Customer Reviews

Sole S77 Treadmill (2009-2010 Model, DISCONTINUED)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I got my S77 about 2 months ago, and have used it constantly. It is quiet at anything under 10mph, changes speed and incline fairly quickly, and has quite a long running surface. I am 6'2" and 250lbs, and it has no problem handling me.

There are a few things to keep in mind when looking at the S77, though.

1. The fans blow, and I don't mean air. If you must have airflow, set a fan next to the treadmill and point it at yourself.

2. The speakers are not audiophile quality. They do, however, play music from an ipod, etc. just fine, and plenty loud. You are 15" away from them, it doesn't take much.

3. Hill mode is different than what I expected. It is not a bad thing, just different. On most gym treadmills, i.e. Star Trac, etc. you set a speed, and Hill mode adjusts the incline only. On the S77, you set the MAX speed, and the speed and incline are adjusted together, not always linearly. I ended up liking it better, actually.

As far as emulating normal Hill mode, it is quite easy. Set the program to Manual, choose your speed. Then, use the GIANT incline buttons to select your incline manually, changing it every so often. I am a clock watcher, so regular increments come easy for me, and I don't mind doing this myself.



TLDR - Great treadmill. Awesome treadmill. Consider it fanless, though.

OH YEAH! Yes, the assembly was quite easy. However, have a friend available to help you lug this around. Everything is light, except for the motor/running surface, where 95% of the weight resides.

Overall, this is a great product.

I'm glad I went with one of their larger models. The shorter running deck would have been a disappointment.

They deliver these things through one of those trucking services that just drop the box at the front door, and then you sign for it. (I was fortunate that the delivery guy helped me get it inside, but they are not required to do that. This is important because the box is HEAVY... no way one person could move it inside.)

Set up was very easy... someone has really thought this out.

The build quality for a home system, at this price, is very good. Don't expect a trend mill that you saw at the Four Seasons or the Ritz Carlton.

The speakers are pretty lame, but do the job for Podcasts, and Audiobooks. Music doesn't sound so good, but again, it's tolerable.

After much research, and for the price, I'm glad I ended up with the Sole S77.

Btw, I opted for this vs. a folding treadmill. After all, there's not much need for a folding treadmill. It's not like your space looks BETTER when you fold it up. And if you need to vacuum under it, it's easy to move.

I reviewed several treadmills in the $1500 - $3000 range and felt the Sole S77 at $1899 was the best solution for my needs. I weigh 190 pounds and run 5 to 7 miles five times per week on this treadmill. My wife and daughter also use the treadmill for walking and occassional runs.

We've only had the treadmill for 4 months but already have 800 miles logged on it. I have no complaints and think it's a solid performer... very sturdy deck, smooth tread, easy to use panel.

Two 'negative' comments about the S77... 1) as many already pointed out, the Sole treadmills are heavy and require two people. The driver brought it into my garage and from there (with my wife's help) I used my handtruck to move it into the basement where I have our exercise rooom. 2) The 'cooling' fans are useless. But I didn't buy it for the fans, so I don't care. The exercise room I finished already has ceiling fans, along with a floor standing model. So we have plenty of air flow.

The treadmill is right next to our Sole elliptical which we've had for 2 1/2 years (primarily used by my wife and daughter). This was another reason why I bought the treadmill from Sole because the elliptical is built the same way. Great machines that I know will last my family for many years.

I'm an Amazon.com review reading addict. Even if I'm looking for a product which I don't intend to purchase on amazon, I'll spend hours (the higher the price, the more hours) perusing reviews and finding something that meets my needs. My search for a treadmill began in mid-November of 2009. I waffled for about a month (should I buy a treadmill? maybe I'll just continue my gym membership... what if it breaks down? do I really have room for it? no, I want a treadmill... you get the idea) and finally, in the spirit of the upcoming new year's resolution, after countless hours of reading about treadmills (more than I care to admit) I decided on this model. Plus, I reasoned with myself that if I made the investment and forked out the nearly $2,000 on a treadmill that I'd guilt myself into running, even if I didn't want to. So far, so good. :)

Why this one? Well, it was a little pricier than I intended to pay at first, but I'm glad I did. This is a high quality treadmill. I've been running on it for the past five months and it feels like the first day I ran on it. I'm impressed with the warranty (the lifetime guarantee on the motor can't be beat) and the overall solid construction of the unit. Yes, when it's shipped, the box it's in looks like it had been through WWIII, but the treadmill was in pristine condition. It was easy to set up - I take that back... it was easy for my husband to set up. I was busy watching Oprah. :) He had it up and running in a matter of an hour with little to no help from me.

Since then I've started training for the Chicago marathon and this treadmill is one of my favorite training partners. I've been on it on average for about an hour 5-6 days a week and have had no issues. As for the fans... I'm a sweater. No, not a finely knit top... a person who sweats profusely with even the smallest amount of exertion. Shockingly, the two small fans, though tiny and rather week, have been more than adequate to keep me cool.

I could go on and on about this treadmill but I'll stop here. If you're looking for a quality treadmill to run on with any frequency, I wouldn't recommend looking at treadmills at price points below this one. If you're not looking to spend a fortune but want something to last you at least a few years and you realize how much of a waste fancy screens and training programs are, you've found what you're looking for.

