Rebel Treadmill 1000 Under Desk Treadmill

After three and a half years, I can't say enough good things about this treadmill. It's a branded Chinese OEM that can be found under a few different labels, but the basic design and construction is excellent. It's a simple, sturdy device without too much complicated stuff to break - something I really appreciate. It has a large electric motor with a well-balanced flywheel, a simple electronics board which handle the speed control, a small control panel, and... that's it. No Bluetooth, no wifi, no complicated nonsense to break and thus render your $600 treadmill otherwise useless. Walking treadmills are a godsend for people who don't like to "make time to exercise". It took me maybe a week to learn how to walk and type at the same time, and now I can walk all day long while I'm working, playing games, or just goofing off on the internet. I can easily get 20,000 steps a day without even thinking about it. It takes a few days for your feet to get used to it - they'll be sore at first. But power through it and you won't even notice after a week. Some advice: DO THE MAINTENANCE. If you use the treadmill every day, you NEED to maintain it every six months or so. Loosen the tread belt and clean underneath it with an old t-shirt or another thin piece of cotton or linen. Clean underneath the side rails. Use the provided liquid silicone lubricant on the tread base - not too much, but don't skimp, either. Take the plastic cover off over the motor housing and clean it out. It's only four screws and they come off easily; it's designed to be taken off and cleaned. If you have pets, pet hair will accumulate in here, as will dust. (Don't use a vacuum cleaner on the electronics board - it will short it out with static electricity!) An additional maintenance item I have discovered recently is to use a spray silicone lubricant on the motor and flywheel: I sprayed some WD-40 silicone on the inside of the flywheel, and the treadmill starts up a lot better now, especially when it's cold. I was having trouble with the "E1" error, which seems to mean it can't get enough startup torque or something. I would not use the spray on the axle itself, as it is already lubricated with grease, and you might actually displace that if you use a spray on it. Make sure you properly balance the tension of the tread belt, using the screws on the back, and don't lose the Allen key! If the tread belt is not balanced, too tight, or too loose it'll wear against the side or flap against the rollers and be noisy. This may take you some time to figure out; go slow, one turn or even half a turn at a time. I recommend getting a cheap, dumb pedometer. Apple Watches and other "smart" fitness trackers often require three axes of motion to accurately track steps, and on a treadmill you're only moving in two. A twenty dollar pedometer works great, though you're not able to automatically record your steps in an app (which is annoying). Get a standing mat (like cashiers use) to put on the treadmill for when you aren't walking. Standing on the treadmill when it's not in motion isn't good for your feet or your back. A standing mat (also called an anti-fatigue mat) makes it so that you don't have to roll it out of the way when you're not using it. Finally, get one of those treadmill mats to put underneath it. They are basically the same foam material as a standing mat, just large enough for a treadmill. It will dramatically cut down on noise and vibration, especially if you have hardwood floors. They're cheap and make things much quieter. The walking treadmill is the most positive impact I've ever had on my health. I've lost over twenty pounds and kept it off without any changes to my diet - and most of that weight came off in the first six months. My resting heart rate has gone down over fifteen beats a minute, and my blood pressure is down more than ten points without drugs. I can walk for hours without getting tired, and I actually enjoy going on walks now. I no longer get winded doing things that once left me exhausted, and at almost fifty years old, I'm in the best cardiovascular health of my adult life.

