Upon initial production in 1991, Life Fitness treadmills introduced a number of technological innovations designed to make them reliable and effective. These product features include the patented FlexDeck® shock absorption system, solid-state AC motor system, patented automatic wax lubrication system, patented Lifepulse® digital heart rate monitoring system and interactive Heart Rate Zone Training® programs.

These advancements, as detailed below, have been shown to provide higher levels of reliability, durability, and a prolonged treadmill life in comparison to other commercial grade treadmills.

Solid-State AC Motor System Increases Reliability
A revolutionary 2-HP direct-drive AC motor (also called variable-speed) gives Life Fitness 9500HR, 9100HR and 9000 treadmills a major advantage over other treadmills on the market. The AC motor connects directly to the drive belt, instead of through a ring-and-cone or pulley-and-gear transmission. While transmissions are a common source of failure and downtime due to the wear of the transmission, direct drive AC motors do not contain this potentially troublesome component. Most other treadmills operate on DC motor systems. DC motor systems contain brushes which also are wear components that require regular maintenance and replacement.

• Solid state AC motor system with 2-HP direct drive AC motor.
• No brushes-- a wear component associated with all DC motors.
• No transmission -- a wear component contained in non-direct AC motors.
• The reliability of Life Fitness direct drive AC motors has been proven through motor bench testing for over 100,000 hours.

FlexDeck® Shock Absorption System Offers Cushioned Feel...Forever
All Life Fitness treadmills are equipped with the exclusive, patented FlexDeck shock absorption system, which consists of 4 Lifespring shock absorbers (TR 9500HR/TR 9100HR) or 8 Lifespring shock absorbers (TR 9000/TR 8500) made of polyurethane elastomer material. This shock absorption material is used in Corvette® suspensions and 240-ton mining vehicles. In testing, Lifespring shock absorbers have been put through 10 million cycles without failure.

The Life Fitness FlexDeck system offers users of varying weights similar cushioned feel via the Lifespring shock absorbers' variable-rate design. The shock absorbers allow the deck to flex downward with the force of the user's foot and then gently upward as the foot is lifted. Because the Lifespring material is nearly indestructible, the flex experienced during the first use will be the same flex experienced in all subsequent workouts, even years later.

• Variable-rate Lifespring shock absorbers ensure a consistent cushioned feel regardless of the size of the person.
• Lifespring shock absorbers are warranted for life. Unlike rubber or foam, they will never wear out.
• TüV testing concluded that versus standard treadmill decks, the FlexDeck shock absorption system reduces impact to knees and joints by as much as 28 percent.

Patented Automatic Wax Lubrication System and Steel Rollers Reduce Friction Belt and deck friction (due to lack of lubrication) is the most common cause of treadmill motor, belt and deck failures. Life Fitness treadmills reduce belt and deck friction through a patented automatic wax lubrication system that automatically sprays a specially formulated wax mixture on the belt at regular intervals of use ensuring proper belt and deck lubrication. This system increases belt and deck life 3-4 times versus the absence of this system and extends motor life through lower power requirements via reduced friction.

Steel rollers improve belt and deck life compared to other types of rollers. The steel rollers dissipate heat more efficiently, thus lowering the coefficient of friction. The lower the coefficient of friction, the longer the belt and deck life.

• Patented automatic wax lubrication system extends belt and deck life.
• Automatic wax lubrication system eliminates the need for facilities to apply a belt and deck lubricant.
• Steel rollers dissipate heat efficiently increasing motor, belt and deck life.

The solid-state AC motor system, FlexDeck shock absorption system, self-waxing system and steel rollers are just some of the innovations that ensure Life Fitness treadmills are reliable, require less maintenance and operate with little or no downtime. The value of built-in reliability makes Life Fitness the only choice for the finest in commercial treadmills