They went on to say, "We're not surprised that treadmills
are getting better. With surveys consistently placing treadmills
at the top of home-exercise-equipment sales, the major manufacturers
have to keep improving their products to stay competitive."
"Whatever
your reasons for running, today's treadmills can duplicate almost
anything you might do on the track, road or trail. And you
can run at any time of the day or night, with no concern for
weather, traffic or other hazards. Convenience plays a big
role in the growing popularity of treadmill running."
The review
focused on higher-end "home" or "residential"
treadmills priced between $1,400 to $4,500. This is the range
of machines that can withstand the rigors of a regular workout
from a dedicated runner. The article goes on to say that you
may find cheaper models with similar features, but they will
not hold up over time.
The
Runner's World staff evaluated each treadmill by the following
criteria (which is what you should consider when buying a new
treadmill):
Cushioning
- How well the treadmill's belt and deck absorb the shock of
your footstrikes? This does not necessarily mean you want a
treadmill that has the softest feel.
Stability
- The smoothness of the ride is probably the most important
quality of a good treadmill. Is it solid and secure? Or does
it flex, jiggle and hesitate as you run?
Actual
Pace - This is the pace accuracy based on actual distance
in comparison to the display reading. The rating below is based
on an 08:00 minute display. The closer to that time the better
the accuracy.
Decibels
- This test how loud the treadmill is at an 08:00 pace. The
lower the number the quieter.
How
the Treadmills Rate:
| |
Actual
|
|
Decibel
|
|
|
Cushioning
|
Stability
|
Pace
|
Ranking
|
0
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Smooth |
7.0
|
7.9
|
8:01
|
70
|
| True |
6.9 |
8.7 |
8:00 |
71 |
| Landice |
7.1 |
7.6 |
8:06 |
72 |
| Life
Fitness |
6.3 |
6.9 |
7:55 |
72 |
| Pacemaster |
6.1 |
6.9 |
8:09 |
74 |
| Precor |
6.4 |
5.6 |
7:58 |
76 |
| Image |
7.2 |
6.7 |
8:04 |
73 |
| Cybex |
5.3 |
7.0 |
7:50 |
72 |
| Star
Trac |
7.0 |
5.7 |
7:53 |
74 |
| Tunturi |
5.8 |
4.2 |
7:50 |
71 |
You'll
find many of these popular treadmills for sale at
http:www/treadmillbynet.com
The
Smooth Treadmill
The gang
at Smooth Fitness
were very pleased to have our Smooth brand included in this
elite club of the "10 Best Treadmills." The Smooth
7.5HR
is sold exclusively and direct from the manufacturer. We were
only one of two models that is sold direct. This allows our
prices to be considerably lower then the majority of the other
models that were evaluated. In addition, our price was the
only one that included shipping.
The special
features listed in the article were: Stores information on
up to 4 different users; Touch-hand-grip heart-rate monitor
picks up signal in 5 to 7 seconds and shows instantaneous heart
rate on display.
According
to Runner's World, "the Smooth receives high marks for
stability, which we consider the most important treadmill attribute."
In addition it had one of the highest ratings for cushioning.
Our rating for "Actual Pace" was one of the most accurate.
It had the second highest acceleration time. And the Smooth
7.5HR had the lowest decibels rating for noise level. One final
note, we offered the best overall warranty of all the brands
listed.
Selling
direct from the factory gives us the opportunity to offer you
the best deal for a treadmill that can accommodate the serious
and not so serious runner. We encourage you to check out our
full range of Smooth
treadmills.
