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I love this machine. It has a great warranty and my family uses it daily. We were so lucky to order in time to get the new 2009 model. The addition of an accessory rack and changes in the console make it well worth the buy.Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.

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We like this treadmill. However, when it arrived we had to put it together. It seemed easy enough, but there are wires going in one of the handles that are tough to get in without pinching them. Well we got it together and the belt did not work. So we called SOLE and someone finally got out to us in 2 1/2 weeks. It turned out we went through one of the wires with a screw when trying to put the handle together. The tech said this is the big flaw with SOLE treadmills, it happens a lot.Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.

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This is a very robust design. It looks like the frame could support a small car. It's rock solid - like the treadmills you use in the health clubs - except you don't have to wait to use this one. I've had zero problems with it. The drive system, lift system, and electronics work perfectly. It's very quiet and easy to use.Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.

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This thing is solid. I'm very happy with it. We've put over 150 miles on it since X-mas and have only one small complaint, the heart rate monitor sometimes cuts out during your workout but a little water on the chest strap contacts usually does the trick.

I was also concerned that the tread length might be too short but it is more that adequate for me running at full pace (I'm 5'-10" tall).

Very solid, stable, quiet and comfortable to run on, as good as the ones we used to run on at Bally's. You won't be disappointed with this one.Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.

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After a lot of research I decided on this particular model from Sole Fitness. It's rated as a best buy by several websites and I was not disappointed! We had a few problems with the shipping but Sole did not ask any questions and just sent the replacement parts we needed. Customer service was very responsive and fast. I had doubts originally because I am not a small man (250 Ibs) and while we do not use it every single day it does get used 3-4 days a week by me and my wife. It is built solid and sturdy. The display has all the functions and programs we need. Honestly, I don't know why people want a super fancy display or even a tv on their treadmill. It's a treadmill, not an entertainment center! I can say I would definitely recommend Sole Fitness to friends and family and strangers.Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.

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Purchased the Sole F80 2009 model for Christmas. Arrived in good shape and was not hard to assemble. My son has been running everyday, me about 3 times a week and wife several times a week. It has been easy on the joints, is quite in operation an so far working great.Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.

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Amazon delivered this via Ceva and they were very polite, driver was also nice he wheeled it into our garage. Very satisfied with the machine. Very quiet and smooth operation, couldn't really imagine one being much better for 1000's more. Yes you have to put it together but it was easy. Hardest part was getting it from the garage to the room inside the house. All in all a good buy.Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.

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I owned a Bowflex Series 7 Treadmill for a couple of years. It was repaired several times after suffering mechanical and electrical problems, but never again ran properly. After disappointing customer service with Bowflex (Nautilus), I replaced it with a Sole F80. When comparing my ownership experience with both treadmills, I recommend the Sole F80.

Bowflex Series 7:
a. 20x60 running surface (better for tall runners)
b. 3.0 hp motor gets belt to full speed in about 2-3 sec
c. no countdown before belt begins to move
d. stylish console, but not as easy to use
e. no speed or incline controls on handles (only on console)
f. metallic handrails (causes static electricity shock)
g. must tip/lean treadmill backwards to move (dangerous!)
h. warranty: 10 yrs motor, 2 yrs electronics, only 1 year labor

Sole F80:
a. 20x55 running surface (good for most people)
b. 3.0 hp motor gets belt to full speed in about 6-8 sec
c. 3 sec countdown before belt begins to move
d. console not stylish, but functional and easy to use
e. speed and incline controls located on handles AND on console
f. hand rails covered with rubber compound for better grip
g. treadmill slides along ground without tipping or leaning
h. warranty: lifetime on motor, 5 yrs electronics, 2 years labor

Delivery of large box is supposed to be made inside front door or garage. Both times, I gave the delivery person a generous "tip" for their prompt delivery service, and both times the treadmill was generously brought down into my basement. Delivery drivers were quite pleasant both times.

