Running Like a Pro on my PaceMaster ProElite!
Written: Aug 11 '03 (Updated Aug 11 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sturdy, great display, comfortable deck for running, exercise doesn't hurt anymore.
Cons: Does not fold up, may be a problem for some, but isn't for us.
The Bottom Line: The PaceMaster ProElite is the most comfortable treadmill I've ever run on. I love this thing!
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| mrs-j's Full Review: ProElite |
Introduction
After three months of prepwork, construction, permits and painting, our carpet was finally installed. The home gym was complete. Now came the fun part - putting stuff in it!
Mr. J and I both run; I, rather awkwardly, he, like a marathoner. I am mostly an indoor runner. Last year, I ran almost daily on the Landice treadmill at my office in order to shed thirty pounds that I had thoughtlessly put on over the past ten years. Many things keep me from running outside: mosquitos, humidity that you can cut with a knife, cars, dogs and gnats. I like running in my climate controlled environment on a treadmill. We both like being able to run at any hour of the morning or night, no matter what the weather.
So it made sense that our first major purchase for our home gym should be a treadmill. Problem was, no matter how much I knew about running, that's how little I knew about buying a treadmill.
We first headed to one large fitness store in our area where a very clever, and somewhat pushy, salesman tried to sell us on a Nautilus treadmill. The treadmill looked great, but in the back of my mind, I didn't feel comfortable buying it because I had never seen a Nautilus treadmill outside that particular store. So we left.
I went home and did the only thing I could figure out to do: I checked Consumer Reports. Armed with the knowledge of what they liked we went out again. This time we went to another specialty fitness store, but one that was so cleverly hidden in a strangely located shopping area that it was dead empty except for the manager/salesman.
We went in and told him our needs and he recommended the PaceMaster Pro Elite.
He was a great salesman. He put the recommendation out there, let us try out the treadmill, and then sent us home without purchasing it to think about it. He provided us with a brochure and his business card. As soon as I got home I looked up the treadmill on the Internet and found the glowing reviews it got.
I was particularly interested in the Runner's World reviews. Forget Consumer Reports, I wanted to know what runners thought of this treadmill. Runner's World gave it their 2002 Best Buy award. This was impressive, as the lineup of treadmills was extensive and included some that I've even used in gyms.
We were sold. I called up Eric, the salesman the next day, to complete the sale and arrange delivery.
About PaceMaster
PaceMaster treadmills are manufactured by a company called Aerobics, Inc.. The company has been in business since 1968, after Bill Staub worked on a prototype to send to Dr. Ken Cooper, the author of a popular book back then called "Aerobics". Dr. Cooper was impressed, enough to refer his clients to Bill Staub and a business was born.
Today Aerobics, Inc. makes a single line of treadmills, the PaceMaster line. Four treadmills are in the lineup:
- ProSelect
- ProPlus II
- ProElite
- ProClub LT (Light commercial treadmill)
The ProElite is the highest end home use treadmill that they manufacture and is the one that we ended up purchasing.
Installation
We paid the fitness warehouse where we purchased the ProElite to deliver and set up the treadmill. The cost for this service was $79. It was worth it to me not to get a hernia trying to move 190 pounds of treadmill downstairs to the basement.
We also purchased a mat from the fitness warehouse which they installed under the treadmill. They put it together, set it up, and had it ready for us to use in about fifteen minutes.
Specifications of the ProElite
The PaceMaster Pro Elite has the following specifications:
Dimensions: 72"L x 30.5"W x50"H
Weight: 190 lbs
Frame: Welded aircraft grade extruded aluminum alloy with lifetime warranty
Running Surface: 20" x 58"
Drive Motor: 3.0 HP continuous duty
Motor Manufacturer: Pacific Scientific
Belt: Multi-ply, no-stretch polyester with static dispersing graphite fibers
Deck: Maintenance free custom designed medium density fiberboard with phenolic surface
Shock Absorption System: Vari-Flex adjustable system and Tri-Flex low impact cushioning system
Speed Range: .7 to 12MPH adjustable in .1MPH increments
Elevation Range: 0 - 15% Grade adjustable in .5% increments
Workout Program Options: Quick Start, Manual, 9 Variable Intensity Workouts (each with 9 levels), 4 Heart Rate Workouts, 4 Custom
User Weight Capacity: 350lbs
Power Requirements: 120 VAC 50-60hz
Warranty: Lifetime Frame, 5 years Drive Motor, 3 years Parts, 1 year Labor
Using the ProElite
So the PaceMaster ProElite is recommended by Runners World and fitness sales managers alike. How is it to run on and use?
In three words: It's a dream.
As I mentioned earlier in the review, I had spent a long period of time running on a Landice treadmill at my office. It's a no-frills treadmill and I figured if you run on one you're running on 'em all, right? Wrong. Turns out, the Landice is preferred by marathoners, because it's lack of cushioning makes it most like running on streets. It's great - If you're training for a marathon.
