| Moshi Moshi!Hello again from the Far East
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| | the best in the business. For me, the
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| on the West Coast, and greetings from the
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| | more faith a manufacturer has in its own
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| DOJO. This week, before I get in to the
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| | product (i.e. the warranty), the more
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| nuts and bolts of the treadmills and the
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| | faith I have in that product. Of course,
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| ellipticals I work on, I'm going to start
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| | doing repairs I absolutely love the lower
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| with a quick guide to how to choose a
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| | end warranties as it means more paying
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| treadmill -- well, how to choose a
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| | work for me!What's next? The weight and
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| residential / home grade treadmill.
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| | stability of the machine. There is
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| Choosing a commercial treadmill tends to
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| | nothing worse than getting on a treadmill
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| be a bit easier -- go Star Trac, Matrix,
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| | and having it move back and forth, or
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| Landice or Life Fitness and, in spite of
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| | shake, or, even worse, creak as you run
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| their great ellipticals, avoid Precor
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| | on it. The heavier the unit the longer it
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| treadmills. Precor is a great company,
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| | will last. If you're used to running on a
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| they just don't quite have treadmills
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| | treadmill at your local gym and then get
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| down as well as the other companies. With
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| | on most home units, you'll immediately
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| the commercial treadmills it's kind of
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| | notice the difference. You don't want to
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| like choosing between a BMW, a Mercedes
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| | be running around on something that feels
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| and a Lexus. It's all about bells and
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| | like it is going to fall apart now do
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| whistles more than performance...they're
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| | you? Don't answer, that was a rhetorical
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| all great machines and we'll talk about
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| | treadmill question.The tread and the deck
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| them another time.Home treadmills are a
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| | are where most problems for treadmills
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| tough sea to navigate for most buyers --
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| | happen. When the friction from your
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| there are so many different brands and
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| | running builds up between the deck and
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| they all look alike to outsiders.
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| | the tread, the badness begins. Stick with
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| Luckily, over the past 20 or so years,
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| | the 4-ply belts/treads that help to
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| I've had to repair just about every
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| | reduce the amount of friction, and look
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| treadmill ever made. In other words, my
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| | at units with reversable, phenolic wax
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| pain will be your salvation!My first
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| | coated decks. Reversable decks let you
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| piece of advice is: avoid anything and
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| | flip over your running surface to use the
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| everything from Icon Health and Fitness.
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| | opposite side when the original wears
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| They're the manufacturer of the units
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| | down. It's like having a free second deck
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| you'll find at places like Sears --
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| | if you wear out the first one.Programs.
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| nothing against Sears, but the treadmills
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| | Don't be fooled by this. Most people only
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| they sell tend to be on the lower end of
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| | wind up using 3-4 programs. If the
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| the quality scale. Their treadmills seem
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| | treadmill has 20, that's cool, but you'll
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| to have specs that are too good to be
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| | rarely use them. If you do heart rate
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| true for their cost and, truth be told,
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| | training, then heart rate control is
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| they are. The old proverb, "you get what
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| | great. If not, it's just an extra you'll
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| you pay for" comes in to play with them.
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| | never use...like the clock you've never
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| Small motors with high RPMs to give them
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| | set on your VCR.Speed and Incline are
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| a perceived higher horsepower (most of
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| | worth talking about. Most treadmills can
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| their motors should really be rated at
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| | go up to about 10 miles per hour and a 10
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| under 1.5 HP regardless of what they tell
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| | degree incline. Don't let speed or
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| you -- a motor the size of a soda can
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| | incline become a deciding factor unless
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| should not be powering a full sized
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| | you're doing a lot of high speed or high
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| treadmill!), lots of plastic pieces, tiny
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| | incline training. Obviously,
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| rollers, and generally unstable machines
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| | electronically controlled speed and
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| are par for the course for the Icon
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| | incline are the way to go. If those
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| brands like Proform, Weslo, Healthrider
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| | feature are manual just move on.Finally,
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| and Image. Just stay away from them!
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| | test out the shock absorbtion. You want
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| There are better treadmills even at the
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| | to make sure you aren't running on a hard
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| more affordable prices that Icon tempts
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| | surface. This is a "feel" thing more than
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| the unlearned consumer with.On with
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| | a "scientific" one. If the deck is
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| translating the arcane lore that is
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| | bouncy, move on. If the deck feels like
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| treadmill purchasing for the lay
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| | running on concrete, move on. If the deck
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| person.Let's start with the motor. The
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| | moves from side to side, move on. You
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| first thing you want to do is make sure
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| | want to find a deck that feels good, with
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| the motor is rated with "Continuous
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| | just enough give and little to no lateral
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| Duty." Any sales person or manufacturer
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| | motion.Beyond that fans, speakers, cup
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| who gives you a "Peak" rating is trying
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| | holders, magazine racks and even
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| to sell you a bag of magic beans. Peak is
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| | television sets on the treadmill's
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| best described as the maximum a motor
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| | console are all just icing on the cake.
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| will perform at before it breaks down.
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| | It's better to get a good treadmill
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| What's more imporant is: how the heck is
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| | without a fan or TV and spend $50 to buy
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| that motor going to perform when you're
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| | your own than to get a crappy, fully
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| actually using it? Another thing a shady
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| | loaded treadmill which will eventually
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| salesperson might mention is that a
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| | just become an expensive coat rack for
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| common home circuit (120v/15amps) will
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| | dirty clothes.Now, I know I alread typed
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| only let you run about 2.5 HP and any
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| | "finally" but there is one last piece to
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| motor larger than that is a waste of
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| | consider: PRICE. You can only get what
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| money. Technically that is true (about
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| | you can get but don't be fooled into
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| the amps vs. HP, not the waste of money),
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| | buying a lemon. There are decent (and
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| but the larger motors will tend to last
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| | some downright Great) treadmills at just
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| longer as they are not running at the
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| | about every price point. I'll go over
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| higher RPMs of a smaller motor. And, if
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| | some of the best, at least in my
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| nothing else, the larger the motor, the
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| | experience, treadmills in the under $1000
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| smoother the "ride." A bigger motor will
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| | range in the next week.Don't despair,
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| allow you to run or walk on it without
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| | there is a good treadmill out there you
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| slipping.The next thing to look at is the
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| | can actually afford!-Tony Taira The
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| size of a treadmill's rollers. The bigger
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| | Treadmill SenseiThe Treadmill Sensei is
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| the rollers, the longer your belt will
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| | your source for reviews and information
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| last and the better the running
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| | on treadmills and ellipticals. The
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| experience.Next, and this is my favorite
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| | Treadmill Sensei has nearly 20 years of
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| thing -- especially when recommending
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| | experience in building, restoring,
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| cardio equipment to my in-laws -- the
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| | repairing and maintaining fitness
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| warranty. Like anything else, the better
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| | equipment. Let his wisdom guide you along
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| the warranty the more piece of mind you
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| | the path of righteous treadmill and
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| will have. The 5 year parts warranty on
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| | elliptical purchasing.
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| Spirit treadmills, for example, is one of
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