Treadmill Purchase

Salty Dog

Peckham wrote: »

So, if I stick the treadmill on 15km/h on a 1% incline, is this on a par with what I'd be getting on the road?

I've found that if I set the incline to either 2% or 3% it's closer to the road.

Gringo78

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Not seeing great bargains in the used sections, considering warranty, etc.
At the mo have narrowed to these 2:
Powertrack - €578 (free delivery)
Horizon - €599 (€30 delivery)

Looked at the manual for the horizon last night and it looks very good....recordable programs which would be very good for specific types of interval or hills programs that you use. Strongly thinking of thehorizon now myself.

Oryx

I have a proform for a good few years now, I used it a lot for the first couple of years, but now I run outside a lot, and I hate the treadmill in comparison. Im slower and find it harder on there.

I used to have mine upstairs, and it was noisy, did wake the kids, and cracked the plaster ceiling below it. So its been moved down. I need the tv up very loud if I want to watch it, and that alone would wake my kids!

It is a handy piece of kit for the really lousy days or late nights when its not safe to venture out. The main advice thats given when your buying, is look for a powerful motor, above all else. After that, check for speed, whether it does gradient, weight allowance, does it fold, and warranty.

Woddle

Peckham wrote: »

Tempo runs on treadmills - what do others think of this?

Have a 4 mile tempo run scheduled this evening, but wind is howling out there and would rather not be trying to hold tempo pace while facing into the wind (it's quite exposed around where I run).

Was going to go to the gym to do it instead. Would involve 25 mins at 6:15/mile pace. So, if I stick the treadmill on 15km/h on a 1% incline, is this on a par with what I'd be getting on the road?

Wouldn't be a longterm solution for me. Am generally reluctant to do anything other than recovery runs on the treadmill.

No reason why you can't do tempos on the treadmill, 1% works great for me but I also pay more attention to my HR monitor and that will determine mph.

littlebug

No matter how small the treadmill looks in the shop or catalogue either out flat or folded up it will look twice as big in your front room. I had a nice space behind a door allocated for mine :rolleyes:
I have a reebok i run http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reebok-I-Run-Treadmill/dp/B000OT8J5A which tbh I'm not sure I'd recommend. it's grand for me but I'm never going to run really fast and I'm not terribly bothered about elevation..... it has 2 manual settings... ie not elevated or elevated and it doesn't say what % elevation it is. I just know it feels really really hard. OH uses it alright though. It also seems to measure only in miles.
Criticisms aside we do use it a lot but we're not "serious runners";) It is noisy but I keep the music louder and once the door is closed it doesn't bother the kids. I don't think having it upstairs would be an option unless you have concrete floors.

ETA I've just noticed in the link I've put in there that the incline levels are 1% and 4%. It doesn't say that in the manual. now I don't know if the default is 1% or if I just haven't figured out how to set it at 1% :rolleyes:

catweazle

Lads you are fountains of knowledge on treadmills and apoligies for hijacking the thread but quick question have this gym challenge on friday, run, bike and row and I was just wondering about the exercise bike (never used one), if I increase the resistance does it increase the speed or am I as well off pedalling like a madman in the easiest gear

gerard65

catweazle wrote: »

Lads you are fountains of knowledge on treadmills and apoligies for hijacking the thread but quick question have this gym challenge on friday, run, bike and row and I was just wondering about the exercise bike (never used one), if I increase the resistance does it increase the speed or am I as well off pedalling like a madman in the easiest gear

You'll have to try out different resistance to find the one you like. Somewhere around halfway. Increase the resistance does not increase speed and pedalling like mad will leave you wrecked very quickly.

Peckham

Tried my tempo run on the treadmill this evening. Felt much easier than on the road, yet my HR was sufficiently raised up to around 93% max towards the end. Did 4 miles averaging at 6:20/mile (or 6,400m at about 15.2km/h according to the treadmill). Kept the incline at 1.5, think I'll push it up to 2.0 next time.

Think I've found myself a handy way to get my speedwork done during the disgusting conditions like this evening. Nice gentle jog to/from the gym as warmup/cooldown.

Salty Dog

Peckham wrote: »

Tried my tempo run on the treadmill this evening. Felt much easier than on the road, yet my HR was sufficiently raised up to around 93% max towards the end. Did 4 miles averaging at 6:20/mile (or 6,400m at about 15.2km/h according to the treadmill). Kept the incline at 1.5, think I'll push it up to 2.0 next time.

Did you find it much of a difference ? I've found that at times the boredom factor/constant pace can become an issue and that it becomes a mental battle not to hit the big red stop button.

Peckham

Found it much easier than the roads. Gym was very busy, and had pumping music so think that kept me going. Couldn't do more than one or two runs a week there, but it's a good option.

hot to trot

I would have been stuck without my home treaddie but the other night it just wouldnt work. All the buttons were fine and the incline went up and down but the belt just wouldnt work. Any idea where I should enquire to get it fixed.?

Salty Dog

hot to trot wrote: »

I would have been stuck without my home treaddie but the other night it just wouldnt work. All the buttons were fine and the incline went up and down but the belt just wouldnt work. Any idea where I should enquire to get it fixed.?

You could try vj fitness in Blanch. Might be the motor that's knackered.

Woddle

hot to trot wrote: »

I would have been stuck without my home treaddie but the other night it just wouldnt work. All the buttons were fine and the incline went up and down but the belt just wouldnt work. Any idea where I should enquire to get it fixed.?

