I recently had the opportunity to go out to Logan, Utah and visit the Icon Fitness plant, where they build NordicTrack treadmills. Prior to my trip I had a rather negative view of Icon because of their budget models built under the Weslo, Image and ProForm name. I was surprised to find out that under the NordicTrack name they were building some impressive machines. Read more…
The market is flooded with cheap treadmills. There in all the mass merchant store like WalMart, Target and K-Mart. They appeal to a growing population of overweight people looking to burn calories and get back in shape. Unfortunately, most do not realize the limiations of these inexpensive machines. Read more…
A treadmill can be an expensive and sometimes risky investment. It can be risky when you are not certain it won’t end up as an expensive clothes hanger. That is why buying a used treadmill and saving some money may be appealing. However, it could cost you more down the road.
When it comes to user weight limits on treadmills, most companies fudge the numbers. It is a common practice. Unfortunately, it leads to service issues down the road.
I received a review from a customer who bought an Icon Fitness treadmill. He weighed 400 lbs., which was the listed user weight limit. After breaking 3 decks, they suggested he should upgrade to a model with a thicker deck.
Wrong answer! They should have never listed this model at 400 lbs. In fact, if you are over 250 lbs, shy away from treadmills under $800.
In most cases you are going to want to subtract about 50 lbs. from the recommended weight limit. If you are excessively overweight, consider a treadmill with at least a 3.0 hp motor and a 1″ deck.
Make sure it has a good warranty. If not, consider getting an extended warranty.
You want to focus on losing weight, not servicing your treadmill. Get a model realistically built to handle your weight.