The Horizon Evolve SG Compact Treadmill is ahead of its direct competitors for two good reasons. First up it is actually a compact treadmill. The Horizon Evolve SG Compact is just as it says on the box – compact. When it is not being used it can fold up into a small 59 by 10 inches making it easy to store and smaller than most other compact treadmills around.

Next, there is no need for any assembly at all. That’s right no assembly needed. It comes fully made up and only needs some lubrication of the belt and it is all set, ready for you to start exercising. You find most treadmills say how easy they are to assemble, but with this model Horizon have really taken it to the next level and removed that requirement altogether.

This treadmill is not really suitable for the serious devoted athlete but it makes a good choice for the less serious treadmill user

Horizon Evolve SG Compact Treadmill Specifications

• Weight Capacity: 250 lbs
• Top Speed: 6 mph
• Foldable? Yes
• Number of Programs: 2
• Motor Size 1.5 Horsepower
• Running Deck Size 17 inches by 45 inches
• Warranty: Motor for 5 years, Frame for 10-years and parts, electrical components, and labor for 1 year

The Pros

Assembly: As mentioned previously the Horizon Evolve SG Compact has removed the necessity of assembly from the equation. There is no longer the frustration of having to line up holes that don’t quite match up or follow instructions that miss out that vital step. All you have to do now is get it out of its packaging, apply lubrication to the belt, plug into the mains and wait for it to warm up. Available at time of writing (June 2012) available for less than $500, you are unlikely to find any other motorized treadmills that come ready to be used like this.

Storage: As with assembly this treadmill has taken the standard up a notch or two. It folds down to just 10 inches tall when fully folded up. It is a simple process to fold the treadmill up and then it can easily be stored in a wardrobe or below a bed, and even below some couches. If you only have limited space or you just want to put it a way out of sight this is an ideal treadmill.

A Beginners Treadmill – It isn’t a complicated or elaborate treadmill. It has a top speed of 6 mph and this is great for anyone who is just getting stated on a treadmill. It comes with 2 programs – a structure program and a free style one Most people find the buttons intuitive and easy to use.

Being available at just below $500 (June 2012) and if you are looking to get started on your first treadmill, it is a good one to get started on. Although it has a 1.5 horsepower motor, it can successfully accommodate up 250lbs of weight.

The Cons

Lack Of Incline: A treadmill that offers various inclines is a feature that many people want from their treadmill. Unfortunately, the Horizon Evolve SG Compact does not include this feature. Today, you find most motorized and manual treadmills come with this feature. But it isn’t for everyone. Horizon have put their design effort on this treadmill to make it easy to use, easy set up and ease of storage. Maybe they should have spent some of the design ideas on have more functions for when it is being used.

Heart Rate Monitor: Many treadmills don’t have a great heart rate monitor. And the Evolve SG Compact is probably at the bottom end of reliability. The LCD screen only has room to show one set of data at a time – it is ether time. calories burned, time or heart rate. The user’s heart rate is often determined when the user isn’t even using the heart rate monitor. It is annoying when the heart rate monitor isn’t right, but with most treadmills they are shown on a separate display. Unfortunately on the Horizon Evolve SG they take up all of the display screen.

Goals And Targets: Many treadmills allow users to set goals and targets and monitor their actual performance against these settings. But the Horizon Evolve SG resets all this type of data to zero at the finish of the exercise cycle. So, if you want to take note of your stats you have to do this while moving as you approach the end of your exercise program. If you don’t attention it is easy to miss this opportunity.

Should You Buy The Horizon Evolve SG Compact Treadmill?

This treadmill maybe ideal for you, if you want a treadmill that requires no set up and is easy to store. Also, with it being simple to use and set up this makes the Horizon Evolve SG Compact a great choice for a beginner But, if you want a treadmill where you can travel at speeds over 6 mph, want an incline or a serious athlete then this treadmill isn’t the one for you.

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