| Unit | Size | Supported weight | Motor | Apps | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LifeSpan TR3000i Check Discounted Price | L:71" W:33" H:56" | 350 lbs | 2.75 CHP, 0.5-12 MPH | 21, Bluetooth ready | Motor: Lifetime Frame: Lifetime Parts: 5 years Labor: 1 year |
The LifeSpan TR3000i features a similar construction to the more expensive model, the TR4000i. It has the same weight capacity, the same incline and the same speed range. However, it has a slightly shorter running surface, and a slightly lighter capacity motor. But nonetheless, it’s a sturdy machine, one of the best in this price and feature range that you can find at the moment.
An important aspect that requires mentioning here, is that the TR3000i that we’re going to cover here, is the 2016 released model. It comes with several changes over the older model. For example, it’s Bluetooth ready, the console integrates a cooling fan, and the side handlebars no longer integrate speed / incline controls. These were moved onto the front handlebars, next to the pulse sensors.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Assembled dimensions: 71L x 33W x 56H inches (180L x 84W x 142H cm)
- Tread belt dimensions: 56L x 20W inches (142.2L x 51W cm)
- Product weight: 225 lbs (102 kg)
- Weight capacity: 350 lbs (159 kg)
- Motor: 2.75 CHP
- Incline: Automatic, 15 levels
- Deck cushioning: 8 compression shocks absorbers
- Speed levels: 0.5 – 12 MPH
- Console: 21 programs, Bluetooth ready
- Amenities: Sound system, USB charging / data transfer port, bottle holders, media holders, cooling fan
- Warranty: Frame lifetime / Motor lifetime / Parts 5 years / Labor 1 year
Frame and deck
To begin with, the LifeSpan TR3000i treadmill features a steel frame, with an extremely sturdy and heavy construction. It’s assembled weight is 225 lbs (102 kg), weight that provides 
a lot of stability. In other words, you can be sure that this machine won’t rock or wobble during your workouts. Despite its massive weight, the fully assembled machine is not that difficult to handle. The rear feet of the deck integrate small wheels, as well as the front part of the metallic frame. Therefore, if you need to relocate the machine, you will basically handle less than half of its total weight. Also, the front base of the machine and the rear part of the metallic base, have rubberized stabilizers, which supply a better grip onto the floor.
This treadmill features a folding design. It’s equipped with the EZfold™ system, which consists of a hydraulic cylinder, which assists you with the unfolding of the deck, preventing it to drop hard on the floor when unfolding it. With the deck folded up, the machine’s length is reduced to 42″ (106 cm). Conversely, with the deck unfolded, the machine has a footprint of 71″L x 33″W (180 x 84 cm). Differently put, it’s a medium sized machine, which should fit even in a smaller room. However, keep in mind that it requires at least 2 feet of clearance on each side, and at least 3 feet of clearance at the rear for safe operation.
All steel parts of the machine’s frame are coated with corrosion resistant and scratch resistant paint. The base frame is painted black, while the upright posts that sustain the console are gray. For now, these are the only colors available.
This LifeSpan treadmill is equipped with an extremely sturdy, 1″ (2.5 cm) phenolic deck. It can support users up to 350 lbs (159 kg), without permanently bending or breaking, which is quite 
impressive for a treadmill model in this price/feature range. The deck has a built-in cushioning system consisting in 8 shock absorber elements which alleviate up to 30 percent of the running impact. Differently put, a run on this treadmill is considerably more forgiving for your joints than a run on concrete or asphalt.
The deck integrates large rollers, 2.5″ at the front, 2″ at the rear, supplying a steady motion to the belt and reducing wear. The running surface consists of a 2-ply, heavy-duty, no-stretch belt, 56″ (142 cm) long, 20″ (51 cm) wide. This means the treadmill can accommodate users up to 6’3″ – 6’4″ with no problem. Taller users however, may consider the running surface a bit too short, but nonetheless, as long as they weigh less than 350 lbs, they should be able to use the machine.
Incline & step-up height
The LifeSpan TR3000i is equipped with a motorized incline system. It provides a ramp up to 15%, which is approx. 11°. The incline is adjustable in increments of 1%, having 15 adjustment settings in total. Even though the machine doesn’t have the 30-40 degrees of incline such as some of the commercial treadmills, this feature is quite a plus. Not only it puts a lot of diversity in your workouts, it can also add a considerable amount of intensity to them. For example, most professional runners won’t be able to resist more than a few minutes running at 10 MPH, with an incline of approx. 10%.
The incline system is powerful enough to lift weights up to 800 lbs (363 kg). Thus, it should perform perfectly with just about any user.
The running surface of the machine is set at 8″ (20.3 cm) above floor level, when the deck is at 0% incline. The full incline, will add a few inches at the front of the deck. This being said, to avoid any ceiling height issues, it’s best to place the machine for use, in a room with a ceiling that’s at least 15″-20″ (38 – 51 cm) than your height.
Motor
This LifeSpan treadmill uses a motor slightly lower in capacity than the TR4000i, but a bit higher than the TR2000i. It’s equipped with a 2.75 CHP motor, a motor powerful enough to sustain prolonged running sessions, even at full speed, without overheating or losing performance. After all, this is a 
treadmill designed for running, not just walking or jogging.
The motor supplies speeds between 0.5 MPH and 12 MPH. Now, this interval should suffice for just about anyone who wants to undergo a consistent cardio, running workout every day. However, for a professional, long distance run athlete, it may not be the best choice, as they may require higher speeds.
Just as for incline, the console provides keys for gradual and quick speed adjustment. The gradual keys will adjust speed in 0.1 increments, while the quick keys allow you to select the 2,4,6,8,10 (MPH) speed settings. These are great for interval training.
