|  | | | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 Treadmill Jul 29, 2010
First treadmill I have bought but not the first I have jogged on. The box is huge and you will deff need someone to help you if you plan to move it before assembly. I have had it for two days so cant say much but its quiet and has alot of options and has incline wich is something big that I wanted. Well built and mad heavy but easy to move around when folded. Was easy to put together just watch the wires other then that a piece of cake. Has alot of room for mp3 player and bottles. If you want to get off your butt and move this is a good choice.
so for so good Jul 08, 2010
We have only had this treadmill for a few weeks but are very pleased with its performance. It was delivered into our garage and, since it is very heavy, we decided to set it up and use it in the garage. Set up was quick and easy. Four people use it daily and we have not encountered any problems with the unit. It is well constructed for its main purpose.The speakers are a little wimpy and the fans need to be supplemented by larger house fans for some users. For the price this treadmill appears to be very suitable for home use and if anything does go wrong the warrenties on the components refect the manufacturer's confidence in the product.
High quality treadmill Jul 04, 2010
This treadmill is heavy and sturdy but the easy lift mechanism allows me to fold it and roll it with ease. And the same mechanism lowers the treadmill back into position gently. This was very important as I am 62 years old and arthritic--I did not need something I had to wrestle with. I was able to put the treadmill together by myself--easy to follow instructions. I did have some problems with the very small tools provided--not a long enough grip for me to get leverage so I had to improvise.
I have used the treadmill for a week now and I love the ease of use. It is quiet and smooth. Transitions from start to movement and back to stop are gentle with no abrupt bumping. Digital display is clear, easy to see, with buttons in convenient locations. Buttons for elevation and speed are also located on the hand rails.
I am very happy I bought this treadmill from Amazon--and the free shipping was a plus.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Makes working out challenging and enjoyable Jun 21, 2010
Delivery/Purchase
I would highly recommend to go with "Inside Delivery" as the size and weight of the box makes it extremely difficult to move. I had to take the treadmill base out of the box and have two men carry my F80 downstairs into my basement (not included in my ABF delivery since we had to take it out of the box to fit the doorway however they will take it down stairs if they can get the box through). I purchased my treadmill through Sports Authority who routinely offers free inside delivery (and who in turn has Sole ship it direct to you so hard to beat). I saved $150 off the F80 by using my Discover Card through the ShopDiscover online link for Sports Authority (10% off purchase), just something to keep in mind for anyone considering.
Assembly/Installation
Assembly was very simple, quick and relatively easy - I definitely would not pay anyone to do this for me. It does help to have two people do the part where the arm covers clamp on since this can be tricky to not pinch any wires. One note that I haven't seen anyone really point out clearly is that this treadmill must not run off a GFCI. The manual clearly states that, and it's something I was aware of but thought maybe it would work anyway...not in my case. The treadmill would trip the GFCI every time it would go to start. It was a simple fix to replace the GFCI but just be aware of this as it may affect where you choose to put your treadmill.
Treadmill Predefined Programs/Features
The treadmill itself is very sturdy and has some nice features (quick speed/incline keys in increments of 2, iPod plug-in, storage wells on each side of console). In reading through the reviews I didn't see many people who had actually used the predefined workouts. I have used quite a few of them already, and they are excellent! You can download a PDF on Sole's website that contains the details of every one and how they are influenced by maximum top speed that you set and length of time for the program that you set. I personally use the Fatburn, Hill, Cardio, Interval and Strength programs but look forward to the user defined ones as well (two can be programmed). I briefly tried the heart rate programs that work with the wireless monitor but since I was just starting out, I had a hard time completing them.
I didn't think I would use the predefined programs but so far they have been great because they challenge you to push yourself harder in terms of varying inclines and speeds. I find myself telling the treadmill to "Bring it on!" when it gently beeps that it's going to adjust the incline or speed throughout the program (which is nice). There are also displays that show you what is coming up for speed or incline changes in the next sections of the program which is great. Another thing I didn't see in reviews is that there is a warm-up and cool-down with each program. You can easily bypass it if you like, but they did add three minutes on each side of the program for this. My only minor "complaint" with the predefined programs is that they seemed to have included a warm-up/cool-down inside the program itself to some extent and now you have another warm-up/cool-down before/after the program officially starts/ends. It almost seems like they recently added the separate warm-up/cool-down feature to the F80 but didn't alter their pre-existing programs to remove this. You can adjust around it by increasing the duration or intensity (max speed) for the program and then bypassing the separate ones so no big deal but strikes me as odd. I find myself having to increase the intensity within the predefined programs at the beginning and end if I don't do this.
Wireless Heart Monitor
The wireless heart rate monitor is great, and I can't imagine not having it. I didn't honestly think I would use it, but it's great and for me has been very accurate. You do need to read the directions with the monitor that says to place it underneath the pectorals and to wet the monitor sensors. I have never had a problem with it being off since I have started doing this.
Treadmill Usage
There is a slight delay between speed/incline changes (~5 seconds), but I find this helpful because it allows me to adjust and prepare. The incline changes are subtle and smooth. I personally think the speakers are good and don't understand all the fuss about them. I use them with my iPod, and it works great, beats headphones. I also like the fans but agree that they are not overwhelming...provides a subtle path of air which is all I really need since I'm using the treadmill in my cool basement. There is a small ledge on the console for a book or magazine. I have been able to set my video iPod up on the ledge and watch my favorite TV shows while broadcasting the audio through the speakers...pretty nice setup. It doesn't vibrate or fall off since the ledge goes back far enough.
My only reservation with the Sole F80 is what I would call a slight whine/hum at speeds lower than 2.0mph. I sometimes only notice it between 1.0 - 2.0, almost always at 2.0mph. It sounds like a motor whine like it's dragging/laboring but after it increases a little bit, the sound goes away. Another reviewer mentioned this as well, and I kind of wondered about it but nothing appears to be off as everything is lubed and the belt is centered. There must just be something around 2.0mph that does it.
I am very happy with my purchase as it was a lot of money to spend so good to know that the product is worth it. I have been using it every day for half and hour for two weeks and have dropped 5 lbs so far. More importantly the Sole F80 seems like something that I will be able to continue to use toward my weight loss goals and on-going maintenance. I find that I look forward to using it, and the features it provides. I'm glad I purchased the F80 over the F63 because I find myself running more and more on my treadmill which I had not intended to do. I always thought I would power walk but with the heart monitor, I found that after two weeks my body had adapted to the challenge even with various incline changes so I needed the boost of running to get my heart rate back up to where it needs to be throughout my session. The Sole F80 should be all I need for a long time.
about the two "one star" ratings and "low speed" error Jun 06, 2010
Superb machine. I concur w/ all the five-star reviews. Half the price, double the quality. It's a beast for the $$. Regarding those "low speed" errors you may read about: I had the same. I called Sole Hdq. in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and spoke w/ two techs who have worked on them for many years. 1) Could be the speed sensor, but that's a slim chance. 2) It was my error. When you assemble the right hand rail, be cautious not to crimp the wiring harness. This is exactly the problem. It's heavy steel and kind of difficult to handle by yourself - it's easy to crimp that harness. This one's a keeper for many years.
|
| | |
