Treadmill Buyer's Guide by Welles Lobb 

Get ready. We're going shopping. Readers have been flooding us with mail asking for more articles on home treadmills--and we're not surprised. Why? Because treadmills have become the hottest home exercise choice. According to the National Sporting Goods Association, treadmill sales in the 1990s have exceeded those of all other home exercise equipment.

It's easy to understand why. Next to good shoes, a treadmill may be a runner's best friend. Practically anything your training demands--hills, intervals, tempo, long distance--you can do on a treadmill. And you can log those miles while watching Seinfeld or keeping an eye on your kids, without worrying about heat, cold, wind, ice, cars, darkness, potholes, mean dogs or scary people.

Treadmill running also offers a specificity that cross-training activities can't match. For instance, if you're training for the Boston Marathon, you can hop on a treadmill and simulate the exact grade and speed of your charge up Heartbreak Hill. And while you're at it, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, you'll be burning more calories per hour than users of rowing machines, stairclimbers, stationary bicycles or cross-country ski machines.

Excited? Good. Now let's take your treadmill education another step and go treadmill shopping. Before we set out, though, a word of caution: Treadmills are expensive, and they're complex. A bad buying decision could leave you with one more inactive exercise hulk languishing in that musty corner of your basement. So tread carefully as we steer through the maze of buying a 'mill.

Shopping
First off, remember these two facts of treadmill shopping: (1) You get what you pay for. A $1,000 treadmill may serve you well, but a $3,000 machine is likely to perform better for a longer time. (2) Treadmill preferences are subjective, nonetheless. A machine that "feels" great to another runner may feel too soft (or hard) to you.

Find a good store. Your best bet is to locate an independent retailer or reputable chain store--one that sells and services exercise equipment. There are about 700 such stores in the United States. "When you walk into a store, expect expert advice on equipment and exercise programs and a salesperson who encourages you to try out the machines before you buy," says Joe Dobler, a sales manager with Tunturi treadmills for eight years.

If you're buying from a chain store, make sure it provides the same services as independent dealers--namely, treadmill delivery, assembly and a contract for maintenance services.

While you're there. Make sure the salesperson is knowledgeable about running, and tell him or her your training norms (such as weekly mileage and average pace) and how much money you're willing to spend. Heavier runners should inquire about treadmill weight limitations. And don't hesitate to ask how to operate the machines and implement their various programs. "No one should buy a high-end treadmill without receiving instruction on how to use it," says Scott Eyler of True Fitness treadmills.

Then hop on the recommended treadmills and go for a 10-minute test run on each, making sure to bring the machines up to the maximum speed and incline you plan to use at home.

The Five Most Important Considerations.
For help here, we called on Jon Grau, marathoner and sales and marketing manager at Dunn's Exercise America, an exercise equipment store in Miami. According to Grau, these are the treadmill buyer's five most crucial areas of concern:

1. How important are the treadmill's electronic features--readouts, programmable workouts, heart-rate training capability--to your satisfaction with the treadmill?
2. Can the treadmill's speed and incline ranges challenge you without the need to constantly run the machine at full power?
3. How comfortable are you running on the treadmill? (Do the belt's width and length accommodate your natural stride? Do you like the softness/ hardness of the deck? Do you feel safe while running?)
4. How frequently are you going to use your treadmill? (A factor in how much money you can justify spending.)
5. What's the treadmill's life expectancy, and what are the details of the warranty? How is repair service provided, and what routine maintenance are you expected to do?

Look, Listen, and Feel
While no in-store test run is foolproof, keep in mind these 10 things during your 10-minute test that could portend future treadmill ecstasy--or agony:

* The motor. Does it run smoothly and without eardrum-shattering noise?
* The belt. Does it move consistently at your speed setting, or does it sometimes stutter, slip or slide off-center?
* Surface area. Is there enough room to accommodate your stride, and does the surface feel firm but forgiving?
* The controls. Are they logically arranged and easy to operate?
* The display console. Is it designed in an attractive, sensible way that is informative and fun to read?
* Safety. Are you comfortable with the position of the handrails, and is the emergency shut-off button visible and easy to reach?
* Response time and smoothness. Does the treadmill respond readily to height and speed adjustments, but not so abruptly that it gives you a hard jolt?
* Incline and speed. Do the machine's maximum incline and speed satisfy your training needs? Does the treadmill seem stable at top speed?
* Customized, pre-programmed and heart-rate-controlled workouts. Once the dealer gets you started, can you understand and then master the treadmill's training features?
* Suitability for runners. All in all, are you confident that the machine was built with a runner's needs in mind?

Fine Print and Treadmill Tech
Following are some more specifics to absorb before you buy.

