I’ve been asked to compare the three machines in the Bowflex treadmill series. To make this easy to understand I will compare the 5 series with the 7 series. I will then compare the 3 series to the 5 and hopefully you will be able to make an informed decision.
Bowflex is owned by Nautilus, Inc. The retail price of the 7 is $1,999. The retail price of the 5 is $1,800 but you can get it for several hundred dollars less. The 7 is selling for about $1500; the 5 for about $1200.
Surprisingly the 5 weighs a lot more than the 7 coming in at about 250 pounds versus about 185 pounds. They both fold with the SoftDrop technology. I folded both and it was easy. After I folded it I just pushed on it a little and the deck went gliding to the floor softly.
They both measure 83 inches long by 35 inches high by 55 inches high (approximately) which is a fairly standard size.
You will get a good warranty on these machines. You’ll get 15 years for the frame; 10 years for the motor; 2 years for the parts and electronics and 1 year for labor.
The maximum weight user of these models has had me working! When I wrote the review of the 7 I was told that there was no maximum user weight. I could not find one in any material. I called Bowflex and was told that on the 7 the warranty is good as long as someone over 300 pounds doesn’t use it. So though they don’t say there is a maximum user weight essentially there is. I have no idea how that is enforced. In any case the 5 does have a maximum user weight which is 275 pounds. So there isn’t a whole lot of difference and given that the 5 is heavier I would think it might handle a heavier weight but it doesn’t.
Having said all this while looking around I found a site that told me the 7 had a maximum user weight of 400 and the 5 300. That would make quite a difference. Again I called the company. I was told very nicely that the 7 is 300 and the 5 is 275. I figured I might as well ask about the 3. I was transferred and told that they all have about the same maximum weight. I was told that as long as the person weighs under 300 pounds the machines will be fine. So that's that.
The belts are the same coming in at 60 inches long by 20 inches wide. I am more concerned with the length because I don’t like hitting the front of treadmills. This is a nice long surface. Twenty inches is good. You don’t want anything less than 17 inches wide.
I found the deck on the 5 treadmill to feel firm when I stepped and soft when I landed. I don’t run but I do walk. My feet hurt me in general so a comfortable deck is crucial for me. I found this system very nice. Both machines had the same absorption systems.
You’ll get a 2.5 horsepower motor on the 5; 3.0 on the 7. 2.5 is very adequate so I wouldn’t nix this machine because of it. It made no difference in my use of it.
The 5 was quiet and I found it to be a well built machine. I thought the 7 to be sturdy. I found the 5 very sturdy as well. Since it is a heavier machine perhaps it is sturdier. The machines were together so I could test that out. The machines were great. They both felt stable and sturdy.
A difference that might matter is that the 5 had grip sensors in the handlebars while the 7 had grip sensors and a chest strap. However you can buy a hear rate monitor for $60.00 so again I wouldn’t nix the 5 because of the lack of chest strap A chest strap allows the user to track their heart rate without having to take your hands off the side rails or put them on the sensors.
They both had two integrated water bottle, cell phone, key holders and a magazine rack.
The console:
Both models had a fan with three speeds- low, medium and high. The console showed me my time, calories, calories per hour, distance, pace, segment time, incline and heart rate. (Segment Time showed the remaining time in the program I was using.) The consoles were identical except the 7 was really pretty because the LCD windows were backlit in blue.
These machines had one of my favorite features- quick keys.
QuickSpeed allowed me to increase my speed or decrease it immediately. I don’t have to push the incline or decline button for each tenth of a mile per hour faster that I want to walk or for each level of incline I want to walk. If I am walking at 3 miles an hour and want to go to 4 rather than pressing the up arrow, which is what is usually done, I just pressed 4 and it immediately jumped to 4. The keys were on each side of the console. The QuickIncline keys did the same but for the level of incline I wanted.
They both went from .5 to 11 mph and inclines from 0 to 12% - enough for just about anyone.
The 5 had 12 workout programs The 7 had 15. The 12 included running, speed interval, hill interval, calorie goal, distance goal and a fat burn calculation, which the 7 had as well. I found these programs easy to use and the displays really clear.
I’ll summarize:
I love both machines but unless you have to have a chest strap or a lighter machine I would buy the 5 which will be less expensive. The warranties are the same, the belts are the same, and the dimensions are the same.
The differences are no chest strap on the 5, slightly less horsepower, fewer programs and it is heavier.
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