thinking about buying a treadmill. IHavne’t locked in on one, but was curious if anyone has a sole f63 or a sole f80?
I have read a few reviews and some say the 63 is great, and others say the 80 is worth the upgrade. What do you guys think. I def. will not spend more than 1500. Would like to stay around 1k if possible
also, if you are really happy with your treadmill and it isn’t either one let me know
if you don’t mind replying to bbuzby@ccboe.com that would be cool so I don’t have to check in here while at work.
I’ve had the F80 for about 2 1/2 years and it’s been great. I have about 5k miles on it and other than a problem with static electricity shorting out the console, which was replaced under warranty and completely my fault due to where the treadmill was located at the time, I haven’t had any problems.
I bought a f63 about 1.5 years ago from Dick’s Sports. For me I primarily use it in the winter / heavy rain or when I need a quick run while my son naps and I can’t go outside. I’ve had no problems with it, and has operated great since they day I got it (knock on wood!). When I was training for Boston last winter, I got stuck on it for a few runs over 2 hours and it held up fine.
For me when I looked at the differences between the 2, I think is was primarily a 2.5 hp vs 3 hp motor, and the f80 has a few more things on the console. So what I ended up doing was getting the f63, but purchased the 4 year warranty with it. This was cheaper than the f80, and since the most common itmes to wear out are the motor and belt, I will be covered if the 2.5 hp motor dies a little quicker than the 3 hp motor due to being smaller, and the belts on the 2 should wear out at the same rate.
I actually work at a fitness store. We sell treads from around a grand up to 5k. We occasionally run trade in programs, and we see ALOT of Soles, Nordictracks, Pacemaster, etc etc. Just about anything sold at a sporting goods store lasts 1-5 years. And alot of times, this is under people that only use it for ~10 miles per week. If you have a problem down the road, most times the warranty is through a third party company, so the turnaround time is horrible.
Not a big deal in the summer, but if you have a foot of snow on the ground, waiting weeks to get a tech to your house can throw your schedule off. Since most of the low end companies switch models every year, alot of times the repair companies don’t even have access to the parts if it is more than a couple years old.
I’m not trying to be a downer, but the list goes on and on as far as problems on the entry level treads. I see it all- I get alot of people that only jog 3-5 times a week, their tread dies after a few years, then they come to us to get one that is a 8-15 year piece.
I will not even mention which retailer I work for, I just figured I would give you a heads up. If you happen to have a Vision dealer around you (visionfitness.com), they are good treads for the money- starting around $1499. All of them have a lifetime warranty on the frame and motor, along with bigger rollers to maintain belt momentum so the motor does not work as hard. The motor is also heat shielded, and the cooling fan blows the hot air out from the motor instead of just circulating it around it. Also, the Vision treads have a speed sensor similar to Precor, which gives you a more steady/accurate idea of distance and speed.
Many people look at motor HP, deck size, and think they can compare apples to apples. There are so many small differences that add up, especially if you are putting any use on it above 4mph. Just because a tread goes to 10-12mph does not mean the parts are designed for a runner.
