Treadmill Noise Level
Great news! I was able to figure out how to do a video with my camera. Here is a video so you can get an idea of the noise level of the treadmill. It's a low whirring sound. As you can tell, my footsteps make more noise than the whirring. As I mentioned in an earlier entry I've been on the phone a lot while I've been walking on it and no one has heard it in the background. If you put the volume setting below directly at the midpoint that is about as loud as the treadmill sounds to me in real life.
Walking on the treadmill desk treadmill - going 1.2mph
Walking on the treadmill desk treadmill - going 1.2mph
Thank you! I'm not sure that it makes it more likely that I'll buy a TreadDesk tread but if I do I'll be making a more informed decision. I may just drive down their office to check it out in person and pick one up if I think it will work for me. It will cost about the same as shipping - not counting my time, of course
Reply to this
Sounds like a good plan. If you're close enough to drive to their place I definitely would. I've talked to Jerry on the phone a couple of times and he seems like a really good guy and very knowledgeable about the treads so if you can I would try to make an appointment with him when you go so you can talk to him about it He seems like he really knows the ins and outs and nitty gritty of it. Regardless of who you get the tread from, I think you will really like having a treadmill desk. The more I work at my desk the more comfortable I get with walking and working, and the more I really like it.
Reply to this
Thanks for making the vid! How does it feel for your feet? It just looks like there is absolutely no cushioning at all, and that's what's holding me back from getting one. I've been thinking about getting a different tread and cutting off the top portion to stick under my desk.. a lot of extra work, but it may be worth it for the padding/cushioning of the deck? It looks like the treaddesk tread just rolls over a block of metal?
Reply to this
Yeah, it doesn't have much cusion at all but I'm not sure it's that much different from most treadmills in the under $2000 range. When I first got the tread desk treadmill I compared it to the tread on my regular treadmill and they both looked to me that the tread and cushion on them was pretty much the same. The treadmill I had before was an Image 15.0 which you can see a picture of here.
The first few days my feet and my legs ached a bit at night after I was done for the day - from just walking or the treadmill or both I don't know. Today I haven't had any discomfort at all.
Reply to this
Okay, I've looked into this a bit more. Apparently there is something called a treadmill deck that provides the cushioning. It is what sits on the metal frame of the treadmill and provides the shock absorption needed. It's the piece of the treadmill that the belt goes around. According to this website (far down the page under the heading Important Features: Treadmill):
"The deck should be at least a quarter-inch thick. The best decks are low-impact structures that absorb shock by flexing under your foot when it strikes the belt. If you have injuries like shin splints or recurring back/foot problems, this feature is a must."
After I found out what a treadmill deck was and where to find it on my treadmill I looked at my treadmill and measured. The deck on the tread desk treadmill is 3/4" thick. I can't tell what type of material it's made from. It isn't steel like the frame is and it feels kind of spongy like wood on the sides and middle but I don't think it is wood or if it is the top and bottom feel like they are encased by something else. Sorry I'm not better at describing what it is.
Reply to this
I looked around to see what treadmill decks are made from. According to this site under How Important is the construction of the deck:
"Better-quality decks are usually made of thin layers of laminated wood, coated with lubricants to minimize friction between the belt and deck, which in turn reduces strain on the motor. The smoother the deck coating, the less friction between the belt and deck. Deck construction, more than the belt, influences how smooth or hard your treadmill feels to run on and how well it absorbs shock. You want a surface that gives a bit but doesn't bounce. "
I know the treadmill is lubricated and the middle of the deck does feel like wood. It doesn't feel like wood at the top but again I don't know what it is. Maybe some kind of coating that protects the wood?
Reply to this
Kip, Thanks for all this info. From the pictures I've seen of the treaddesk tread, it looks like it's just gliding over a solid slab of metal. Can you take a picture of the "deck" that you are talking about? Perhaps by lifting the belt part up with a finger and taking a picture of what is underneath it? That would help a lot if you could, thanks!
Reply to this
Glad to help, Bob. I'm interested in this too. I don't want to do anything to mess up my feet. I'm pretty comfortable after looking at the treadmill and reading about what the experts recommend that it won't mess them up. Speaking of - they ached just a tiny bit tonight after I was off them for a while but not as bad as the last few days. I have a feeling that the cause is more me doing so much walking and them not being used to it. I know -- it's a pathetic commentary on the mouse potato life I've been living the last few years.
