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Treadmills, any suggestions? (1 Viewer)

ghostguy123

ghostguy123

Footballguy
We are probably going to just buy a used one from someone in our area, but just wondering if anyone has any recommendations on a new treadmill at a reasonable price, say around the 400-800 range.  I am 230 pounds so it has to be at least someone sturdy construction. 

Incline ability would be a plus, especially if it is automatic, though manual would be sufficient. 

Max speed 10mph is more than enough.

Not going to be used HEAVILY for running, mostly walking, but needs to be comfortable for running between 6-8 mph.  

I don't care about the fold up option.

What ya got?  Snow storms fast approaching.

 
Usually better off just paying the gym membership and using their better ones.

You'll notice a HUGE difference between a $400 treadmill and a $2,000 one.

 
What's you're maintenance plan? If you dont have one then just go to the Y. If you're gonna buy one no matter what then wait three months for someone that just bought one to sell in the secondary market at a 75% discount. 

 
MAC_32 said:
What's you're maintenance plan? If you dont have one then just go to the Y. If you're gonna buy one no matter what then wait three months for someone that just bought one to sell in the secondary market at a 75% discount. 
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As I said, I will PROBABLY buy one used for a big discount. 

Just wondering if anyone out there has one they are happy with for the price.

 
eoMMan said:
Usually better off just paying the gym membership and using their better ones.

You'll notice a HUGE difference between a $400 treadmill and a $2,000 one.
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I have the gym membership, and we do go there.  

However, having a treadmill at home will allow me to use it during the times where I can't go to the gym, like when I am home with my 3 year old, or off hours, or the hundreds of other times where I am unable to get out of the house long enough to go to the Y and back.   It's a 10 minute drive, sometimes 20 in crap weather.

I want both options.

 
I own a NordicTrack QuadFlex C 900.  I have had it for several years.  I am pretty certain they do not make this model anymore.  But it has been a great treadmill over the years.  I have never had a problem with it, and it is still going strong.  NordicTrack is not the cheapest brand around, but you can probably find some models near the upper end of your price range.

 
We are looking for one also. My wife has started doing a program of a mix of running and walking, with a goal of hitting 2019 miles this year. We had a membership at a local gym, that we received a partial reimbursement by her office, and we still never went. Her concept is to not use it 99% of the time, but to use it on bad weather days, and on evenings when she gets home too late to go outside.

I get the idea that you should buy a used one, but what do you do for repair and maintenance, if you don't buy new? We like the idea of buying from a store or directly from a manufacturer, so we can have those over a long period of time.

We are looking at the NordicTrack C1650, but are going to go to a store that has multiple manufacturers to check the options.

 
I have a life fitness, it's an absolute beast.  It's about 12 years old and never a single problem.  I hang around in the 200-225 lb range so it takes a beating from me running.

 
Just watched Shark Tank, apparently treadmills are bad for you. Causes you to run incorrectly which leads to multiple injuries in the feet and knees. 

 
I have a NordicTrack x11i incline trainer, which I absolutely love.  I wanted something with significant incline options (this goes to 40%), which sounds like it might not be so important to you, though.  In any case, I looked at buying new, but the more I read about how absolutely horrible NT's customer service was, I didn't want to spend that kind of money for something that could go so badly.  Instead I bought one used for $600.  I use it all the time, especially when getting out to hike isn't possible due to time constraints or weather.  Having bought it used, if something goes wrong...well, I've gotten two years out of it.

 
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Beef Ravioli said:
Just watched Shark Tank, apparently treadmills are bad for you. Causes you to run incorrectly which leads to multiple injuries in the feet and knees. 
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Being fatter is probably worse for your feet and knees. 

But yeah, running on both concrete and treadmills a ton are not ideal.  

My wife plans to use it for walking only.  I plan to use it for both, mostly walking when I watch a movie or show or whatever.  

 
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Mr. Ected said:
We are looking for one also. My wife has started doing a program of a mix of running and walking, with a goal of hitting 2019 miles this year. We had a membership at a local gym, that we received a partial reimbursement by her office, and we still never went. Her concept is to not use it 99% of the time, but to use it on bad weather days, and on evenings when she gets home too late to go outside.

I get the idea that you should buy a used one, but what do you do for repair and maintenance, if you don't buy new? We like the idea of buying from a store or directly from a manufacturer, so we can have those over a long period of time.

We are looking at the NordicTrack C1650, but are going to go to a store that has multiple manufacturers to check the options.
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How many miles is her goal??

 
Don’t. 

Just go outside or hit the gym. The quality will suck, it won’t be comfortable, it’ll break, and it takes up as much space as a car. I’m literally calling the kidney foundation tomorrow to grab mine. 

