Best for Home Use
Best for Serious Runners
Best for Walkers
Best for Seniors
Reebok R 6.90 Treadmill Review
The budget-priced Reebok R 6.90 Treadmill is designed for walkers and joggers measuring six feet and under. Highlights of this home treadmill include a 10% power incline, built-in personal trainer workouts, an iFit card reader, and an smartphone dock with speakers. Main drawbacks of this model include a poorly designed belt, a not-so-powerful motor, and a short standard warranty.
What We Like:
- Workout programs: The 12 built-in programs are ideal for shedding pounds. They include six personal trainer workouts and six weight loss workouts. Additional programs targeting weight loss, endurance, and other goals can be accessed with iFit cards, which are sold separately and include eight weeks’ worth of training. Extra workouts are also available through the console’s Custom Weight Loss Center: Simply input a calorie-burn goal (250, 300, 350, 400, 500, or 600 calories), your weight, and your workout time to get a tailored session. There’s space to save four of your favorite workouts.
- Smartphone compatibility: The Reebok R 6.90 treadmill’s music port works with smartphones and other MP3 players. A 2.0 Intermix Acoustics speaker system is included.
- Display: The simple display is easy to read. It shows speed, time, distance, heart rate, and calories burned.
- Track length & cushioning: The 55-inch track is long enough for most walkers and joggers and is well-cushioned. People who are taller than 6 feet tall should choose a machine with a longer track.
- Power incline: The treadmill track can tilt up to 10% to promote faster calorie burn and tone different muscle groups.
- Stability/Capacity: This sturdy unit has a user weight capacity of 300 pounds. That’s pretty high for a discount treadmill.
- Availability: Unlike some obscure treadmill brands, Reebok distributes its fitness equipment widely and has service technicians readily available.
What We Don’t Like:
- Motor: The Reebok R 6.90 is powered by a 2.25 HP motor. Customers have complained that the motor isn’t strong enough to keep the track running smoothly.
- Track design: Miscellaneous complaints concerning the track include that “it smells funny” and that it lacks tension control. Over time, the toasty smell might get to you – and worse, the lack of tension control can make the belt slack and useless.
- The warranty: The Reebok treadmill brand isn’t known for offering great warranties. Although a 25-year warranty is provided for the treadmill motor, other parts are only protected for one year. If the tread belt, incline motor, or other parts should fail, then costs for parts and labor fall to the consumer after one year. It’s advisable to buy a one-year extended warranty for about $100.
Our Verdict:
This model has received many positive customer reviews – but in some cases, these seem to result from people not knowing what they’re missing. When priced low enough and purchased with an extended warranty, the R 6.90 could be a good buy for some customers. It’s worth checking out brands with better warranties, more powerful motors, and a better track design. ProForm and NordicTrack are among the brands that tend to offer better value.
