Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)If you're taking the time to read review after review here at Amazon, take a little more and look to other sources of information on the web (like[...]) or review magazines. And definately get into a store and jump on a few. After doing plenty of reading, a couple of visits to stores, and a realistic view of what I would be doing with a treadmill I decided I needed to have a 60" deck (I'm 6'3") and could use a budget machine (more on that below). I had a hard time deciding between this treadmill (T203), Pro-Form 995, and Schwinn 860. What it came down to was this one was flat out cheapest and was available on Amazon.
If you're a serious runner or buying for one, move along. At this price level the machines just don't have the mass of a treadmill that would be comfortable for running for an hour or more or real fast. That type of mill won't fold, will weigh 300lb+, and you're talking big bucks. I'm more into walking and a nice 5-6 mph jog for 20-30 mins, and the T203 has fit the bill so far (2 whole days) setup in front of a TV. Once in a while I'll bump up the speed and stride it out, and this treadmill does fine but it can't compare to a really heavy machine for stability or oviously just running outside. The 12 mph speed this (and most) treadmill can do is ludicrous. Who runs that fast let alone indoors.
The packaging was quite efficient, not much fluff around the edges so no reason to take it out before lugging up or downstairs. The shipper brought it into my house and I got it into my basement by myself. But I've been eating my Wheaties, most folks will want help since it's about 240lbs in the box.
Setup was fine, all screws went in with no drama and took about 30 mins. At no point in the instructions does it say when to take it out of the lower half of the shipping box - it should be done first if you have a helper or as step 1.5 after raising the deck if alone. Me and my kids gave it about 30 minutes of walking and running right away. Very quiet and easy using manual settings. Then I applied the included silicone and it got even quieter. No rubbing parts, trim, etc. Incline motor is almost silent and very smooth in movements. The pre-set programs are decent, I'm not quite in the condition to run one all the way through but they are a nice template. I have no intention to use the heart rate grippers and haven't tried them but that type is notoriously inaccurate compared to on-body devices.
As I'm writing this review my Feb. 2011 consumer reports magazine showed up with treadmill reviews... The T203 isn't in there but the almost identical T202 is and rated fairly well (8th out of 25 for folding models). That bodes well for this one I think. I'd say if you're under 5'9" and under 200lbs the T202 would be a great fit and for less, the most significant difference is the 55" deck -vs- the 60" on the T203, and a year less warranty on parts. Heck if all you want to do is walk, the T101 looks to be a great deal.
Other thoughts / summary:
Pros: great value, easy setup, folds partially up, no excessive trim pieces to rub, iPod controls are easy and cup holders are handy, stable for listed use, safely changes speeds
Cons: beeps from console are too loud, can be turned on when folded (thanks kids), very spartan styling
Click Here to see more reviews about: Horizon Fitness T203 Treadmill
Take your workouts to the next level with the Horizon T203 treadmill, packed with motivating features for optimum performance. The Nike + iPod equipped machine enables you to connect your iPod and listen to your favorite workout tunes as well as charge and control your iPod directly from the console, all while saving your complete workout data. You can also set long-term fitness goals with the 31-day goal training feature and choose from 14 programming options with on-the-fly changes. The T203 features a powerful 2.75 HP continuous-duty motor for an ultra-quiet workout at any speed, up to 12 miles per hour, and an extra-large 60 running deck giving you room to move. The adjustable ComfortSELECT™ cushioning system lets you select the support that's right for you, and the COOLfit™ fitness fan keeps you cool as you walk, jog or run.
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