Assembly for both treadmills was relatively easy and both treadmills took just under 2 hours to assemble (screwing in hand rails on BOTH treadmills can be tricky-need to make sure you don't puncture and/or pinch console wires!). All necessary tools were supplied for both.

The Bowflex Series 7 and Sole F80 both have powerful and quiet 3.0 hp motors.

The decks on both feel about the same when running/walking on them. Neither deck is "whisper quiet" when running on it. To me, the deck of the Bowflex Series 7 was slightly louder (a problem that became progressively worse during my ownership of the Bowflex Series 7). If you're a taller runner (over 6 feet tall) or run with a long stride, then the F80's deck may be a little too short for you (or course, Sole makes a longer treadmill for a few hundred dollars more). But for most of us who walk/jog/run on a treadmill, the Sole F80 is a very good size and fit.

I can see why hotels use the Sole F80 treadmill. First of all, the F80 has a much better warranty (about double of what Bowflex offers). Also, from a safety or "hotel liability" standpoint, the Sole F80's has better user-friendly features such as: (a) 3 sec countdown before belt begins to move (avoids surprises/injuries); (b) belt takes 6-8 sec to get to full speed (avoids surprises/injuries); (c) easy grip handles with rubber compound (remember: most people grab the handles when they get into trouble!); (d) speed/incline controls on console AND handles (really easy to use controls on handles when running or walking); and (e) no need to tip or lean treadmill backwards when moving (easy on your back, plus treadmill won't fall on you).

Had I done my homework the first time, I would have initially bought the Sole F80 instead of the Bowflex Series 7. Although the Bowflex Series 7 was highly recommended, it did not hold up well over time. If you are considering a folding treadmill for under $1,500.00, you should consider the Sole F80.

Good product. Great value. Great warranty. Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.

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i had been looking at a certain big name "incline trainer" endorsed by a "biggest loser" celebrity trainer. that machine inclines up to 40% grade. i know incline work can loosen up my lower back. ordering it from the company's website was easy, of course.
then i began to read reviews, and most of the complaints i found were about that company's customer service, and the difficulty people were having getting replacements for defective consoles, missing screws, etc. i called my local sears and had no better luck getting help from them.
so i called my local DICK'S and they said they sold SOLE machines. i quickly went online, and all the reviews i found were VERY encouraging. the warranty was VASTLY better. the parts and components were touted as INDUSTRIAL GRADE, the reputation was that SOLE serviced hilton and omni hotels around the world.
we went directly to DICK'S and did not stop at sears for comparison. the rep told us 3 days turnaround time if anything was defective, and that he or one of his coworkers would come to the house if we managed to assemble it wrong. we bought one, muscled it home and inside, ourselves, and assembled it no problem at all. tools, screws, extra lube, etc. everything comes with it. it WAS HEAVY getting it in the s.u.v. and in the house while still in the box. now that i've seen the parts, i'd say open it and carry the parts in separately. this machine is a beauty for the price and we're SO glad we got it. the 15% incline is PLENTY. my eyes were bigger than my stomach and i originally got sucked in by the other company's marketing and "name." i don't think i really need 40% incline.

let me tell you the story what a nightmare it's been trying to get that other company to CANCEL the "incline trainer" i ordered. i've been e-mailing and calling for days now, trying to STOP the shipping, get my visa CREDITED, and get some straight confirmation. instead, they've SHIPPED the machine, after three different guys told me it was cancelled, they tell me they COULD turn the truck around UNLESS i wanted to HAGGLE, (they offered to absorb the shipping and give me 50 bucks off) HA!!! NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!.....just CANCEL THE ORDER, and CREDIT MY VISA CARD.
what a bunch of sleazy marketing yo-yos! maybe that company had their values in place back in the day when they invented the original ski machine, but now they've got "slickies" on the phone who make pseudo promises they never intend to keep. good luck if you buy from them, and i hope you're not in a hurry to get going on your program. what a flimsy operation; i have to assume their machine ain't the quality of our new SOLE, by any stretch.
get the SOLE. the F80 will take anything average folks can dish out. the F85 is for serious triatheletes/marathoners. the warranty is bombproof. the machine is simple, nice looking, and built like a tank. no worries, SOLE can be trusted.Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.

