| Unit | Size | Supported weight | Motor | Incline | Console programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sunny FA-7966 Check Discounted Price | L:60" W:29.5" H:47.5" | 220 lbs | 1.6 HP, 0.5 - 7.5 MPH | Motorized, 15 levels | 1 Manual, 12 Pre-set, 3 HRC, 3 User profiles, 1 Body Fat, Goals |
The Sunny Fitness Avenue FA-7966 is one of the smallest treadmills with a motorized incline system released by Sunny Health & Fitness in 2020. It’s a light-capacity treadmill designed for home use but does offer speed levels up to 7.5 MPH. In terms of features, it can be compared with the older Sunny SF-T7705.
Key Features and Specifications
- Assembled dimensions: 60L x 29.5W x 47H inches (152L x 75W x 119H cm)
- Tread belt dimensions: 48.7L x 17W inches (123L x 43W cm)
- Assembled weight: 117 lbs (53 kg)
- Supported weight: 220 lbs (100 kg)
- Motor: 1.6 HP, 0.5 – 7.5 MPH
- Incline: Automatic, 15 levels
- Console programs: 12 pre-set, 3 HRC, 1 body fat, 1 manual, 3 user profiles
- Extras: Sound system, Bluetooth, USB charging port, bottle holders, device holder
- Warranty: Frame 3 years / Parts 180 days
Frame construction
The Sunny Health & Fitness FA-7966 treadmill features a pretty standard frame made of rectangular steel 
tubing. All the steel bars in its construction are coated with a corrosion-resistant paint finish. The color used is gray, this being the only color available for this model. Of course, the treadmill also integrates several parts made of thermoplastic material. For example, the side rail covers, the motor cover, the console dashboard, and several other small covers are plastic-made.
As we’ve mentioned above, the Sunny Fitness Avenue FA-7966 treadmill is fairly small. With all the parts assembled, it is only 60″ (152 cm) long, and 29.5″ (75 cm) wide. This being said, it can fit into a small room, but it still is recommended to leave at least three feet of clearance at the rear of the deck, and two feet of clearance on each side of it for correct and safe usage.
The machine’s frame has a folding design. The deck can be folded up to save space. With the deck folded up, the unit’s footprint remains approx. 36″L x 29.5″W (91 x 75 cm), while its height reaches 49″ (124 cm). The folding mechanism uses a hydraulic cylinder which is meant to slowly lower the deck when unfolded in order to prevent damage to the floor or to the deck.
Although it’s a small treadmill, it’s not exactly light. Its net weight is 117 lbs (53 kg), so the transport of the packaged unit should be done by two persons. Once it is assembled, it can be easily moved by only one person as its front base has transport wheels. Its rear stabilizers are also equipped with wheels.
Deck construction and incline
The Sunny Health & Fitness FA-7966 Fitness Avenue treadmill offers a walking platform of 48.7″L x 17″W
(123 x 43 cm). This being said, it’s a machine made for walking and jogging. It uses a multi-layer belt with a top layer designed for improved contact to prevent foot slippage. The internal rollers have a crowned design and integrate industrial grade bearings for a smooth belt motion. Also, the deck is rated for a maximum user weight capacity of 220 lbs (100 kg).
Although the treadmill’s deck doesn’t have cushioning elements visible on the outside, like it is the case for the Evo-Fit SF-T7955 model, it does integrate 8 rubber pads (4 on each side) for improved shock absorption and vibration reduction. This being said, a walk or jog on this treadmill should be more forgiving on your joints than the same workout on asphalt or concrete.
This Sunny Health & Fitness treadmill is equipped with a motorized incline system. This means that you can adjust the incline while using it; it also means that the console can adjust the incline of the deck automatically, depending on the program in use.
The incline system consists of a small lift situated under the front section of the deck and a small motor. When the incline is adjusted, the motor enables the lift to elevate the front part of the deck.
The treadmill makes available 15 levels of incline. It is important to mention, though, that with the incline set to zero, the deck is not completely horizontal. It still has approx. 1.2° of incline. Conversely, with the incline set to level 15, the deck will have an angle of approx. 5°.
Incline adjustment controls are integrated into the left grip of the machine and on the console. There also are quick incline selection keys on the console for level 3, 6, and 9.
The deck step-up height is approx. 7″ (18 cm) when the incline is set to 0%. Conversely, by adjusting the incline all the way up to the 15th level, the front of the deck will gain a few extra inches in height. Therefore, to avoid any inconveniences, it is recommended to use this treadmill in a room with a ceiling that is at least 15″ (38 cm) higher than the height of the tallest user.
Drive motor
As we’ve mentioned above, the Sunny Health & Fitness FA-7966 treadmill is designed for walking and jogging 
workouts. Therefore, it doesn’t have a super powerful motor. However, its motor does offer a 1.6 horsepower output which is not bad for a trainer made for home use. A flywheel element is also integrated into the motor for improved motion stability and reduced vibration.
