Smooth Fitness Black Friday Blow-Out Sale!
Note: The following sale begins around Noon EST on November 26, 2008.
I was just contacted by Keith Menear, VP of Marketing and Sales for Smooth Fitness. He wanted to alert me of their upcoming Black Friday Sale, running from 11/26/2008-12/1/2008. In addition to lowering prices to their lowest level ever, they are offering the following incentives to get people to buy.
2-Year Labor Warranty on All Products - This is an exceptional offer. The industry standard is typically 1-year coverage for labor. During this special offer you get a full 2-years of service. That means in the next two years if your treadmill or elliptical breaks, Smooth Fitness will send a technician with the parts to repair your machine.
FREE Inside Delivery on Products Costing $1977 or more – Smooth Fitness normally charges $79 for this service. You get two delivery professionals place your equipment in the room of your choice (more than 2 flights of stairs will cost extra). Their typical treadmill weighs 250 lbs. or more. In general, I always recommend people get inside delivery. What most customers are not aware of is that the free delivery service often means your 250 lbs. treadmill or elliptical is dropped off at the curb and you are responsible for getting it in the house.
5% Discount on All Treadmills and Elliptical Trainers - This can add up to a $50-$150 savings. You must use coupon code “smooth5.†Code cannot be combined with other offers.
The bottomline, with the discounts in pricing and the above added incentives you just are not going to get a better deal on a Smooth treadmill or elliptical trainer. In fact, this promotion may be some of the best deals around. Although the current sale on several NordicTrack treadmills is also impressive.
Click here to go to SmoothFitness.com.
Also click here to see my Smooth Treadmill Reviews.
Once last note, if you are looking for a good value on a budget elliptical trainer. They are dropping the price on their Smooth Fitness 2.0 to $699. I believe that includes shipping.
NordicTrack Treadmill Blow-Out Sale!
Every once in awhile, NordicTrack drastically drops their prices on some of their models. Being a subsidiary of the largest fitness equipment company in the world, they can get very aggressive on pricing.
I got a call a couple of days ago from NordicTrack telling me they were starting their Black Friday sale early. In particular there are several models that are real bargain...
Nordictrack Elite 7500 w/TV - $1,499 (A $500 Savings)
NordicTrack A2350 - $699 (A $100 Savings)
NordicTrack ViewPoint 3500 w/TV - $999 (A $200 Savings)
In particular, Travis Cox of NordicTrack suggested the Elite 7500 was currently one of the best deals in the industry. Of course, he words for the company. Regardless, for $1,499 with shipping you are getting a treadmill that includes:
These above mentioned sales will continue until Monday, Dec. 1, 2008, or until they run out of the machines. Click here to check out my review of NordicTrack Treadmills.
Treadmills vs Elliptical Trainers
A popular search term on the Internet is "Treadmills vs Ellipticals."Â For people interested in losing weight and/or getting in shape, they are trying to determine which machine is best for achieving their fitness goals.Â
Treadmills are still the #1 selling fitness equipment, although elliptical trainers are starting to catch up. What makes treadmills popular is they accommodate two of the most popular forms of exercise - walking and running.  Also it doesn't take much coordination to walk or run. You get on the treadmill, set the speed and incline, and you put one foot in front of the other.Â
Smooth 9.45TV Treadmill Rating
2007 was the year of the TV treadmill. The prices ranged from $1,110 - $3,500. Why would you want a television on a treadmill? Because, for the most part, running in place is very boring. No matter how fast you run, you are always in the same place with the same view. Plus I find it tedious to have the seconds ticking off in front of you. It feels like you are in some type of time warp, where time slows down.
New Smooth 5.45 Treadmill Rating
Smooth just released the Smooth 5.45 treadmill. This replaces their popular Smooth 5.25 treadmill. I gave the 5.25 a "Best Buy" rating not only for the quality, but also the service record. It was a low-maintenance machine at a reasonable price.
When I found out the Smooth 5.45 was replacing the 5.25, I was reluctant to extend this top rating, since it is a relatively new machine. And often new treadmills have bugs that need to be worked out. I talked to Keith Menear, the Director of Customer Experience (I luv that title.), and he told me the 5.45 is built on the same frame and uses the same electronics. In fact, the console is exactly the same. So that would suggest this new treadmill should have comparable service record.Â
The difference between the two treadmills is the smooth 5.45 comes with a longer deck, has improved shock absorption and is more stable. It weighs a hefty 210 lbs. What makes the 5.45 even more attractive is it sells for the same price as the 5.25 - $999, with shipping. So you are getting more for your money.Â
The $999 price range is very competitive, however you have to be cautious on the brand and model you buy. Being at the high-end of the budget category, you have some models that are lightweight machines built with mediocre components.Â
If you are looking for a moderately price treadmill that can handle walking and light jogging, the Smooth 5.45 is worth considering.
Fred
Price Reduction – ProForm 11.5 Competitor Treadmill
ProForm, which is owned by Icon Fitness, changes prices regularly. Occasionally you can get some real bargains. This also applies to their other popular brands, like Nordictrack, Reebok and Epic.Â
 I monitor treadmill prices regularly for a number of brands, and will alert readers of this blog when I feel a special deal warrants it.
Checking out the ProForm treadmill site, I noticed they are offering the ProForm 11.5 Competitor treadmill for $999, with shipping (As of 2/18/08). What makes this treadmill appealing is the 3.0 continuous duty motor and the 60" long treadbelt. Usually you will find a treadmill with those options costing in excess of $1,500.Â
The 3.0 hp motor is powerful enough for sustained usuage and will not strain at higher speeds or steep inclines. The 60" deck is suited for taller individuals and interval training. You won't feel like you are falling off the end.
What I am not crazy about on this model is the console. The display is rather basic, but what do you expect for $999.
I would recommend this treadmill for walking and jogging. If you are a serious runner you will want to upgrade. Go to the ProForm 11.5 Competitor Treadmill Review for more details.Â
ProForm Treadmills – Are They a Good Value?
ProForm treadmills are built by Icon Fitness, which is the same company that manufactures NordicTrack, Epic, Reebok, Weslo and several other brands. Icon is the biggest manufacturer of fitness equipment in the world. The runner up is not even close in volume.
I was out to the Icon corporate headquarters not long ago. In the past I was critical of most of Icon's products. They had problems with the quality control. In addition, their customer service was lacking. However, this company has done a complete turnaround, and in general offers the best value for budget treadmills. In addition, the mid-range treadmills are strong contenders.Â
Choosing a $1,000 Treadmill
Recently a viewer to my site sent a question regarding buying a treadmill for around $1,000. This is the question and my response...
What is the Best Treadmill Value?
I was recently interviewed by Money Magazine. One of the questions was, in my opinion what did I consider the best treadmill value. My answer was, "It depends."
It depends on a number of factors, which together will define the right treadmill for achieving your fitness goals. Here are the considerations:
- Will you use the treadmill for walking, jogging or running.
- How heavy or tall is the user.
- How many will use the treadmill.
- Do you want an extensive selection of exercise programs.
- Do you want wireless heart rate control.