 
Beef Ravioli said:
Just watched Shark Tank, apparently treadmills are bad for you. Causes you to run incorrectly which leads to multiple injuries in the feet and knees. 
Click to expand...
Sorta not really. It allows you to be lazy with your form, but doesnt case you to run incorrectly. Humans are hard wired to take the path of least resistance though. So the vast majority of us take it on dreadmills. 

 
coyote5 said:
Mr. Ected said:
We are looking for one also. My wife has started doing a program of a mix of running and walking, with a goal of hitting 2019 miles this year. We had a membership at a local gym, that we received a partial reimbursement by her office, and we still never went. Her concept is to not use it 99% of the time, but to use it on bad weather days, and on evenings when she gets home too late to go outside.

I get the idea that you should buy a used one, but what do you do for repair and maintenance, if you don't buy new? We like the idea of buying from a store or directly from a manufacturer, so we can have those over a long period of time.

We are looking at the NordicTrack C1650, but are going to go to a store that has multiple manufacturers to check the options.
Click to expand...
How many miles is her goal?? 
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The idea is to get a total miles over the year equal to the year number. She has done 10-15 so far on the 2 or 3 times she has gone so far this year...dunno, it's a lot of miles, but it's a goal.

 
coyote5 said:
Absolutely, that's a great goal!  But that is 5.5 miles per day, every day  😯
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Yup. That’s part of why she wants the treadmill. Not every day is great for running here in DC.

i think she hopes to build up stamina to go longer on days to spread it out some.

 
proteus126 said:
Estate and moving sales.  Good place to get a $2k treadmill for $200.  Its just a pain to get it home.
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Good point. That's why I recommend getting a collapsible one so you can store it under the bed and avoid the guilt/shame of looking at it while you get fatter.

 
coyote5 said:
Absolutely, that's a great goal!  But that is 5.5 miles per day, every day  😯
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That comes out to about 11,000 steps each day. Walking 18 holes of golf is about that much for comparison sake (on a good golf course... not a par 3 or mini golf).

 
I have a folding one that I used a ton when I ran and it was great.  I remember back then the most important qualities were width of track, maximum weight limit, and power incline.  I'd go to some treadmill review sites, find a couple brands that have the features that you want plus get good reviews, then shop Craigslist.  I would think that for less than $1k you should be able to get a top end used treadmill. 

 
bigmarc27 said:
Don’t. 

Just go outside or hit the gym. The quality will suck, it won’t be comfortable, it’ll break, and it takes up as much space as a car. I’m literally calling the kidney foundation tomorrow to grab mine. 
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Not an option to run outside when it's zero and windy while snowing. 

Also not real fun to drive 20+ minutes to get to the gym in that weather.

In case I haven't mentioned yet (I have) it is for when outside and/or the gym is not possible, which is quite often in the winter time and with a 3 year old under my supervision.

 
ghostguy123 said:
Not an option to run outside when it's zero and windy while snowing. 

Also not real fun to drive 20+ minutes to get to the gym in that weather.

In case I haven't mentioned yet (I have) it is for when outside and/or the gym is not possible, which is quite often in the winter time and with a 3 year old under my supervision.
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Still don’t. There’s not a single treadmill you won’t regret buying within a month. They’re a terrible product. 

 
AAABatteries said:
I hear this a lot but then they seem to be hugely popular at gyms - seems counterintuitive.
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The ones at the gym are substantially better, they’re maintained, and they’re not on a garage floor or wherever they’re kept at home. I can even tell the difference in quality at a good gym vs other gyms.  We have a $1k treadmill in the garage that after we joined our current gym could not run on again. It’s junk.  There’s no bounce and caused more problems than it’s worth. 

I run 15-20 miles / week now. If I ran half that on any treadmill I could use at home I’d be in the hospital for a slipped disc.  Anyway, obviously he seems set on doing it but I’ve made the mistake twice. Never again. 

 
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ghostguy123 said:
Not an option to run outside when it's zero and windy while snowing. 

Also not real fun to drive 20+ minutes to get to the gym in that weather.

In case I haven't mentioned yet (I have) it is for when outside and/or the gym is not possible, which is quite often in the winter time and with a 3 year old under my supervision.
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Oh it isn't that cold that often in NE Ohio.  We had that two week blast that ended about this time last year, but after that there will only a couple more bitter cold days and they were still above zero.

 
Mr. Ected said:
We are looking for one also. My wife has started doing a program of a mix of running and walking, with a goal of hitting 2019 miles this year. We had a membership at a local gym, that we received a partial reimbursement by her office, and we still never went. Her concept is to not use it 99% of the time, but to use it on bad weather days, and on evenings when she gets home too late to go outside.

I get the idea that you should buy a used one, but what do you do for repair and maintenance, if you don't buy new? We like the idea of buying from a store or directly from a manufacturer, so we can have those over a long period of time.

We are looking at the NordicTrack C1650, but are going to go to a store that has multiple manufacturers to check the options.
Click to expand...
I have this exact model going on four years now. About 2 years in, the main board fried, and they sent me another (I think it has a fairly long parts warranty), which I installed myself. No troubles otherwise. I only walk (fairly fast) on it.

I have this and a gym membership, and use both - having the home treadmill is nice for times i can't get to the gym. I made a little shelf on the wall that I put an old laptop on for DVD / Netflix. Good way to watch longer TV series/etc.  