I got this the week before Thanksgiving, so I'm pretty new to it... so take this for what it's worth. I got this because I joined a walking challenge at work, and I just couldn't get to anything over 5K without a commitment at the gym. I have a standing desk already (and literally stand all day), so I thought it would be easy to get some steps in. What I DIDN'T know was how much I would use it... so it was a $600 gamble. So we got it in.. easy to move with a dolly, but is awkward as heck. Don't pay for assembly.. seriously, it's taking it out of the box and plugging in the controller. If you need help moving it, I don't know if that's included with assembly, but if so, that may be worth it. I think it would be hard for one person to do alone. If that's NOT included with assembly, DON'T PAY FOR ASSEMBLY! Here's a summary of my thoughts a few weeks in: 1) I use it a lot. I went from <<5K steps a day to >15K. I walk at least 5-6 hours per day at a ridiculously slow pace. 2) The thing is essentially silent when running and no one on it. However, when walking, it increases the friction and the footfalls make it NON silent. I've not had anyone mention it in any of the 200 meetings I'm in, but when I ask people I'm on the phone with if they hear something, they sometimes say "yes, it sounds like there's really faint static" or something similar. I use a headset... I don't know how it would be on speaker. 3) It is super hard to get a good step count if you want it in your phone... one of the old-school waist pedometers may work, but I didn't try it (used to love my Omron, though!). I asked in the questions section, and got some answers that didn't work for my situation ('just use the miles walked on the display"-that won't work because I'm off and on the thing all day, and it resets if you're off it >20 mins), and some that would likely not work in many situations ("just swing your arms"- on a desk treadmill?). I've tried several different options, and here's what I've determined: Fitbit One: best of the bunch, but have to be careful with placement. It seems to work best when on my front pocket facing in. Phone in side pocket of uniform: That works pretty well, but since I take my phone in and out about a zillion times a day, and sometimes leave it out, that wasn't great. Jawbone Up: this seemed super sensitive to placement... sometimes it wouldn't count at all, sometimes it counted too much. When I wash my One (which will happen), I'll probably end up using the Up and just doing lots of experimenting to get the placement with the most consistent answer. Fitbit Flex 2: Absolutely amusing overcounting, no matter how I configured it or placed it. I tried waist, pocket, leg, arm, configuration for non-dom or dom wrist, etc, etc. I loved the day I wore this though, since it reported over 30K steps. Don't get to see that on my stepcount too often! So if you want to have bragging rights, and don't care about accuracy, use the Flex 2. Apple watch: yeah, not so much. Not unexpected, since, you know, arms are pretty static when you're working on a computer. Usability: I can use it fine most of the time, but not all the time. If I'm doing fine mouse work, I'm too bumpy. So doing a Visio diagram was NOT going to happen while walking. But I can do email/word processing/powerpoint/database stuff (except fine form design) while walking... so I can log MOST hours of the day. But if you're a graphic artist.. it may be tricky. Safety issues: the only issue I see is that the thing is freaking silent when running. So if you leave your office and forget to stop it, you could easily come back and step on it to go to the other side of it not knowing it's running. Since I have it set at pokey as all get out (usually 1 mph), it was just a surprise, not a safety issue, but it could be a problem for some (balance issues or whatever). So just pay attention before you step on it... that's the best solution. Also, stop it when you get off :D Break in period: That was a surprise for me. I was walking in heavy military boots, slow as can be, tons of steps for many hours, and with a weird posture for walking (arms up, not swinging). Not sure which of these elements contributed, but the first week... holy cow, I was sore. In really weird spots... like the inside of my leg just above the knee, the inner-back thigh, etc. That's MUCH better now... no issue. But be warned... I would suggest starting with just an hour or two, and add a hour or so per day. But since I started off a decent walker, I jumped right in, and boy, it hurt :D What was a surprise? That I got hot as heck. I figured walking 1 mph... that's nothing, right? Not sure if it's because I had my office door closed, or the increased movement, but I was uncomfortably hot, which I rarely am. A $10 fan later, under the keyboard part of my standup desk, and I'm ok now (thank goodness!). But I honestly didn't expect 1 mph to affect my temperature that much. What can't I fix? I feel like a dork.. I'm the only person I know with one of these. So I feel like a huge dweeb, but I get so much satisfaction with my 15K/day that I'll live with that. I even started making deals with myself... "you can do x when you get to y steps", such as "you can buy that thing you want if you get to 100K steps this week", or "you can take a nap if you have 13k steps when you leave work", or other such silliness. So, YMMV. I think I had a good shot of using it well since I already was used to standing all day long, and I was right. If counting steps are important to you, that may be tricky, since the Fitbit Ones are discontinued. But besides that, I heartily recommend this for anyone that wants to add steps to their day and is computer-bound. Plus, the more folks that have one, the less dweeby I'll feel :D So spread the word far and wide that these things are awesome and completely cool! Update: 12/13/2017: Still trying to figure out how to get an accurate step count on this thing. The best thing is still the Fitbit One (by a mile). However, I bought a couple of inexpensive waist pedometers, thinking they might be more accurate, since they're INTENDED to be worn on the waist. Yep, not so much. So I got an Omron HJ325 Alvita Ultimate Pedometer, Blue , and a icefox Walking 3D Pedometer with Clip and Strap,30 Days Memory,Best Accurate Step Counter,Walking Distance Miles and Km,Calorie Counter,Daily Target Performance Monitor,Exercise Time(Black) , referred to below as Omron and Icefox. I did the 100 step count thing, and found these findings, depending on where placed (note: all of these were done at 1.0 or 1.2, with arms static as if typing on a keyboard... I'm guessing swinging arms or different speed could change results): Icefox: 9-86 steps reported, average of 59. Omron: 0-144 steps reported, average of 61. Fitbit One: 91-95 steps reported, average of 93. In short, I'm disappointed that the waist pedometers are so very, very bad for this particular use. I was hoping I could just type in findings into my work challenge vs pulling them out of the phone. So, the saga continues. The Fitbit Flex 2 is still a distant second, and I can't justify the Fitbit One now with current price point, so I need a backup for when my current FItbit One gets washed. Next one, on it's way! I'll keep you posted, in case anyone else cares about getting this solved.

