Foldable Treadmills
Foldable treadmills - these can be a great way for you to accomplish several fitness goals. Foldable treadmills present the user with the following features: Let's discuss the advantages, then the disadvantages. First, it is a great way to pack a big exercise machine into a small space. There is no way around it, if you don't have the room, it is next to impossible to fit a machine that takes up nearly 20 square feet of space into a spot that only has 6 square feet of room unless it will fold up. This works perfectly in apartments or homes where you either don't want or can't have a treadmill that is intrusive. We emphasize cleanliness with your treadmill and there is no easier way to clean underneath a treadmill than by having one that will fold up and out of the way to clean under. On a regular basis, you can simply fold the treadmill up and clean underneath to prolong the mechanical and electrical systems' life. Finally, most foldable units have extra structural support to help the foldable mechanism work and so they are typically very solid machines.This is not true of all models but on the whole, it is a truism. Now to the disadvantages…Since most lower-priced treadmills are foldable units, the perception has become that all foldable treadmills are cheap. It is true that in the beginning all foldable treadmills were cheap but now they have become better. Still some models are cheap but justice is not served on many, high quality foldable units that are available on the market. In fact, now many foldable treadmills are better than some non-foldable treadmills. Does this mean that non-foldable treadmills are going the way of the dinosaur? Not at all, but there is definitely a place for foldable treadmills in this day and many are better than their counterparts. Keep in mind the mechanism to make them fold costs more for most machines, so if you are comparing a $2000 foldable treadmill with a $2000 non-foldable treadmill, chances are the non-foldable unit is a better value if you don't need the foldable feature. On the low end of the scale, one manufacturer has actually figured out how to make the foldable units cheaper so if you are looking for a sub-$1000 treadmill and a few $1000+ units, the rule that they cost more does not apply. As with all mechanical devices, if you have a foldable treadmill, you typically have more parts that can break. It is fair to keep in mind that we don't know of a single foldable system that is susceptible to breakdowns but there are items such as gas filled shocks, springs, bushings, etc. that can wear out in these systems. With all of this in mind, you may be wondering if a foldable unit is worth it at all. The truth of the matter is that, all things being equal, you will know if you need one of these machines or not. Just keep in mind the advantages and disadvantages and don't feel like you are getting an inferior machine just because it folds up. For most brands, you are getting a comparable treadmill but you will pay more for this feature in the quality brands.
(click on the links to go to the review page for that individual treadmill.)
|
(2007 awards "Excellent value")