Great So Far

The box did arrive damaged but everything appeared to be okay inside. It is fairly heavy yet easy to move on a level surface but I'm not sure how getting it up stairs would work. The top of the console comes in three sections there's one bag of tools one bag for the cord and then the rest of the unit. I was able to move the unit from my garage to my living room myself without too much problem but I'm over 6' with enough muscle to do it most people will need help moving it and all the directions call for two people to set it up. All the tools are included and it took only about 15 minutes to tighten a couple of bolts and unscrew a few screws put on the console and replace the screws. Fairly simple.



Just a test run today to see how quiet it is which I was concerned about but it is very quiet even more so than I'd hoped. So far it appears to be very solid and I hope to get a lot of use out of it. The instructions do say to use some silicon lubricant prior to use and after every 50 hours or 3 months which I didn't know about.More detail ...

Identical to another brand youll see on TV

This is 99.999% identical to the same incline trainer you will see advertised on infomercials at night. Whats the .001% difference? Its the name on the product sticker. Thats it. Also you will not get the iFit cards that the other one comes with $30 value. It will use those cards if you go buy them. If you have Amazon Prime the shipping is free.



So about this trainer. I have had it for 2 weeks now and use it every day. The deck is very forgiving to my obese frame. I use cross-trainer shoes and the impact on my knees is barely noticeable compared to running on the road. Honestly the most incline I have been able to pull off is roughly 20%. After that it feels as though I am going to slide off the deck probably wont but it feels that way and this thing goes another 20% incline over that... can you say billy goat?



The hand grips do not register my pulse correctly. It was so off I went to my doctors for an EKG because I thought I had an arrhythmia. Turns out I didnt so I ended up buying Polar A4 Pulse Heart Rate Monitor Watch which now has me squarely in my peak zone when I am exercising.



When you get it the assembly is pretty straightforward. Keep an eye on the 5foot coated wires you will need to use them to pull the hand sensors and other cables through the arms.



My biggest gripe is with the shipper. The delivery person wanted to leave it in my driveway or put it in my garage. I needed it in my house because it was going to rain. My back is in pretty bad shape and it took some convincing to get him to at least put it in the doorway for me. They SHOULD have had 2 people to deliver this. I did not expect it to be set up just put in the room I was going to assemble it in. The crate is massive and I guess it weighs in excess of 300 lbs. DO yourself a favor and disassemble it completely somewhere and carry in the lighter pieces. I was not sure of the amount of effort to do this and that is why I wanted it brought in my house. Realistically I could have taken off 50% of the parts and brought them in and saved my back a little. So just take it apart where they drop it and carry it all in.



Pros:

>> Very comfortable deck

>> Varied and interesting workouts without the iFit cards.

>> Can use iFit cards

>> Fantastic fan that blows directly on your face/neck while exercising



Cons:

<< Because of the degree of incline ability the deck is about 8" off the floor while flat and 3 feet off the floor at 40deg so taller people may need to duck in an 8' ceiling room (dont put this in a finished basement). You naturally compensate for steep angles by leaning forward but it might be uncomfortable for very tall people.

<< Speakers are pathetic and can barely be heard over the running motors and fan. Have my iPod Touch cranked to max and its just weak sound.

<< Heavy to move. (put it where it will stay because once assembled its massive)



Overall the cons do not outweigh the pros which are substantial in my opinion.



This is a fantastic exercise machine to use at home or even in a professional setting (pros may scoff at it though as being gimmicky). Buy this from Amazon you will save a few hundred in shipping alone. If you dont have Amazon Prime get it for the money you save not paying for shipping elsewhere.



I love it. Thanks for reading my review.More detail ...

Bowflex Series 7 vs. Sole F80

I owned a Bowflex Series 7 Treadmill for a couple of years. It was repaired several times after suffering mechanical and electrical problems but never again ran properly. After disappointing customer service with Bowflex (Nautilus) I replaced it with a Sole F80. When comparing my ownership experience with both treadmills I recommend the Sole F80.



Bowflex Series 7:

a. 20x60 running surface (better for tall runners)

b. 3.0 hp motor gets belt to full speed in about 2-3 sec

c. no countdown before belt begins to move

d. stylish console but not as easy to use

e. no speed or incline controls on handles (only on console)

f. metallic handrails (causes static electricity shock)

g. must tip/lean treadmill backwards to move (dangerous!)

h. warranty: 10 yrs motor 2 yrs electronics only 1 year labor



Sole F80:

a. 20x55 running surface (good for most people)

b. 3.0 hp motor gets belt to full speed in about 6-8 sec

c. 3 sec countdown before belt begins to move

d. console not stylish but functional and easy to use

e. speed and incline controls located on handles AND on console

f. hand rails covered with rubber compound for better grip

g. treadmill slides along ground without tipping or leaning

h. warranty: lifetime on motor 5 yrs electronics 2 years labor



Delivery of large box is supposed to be made inside front door or garage. Both times I gave the delivery person a generous "tip" for their prompt delivery service and both times the treadmill was generously brought down into my basement. Delivery drivers were quite pleasant both times.



Assembly for both treadmills was relatively easy and both treadmills took just under 2 hours to assemble (screwing in hand rails on BOTH treadmills can be tricky-need to make sure you don't puncture and/or pinch console wires!). All necessary tools were supplied for both.



The Bowflex Series 7 and Sole F80 both have powerful and quiet 3.0 hp motors.



