A folding treadmill with a 3.0 HP motor, a 20 in by 60 in deck, a 12 mph top speed and a 15% motorized incline, sold by Bowflex at a $999 sale price against a $1,299 list price. Garage Gym Reviews rates it 4.6/5 and Treadmill Review Guru scores it 75 out of 100. It has an LCD console rather than a touchscreen and needs no subscription.
Full review
What the two reviews scored
Garage Gym Reviews gives the T6 an overall rating of 4.6/5 and calls it one of the highest-rated treadmills it has tested, with 5 out of 5 for durability, customizations and ergonomics and 4 out of 5 for footprint, delivery and tech. Treadmill Review Guru prints an overall score of 75 in its comparison chart and says $999 is the right price for the build.
Running feel and build
Garage Gym Reviews tester Cait Giddings ran the T6 at its maximum speed and reports no swaying, rocking or hitches, describing the machine as feeling like a tank. The site notes the deck cushioning is 1.6 millimeters thick, double its benchmark.
Treadmill Review Guru describes the deck as moderately cushioned, firmer than a NordicTrack but softer than running outside, and puts the build quality on par with treadmills costing twice as much. Its reviewer also found that the belt slips at the 15% incline, one of two things it lists for improvement.
Speed, incline and noise measurements
Treadmill Review Guru timed the T6 at 22 seconds from 1 mph to 12 mph and 15.9 seconds from 0 to 15% incline, the latter very fast against the 14 to 47 seconds it has recorded on other machines. It measured 52.3 dB at 3 mph and 67 dB at 12 mph, which it calls average.
Garage Gym Reviews points out that the 15% incline exceeds the typical 12%, and that the treadmill does not decline.
Console and apps
There is no touchscreen. The console has an LCD screen and four LED windows, two tablet racks, a fan and Bluetooth. Treadmill Review Guru counts eight onboard workouts that run without Wi-Fi or a subscription; the incline adjusts automatically in them but speed stays manual. The treadmill also sends speed and incline data to JRNY, Peloton and Zwift, and Treadmill Review Guru found switching Bluetooth between an app and a heart-rate monitor tedious.
Both reviewers single out the speed and incline dials on the front handholds as easier to use mid-run than console buttons.
Size, assembly and shipping
The T6 measures 76 by 35 by 71 inches and folds to 44 inches long. Giddings could fold and roll it alone but says it takes up a lot of room even folded. Treadmill Review Guru spent about two hours assembling it and recommends two people. Garage Gym Reviews notes that Bowflex does not offer free standard shipping and does not ship to Alaska or Hawaii.
Strengths
- +15% motorized incline, above the 12% Garage Gym Reviews calls typical
- +Felt solid with no swaying at top speed in Garage Gym Reviews' test
- +Onboard workouts work without Wi-Fi or a subscription, per Treadmill Review Guru
- +Lifetime frame and motor warranty
Watch-outs
- −The belt slips at the 15% incline, according to Treadmill Review Guru
- −No touchscreen; a phone or tablet is needed for classes and streaming
- −Large footprint: 76 in long, and still 35 in wide by 71 in high when folded
- −No decline setting
- −Bowflex does not include free standard shipping, Garage Gym Reviews notes
How it compares
It matches the Sole F63 on this page for motor (3.0 HP), top speed (12 mph), incline (15%), deck size (20 in by 60 in) and weight capacity (325 lb). The ProForm Carbon TLX has the same motor rating and deck but stops at a 12% incline and a 300 lb capacity. The Horizon T101 has a 2.5 CHP motor, a 10% incline and a 55-inch deck.
Rating sources
Counts as 4.63/5 in our score — this publisher's 50 scores on the site average 4.14, so its scores are adjusted up to compare fairly with other publishers.
Our 4.6 score is the average of the 1 scored review above, each adjusted for how strictly its publisher scores; 1 more reviewed it without printing a score and is not in the average. More about methodology.
