A staple of any gym that offers cardiovascular equipment, commercial treadmills are a useful piece of equipment that allows patrons to walk or run indoors. If you are looking to update the equipment in your gym or to increase the number of treadmills available, you might find the following list of points to look for beneficial in ensuring that you make the right choice.
- Noise – It is a good idea to check out how noisy the treadmill is when in use, as a noisy machine could disturb other patrons and even drown out the music. You want the equipment to be relatively silent.
- Cushion Decking – You should also enquire about the shock absorption of the machine. Some have thicker belts or have shock absorbers under the deck, which soften the sound of feet as they strike.
- Speed Range – The machine needs to suit the needs of your patrons, which will be varying – some will want to walk, whereas others will want to run. Between 0 and 16km per hour is generally perfect.
- Incline – This is a treadmill feature that allows patrons to increase the intensity of their workout. Some models only offer two positions; a good one will have a minimum range of 0-10% incline.
- Walk/Run Surface – It is important to note that a longer deck allows for a more comfortable stride. A long deck is essential for ensuring that the machine will accommodate people of all heights.
- LED Readout – The features that each of your patrons want will be a matter of personal preference, so you should ensure that your readout covers as many as possible (from heart rate to speed and time).
- Pre-Set Programs – This is another feature that is a matter of preference, and commercial treadmills can vary widely in the programs they offer. It is a good idea to have a number of programs on offer.
- Drink Holder – This might seem like a silly feature to point out, but some machines on the market today actually don’t have a drink holder. Think about where patrons will need to put their water when working out.
Whilst there are certainly other factors that you should be considering when purchasing a commercial treadmill, the ones that we have outlined above should be in the forefront of your mind. The most important thing that you need to remember when shopping is that the machine must meet the needs of a range of different patrons – try to accommodate them as much as possible.