Last Updated: 4/25/2018
Founded in 1989, the fitness company Body-Solid had its start just outside of Chicago, IL. While it has outgrown its original 10,000 sq. ft warehouse, Body-Solid still has a 200,000 sq. ft distribution center and their worldwide headquarters located outside of Chicago. Body-Solid sells their fitness equipment both domestically and internationally.
Unlike many fitness brands, Body-Solid has a wide focus for their fitness equipment production, making gym systems, free weights, strength machines, and training accessories. Among its cardio offerings, Body-Solid manufactures Treadmills, exercise bikes, ellipticals, rowers, and cardio-specific accessories.
Body-Solid Treadmill Reviews – Product Line Summary
Body-Solid produces two treadmills series, their Endurance residential series treadmills and their Endurance commercial series treadmills. As far as we can tell, the only difference between these two series is the warranty length. Another quirk Treadmill Reviews found is that Body-Solid does not sell its equipment directly to its consumers, so you will have to work with an authorized dealer to enjoy any of the warranty protections offered by either the residential or commercial treadmills.
Endurance Series Reviews
The residential Endurance treadmill series offers a variety of treadmill bodies but not the best prices. As Body-Solid is not the main seller of these treadmills, they are only listed by their MSRP. This makes the prices somewhat higher than we normally expect from residential treadmills.
The Endurance treadmills range in price from $1,425 to $4,895. Considering the features and technical specifications these treadmills come with, these prices don’t match up well. While these treadmills are of decent quality, the Endurance treadmills don’t stack up well with other well-known treadmill brands.
Commercial Series Reviews
Out of the residential Endurance treadmill series, only three of these treadmills are listed as part of their commercial treadmill series. However, as far as we have been able to test, there is no functional difference between the residential Endurance treadmills and the commercial Endurance series. The only difference we discovered was the variance in warranty lengths. So, you can read the below residential reviews and simply substitute the warrant section with the light commercial warranty of 15-year frame, 3-year parts, 2-year electronics, 1-year labor, and 6-month wear items.
Our Ruling On Body-Solid Treadmills
We were not overly impressed by the Body-Solid treadmills. You have to hunt for an authorized dealer so you can have your warranty honored as well as other issues. Our main reasons for ruling against recommending the Body-Solid Endurance treadmills are:
- Expensive – Even when you check prices with one of the main dealers of their treadmills, these treadmills are expensive, especially considering that they do not offer as much as other residential and commercial treadmills. Even though the Endurance T50 can be priced at $995 by some treadmill dealers, it certainly doesn’t match up to the best treadmills under $1,000. The same goes for the other Endurance treadmills and their price categories.
- Few features – Buying an expensive treadmill is more reasonable if you are receiving top-tier fitness features. But this is not the case with Body-Solid Endurance treadmills. These treadmills have few fitness programs, limited warranties (residential and commercial), none include a wireless heart rate monitor, and even the best of these treadmills is still very basic when it comes to features. This may not be an issue for those who want a simple treadmill but SOLE treadmills are simple, powerful, and much less expensive than a Body-Solid treadmill.
- Variable quality – Three of the five Endurance series treadmills are of only decent build quality, while the T100 and T10HRC have sturdier builds. While many treadmill manufacturers have different levels of quality among their treadmills, there is not much distinction made between these treadmills, either by placing them in different series or price-wise. Also, you receive no quality upgrade when you purchase the commercial version of an Endurance treadmill, just a less generous warranty.
Due to these main reasons, we do not recommend purchasing a Body-Solid Endurance treadmill. Instead, we recommend you check out some of the top residential treadmill brands, such as NordicTrack, ProForm, and SOLE. The treadmills from these brands have been well-received by critics and consumers and many are significantly less expensive than a Body-Solid treadmill.