The unit’s drive motor offers a speed range between 0.5 MPH and 7.5 MPH. The speed adjustment increments are 0.1 MPH. Just as for the incline, there are speed adjustment controls integrated into the right grip and on the right bottom corner of the console. There also are three quick speed selection keys for 2, 4, and 6 MPH.
Since the machine’s motor only offers a peak power output of 1.6 HP, its power consumption is also minimal. This being said, even if you will be using it daily, it shouldn’t add more than a few dollars to the electricity bill. Also, the motor itself doesn’t generate a lot of noise when in use, but depending on how fast you go, your cadence may generate more or less noise.
Console
Although the Fitness Avenue FA-7966 treadmill is a machine made for home use, it is equipped with
a pretty decent console. To begin with, it has an LCD display with LED backlight for improved readability. It tracks time, distance, calories burned, pulse, speed, and incline. Speed and distance can be set either to metric units (km/h, kilometers) or English units (mph, miles). The console is not telemetric, though. This being said, it can only read your pulse if you hold on to the sensors integrated into the side grips of the machine. It does not work with any wireless HR chest strap or fitness band.
The console does not have online connectivity and is not compatible with any fitness apps. However, it has its own built-in programs. First of all, there is the Manual mode which gives you the possibility to adjust the speed and incline as you like throughout the workout. Goal settings are available for time, distance, and calories burned.
The P1-P12 are pre-set programs. Each one has its segment profile diagram engraved on the console. These are standard programs, each one with its own specific. For example, some are better for burning calories, others have an interval layout, while others progressively increase the speed, then decrease it. All programs adjust both speed and incline. At the beginning of the program, you will have to select a duration for it. Each program has 20 segments and each segment has a duration of 1/20 of the total set time.
The U1-U3 are user-defined programs. They work in a similar way to the pre-set programs, but each user has to set the speed and incline for each segment. The HRC programs are three in number. Each one has a pre-determined HRC setting and will adjust the speed of the belt depending on your current BPM in order to keep you close to the selected heart rate interval. And finally, there is the Body Fat program that can calculate your body fat percentage measuring the relevance between your height and weight if you input your age, weight, height, and gender.
The console has several other notable features. These are the sound system, the USB port, the device holder, and the bottle holders. The sound system consists of two speakers placed on each side of the console. It has Bluetooth connectivity so you can sync it with your smartphone or tablet in order to play your music through the treadmill speakers. The USB port is placed above the quick incline controls. It only offers the function of recharging your phone or tablet; it does not allow workout data transfer on a USB stick. The bottle holders are fairly large, placed one on each side of the console. And finally, the device holder consists of a small shelf placed above the console controls which can serve as support for your tablet.
Assembly and Maintenance
The treadmill comes pre-assembled and in folded position. All you have to do is unfold it, secure the two upright bars into position, add the two joint covers, and plug-in the machine. This shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes of your time. The manual provides all the necessary instructions and all the tools for it are included.
For maintenance, the deck requires lubrication before the first use, and then periodic lubrication. The console has a lubrication reminder function. A bottle of lubricant should be included with the machine. Keeping the belt clean is also important, so it won’t drag any textile fibers or debris in the motor. Other than this, you only have to periodically inspect the machine and make sure that it still functions properly.
The Pros
- Compact design;
- Folding deck with soft-drop mechanism;
- Transport wheels;
- Integrated deck cushioning;
- Automatic incline, 15 levels (1.2° – 5°);
- Speed range between 0.5 and 7.5 MPH;
- Speed adjustment increments of 0.1 MPH;
- Speed and incline controls built-in the side grips;
- Quick adjustment buttons for 3% ,6%, 12% incline, and 2, 4, 6 MPH;
- Low power consumption;
- LED-backlit display;
- 12 preset workout programs;
- 3 user profiles;
- 3 HRC programs;
- Body Fat function;
- Lubrication reminder function;
- Sound system included;
- Bluetooth connectivity for the speakers;
- USB charging port;
- Tablet holder included;
- Bottle holders built-in the dashboard;
- Pulse reading function;
- Little assembly required;
- Little maintenance required;
- Decent warranty.
The Cons
- A tablet placed on the device holder may cover the console display;
- No online connectivity.
Summary
The Sunny Health & Fitness FA-7966 Fitness Avenue is an electric treadmill designed for home use. It is equipped with a 1.6 HP motor, an automatic incline system with 15 levels, and a console featuring 12 pre-set programs. It’s a fairly decent machine for walking and jogging, muscle toning, maintaining a great cardiovascular shape, and losing weight. And finally, it’s one of the most affordable treadmills with an automatic incline, offering excellent value for the price.