Ask HN: Best treadmill to turn an existing standing desk into a treadmill desk? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Best treadmill to turn an existing standing desk into a treadmill desk?

38 pointsvoisin31 comments

LifeSpan TR1200-DT3 - $1000 everywhere.

http://www.lifespanfitness.com/workplace/treadmill-desks/tr1...

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

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...

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...

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.

Your first link 404s

edit: huh it works now, odd

404'd for me too on the first attempt. Buggy site.

LifeSpan TR1200-DT3 is what I have, I'm in my second year now with it and it is awesome.

Their console is horrible, I'm already at my 3rd replacement and I'm not sure I want to keep going with LifeSpan next time. I dislike the idea that the treadmill is pretty much useless if the console dies. I barely use it and I rather use a Fitbit instead.

Thanks for telling me about iMovR, I will consider that to replace TR1200-DT3 with.

I got a brand new TR1200-DT3 on ebay for $350. The only catch was that it was local pickup 2 states away. So I spent a Saturday picking it up in Ohio and after gas/tolls saved about $550 (not including any savings on tax buying from LifeSpan).

These cheap open box TR1200-DT3s regularly pop up on ebay, check out the completed listings.

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.

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?

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.

How do you know?

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/3h8678/he_used_to_be_...

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/

I also attached an iPad holder (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

I built mine quite a few years ago: 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.

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.

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/

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?

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

I'm more curious how it works when you're doing something requiring intense concentration. Do you feel the need to stop the treadmill to focus on your task?

Could you share your research so far?

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.

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.nealstephenson.com/news/2015/03/09/notes-on-416-d... gives Neal Stephenson's experience.

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?

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/

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

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.

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

I had a big difficulty using a standard mouse while walking. It was very difficult to aim correctly. I switched to a thumb-roller mouse so I could keep my palm stationary and it solved the problem completely.

I bought a TrekDesk Treadmill Desk and put it over-top of my actual treadmill. It was a little expensive and quite large, but it works great and I can still run/jog. That's something you don't get with a low HP walking treadmill.

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

Good luck!

Reply on news.ycombinator.com