Bowflex Series 3 Treadmill

Well, so far this machine has been wokring for me. I'm about 220 lbs and have been running on it and it's still in one piece. I wish I would have gotten a model a little higher up but for the price this works great and is easy to fold up. I put it togeather myself but wish I had help getting the main part out of the box because it was a tad heavy. The assembly is pretty simple but I'm not sure about the directions. On the front of the treadmill there is a reset button and a power button. I thought the darn thing was broke because when I plugged it in it wasn't turning on. After some reasearch I read about a power switch located towards the bottom. Needless to say, I felt pretty stupid. All around, its a great machine for the price.

I am totally in love with this treadmill!

Pros:

- It is nice and sturdy.

- It has quite a few features and places to put a bottle, the stereo remote, etc. on it.

- It does the raised incline.

- It's easy to operate, even for people who, like me, don't bother to read manuals.

- It feels like a professional machine you would use at the gym.

- It's in my den, not at a gym full of people! :)

- It's cheaper than the fancier models, but unless you're a professional athlete, you don't need the additional features to begin with. I felt like it was a great deal for the price!

- It folds for easier storage if you have space issues.

Cons:

- It is very heavy. Make sure you set it up where you want it to stay, forever! Especially if you are setting it up in a room that has carpet on the floor. I was able to move it by myself, but I have tile on the floor of that room, and it was TOUGH!

All things considered, I think it's a great deal for the price. I had been to a store and noticed that the machines that were a few thousand dollars were way nicer and sturdier than the ones in this price range. This machine did not disappoint me at all, it felt like the ones I saw selling from 2,000 and up.

Enjoy!

Product was delivered in a timely manner. Have some help on hand when it is delivered. Assemble it where you will use it because, once assembled, it will not pass through a 36" doorway.

Unit failed self test after assembly. Working with their tech support I removed motor cover and adjusted motor speed sensor. Problem solved.

Unit is quiet and runs smoothly. Running display is satisfactory, end of session summary is virtually illegible.

Pulse rate monitor is so unreliable I purchased a chest strap and monitor watch. Tech support admits marginal operation. To make matters worse, the series three sold in the U.S. doesn't work with a chest strap. Curiously, the same model sold overseas does. Frankly, they should give up on the grip sensors, use the European electronics, and ship this model with a chest strap. They would spend less and the treadmill would be much better suited to cardiac monitoring needs.

Documentation is adequate in most respect. Troubleshooting section is sparse. Final assembly instruction should have included running self test.

Tech support is OK but difficult to reach. Got the right person after three call transfers on the speed control problem, five call transfers on the pulse rate monitor problem. Essentially they gave up on the latter issue.

I received my treadmill a few weeks ago and found it to be as good as advertised. My wife and I were able to carry it into the house and it was easy to assemble. I did have one problem with it. When we first started using it, the treadmill would routinely suddenly stop and the display read "Err 5". None of the controls would work until you shut the power off using the switch at the base of the motor. I called Bowflex and after being transferred 3 times I finally got to a technician and the solution was simple. The speed sensor just needed a slight adjustment. That involved removing the motor cover and moving the sensor probe. The fix took less time than getting to the right person. The treadmill has worked fine since, it is quiet and stable. I do have one complaint concerning the owners manual, to say it is skimpy on details and instructions would be an understatement. For instance, you are told to oil the belt after so many hours of use but there are no instructions on how to oil it. Just oil it. Also, no real explanation of the pre-installed workout programs or details about the digital displays. However, the bottom line is that this is a good treadmill and worth the price.

This is an awesome treadmill. I highly recommend it. The only thing that was bad was the delivery time. It took over a month! Also, the treadmill is SUPER heavy so be ready for that.