I bought this treadmill based on good reviews. My last one died after about 5 years and was junk from day one. It was a $1000 Ironman Triad (they went under btw).Listen if you want a good treadmill you need to spend money. Why? You need a lot of steel to make it stable. Period. I wanted a non-folding one because they are structurally far more stable design wise. I also think a folding treadmill is a kind of stupid idea unless you really need the space. This treadmill has lived up to its ego so far, but I just thought it would be a little beefier. Shipping was good. The delivery person whined a little, but I got him to deliver it in my basement (tipped him heavily for it because he deserved it). Amazon price was the best too (not tax!). Assembly was easy and nothing was missing. The only problem was a small plastic tab had not be broken off (part of the plastic forming process) so I broken it off with a pair of pliers. The steel cross brace under the console really strengthens the frame a lot. I also have no static electricity issues with this treadmill (would get shocked when touched the handles). This unit the rollers are grounded. Only major neg is that it is made in China.

I researched many treadmills before making this purchase. I have owned this treadmill for about 1 month now and love it. It's better than I expected (thank goodness since it is expensive). I am a runner so I wanted a sturdy treadmill that I could run on (approximately 6-7 miles/day). I'm tall (female-5'10") and the length of the belt is more than adequate for me. I did not buy this treadmill for the fan and speaker system; however, after reading the reviews, they're better than I thought. The fan is just fine to blow a little coolness, but if you really want a fan, just put a larger one in the room. The speakers were just fine on mine but I normally turn on my tv and crank that up. The heart rate monitor doesn't seem to be too reliable; but again, I didn't buy it for that feature. I bought it for the durability for a runner and am more than pleased with this treadmill. It was easy to put together and I highly recommend it.

Purchased the Sole S77 treadmill after a great deal of research. Topping the line up at the Treadmill Doctor in its price range flagged this model for further research. Went round a friends house who has a smooth fitness treadmill to test, which is the other brand I was considering, in particular the smooth 9.35HR, comparable price. Remember if you are a serious runner (the wife and I are training for our 4th Marathon) and need a treadmill to RUN on you need the most solid beefiest deck and most power you can get your hands on for your budget. The Sole S77 has a bigger continuous horse power motor than the smooth 9.35HR, bigger roller size 2.75 inches compared to 2.5, longer running deck 20x60 vs 20x54. This all adds to a more stable machine.

My wife was originally interested in the hydra suspension system on the smooth, however after reading a review where it can only be used in a flat position the gimmick seems just another gimmick and in my eyes the more traditional the treadmill is the more it will provide a good running experience. Used a precor at the gym prior to this treadmill, Sole definitely feels faster at the same speed, I seem to remember this from running on a sole in a hotel gym once, and this is also true with the True brand of treadmills (which were too expensive for our price range).

This baby was delivered on a pallet on my gravel drive, let me tell you that I had to summon the power from the bowels of a norse God to get this into my house single handed. I weigh 155 and I am 5.6' so I am not a big fellow, however, after removing everything other than the deck from the box, I was able to (barely) lift and slide the deck onto a hand truck to roll to my front door, then once in the door, slid the boxed deck across the carpet to its final destination. I must say I do have a sense of accomplishment getting this bugger in my house solo.

So far a solid performer, heart rate strap works well, will take a little getting used to the faster speed, hopefully this will help me PR my next Marathon (9 weeks).

Definitely recommend this treadmill,if you are a serious runner you cannot beat the price under 2 grand for a treadmill you can run on and run hard.

UPDATE May 5th 2011

600 miles later, great treadmill, solid under foot, you can feel comfortable logging extra miles for your marathon training on this (as I do), read the reviews on the 2011 model, many people seemed to have issues, not sure how different the machine is to have such widely differing reviews, could be be couch potato error. However, if you can pick this discontinued model up for a steal, then do so, you will not be sorry. If your a serious runner, this machine for the dollar is THE way to go.

We received the treadmill just before Christmas (2009), as promised by Amazon, and it has worked like a charm. It was easy to assemble, which I really appreciated. Our daughter and son-in-law have moved in with us since they have gone back to school. With 4 adults in the house giving it a heavy workout, it's really been put to the test and, at least so far, has met the challenge. Where the manufacturer has failed is in the complete omission of a user's guide. Too often we stumble onto some of its best features. It's a great value and deserves a decent guide.

This treadmill truly is as sturdy as claimed. The track is wide and long enough that I can walk with my dog on it and it holds up to a run at an incline. It was a snap to set up, but is understandably really, really heavy and terribly awkward to move the base to its permanent location. Operation is intuitive for those of us who don't get around to reading the manual. The fans are cute and okay if you're not sweating, which is to say that you should buy a real fan for a real workout. I did a lot of shopping before choosing the Sole about seven months ago and this is the best equipment for the price.

At eight months pregnant, I'm enjoying the convenience of using this treadmill in my home. Because I haven't jogged on it too much and because jogging is uncomfortable for me right now in general, I can only speak about it in terms of using it for uphill walking. It's sturdy, easy to use and has all the basic functions that you'd expect. I have it on a solid PVC-type floor and still opted to buy a treadmill mat to put underneath it. It helps keep the treadmill feeling sturdy, and helps with shock absorption. For the price, it's a very good treadmill.