If you're a woman like me with bad joints and the early stages of arthritis trying to settle into your bones, it's not particularly good for you, as it would turn out. When I went into the fitness store I told the manager I wanted a treadmill with a soft enough run that I could use it for home but a hard enough deck so that when my husband trained on it he wouldn't thrash up his joints when he got back out to running on the street. (If you train on too spongy/soft a platform and then try to run on pavement, your joints just can't take it.)
He recommended this treadmill specifically because of it's "Vari-Flex" adjustable shock absorption system. At its firmest, it will be perfect for Mr. J to train for street running. At its softest, it's perfect for the cushy running surface I need ("like running on grass", Eric said). You can adjust the system with a bar on the right side of the treadmill deck.
Running on this treadmill, I felt like I could run forever. It didn't hurt my knees, and it absorbed the shock so much better than the Landice did. I hated to have to get off the first time, but Mr. J was insisting he wanted to get on.
Display
The display panel on the treadmill has two openings for water bottles, or to stash an MP3 player or television remote.
The graphics on the PaceMaster ProElite are clear and easy to read. They're not as extensive as the one I am used to at my gym, but there are no home-use treadmills that really are. Dedicated display windows show you:
- TIme
- Distance
- Calories
- Aerobic Points (a throwback to the Dr. Ken Cooper days)
- Incline
- Speed/Pace
You can also see your Program Profile, a One Lap track or a Quarter Mile track using the graphic display window in the center. I like to use the Quarter Mile track option the most. When you're wearing the wireless chest strap that comes with the treadmill, it measures your heart rate and displays that as well, along with a visual representation of where you are in your target fitness zone.
Finally, the treadmill includes a "Personal Electronic Trainer". You can customize it to plan a variety of workouts that suit your own personal fitness goals. I used to just manually walk for the first five minutes and then raise/lower the incline and run for 10 minutes, walk for three minutes, etc. Now I can program that in and I don't have to worry about paying attention to the time or my speed. The treadmill automatically does it for me.
The display is a little overwhelming at first and is not immediately intuitive. It's the kind of thing that you want to sit down with a manual and learn so that you can enjoy it to its fullest extent. The manual, by the way, is extensive and is easy and enjoyable to read. If you spend a few moments truly learning how to use this treadmill you'll love it.
Treadmill Buying Tips
It is worth noting that the PaceMaster ProElite is a running treadmill. If you are interested only in walking a number of lower-end treadmills will suit your needs. In fact, if all I wanted to do on a treadmill was walk, I would have probably gone to Sears or a local sporting goods store and picked one up for several hundred dollars, rather than spend about two thousand dollars on a running quality treadmill.
If anyone in your family plans to run, however, it is worth it to save their joints and your treadmill from damage, to buy a treadmill to accommodate their needs. Some things to look for:
- A deck that's wide enough. We selected a "medium" sized deck because of our heights. Mr. J is about 5'11" and I am shorter than he is. Neither of us has particularly long strides. Our running deck is 20" x 58". Tall people may prefer a Landice which has an extra long 60 " deck, or another longer deck.
- 2.5 - 3.0 HP motor, rated as "Continuous Horsepower". Buy a treadmill with at least a 2.5HP motor and make sure that it's rated "continuous". Lower-end manufacturers try to hide that their motors aren't continuous by giving them false ratings such as "Treadmill Horsepower" or "Treadmill Rated". The word you want is continuous.
- Don't always go by what Consumer Reports says. They're good for blenders and cars but they don't cover a full range of treadmills in their reviews. They cover what manufacturers send them. Our Consumer Reports review didn't even touch on the PaceMaster line of treadmills. If I had stuck to what CR had recommended, I wouldn't have been as happy. Check out running and fitness magazines for your treadmill recommendations. Runners World is a particularly good resource.
- Buy a known quantity: There are new treadmills on the market from new manufacturers every year. We opted to choose one that's been on the market for dozens of years in one form or another because we wanted something that we knew would last and wasn't manufactured by a fly-by-night company.
- Spend the money - It's a long term investment. Treadmills, if well maintained, can last between 10 and 12 years. Would you rather buy a shoddy treadmill 3 times in that period, or one good solid treadmill? Spend the extra money to get a high quality treadmill. Don't sell your joints, or your treadmill, short.
Summary
I love, love, LOVE this treadmill. It's like running on air and it gives me a fantastic workout without killing my joints. I can program it easily and I love that it can continuously monitor my heart rate while I'm running. I get in 30-60 minutes of heavy aerobic exercise 6-7 times a week now vs. the 2-3 times a week I was getting before. This treadmill is definitely not going to go unused.
Related Sites
PaceMaster: http://www.pacemaster.com
Runners World: http://www.runnersworld.com
Runners World 2002 Buying Guide: http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1300,1-52-72-4058,00.html
Recommended:
Yes
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mrs-j
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