Customer Reviews

Horizon Fitness T54 Treadmill

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I bought one of these in February and love it. I had a cheaper one from another brand that did not work that well. This Horizon one is much better. It works equally well at 3 MPH (my other one was jerky at that speed) or 9 MPH. I especially like how smoothly it starts and stops. It has none of the sudden movements of other treadmills.

I am 200 lbs and use it every day, and after 5 months it shows no signs of wear or age. All I have had to do is tighten the belt once.

After a week or so of use, treadmill is pretty much dead in the water. Programming is awkward to begin with, but for some reason I can't even get the thing to start up properly now...I'll begin to program in a workout regimen and the damn thing shifts back to the start screen after mashing a couple of buttons. Or, even worse, I'll get the thing programmed and the treadmill simply stops after getting maybe 30 seconds into my routine. Customer service at Horizon is a joke. They've mailed me some part that hopefully will cure this hunk of junk, yet I'm still trying to figure out how (and when) they'll get a technician out here to actually complete warranty repairs. I highly recommend against purchasing this item.

I received this treadmill on Jan 06, 2006. I have been using it since day one and I love it.. specially when I got a great deal on this. I paid around $770 when it was on sale on amazon.com.

Pros:
1) Treadmill is very sturdy and feels like one in the club.
2) No Shin splints pain. I used to get it all the time by running on the sidewalk near my community (main reason to buy T54). I used T54 and looks like it does absorb impact and providing a smoother, softer running surface. I did not felt any pain related to shin splints since the day I start using this treadmill. Now, I can run more without any issues.
3) Very easy to use. I like the feature that you can just choose the speed/incline you want to workout directly rather than moving one point a time if you want.
4) Heart rate monitor is pretty useful and accurate. I used Polar A1 with this machine and it works great.

Cons:
1) Not sure if it allows to adjust the weight. I was not able find it. Due to this, I guess it does not provides accurate reading about the calories burnt.
2) It is not as quite as few other professional grade treadmills I have used. I called tech support and they indicated that the noise will eventually fade away with use. I hope that is true.

Overall, I like the treadmill. I will update the review again after few months if I face any issues with the treadmill. I HOPE NOT!!

Good Luck!!

I was so happy the first time I used this treadmill. It really is as good as the treadmill at my gym. It is totally quiet and the walking/running surface feels even a little more cushioned than the ones I use regularly at gyms and hotels. I'm sure you'll be just as happy as I am when you use this treadmill! oh, and it is almost 100% assmebled when you pull it out of the box.

I rate this treadmill 5 stars because both the machine and my buying experience exceeded my expectations. The shipment was a week early, the assembly was a snap, and the machine worked well from the start. The control panel is friendlier and more useful than most professional models. I love that you can press a single button to choose the speed or angle. I set up two custom programs with only a glance at the manual. And accessing the programs couldn't be easier--you just press the number of the program and press "start".

The machine is quieter and more stable than I had expected for the price. I have had it only for a couple of weeks and haven't tested the stability under great stress for long periods of time--I have only run a few times, rarely exceeding 4.5 mph.

One thing that doesn't work as advertised: the heart-rate monitor on my model is almost useless. With my "Polar" chest strap I have to squeeze in close to the panel in order to get a reading. With the hand grips, you have to hold on for minutes as it slowly figures out your heart rate.

One lesson I learned the hard way: get the box to its final location before unpacking. The instructions contain that warning, but I ignored them.

We tried various brands and price ranges. We tried the popular brands (not naming them) in all the stores we could find. We tried the Horizon Elite Series in a local store, (Horizon's upper line)for comparison. We could not find and try this exact model, but their products are very similar. We studied the specifications closely for all the brands. We were reluctant to buy on line but do not regret it now. Amazon has fast shipping (sooner than expected delivery date). It is very easy to assemble if you or someone you know has very basic skills. The only advantage to buying at a store is that they MIGHT provide assembly for you (usually at a cost). This basically has 3 pieces to put together. It is heavy so have help to get it to where you will use it straight away! It is a solid machine, and feels as substantial as the health club machines that have 100's of people using them. This should be great for an average family (we have 3 adults that will be using it). It is very, very quiet (I am amazed). Without going into alot of detail, it did have a noise problem, where the belt was rubbing the front cover at times, but I adjusted the cover and it is perfect now (only takes a phillips screwdriver to do it). The console is easy to use, the instructions are excellent. If you have trouble getting the correct heart rate with the grips, READ the instruction book! We had trouble at first, but once you learn how to place your hands and thumbs, it will work. Also, don't walk or run while you do the heart rate (stand on the sides). We have not tried the telemetry yet. I am 225 pounds and running does not challenge the machine at all. We all enjoy using this treadmill so we will be more inclined to continue on a regular basis now. We can watch TV or read a book. We do continue to walk our dog, however, because she loves to explore the world, so we still get exercise outside with her also. Only time will tell if this treadmill holds up, but I am a mechanical engineer, and I can honestly tell you it is made well. Also consider this, it is a relatively inexpensive way to be sure we will actually use ANY treadmill the way we should, without wasting too much money at first (if you get my drift). Compared to machines at TWICE the cost, this really is a bargain that I think will do just as well. I am impressed (can you tell?). WATCH for the sales on Amazon with free shipping. I'm pretty sure the newer Horizon models are probably just as great as this one (which I think may have been dicontinued now). Hope this helps you!

So far, my treadmill does not work. Upon receiving and assembling, the touch pad controls don't work, period. The console turns on, but that is as far as it gets. I have left a message and email with Horizon customer service - I will see how that goes. From my experience thus far, I would not recommend this treadmill!!

We purchased this treadmill for our small company's gym, based on the descriptions allusion to it being heavy duty. We had only used this treadmill 3 times before the touch pad stopped working. The company finally replaced it after at least 6 calls and complaints, claimed warranty was only for home use. When we finally got it working the safety key shows as unplugged unless you jiggle it and then reset the power to the treadmill. All in all I have been disappointed with the quality of the unit and even more so with the service from Horizon.

This is a great value! The customer service is excellent. We lived in the middle of nowhere Alabama and they delivered to our door. Unfortunately, when we got our treadmill it had a bad circuit board for the control panel. One easy call to the customer service line and we had a technician scheduled to come to our home for replacement. And they came quickly. The treadmill has worked great ever since. I'd highly recommend Horizon treadmills to anyone.

My husband and I purchased this when we purchased our new home to replace trips to the gym. We are both very pleased with it. The belt movement is very smooth and easy to run on. It is very quiet. We are both very satisfied with our choice.