Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category.

5 Places To Buy A Cheap Treadmill

eBayStaying healthy and fit when your life revolves around a hectic and stressful schedule is a big ordeal for many. You make a resolution that you will start a gym membership, but things do not always happen as planned.

Why not bring the gym to your house where you can exercise at your own will and achieve the health goals you have set for yourself.  Buy yourself a cheap treadmill to kick start your fitness regime.

Running and walking are some of the simplest ways of exercise and treadmills are designed to incorporate both of these aspects of exercising. It is one of the primary equipments people add to their gyms at home. You can exercise on a treadmill in spite of the vagaries of the weather.

If you do not want to spend a lot on exercising and are on a low budget then there are many avenues where you can get yourself a good cheap treadmill at a bargain price. Treadmills come in a variety of models so depending on your requirements you can get yourself a cheap treadmill as they can also provide various programs to suit your workout speed and level of difficulty.

It is smarter to pay slightly more and get a good quality treadmill rather than paying less and getting a treadmill with many defects. Motorized treadmills are available at good discounts and these will give you value for your money also.

Finding a treadmill can be quite a task but there are many ways of doing this:

  • Look at your local classified ads in the newspaper or on the internet, there could be some tempting offers there.
  • Thrift stores may also have practically unused treadmills.
  • Play It Again Sports stores is one place that sells used exercise equipments.
  • eBay and Craigslist are online resale sites that sell used treadmills. But the shipping costs to transport these items may be high.
  • Look for gyms that are closing down business or replacing themselves. They usually have the best quality exercise equipment.

Used Treadmills – A Suitable Cheap Treadmill Option?

A used treadmill, though a cheap treadmill option, is often said to be quite a risky investment. This is because:

  1. Treadmill use causes a lot of wear and tear. Therefore a used treadmill runs the risk of having seen a lot of all this.
  2. If somebody is planning to sell away a treadmill, it is likely because they have found some defects in it that causes trouble.
  3. You can never clearly ascertain the condition of a treadmill by mere inspection.

Merit Fitness 725TThere could be a number of other hassles too with a used treadmill.

You may ask if buying a used treadmill is a suitable option or not. The fact remains that nothing can beat the reliability of a first hand treadmill bought after proper inspection from a good store.  If you can make proper judgments before making your purchase, your used cheap treadmill could be almost as good too.

While inspecting the treadmill you must keep the following tips in mind:

  1. Make sure you go accompanied with an expert if you are not very familiar with the machine. This can help you make the right decision.
  2. Ask the seller how long he/she has been using the machine and why he/she is eager to sell it. Though you cannot really trust much of what the seller really says, asking these questions can surely help.
  3. Ask for the original bill to check the date of the purchase, and compare the price with the current price of the machine.
  4. Go through customer reviews of the product.
  5. Try to find a machine which the guarantee period has not yet expired.

The viability of this cheap treadmill option also depends on how long you aim to use your treadmill, and how well can you maintain the machine. Used treadmills are generally more suitable in small families where there are fewer people who will use it. Thus go for one that best suits your needs. If you can keep these few factors in mind, you can get a used treadmill that will be sure to give you many years of good use.

Finding The Right Treadmill Mat

For all those who own a cheap treadmill or are planning to buy one, they should also consider buying a treadmill mat along with it, as it is the most important accessory for a treadmill.

There are many reasons why mats are important for a treadmill:

  • They look after the carpet and flooring from the weight of the equipment with constant usage.
  • They prevent the oil, grime and dirt that gathers under the motor unit from depositing onto the carpet or floor.
  • They help increase the life of the treadmill by curbing vibrations and decreasing the carpet fibers that enter the electrics of the treadmill.

Treadmill MatTreadmill mats are priced depending on three factors: the size, thickness and material. The larger and thicker the mat is, the higher the price of the mat.

Typically a treadmill mat will measure about 6.5 feet x 3 feet and will accommodate many varieties of treadmills. Larger and more expensive treadmills that are 7 feet in size will require longer treadmill mats.

It is always better to check the measurement of the cheap treadmill you intend to buy so you can purchase the appropriate treadmill mat. If you have bought your treadmill for over $2000, you might need a larger treadmill mat than the usual sizes available.

The average thickness of treadmill mats is 1/4 inch. If your treadmill is not used everyday then a thin treadmill mat will suffice but if the treadmill is in constant use a thicker mat is necessary. You may need a treadmill mat of about 3/8 inch which is not that costly.

How much do treadmill mats usually cost? An average 6.5′ x 3′ mat with ¼ inch thickness will be priced anywhere between $35 and $50. Although the same mat with 3/8 of an inch thickness will be priced an extra $10 approximately.

There are many online stores for buying cheap treadmill mats. There are heavy discounts on mats on these websites in comparison to specialty fitness stores as they are dedicated only to selling mats.