Our treadmill buying guide will teach you everything you need to know about researching and purchasing a treadmill on the Internet.
How to shop for a treadmill online
Buying a treadmill can be a daunting task today because of the
plethora of information out there, much of which has a slanted point of
view. I will try to cut to the
chase and tell you what is, and is not important to the average treadmill
user.
Introduction
My name is Joe Alter and I am the President and CEO of YOWZA
Fitness. I have been in the
fitness industry since 1984 and was around before treadmills were in
vogue. Like any other fast growing
trend, treadmills have come a long way and prices have dropped substantially in
recent years. Likewise quality has
become increasingly better and you can expect to get a machine that will last a
long time, especially if you spend over $1000 retail.
Where to look?
The best place to search
for treadmills is on Google. Not
that Google will deliver more qualified results, but you are more likely to
find the top five or six direct-to-consumer treadmill companies in the industry. Rule #1 is to only shop with
manufacturers who are selling direct online at wholesale pricing. The first step is to only look at
companies whose web address are the same as the single brand that they are
selling. For instance, if you want
to buy a YOWZA treadmill you should look for a URL like www.yowzafitness.com. If you see a name like www.treadmilldeals.com,
you can tell right away that it is either a retailer or online affiliate that
you are looking at. You may spend
a minute to see what they are saying but try to search out the companies that
use their own brand as their main domain name.
But how do you know whether or not the website is an actual
manufacturer or just an online retailer who is claiming to be a
manufacturer? The answer is
simple, you may never know for sure but you can protect yourself by asking a
couple of simple questions.
I recommend calling the 800# and asking a sales person for the actual
name of the factory. Then ask if
that factory owns the website you are looking at. Generally, that will at least get you a somewhat straight
answer in terms of what kind of business model you are looking at.
Manufacturing location of choice
You should know that all of the major manufacturers of motorized
treadmills are making their machines in either Taiwan or China today. Some, like Yowza, have R & D
facilities here in the US and can claim (Designed in the USA), but your best
bet is to buy a machine that is made in Taiwan. Generally, Taiwan treadmill manufacturers have much better quality control,
testing and packaging vs. their Chinese counterparts. Beware that some manufacturers are making their $999 retail
price points in China while making the higher end units in Taiwan. That is why I recommend calling the
company to ask about such things as you will get a smoother, quieter and longer
lasting machine out of Taiwan.
What is important and what is not
In terms of specs you what to make sure that you are getting what
you NEED based on the kind of use that you will be giving the treadmill. This is what to consider:
- motor
size (should be 2.5 to 3.5HP continuous duty)
- treadmill
type folding vs. non-folding read more below on this.
- belt
surface area(also know as running surface, walking surface etc.) should be at
least 20” wide for walking and running.
Length is only important for users over 6’2” who run.
- belt
construction should be called any one of the following, (two-ply, four ply or
multi-ply) Under layer should be
made of a nylon-polyester weave.
- treadmill
weight as assembled should be over 220 lbs. You don’t want to run on a treadmill that weighs less than
you do.
- frame
structure Welded steel is best for quality, warranty and value. Aluminum is sometimes used as well but is not price competitive.
- deck
should be at least 3/4” thick solid wood construction, wax impregnated and
pre-lubricated at the factory.
What is not important
- Orthopedic
belts are a trade gimmick that only serves to create excess friction and
heat. Avoid them and look for
machines with floating or flex decks.
- name
brands. You will find that the top
ten brands of consumer treadmills are not household names. Do your research online and you will
become comfortable with your purchase.
- electronic
features and gimmicks. Every major
treadmill company has very similar features on the console and in the programs
and display. Pay more attention to
features that will make your workout more comfortable like ipod docking stations,
reading racks and built in fans.
- ratings
and reviews are important as a whole but don’t dwell on one website’s
conclusions. Most ratings services
are affiliated with one or two brands and are paid commissions to drive
traffic, sell advertising or influence consumers.