How long should a home treadmill last? Retailers tell us the range is seven to 12 years, with 10 years about average. Of course, with proper care, some treadmills far exceed the average. With neglect, even the expensive ones die young. "Dust is the primary early killer of treadmills," according to Lulu Yazolino of Fitness Equipment USA, a retail chain based in Concord, California. "Once a week, take a dry cloth and wipe up any dust between the belt and deck. Also keep the floor around your treadmill clean and free of dust." 

What about the warranty? Generally, the longer the warranty, the higher the treadmill's quality--and price. Tom Stark of Omni Fitness, an exercise-equipment retail chain based in Stamford, Connecticut, recommends a warranty of three years for parts and one year for labor, with dealer-provided in-home service for the first year. "Most problems, if they occur at all, will crop up in the first 90 days," says Stark. "Mostly it will be relatively minor stuff, such as adjustment or replacement of a component."

Other dealers suggest a minimum warranty of two years on parts and labor. Take note: A warranty can be voided if you haven't kept up your end of the purchase agreement, which may include regular treadmill cleaning and lubricating, or scheduled servicing by your dealer.

What's the difference between a "home" treadmill and a "club" model? Manufacturers often separate treadmills into two categories: "home" or "residential," and "club" or "commercial." Good home treadmills are essentially smaller versions of club treadmills. "The high-end home treadmill can easily withstand regular daily use and features extensive programming options, often more than are found in the club 'mills," says Karen Kartes of Precor treadmills. Club treadmills come with a superior warranty and a bigger motor that can take round-the-clock beatings. They also carry significantly higher price tags.

hat do horsepower ratings mean? Horsepower (h.p.) is a measure of motor power, and runners will want a 1.5 h.p. or higher "continuous duty" rating for their home treadmill, say most retailers. While higher ratings (2.0 h.p. or higher are common) do indicate a more powerful treadmill, your overall aim should be a machine that efficiently integrates the workings of the motor, belt and deck to give you a steady ride, which some 1.5 h.p. treadmills accomplish.

Continuous duty means that the treadmill will run at its listed h.p. rating with a significant workload over extended periods of time--an important consideration. Rusty Rainer of the Exercise Equipment of Nevada retail chain says consumers should be wary of manufacturers who list "peak-performance" h.p. ratings. "It sounds impressive, but all peak performance indicates is a motor's maximum power, not its sustained output."

What's the best belt size? To handle the long stride and natural side-to-side movement of runners, treadmill belts are expanding in width and length. Twenty-inch-wide belts are becoming common, and no belt should be narrower than 17 or 18 inches. The length of the running area should be at least 50 inches, with 55 to 60 inches preferable for taller runners.

How important is the construction of the deck? Often overlooked by consumers (perhaps because it's hidden beneath the belt) is the treadmill's deck, or bed. Better-quality decks are usually made of thin layers of laminated wood, coated with lubricants to minimize friction between the belt and deck, which in turn reduces strain on the motor. "The smoother the deck coating, the less friction between the belt and deck," notes Jeremy Hartman of Fitness Concepts, an independent retail store in Northfield, New Jersey.

Deck construction, more than the belt, influences how smooth or hard your treadmill feels to run on and how well it absorbs shock. "You want a surface that gives a bit but doesn't bounce," adds Hartman.

Better decks are reversible, meaning they can be turned over--thereby (in theory, at least) doubling the life of the deck. Some decks require owner maintenance without which they may succumb in a year. Proper care, however, can extend a deck's life for the lifetime of the treadmill.

AC or DC? Direct-current-driven (DC) motors power most home treadmills. DC motors start slowly, provide a more consistent response to speed, incline and weight demands, and tend to run quieter than alternating-current (AC) motors. "With DC, you're dealing with fewer internal parts, which may cut down on repairs," observes Dominic Molinari of Pro-Formance Fitness, an exercise-equipment dealership in Allentown, Pennsylvania. AC motors, which tend to be found in club treadmills, start the belt at a faster speed. But you should be safe plugging either an AC or a DC motor into your wall outlet at home.

Pricing
A good home treadmill can cost up to $5,000 and will likely be the most expensive piece of exercise equipment you'll ever buy. Why so much money to run in place? To answer this, we contacted Cybex International, manufacturer of the high-end Trotter line.

"Companies that make the best treadmills install the highest grade of parts and components available, including expensive motors, safety and comfort features and long-lasting decks," says Cybex spokesman Peter Littell. Your treadmill's components have to be able to withstand a terrific beating--more than 1,000 footstrikes per mile of running. "With the price of a high-end treadmill," continues Littell, "you should get a machine that is absolutely durable, with a longer, more complete warranty that reflects its superior quality."