The deciding factor in the life of a treadmill is the motor. If you
want your treadmill to last, look for the larger, heavier motors.
"Horsepower" is applied to two different ratings--"peak
duty rating" and "continuous duty rating." The peak duty rating is
advertised on a treadmill tag. The continuous duty rating is stamped
directly on the motor and is the rating that determines its quality
and duration.
In general, the larger and heavier the motor is, the
cooler it will run and the longer it will last. Penn State Sports
Medicine Newsletter recommends purchasing a machine with at least
1.5 continuous duty horsepower--higher if you weigh more than 185
pounds or plan to run on the treadmill. (But be sure to check the
voltage. Some treadmills with heavy motors are 220, which won't work
in most homes.)
The thickness of the walking deck and the size of the
walking track should also be high on your list of priorities. The
thickness of the deck affects the comfort of the legs and feet with
prolonged use. Choose a treadmill that has a deck thickness of at
least 3/4 inch, or one inch if you plan to do both walking and jogging.
The walking track needs enough length (at least 48 inches)
and width (at least 17 inches) for you to walk comfortably without
stepping off the track. If you plan to run on your new treadmill,
you may want a longer track. The "buzz" feature these days is
definitely shock absorption. To provide effective cushioning for the
legs, feet and back, the treadmill's suspension must be directly under
the walking deck. (Some treadmills may have "shock absorbers" on the
legs of the treadmill so you can see the frame bounce while you are
walking. This is not effective shock absorption!) The padding can
be made of foam or rubber. Foam is softer and more compressible than
rubber, but requires more time to return to its original thickness
after impact. Rubber instantly recovers to full thickness and is better
able to maintain its energy absorption level.
"Perks"
After you've checked out the physical construction,
you can look at a treadmill's electronic board. Here's where you can
economize, if necessary. The less expensive treadmills have the basics:
speed, distance, incline, time and calories. The more expensive treadmills
also have a range of special preset exercise programs that automatically
alter speed and incline, varying high-intensity effort with lower-intensity
effort. Some treadmills even measure your heart rate! Ask yourself,
will electronic programs and feedback motivate you to keep exercising?
If not, and/or you're on a limited budget, you can buy a less expensive
machine and a separate heart rate monitor, and develop your own programs.
Service and Warranties
Ask the dealer about delivery and setup. Sometimes
this is included in the price--and other times, it's not. Also, check
out the service and warranty policies.
The minimum warranty on a fairly good treadmill is 90
days parts and service. The better treadmills will carry a three-year
warranty on the motor and two years on the drive train. As for who
will be responsible for servicing a treadmill when it has problems--the
store you purchased it from. So if the store offers a good guarantee,
chances are the machine won't need servicing very often!
If you choose a quality electric treadmill, it will
last for years and provide great versatility for your cardiovascular
program.
About
Fitness Equipment reviews treadmills and other fitness equipment choices.
