Reports Treadmills

Sole F80 Treadmill

$1,499.00

User Reviews about Sole F80 Treadmill

I researched treadmills for MONTHS before finally deciding on a Sole F80. I've been running for about 8 months and ran my first Half Marathon a few months ago. I usually run about 3-4 days per week, 15-25 miles per week. I am an outdoor runner, but this winter has been a doozy and I wanted an option for days that it's too icy to hit the trail. I spent hours reading reviews on Amazon and other treadmill review sites.

A few things I learned, both online and from experienced runners:

1) Most treadmills with < 2.5 Continuous Horse Power (under $999) are NOT made for running - they are designed for walking. If you run more than about 3 miles on a small motor treadmill on a regular basis, you will burn it up. ESPECIALLY is you have more than one user in your household, it will not last.

2) Most treadmills under $999 are made by Icon Fitness, whether they are branded Reebok, Gold's Gym, Weslo, ProForm, etc.

3) Most treadmills come with a 25 yr or lifetime motor warranty. This is because it's not the motor that will fail you. It's the computer that will get fried, from the heat of the adjacent motor that is not designed to handle high speeds for prolonged periods of time. You may get a treadmill for $700, but it will end up costing you $1400 if you have to replace it in a few years.

4) A good warranty is just as important as choosing the right treadmill. Look for something that has at least 2 years parts and labor.

I was torn between the F63 and F80. I finally decided to spend the extra $500 on the F80 for more horsepower, higher weight limit, larger rollers and most importantly, the 2 yr labor + 5 yr parts warranty. I also paid $119 for an additional 2 years on the warranty.

Once I knew the Sole F80 was the treadmill for me, the big question was WHERE to order it. Several reviews here mentioned that Amazon shipped via ABF and the delivery was to your driveway only. I found that SPORTS AUTHORITY was running a free shipping promotion on orders over $99. Additionally, this included 'FREE INSIDE DELIVERY' - defined as: Two men will bring the box into the designated room in your home. THIS is why I ordered from Sports Authority. I'm a DIY (30-something) girl and was confident I could handle the assembly with a bit of lifting help from my husband.

I got a call from ABF to set up a delivery time. Imagine my surprise when the delivery guy showed up and began unpacking the box in my driveway, saying, "The last treamill I put together took about 2 hours. I think this time I can do it in 90 minutes or less." Apparently, this FREE INSIDE SHIPPING was an even better deal than I'd thought! I smiled and nodded and let him go about carrying in all the parts. A second guy showed up to help him carry in the heavy part (the deck) and put it together. They had it completely assembled and tested inside of an hour. They made sure I was comfortable with their work and answered my questions before leaving. They were SUPER professional and nice and treated me like family...and they wouldn't accept a tip! After they left, I looked up ABF on the web and figured out that I'd received what they call 'TURN KEY SERVICE.' All I can say is that I would've PAID $100 for that delivery service and it was completely free.

I've only had the Sole F80 for a few days now, but it is everything I thought it would be. Smooth, quiet, substantial. It feels like the treadmill I use at the gym. The fans don't really do much, but that wasn't a deciding factor for me. I wanted something that will perform consistently for a LONG time and I'm confident that this machine will do just that.

Unexpected bonus: This treadmill is so 'sexy' that my husband has started jogging! -- Awesome treadmill; awesome shipping/assembly deal!

What a great treadmill. I purchased this direct from Sole to replace a Proform 985 that I had for five or six years. For the past two years I had trouble with the Proform belt. Finally one of the rollers broke and I was forced to replace it.

I tried out the Sole at Dick's Sporting Goods to see what model I wanted. While the F63 is tempting at $500 less than the F80 the difference is night and day. If you just walk or perhaps do some light jogging the F63 may work for you. If you like to run the only way to go is with the F80. It is extremely sturdy and well built. The deck is unbelievable. I tried out several other treadmills in the same price range as the F80 and none felt as good as the Sole. I read many reviews and really put this purchase off for a long time. I should have replaced my old treadmill months ago but $1500 is hard to part with when you have a working piece of equipment.

Assembly was very simple. It only took about forty minutes or so to assemble. I read reviews where people mentioned cutting a wire with a screw while assembling. I could see how it could happen if you were not paying attention but with some care and patience it is easily avoided. The only thing I recommend is paying $100 to have it delivered to any room in your house. I did not do this and really wish I would have. If you are putting it on the first floor that may not be an issue. I have mine in the basement and it was difficult to do. This thing weighs a ton!

To sum it all up. Don't think twice about buying this treadmill. The warranty alone is enough to set your mind at ease. I think I paid around $600 for my old Proform when it was on clearance. It only lasted five or six years. This puppy will last you a lifetime.

