The elliptical is damaged and the treadmill is down

Crack(ed) pipe on the X1 elliptical

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes
I had great expectations for years of problem-free workouts when we took delivery of our Sole F63 treadmill two years ago. Our Pro-Form L18 treadmill had served us well for 13 years despite the daily pounding it received. The Sole is good unit, with a powerful motor, generous tread area, and some nice features. We did have some problems with belt slip, early on, and we needed to replace the console, but those issues got resolved under warranty.

With the impressive long term performance of the Pro-Form machine, I expected the Sole to do just as well. However, a few weeks ago, my wife and I noticed that the sound from the motor had become especially loud. A visit from the repairman revealed a number of problems with the unit, and he ordered replacement parts. The parts are still covered under warrenty, but not the labor. You can't have everything.

As we wait for the repair person to return next week, our only indoor option is to use the elliptical machine. This machine, a BH Fitness X1, has been a solid performer, despite some initial problems at the beginning. It was expensive, relative to other units in its class, but its build quality is better than what you might find at Dick's Sporting Goods.

As it happened, the elliptical machine has also joined the disabled list, having cracked one of the struts that connects the pedal assembly to the dynamic arm assembly. I've been able to restore functionality by tightly wrapping the pipe-end with duct tape, but the torque from the crack has cantered the foot bed a couple of degrees to the left. It's not that bad and the unit is still usable. We worried that the slight shift would lead to leg or knee issues, but neither my wife nor I have experienced anything like that.

Our treadmill repair person is an independent contractor and I'm hoping that he might be able to replace the elliptical's pedal assembly after repairing the treadmill. I guess these units wear out, I'm just surprised how little time it takes before that happens.