 
MAC_32 said:
Oh it isn't that cold that often in NE Ohio.  We had that two week blast that ended about this time last year, but after that there will only a couple more bitter cold days and they were still above zero.
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Not leaving the 3 year old alone

 
MAC_32 said:
Sorta not really. It allows you to be lazy with your form, but doesnt case you to run incorrectly. Humans are hard wired to take the path of least resistance though. So the vast majority of us take it on dreadmills. 
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Can you explain this a bit? what are the "don'ts" when it comes to treadmill training.

 
ghostguy123 said:
Not leaving the 3 year old alone
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We've got three kids between 3 and 8, so I get that responsibility restricts timing but I'm also gonna guess your wife is home to watch him/her while you shuffle your feet for 45 mins or so at least a few times per week.  I also get the pros behind having one, but the laundry list of cons and things to think about are littered throughout this thread.  If you don't have a maintenance plan and don't want to spend much money then there will be at least some risk that you don't get your money's worth for this thing that takes up a lot of space.  

 
Dr. Octopus said:
Can you explain this a bit? what are the "don'ts" when it comes to treadmill training.
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Basically, compliment it with a good strength training program and treat it no differently than running outdoors.  A whole lot easier said than done though.  If you remind yourself it's a pretty easy thing to do early in the workout.  Once you're fatigued?  Different story.  No matter how headstrong you are the mind instinctively chooses the path of least resistance, so when no resistance is an option it's often taken.

Granted some of the bad habits you're susceptible to running outdoors carry forward to the treadmill too (eyes/shoulders down, heel strike, flat footed, etc.) but in a controlled environment that does not change mentally it's easy to shut it down once tired/bored.  When you're out on the roads or trails your scenery is constantly changing, which helps keeping your mind engaged.  With your mind engaged you're less likely to go down the roads of those bad habits.  Building on that thought, you also need to be aware of what's going on around you.  45 mins into a 60 minute treadmill workout you don't need to think about anything going on around you.  On the road - what's this car gonna do? what's that car gonna do? what about this person walking their dog? should I turn at this 4 way stop or keep going through it? can I make this traffic light? that car pulling out of the parking lot pulled into the side walk, do I go around the back of it or let them go first? oh ####, three horses are coming.  You can't be thinking 'just 10 more mins and I can finally get off this thing' in most outdoor settings, which puts you in a better position to be successful despite end of workout fatigue.  Awareness and good form are correlated.

Most people don't think this is the case with themselves, but most people are wrong - it's human nature.  But even if you are the outlier and can overcome this obstacle, the repetitive nature of each step is not avoidable.  On the road or trails there is at least some variation in the stress you're putting on your muscles and joints as you navigate different movements at corners or curves, around construction zones, avoiding those dog walkers, dodging puddles and pockets of ice/snow, going up and down hills of differing grades, hitting tree roots just right, uneven sidewalks, the list goes on.  Throughout the course of an outdoor workout you're using your core, hips, butt, calves, etc. in a different manner. On the mill? It's the same stress on the same joints and muscles over and over and over again on what is usually a more unforgiving hard, flat surface.  I took exception to the post earlier because an overuse injury is not a guarantee (but I may have misinterpreted) - it is more likely though.  

 
ghostguy123 said:
Not leaving the 3 year old alone
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Exactly. 

Good God, a lot of negativity in here.  @ghostguy123 is just looking for some opinions on the best possible options, not why he shouldn't buy one.  A good post by Mac detailing some of the cons and things to be considered when running on a treadmill.

I don't have a ton to offer in terms of comparisons between numerous options, but will share my experience.  I've got a Vision Fitness treadmill that I purchased new from 2nd Wind Exercise (looks like it's now Johnson Fitness & Wellness Store) about 7 years ago.  It's been a rock, with very little maintenance outside of fixing a squeaky belt.  It probably gets used to the tune of 200-400 miles per year between my wife and I.  I much prefer running outside and do so whenever possible, but totally get when weather, schedules, kids, or random other occurrences can prevent getting out from being the most desirable or even feasible.  If this is something you're going to use more than that, then I'd strongly consider figuring out a way to invest in something a bit nicer and consider the cost in lieu of a gym membership if you're not utilizing that.  And recognize that as others have said, there's a reasonable chance that you buy one and it turns into a clothesline.   Good luck.

 
MAC_32 said:
We've got three kids between 3 and 8, so I get that responsibility restricts timing but I'm also gonna guess your wife is home to watch him/her while you shuffle your feet for 45 mins or so at least a few times per week.  I also get the pros behind having one, but the laundry list of cons and things to think about are littered throughout this thread.  If you don't have a maintenance plan and don't want to spend much money then there will be at least some risk that you don't get your money's worth for this thing that takes up a lot of space.  
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The option to run or walk when I want, rather than when I have to, is very important.

 
Have you done any research?  You should be able to pick out a few models in like 15 minutes that will suit you just fine.

From that point it's just waiting for the inevitable FBG to put theirs on Craigslist.

 
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