Sports News

Book Worm says:

I have been satisfied with the performance of this treadmill. It did take two people to put together and the only problem we had was the last two screws (underneath the console) would not go in right. This hasn’t affected the performance of the treadmill, though. My BIG complaint is that the treadmill will not work at all without the safety key. My safety key has been misplaced and apparently it takes an act of congress to get another safety key – IF I ever manage to get one. So now I have a useless treadmill simply because this little safety key has been misplaced. I have seen replacement safety keys for other brands of treadmills for sale at different places on the internet… but NOT for Merit treadmills. I contacted customer service several times and got vague answers and finally one of them said that I needed to give them the purchase date, the serial number, and registration date (or something like that) to prove that I really needed a replacement safety key. (Why in the world would I be asking to get a replacement safety key if I didn’t have a treadmill?) Well, I was at work and didn’t have all that information with me and by the time I got home, their customer service would have been closed. It was very very frustrating and aggravating. If I had had another brand of treadmill, I would have been able to get on the internet and order a replacement safety key with no problems (and without having to prove I needed one). If I ever get another treadmill it will be a brand that has replacement parts that are easy to get. I can’t believe I’ve wasted over $400 on this treadmill simply because it is so difficult to get a replacement safety key.

Also, if you’re looking for a treadmill that is easily moved, this one is NOT it. No matter what the advertisements say, this thing cannot be moved easily. My daughter and I had to move mine to make room for our Christmas tree and I was in tears before we got it in place in the next room. It does have wheels (very tiny for such a large treadmill and in an awkward position) that you’re supposed to be able to move it on, but the way this thing is made, the way it “folds”, and its weight make it extremely awkward to try to balance on those two tiny wheels and very difficult to maneuver. It’s tagged as “collapsable”, but it’s not actually “collapsable”. The part you walk on lifts up a bit, but that’s about it. It’s tagged as “compact”, but it’s not “compact” either. It takes up a good bit of space and “folding” it doesn’t save that much space. I’ve been OK with that, but if you’re looking for one that you’ll be able to “fold” up and get out of the way, this one is NOT it.

The design doesn’t seem to be well thought out: it is very difficult to move and those two screws that we had trouble putting in were in positions that were difficult to get to to be able to insert properly. I would have given this treadmill a rating of 4 stars because of those two problems – Other than those two things, I’ve been very pleased with its performance and thought it a really good treadmill for the money. I’ve been very happy with it UNTIL I misplaced the safety key and realized that it’s very easy to get replacement safety keys for other brands, but NOT for this one. If the treadmill will not work without a safety key, then the company should make it easy to get extra ones.

(I finally figured out that if you tape a magnet over where the safety key goes, the treadmill will work again, but Merit should have replacement safety keys easily obtainable like other brands do, so I still give it a 1 1/2 – 2 star rating. It’s just way too inconvenient and extremely annoying to invest that much money in a treadmill and then not be able to use it because of a little safety key.)
Rating: 2 / 5

Lisa Jadwin says:

Others have covered most of the points I’d emphasize, so here are some brief notes and chime-ins:

- took me, a not-very-mechanical type, about an hour to assemble; holes are not perfectly aligned but you can manage; be advised that the “on” switch is on the bottom left as you look at the machine; lubricating is a hassle, but useful to see how you’ll need to do it; company says they’ll send you more silicone lubricant if you contact them.

- the hand-grip pulse monitor doesn’t work for me at all (held it softly, for at least a minute with both hands, as manual indicates, but it’s way off). Be aware though that most thumb and hand monitors don’t work great. If you want this info, you might want to get a Polar chest-strap monitor or something similar.

- the manual doesn’t indicate what the various preset programs offer (rolling hills, interval training, endurance blast, etc.). You have to figure this out yourself.

- it’s quite easy to make up your own interval training on the fly (I use music to vary the tempo); the incline and speeds are changed readily. It’s annoying that the timer only accommodates 1-hour intervals.

- there is ample space on the monitor for water, ipod accessories, etc. There’s also a little ledge designed for a book if you want to read while walking.

- the machine is quiet and the track is commodious, so you don’t have to hang onto the handlebars all the time; there’s room (I’m a 5′8″ woman) to use handweights to vary your routine and add an upper-body element.

- Works best for the cardio part of my routine (I also have an elliptical machine, a stepper, and a rowing machine, plus free weights). The treadmill enables knee-friendly weight-bearing exercise and it’s mindless enough that you can zone out while you’re exercising and listen to music, watch tv, or carry on a conversation.

- This treadmill’s relatively low clearance (base is about 6″ tall) means it works fine in my little low-ceilinged basement gym.

- you might want to set up a standing fan within reach of the treadmill to cool yourself off while you exercise.

- the price is excellent given the features.

- it’s quite heavy, so (1) pay for delivery if you want someone to heave this down into your basement or lug it up to the second floor for you (2) consider carting the parts into the room separately (3) SET IT UP WHERE YOU PLAN TO USE IT.

- And while it folds, it’s not going to fit under your bed unless your bed’s 4′ off the floor.

Rating: 5 / 5