at 12:45 PM on October 9, 2020
1) Subscriptions: This should not be an issue for most of them outside of the Peloton ones. iFit is offered on a number of newer systems, but for basic use you can ignore that feature and keep running.
2) GymKit/Apple Watch: True, Star Trac ($$$), and Woodway ($$$x10) support GymKit. I expect others to do so as the relatively slow treadmill market moves through their refresh cycles. Most that have GymKit support initially were higher cost units or gym level mills, which are generally not worth the cost for the home user. That said, my treadmill has no direct connection to my garmin, but my garmin has a treadmill mode where it will (after a run or two) track my run fairly well. Apple Watch is similar.
3) Quality: Look at TreadMillDoctor's reviews (https://www.treadmilldoctor.com/bestbuyawards-treadmill) (no affiliation). Once you get north of $1,500 you should be safe.
4) Delivery and Setup: Check Costco, Amazon, Norditrack.com, etc. They usually offer a simple home delivery option where they just drop the box off (what you want) and a premium in home install service (that you don't want). Note that a decent home use treadmill will weigh in at a minimum of a hundred pounds or so. The commercial ones are a lot heavier. Being able to wrangle one of these into place is going to be tricky by yourself. I've always paid for inside delivery in an effort to save my back. But that was also pre-covid.
5) The units with a decent video system are expensive and are aimed at folks who like the idea of running more than actually running. So this should not be a problem here. More and more are using an 8-10" video screen for basic controls, but you can just ignore that screen and set it to the simple oval track display or something. I've also seen folks at the gym just toss a towel over the screen so they could not even see how far they had run.
6) Most treadmills are relatively quiet.... Until you start to run on them at which point the predominant sound is that of your foot smacking into the belt. This is especially true if you are a new runner who has not yet developed a quieter (and more efficient) technique. Your weight and running gait will be the primary determinations of noise levels.
Other Thoughts:
* Unless you are really space constrained, don't get a folding treadmill. They tend to be lower end (see 'Quality' above) and don't hold up to running very well. They are okay for walking.
* Check the power outlet you intend to use and make sure it is not on a GFI outlet / breaker. Treadmills love to dump the static generated from the belt down the neutral wire and that trips the GFI circuit. Trust me, having the treadmill just come to a sudden stop when running really sucks.
* While running, watching TV works only if the TV is a good distance away from you. Otherwise your head is moving up and down too much to get a steady picture. This is also why treadmill mounted screens are generally a bad idea. I just aimed my treadmill so I could look out a window (also good for ventilation) and listed to music.
* Not an option for you due to covid, but I picked up a used Preor 9.28 (basic mid range home model) from the local equipment dealer two years back for $900 or so. A new one at the time would run closer to $2k. The stores that specialize in gym equipment often have a supply of higher end equipment that they get when they rip and replace a bunch at a local gym or from somebody who trades in one. They do a quick refurb on the unit, replace the belt, and sell it for a decent discount. You can often pick up a $5k StarTrac for about $2k that way. The unit will then survive anything you can throw at it for a decade or two.
posted by SegFaultCoreDump at 12:45 PM on October 9, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
I'm not sure what you mean by some of your criteria. "Quality" and "quiet" are relative, not absolute. No treadmill is going to be really quiet, just due to the nature of the machine.
And by #4, do you mean no in-home setup required? I.e., you will not allow an installer into your home, so you want one that does not require an installer? It's worded a bit confusingly.
posted by brianogilvie at 8:00 AM on October 8, 2020