Treadmill, trainer recommendations
 

Now that we have an empty bedroom, I got the green light from the wifey to remodel/design a fitness room. I have a weight set and am looking to add a treadmill and a trainer for my road bike. And a flat panel TV to hang on the wall. Woohoo!

Anybody have recommendations on treadmills and/or trainers? TIA.

Oh, and feel free to give flat panel TV advice also. I am wondering what size would be optimal for a treadmill to wall viewing distance. I am guessing 26" or maybe 31" max. HD of course.

Do you have a budget figured out yet?

With the trainer, you shouldn't spend more that $100-150 for a magnetic or fluid resistance model. Any brand and make would be okay. Check out Performance. They usually have some decent deals on this kind of thing.

If you really want a nice set-up for biking, get a computrainer. This is a computer adjusted resistance unit that has it all, including pre-programmed Tour de Frances stages to ride. You can get either a traditional resistance unit, or you can get something more like a stationary bike. Here you're probably looking more in the $500-2000 range.

I don't know much about treadmills. Personally I despise them and would rather run outdoors year-round. But we get a good snowfall once every 2 or 3 years, so all I ever have to deal with is the occasional freezing temps and rain.

Thanks. Wow, that computrainer looks very cool. That is tempting.

We get lots of snow and ice here so it is tough to run outside in the winter. I don't mind treadmills. Especially if I can watch the news or something.

Treadmills, yuck.

If I were you, instead of paying $2000 for a treadmill, I'd join a gym. For the same money, you'll have 3-4 years of access to a gym and all of it's equipment, pool, sauna, etc.

I thought about that. The wife and I don't really like the gym scene. And we like the convenience of just walking into the other room.

You should skip the fitness room and go right to the eventual usage: final resting place for laundry and misc cardboard boxes that don't quite have garage status.

Also acceptable as final resting place for laundry: air hockey table in the basement.

Alright then, if you insist. Here are the most recent treadmills reviewed by Runner's World. It's from Jan. 08, but I don't remember seeing any newer reviews since then. http://www.runnersworld.com/article/...2391-0,00.html

We've had a Pro Form treadmill since 2004. It's been good, but it only gets used once in a while, mostly in winter. It had a part that went out after about a month, that they came and replaced. In talking with other people who have Pro Forms, that's a pretty common thing, apparently. I personally believe that these treadmill manufacturers put crappy cheap parts in them, knowing that most people will end up using it as a coat rack. It's probably cheaper for them to pay a guy to go replace the part than to put more reliable parts in there to begin with.

No way, Jose. I have been lifting religiously for three years now. And I bike or run every day and have done so (running at least) for 30+ years. This is for convenience in the winter.

We have other rooms for junk.

Thanks. It is interesting to compare this list to the one in consumerreports.org.

The NordicTrac treadmill at Costco has received great reviews though it is quite inexpensive. Plus you get the peace of mind of Costco's return policy. I have been looking at it for Gidget. Though at your fitness level you may want something more substantial.