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(More customer reviews)After researching more than I planned to and more than I would have liked to, I finally came back to where I started at with the Horizon T101. They happen to sell it at a local (& small) sports store where I felt comfortable with the salespeople who actually wanted to help me & with treadmills that were actually able to be used. (At the large chain stores I went to, no sales people were anywhere around and the safety keys were all removed from the treadmills rendering them useless. Hence, I wasn't exactly thrilled with the prospect of giving them my money.)
Anyway, I have read a lot in the past few days about you can't get a quality treadmill for under X amount of money or by buying anything from X brand. Thing is, I definitely don't have $1500-$2000 to spend on a treadmill. I wasn't even comfortable with the idea of spending $1000. I wanted something between $400-$700 MAX. And I didn't want it to shake, I wanted it to have incline, and tell me how far I'd "traveled" and how many calories I'd burnt, and I wanted to be able to jog on it (5-6 MPH for me.) I thought these were fairly simple demands considering treadmills aren't exactly new technology. I don't even need it to support a large amount of weight. Just me, at 150 lbs and hopefully soon weighing less.
So I finally decided I would try the one I liked the most instead of trying to find the one the treadmill reviewers liked the most. I did ultimately decide against Icon made products because I did not like the consoles as much and I feared the fancier electronic stuff meant less quality in the places where it matters most. I also read way too much about subpar quality in the past (although it has perhaps increased recently, shown by their imrpoved warranties) that I could not possibly buy one without fearing it's impending doom. This brought me back to Horizon treadmills, which I liked the look of the most from the beginning. As a bonus and possible deciding factor, the nice people at Play it again Sports where the T101 is carried in my area assured me they are licensed to fix Horizon products. So if it breaks, I don't even have to call Horizon. I just go see them and they come fix it.
I bit the bullet and let them swipe my card. Opted out of having them deliver and assemble it. It would have been nice, but I didn't want to spend any more money if I didn't have to. It is quite heavy and it was difficult to get it out of the car and inside. Putting it together was much easier, although my boyfriend got aggravated a couple times because you have to hold parts just right for all the holes to line up (which all of ours did). Really though all you do is attach the supporting bars and then fit the console in between the support beams on top. After assembly, I hopped on to begin burning calories asap. I jogged some at 5.8 mph and 2% incline, I jogged much slower at a 5% incline, I walked quickly all the way up at a 10% incline, and I sped walk a lot around 4 mph at 3% incline. I was at it for around 45 minutes and it felt very stable and good under my feet. I realize this is not at all showing if it's durable yet or not, but my first impressions are that I am quite pleased and excited to get fit for bikini season. I am glad that I did not spend less and that I did not spend more. I like the console and the overall appearance of this treadmill as well. It does not look or feel cheap or flimsy.
The only problem I'm having right now is it is quite large and doesn't fold up completely vertically. I already knew this but it's still a little bit of a problem for me. It's more or less in the middle of my living room right now as there's not really anywhere else to put it without completely rearranging. My recent weight gain over a tough fall semester followed by the holidays however is more of an issue to me so I am willing to deal with an intruding treadmill. Also one may wish to beware that after assembled it probably cannot move through doorways. It is 33" in width and 40" deep while folded. Finally, the 2 wheels are useless. I have yet to figure out how to tilt it back (towards me, when I'm holding onto the handles of the treadmill while folded) and get it onto the wheels. Thus, it is quite difficult to move around. Luckily my floor is tiled; I don't think I COULD move it on carpet, especially not thick carpet.
In essence, I would highly recommend this treadmill if you are looking for qualities similar to what I was looking for. A fairly basic, safe-feeling, folding treadmill with automatic incline that can easily support an average weight for walking and jogging. It has a lifetime frame and motor warranty which makes me feel like it will be durable over the long haul. Definitely GO to the stores and test them out and see what you feel comfortable on & won't mind looking at in your home. I would also try to find out if there are people who can service a Horizon treadmill near you, if that will ease your mind as it did mine. I am happy with my purchase, which was a large purchase for me, and I will update this review should anything go wrong. Happy treading!
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Horizon Fitness T101 TreadmillGet a great workout in your home with the quiet and smooth continuous-duty Horizon T101 treadmill, which can reach speeds up to 10 miles per hour. Perfect for rigorous training routines, the T101 has a 2.25 hp (horsepower) incline motor with a 0 to 10-percent grade and speed increments of 0.5 mph. It's easily storable, thanks to Horizon's exclusive FeatherLIGHT lift, which incorporates two hydraulic shocks to assist you when raising and lowering the deck. They even hold the deck in place above 45 degrees, eliminating drops. Other features include PerfectFLEX deck cushioning, Sonic Surround speakers with MP3 compatibility, pulse grip heart rate monitoring, and a COOLfit workout fan.
The computer console has three orange LED windows, LED brickyard, and target/workout LED indicators. You'll be able to challenge yourself with nine programming options that include three targets (time, distance, calories) and three workouts (manual, intervals, weight loss).
Specifications
Motor: 2.25 HP
Speed range: 0 to 10 MPH
Incline: 0 to 10 percent
Belt size: 20 x 55 inches
Maximum user weight: 300 pounds
Warranty: Lifetime frame and motor, 1-year parts and labor
About Treadmills Walking is still considered one of the most beneficial cardiovascular exercises for people of all ages, body types, and fitness levels. As a fundamental form of aerobic training, walking has numerous physical benefits for the heart, lungs, and circulatory system, while also increasing muscle tone and burning fat calories. Treadmills provide a convenient way to regularly exercise in all weather conditions in the comfort and safety of your own home.
From beginners just starting an exercise regimen to advanced athletes looking to maintain their fitness level, anyone interested in getting and staying in shape can benefit greatly from regular use of a treadmill. Treadmills allow you to determine the pace, distance, and complexity of the workout based on your needs, all while watching television, talking on the telephone, or reading a magazine. Much easier on sensitive joints like the knees and hips, treadmill walking and running surfaces are typically long, padded platforms that allow ample room for a long stride and comfortable, low-impact walk or jog without the harsh contact of a concrete surface.
While many different types, styles, and price ranges of treadmills exist, many of them offer unique features like a fold-up design for easy storage, an electronic display monitor showing speed, distance, workout time, incline level, and burned calories, and EKG grip pulses to monitor the heart rate while exercising. Regardless of the simple to complex features you may choose, treadmills offer an array of aerobic exercise opportunities that will provide long-lasting beneficial cardiovascular results without a commute to the gym or a jog in the rain.
About Horizon Fitness Horizon is part of Johnson Health Tech, one of the largest manufacturers of fitness equipment in the world. They are committed to designing, engineering, and manufacturing superior products for health clubs and homes. Horizon's manufacturing facilities rank among the most sophisticated in the industry, with an intricate mix of robotics and skilled workers that maintain the highest standards of accuracy and quality. Every stage of manufacturing has a testing phase and 10 percent of Horizon's products go through a rigorous quality inspection that includes completely taking them apart and reassembling them.
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