Sole F85 Treadmill

by Sole

Product Features

• Top-of-the-line folding treadmill with 3.5-horsepower continuous-duty motor
• Vibrant 9-inch LCD display with integrated speakers and audio cable
• 6 standard workouts, 2 custom workouts, and 2 HR-controlled workouts
• Easy Assist folding deck design; Cushion Flex shock-absorption system
• 400-pound capacity; measures 35 x 80 inches (W x D); weighs 280 pounds

Product Description

Amazon.com

The top model in Sole's folding series, the F85 treadmill is a great choice for serious workout enthusiasts. All Sole treadmills are outfitted with powder-coated, all-steel welded frames and heavy-duty, stable inclines. Sole took the F85 to another level, however, by using an industrial-quality 3.5-horsepower continuous-duty motor and an all-steel zinc-coated balanced flywheel, helping it reach speeds of up to 12 miles per hour and inclines of up to 15 percent. The treadmill's integrated flywheel is also much heavier than most other brands, giving runners the fluid motion they're accustomed to at the gym. To accommodate runners with balky joints, Sole added its low-impact, whisper-quiet Cushion Flex deck. The Cushion Flex system greatly reduces the impact to your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and spine, making it comfortable for frequent runners or for users with running- and walking-related injuries. In a recent study, researchers concluded that the Cushion Flex deck reduced impact up to 40 percent as compared to running on asphalt.

The F85's console includes a vibrant 9-inch LCD display and an integrated sound system.

The F85 makes it easy to track your workout progress via the vibrant 9-inch LCD display, which includes windows for speed, incline, time, distance traveled, calories, pulse, and pace. The console also sports a 1/4-mile track and a peak-and-valley graph for different programs, along with an integrated sound system for listening to your iPod or MP3 player (the system includes built-in speakers and a sound cord that plugs into your player's headphone jack). Perhaps the handiest feature is the integrated message board, which offers scrolling messages that walk you through the treadmill's features or the workout itself. The message board will also recap your entire routine after you're finished, so you can see your progress from workout to workout.

The F85 comes complete with two heart-rate-controlled workout options, so you can customize the workout specifically to your needs. Throughout your HR workout, the treadmill will display a heart rate zone graph on the console while adjusting the incline to keep you in your target zone (the treadmill includes a wireless chest strap that touts a 99.9 percent accuracy rating). The remainder of the time, you can challenge yourself with the six automatic programs or two customizable programs.

In addition, the F85 incorporates the largest deck that Sole offers. At 22 by 60 inches, the deck offers plenty of room for runners with wide, unfocused strides. And to reduce space, the F85 boasts an Easy Assist folding deck design. This unique feature allows you to release the deck, step back, and watch the deck unfold itself. When you're done with your workout, simply fold it back up and store it out of the way. Other features include built-in cooling fans, armrest incline and speed controls, and a low-profile running hood.

The treadmill's Easy Assist folding deck helps save space in crowded homes.

Specifications:

• Motor: 3.5 horsepower continuous duty, DC type, ultra high torque
• Speed: 0.5 to 12 miles per hour
• Incline: 15 percent maximum, rack-and-pinion gear design
• Deck design: Cushion Flex shock absorption, whisper quiet
• Running surface: 22 by 60 inches
• Belt: Double-woven 2 ply
• Rollers: 2-3/4 inches
• Folding: Yes, with Easy Assist folding feature
• Heart rate control: Yes, with wireless chest strap
• Hand pulse grips: Yes, with armrest speed/incline controls
• Display: Backlit blue LCD, 9 inches
• Message window: Yes, scrolling info
• Standard programs: 6
• User-defined programs: 2
• Heart rate programs: 2
• Cooling fans: Yes
• Capacity: 400 pounds
• Dimensions: 35 by 80 inches (W x D)
• Weight: 280 pounds
• Warranties: Lifetime on motor, deck, and frame; 5 years on electronics, belt, rollers, and other wear components; 2 years on labor

Product Description

The Sole® F85 treadmill boasts a continuous-duty 3.5 HP motor that delivers challenging speeds up to 12 MPH; the Cushion Flex Whisper Deck reduces impact on your joints by up to 40%. The console is designed with built-in speakers, which allow you to plug in your MP3 player. Inside Delivery: Includes delivery over the first threshold of your home; doesn't include flights of stairs in the house, assembly or debris removal.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 83 x 39 x 15 inches
• Shipping Weight: 293 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B003Z4I8MK
• Item model number: F85-11
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,165 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #21 in Sports & Outdoors > Exercise & Fitness > Cardio Training > Treadmills

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice treadmill, December 26, 2010

By 

Chad Lowe (Aurora, IL United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sole F85 Treadmill (Sports)

This treadmill looks very nice and feels very solidly built. I was able to assemble myself in about an hour and everything lined up perfectly. It runs relatively quiet. The display shows all parameters (distance, time, calories, speed, etc) all at the same time. My old treadmill had one numeric display that would cycle these parameters. The lap display was also a very nice added feature. The integrated fans do not blow very hard, but provide a nice breeze. This treadmill has built-in speakers. While they won't please audiophiles, they are more than adequate for working out. The deck folds up smoothly with almost no effort.

The only negative point about this treadmill is that the speed does not change very fast. This is most annoying when slowing down. It took about 45 seconds to slow from 6 mph to 2 mph. Perhaps this is a safety feature, I would have liked it to be a bit more responsive. It does speed up much faster than that, however.

The treadmill was delivered in two days. The delivery folks were going to leave it in the garage because that is all they are responsible for. However, my wife slipped them a little cash and they carried it to the basement. Like I mentioned, the unit was very easy to assemble by a single person.

