| Unlike most treadmills, manual treadmills have no drive | | | | a treadmill. It probably didn't occur to them that many |
| motor. The power to move the belt is provided only by | | | | people are injured, frail, elderly, or otherwise outside the |
| the user. In this way, they are like elliptical machines. On | | | | profile of the typical treadmill buyer. It probably didn't |
| motorized treadmills, the user sets the speed that the | | | | occur to them that some people cannot even leave |
| belt moves and the user runs or walks to keep that | | | | their home and that, for these people, any exercise is |
| speed. Runners tend to prefer the motorized treadmills, | | | | good exercise. |
| largely because it forces them to keep the pace they | | | | Indeed, it is for these non-typical users that manual |
| set for themselves. | | | | treadmills are designed. It is these users who comprise |
| The bigger and more expensive treadmills are | | | | the bulk of the buyers for manual treadmills. It is for |
| motorized. Serious runners tend to look down on | | | | these users that an inexpensive manual treadmill |
| manual treadmills as an inferior product. The criticism | | | | provides a lifeline to a more vigorous life. A manual |
| goes something like: "Manual treadmills are cheap crap! | | | | treadmill allows the user to walk as vigorously as he |
| You can't even run on them!" | | | | desires, in the safety and privacy of his own room. |
| Oh how fine it would be to see the world other than | | | | The young and healthy runners will not always be so. |
| through our own eyes! It is true that manual treadmills | | | | They too will be thrilled to move their own body weight |
| are far simpler and far less expensive. Indeed, the | | | | in their own room on their own treadmill better than |
| young and healthy critics probably feel quite superior to | | | | they did the day before. They will use it because going |
| those who those who buy a manual treadmill because | | | | feels good and right. They will get on it and go, and |
| cannot run ten miles per day. They probably have not | | | | keep going, because they know that to stop is to stop |
| considered that many people cannot afford $2,000 for | | | | forever. |