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I love my F80. I ordered it actually from Dick's Sporting Goods after going to see it in the store and thought it was pretty sturdy and small. The price and shipping deal was the same as Amazon's. In any case, it was delivered today. I assembled it myself. It took about 1.5 hours, but wasn't too bad. Instructions aren't super clear, but clear enough. I turned it on and ran my usual hour. It's smooth, quiet, stable, easy to use, speeds up nicely, inclines well. I could hear the TV well. I had a great little workout. It folds nicely and as an added bonus rolls on wheels when fully folded so I can tuck into the corner of the room, no problem! By the by, I'm 5'2", female, and in my late 30's. I'm planning on running on it everyday at least 5 miles. I consider this investment in my health well worth it.Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.

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We've had this treadmill for several months and it gets regular weekly use. First off, it's heavy...which we like because the heft lends the treadmill stability, an important quality when running; the treadmill doesn't shift or move around due to the pounding it receives. However, the treadmill IS easy to move around (when you WANT to move it); the running deck easily folds up and then you can position it without fuss using the wheels underneath. We VERY much like this feature! Its weight is also due to its solid construction. This machine doesn't seem to have many flimsy, plastic parts. It was fairly easy to put together and a nice feature is the audio speaker setup that comes with the treadmill. With the supplied cable, you can easily hook up an iPod and the output is very decent. Why not five stars? My wife mentioned that she would like a number pad so that a person can just enter, numerically, what speed they would like to run rather than pushing the, "faster," button multiple times to set your desired speed. It's not a deal-breaking factor; just for information purposes only. Overall, it's a good addition to our home gym. Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.

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I just finished my first week with my Sole F80 and I'm still sure I bought the best treadmill for the price. I had been looking at treadmills in the $700-up price range since I saw a Nordic Track in [...]. I'm 6ft and 360lbs so I quickly decided I needed something most industrial than what you get at the sub $1000 range. Also my only other experience with tread mills has been full blown gym units so I'm probably a little more bias towards spending the money for a machine closer to what I've used previously.

I read a lot of review but only really looked at the Sole F63 and F80. Honestly I really had a hard time spending the extra $500 on the F80. With some of the occasional horror stories out there I was tempted to get the F63 and an second party extended warranty, just to cover the bases. I was lucky enough to be able to see the machines in person as a Dick's Sporting goods. The pictures and product description just don't convey how much more substantial the F80 is. The F80 has the higher weight rating and much longer warranty on parts than the F63 for a reason.
So I ordered the F80, I didn't go look up exactly how many days it took but it was timely, about 10 days from order to delivery. For west coast people, mine shipped out of a Reno, NV. warehouse and the delivery company called me on a Wednesday and gave me a two hour window for that Friday (9-11am) and they were there at 9:00 sharp. If you take away only one thing from this review, let it be this: HAVE HELP UNLOADING! Even if they bring a truck with a lift gate, this thing weights in around 300 lbs in the box and it's BIG. It's packaged pretty well but you WILL damage it trying to manhandle it into the house.

Assembly was pretty straight forward. In fact the hardest part of the process is the plastic covers. One of the reviews I read stated they accidentally cut some of the wiring with a screw for the covers near the hand grips. This is VERY easy to do if you aren't paying extra attention. If you're not too worried about it looking pretty, heck just toss the covers in the closet.

I try and use the beast an hour a day, the stock programs are 20 minutes so I mix and match the fatburn, cardio, and interval programs to make up my hour. More me personally this just breaks things up and time seem to pass faster then a single 60 min program.

