Bowflex Series 5 Treadmill Review and Price Comparison

Weight: 249lbs / 113kg
Weight Capacity: 275lbs / 125kg
Motor: 2.5CHP
Belt Length: 60
Belt Width: 20
Shock Absorption: ???
Max Speed: 10 MPH / 16.1 KPH
Max Incline: 12%
Warranty: Frame (15 years), Motor (10 years), Parts (2 years), Electronics (2 years), Labor (1 year)
Programs: 12
Folding: Yes
Parent Company: Nautilus

The Bowflex Series 5 Treadmill is a feature packed treadmill that will definitely give you all the convenience that an exercise machine can offer. It is built with easy storage features to give you an easy time of putting it away when not in use. Its features are efficient and effective in providing you with all your workout needs. Its powerful 2.5 horsepower continuous duty motor ensures consistently smooth performance that will make your workouts more exciting and effective. The unique Strike Zone deck cushioning system provides ultimate support ensuring stability, and your safety and comfort in every workout.

There are 12 workout programs included in the Bowflex Series 5 Treadmill that gives the user a wide variety of exercise routines to help bring motivation. The 12 workouts include manual, cardio, running, fat burn, speed interval jogger, hill intervals, heart strength-recovery test, calorie goal, distance goal, fat burn heart rate calculation, and 2 custom programs. The speed range can be adjusted from 0.5 to 10 miles per hour and the incline from 0 to 12 percent range. The Four-window LED computer display with 10 x 21 dot matrix offers an easy view of your feedbacks so you can keep track of your workout progress. The spacious running area measures 20 x 60 inches. And the 3-speed built-in fan will keep you cool all throughout your workouts. It also comes with 15 years warranty on frame, 10 years on motor, 2 years on parts and electronics, and 1 year on labor.

Bowflex 5-Series Treadmill

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Your Bowflex Series 5 Treadmill Buying Guide
Summary of What The Experts Say

Experts generally do not recommend the Bowflex Series 5 treadmill especially when the Bowflex Series 7 treadmill is available. Experts like the longer belt over the Series 3, the increase in motor power from the Series 3 and think the warranty is average. Experts are split on how the Bowflex will hold up after extended use. One expert noted that when exercising at an incline, the unit unexpectedly shuts down.

Summary of What The Users Say

Users feel the warranty is decent, likes the long and wide belt, and feels the deck (running surface under the belt) is comfortable. Users have reported problems including the machine shutting down when exercising at an incline, difficulty in determining the treadmill’s maximum user weight and the lack of a chest strap for heart monitoring. Relatively few users have bought and reviewed the Series 5 in comparison to the Series 7 treadmill so it would seem the Series 7 is the more popular choice amongst buyers.

What You Should Do

If you’re getting a Bowflex treadmill, get the Bowflex Series 7 instead of the Bowflex Series 5 treadmill. Most users have gone down this route and experts also recommend going down this route. With the Bowflex Series 5 treadmill, you're only really saving about $100 over the Series 7 which is superior in more than one area. This is not to mention there are concerns regarding how the machine would hold up if it is put under heavier use or if the incline function is used. With all these problems, the natural course of action is to buy the much improved Series 7 treadmill instead. [Click To See Rest of Review][Close Reviews]

After reading opinions from experts and users, we have objectively analyzed the Bowflex Series 5 Treadmill and assigned it a meta score as follows:

If the total price is $665, you are getting a Super Bargain (5.0/5.0)
If the total price is $765, you are getting a Great Bargain (4.5/5.0)
If the total price is $865, you are getting a Good Bargain (4.0/5.0)
If the total price is $965, you are getting a Small Bargain (3.5/5.0)
If the total price is $1065, it is No Bargain (3.0/5.0)
If the total price is $1165, it is Somewhat Overpriced (2.5/5.0)
If the total price is $1265, it is Greatly Overpriced (2.0/5.0)
If the total price is $1365, it is Severely Overpriced (1.5/5.0)

The current lowest price is $1269.99 which is Severely Overpriced.

Notes:

1. This meta review was first published on October 25th, 2007.
2. For a list of resources used to construct this meta review, click here.