I can highly recommend Sean http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055670187

Running Bing

Peckham wrote: »

Found it much easier than the roads. Gym was very busy, and had pumping music so think that kept me going. Couldn't do more than one or two runs a week there, but it's a good option.

I did a tempo on the treadmill for the first time last week and I had a similiar experience.

I would never use one for intervals/speedwork and Id even be reluctant to do easy/recovery miles on it but I reckon its perfect for tempo runs.

The whole point of a tempo run is to get the HR into a particular range and keep it there and at this time of year there's no better way of doing that for me other than on a treadmill. Plan to do another one on the treadmill in the morning.

Will probably revert back to outdoors during the spring/summer but when the wind is howling and its pitch dark I feel the treadmill is a more effective way for me to achieve what I want.

neilc

Sub430 wrote: »

Got mine from NI, free delivery. The motor was damaged after a couple of months so they sent somebody to repair it, since then it has been hassle free for the past year.

11mph top speed with incline from 0 to 12. Very happy with it, not that noisy either - on wheels so easy to move, comes flat packed but if I can put it together than anyone can. It also folds for storage.

http://www.scorpionfitness.co.uk/new/product_info.php?cPath=36_52&products_id=152

I dealt with Richard, very helpful over phone and email.

No connection just a satisfied customer.

neilc wrote: »

I'm actually waiting for delivery of this exact model at the moment. I plan to use it upstairs but am now a bit concerned based on one of the comments here. Is it really not possible.
Neil

Hi having taken delivery of the above treadmill today I've abandoned all thoughts of having it upstairs. It's a monster of a machine. I'll have to make space in the garage for it as there's no room downstairs in the house. I just did a half mile on it so far and seems very sturdy.
Neil

thirstywork

Salty Dog wrote: »

You could try vj fitness in Blanch. Might be the motor that's knackered.

didnt they got bust?
new place opened beside the red cow looks very good.some quality spin bikes there.

El Director

nope they are still in business, bought a treadmill last month from them....see page two of this thread re it. very happy with the guys there, i found them a gret help.

BeepBeep67

I'm (me and the OH) now the proud owner of brand spanking new Horizon II Treadie.
Have to say great service from Elvery's fab, called me twice to confirm delivery and arrived within 5 mins of the agreed time - how cool is that.
Just need to put it together later and take it for a test spin .

BeepBeep67

Yahoba - T minus 55mins:

Woddle

I hope you have an entertainment system with surround sound setup on the wall in front of you, glad to see you went with the horizon, looks good.

BeepBeep67

Woddle wrote: »

I hope you have an entertainment system with surround sound setup on the wall in front of you, glad to see you went with the horizon, looks good.

Yes, it's looking at a nice Dell XPS One, which has about 20,000 songs, a couple of hundred movies and TV Tuner Card

catweazle

How much was that one beep, I dont see it on their website, its a nice solid looking one

ultraman1

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Yahoba - T minus 55mins:

wheres the microwave and mini bar....

BeepBeep67

catweazle wrote: »

How much was that one beep, I dont see it on their website, its a nice solid looking one

€599 plus €30 delivery, they may still have a few in stock, PM Thirstyworker and he can check for you.

BeepBeep67

ultraman1 wrote: »

wheres the microwave and mini bar....

I ws expecting half time refreshments from the OH, but the TM moved back about a foot during my jaunt, so she couldn't get in .

shels4ever

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

I ws expecting half time refreshments from the OH, but the TM moved back about a foot during my jaunt, so she couldn't get in .

So how long did it take you to run back 1 ft?

BeepBeep67

Test run over: 4 mile recovery run, with the XC on Sunday.
Very sturdy.
Console ad button lay out very easy to follow.
Idiot proof, I just jumped on and away I went.
Did move backwards a little while I was using, might need to pick up a mat or something.
Has lots of programs that I'll figure out another day.
BeepBeep = A happy camper

Redjeep!

I have a ProForm 450 which I bought on impulse a year ago. It had been marked down in Elverys from €1400 to €250 (it was the demo model, but had never been powered up).

Since then I've used it 2 or 3 times .....per week.

In reality it's been a great training aid and the only problem I had with it was a bolt that snapped after a couple of months. I spoke to ProForm and they wanted something like €8 for the bolt, but I managed to get one for free from work. I probably could have got it fixed under warranty but this was easier.

I've got mine set up upstairs in a dressing room alcove of the main bedroom and yes it is noisy. If I was going to do it again I'd put it on downstairs on a solid concrete floor. I do have it sat on a thick plywood slab to spread the load and about 4 layers of carpet.

I've also got a flatscreen TV and a DVD player set up permantly in front of it and am working my way thro' various box set DVD's.

I find it invaluable for nights like tonight when there's no way I'd go out to run. I'm planning to go on it later.

cojomo2

Hi,

I just recently bought a treadmill, the Horizon Adventure 2... Its a great machine and really excellent value( I got mine for 509 Euro!)

Beep Beep, I notice you have 1 too, the first thing I noticed when using it is that distance and speed are in MPH and not KPH, this put me off as in the gym all the ones I used were in KPH. I ws told in the shop that thhis could not be changed, but I rang horizon direct and they explained how to go into engineering mode where you can change it top KPH, just thought I'd let you know incase you prefer readings in KM.

thirstywork

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Test run over: 4 mile recovery run, with the XC on Sunday.
Very sturdy.
Console ad button lay out very easy to follow.
Idiot proof, I just jumped on and away I went.
Did move backwards a little while I was using, might need to pick up a mat or something.
Has lots of programs that I'll figure out another day.
BeepBeep = A happy camper

I will see if i can sort you out with a mat for it.;)