Bowflex Series 7 Treadmill Review

Solid build and performance for the price.
Brian Grzymkowski (Montclair, NJ)
I put a lot of time into researching treadmills and their relative cost because my room mates and my girlfriend all felt I was crazy in the first place for considering one on my budget.

I knew the treadmills at hotels & gyms had spoiled me, because I had no interest in a flimsy model that offered little support and lackluster features. I also knew there was no way I could afford a $3,000 gym caliber treadmill. I felt this was the best compromise and I have not been disappointed with my decision.

The delivery was prompt, but it went no further than the bottom of the outside stairs to my 2nd floor apartment. Thanks to previous reviewers, I expected this. I can tell you that I weigh 160 lbs. and my room mate is about 210 lbs. We're both 26 and carrying this behemoth up a very steep and angled flight of stairs between us was nothing short of miraculous. It cost him a severely bruised big toe. I would recommend no fewer than 3 healthy and reasonably strong individuals to attempt this.

We have neighbors below us, and hardwood floors, so noise and protection was a concern. I had purchased a "heavy duty" extra long mat which helped protect the floor, but was not enough to muffle the inevitable thumping sound. I purchased an additional set of interlocking foam gym floor pieces that I placed over the mat and I found the two together made it as sound proof as we could manage within reason.

Assembly is never fun, and this was no exception, but given the size of the item, it was relatively painless. Thankfully, one of my room mates is an engineer, so between the both of us we managed it in under an hour.

I have had the treadmill for a few months now and I am very pleased with its overall performance. It is relatively quiet compared to some of the other models I have used. The range of features meets and exceeds my needs. I have not noticed the general knee/ankle discomfort that can come with a worn/low quality treadmill so far. I generally run 3 miles 3 times a week. The display is a bit illogical in some regards, but having to wait a few seconds for the distance to show up again in the cycle of calories, time, and pace is hardly a make or break point for me. The fan is underpowered and close to useless, but I do feel a slight breeze and I suppose I probably would not want a powerful fan blowing in my face the whole time I ran anyway.

That it is able to fold up quite easily and still feel as solid as a gym model is a testament to its construction. The flaws are minor and the performance is a deal at this price in my opinion.


Pleased with the Bowflex Series 7
M. Hutchcraft (Florida)

We purchased the Bowflex Series 7 Treadmill to help us with our exercise routines. We did lots of research, and this one rated very highly. We have not been disapointed with our purchase. Between my wife and I, we use it to run about 5 miles a day, and have lots of great things to say. It is solid and doesn't move around. The motor is very strong, and doesn't even flinch when I use it (at 205 lbs). The instant speed and incline buttons are great! The width and length of the belt are fantastic, and even at 6'4", have never felt like I was running off the end of the belt.

The down sides (which are minor, but worth noting) include the following: If you change your program in the middle, there is no way to back out without turning off the machine. If you are tall, you can't see the display that shows where you are on the digital "track". The pre-programmed speeds may not be for everyone. For instance, in program 4 (Fat Burn), the "jog" speed is 4 MPH, which is too slow for a run, but too fast for a comfortable walk. The "run" speed is 5, which could probably be a little faster. The fan is a good thought, but underwhelms you. The machine is big and heavy - so, unless you are really comfortable "hefting" things around, you might want to pay to have the machine delivered to its final location.

Delivery occured in about 7 days. They called the day before to arrange a delivery time, and actually showed up at that time.

All things considered, I would rate the machine and our purchase experience an "A". 

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