Bowflex Treadclimber TC5000 Cardio Machine (Discontinued)
- Reviewed On: December 01, 2011
- Reviewed By: David Hu
MSRP: $1300, Price As Reviewed: $1300, Model Year: 2007
Where To Buy : See Our Best Buy Section
We have discontinued our coverage of this model as of December 1st, 2011. Please visit our Best Buy Section or visit our home page to see our latest reviews.
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Bowflex Treadclimber TC5000 Cardio Machine
Summary of What The Experts Say
Like all the treadclimbers out there, experts believe the Bowflex Treadclimber TC5000 is another over hyped, cleverly marketed cardio machine. One expert said that you should basically check your sanity if you're considering buying this at the normal retail price. Like all the treadclimbers, the complexity of the design has experts questioning its durability.
Summary of What The Users Say
The two main complaints users had with the unit were missing parts and difficult assembly. There are A LOT of users who got their treadclimber delivered without all the parts and thus had to call tech support to send new parts. Some gave up assembling after all the hassle. Others were able to get the machine up and running but some of those users reported cases of the machine making noises it shouldn't be making. Common to both the TC1000 and TC3000, the Bowflex Treadclimber TC5000 also received complaints that it may not be challenging for the athletically gifted and changing the resistance settings required the user to getting off the machine which is highly inconvenient. Despite all this, many users are happy with the treadclimber after they got it working.
What You Should Do
If you hope over to Overstock.com, you may find a lot of refurbished units on sale. These units go for about half price off retail which have tempted many buyers. If you are buying these refurbished machines for $500 less, you are essentially taking an even bigger gamble with the problem prone treadclimber even if you are getting it at a discount. This is because refurbished units don’t come with the same warranty as a new unit. With the TC1000 and TC3000 having breakdown issues, you could be setting yourself for one big headache/disappointment if you get a TC5000 without the warranty.
Judging from specs, the TC5000 is superior to the TC3000 and there isn’t a huge price gap as well. Of course, you have a fairly good chance of running into problems with either version.
Verdict: If you are a beginner athlete and you can actually get the machine set up and working and buying the TC5000 is enough motivation for you to develop a regular cardio routine, this might not be a bad deal. What would be better is getting beyond the hype of the brilliantly marketed treadclimber, and get a proven treadmill or elliptical instead. If you are an intermediate or advanced athlete but you don't like running or if running hurts your knees or joints, you are better off getting an elliptical which provides an excellent workout without hurting your joints. You should also read the TC1000 and TC3000 reviews on this site to get a sense of what other problems could pop up for treadclimbers.
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