-- Worth Every Dollar

I bought this treadmill right at the new year. I agree with others that, 1) Inside delivery is important unless you have 2 other people to help you; 2)the fans are weak but ok; 3)the sound system is good enough but you can't control the mp3 player through the machine which is a little inconvenient while running; 4)I find the unit very stable (I am 6ft, 190lbs and run for an hour at 7.3).
My one negative is that I don't think they do a good job of lubricating the belt/deck very well because there is black dust that accumulates on the floor behind the end of the treadmill. This is obviously from the friction caused from the belt scraping the deck. They do provide you with a tube of lubrication, but the instructions say that this is for future lubrication, not immediate application during initial set-up. The company told me that sometimes this happens when the treadmills sit in the warehouses for long periods before getting delivered, but even so, it seems like a pain that I am going to have to lube the deck myself since I just bought it. I haven't done it yet, but hopefully it is an easy process. (anyone see this same "dust" issue?)
But even with that being said, I still think it is a really good treadmill that I would recommend to others. -- Almost Great

-We had ours delivered a few weeks ago and delivery time was surprisingly fast. We ordered on Sunday night and it came on Wednesday. This item is VERY heavy so plan on having at least 2 strong guys around to move this thing in. The box was hard to get in our front door so we opened the box outside and everything is easy to just carry in except the deck which is where most of the weight is; I'm guessing 200+pounds.
-Assembly was relatively easy and straightforward. I believe it took me about an hour going slow to make sure screws were set straight and now wires were pinched etc...Some reviews complained about the wiring harness being easy to screw into or get pinched and I believe this has been corrected as our unit has plenty of room for the wires and screw shields to protect them as well.
-As heavy as this unit is it is very easy to move around. If you have heavy padding and thick carpet it may be a little more difficult due to the weight but we put ours up and out of the way every day. Don't expect to be moving it from room to room every day, but it does move easily in a straight line out to use and back when done.
-Not much to add on it's quality and function. It appears very well made and is very quiet.
-also in regards to another reviewers concerns about it's electrical needs. I put a meter on ours and ran it at 12mph and raised the deck and the most it pulled was about 900 watts. Normal walking pulls a couple hundred watts and just sitting there it pulls about 4 watts (equal to a night light). So, while you could trip a breaker, a normal 15 or 20 amp circuit should handle this without problems.
-I will update this if ours breaks down or we need to contact customer service. -- Well made, quiet, and Heavy

I used a lot of the Amazon reviews to buy my treadmill and I have to say that I'm not disappointed and got exactly what I was looking for. I'm a runner and train all year round for half and full marathons, usually about 35 miles a week. I have run very little on treadmills most recently but was looking to get some relief from the winter snow.

Before reading a lot of the reviews and research, I found the consumer reports rated the Bowflex series 7.0 to be the recommended buy. However, after reading further comparisons and reviews it was obvious that although slightly cheaper, the Sole F80 had a much better warranty. My bottom line was that I needed a 3.0 hp motor and good warranty in the $1500 range. The Sole F80 falls perfectly within that criteria and gives you the most for your money.

Some highlights of the positive:

- The deck is definitely well cushioned
- The motor is very quiet
- The display is quite simple to use
- The fans are fairly mild but it's better than nothing!
- Price is very competitive
- Like other reviewers commented, the set up and assembly is a snap but you have to take your time. The only complaint is that when you are connecting the console, it doesn't specify that you should re-feed the wires under the bottom of the handrails before fixing the console. You quickly find this out when installing the handrail guard covers but have to be sure not to pinch the wires throughout this process. Also, using the "lube" that comes with the kit is recommended as it could be easy to miss threads and strip the threads!

- If you're a runner:
- This unit goes up to 12 mph (5:00 min pace) (whereas a lot of units only go up to about 10 mph (6:00 min pace) which can be limiting for some people's interval workouts.
- There's an auto pilot feature to control your heart rate at a target. This can be really useful for tempo workouts.

Some of the bad:

- The delivery is a little self service through Amazon (not sure how it is for Sole direct delivery). You get "inside service" which was in the doorway and out of the rain.
- I needed a lot of help (one guy) getting this into the basement (not sure if/how I'll ever get it out)
- The heart rate monitor is not as comfortable as my garmin heart monitor. Oh well, this is a great feature so I can't really complain.
- Other reviewers commented that it's hard to tell what all the various programs do. It could be more transparent but I'll try to look on the Sole website - I believe one other person commented on this.

Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase and I hope that it will be useful for the whole family for years to come! -- Sole F80 wins!