Ask HN: Best treadmill to turn an existing standing desk into a treadmill desk? - voisin
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xweb
LifeSpan TR1200-DT3 - $1000 everywhere.

[http://www.lifespanfitness.com/workplace/treadmill-
desks/tr1...](http://www.lifespanfitness.com/workplace/treadmill-
desks/tr1200-dt3-under-desk-treadmill)

Hands down, the TR1200-DT3 is the best treadmill desk out there right now.
Their bluetooth app is crap, but as a treadmill actually designed for office
use, this is perfect. Read this amazon review for ways to customize the
programming to be less annoying:

[http://www.amazon.com/review/R3C358XW4LPBS7](http://www.amazon.com/review/R3C358XW4LPBS7)

LifeSpan also has a more heavy-duty model, the TR5000-DT3, $2000. If you're
buying for an office setting where multiple people will be using it for more
than 6 hours/day, get this one.

[http://www.lifespanfitness.com/workplace/treadmill-
desks/tr5...](http://www.lifespanfitness.com/workplace/treadmill-
desks/tr5000-dt3-under-desk-treadmill)

iMovR will have a new unit coming out, the ThermoTread GT Desk Treadmill, that
MAY be just as good or better, but you won't get it until the end of the year
at the earliest.

[http://www.imovr.com/imovr-thermotread-gt-office-
treadmill-d...](http://www.imovr.com/imovr-thermotread-gt-office-treadmill-
desk.html)

That's kind of the state of the art in treadmill desks right now. I imagine
there will be more options in a year or two, but the LifeSpan models are by
far the best options today.

~~~
arielweisberg
This is the treadmill I have been using for 2.5 months. No complaints and it's
totally worth the price. Although there seem to be suggestions for getting one
at lower cost.

The console does suck. Membrane keys, unresponsive, and obtuse. Good thing I
don't interact with it much.

No issues other than the shipping from Amazon resulting in a damaged treadmill
which they replaced. The packaging is completely inadequate for shipping. I
would buy local and inspect the box for signs of trauma. Once it's delivered
don't let them leave it until you have opened the box, removed the treadmill,
and looked for any broken plastic.

~~~
Someone1234
Wow considering the above review is complaining about the exact same shipping
issues from Amazon over a year ago, I am surprised nobody has fixed it yet. I
mean, really, how much does some more cardboard and polystyrene really cost on
a $1,000 item, $2?

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Ollinson
Just a note for all prospective treadmill desk operators. DO NOT use an
regular treadmill thinking that you're beating the system. Those things are
not made to be used at walk speed for hours a day non stop, you will destroy
the motor.

Ask me how I know.

~~~
nahtnam
How do you know?

~~~
gargarplex
[https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/3h8678/he_used_to_be_...](https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/3h8678/he_used_to_be_in_a_coma_i_used_to_be_a_fat_guy/cu5au6n)

------
troydavis
I considered a treadmill desk but ended up with a bike desk because I wanted
cardio exercise[1] and I enjoy biking more than running. 2-20 minute bike
breaks are easier to fit in.

Here's my setup and what I learned: [http://troy.yort.com/notes-on-standing-
desk/](http://troy.yort.com/notes-on-standing-desk/)

I also attached an iPad holder
([http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D5YUBNO](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D5YUBNO)).
For someone without a standing desk, the bike+iPad alone would be a great
compromise (reading, watching videos, composing emails, etc).

[1]: Most office treadmills are designed for 1.5-2 MPH slow walks because it's
hard to type while jogging, let alone running. OTOH, using a computer while
biking at 13-15 MPH isn't hard, and using a tablet is easy. More:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolic_equivalent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolic_equivalent)

------
arosenbaum
I built mine quite a few years ago:
[https://goo.gl/photos/CrX2pSaAmgnLNM398](https://goo.gl/photos/CrX2pSaAmgnLNM398)
(The monitor arrangement is much better now :)

Precor 956i with the entire upper structure removed - control panel is not
visible but on the left. I bought it from a gym going out of business.

Lift is a Conset 501-11 1B116. I don't remember who I bought it from. Google
Conset 501-11 and you will find many Conset resellers.

I made the table top.

It's been going strong for 6+ years. I no longer work at home so I don't use
it but my wife does her writing - about 10-15 hours week - on the treadmill.

------
jarpineh
Short answer to your question is: it depends.