I know exactly what you mean thinking that it was just one solid piece of metal because that's what I thought too until I got down and looked at it. The thing that looks like the 'solid slab of metal' is actually the deck. It is somehow affixed to the steel frame so doesn't lift up.
Here's a pic of it so you can see. The picture was taken on the ground, looking at the side of the treadmill. I propped the white card against the side to differentiate the different blacks of each treadmill piece. The two top black layers you see are the top of the treadmill, not the side. The top layer is the tread you walk on. The darker black beneath is the top of the treadmill that you see when you are looking down at it. It's the top layer of the treadmill deck. The arrow shows the deck and beneath the deck is the metal frame. As mentioned earlier the deck is 3/4" high.
Reply to this
Kip, thanks for the description and the picture. My view is that even if it were steel it wouldn't be much firmer than the concrete and pavement that I normally walk on
Reply to this
Yeah, I would definitely wear shoes with it. Otherwise they will be hurting for sure. I hope you have really good shoes if you're walking on concrete all day. My feet hurt just thinking about that.
Reply to this
Hey Kip,
Thanks for the pic and the description. Any updates? (how's it feeling, are you getting used to it, do your feet hurt, etc?)
Reply to this
Hi Bob,
Great minds think alike. I'm in the process of writing up something now.
Reply to this
Thanks for the pics and information. Makes me feel much better about the treadmill.
Reply to this
Glad to help. If you decide to get a treadmill and set up a desk let me know how it turns out. Good luck with it.
Reply to this
Well, I am walking on the Tread from TreadDesk. I really don't think it has any cushioning. Other treads definitely have more bounce to them. However, this is the only one that fit my needs. The WalkStation treads have more cushioning, but only come with attached desks. And their desks did not fit my needs. Their tread is also quieter, BTW. But this one is acceptable. Rather noisy at high speeds, but you can't type & walk that fast anyway.
I ended up buying an adjustable height desk that is 52" wide. I have the tread to one side, and my chair on the other. This way I can sit or walk. (I have a tower computer, so I can't just switch desks.) I put the monitor on an arm, and can swing it to be used from either side of the desk.
I am walking up to 12 miles in a day at this point. I walk about 1.5 hours at a time, then I'll sit, then walk again. I expect I will continue to increase the amount walking versus sitting.
Overall, I am very pleased. I would rather have been able to get the WalkStation tread for the quietness and the cushioning. But I got a couple of pairs of good walking shoes, and am happy with my new set-up.
Keep walking!
Anne
Reply to this
Hi Anne,
I wasn't able to try the WalkStation so thanks for saying how it compares to the tread desk. That's great info and I know it will be helpful to people who are looking. The more info, the better.
I measured the cushion on the tread desk so I know it has some (see an earlier post) but I agree a good pair of shoes is a must for it. I've been changing out my shoes so I wear one pair one day and one the next. My mom read somewhere that it was better for runners to do that so I figured it was good for walkers too.
That's great that you are walking so much. What speed are you at when you walk?
Also, it seems like you have a great set up.
Reply to this
I had read the same thing about shoes, so I also alternate pairs between days.
I find myself at 1.5 mph most often. Sometimes I'll 'zip along' at 2 mph, particularly if I'm just surfing. And sometimes I'll drop it down to 1 mph if I'm writing. Slower than that just seems too slow. Faster than that and it starts to get too difficult for me to use the computer.
I don't know if I am doing the html code right, but here is a link to a picture of my set-up. I've tweaked it a little since then (and got a prettier trash can), but it's basically the same.
Reply to this
Cool desk! Do you find that you are sitting in your chair at all anymore? After the first two weeks or so I removed my chair completely. It felt strange to sit after getting used to walking while working. I now always walk when I'm at my computer (or stand if I'm just there for a minute or two.)
Reply to this
I am sitting less and less, but I do still sit some. In fact, I will probably sit in a few minutes; I've been walking for about 4 hours so far. I think I'm just too chicken to not sit a little.
And yes, the desk is really nice. I am sure eventually I will hardly use the height feature, but I am glad to have it for this transition, and for those occasions when I don't want to walk (sprain an ankle? flu?).
I think (hope?) that slowly but surely these will catch on. People just aren't made to sit all day!
Reply to this
I have a feeling that must be the norm for most people. I went through the same transition of alternating between walking and sitting for the first little bit and now I walk all the time.
I think treadmill desks are really going to take off. It's just a matter of time. Once people get used to walking instead of sitting they won't go back to just sitting. At this point I can't imagine just sitting. I think I would be bored. I'm addicted to the action of walking.
Reply to this