Treadmills Reviews

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Treadmills Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Treadmills Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. TreadmillDoctor.com	Treadmill Best Buy Awards Editors of TreadmillDoctor.com Jan. 2007		TreadmillDoctor.com is an online retailer of treadmill accessories and does not sell treadmills themselves. The huge number of mini-ratings here are brief, but it's clear that these folks are crazy about treadmills, and by far, there are more reviews here than anywhere else. An explanation of testing and ratings criteria can be found on their FAQ page. This is one of the few sites that keep up with new models in all price categories. Treadmills recommended in various price ranges include the ProForm C525, Epic 425MX, Sole F80, Bodyguard T240, Life Fitness T3-0, Landice L7, Bodyguard T460X and Life Fitness T9i. The Precor M9.57 is rated the best new treadmill.
2. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Treadmills Editors of Consumer Reports Feb. 2007		Consumer Reports tests 18 treadmills starting at $1,000. Treadmill ratings are based on tests that simulate a year of use. This review recommends the best treadmill buys for walkers, runners and those who want to do a little of both. Although editors test a good variety of models, ten out of 18 are recommended, and all models performed within a narrow range of good to excellent.

Treadmills Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Treadmills Ratings Comments on Reviews

3. Runner's World >> Details/Subscribe	Insider Training Megan McMorris Jan. 2007		Editors say a team of experts selected eight treadmills for testing. Then over 100 members of the Michigan Athletic Club tested them. None of the eight treadmills are rated or ranked, and there's no way to tell which model might be best for your particular needs. Editors call the Vision Fitness T9600 Premier the best value. The NordicTrack S3000 is said to be stable enough for heavier runners. Several models, including the True PS 100, PaceMaster Platinum Pro VR, Life Fitness F3 and Landice L7, have some kind of feature that automatically adjusts speed and/or incline to keep you in your heart-rate zone. The Horizon T6 AFG, Nautilus Sport T518 and Precor M9.35i can save user data and training logs. This article is geared to runners, and no treadmill costs less than $2,200.
4. Prevention Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	We Test It: Treadmills Denise Foley with Tanya Beers Oct. 2005		Prevention magazine tests 18 treadmills, picking seven treadmills as winners. These seven models are rated according to features, size and user comments. Unfortunately, editors don't tell us anything about the models that didn't make the cut. The tester comments are useful, and treadmill features can be compared in an easy-to-read chart, but we wish Prevention had tested a wider sampling. Three of the seven treadmills are from NordicTrack, with the other four consisting of HealthTrainer, ProForm, Smooth and Vision Fitness. The HealthTrainer 502t is said to be the "best bang for your buck."
5. Runner's World >> Details/Subscribe	Running in Place Megan McMorris Feb. 2006		Runner's World is written for serious athletes, and therefore its treadmill ratings are based on heavy-duty use. The treadmills that get top ratings here are more expensive than treadmills ranked highly in other reviews. Runner's World asked a panel of treadmill experts, including the owners of TreadmillDoctor.com, to share their top picks. Then 150 runners tested the recommended treadmills. Among the treadmills rated are the True Z5.4 HRC, PaceMaster Platinum Pro, Horizon Fitness 5.2T, SportsArt 3110, Landice L8 and Precor M9.35i. While we appreciate the testing by a huge number of runners, editors stop short of ranking these treadmills and very few drawbacks are noted at all.

Treadmills Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Treadmills Ratings Comments on Reviews

6. SmartMoney.com	On the Run Kristen Bellstrom Jan. 6, 2006		This article describes marathoner and Athens silver medalist Meb Keflezighi's opinion on five treadmills. Kristen Bellstrom joins him while trying out the treadmills at two New York City equipment sellers. The Vision Fitness T9200, SportsArt 1210, Bladez Fitness BF6525, True 400HRC and Life Fitness T3-0 are included, with the Life Fitness model noted as Keflezighi's favorite.
7. The New York Times >> Details/Subscribe	Gear Test With Brady Crain, Running Coach; This Workout Offers The Run Of The House Donna Raskin Feb. 16, 2006		This short writeup describes running coach Brady Crain's top picks after running on five high-end treadmills for a few weeks. The Nautilus T518LC and NordicTrack S3000 are rated best of the five models tested. Mr. Crain gives the Life Fitness T7, True Z5.5 and Precor M9.35i a mix of positive and negative comments.
8. The Wall Street Journal >> Details/Subscribe	Marathon-Friendly Treadmills Ellen Gamerman Oct. 1, 2005		This short article lists three new treadmills for serious runners. The Woodway Desmo Elite uses rubber slats and ball bearings instead of the usual treadmill belt, making it soft enough on joints that you could run barefoot. However, the Woodway also has a $20,000 price tag. The NordicTrack Apex has adjustable deck cushioning to feel like sand, roadway or any surface in between, as well as video-DVD workouts. The Nautilus T518LC can be customized for people with long strides and comes with workout software. While the review is interesting, these three models are neither rated nor compared.

