Sole F80 Vs Sole F85: Which Treadmill Would Suit You Better?
The Sole F80 and the Sole F85 are two of Sole’s higher-priced treadmill models and which have both gotten rave reviews from industry experts and customers alike. To help you determine which treadmill would be best for your fitness program, we’ve put together this Sole F80 vs Sole F85 comparison, highlighted some of their main differences and discussed their primary benefits and disadvantage so you can better determine the treadmill that’s just right for you.
Side-by-Side Comparison of the Sole F80 vs Sole F85 |
Motor, Surface Size and Speed
Are you a walker or jogger? Or do you consider yourself a serious runner? This is one of the first questions you should ask yourself as these two treadmills are built just for these different user categories.
The Sole F80, with its 3.0 HP continuous duty motor, 20″ by 55″ running surface, and speed range of 0.5 to 11 mph is designed with walkers and joggers in mind. On the other hand, the Sole F85 has a massive 3.5 HP continuous duty motor, a generous running space of 20″ by 60″, and speeds from 0.5 to 12 mph tops, and is built primarily for the serious runner or one in training for a marathon.
Stability
If stability is a big factor for you, then the Sole F85 should win big points. Tipping the scales at 280 lbs, it is 30 lbs heavier than the F80’s 250-lb frame. Because of its weight advantage, the Sole F85 also supports the heavier user up to 400 lbs. The Sole F80 has a maximum user weight capacity of 350 pounds.
Console Display and Other Features
Once you get to the console displays, the built-in fitness programs, and the monitoring of the user’s vital stats, the differences between the Sole F80 and F85 end. The two treadmills come with 6 preset and 2 heart-rate programs, plus 2 user-defined programs. All pertinent data about your fitness routine such as the speed, time, distance traveled, and other information will be shown on a red LED readout.
Both machines also come with a Polar wireless chest strap for heart rate control monitor and hand pulse grips. In addition, the speed and incline controls are found on the arm rest so you can change the intensity of your workout without much disruption.
As with most Sole treadmills, cooling fans and built-in speakers for your MP3 players can also be found to provide added comfort and pleasure to your walking or running session.
Price and Warranty
The Sole F80 is priced $1,499.99 while the Sole F85 costs higher at $1,999.99. At these prices, the treadmills already carry some of the best warranties that Sole Treadmills are known for: lifetime warranty for the frame/deck and motor, 5 years for the parts, and 2 years for labor.
Sole F80 vs Sole F85 – Closing Thoughts
By way of summarizing this Sole F80 vs Sole F85 matchup, let me again emphasize that the two treadmills target different types of users. At their prices, industry experts such as Fred Water and the Treadmill Doctor agree that the quality and features of these two treadmills are currently the industry’s “best buys”.
The Sole F85 may be something of an overkill for walkers or joggers who may just be looking for a solid and reliable equipment for daily exercise, and the better match for these types would be the F80. If you want a more powerful and stable machine that can keep up with your serious running sessions and marathon trainings however, then you won’t go wrong with the Sole F85. Take your pick.
Side-by-Side Comparison of Other Sole Treadmills |
4 Comments
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4 Comments
B:
Wow…sorry to hear about your horrible experience. I can imagine what that must have been like. I’m assuming you bought this from Dick’s Sporting Goods. They weren’t willing to help you out at all? That just seems odd. Either way, I think it sucks that neither them or Sole was willing to make this situation right. So what happens now to the defective machine? Do you have to dismantle it and take it back to Dick’s?
Thanks for sharing your horror story. I wasn’t aware that when you bought these machines from the store they dissolve their responsibility of it - and that Sole isn’t exactly \easy\ to work with at times. I say \at times\ because there are a lot of people who have nothing but good things to say about Sole and their warranties.
Good luck with the second machine. Report back how it goes.
TravisVS
Site Admin
Bought the F85 and had it delivered in mid-January. Very noisy which was not supposed to happen. Called SOLE and they had me turn it on while on the phone. The second I turned it on they said don’t even bother placing the phone close to the machine because they could hear the noise immediately.
At that point they had ME taking the damn thing apart. Find this, look for that, what about over in this spot. I spend 2 grand so I could get a machine with a better warranty and I was stuck doing their diagnostic work. They then asked me to do the next step (by this time I had the front cover off, both end caps, half the bottom plastic cover, measured the belt vs. the gap on the sides, turned it on, off, on, off and on again) and I said I had enough. I didn’t pay this much for a machine that I had for 2 days and I was now going to do all their legwork. I demanded to have their techs look at this.
I spoke with SOLE and they required I fax the receipt over. It took days for SOLE to call me back after I faxed the receipt to them - about a week. From there I was the one jumping thru hoops to find the problem for them. I am then told it will be about 48 hours before I receive a call from their service company. I finally receive a call from their tech svc. I am then told it will be another 48 hours before I hear from the actually technician to schedule an appt. The appt is then scheduled 2 weeks from then. I now have a $2000 machine for a month and only had it working for 1 day. GREAT JOB SOLE.
