So you've done your research, read the reviews and talked with the store salesperson. You're ready to buy your treadmill right? Wait a minute.
The following facts can greatly influence your choice of treadmill. Unfortunately however, most buyers are never told about them before they buy.
We've listed the following surprising treadmill facts most buyers never hear. Hopefully they will help you save money, time and frustration in your search for the perfect treadmill.
#1 Non-Folding Treadmills Are Generally More Stable Than Folding Treadmills.
This is mostly due to the design of the folding frame vs the non-folding frame. This could also be due to the fact that non-folding treadmills tend to be much more expensive - and therefore use higher quality parts - than folding treadmills.
Also, as one personal trainer told me - non-folding treadmills will last almost twice as long as folding treadmills over the long run. This is true especially for runners as the treadmill will take more of a beating and wear out faster.
So before you assume you want a folding treadmill, consider that non-folding treadmills offer you the advantage of higher stability and greater longevity (all other things being equal).
(The exception to this is the line-up of Sole folding treadmills which have a special horseshoe frame and are extremely stable.)
#2 That 'Consumer Review' May Actually Be Written By Someone From The Treadmill Company.
The Internet is an excellent tool for researching your treadmill purchase. However use extra caution when reading consumer reviews like those on opinion websites.
I've come across too many 'consumer reviews' that are clearly written by someone from the company. I can't actually prove it but when they say things like 'Let's look at the features of the ABC treadmill and see what they mean to you' - it's pretty obvious this is not your average treadmill buyer.
As you'll see in Treadmill Fact #3, the treadmill market is extremely competitive and many manufacturers are looking for that extra edge to sway your decision.
This however does not mean that the treadmill itself is a bad buy - just remember to take consumer reviews with a grain of salt, especially if they sound like they were written by a salesperson.
#3 The Treadmill Market Is Extremely Competitive With Big Players, Brand Takeovers, Subsidiaries & Corporate Espionage.
Ok, so this fact may not influence your buying decision so much but it does give you some fascinating background into the market.
Treadmills aren't exactly weapons of mass destruction or top secret military secrets. However they are big business. There are even conferences and treadmill trade shows.
One fitness store employee I know actually got kicked out of a certain treadmill brand's booth because his store sold the competition's brand. They were worried that he was a corporate spy and would steal their secrets.
The good news for you, the buyer, is that all this competition means you're getting access to higher quality treadmills each year.
#4 Most Of The Top North American Treadmill Brands Are Owned By Only Two Large Companies.
The first player is Icon Health and Fitness who own brands like Nordic Track, Proform, Reebok, Weslo, Free Spirit, Epic and more.
Icon is known for adding lots of bells and whistles to their treadmills like CD players, tv's, iFit compatibility, etc. However they don't necessarily make a top quality, solid machine. (And you probably won't find an Icon treadmill in a commercial health club).
Icon is known for making economy units and distributing them through stores like Sears, Costco, Walmart and other department stores across North America.
The other large player on the treadmill market is Nautilus who owns brands like Trimline, Bowflex, Schwinn and Stairmaster. They mostly sell their treadmills through specialty sports stores. They have a little higher reputation, depending on the actual brand.
There are other top quality brands of course like Smooth, Sole, Landice, Pacemaster etc. - and again most of these brands (with the exception of Smooth and Sole which are sold direct to the consumer) will probably be sold through specialty sports and fitness stores.
#5 A Motor Isn't Always A Motor - And Never Trust The Brochure.
The motor is the heart of your treadmill and - especially if you're going to be running - you want a well-built powerful motor (2.0 HP or higher).
However certain treadmill brands will try to impress you by telling you the peak duty motor power of the treadmill instead of the continuous duty motor power.
The peak duty is the highest power potential of the motor. However the motor cannot sustain this power for any length of time. So the peak duty rating doesn't tell you about the real ability or quality of your motor.
A more accurate measure of motor power is the continuous duty rating - which is the power at which the motor can run the treadmill for 24 hrs. If you're unsure about the motor power, don't just trust the brochure, look under the hood. The continuous duty power rating will be stamped on the motor plate.
You're more likely to run into this kind of problem with cheaper treadmills. Most commercial grade, high end treadmills actually do list the continuous duty motor power on their brochures.
So those are 5 surprising treadmill facts you may not know. Hopefully they will save you time, money and frustration when you buy your treadmill. And don't forget to check out our Treadmill Brand Reviews and the latest Treadmill Best Buys.
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Was this information useful? This article on Treadmill Facts is one of several articles to be found in our Treadmills archives section.
