Archive for December, 2007:
Treadmill Buying Advice
The treadmill industry is shady - they are notorious for selling crappy products and providing poor customer service and warranty service. They make it nearly impossible to compare treadmills, they change models often for no apparent reason, and thrive on taking advantage of the uneducated purchaser. Arm yourself with some information - here’s a quick buying guide.
- Don’t be a cheapskate.
Unless the treadmill is for your grandma who is going to walk at 1 MPH once a week for ten minutes, plan to spend at least $600 for a decent treadmill. If you plan to run the shit out of it, or multiple people will be using it on a regular basis, plan to spend at least a grand. Cheap out, and you will be stuck with a 300 pound paperweight.
- Ignore motor HP ratings.
These are worthless because there is no industry standard to measure the HP output of a treadmill motor. At best use it as a very loose guide for motor strength - price is a more accurate indicator however, in general the higher-end models have better motors.
- Watch out for gimmicks that jack up the price.
A fan? Speakers?? A god-damn television built-in?! If the treadmill you have picked out fits your needs and HAPPENS to have these often worthless extras, fine. But absolutely DO NOT justify buying a more expensive treadmill SOLELY because of these. Fans are so small and underpowered they are useless. Speakers and TV’s are shitty (I mean, poor quality). Your treadmill is to EXERCISE WITH, not use as a home entertainment system. Buy an iPod if you want to listen to music or watch videos while you workout.
- Research and pick-out your treadmill BEFORE going to the store.
Your brain will often rationalize picking out a shitty treadmill or spending more than you planned because, hey, you made the effort to drive to the damn store. Might as well go home with a shiny new treadmill. NONONO. Pick out your treadmill on YOUR TERMS, the Internet makes this easy. Now, don’t be afraid to go and try out your pick at the store - just don’t show up without any unbiased information. And for god sack, do NOT ask for the $6/hour employee for buying advice.
- Beware of USED treadmills.
Exercise equipment is often a great deal to pick up used - people buy it in January and have stopped using it by June and want to get rid of it. This is great for immovable equipment that requires no maintenance - for example, smith machines, weight benches, barbells, etc. Treadmills are similar to cars however - they require maintenance and wear out over time. All those moving parts wear out with use - the belt, the board, the rollers, etc. If the previous owner ran the shit out of it and never maintained it, you might end up with a 300 pound paperweight in your bedroom..
- Once you buy it, maintain it.
A treadmill can last near forever if maintained. Nearly every part that breaks or wears out can be replaced. Read your manual, but in general - keep your board/belt lubricated. They should come prelube’d from the factory (check though, they forget sometimes), but require periodic lubrication - typically every 6 months or so depending on use. Keep the belt clean and check the bolts for tightness periodically. Check the belt to be sure it is centered and the correct tension.