The motor itself is quiet compared to other models. Also, the cushioning system built-in the deck absorbs some of the noise generated by your cadence. These being said, the TR3000i offers a fairly quiet operation.
Needless to say, since this machine integrates two motors, one for incline, and one that powers the belt, it requires to be connected to a power circuit. It comes with a standard, 3-prong U.S. plug, and 6 1/2′ (2 m) of cable.
Console
The console unit is equipped with a fairly large LCD display, 6″ in diagonal, featuring blue LED backlight, which offers excellent readability. It covers speed, time, calories, distance, step 
count, and heart rate. It also indicates the current speed and incline settings. Distance can be set in miles or km, while speed can be measured in MPH or km/h.
The console supplied with the TR3000i treadmill from LifeSpan, offers 21 workout programs to choose from, including 17 preset programs, 2 heart rate programs, and 2 custom user programs. Each one of the preset programs features 3 intensity settings. The heart rate programs are evidently designed to help you keep within a specific HR interval. And finally, the custom user programs give you the possibility to create your own workouts, also inserting data such as your weight for a better calorie burn count, and the total time of each workout. Having 2 custom user settings is actually great if you want to quickly swap between custom workouts, or if other persons use the machine, and you want to keep your own workout settings.
The console unit is Bluetooth ready. With a LifeSpan Bluetooth adapter you can sync it with your laptop, tablet or smartphone in order to use various online apps, such as Active Trac™ and Train & Trac™, for direct data transfer and tracking of your progress. But keep in mind that this Bluetooth adapter is not supplied with the machine. It’s an optional purchase.
On the other hand, the computer unit of this LifeSpan treadmill is equipped with a USB port, which you can use to transfer your workout data into your free Club account. The USB port also doubles as a charging port for your mobile device. However, it does not support iPad 1,2 and 3.
The machine’s computer unit is also telemetry enabled. This means it can read your pulse via a wireless HR chest strap transmitter. This accessory is not included though. But nonetheless, if you don’t have one, you can still benefit from the pulse reading function by using the stainless steel pulse sensors integrated in the front handlebars.
When it comes to other amenities, this treadmill offers sound system, 3-speed fan, 2 media trays, and 2 bottle holders. As we’ve mentioned above, the fan is a new addition to the TR3000i, as the older model does not feature one. Although it’s not exactly the most powerful fan, it still offers 3 speed settings, offering some cooling during a more intense workout session. The sound system consists of two speakers placed on the sides of the LCD display. It’s compatible with most MP3 players, smartphones and tablets, also featuring a headphone jack. The sound rendered is fairly decent, considerably superior to the sound generated by the average phone or tablet integrated speakers.
The media trays are set at different angles. The one closer to the keys will keep your tablet vertical position, while the second one offers an oblique position, leaning under the console display. The bottle holder compartments are situated on the sides. They’re pretty large and can host various other accessories that you would need on the treadmill. The bottle holder trays are placed on the sides of the console.
Assembly and Maintenance
As we’ve already mentioned, this treadmill is fairly heavy, with a net weight of 225 lbs. This means you’ll need at least two person for carrying the box in the room where you’ll be using it, for unboxing and assembly. But on the other hand, the assembly is a fairly simple process. The deck, belt, main motor and incline motor come already assembled, attached to the frame. The console sustaining bars are also attached to the frame, you only need to unfold them and tighten them in upright position.
Therefore, in terms of assembly, you only need to connect the console, cables and add a few plastic covers. This operation shouldn’t take more than 30-45 min. The assembly manual supplied with the machine provides pretty clear step-by-step instructions. Also, all the tools required for assembly are supplied with the box.
Just as for any other treadmills, the belt of this particular model requires periodic lubrication. The console will prompt you to lubricate the belt after every 100 hours of use. Other than this, make sure you keep the belt clean, free of any dirt, textile fibers or any other objects that can be caught in the motor.
The Pros
- Heavy-duty treadmill, sturdy overall construction;
- Solid deck, being able to support users up to 350 lbs, even for running sessions;
- Folding design, with soft-drop, hydraulic mechanism;
- Deck integrates 8 independent compression shocks, cutting off up to 30% of the workout impact;
- Safety function that stops the belt automatically 20 seconds after you step-off;
- Step counting function;
- 2.75 CHP motor, for prolonged workouts;
- Speed adjustment increments of 0.1 MPH;
- Motorized incline, 0% – 15%;
- 21 workout programs, including 2 user profile settings that allow you to create your own, custom workouts;
- USB port for charging your tablet or phone, and for workout data transfer;
- Bluetooth enabled;
- Various amenities, such as sound system, media shelves, 3-speed fan, bottle/accessory holders;
- Pulse sensors and telemetry enabled console;
- Fairly easy to assemble;
- Smooth and quiet operation;
- Little maintenance required;
- Consistent warranty plan.
The Cons
- Bluetooth adapter not included;
- HR chest strap accessory not included;
- Heavy machine, difficult to carry.
Final Word
Although the LifeSpan T3000i is a treadmill designed for home use, it definitely has a solid construction. It’s an extremely sturdy machine, with a solid deck that can support users up to 350 lbs. It’s a treadmill made for running, not just jogging or walking. It integrates a mid range, heavy-duty motor, and automatic incline. It’s great for beginners, intermediate users and even pro runners. It offers a decent range of workout programs, also being Bluetooth enabled. All in all, it’s a machine great for cardio training, intervals, stamina building, strength training, and of course, for losing weight. And finally, it’s one of the best running machines in this price range, offering an excellent price / value ratio.