I did recently change my home office to treadmill desk. I'm from Finland, so I
won't give any product recommendations. One thing I noticed it is very hard to
find information about treadmills that you don't plan to use just for running,
and might need to lose the handrails.

Long answer would depend on questions like how much space you have, how much
do you weight, budget, planning to run also, do you have a desk already and
how adjustable it is, and so on.

I think I only found one site on the net that talked about making your own
treadmill desk. As the luck would have, he used the same cheap model I managed
to track down (about $200). If you go cheap, it probably fits better and you
can get rid of the handrails if need be. If it's more expensive, it probably
is so sturdy that your standing desk needs larger adjustments to fit around
and on top of it.

For me the Ergotron setup I have needs heavier setup to wall, but other than
that, things work fine. When this cheaply made and assembled treadmill I got
breaks I don't know if I give up on the concept, since I'd really like to use
bigger and sturdier treadmill, but that takes so much more space.

Or you can get specifically for desk use made treadmill and even a desk to go
with it. 2000 € was the web price here.

------
Procrastes
I've used a Tread Desk (1) treadmill daily for many years with no maintenance
or issues. Just sold it recently before a cross country move. Mine lacked any
data integration, but that may be available in the newer models. It's just a
flat, low gear treadmill with a control head on a cable, so you can use it
with any standing desk or engineering cart.

1\. [http://www.treaddesk.com/](http://www.treaddesk.com/)

------
jke123
Curious - does anyone find advantage being on a treadmill while working? Seems
like it would kill my productivity.

If for exercise reasons - its far better to just go jogging / running for a
few minutes each day?

~~~
Jack000
I think the theory is that because inactivity is bad for you (whether sitting
or standing), a small amount of constant motion mitigates the effects of
working on the computer for hours on end (which exercise does not make up
for).

Enforced, occasional breaks is more practical imo. I'd also find it hard to
focus while on a treadmill.

reference:
[http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/CUESitStand.html](http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/CUESitStand.html)

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brudgers
Could you share your research so far?

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thyselius
Slightly OT but is there any other alternatives to moving while in front of
the computer? Would love any ideas and hear about your experiences.

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haspoken
Ultimate treadmill combining classic style, fine wood work, artistic statement
and semi-private work space:

[http://www.instructables.com/id/Hamster-Wheel-Standing-
Desk/...](http://www.instructables.com/id/Hamster-Wheel-Standing-
Desk/?ALLSTEPS)

------
drallison
[http://www.nealstephenson.com/news/2015/03/09/notes-
on-416-d...](http://www.nealstephenson.com/news/2015/03/09/notes-on-416-days-
of-treadmill-desk-usage/) gives Neal Stephenson's experience.

------
ChetCode
First off, awesome plan. Some questions to help narrow it down. 1: How long
have you used a standing desk? 2: Do you use it all day or switch back and
forth? 3: Are you going to want to switch between a mat and a treadmill? 4:
What kind of desk do you have?

~~~
voisin
1\. I've used a standing desk for 2+ years and I love it. 2\. I stand 100% of
the time when I am at the desk. If I want to sit, I just disconnect from the
monitor and take my laptop with me. 3\. Just treadmill. 4\. This is the one I
have: [http://workriteergo.com/sierra-hxl-
crank/](http://workriteergo.com/sierra-hxl-crank/)

------
thearn4
For folks who have made the transition, was learning to type while walking
difficult? It seems like it could be somewhat nauseating at first.

~~~
mikhailt
I use it for 4-6 hours daily, 25-30K steps a day (10-13 miles), and I'm in my
2nd year with the LifeSpan TR1200-DT3 treadmill.

No issues at all but I also don't get motion sickness easily as some people
do.

Typing is no issue and when I need to focus, I do slow down and take breaks.

The key is to integrate it within your day slowly, not to go crazy. I wasn't
able to do an hour the first day I had this. It took about a month for me to
manage an hour and another month to do two and eventually, 4-6 hours with a
tiny stretching exercise every once in a while is very easy for me.

In fact, I have problems not using the treadmill. My body wants to walk every
day and if I don't use the treadmill, I get really anxious to get out and go
for a 10 mile work.

I lost a lot of weight, so this is definitely the most important and totally
justified purchase I've done for my home office.

~~~
weisser
Would love to hear more about your experiences if you'd care to share. My
email is in my profile.

------
mlvljr
Tread or not, please plase choose proper footwear, and watch out for any leg /
knee / vein pain.

Good luck!

