Author Topic: Treadmill- any experts?  (Read 10471 times)

teamzissou00

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Treadmill- any experts?
« on: June 24, 2013, 02:34:58 PM »
We have a 1 year old., and are simply not using our gym membership.  Put some serious thought into what would be used most, and we want to get a treadmill for the garage, so we can watch TV in there. 

All other things aside- does anyone have knowledge on these machines?  You can spend $300-$3000.  I may go to craigslist but I still need to know which brands and models to look for.  I'd like one that won't break a ton and will work well running on it- not all do!

Thanks

footenote

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2013, 02:36:54 PM »
Do you have a Costco membership? We found a great value there.

Spork

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2013, 02:38:44 PM »
I'm pretty sure that 90% of all treadmills are used as racks to hang clothes on within a year.  ;)

I know that is what I did with mine before I finally sold it on ebay.

teamzissou00

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2013, 03:42:57 PM »
I'm worried about that as well!  But- our gym is costing us $75/ mo

Not getting healthy isn't an option.

Was the Costco treadmill hard to put together?

Is an elliptical less likely to be a coat rack?

footenote

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2013, 04:03:05 PM »
Two-person team who delivered the treadmill assembled it, no extra charge. Very happy with the treadmill.

teamzissou00

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2013, 04:07:04 PM »
Make/model?

footenote

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2013, 05:23:12 PM »
The one we bought was the Freemotion 730. It was on sale at the time for $999. and is not on sale today. You could watch for sales - here's what's on offer from Costco at the moment:

http://www.costco.com/CatalogSearch?storeId=10301&catalogId=10701&langId=-1&keyword=treadmill

Slàinte mhath!

Jake D

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2013, 02:26:00 AM »
In a past life, I used to sell and service fitness equipment: Treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes etc.

Here's a handful of thoughts in no particular order.

  • Treadmills use a lot of electricity
  • No matter how much you spend, the circuit boards and programs are very similar. "cooler" models won't be more fun with more interesting ways to run on the spot.
  • You DO get better bearings and mechanical components and will get longer life out of a pricier model. This picks up pretty quickly as you move from $300 to $1000 models, but you get diminishing returns after about $1500
  • Look out for Good supsension.
  • Recumbent Cycles burn lots of energy, while being comfortable, and not using any electricity
  • Treadmills break down more than any other fitness equipment (bikes, rowers, ellipticals etc)
  • Treadmills use a lot of electricity

Villanelle

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2013, 03:37:32 AM »
Buy used.  Because of the aforementioned coat rack phenomenon, these things sell for pennies on the dollar.  Any of the major brands will do.  Scour the ads (Criagslist, etc., and even Freecycle) and when you find one for sale, do a little internet research on the make (model matters less) to make sure it is reliable and works well for running (assuming that what you intent to do, rather than walking). 



markbrynn

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #9 on: June 25, 2013, 06:37:27 AM »
I bought an elliptical trainer about 6 years ago (same cost as one year for my wife's gym membership, my master plan to cancel gym membership). It ended up as a clothes rack for about 2 years, used by a friend for a year and now back with us and being used by both of us several times a week. I guess we weren't ready for it the first time around. I'm a big advocate of getting exercise in the great outdoors (and for free), but if you live in a place with lousy weather or you know you won't get out enough, for whatever reason, a piece of home equipment can be worth it.

If OP really wants to know the brand/model I have, let me know. It was around 600 euros (I'm in the Netherlands) about 6 years ago. Seems like pretty good quality.

velocistar237

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #10 on: June 25, 2013, 08:34:11 AM »
How about a jogging stroller for nice days, and a Concept2 indoor rower for inside days?

mgreczyn

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #11 on: June 25, 2013, 08:55:55 AM »
Acclimate to running outside.  Even in the rain and snow, a run outside is incredibly satisfying with the right clothing and attitude.  The only time I ever really adjusted to running on a treadmill was on deployment to a desert airbase in the middle east.  And even then I eventually felt like a huge wussypants when I found out that a Marine ran an ultramarathon without leaving his FOB, wearing body armor and eating dust to avoid the occasional incoming mortar round. 

GuitarStv

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #12 on: June 25, 2013, 09:37:19 AM »
Acclimate to running outside.  Even in the rain and snow, a run outside is incredibly satisfying with the right clothing and attitude.  The only time I ever really adjusted to running on a treadmill was on deployment to a desert airbase in the middle east.  And even then I eventually felt like a huge wussypants when I found out that a Marine ran an ultramarathon without leaving his FOB, wearing body armor and eating dust to avoid the occasional incoming mortar round.

Yes to running outside!  You might discover that television is actually detrimental to a good workout.  Running in the rain and snow is not all that bad once you get used to.

mgreczyn

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #13 on: June 25, 2013, 10:15:32 AM »
Acclimate to running outside.  Even in the rain and snow, a run outside is incredibly satisfying with the right clothing and attitude.  The only time I ever really adjusted to running on a treadmill was on deployment to a desert airbase in the middle east.  And even then I eventually felt like a huge wussypants when I found out that a Marine ran an ultramarathon without leaving his FOB, wearing body armor and eating dust to avoid the occasional incoming mortar round.

