Thinking of buying a treadmill? Read this...

Slogger Jogger

Hi,

A lesson to anyone considering buying a treadmill. I purchased last year with a view to having an option to run on the bad weather days / the evenings / or when minding the kids! Believe me I prefer the great outdoors but its good to have another option.

I bought it online through a reputable dealer. The same model is available in a well known sports store which has outlets all around the country and which had a sale on such things recently being promoted.

Having not used it that much the motor packed in.. Service request 1 raised. Engineer called out. Engineer fixed treadmill.

It was summer at this stage so I definitely wasn't using it that much. No matter, having used it only a couple of times (and I'm not heavy!!) the treadmill board broke. Service request 2 raised. Engineer called out and fixed problem. When you're on first name terms with the guy on the help desk it smacks of a problem! If you're reading this, Hi Malcolm!

The 3rd and final straw happened later in the year. The bolt holding the board to the vertical frame broke! I was offered a service call out. Turned it down flatly.. looking for a replacement / refund, preferably the latter.

Having waited about 6 weeks I got my replacement - another 2 hr assembly job and I'm okay to go again. The old broken model was carted off... by the sole delivery guy who needed my wifes help shifting it. Why they send 1 bloke out to shift a heavy piece of equipment is nothing short of crazy. Health and safety I ask you.

Anyways, I've stuck with the replacement model now. Hope to have better luck with it, but I won't hold me breath. The delivery guy - wasn't the companies best advocate - he mentioned having had to collect lots of broken TMs.

So buyer beware when it comes to these yokes.

run_Forrest_run

that's a bummer slogger, i have often wondered about the durability of those things, I mean in my gym there is always one or two out of order and these machines are fairly large heavy duty ones.

If you have a dog then sure why not walk the dog on it and you can take to the great outdoors and enjoy some fresh air during your run, never mind the bad weather, it makes it all the more worth while

gillyfromlyre

My poor aunty had a horrifying experience last september on a threadmill she bought from a reputable sports store. What began as a gentle walk at a slightly inclined angle soon turned into what my aunty called a "life or death sprint". Luckily the machine broke down before the aunty collapsed with exhaustion.

copacetic

gillyfromlyre wrote: »

My poor aunty had a horrifying experience last september on a threadmill she bought from a reputable sports store. What began as a gentle walk at a slightly inclined angle soon turned into what my aunty called a "life or death sprint". Luckily the machine broke down before the aunty collapsed with exhaustion.

out of interest, why didn't she just step off?

tbh

because she doesn't exist.

copacetic

tbh wrote: »

because she doesn't exist.

i was thinking that may have been her issue, impressive that she managed to outlast the imaginary treadmill motor though.

gillyfromlyre

copacetic wrote: »

out of interest, why didn't she just step off?

Thats much the same as telling someone who was in a car crash, why didnt you stop the car, open the door and get out before the impact?

copacetic

gillyfromlyre wrote: »

Thats much the same as telling someone who was in a car crash, why didnt you stop the car, open the door and get out before the impact?

mmm, not really. treadmills are designed specifically with bars to lean on so you can lift your feet to the each side of the moving track easily. just for this type of eventuality. have you ever actually seen a treadmill?

gillyfromlyre

mr smartypants, of course i've seen threadmills

Burgman

gillyfromlyre wrote: »

mr smartypants, of course i've seen threadmills

Yes, you may indeed have seen threadmills (maybe that's what your aunty fell off) - but this thread is about treadmills.

Bob in Belfast

Burgman wrote: »

Yes, you may indeed have seen threadmills (maybe that's what your aunty fell off) - but this thread is about treadmills.

Excellent post Burgman.
You really showed her.:rolleyes:

Jay P

Treadmills are bad anyway. They aare abseloutely terrible for your knees and shins. They are so much worse than running on the road.

Take my advice, don't buy a treadmill, run on a track instead, if you cant find one, run around a field for an hour.

And don't give that rubbish about you wanting to know how far you have run, you really don't need to know, and if you do buy a trundle wheel and measure out some kind of trail for yourself.