Tim Lim

Archive for the ‘Fitness Equipment’ Category

A few days ago I testified a bit on how to properly choose a home / residential grade treadmill. This time, since it has been a quiet day at the DOJO, I am going to ramble a bit on the ins and outs of remanufactured commercial equipment. This guide can be used not only for cardio equipment like treadmills and ellipticals, but also for strength equipment…although I get more than enough of a strength workout every day lifting and moving heavy treadmills around the DOJO.

Remanufactured equipment (sometimes called refurbised or reconditioned — it all depends on which company you are dealing with) has taken off quite a bit in the last few years as gym owners and home buyers both have realized they can purchase ultra high quality commercial equipment, in great condition for a fraction of the cost. Most remanufactured equipment with sell for 30-70% off of the original price! If you’ve ever wanted to have a Precor Elliptical or Life Fitness treadmill in your home, now you can!

The single most confusing thing about remanufactured equipment is just what it means…and what the difference between a remanufactured treadmill, a refurbished treadmill and a reconditioned on is. Unfortunately for buyers and poor service techs like the Treadmill Sensei, there are no industry standard definitions for these terms and what you get will vary from company to company. If you are going to buy remanufactured (or refurbished or whatever) equipment, make sure to ask what a company’s definition of what they are selling you is because you might be surprised at the answer. Some companies will just wipe a unit down, touch up the paint and then send it out the door as “remanufactured.” Beware of these companies!

Let’s go over the life of a piece of gym equipment destined for remanufacturing…this is something I do nearly every day for my repair clients so I know of what I speak!

Most larger gym chains lease their equipment instead of buying it. This allows them to trade in their equipment every few years. Once that equipment has been returned the the manufacturer, it is then resold to a remanufacturer (or reseller who then turns the unit over for remanufacturing to someone like your Treadmill Sensei). A quality remanufacturer will then strip the unit down to the frame, sandblast it to remove any traces of rust (a number of less reputible vendors will just paint over rust) and then repaint it using the same high end paint ($250-300/gallon!) used by the manufacturers themselves. We do powder coating here at the DOJO, but the regular repaints can be almost as good. At this point, all wear items are replaced — bearings, grips, rollers and so on. Diagnostics are then run on the electronics to make sure they are up to snuff and then cleaned up or replaced. On most equipment (treadmills and ellipticals, for example) the majority of problems will, luckily, come in the form of the control board. I say “luckily” because the boards can generally be replaced for $30 or so and take almost no time to reinstall. Also, most structural problems with a treadmill or elliptical will pop up in the first 30-60 days. Once you’ve made it past that point you should be in the clear and have a fine piece of equipment on your hands.

In my personal experience, and this may be because the DOJO turns out great work, remanufactured units tend to have a much lower rate of problems or defects when done correctly. This is because the treadmills and ellipticals (or strength equipment) are gone over with such a fine tooth comb and service so completely that any defects or problems which might have been missed by the manufacturer are caught and fixed as part of the servicing.

With a little bit of research, going the remanufactured route will allow a smaller fitness facility to compete with larger chains by offering competitive fitness equipment while saving money. In fact, many fitness trainers and gyms are finding they are able to reach a profit much earlier by taking advantage of the lower cost and high reliability of remanufactured equipment.

For home buyers, remanufactured equipment lets you purchase the same high end commercial equipment you work out on at your local gyms for a fraction of the price. And, if you’ve ever tried to go from working out on a Life Fitness, Matrix, Star Trac or Landice to working out on a crappy Proform machine, you’re already familiar with the disappointment a lot of wind up experiencing when they try to make the transition. Buying remanufactured lets you stick with what you know.

A quick tip on where to buy remanufactured equipment: places like Megafitness, Big Fitness, Fitness 909 and Fit4Sale sell it, but the highest quality units seem to be coming out of Treadmills Central right now. I’ve seen a number of their Precor 544 and 546 units, as well as quite a few Life Fitness 9500 Rear Drive Ellipticals, Star Trac Treadmills, and Matrix Ellipticals at a recent Fitness Trade Show, and I’ve been impressed every time.

Good luck with your purchasing and feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions or comments. The DOJO is always open.

-The Treadmill Sensei

Nihango!

A question I get asked a lot here at the DOJO (and by my wife’s pesky relatives) is: How the heck do I replace a damaged treadmill belt?

If you find your belt slipping, or your deck slowing down and stop, or if the edges of your treadmill belt look worn, frayed or curls up, then you may need to have your treadmill belt replaced. Luckily, replacing the belt isn’t as hard as you’d think.

The very first thing you’re going to want to do is take a look at your treadmill deck. If the deck looks to be in good shape then there is a good chance it just needs to be lubricated (or waxed). If you see signs of wear such as scratches or grooves then both the deck and belt are probably going to need to be replaced.

If the deck appears fine but your belt is torn, curling or frayed, it’s time to replace the treadmill belt. Thankfully, treadmill manufacturers have made it pretty easy to replace a belt even if you’re not the Treadmill Sensei.