So the tech shows up and tells me a steel reinforcement is bent and it can’t be fixed. When I originally told the SOLE tech guy on the phone in my initial conversation about the belt hitting the metal support he said if that is the case the actual technician will be able to replace it once he is there. Turns out that reinforcement piece is welded on and can’t just be “replaced” so they are now sending me a new one. When I bought this thing I had it delivered (purchased at a sporting goods store that has been very helpful) and I put it together. At this point, I didn’t feel that I had to put another one together. Just got off the phone with SOLE and they refuse to pay for setup. I told them I had this thing for 1 day up and running and a month just sitting there. Their response?
‘We won’t pay for any setup. We outsource our service which is Spirit Fitness. We are SOLE fitness. It is the responsibility of the place you purchased it from to provide the customer service. I explained that my warranty was with SOLE not Spirit and definitely not with the sporting goods store. They are just the distributor, or conduit, from which I purchased their product. They said it didn’t matter. It wasn’t their responsibility’ even though it was their defective machine.
Is it worth paying up for this type of customer service or warranty? Was paying up $500-$800 more for a machine worth MY having to perform the diagnosis? Was it worth MY having to take the damn thing apart? Was it worth MY now having to do the setup TWICE because of their faulty equipment? MY vote is hell no! If this is the kind of service they give you then you are better off purchasing a less expensive machine. At least then having to do all the work isn’t as bad given the money you save.
Spalding:
Good point to highlight about the Sole F85 treadmill. At 60″, it’s one of the longest running decks you’ll find so it’s perfect for anyone taller than six feet. You wouldn’t think an extra 5 inches would be such a big deal but it is;)
TravisVS
Site Admin
Regardless of whether you’re a runner or walker, the Sole F85 is a consideration for the taller user because of its 60″ length.
B:
Wow…sorry to hear about your horrible experience. I can imagine what that must have been like. I’m assuming you bought this from Dick’s Sporting Goods. They weren’t willing to help you out at all? That just seems odd. Either way, I think it sucks that neither them or Sole was willing to make this situation right. So what happens now to the defective machine? Do you have to dismantle it and take it back to Dick’s?
Thanks for sharing your horror story. I wasn’t aware that when you bought these machines from the store they dissolve their responsibility of it - and that Sole isn’t exactly \easy\ to work with at times. I say \at times\ because there are a lot of people who have nothing but good things to say about Sole and their warranties.
Good luck with the second machine. Report back how it goes.
TravisVS
Site Admin
Bought the F85 and had it delivered in mid-January. Very noisy which was not supposed to happen. Called SOLE and they had me turn it on while on the phone. The second I turned it on they said don’t even bother placing the phone close to the machine because they could hear the noise immediately.
At that point they had ME taking the damn thing apart. Find this, look for that, what about over in this spot. I spend 2 grand so I could get a machine with a better warranty and I was stuck doing their diagnostic work. They then asked me to do the next step (by this time I had the front cover off, both end caps, half the bottom plastic cover, measured the belt vs. the gap on the sides, turned it on, off, on, off and on again) and I said I had enough. I didn’t pay this much for a machine that I had for 2 days and I was now going to do all their legwork. I demanded to have their techs look at this.
I spoke with SOLE and they required I fax the receipt over. It took days for SOLE to call me back after I faxed the receipt to them - about a week. From there I was the one jumping thru hoops to find the problem for them. I am then told it will be about 48 hours before I receive a call from their service company. I finally receive a call from their tech svc. I am then told it will be another 48 hours before I hear from the actually technician to schedule an appt. The appt is then scheduled 2 weeks from then. I now have a $2000 machine for a month and only had it working for 1 day. GREAT JOB SOLE.
So the tech shows up and tells me a steel reinforcement is bent and it can’t be fixed. When I originally told the SOLE tech guy on the phone in my initial conversation about the belt hitting the metal support he said if that is the case the actual technician will be able to replace it once he is there. Turns out that reinforcement piece is welded on and can’t just be “replaced” so they are now sending me a new one. When I bought this thing I had it delivered (purchased at a sporting goods store that has been very helpful) and I put it together. At this point, I didn’t feel that I had to put another one together. Just got off the phone with SOLE and they refuse to pay for setup. I told them I had this thing for 1 day up and running and a month just sitting there. Their response?
‘We won’t pay for any setup. We outsource our service which is Spirit Fitness. We are SOLE fitness. It is the responsibility of the place you purchased it from to provide the customer service. I explained that my warranty was with SOLE not Spirit and definitely not with the sporting goods store. They are just the distributor, or conduit, from which I purchased their product. They said it didn’t matter. It wasn’t their responsibility’ even though it was their defective machine.
Is it worth paying up for this type of customer service or warranty? Was paying up $500-$800 more for a machine worth MY having to perform the diagnosis? Was it worth MY having to take the damn thing apart? Was it worth MY now having to do the setup TWICE because of their faulty equipment? MY vote is hell no! If this is the kind of service they give you then you are better off purchasing a less expensive machine. At least then having to do all the work isn’t as bad given the money you save.
Spalding:
Good point to highlight about the Sole F85 treadmill. At 60″, it’s one of the longest running decks you’ll find so it’s perfect for anyone taller than six feet. You wouldn’t think an extra 5 inches would be such a big deal but it is;)
TravisVS
Site Admin
Regardless of whether you’re a runner or walker, the Sole F85 is a consideration for the taller user because of its 60″ length.