Pros:
Excellent display. Ease of assembly. Solidly built. Quiet. Speakers.

Cons:
Speed adjustment a little sluggish.

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great lifetime value, built strongly !!, March 17, 2011

By 

J. Ung - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sole F85 Treadmill (Sports)

(What's this?)

I've been exercising on the Lifefitness' commercial model treadmill at my gym for over three years. It's a great treadmill, and I've never had any issues or complaints. Since it's a commercial model, it's huge and bulky; it's probably built to last long for the heavy usage at a gym or a fitness center. Well, that's good, except the price of over $5000. That's a half of ten grand. Their noncommercial models are maybe $1000 less, but I still can't say they are in an affordable price range. Having said that, the Sole F85 is well under $5000, to be exact it's now at $2000 with free shipping. I am mentioning the price first because at this price, I think the affordability comes first when considering a treadmill. And I think F85 is affordable without sacrificing the quality and the value compared to Lifefitness' overpriced models.

Assembling took about an hour by myself, and I did not have any issues with missing parts or mismatching joints. The assembly instruction wasn't the easiest thing to follow, but it did the job. One difficult thing in assembling was the weight. This machine is very heavy to move around, so I recommend finding the perfect spot to put this before you start assembling.

Operating was quick and easy for me since I've been using Lifefitness treadmills for a long time, but, generally, anyone can figure out the operation within a couple of minutes. All the buttons are big and responsive so it's easier to access when running fast. Both inclining and speeding was gradual but quick. Also, the safety key worked well; when I pulled it, the treadmill immediately slowed down and stopped. There are incline and speed buttons on the side bars as well, and that's kind of convenient for a quick change. Lastly and most importantly, it runs smooth.

I consider a couple of things seriously, however. A) Comfort. It is important to have enough space on the treadmill when running. F85 might be slightly smaller in width compare to Lifefitness' bigger model I am used to, but I did not feel crammed on this one either. The second to take seriously is shock absorption. I do not have strong knees and I can't run on the asphalt so it is important to have a good shock absorption system. I've been running around 3 miles/day a couple of times a week for over a month now, and I don't have any pain (yet) on my knees and feet. The final aspect to consider is the noise of the machine. I can tell Sole's F85 is quieter than Lifefitness' when under 5mph, but when I run around 6mph, I think the noise level is about same. But I do like that this machine is less noisier in low speed; this perk is particularly convenient, because often times I choose to run in low speed at night when my son is asleep, and fortunately, this machine is minimally noisy that it does not wake him up (he is quite the light sleeper).


There are some additional features I'd like to mention. The first is the cooling fan. There are two fans above the LCD screen, and it's only position adjustable (not speed). The size is quite small (like the ones in the computer box), so I didn't expect much, but actually, it was very nice to have them running while exercising. The fan speed is not too strong or weak; it just gives little breezes, but it feels different from not having one before. Another feature is the technology. This treadmill doesn't offer too much current technology such as ipod/iphone compatibility, usb port for data output, color lcd with catch animations and graphics, etc. And that's what I like about. Less technology is better on some things, I think, and this treadmill is one of them. I'm sure there's a treadmill that can support all kinds of devices and do everything wireless, but had the manufacturers put all these techie features in the F85, the price wouldn't be at this range. And it is no secret technology outdates too quickly, so I find this important. I've seen this happening on my ipod speakers and many iphone compatible accessories. I can't just change my treadmill every year. The LCD screen is not color or touch screen, and I could care less; I do not think it's necessary as well. However, there are those who would disagree. I also favor the fact that I can lift and position the deck, which can help save some room if you live in a small or apartment or simply want to make a little extra room around the machine. I find this feature pretty awesome!

There are a couple of cons. There are two deep pockets big enough for water bottles on the dash board and that works well for me. But there are other bottle holder pockets under the dash board, probably at knee height, and it's not a convenient spot to put and grab bottles while running. Another con are the speakers. I can connect my iPod (only audio input), but the speaker quality is not too good (this part of technology I do find important). I was not expecting too much, but these speakers can be better quality, considering the price of the machine.

Overall, the machine is easy to assemble and use, is affordable, and valuable (more motor power than Lifefitness' lower end model). Lastly, the quality of the machine is high; it's built in heavy steel, and is meant to last a very long time. So long as consumer takes good care of the machine, this treadmill could last years. The machine also comes with various warranties: lifetime on motor, deck, and frame, and 5 years on electronics, belt, rollers, and other small components, and 2 years on labor (this information can be found on the website). For all that is offered, this machine is perfect for anyone!

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very solid and well built, January 10, 2011

By 

Scott Miller (Laramie, WY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sole F85 Treadmill (Sports)

Overall a great product. As others have said, this is a nice heavy machine - nice in the sense that the heavier more solid machines have a better track record. We ended up needing help getting it into the basement while it was still in the box since it is kind of a beast to move around. I was able to put it together without too much difficulty; the only element that gave me trouble was the plastic cover on one of the handles (also noted by others). This is a very minor complaint since I was able to get it together in the end - it was just a bit tricky. If you are at all handy, you should be able to put this together yourself. It would help to have a helper but I put it together solo so it is not that daunting a task.

The controls are easy to operate and the machine has a very solid feel. The deck is very easy on knees - I have rather serious pain from time to time in my knees and have not experienced any on this machine yet, which makes me very happy. There is a bit of a lag in getting the speed all the way cranked up or down, but I understand that this is to provide a longer lifespan on the motor, etc. so that seems like a reasonable tradeoff. We are quite satisfied with the way it functions.

We have moved it a couple times to find the best place, and it has a simple and elegant mechanism for folding, rolling, and unfolding. Not that these machines usually get trundled all over the place, but this one is relatively easy to maneuver.