Treadmills - Cheap but Fast

Hi,
I'm considering buying a treadmill to see me through the summer holidays (and hopefully beyond). I know I should run outside, but with my 3 children at home for the next 6 weeks I'm going to have limited opportunity for that.

I'll need something that can get upto 17kph comfortably, which I know puts it almost into commercial territorty - thing is I don't have 2 grand+ to spend.
I've found a couple of makes on Ebay, that I've never heard of, which seem to have the spec I want but for around the £700 mark (new) - which sounds almost too good to be true.
Has anyone any experience of Duratec, Strengthmaster or Fitness F1 treadmills, are they a genuine good deal or am I better off getting a recondition ex gym one (that'll also take up loads more space) ???

Any feedback gratefully received, Liz.

Comments

  • Proform 585V Perspective Treadmill from sweatband.com is £665, I've just bought one and it feels pretty robust. Top speed 20kph.

    I think there is a reveiw on this site somewhere about it and it scored well.
  • Thanks for the info Russell. I did look at the Proform, it's got a 2.5hp motor, whereas the Duratec & Stregnthmaster have 6 & 5hp respectively. Is the 2.5 motor enough, have you used it at the 20kph mark ?

    P.S How sad when I can quote the top speed and horse power of a range of treadmills...
  • Top speed I've ran on it is 14kph over 3 miles, it was fine. Not sure how it would handle going at 20kph. Hopefully I may find out one day!
  • I bought a reconditiond 'commercial' Startack treadmill from an ebay supplier for £700. Described as almost new, it had certainly clocked up the miles. Ended up giving it away after 4 weeks and bought new.
  • LizH 6hp is well over what's needed. What speed and incline can they do?
  • The 6hp treadmill had a top speed of 20kph, not sure about the incline, but you seemed to be getting a very high spec machine for suspiciously little money. I did look at ex commercial machines, but don't really have the space, I need something that folds.

    Since my initial posting I've been and tried out a number of non commercial treadmills at The Fitness Superstore (in Frimley). I discovered that those in the £600-800 range weren't really up to the job, but there were a few at the £1200 mark that seemed pretty good - the Bowflex Series 7 and Horizon 507 elite in particular. Thing is I really don't have over a grand to spend. I've managed to find a refurbished Horizon 507 for £600 (Johnson fitness), which I ordered but haven't received yet, so fingers crossed it doesn't turn out to be knackered. It comes with a full warranty for 12 months and then lifetime for motor & frame. I let you know what it's like when I get it.
  • Liz H; I've got a Tunturi 85F (F for folding).
    23kph/14mph; 10%. Programmable from your pc or memory function. I think it cost around £2300-2300 from John Lewis, (as cheap as any of the on-line shops I looked at).
  • Thanks for all your info, "Treadmill". I really only have (or had) about £700 to spend, hence the ones I initially asked about (Duratec & Co). However I decided buying one I'd never heard of let alone run on was too risky - however high the spec looked.
    I really only need the treadmill for school holidays - and even then I can still get out to the track / gym a couple of evenings a week for proper speedwork. So I can't really justify spending much more than I have. Hopefully it'll be good enough for steady/tempo runs in the 16-17kph range, whilst I'll stick to doing anything much longer or faster outdoors or at the gym.

    Have you managed to run on yours at 23kph, that's frightenly quick on land let alone a treadmill ? I get scared at anything over 19 at the gym.
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