Most important: Turn your treadmill off and remove the power cord! This way you don’t get shocked and you’ll guarantee the treadmill doesn’t turn on while you’re working on it. That would be bad. If your treadmill inclines (which most do), adjusting it a few degrees may make the operation a little easier for you.

You loosen the belt adjustment screws in the back of your treadmill’s deck and then slide the rear roller forward and away from the belt. Remove the front roller and then the rear roller. There will be a number of screws along the sides of the deck which attach the deck to the rest of the treadmill. Remove those and you’ll be able to remove your deck.

At this point you can slide your belt off. Now is a perfect time to go ahead and lubricate your deck as well. From there, put on your new belt and reassemble your deck.

Taking the time to wax your treadmill deck while the belt is off may be a good idea. It’ll keep you from having to do it all over again later on.

Finally, once you have it all back together you’re going to want to test the adjustment. Start your treadmill at a slow speed and walk on it firmly. If the belt stops, hesitates or changes speed then you’re going to need to adjst the rear screws. Adjust as needed until you are sure the belt isn’t slipping or changing speed.

And there you have it, how to replace a treadmill belt.

-The Treadmill Sensei

Buying a treadmill? You’ll probably be making several treadmill comparisons when doing your research.

Here are 3 things you must know when making treadmill comparisons in order to find the best one for you.

#1 Compare Apples To Apples

Don’t compare prices between treadmills online and treadmills sold at a store. They are two different marketplaces, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

When I was selling a Proform treadmill many years ago, the gentleman buying it had gone online and seen the same model for less. I had to explain to him that this price was an online price only. Buying a treadmill online can sometimes be considerably cheaper, depending on the manufacturer, sales, closeouts, etc.

So when comparing treadmill prices side by side, make sure you compare online treadmills to online treadmills and store treadmills to store treadmills.

Also make sure you’re comparing the same models. It sounds obvious but some treadmill brands have so many similar sounding treadmills in their line-up it’s easy to get confused!

#2 Know the Key Ingredients to a Quality Treadmill

Make sure you know the top 4 key ingredients to a quality treadmill:

- Motor Power
- Stability
- Warranty
- Cushioning

Your motor is the heart of your treadmill and adequate motor power is extremely important. Most experts recommend at least a 1.5 HP motor although I prefer a 2.0 HP or higher to ensure you don’t burn the motor out (and then have to pay costly repair fees).

Stability ensures that your treadmill will not shake or wobble when you start to run on it.

Your warranty will protect your investment and quality treadmills will include a warranty. (You shouldn’t have to pay extra for a treadmill warranty – unless you want to, of course!)

Cushioning is the ability of the treadmill to absorb the force of your step. Higher cushioning means lower impact on your joints and ligaments. Cushioning is extremely important as poor cushioning can cause injury and muscle strain

#3) Know What YOU Need When Reviewing Treadmills

Many people get sold on all of the ‘neat’ features of the treadmill – but don’t ever consider if they’ll really use them.

For example we’d all love to own a commercial-grade, luxury treadmill – but for many people, it’s MORE than they need. On the other hand, a serious runner might actually need that kind of stability and cushioning in a treadmill.

If you don’t really care about 30 workout programs, why pay extra for them? If you know your 6’2″ son will be running on the treadmill, remember to look for one with a longer running area and adequate user weight capacity.

By knowing what you you need before comparing treadmills, you’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration.

So there you have it – keep these 3 points in mind when making treadmill comparisons and you’ll be well on your way to making an excellent treadmill purchase! Enjoy and have fun!

Everyone buys gym memberships with the best of intentions. You plan to go several times a week. You plan to take advantage of classes or sessions with personal trainers. You have every intention of formulating a plan, and sticking to it. The problem is: the gym is too easy to avoid. And the reasons for avoiding it are just too good.

It’s not just laziness. Commute times are getting longer and longer: the last thing you want to do before or after work is spend some more time driving to a gym and fighting for a parking space. That’s assuming you even have the option: if you have kids to pick up or drop off, or chores to do at home, you may simply not have the time you feel you need to get a good workout at the gym.

This is where the benefits of home exercise equipment really show. You can snatch a few minutes here and there on the treadmill while dinner’s cooking. You can watch your kids while you work out. You can watch your own DVD’s in the comfort of air conditioning set to your preference while you use a stationary bike, elliptical or treadmill. You can listen to music you like, set up some aromatherapy that you find inspiring, or do some reading while you exercise. And when you’re done, you can take a shower in the comfort of your own bathroom, with all your favorite shampoos, soaps and towels right there waiting for you.
Most importantly, how many times can you look at a piece of exercise equipment before you run out of excuses? If you’re thinking, “You have no idea how many”, you might be surprised. Every time you see it, you’re reminded of the benefits it offers you, and you start thinking of ways to work it into your schedule almost without trying.