Treadmill Articles

"A Solid Value at $1,500"

Bowflex is best known for their home gym and the TreadClimber, however they make a very decent treadmill. The most impressive model is the Bowflex Series 7. At $1,500, the Series 7 is one of the better values in its price range.

It addition to having a nice array of features, it also has a good reputation for durability. In fact, A prominent consumer rating magazine gave the BlowFlex Series 7 their highest rating for a folding treadmill.

What I like about the Bowflex Series 7:

• You get a powerful 3.0 continuous duty HP motor. This motor is sufficient to handle both walking and jogging. It will not strain at high speeds or steep inclines.
• The Series 7 weighs a hefty 298 lbs. - One of the heavier machines in its' price range. It has a very solid and sturdy feel.
• The running surface is 60" long. This extra length is ideal for running and interval training. It also can accommodate taller individuals.
• The Bowflex Series 7 is equipped with 2.5" rollers. Although not the largest rollers available, the size is sufficient in reducing friction and wear.
• You get wireless heart rate control, where you heart rate determines your optimum level of exercise.
• There is a nice selection of exercise programs, including fat burn, speed interval jogger, hill intervals, fat burn heart rate calculation, cardio heart rate calculation and two custom programs.
• I really like the layout of the console and display. It has a slick design, with unique round backlit LCD read-out windows.

What did not impress me was the warranty. You get 10-year motor, 2-year parts and one year labor coverage. For the same price, you can get the Sole F80 with lifetime motor, 5-year parts and 2-year labor. Also, the fans are rather useless, but that is typical.

Our Review - Bowflex Series 7

I feel the Bowflex Series 7 is a strong contender at $1,500. It is feature rich, with a good service reputation. While running on the machine, the deck had adequate shock absorption, while giving a solid lift off. The weight of the machine makes it rock solid.

This treadmill is a good choice for both walking and jogging. For serious runners you may want to consider a model in the $2,000+ range.

Consumer Magazine Review

As mentioned, the most prominent consumer rating magazine (Which I cannot mention by name.) gave the Bowflex Series 7 the top rating for a folding treadmill. They listed it as "Excellent" for construction, exercise range and ergonomics.

Customer Reviews - Amazon.com

A good indicator of customer satisfaction are the over 120 customer reviews on Amazon.com — averaging 4.5 stars out of 5.

The majority praised the machine, with many commenting on how sturdy it was. One person in particular, who weighs 300 lbs, has been using his Series 7 for a year, and has had no problems. That's impressive, but I am not sure I could recommend this treadmill for anyone over 250 lbs. I prefer to be cautious.

There were several complaints about the customer service - although the percentage was not significant. In addition, there were a couple of complaints about the shipping, but that is typical. Regardless where you buy a treadmill, the fulfillment companies are not always timely.

Below are several reviews:

Great machine

I read consumer reports looking for the best treadmill for someone other than a serious distance runner. This was the recommended machine. Its a bit pricey and you do have to do assemble it when it arrives, but its a great machine. It even has a built in fan. One caution, make sure to assemble it in the room where you want it to be and don't expect to be able to move it between rooms because when assembled its too wide for standard doorways.

Love it!

I just received my treadmill and I absolutely love it. It arrived much earlier than expected and was a snap to put together. My husband had it working in less than an hour. He's a big guy and the deck is the perfect size. It also has a cushioned deck which prevents jarring of knees and back. It is very sturdy and should last the distance. I would highly recommend this treadmill.

Great product, sturdy, performs well

This treadmill is very large, but worth it. It is sturdy (and heavy). I love the incline levels. The fan is a little on the weak side, but appropriately so. It came with a heart monitor strap, which works well; but I haven't been able to get the treadmill to read my heart rate very consistently with just the sensors on the bar. The folding works really well. It goes up easily and comes down softly, although I haven't folded it up very much. This treadmill isn't very mobile, so figure out where you want it and plan to keep it there. It is heavy and awkward to move. I strongly recommend using a mat under it.

Overall, it performs very well. In comparison with other treadmills it excels in all qualities except mobility and the handle bar heart rate monitor (use the strap).

Sturdy and quiet

My family has been using the treadmill for nearly 2 weeks and we have been very pleased so far. It is heavy however, after folding it up it can easiy be moved around within the room we have place it in. It would have to be disassembled to move it to another room and you would need two strong people to do it. The belt can be re-aligned and tightened very easy using the tools and instructions provided.

The heart rate hand grips do not work very well but the chest monitor and heart rate display on the console have been flawless. I am nearly 270lbs and the machine is sturdy enough for me to run on with no problem although most of my time has been spent walking at a fast pace and using the incline. It is very quiet in operation. So far so good.

Also see Bowflex Series 5 Review and Series 3 Review.

*This Bowflex Series 7 Treadmill Review is based on not only testing the equipment, but also comments, testimonials, and reviews and ratings of customers. We attempt to be as accurate as possible. Warranties, components and prices can change without notice.