Treadmills Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Treadmills Ratings Comments on Reviews

9. Treadmill-Ratings- Reviews.com	Treadmills Ratings and Reviews Editors of Treadmills- Ratings- Reviews.com As of Jan. 2007		This website provides reviews and ratings for many brands and models of treadmills, along with a helpful buyer's guide and treadmill-related articles. The editors claim that ratings are based on "either personally testing the treadmill, or by a consolidation of third party reviews." Reviews are broken into categories of budget, mid-range and quality treadmills. The Smooth 5.25 and 6.25, Sole F80 and F85, and Landice L7 Pro Sport Trainer are listed as Best Buys. Review information seems mainly culled from TreadmillDoctor.com, but the general and specification information here has some value.
10. TreadmillTips.com	Best Buy Treadmills Aaron Co As of Jan. 2007		There is no information on this website about the qualifications of the author, Aaron Co of the Philippines. Writeups for each treadmill are based almost entirely on features, and there's little evidence of any performance testing. Co lists Best Buys in several price ranges, but with little justification for what makes these models rise above others. Some of the opinions here seem taken directly from TreadmillDoctor.com.
11. Los Angeles Times >> Details/Subscribe	Fitness Gear: Style points Roy M. Wallack Oct. 23, 2006		Four treadmills are rated in this roundup, although testing methods aren't described. The Woodway Desmo S (*est. $10,330) is included, with the only major dislike being the high price. We didn't see the other three models covered in this review mentioned by other reviewers. They include the Torque Fitness F5, LeMond G-Force RT and Octane 37e.
12. About.com	Treadmill Reviews Wendy Bumgardner As of Jan. 2007		In these short writeups, About.com's walking guide Wendy Bumgardner cites the opinions of other review sources like Consumer Reports, Runner's World and TreadmillDoctor.com, and she mentions a few features of each machine. There's no indication that Bumgardner herself tested or saw them in person. While there isn't really anything new here, the summaries are helpful.
13. Consumer Guide.com	Treadmills Editors of ConsumerGuide.com As of Jan. 2007		Consumer Guide has partnered with HowStuffWorks.com, and reviews here have been substantially updated since our last visit. There are 826 treadmills listed, although most of these simply give the manufacturer's description and a price list. The editors review nine of these treadmills. Although models are given a rating for performance, there is no discussion of hands-on testing at all, leading us to suspect these models were never actually taken for a test-drive. PaceMaster, Nautilus, EVO and SportsArt models receive Best Buy awards.
14. Treadmills-101.com	Treadmill Reviews Editors of Treadmills-101.com As of Jan. 2007		This site has compiled a top-ten list of the best treadmills on the market, apparently based on Internet research, interviews with industry professionals, sales figures and customer ratings. Then, the editors claim, they actually buy and test the top 20 models available to consumers, but no details are given about the testing methods, and the reviews are just a rehash of each model's features. After all that explaining about how the top-ten recommendations are reached, we feel the reviews themselves fall short on delivering much useful information.
15. Advanced Fitness	Monster Ratings Contributors to Advanced Fitness As of Jan. 2007		This site is operated by InternetFitness.com, makers of Smooth Treadmills. Treadmill owners are invited to rate their equipment on a scale of 1 to 10 in nine categories, including stability, cushioning, quietness, smoothness, warranties and service. However, there's no indication of how many contributors have rated each model. It should come as no surprise that the top treadmill in each of the three price categories -- economy, mid-price and premium -- is made by Smooth.
16. Epinions	Treadmills Contributors to Epinions As of Jan. 2007		Users post reviews and ratings of treadmills here. Most major treadmill brands receive at least one comment, and it’s an especially good source for valuable comments regarding service and support. For example, we learned here that Landice's "lifetime" warranty has some loopholes that can make it invalid. If you live more than 50 miles from the nearest dealer or if you assemble the treadmill yourself, you can void your warranty.