Our HealthRider R65 treadmill review examines a heavily discounted, mid-price treadmill with some nice features – is it a bargain worth buying, though?
Essentially, this is a very similar treadmill to the HealthRider R60 Treadmill. The R65 has no extra features that we could find, but it does have a more pleasing design, looks to have a slightly better build quality and costs $100 more at $1,599.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the three HealthRider treadmills we’ve reviewed to date.
Whilst they’re not the best choices in the highly competitive section of the market they occupy, you can pick them up at hugely discounted prices – which makes them serious options to consider.
But do the discounts make them a better long term buy than the best of the competition?
HealthRider R65 Treadmill Review – Features…
Whilst HealthRider are carried by some general and specialist retailers, for me they were something of an unknown quantity prior to our HealthRider R65 treadmill review. HealthRider as a brand is nothing like as well known as some of Icon Health and Fitness’s other brands, like ProForm and NordicTrack.
The R65 is a good looking treadmill and feels pretty solid, stable and well put together.
There’s a bit of plastic on it but generally the build quality and components seem up to the job.
The two main benefits of this treadmill over similarly priced competitors are the motor and the treadbelt.
The 2.0 HP continuous duty motor is adequate for walking and jogging and whilst not sufficient for serious runners, is a better bet than the smaller motors common in this price bracket.
A built in TV or sound system on a treadmill does not compensate for a puny motor!
2.0 HP isn’t a great deal of power and the motor does become noisy as the speed increases, but generally performs ok.
The belt is another plus. Measuring a generous 60″ x 20″, it’s significantly longer than the 55″ you often find on treadmills at around the $1,500 mark.
A running surface of this size, whilst still smaller than the commercial grade treadmills you may be used to at your local gym, gives you the room to stretch out – a particular advantage for tall people who’ll need to lengthen their stride to get the most from a workout.
As with the R60, the ‘SoftTrac’ cushioning system provides a good running surface with a firm take off and comfortable landing and should prove kind to your joints with long term use.
Overall, the build quality for a treadmill at this price aimed at the home market is adequate and should be able to withstand the rigours of your daily workout.
The R65 is a folding treadmill and the SpaceSaver design makes folding up the treadmill when not in use a simple, hassle-free exercise.
When folded, the R65 is compact and should require little space to store away out of sight.
The HealthRider R65 comes equipped with the same four window LED console and 10 workout programs as the R60 and is iFit.com compatible so you can download extra workout programs if needed.
There’s a power incline feature, which enables you to incline the deck up to 10% in mid-workout in addition to a one touch speed control.
The treadmill will reach 12mph, but I’d avoid regularly using it at that kind of speed as it sounds as if it’s straining.
You really need a treadmill with a bigger motor if you intend running anywhere near 12mph.
There’s also a heart rate monitor with the option of a chest pulse sensor in addition to the standard grip sensors. Cooling fans are also standard.
HealthRider R65 Treadmill Review – The Bottom Line…
Generally, our HealthRider R65 treadmill review would conclude that this is a fairly decent treadmill that whilst not exceptional in any department, should provide a durable workout companion for the low to moderate intensity user.