Bowflex is a subsidiary of Nautilus Fitness who have been in the exercise equipment business since 1986. Nautilus also owns Schwinn, Stairmaster and Trimline and they're the second largest producer of exercise equipment in the world. Bowflex is perhaps better known for their range of home gyms, however they have also come out with several treadmills that add competition to the already crowded mid-priced treadmill market. Starting around $1100 up to $1999 (MSRP), Bowflex offers 3 treadmill models: the 3 series, 5 series and 7 series treadmill. Are Bowflex treadmills a good value? Here is a review of the pros and cons of Bowflex treadmills to help you decide for yourself. Pros: Bowflex treadmills are sleek, attractive machines. They fold up to save space and have Softdrop decline which makes unfolding your treadmill easier. Built-in wheels also help you to move your treadmill around if space is tight. Motor power ranges from 1.75 HP to 3.0 which is fairly average in this price range. All treadmills offer built in workout programs and heart rate monitoring so you can stay in your target heart rate zone while exercising. Bowflex treadmills offer Strike Zone deck suspension cushioning to make your workouts a little more comfortable and the higher end treadmills also come with 3 speed built-in fans to keep you cool. The best part about Bowflex treadmills are probably their warranties which cover the frame for 15 years, motor for 10 years, parts/electronics for 2 years and labor for 1 year. Although there are similar treadmills with longer warranties, this is still an excellent warranty that will give you peace of mind just in case something goes wrong with your machine. How do users rate them? Amazon users give 4.5 stars to the Bowflex Series 3 treadmill (not bad considering it's an economy treadmill) and 5 out of 5 stars to the Bowflex series 7 treadmill. The most popular treadmill features with buyers are the solid feel, professional look and ease of construction. (However it is only fair to point out that there are still very few user reviews.) Consumer Reports also rated the Bowflex Series 7 treadmill a 'Best Buy' in their February 2006 ratings, giving it an "Excellent" rating in Quality, Exercise Range, and Ergonomics. Cons: Treadmill experts have reported noise problems with some of the treadmills due to the plastic parts. This can cause an extremely annoying rattling sound when using your treadmill. Also, at this price range, competition is fierce and there are several other brands that may offer you more for your money, especially in the area of warranties, consoles and cushioning. Conclusion: Bowflex treadmills are getting very positive reviews and they do offer some great warranties. If you really love the Bowflex name, you'll no doubt be happy with a Bowflex treadmill. However at this price range there is a lot of competition and you might want to shop around a bit before making your final decision. |
