Review by Matthew Corn for Sole F85 Treadmill
Rating:
*Review is for Sole S77, essentially the same machine, but not folding.*

I got my S77 about 2 months ago, and have used it constantly. It is quiet at anything under 10mph, changes speed and incline fairly quickly, and has quite a long running surface. I am 6’2″ and 250lbs, and it has no problem handling me.

There are a few things to keep in mind when looking at the S77, though.

1. The fans blow, and I don’t mean air. If you must have airflow, set a fan next to the treadmill and point it at yourself.

2. The speakers are not audiophile quality. They do, however, play music from an ipod, etc. just fine, and plenty loud. You are 15″ away from them, it doesn’t take much.

3. Hill mode is different than what I expected. It is not a bad thing, just different. On most gym treadmills, i.e. Star Trac, etc. you set a speed, and Hill mode adjusts the incline only. On the S77, you set the MAX speed, and the speed and incline are adjusted together, not always linearly. I ended up liking it better, actually.

As far as emulating normal Hill mode, it is quite easy. Set the program to Manual, choose your speed. Then, use the GIANT incline buttons to select your incline manually, changing it every so often. I am a clock watcher, so regular increments come easy for me, and I don’t mind doing this myself.

TLDR – Great treadmill. Awesome treadmill. Consider it fanless, though.

OH YEAH! Yes, the assembly was quite easy. However, have a friend available to help you lug this around. Everything is light, except for the motor/running surface, where 95% of the weight resides.

Review by M. Jackson for Sole F85 Treadmill
Rating:
I run 25-40 miles a week and have run several marathons. Living in Seattle, I struggle with training in the winter when it is dark and rainy and with a 2-year old son I find the only time I want to run is when he is sleeping. That being said, I decided to pull the trigger on a treadmill that was sturdy enough for running yet didnt break the bank (like a landice). I settled on the sole F85 after months of research and now that I have used it for 4 months I feel qualified to write a review…

First of all the thing weighs a ton (300 lbs actually) so it is worth the extra money to have it moved unless you have at least 3 strong (adult males- no offense) movers to help you. That being said, once it is set up it feels like a tank. This is a high-quality treadmill that feels every bit as sturdy as any of the treadmills I have used in a gym. It is moderately difficult to put together but not impossible and took about 45 minutes.

The ride on the deck is perfect. Not to hard and not to soft or bouncy. The controls on the arms are a must if you plan to change your speed frequently (such as when using the heart rate monitor function and included chest strap which I found to be moderately accurate. The console is great and so far I havent had any problems with the electronics as is described in some of the negative reviews.

Overall the motor, the warranty, the overall quality of this machine is top notch. The only reason I give it 4 stars is the weak little fan! Like other reviewers, it would be so easy with such a big motor on the rollers to just plug it in to make it a decent fan! Such a small thing but had to mention it and it is the ONLY thing wrong so far.

Happy running