Key Features to Look for:
Motors:
Very simply you want to get a 2.5HP or more motor if you spend around
$1000 and you want to get 3.0HP if you spend significantly more. There is varying terminology out there
in terms of how those horsepower ratings are computed and listed in the
specs. Look for the term
continuous duty after the horsepower listing. Some manufacturers want to overstate their horsepower by
inflating the rpm speed at which they are tested or they will provide you a
“peak horsepower rating” or some other nebulous term like “treadmill duty”.
I can give you a simple way to find the right motor. First look for a long warranty on the
motor and then either try the machine or look at reviews for a quiet
motor. Motor noise is an
indication of quality but more importantly it is an indication of how hard the
motor is working. If you hear a
surging, whining or clicking sound then you know that you may have a problem
down the road. All of the top
companies are using precision balanced flywheels which increase inertia creating
a smoother feel.
Frame: Look for a unibody
steel frame which is a frame that is welded together and then powder coated for
a nice finish and to make it rust resistant. Aluminum frames are good as well but they typically don’t
have as good a feel to run on as their steel counterparts.
Decks: The most important
thing that you should consider on a running deck is that it is made of a solid
hard-wood like Ash or Oak or Maple.
Beware of composite or press-board decks which may be thicker than the
real wood decks but will likely crack over time. The best of the best manufacturers are using triple
laminated phenolic resin coatings which are adhered to the wood surface. Those resins have microscopic pores
which are designed to hold the wax particles and also to help dissipate
heat.
Since durability is not a big issue on decks you should think
about lubrication. Friction is the
enemy of belts, decks, motors and electronics, so the industry is now using wax
impregnated wood decks on the higher end models. Then the decks are pre-lubricated with a silicone lubricant
which should be re-applied 2-6 times a year depending on use. Another feature is a reversible deck
which can be rotated or flipped over to extend use.
Running belts: My experience is that
two-ply running belts are the best and most of the manufacturers are now using
two ply. Sometimes called
multi-ply, two ply running belts have a top layer which is made of black
polyurethane which looks like rubber but is better for treadmill use because it
does not hold heat. Heat is
the enemy of a treadmill and the polyurethane two-ply belts are very light
which puts a lot less stress on the motor and electronics systems.
The underside of the belt is the more important part because that
is where the key is to quality and longevity. There are two types of undersides of the belt. The best is a nylon polyester weave
which will create a very soft sound when in use (almost silent in YOWZA
treadmills). When lubricated with
a non-petroleum based silicone treadmill lubricant, the nylon polyester weave
belts will last for thousands of hours of use. Like the motor, the best way to tell if belt quality is good
is to listen to the sound the treadmill makes with a runner on it. If you hear a bee’s buzzing sort of
sound you know it is a cheap running belt.
Cheaper running belts have a rough nylon undersurface and many
manufacturers are “cheating” by using a one ply belt which looks like two
ply. They simply take a Nylon belt
and put a black textured top side on it and texture the bottom side differently
and color it white to create the appearance of a two-ply belt. I recommend grabbing the side of the
treadbelt and turning it over to check the underside. Scratch your fingernails on the surface and feel if it is rough or if it is fairly
smooth. The better belts will have
almost a cottony feel especially after 100 hours of use or so.
Rollers: The most commonly used
rollers in the industry are 2.5” steel rollers with a bearing pressed into each
end. Those bearings are far more
important that the roller itself.
The better manufacturers
are using Japanese sealed bearings designed to last forever. Some manufacturers use slightly crowned
rollers to help the running belt stay centered. Look for a treadmill that has plastic covers that protect
the roller bearings from dust and dirt which will eventually cause
failure. No maintenance or
lubrication is necessary for high quality treadmill rollers.
Conclusion: We hope
this treadmill buying guide was helpful to you while you go through the process
of selecting the right machine for your home.
Best Regards,
The staff at YOWZA FITNESS
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