The decks on both feel about the same when running/walking on them. Neither deck is "whisper quiet" when running on it. To me the deck of the Bowflex Series 7 was slightly louder (a problem that became progressively worse during my ownership of the Bowflex Series 7). If you're a taller runner (over 6 feet tall) or run with a long stride then the F80's deck may be a little too short for you (or course Sole makes a longer treadmill for a few hundred dollars more). But for most of us who walk/jog/run on a treadmill the Sole F80 is a very good size and fit.



I can see why hotels use the Sole F80 treadmill. First of all the F80 has a much better warranty (about double of what Bowflex offers). Also from a safety or "hotel liability" standpoint the Sole F80's has better user-friendly features such as: (a) 3 sec countdown before belt begins to move (avoids surprises/injuries); (b) belt takes 6-8 sec to get to full speed (avoids surprises/injuries); (c) easy grip handles with rubber compound (remember: most people grab the handles when they get into trouble!); (d) speed/incline controls on console AND handles (really easy to use controls on handles when running or walking); and (e) no need to tip or lean treadmill backwards when moving (easy on your back plus treadmill won't fall on you).



Had I done my homework the first time I would have initially bought the Sole F80 instead of the Bowflex Series 7. Although the Bowflex Series 7 was highly recommended it did not hold up well over time. If you are considering a folding treadmill for under $1500.00 you should consider the Sole F80.



Good product. Great value. Great warranty.More detail ...

Excellent treadmill for the money!

I bought the Sole F63 a few weeks ago. It's my first treadmill. I should mention that I got a great price on this unit at Dick's. It was on sale for $999 but the floor model had a small sticker on it that said $849.99 (which was clearly marked as the price for the '08 model). When I pointed the sticker out to the salesperson he offered to sell me a new 2009 unit at that price so I jumped on it. Otherwise I had planned to order it from the factory and save the sales tax! Having said that I think this is a very nice treadmill even for $999. It's not without its issues though.



First and foremost this unit is very sturdy. I weigh 170 lbs and run for 1/2 hour at a time and average 5.5 - 6 mph so I'm not exactly stressing the treadmill but to me it seems extremely sturdy (actually the unit I tried in the store seemed much less stable than the one I bought.) The console doesn't have any visible shake to it and the deck is also very stable. The deck has adjustable feet to compensate for an uneven floor (which I have).



It's not exceedingly quiet but I can easily hear my iPod using the built-in speakers or my nearby TV. The speakers are adequate as are the fans although neither are great.



I chose this model over the F80 for several reasons. First off although the F80 has a slightly larger motor there is a lifetime warranty on the motor so who cares? The motor seems more than adequate for someone my size. The belt seems a little slow to get going which may be a drawback of this size motor. Second I didn't like the F80's LED display which I found very difficult to read in the store. The F63 has a bright blue LCD display which is very easy to read. And lastly the F80 has heartrate control programs but I had read that the included heartrate monitor was not very reliable so I didn't want to gamble on that feature. Imagine my surprise when I found the F63 also has heartrate control programs built in! They are not advertised but they are there and they are explained in the manual. Unfortunately I couldn't get them to work very well. The chest strap heartrate monitor which comes with the treadmill works fine. But the heartrate program went for several minutes at a very slow speed at which point I gave up. Perhaps they work if you have more patience but they didn't work for me. Suffice it to say you should not go for the F80 just for this particular feature if it's anything like the the F63!



A few other minor complaints:

1. The included programs have much too large a speed range for my liking. They can go from 2 mph to 6 mph which (for me) ranges from slow walking to running very fast. I'd rather have more subtle steps in my programs. The F63 does allow you to create two custom programs with separate speed and incline profiles. I use them almost exclusively.



2. The cupholder/accessory tray is so low and far forward as to be useless. If you are a child or are 5' tall maybe you can reach them while running or walking. For me at 6' 2" I can't reach my water bottle without hitting my head on the console! Fortunately there are two accessory holders up higher which work fine for water bottles.



3. The heartrate handles similarly are too low and far forward for running.



4. Assembly was somewhat tricky and I assemble equipment for a living! Plus it weighs a ton - plan on having two strong people to move it in.



Some of the good things:

1. As I said the unit is very stable and does its job. Whether you run or walk this treadmill does the basics well. It would not be out of place in a health club! Although the deck isn't the cushiest or quietest I've tried it's not too bad. I believe the F80 is supposed to have a cushier deck but I couldn't discern a difference in the store.



2. The fan and audio input/speakers are a nice touch if not the highest quality.



3. The unit folds up and down very easily.



4. The price! I still can't believe I got such a high-quality machine for less than $1000. I tried many other units and found that I could have easily spent $2000 on a treadmill that isn't as nice as the F63.



If you are looking for a basic reliable treadmill and don't require an absolute top-of-the-line unit you'll be doing yourself a favor by trying the F63. I believe mine will be a long-lasting reliable machine for years to come!More detail ...

Great Value

I was very pleased with my purchase. I had researched treadmills quite a bit before deciding on the Horizon T101. Most of my research stated that this was a good value for the price point and I would have to agree. The unit is sturdy smooth and quiet. I weigh 230 lbs and the T101 didn't have any issues. You will need 2 people to move the box. Assembling it was straight forward 3 basic steps took about an 45 minutes to an hour. Now let see how it does over the long haul. I'll amend my review should any issues arise.More detail ...

Good for the money!

I would have to say I researched buying a treadmill for some time and came upon this one for many reasons. 1. it was in my price range. I also saved $87 dollars on the shipping. As for shipment it came fast and was in mint condition. Setup was easy. This machine is a sturdy piece of equipment. Doesn't feel cheap. I will say I wish it would fold up more vertical but with all the features it is more than satisfactory. If your looking for something durable and effective for your exercise needs this will surely be the purchase.More detail ...