Treadmill Options-Advice please

I bought a pacemaster gold a couple months ago. It has worked real well for me so far. It is stable, has a long deck and goes up to 12 mph without any problems.

I have read that the Nordik Track 1500 (Commercial) is the best under $1,000 treadmill you can buy. They only place that I know sells them is Costco, but apparently they are really reliable and go up to 12mph.

http://www.treadmilldoctor.com/Treadmill-Reviews/BestBuyAwards-Treadmill

;jsessionid=0a0105531f43bff92603754d4e718961efb51310edac.e3eSc3uRax8Te34Pa38Ta38Lc3r0#700to999

check the $700 to $1000 category.

Precor has a good one for about 2000. If you want to do miles like that on a daily basis then you should look for a 3.0 chp motor. I would look to spend about 2000 for a quality one...some people would say more.

What is your budget? Do you have plenty of room or perhaps need a folding one?

I have plenty of room and probably up to about $3000 it will get used a lot and so it's worth it to get a good one.

In that case I would probably go for something by True

http://www.truefitness.com

Or Landice

http://www.landice.com

.

They are two of the best brands out there. Not the only two but two of the few.

Look for a strong motor and compare belt dimensions. Of course, look for a good warranty as well.

You can find good, independent advice at TreadmillDoctor

http://www.treadmilldoctor.com

Personally I own a Sole F85. It's $2,000 has a strong motor, good warranty and is folding. That was my budget and I frankly need all the space I can get. If I had the room and the Money, I would buy one of the higher end True models.

So, if I can get one of those Nordictracks for $999 delivered with a 2.5hp motor, 60" deck, 12mph, and lifetime warranty on the motor...what would be the incentive to spend more?

I'm new to considering treadmills, so this is a serious question...what do you get when you spend more money?

the brand woodway defines why you would spend more.

I own a Woodway Desmo S. I paid about $9k for it a few years ago. At the time I purchased it I was driving a $500 Ford Escort. The car stayed parked in the driveway and the garage housed the treadmill. Woodway is the best treadmill period. Since I'm not running as much these days I'd consider selling it for a reasonable offer. Its located in Southern California.

15 mph

25% elevation

completely programable

wireless heartrate

heartrate programable

If interested send an email to

phrunner6@aol.com

I have the S3000 (used to be called the 8600), and have had it four 4-1/2 years. It has been great. Built like a tank, very stable, very smooth. But it weighs a ton, so you won't want to ever have to move it. Treadmill doctor has great things to say about it:

Best Buy $2500 to $2999 Sponsored links

NordicTrack S3000 - An inverter driven treadmill for $2700 is beyond unbelievable but they really make this one believable. This is the best value in the whole treadmill world.

Runner Up's $2500 to $2999

1 - Lifespan Pro 5

2 - Landice L7 Pro Sports Trainer

3 - Bodyguard T280 P

I should mention that it requires a 20 amp outlet. But if you don't have one, I'm sure an electrician could fix that easily enough.

I also wouldn't recommend putting this on anything but a concrete floor. It's in my basement, and I can't imagine having it on a suspended floor.

One downside of this treadmill is that the console is a bit too close to you when you run. They could actually move it forward a couple of inches. But I'm only 5'8", so the belt is plenty long for my short choppy stride. If you're taller than 6'3", you might want to look for a treadmill with an even longer belt.

livinlite wrote:

So, if I can get one of those Nordictracks for $999 delivered with a 2.5hp motor, 60" deck, 12mph, and lifetime warranty on the motor...what would be the incentive to spend more?

I'm new to considering treadmills, so this is a serious question...what do you get when you spend more money?

A treadmill that doesn't break down after a year.

camelback wrote:

livinlite wrote:

So, if I can get one of those Nordictracks for $999 delivered with a 2.5hp motor, 60" deck, 12mph, and lifetime warranty on the motor...what would be the incentive to spend more?

I'm new to considering treadmills, so this is a serious question...what do you get when you spend more money?

A treadmill that doesn't break down after a year.

Indulge me a little further...

Don't they have warrantees? Or is it a maintenance issue...warranteed part, but labor is expensive?

I'm 6'4", do I need a longer treadmill deck? Never had a problem running on whatever was at the gym...

Is there a point where you get a good compromise between price and durability? I know I'm not going to be able to get more than $2,000 past the S.O.

FYI - TR to stay away from...

http://www.runningahead.com/forums/post/cc898150d8ee4c099b7643909ed940cb#focus

The Sole seems to always get good reviews and is near your price point.

livinlite wrote:

Indulge me a little further...

Don't they have warrantees? Or is it a maintenance issue...warranteed part, but labor is expensive?

I'm 6'4", do I need a longer treadmill deck? Never had a problem running on whatever was at the gym...

Is there a point where you get a good compromise between price and durability? I know I'm not going to be able to get more than $2,000 past the S.O.

The warrantees are usually limited and half the time don't cover what you need. If they warranty the motor then watch out for the deck cracking. And some companies make warranty service like having a root canal.

For my money, the sweet spot in price point was right at my budget limit (which is yours as well), $2,000. As for durability... well it's a crude measure but the sheer weight of the treadmill is a decent indicator. A 300 pound treadmill is usually going to be a lot sturdier than a 200 pound one. Look up the reviews on Treadmill Doctor.

I am 6' 0". I bought the Sole F85 which has a 20 by 60 inch deck. This size is more than enough for me and I suspect would be enough for you. If you have a decent stride length, I would not go much shorter than 60 inches. You don't need to buy what I bought but look for that size. Check the specs of the manufacturers. True is nice in that they have some big belts but the roller sizes matter too.

I suggest you go to the gym one day with a tape measure and measure what you run on. Or remember the make and model numbers and look up their deck sizes on the internet.

why not run outside??? ive never understood the purpose of using a treadmill, only for wimps and why spend all your money on that would when you could buy sometihing more worth your money.

okay???? wrote:

why not run outside??? ive never understood the purpose of using a treadmill, only for wimps and why spend all your money on that would when you could buy sometihing more worth your money.

You must be new here as this subject has been covered many many times.

People use treadmills for many reasons. Very few people use them exclusively. But when they do use them, here are a few reasons why:

-Some use them because of the reduced pounding on the legs.

-Some use them due to the convenience (e.g. Mom can watch the kids and get a run in).

-Some use them because some days they want to know their pace with instant feedback.

-Some (mostly women, I imagine) use them because they live in areas where it might not be safe to run outside at certain times of the day

-Some use them on extremely hot days to keep cooler

-I use one on some winter days because after 25 years of New England Winters, I'm tired of trying to do a tempo run when there is so much snow and ice outside you can't even stay on your feet.

well, you can use a treadmill every once in a while but it is hardly the same thing as real running. treadmills, in my opinions should only be used in extreme weather conditions. No i dont mean if their is snow on the ground but if their is a hurricane outside. running in snow helps with knee lift and overall form, similar to running in sand. running on a treadmill is like running with a 30 mph tailwind.

bsp wrote:

well, you can use a treadmill every once in a while but it is hardly the same thing as real running. treadmills, in my opinions should only be used in extreme weather conditions. No i dont mean if their is snow on the ground but if their is a hurricane outside. running in snow helps with knee lift and overall form, similar to running in sand. running on a treadmill is like running with a 30 mph tailwind.

Can you please post links to your elite race times?