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How To Buy The Best Treadmill? |
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It's great if you are planning to buy a treadmill. But
before you make the purchase, there are some points you need to keep a
check on to get the best one for yourself:
Price: A treadmill is a significant investment for any
of us. So, it needs to be the best. Especially if you are functioning
under a budget it becomes all the more important to choose the best
one in that particular price range. The general price-range trend is
$500 to $1500- lower range, $1500 to $3000- mid range and $3000 and
up- upper range. It is very important to compare the brands of your
particular range to get the best out of them.
Warranty: The longer the warranty, the better it is. Also the
longer the warranty, the costlier the treadmill is likely to be.
Ideally, you should look for a 3 year warranty for parts and one year
for labor, with dealer provided at-home services for the first year.
Normally, the problems creep in, in the first 90 days itself that may
be minor with regard to the adjustment.
Manual or motorized?: Decide whether you
wanna go for a manual or a motorized model. It may depend on your
budget or the kind of use you are likely to put it to. Generally
manual or low-end motorized treadmills are termed as 'home' or
'residential' ones whereas the advanced ones are known to be 'club' or
'commercial' treadmills.
Deck and belt: Check whether the deck size is
in accordance to the user or not. It should be able to accommodate
your normal as well as long stride. The prevalent width nowadays is
turning to 20 inches. The belt should not be narrower that 17 or 18
inches in any case. The length should be 50 inches for the user with a
normal height whereas, 55 to 60 inches is preferable for taller
runners.
Motor: If you are buying a motorized treadmill, there are a
few things that you need to take into account. Look for the horsepower
(HP) ratings. You need to pay attention to the continuous duty rating.
It should ideally be some where between 1.5 to 2.5 HP. Also go for the
motors which have the maximum warranty. Direct-current-driven (DC)
motors are generally a better choice since they make less noise.
Test ride: Test the treadmill while wearing
your shoes and clothes. It should give you a smooth and steady ride.
The device should be stable and the handrails should be able to give
you the required support without blocking the motion of your arms.
Workout features: A boring workout daily is the last thing
you would want for yourself. So, the treadmill you buy should be
equipped with pre- programming setup. Speed and incline should be
easily adjustable. A pulse monitor is also recommended. Several
features make your treadmill a multi-dimensional exercise equipment.
Folding v/s non-folding: Whether you want a folding model or
a non-folding one is entirely your decision. Look for the availability
of space that you have and make your choice. Generally the motorized
treadmills with heavy motors are not available in fold-up options.
Space & noise: The size of the treadmill has to be in
tune with the space where you have to keep it. Also, if you plan to
watch television or listen to music while doing your workout, you have
to have a treadmill that makes the least possible noise.
Look for these things before you invest your hard earned money in any of
the treadmills. If you are not careful about any of these points, you
might end up buying something that you would regret for later.
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