The platform of my treadmill cracked. It's about a foot long crack, running length wise, right in the middle. I've been running barefoot on the treadmill since I got it December 2009.
Here are the stats to my two previous treadmills:
The belt to Treadmill #1 became loose, and I was not able to tighten it. I don't think I'll run barefoot on my next treadmill.
Books I Have Read
Last Race: Portland Maine Half Marathon October 5 2014
not bad for mile 25
How is barefooting causing it?
I do not have proof barefoot running caused the treadmill to crack. However, I do not want to risk having the same thing happening to my next one. My wife commented the sound of bare feet on a treadmill sounds much more “violent” then sneakers.
Half Fanatic #846
OK - the proof is that I, too, broke my ProForm treadmill platform while running barefoot on it a few months ago, although the crack on mine went from one side to the other rather than lengthwise.
The last time I had it serviced the guy said the motor was about to go, so a new motor + platform replacement is too much $$$ to fix an older TM. Besides, in my case I had become too reliant on the TM - not running outside much. Now my feet can enjoy the wonderful surfaces outside.
"I don't always roll a joint, but when I do, it's usually my ankle" - unk. "Frankly autocorrect, I'm getting a bit tired of your shirt". I ran half my last race on my left foot!
Or... get a different treadmill.
Is it just me or does 2,400 miles NOT seem like a long lifespan for a treadmill. For me that would mean buying a new treadmill every 14 months or so, for some other people that would be every eyar. Did you have a warranty?
Because 951 miles definitely seems wrong to me.
Or... get a different treadmill. Is it just me or does 2,400 miles NOT seem like a long lifespan for a treadmill. For me that would mean buying a new treadmill every 14 months or so, for some other people that would be every eyar. Did you have a warranty? Because 951 miles definitely seems wrong to me.
I have thought about getting a better one, but have a hard time justifying the money. The first treadmill went around 2,400 miles, and lasted five years. I run outside a lot more than inside (treadmill.) How much does a nice treadmill cost? Aren't they more than $2,000? The Sears Proform cost around $700. I assume I can get five years out of them by only using them during bad weather, and I guess not run barefoot on it. It's hard to justify a $2,000 purchase. I can almost buy three proform treadmills for that, and I think they would last 15 years.
The treadmill I put 951 mile on was my wife's. She wasn't using it when the belt on the treadmill I was using could not be tightened. We decided I would use her treadmill instead of buying a new one. She got it three or four years ago, so I think the warranty expired. She walked on it for a year or so, but it was sitting idle when I started using it.
Barefoot and happy
If running barefoot is so much harder on the treadmill, it would also be so much harder on you. Newton's 3rd law.
Odds are you would be hurting way before you managed to break the treadmill, if that was really the cause. I'm highly skeptical.
If running barefoot is so much harder on the treadmill, it would also be so much harder on you. Newton's 3rd law. Odds are you would be hurting way before you managed to break the treadmill, if that was really the cause. I'm highly skeptical.
You have a very good point there.
I say, join a gym and see how many of their treadmills you can break.
Killer of Beers
More than likely, they started making them cheaper. Barefoot running didn't break it, short term profits did. Imagine if that was in a gym. They might get a few weeks out of it before they hit 1,000 miles. There would also probably be some really big people on there. Try a different brand. Go to costco, they're great about returns.
A quick google search for "proform treadmill crack" brings up a lot of hits. http://www.google.com/search?q=proform+treadmill+crack
There's a treadmill at my work I'm sizing up
More than likely, they started making them cheaper. Barefoot running didn't break it, short term profits did. Imagine if that was in a gym. They might get a few weeks out of it before they hit 1,000 miles. There would also probably be some really big people on there. Try a different brand. Go to costco, they're great about returns. A quick google search for "proform treadmill crack" brings up a lot of hits. http://www.google.com/search?q=proform+treadmill+crack
Good idea to google, thanks. This was an interesting one -
http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/index.jsp?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3AShoes+and+StuffForum%3A974106038Discussion%3A7401053003
I fly.
I have an older Proform and when I had it serviced last year I was told that at some point they stopped making them "as good as mine is". That might explain why your second one died so much quicker than your first. Sears replaced the tread, the motor, the thing that moves the tread and the motherboard in mine for $200 ($100 for the service call, $100 for the repair contract for 12 months). Since I got the thing for free from my sister-in-law 6 years ago, I'm pretty pleased with it.
That being said, in 12 months I'm buying a new treadmill since this one will be 10 years old.
Bring it on.
That is interesting information. Very disappointing, but unfortunately not surprising. Hopefully Sears will do an about face and start making them with better quality parts again.