Running machine/treadmill recommendations for home

[Red Leader]

Hi all, so many to choose from...I am looking for recommendations for a decent running machine for home...budget of £500...I am 15st so that needs to be taken into account.
It will be in my garage (hopefully with an exercise bike) so space is not an issue but wouldn't mind one that folds up when not in use.
Cheers
RL

[knk]

I have this one https://www.dkn-uk.com/fitness-machines/treadmills...
It was £600 when I bought it last year.

I suspect buying now you will have to pay a lot for anything decent as there are no discounts.

[Radec]

Been looking at the same for a similar budget, I'm thinking of springing for this due to price and features.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8263818

[stevesuk]

We've owned 3 in the last 15 years. The first, a cheap Chinese thing from eBay lasted for about 10 years without major fault - until something went wrong that caused our electrics to trip each time you switched it on. Being a non-descript brand with no sign of any parts availability, we didn't attempt to fix it.

Thinking we'd got our money's worth when comparing the cost of gym memberships, we splashed out on a DKN Roadrunner - which was very fancy with its iPad integration etc. Felt OK to run on, but broke after a few months. Supplier customer service was terrible - leaving us without a working machine for weeks and weeks during the winter. We ended up demanding our money back - which we got eventually.

After that, we bought a Reebok Jet 300 from Argos when it was on a "better than half price" deal. I still don't think its as good as the £300 Chinese machine we started off with 15 years ago - but it seems alright, if again a little fragile. Argos seems to be tied up Reebok in some way when it comes to treadmills - as when we had to use the aftersales service and get an engineer out, the parts supply side seemed to be connected with them.

I think I read once that a lot of the popular brands (maybe Nordic Track, Reebok and Proform?) are made in the same factory with the same parts.

General advice - if you're taller like me, make sure you get one with a wide enough (and long enough) running deck. If heavier, look at the specification for max user weight. Some quote 100Kg - which wasn't a comfortable enough margin for me.

When I was looking in the past, I found this site useful - http://www.treadmill-running-machine-review.co.uk/...

[Red Leader]

Thanks for the replies everyone... went for this one in the end:

http://www.treadmill-running-machine-review.co.uk/...

Found it thanks to Stevesuk link..

[stevesuk]

Red Leader said:

Thanks for the replies everyone... went for this one in the end:

http://www.treadmill-running-machine-review.co.uk/...

Found it thanks to Stevesuk link..

Hope it works well for you. Another tip I have is to make sure you have some entertainment whilst you're using it. We had a spare flat panel monitor, which I mounted on a bracket on the garage wall in front of the machine at eye level. I found this channel on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCptDtDTC6OufPIVnz... - that has loads of virtual tours of places, which are about the right length for a 5K run. I stick one of those on, and some music and it makes the time pass much more quickly

[tjl]

If anyone is still looking into this, I just purchased a JTX sprint 7 to stick in the garage. 3 week delivery. Have to say I’m very pleased with it indeed. Needed something to keep fit having been running more since lockdown. Cold dark rainy winters nights wasn’t terribly appealing. 60 next week so not getting any younger !!

[bigandclever]

Red Leader said:

Thanks for the replies everyone... went for this one in the end:

http://www.treadmill-running-machine-review.co.uk/...

Found it thanks to Stevesuk link..

You said you’re 15 stone. The weight limit on that is 90kg (14 stone and a bit). I don’t care, I’m sure it will be fine and not bend in the middle, just saying ignoring the weight requirement changes your available choices somewhat

Edited by bigandclever on Saturday 24th October 12:00

[tjl]

Bumping for duke caboom

[Red Leader]

bigandclever said:

Red Leader said:

Thanks for the replies everyone... went for this one in the end:

http://www.treadmill-running-machine-review.co.uk/...

Found it thanks to Stevesuk link..

You said you’re 15 stone. The weight limit on that is 90kg (14 stone and a bit). I don’t care, I’m sure it will be fine and not bend in the middle, just saying ignoring the weight requirement changes your available choices somewhat

Edited by bigandclever on Saturday 24th October 12:00

I did notice that as well but I it seems fine and works ok

[85Carrera]

Radec said:

Been looking at the same for a similar budget, I'm thinking of springing for this due to price and features.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8263818

I’ve got one of those. Good bit of kit.

