Currently My Favorite Treadmill and for under $800!
Written: Jun 26 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great features, ability to control cushioning, affordable.
Cons: None worth noting.
The Bottom Line: For the money the 540 is a great treadmill. It gives me everything I could want in a treadmill.
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| jo.com's Full Review: ProForm 540 Treadmill |
A reader gave me the heads up that Icon changed the Proform CS17e and added the 540 to replace it. Of course my curiosity got the best of me and for both this reader, the consumer who will read this and myself I am reviewing the Proform 540. It lists for $800 which is $300 less than the CS17e. I will do some comparing of these two models to see just how different or similar they actually are.
About the ProForm 540:
There are a couple of features about treadmills I notice right away. I look at the size of the belt and deck. I do this for a reason. If a belt is too short or narrow it makes walking on it never mind running uncomfortable. If anyone has ever had the unpleasant experience of walking at a fast clip and hitting the sides of the belt or worse the front of the belt you know that it throws off your balance and if you are not careful or new to the treadmill can get hurt. The ProForm 540 has a 19-inch x 55-inch belt. This is just one inch narrower than the CS17e. The general rule of thumb is that a belt should be at least 17 inches wide and 48 inches long. The 540 certainly passes that test.
I don’t pay much attention to how noisy or quiet a treadmill is personally because my workouts are at gyms. However I know many people reading this are looking for a treadmill for their home. The 540 is quiet. Certainly quiet enough for me not to say it is noisy. There are no treadmills that have no sound because there is a motor and depending on the tread itself you'll hear the sound of your feet walking or running on it.
I also want to be comfortable on the deck. I have Sjogren’s Syndrome which can cause pain and burning in my feet. I have to make sure that not only do I have the best sneakers but the most comfortable walking surface. The 540 has the most unusual feature I have seen on a treadmill. There are knobs on the sides of the treadmill. I turn them to change the amount of cushioning. For example people who run outside on concrete will want less cushioning than I do. The 540 allows each person to choose how much I want the shock of my feet hitting the treadmill to be absorbed. These knobs are easy to turn. That is crucial for me. I turn it and then get on the treadmill and see if it is comfortable. I might change it on different days depending if I want a "walk in the park" or a power walk.
I also notice the general design of the machine. Where are the handles, what are they like, is there a magazine rack and a place for my bottle? Like the ProForm CS17e I found two sets of handles on the 540. You will find traditional handles on the sides of the machines however they are shorter than you will find on other machines. I have noted that many machines have side railings. I like side railings for those with balance problems. However I am noticing that the newer treadmills do not have this feature. However it does have a safety key so please wear it. In case you slip or fall, the treadmill will stop immediately.
It also has a handle in front of the console. The handle has built in heart rate sensors. It is really important to know your heart rate; to not exceed your maximum target heart rate (220 less your age) and to work comfortably even at half your maximum target heart rate. So now there is no need to buy a heart rate monitor. Although console numbers are notoriously inaccurate in terms of calories burned, for example, I have found heart rate sensors to be accurate. I know this because I double check before I review them or while I am using them even if I am not reviewing them by doing a pulse check. I like the fact that my heart rate shows up quickly. I have been on machines of all sorts where I actually have given up. It takes so long to get my heartrate that it isn’t worth it. I tend to change my pace or rhythm when I put my hands on the heart rate monitors so I want this to read quickly which the 540 does.
The console is quite large with room for water bottles, cell phones, whatever music items you like to use. The 540 has a magazine rack.
Features of the console:
Like the Proform CS17e and the Star Trac the ProForm 540 has a built in fan. CoolAire Fan is a 2 speed fan (High/low) that creates air currents from 4 to 6 mph. Personally I don’t use the fan because I don’t like air blowing on me when I am sweating. However if you do, you will love this feature. If you do not you do not have to use it!
The console has a 5 by 7 workout matrix. What the matrix means is that it shows you your workout essentially in a graph form. The graph is 5 inches by 10 inches (a little smaller than the CS17e) and easy to read because it lights up. I never found these graphs helpful but they are fairly standard. In fact I know a lot of people who cover the console so they will not be looking at their workout or how much time they have left. The benefit of the graph is if you are interval training (changing levels and intensity fairly regularly), you can then monitor how long you have run at various intensity levels by watching the red lines change.
There are windows which show speed, time, distance, incline, pace, calories burned and my pulse shows up here as well.
Essential for me in terms of accuracy of the readouts such as calories is the feature of being able to enter my age and weight. The ProForm 540 allows me to do this.
QuickSpeed Control is a feature I love and that was on the CS17e so I am glad Icon kept it. On most treadmills in order to increase the intensity or speed I push an arrow for each level. That’s not a big deal really. QuickSpeed eliminates the pushing of the arrow. I can increase my speed or decrease it immediately. It does not have to basically stop at each interval.
This is the way the QuickStart works. If I am walking at 3 miles per hour and want to go to 4, rather than pressing the up arrow, I just press the number 4 and it jumps to 4 mph. The way this works is really interesting. On the large hand rail where the heart rate sensors are buttons which light up when pressed. If I am walking at 3 miles an hour and want to go to 4 rather than pressing the up arrow, which is what is usually done, I just press 4 and it immediately jumps to 4. It is a really neat feature. There are QuickIncline buttons that do the same thing. The machine will adjust the incline from 0-10% at the touch of a button.
The programs:
You can choose the quick start button and not choose a program. If you want a program there are seven rather than the ten the CS17e had workout programs. Two are heart rate programs. These programs adjust the speed and incline automatically based on my heart rate level (which is why age is so important) There are five pre set programs such as interval training. In the pre set programs the machine will automatically control the resistance and speed but it is based on the program I choose rather than my heartrate. This is not uncommon on treadmills. Many work this way but it is just another nice feature on this machine.
Additional information:
For those not technically challenged the 540 has what is called Built-in iFIT.com technology. This will let you run optional workouts from videos, CDs and the Internet. You will get an audio cable with this machine. Connect it to your computer or stereo or use iFit material (www.ifit.com).
The 540 has a better warranty than the CS17e. You’ll get a 10-year motor warranty, a 90-day parts warranty and a 90-day labor warrant. It folds and rolls. There is a 2.75 horsepower motor. There is a 300 pound weight limit which is 50 pounds more than the CS17e. It measures approximately 68 inches in length x 36 inches high x 25 inches wide. The 540 is slightly smaller than the CS17e.
The 540 like the CS17e can be stored by easily raising the spring loaded deck and locking it into place. There are small wheels built into the base of the machine which allows me to move the machine fairly easily.
My final thoughts:
I loved the ProForm CS17e. I also think the 540 is an excellent treadmill. The price is right and if you look around you might even find it for less.
Please feel free to leave me a comment, question or e-mail me privately if you would like a machine reviewed by me. Other treadmill reviews:
How to Choose a Treadmill • Nordic Track Incline Trainer • Landice Treadmill • Nordic Track Futura 2600 • ProForm Treadmill • Star Trac Pro Treadmill • Cybex Pro Teadmill • Cybex 900T Treadmill
A fairly complete list of my fitness equipment reviews can be found on my profile page. Thanks for reading. jo
Recommended:
Yes
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Member: Jo
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