Good stuff:
I love the wireless heart monitor. When I was comparing the F63 to the F80 I don't really care that the F80 had the monitor, now I can't imagine not having it. Was shocked that it fit my 3x torso without issue.
It can take as much punishment as I can endure. The interval program includes 4 mph peaks at 6-7-8 inclines. Does it move, sure it does, but I don't have a second thought about whether it's stable and concentrate on what I need to do.
Other stuff:
The fans are...well...."subtle", they are fine for me but if you are expecting something to blow your hair back, you're going to need something else.

Speakers... I'm kind of a music person so I've WAY over critical, they play music, and it's nice they included a cable. I used them for about 30 seconds and then fired up my home system.

In another review someone complained that you can't change the time remaining on a workout once you start it. This seems to be true and it is something I was able to do on the gym machines I used. Not really that big a deal, you can adjust the time of a program before you start it and stopping one program and starting another takes about 5 seconds and 3 seconds of that is the 3-2-1 countdown on the start.

I also didn't think I would be folding up the machine very much. I ended up leaving the treadmill in a front room for awhile until I decide it's final home so I fold it every time I use it. VERY handy even it you're just going to fold it up and not move it. Rolls ok when folded, just bare in mind the 265 pound weight.

To sum it up, the F80 works, looks and feels like a home version of the expensive machines at the gym, not the bigger brother of a cheap machine you'd buy at the fitness version of best buy. Get one..

*** Update 20 August 2009 ***

I didn't really get in the groove of daly use until about the beginning of July. Since then I've put 130+ hard charging miles on my F80. I've also had to disassemble it so I could move it into a different room in the house (just wouldn't make the turn down a hallway). I'm now 30 lbs lighter and still love my F80. I've been giving it a pounding, typically doing 60-70 minutes (time to get to 1000 Calories). with a manual program of 3.0 mph @ 8 deg or I use the autopilot with a 135 heart rate. The A/P is a little evil. It seems to discover I have a harder time with higher speeds compared to more incline and it slowly transitions from my normal workout to something like 0-4 degrees at speeds between 3.0-4.0 mph when it needs to raise my heart rate.

All the good stuff I mentioned previously is still just as good today. The wireless heart monitor and being able to fold it up are still my two favorite features that I use. More a "wish list" than cons, here are a few new thoughts:

- able to change the time of a program on the fly

- a way to change speed/incline in more than 0.1 increments. There are the 2-12 buttons but I always seem to be beween them. I was thinking it would be nice if the buttons on the console did 0.5 increments and the buttons on the arms did 0.1

- a little bigger feet on the rear. The feet make a pretty good indentation in the carpet which you can see all the time since its folded up. Not a big deal to put something else on the floor to stop this, but as long as I'm wishing....

- In it's new location the front and left sides of the F80 are very close to the wall. It works great here but the heat from the motor has nowhere to go but straight up the wall to where the fans are. This makes the air temperature blowing out noticably hotter. Again not really the F80's fault. I didn't have this problem before when it wasn't close to any walls. Just something to keep in mind if you're going to try and put this in a small space. I just leave the fans off and turn on the ceiling fan in the room.
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Like everyone suggests, this is a decent machine. It does, however, have faults:

1. Trim construction is patchy. On self-assembly you will find a number of holes don't quite line up and you have to coax them into alignment. Have seen better mass production on Ikea furniture.

2. User manual is slight. Lots of built-in programs on this machine, not a word from the user manual on what they do. Sure, 'cardio' and 'hill' on the buttons give you an idea of what they'll be like, but why should I be guessing how far/fast/inclined I'll be going before pressing them?

3. Fans are useless, like a puff from an asthmatic. Plus they only swivel in one direction (not the one you are running in)

4. Speakers are poor, forget them.

$1500 may not be top money for a treadmill, but hey, that's still $1500 for a 3hp motor with a plastic belt and some pretty lights on. The above issues COULD be corrected with more attention to detail.Get more detail about Sole F80 Treadmill.