[PushedDover]

Bumping for us.... GF is looking to run in the garage on a treadmill
Seems rentals are hens teeth, so a purchase.....
would be fearful of buying cheap buying twice- also ok with eBay or 2nd hand but there is such a variety.

Again circa £300 to £600

Is Reebok stuff ok ? Or ste ??

[PushedDover]

Anyone ?

They are literally as rare as a rust free MX5.....

Any recommedations, new or second hand for £500-£1,000 and available. ? ?

[stevesuk]

PushedDover said:

Anyone ?

They are literally as rare as a rust free MX5.....

Any recommedations, new or second hand for £500-£1,000 and available. ? ?

We have a Reebok Jet 300, which we bought from Argos. I'd say it was fine, if a bit noisy (I understand a lot of the folding machines are noisy - it rattles and creaks a fair bit). Motor is powerful enough to shift along my 16st bulk (which is should be because the max user weight is 22st, so somewhat of a reserve available). Running surface is 51 CM wide, which is better than some of the cheaper models.

It has a basic display with distance, calories burnt etc. (and a basic representation of a 400 M running track, with dots that light up as you progress around each "lap"). It has audio speakers built in, with a 3.5mm input jack. I think it has some workout programmes on it too, but I never use them.

I had to get an engineer out to it once during the warranty period, because some of the plastics had cracked on the side. I reckon it could do with a service now, as the motor drive belt is slipping a bit occasionally. But then again we've had it nearly 3 years, and some weeks the wife and I between us clock up maybe 40K of running and/or walking on it.

I have a feeling I read somewhere that the same company makes a lot of these machines. My Googling has come back with Icon Health and Fitness? Not sure if that's still the case today.

[ian in lancs]

stevesuk said:

I found this site useful - http://www.treadmill-running-machine-review.co.uk/...

fantastic! thanks!

[PushedDover]

stevesuk said:

We have a Reebok Jet 300, which we bought from Argos. I'd say it was fine, if a bit noisy (I understand a lot of the folding machines are noisy - it rattles and creaks a fair bit). Motor is powerful enough to shift along my 16st bulk (which is should be because the max user weight is 22st, so somewhat of a reserve available). Running surface is 51 CM wide, which is better than some of the cheaper models.

It has a basic display with distance, calories burnt etc. (and a basic representation of a 400 M running track, with dots that light up as you progress around each "lap"). It has audio speakers built in, with a 3.5mm input jack. I think it has some workout programmes on it too, but I never use them.

I had to get an engineer out to it once during the warranty period, because some of the plastics had cracked on the side. I reckon it could do with a service now, as the motor drive belt is slipping a bit occasionally. But then again we've had it nearly 3 years, and some weeks the wife and I between us clock up maybe 40K of running and/or walking on it.

I have a feeling I read somewhere that the same company makes a lot of these machines. My Googling has come back with Icon Health and Fitness? Not sure if that's still the case today.

thanks, that is the model She has Identified as wanting - or the Zjet 460. Cant find any for love or money though.... One site said they had them out of a plethora of empty stock, but looked too dodgey to drop £600 on !

[stevesuk]

PushedDover said:

thanks, that is the model She has Identified as wanting - or the Zjet 460. Cant find any for love or money though.... One site said they had them out of a plethora of empty stock, but looked too dodgey to drop £600 on !

I found the same problem looking for a decently priced pair of Asics trainers the other day. I need 2E wide fitting, and the usual type I get are either out of stock, or £120 a pair (last pair I paid £50 for).

I guess a lot of people have started running or fitness because of the threat of COVID. Once its all over and people get back to normal, Gumtree will literally be full of treadmills and push bikes

[PushedDover]

If anything the running shes been up to is out in the wilds and countryside. the Dark nights and st weather are seeing to a Treadmill in the garage. (whilst i have the Mx5 away for a bit of work ! )