We often hear questions about the basic differences between treadmills used in fitness clubs and those designed for home use. That is why we would like to provide the basic differences between these devices. A home treadmill is designed with the assumption that it will not work more than a few to a dozen hours a week. The selection of individual treadmill components depends on the intended use of the device. A club treadmill is a so-called commercial treadmill. It is designed for continuous operation under load.
Types of Treadmill Motors - The Important Difference
Such a treadmill is most often equipped with an alternating current (AC) motor. An AC-powered motor is a high-performance drive with an extended service life designed for intensive use. Its service life is several times longer than a standard direct current (DC) motor. Using an alternating voltage to power the motors allows for an alternating magnetic field without the use of brushes. This is a significant advantage compared to DC motors. The lack of brushes means that they do not need to be replaced, and there is no loss of energy caused by the friction of the brushes on the commutator. During operation, the AC motor generates a lower temperature, so it does not overheat excessively. A professional AC motor is much heavier than a DC motor and more resistant, which affects the stability of its operation. In short, the treadmill does not feel the weight of the exercising person and there is no feeling of minimal braking when the running belt is pressed against the treadmill top.
What kind of top does a home treadmill have?
The thickness of the running board is also a significant difference. Home treadmills have boards from 10 to 18 mm thick. A commercial treadmill is most often characterized by a board from 25 to 30 mm thick. It often happens that such a board is symmetrical and has a sliding layer on two sides, which allows it to be turned over after one of the sliding layers of the treadmill board is worn out.
Does the belt matter?
The running belts in home and commercial treadmills are of similar thickness. The running belts in both club treadmills and home treadmills are subject to natural wear and tear depending on the intensity of exercise. Club treadmills use belts with increased strength, resistance to stretching, with the possibility of working properly on a thicker treadmill roller. Some treadmills use so-called orthopedic belts, which are thicker and therefore more flexible and soft. The basic difference between the rollers of these two types of treadmills is primarily their diameter. The home treadmill roller has a diameter of 40 - 60 mm. On the other hand, the club treadmill roller is larger and has a diameter of 70 to about 100 mm. The larger diameter of the roller is of course a larger bearing used, which is designed for greater loads. On a roller with a larger diameter, the running belt is less exposed to micro-cracks.
Solid electric treadmill
A commercial treadmill has a much more massive and stable construction. It is made of thicker profiles that can carry a greater load. The weight of a good club treadmill alone is from 170 kg upwards. A home treadmill weighs from 40 to about 100 kg. The running surface in a club treadmill is at least 150 x 50 cm. You can also find treadmills with a larger surface. A larger running surface provides increased comfort during exercise. With a wide running surface, the person exercising can move their arms freely while running. The length of the belt is most important in relation to the maximum speeds achieved during exercise. A user who runs at a speed above 14 km/h must be sure that with a less confident step or a momentary slowdown, they will not fall off the treadmill. With a longer running surface, the person exercising can be calm about their health in the event of a momentary inattention while exercising on the treadmill. On the Polish market of commercial treadmills, the longest running surface is the Leptos TR-324 treadmill, which has a running surface length of 168 cm. With a 55.5 cm wide belt and such a significant length of the belt, the exercising person can forget that they are running in place, which allows for a more relaxing exercise. Commercial treadmills consume more energy. Assuming a speed of 8 km/h and zero incline, a commercial treadmill consumes an average of about 600-700 W (AC motor 3.5 HP / 6 HP max). With the same assumption of speed and angle of inclination, a home treadmill (DC motor 2.5 HP) consumes about 200 W less. The weight of the exercising person during the tests is 90 kg.