Sole F80

A few months ago I bought a used Image 16Q treadmill for $100. It originally was in the $500 to $600 price range, I think. I didn't want to spend a lot of money till I knew my wife and I would actually… use it. We did... so I sold it. Did lots of studying and made my decision on a brand new treadmill. After doing much studying on all makes and models of treadmills, I settled on this one. This was an excellent choice. I have had it about a month and i couldn't be more pleased. I bought it at Dick's Sporting Goods because I wanted it right away and they had it in stock. I have a trailer so I was able to pick it up. However, the box is big, bulky and heavy and definitely requires 2 people to get it in the house. It took about 45 minutes to assemble. I did use a treadmill mat. I set it up in the kitchen bay window facing the family room so I could walk while I watch movies. This has worked out perfectly. The treadmill is very quiet. About the only sound coming from it are my shoes as they come in contact with the belt. The first thing I noticed after assembly, is how solid the thing feels. There is nothing flimsy about this equipment. I have not used all the programs, but the ones I have used are awesome. I love the way it changes speed and incline automatically. Very cool! The speakers work well. The cushioning is important to me as my hips and knees have been aching for months. This does a pretty good job of taking the stress off these problem areas. The only thing I could possibly see an improvement on are the cooling fans. They are only one speed and do not produce a whole lot of air flow. But if I was walking outside on a calm day, I suppose the amount of wind in my face would be equivalent to what comes from the treadmill fans, so I guess it is acceptable. Overall, I highly recommend the Sole F80 treadmill.

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As a runner, it's very important to get a treadmill that can withstand the constant pounding and the higher speeds. This treadmill is absolutely great for that. It has a 3.0hp motor that won't fail on you,… and has some nice touches such as external speakers for CD player and iPods. It even comes with a wireless heart rate monitor, which can really come in handy. I do have to warn you though, the box is HUGE, and does takes up a lot of space. Setup was fairly simple, and included all of the proper parts and tools. Overall, this is a great treadmill with a ton of features to keep any runner happy. It even comes with a LIFETIME warranty on the motor and frame.

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Just received the treadmill yesterday. I actually opted to pick it up at the ABF facility as it was so close to my house. I put the treadmill together this morning with absolutely NO PROBLEM in 45… minutes. Once I had it together I did a 30 min walk/jog utilizing cardio mode and let me tell you this treadmill is rock solid! I am 6'2" 245lbs and I read that tall people should opt for the F85. I thought about it, but honestly I did not want to spend more than $1500 on a treadmill. I am so glad I went with the F80. I once had a Horizon and there is absolutely no comparison. Sole is commercial quality! I really look forward to the coming months and shedding some pounds. Do not waste your time researching all the brands, just get this one. Having won 2 World Powerlifting Championships along with numerous National Championships in Powerlifting I know a thing or two about fitness equipment. Will post a follow up after 6 months of use.

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I got this treadmill because of the great reviews on Amazon. So far, I can say it's all right. Let's start with the bads: Heavy..you get ONE giant box. It's curbside delivery. The local company that… delivered it to me helped me with it into the house and into the room i wanted it in..I gave em 20 bucks each. You have to put this together. The instructions aren't that bad, though I put a lot of stuff together. Watch out for the wires in the feet and the top of the handles..you have to be careful not to pinch them when putting them together..its not that bad but just go slow. The holes on the side pieces don't line up to well..just like the reviewers said. I got the trick for you...you need to wiggle it or have someone else wiggle it while you put in each of the 4 screws per side...don't screw them in, just start them and keep wiggling the leg back and forth until the screw goes in smoothly. The worst part was putting the side pieces on the part that covers the wires up top....took me like 1.5 hours. It's HARD. It's Frustrating. Get yourself some nice long screwdrivers that are small. Programming...most people didn't like this...i figured it out quickly. I'm a techie so i figured it out pretty quickly. The goods: Quiet quiet quiet. Commercial Grade Great Warranty Folds up extras(water bottle, wireless heart monitor, speakers(decent), fans(more of a novelty than really functional-they are like computer cooling fans), mp3 player support. So far runs great, gave me a good workout. tip: You get a battery with the wireless heart monitor..DON'T open it to put it in...it's an EXTRA battery. I had to find the smallest screwdriver, get out 4 screws only to find a battery already existed.

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I have waited so long to get a new treadmill. My first one was a Sears model (2003) that held up pretty well but let's just say when I decided to get serious about running (not walking) that I needed a… treadmill that was up to that challenge!!!! I spent a month reading treadmill reviews....... I had the AWESOME delivery man put this GIGANTIC box in my garage where days later my husband and I lifted it out to get it to the next room (6 ft away). IT WAS VERY HEAVY and LARGE in EVERY WAY and I am NOT WEAK but let me say once more IT WAS VERY HEAVY so be prepared for that. Assembly: I am not a rocket scientist but I got the treadmill assembled all by myself and did not need help..... I just went slow and remembered from another reviewer that I should put all screws in but wait to tighten until the end and everything worked out fine. I also took special care with the console wires and was careful not to pinch them with the screws as they basically are "inside/outside" the upper handle areas. I was missing my chest strap and the rail was damaged in shipping but Sole was EXCELLENT about getting me replacement parts and I had NO HASSLE from them AT ALL:) After using the F80 I found it has a very sturdy frame, nice strong motor with a consistent speed (the other brand I had would speed up if I did and I could slow it down with my pace without actually decreasing speed on the unit itself). I WISH I could have one touch speed buttons numbered 1,2,3,4 etc..... for MPH instead of 2mph increments but I know this model wasn't built for me personally so you can't have everything. There really isn't anything BAD about this treadmill...... I LOVE IT ! It has tons of features, cooling fans, holders for pretty much anything you can use during a workout. It is pretty quiet - I watch television when I run (most of the time) and don't have to turn the t.v. up too much more (compared to my old treadmill). Amazon had FREE delivery and with the store card it was NO interest, NO payments for 12 months which was a BONUS for me and why I finally took the plunge to get this treadmill and I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPY I DID !!!!!!!!!!!! YOU CANNOT BEAT SOLE'S WARRANTY and it is nice to not have any worries for a while. The only other treadmill I considered was the SMOOTH brand but SOLE won in the end. I am glad I spent a little more for a quality treadmill and I HOPE this one performs the way it does today for YEARS to come !!!!!

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