LIVESTRONG by Johnson 15.0T Treadmill
5
5
1
1
very solid, very nice
This review is my initial experience with the treadmill (just received / assembled in my home yesterday). I needed to replace an older Proform model which was nothing special, but it did last for almost 9 years. After reading hundreds of reviews for treadmills under $1500, I literally could not find any serious negatives about Livestrong brand as compared with most other brands out there. I tried a few other brands (Nordic Trac, Sole) at Sears, but wasn't thrilled with the feel. The new Icon brands in particular (which includes Nordic, Proform, Epic, and others# seem to get very mixed opinions about reliability.
I went to Dicks intending to try out the lower models in the Livestrong line-up but was blown away by the sale price on this current top-of-the-line unit - $300 discount below the typical price of $1499. I guess Dicks is concerned about the Lance Armstrong sponsorship impacting sales - for my wallet this was a good thing, and the company that makes Livestrong is apparently in no danger of bankruptcy (they make other treadmill lines under different names).
After giving it a try, I found the platform to be extremely solid and the controls nicely laid out and simple to use. Livestrong does not have a lot of bells and whistles compared to other brands at a compatible price, but appears instead to focus on offering the most solid treadmill parts #i.e. motor, frame, console, belt). This was a no-brainer purchase for me, especially at the given price.
To put things over the top, I was able to apply a 15% discount coupon and opened a credit card for another 10% discount. I still can't believe how much I paid for this unit, and the price also included free delivery and assembly.
The treadmill is now in my home - and I put it through the paces last night. Everything works as advertised - wireless heart monitor, live-journal system, programmed training, etc. Relatively quiet and very close to gym quality feel. I generally do about 15 to 20 miles per week ranging from 7 to 9 min mile pace. I suspect this treadmill is a bit overkill for that but I have the impression it will last for years. If I had to make one minor complaint, it's the size of the display monitor is quite large - a minor hassle if you are watching TV that is not mounted at eye height.
I'm very satisfied with the purchase and recommend this without reservation. I probably would knock down the value by one point if this were to be purchased at full price of $1499, but at the sales price, a no brainer.
March 27, 2013
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