Yes to running outside!  You might discover that television is actually detrimental to a good workout.  Running in the rain and snow is not all that bad once you get used to.

Not all that bad!?  It's downright cool!  You get outside, you're doing something challenging / difficult AND you get a front row seat to weather phenomena.  Be safe (i.e. be careful about lightning and icy conditions), but skip the treadmill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treadmill save your money and go for a run.

teamzissou00

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #14 on: June 25, 2013, 10:52:46 AM »
I'm all for outdoor activity- but we have a young one and he goes to sleep one hour after I get home.  We love TV and will be watching it- so it seemed best to do so while exercising.

We tried a rower- our backs didn't appreciate it. 

I'm open to all ideas.  I am not familiar with indoor bikes that don't use electricity- explain plz.

Elliptical? 

amerikian

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #15 on: June 25, 2013, 11:01:05 AM »
I was a global product manager for the world's #3 treadmill manufacturer for 6.5 years.  I developed treads from $399 all the way up to $10,999 and everything in between.  The one thing I learned was the only piece of fitness "equipment" you need is a pull up bar.

As other people have suggested, walking/running/cycling are great ways to get your cardio.  Combine that with pushups, pullups, planks, and body weight squats - you'll be in stellar shape.  Ditch the gym membership, buy a pullup bar, and save hours driving to the gym, changing, showering, etc... You could do it all in your house or outside for free.

I have a $4000 elliptical from my former company....and it does make a great clothes hanger for my sweaty cycling gear haha.

BUT - if you really need some treadmill advice, here's some things to look for:

  • Double Ply Belt
  • Wax Impregnated Deck/Belt
  • AC Motor
  • The larger the roller diameter the better
  • 60" Deck
  • Reversible running deck

mgreczyn

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #16 on: June 25, 2013, 11:06:26 AM »
I can sympathize with the young one, we have a 2.5 year old.  It was tough but I learned to adjust my schedule to hers; for a while I could get up really early and run, then I had to switch to later in the day (lunch or after work), now it's back to early.  As long as I got to both spend time with the kiddo and get my workout in, I didn't mind the inconvenience of an o dark thirty wake up.

ace1224

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #17 on: June 25, 2013, 11:06:37 AM »
if you lived by me i would give you mine.  total coat rack

Dee18

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #18 on: June 25, 2013, 11:16:30 AM »
When my daughter was little, I had a wind trainer...a metal stand that converted my bike to a stationery bike.  It was from Nashbar..not sue of the price as someone gave it to me. it  worked great and was very easy to use. I just took off the front wheel of my bike, set it on the stand and adjusted the quick release lever.  I even had a little wire gizmo on the handlebars to hold a book.

teamzissou00

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #19 on: June 25, 2013, 11:34:17 AM »
Should I just do video cardio?  P90x?

onehappypanda

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Re: Treadmill- any experts?
« Reply #20 on: June 25, 2013, 12:38:59 PM »
You seem to be jumping immediately to the most expensive options for staying fit. A super expensive gym, your own treadmill, P90X which is just about one of the most expensive workout DVDs you could choose. Most people never really use those options even after they shell out their money on them. A lot of people make that mistake, which is why we have a very lucrative fitness industry while still having a lot of overweight people. This might sound harsh, but it's the MMM forum, so I assume you can handle it: you've gotten sucked into thinking you need to buy things to stay fit, when what you really need is a good dose of prioritization and the willingness to look past your own excuses.

Here's some other options for you. Some may swing toward the female demographic because they're things I've personally used, but I'm sure dudes can chime in if that's not your thing:
Zuzka Light (youtube) and Bodyrock (.tv) both have free/low-cost videos workouts that, if done right, should kick your ass. You can improvise for most of their equipment- heavy sandbags, etc. You will also see a lot of fake-boob cleavage, which might be a good or bad thing depending on your perspective I guess.

You can also find a lot of free bodyweight workout plans just by googling, like this one: http://www.benderfitness.com/2012/10/full-body-fitness-workout.html

Stumptuous.com has lots of information on weight lifting, and several sections on how to make your own at-home weight lifting equipment (sandbags, DIY power cage, etc.). You can also get barbells and weights fairly inexpensively on Craigslist.

Your local library might even have fitness DVDs and books for FREE. I've gotten a lot of stuff at mine, which is awesome because I usually get bored with them right about the time I have to return them anyway.

Another vote for running, walking, or biking outside. Lots of people have small children and manage to do this, it just takes some forethought on your part. Take the kid for a walk with you in the evening. One of you can get up early while the kiddo is still sleeping and workout. The other one can get a run in after he/she goes to bed. If you prioritize fitness, I'm sure you can find enough time to make it happen.