When purchasing a treadmill, there are many features to choose from. One of the most important is whether it’s foldable or not. Not sure which style to choose At Johnson, along with Anthony Winge, Global Product Manager for Johnson Health Tech, we want to explain the differences between folding and non-folding treadmills. We also want to give you the details you should consider when choosing. If you’re worried about a treadmill not fitting into your home gym, a folding treadmill may be the solution. Folding treadmills do exactly what their name suggests they fold and usually have transport wheels, making them ideal candidates for easy storage when not in use.
But not all folding treadmills are created equal. Prices for folding treadmills can range from approximately €300 to €5,500. When comparing folding treadmills, the first thing to look at is the thickness of the metal tubing. The second thing to pay attention to is the frame design. There can be significant differences in metal tubing thickness and structural designs, which directly affect strength, stability, user weight capacity, and the way the treadmill tilts and folds. It’s important to keep in mind the saying “you get what you pay for” when purchasing treadmills.
Folding treadmills vs Non-folding treadmills
Often, the increased cost is due to the machine being made with more materials. Thicker metal tubing, more structural components, safety mechanisms like gas struts, and easy-release locks are all additional material costs that can be included in a folding treadmill, which will increase the price but also create a much better user experience. When it comes to the construction of folding treadmills, there are different styles of folding frames available, which are important to understand and consider.
At Johnson Health Tech, we have two different folding treadmill designs: fold-on-pin and fold-on-pin. The fold-on-pin (FOP) design is perhaps the most common in the industry. Some treadmills are designed with a fold-on-pin design where the running surface folds up to meet the console, raising the treadmill deck off the floor. Others are built with a fold-on-pin design that folds the console mast down to fit over the running surface. Some even fold down enough to tuck the folded treadmill under a bed. This design is a simple pivot point on a pin, like a hinge on your car door.
Low-end folding treadmills versus high-end ones
This style is popular among manufacturers because it uses less material and is therefore less expensive to produce. Most of the lower-end treadmills you’ll find are FOP. It’s a simple and effective design, but it does have some drawbacks. A gas strut is often used to overcome the heavy weight of the frame, deck, treadmill rollers, drive motor, and incline motor to assist with folding and unfolding. But not all FOP treadmills have gas struts, which makes folding and unfolding quite difficult and expensive. When purchasing a folding treadmill, be sure to test it in the store.
Fold the treadmill up (or down) and observe. If you also plan to move the treadmill between workouts, try rolling it in the store, even if only a few inches. Most FOP designs have only two transport wheels, so the treadmill must be tilted back onto the wheels, much like moving a dolly. You’ll need enough space between the console and the wall to move it back onto the wheels. Consider the surface on which the treadmill will be placed. They are much harder to move on carpet than on a hard surface. Do you plan to use a mat under the machine and move it between workouts
Non-folding treadmills
A Fold-on-Base (FOB) design, used on the Matrix TF50 and TF30 folding treadmills, addresses some of these FOP shortcomings by using a multi-link design with four wheels. The four transport wheels mean you don’t need to tip the treadmill onto its wheels like a dolly to move it. Simply release the wheel locks and push, just like pushing a shopping cart. Transport is much easier and safer with the four-wheel design. This multi-link design, along with two gas struts, makes folding and unfolding easier.
Instead of folding on a pin, Matrix treadmills fold by sliding the front of the deck back along a track while pushing up. You can think of it like a garage door sliding along the track to open and close. The FOB design uses a large, welded square base to slide the end of the deck onto, which adds the additional benefits of increased rigidity and stability. This FOB frame design also allows us to fold the treadmill deck more vertically than a FOP design. Matrix treadmills fold to almost 90 degrees, while many FOP designs fold between 60 and 75 degrees.
Conclusion
With a more upright storage position, you’ll have more open space to use around the treadmill. The latch is positioned higher off the floor when folded, making it harder for children to accidentally unlock it. Additionally, cleaning under the treadmill is much easier when the deck is locked at almost 90 degrees. Regardless of the manufacturer, make sure the locking latch is fully engaged before cleaning, moving, or moving away. Non-folding treadmills, also called platform treadmills, are simply rigid treadmills.
Commercial treadmills, the machines you’d find in a gym or club, don’t fold up. In a commercial setting, the machines aren’t moved after workouts, so folding styles aren’t necessary. Additionally, non-folding treadmills are typically sturdier than folding ones. The design of a folding treadmill wouldn’t be sturdy enough to meet commercial standards. Therefore, when looking for a folding treadmill, keep in mind that if a manufacturer calls a treadmill a commercial folding treadmill, it’s not a commercial treadmill. Another advantage is that the handlebars and console move with the deck when inclining or descending.