I really wish I could give closer to a 3.5 I initially bought this to see if I would really be interested in walking while working. I'm a remote software developer, so I don't get a lot of exercise. That said, I'm slim and healthy, and I've been using a standing desk for about 6 years. The Rebel arrived, in a pristine cardboard box. I had no trouble picking it up and carrying it into my home office. Setup took a few minutes. I oiled the Rebel as per the instructions. The machine was fairly loud though, and had this unpleasant clicking sound, like a typewriter. Eventually the noise went away. On four hours of use I noticed this very unusual behavior of the machine speeding up well beyond 2.0mph and then suddenly stopping with an E1 error. I would reset the device as per the instructions... Only for it to become more and more common. At around 70 miles of use, the machine would no longer startup for more than a couple of seconds before E1 erroring. Rebel Support was very kind and offered to repair this one or swap it. I chose the repair option. The repair guy suspected the wires were zip tied too closely together, and perhaps were grounding out on vibration. He eventually got it to run again. After about 40 more miles of use it began doing the permanent E1 erroring. I unplugged the device, reset, etc, no luck. There was another set of wires I noticed that were badly pinched together, connecting to what I believe is the speed sensor. Once I separated them, it started working fine again. I have not had any issue since, other than the occasional loud motor sound that seemingly comes and goes. I had to knock some stars off cause this was honestly just too much of a fiasco for a new product. In saying that, I am spoiled(live alone) guy and had the funds to buy another treadmill for my second standing desk. I bit the bullet and bought a Lifespan. I enjoy it much more than the Rebel. It makes less noise, has higher max speed, and honestly hasn't given me a single problem. I do use both products every day. That may seem weird but I have multiple coding stations setup. Again Rebel support was really friendly and easy to work with. Edit - after a year now, ive had no issues with this machine. Ive probably came close to 10k miles on it.

Part 1: I chose this treadmill because of the impressive promise to arrange for returns for up to 30 days if the user isn't satisfied-- sounded like a good company. Well, when we unpacked the treadmill today we found a damaged belt. I emailed Rebel Desk, and within minutes they contacted me to arrange a return. When I asked if they could just replace the unit, they agreed, but also gave me the option of immediately sending a new belt and arranging to have a treadmill service person in our area on standby to visit my office to install it/make sure all is well (which is by far the best option for me). Wow! It's almost shocking these days to have a company stand behind it's product so completely. Five stars for that. The warm and kind customer service response kinda made me emotional! :) Aspects of the treadmill I can comment on at this point: 1) I hoped that the stainless steel look would let me use this in my office without making it look like a gym, and it really is very unobtrusive. This is important, since I am a counselor and need my office to look like a professional and client-centered space vs. my workout room. :) 2) I appreciate the wheels and relatively light weight, making it possible for me to move it if necessary without help and with minimal struggle. 3) The setup instructions and unit controls are simple to understand. Make some quick connections, plug in, and go. :) 4) An interesting detail attended to: during setup I appreciated that the silicone dispenser is specifically designed with a hook that tells the user exactly where to place the bottle to apply the silicone properly (that was the one thing we had worried about messing up during setup). Part 2: added 2/26/16 Well, Rebel Desk customer service came through in a big way. A truly expert independent treadmill service guy was sent out to replace my damaged tread. He had not done any work for Rebel Desk before, and was really impressed by the quality of this unit, saying he might buy one himself. He also stated that the motor was very impressive, and told me "that thing is going to last you a lifetime". Nice to hear from a person who works with all brands of equipment. I've found the unit easy to use, quiet, and safe (the emergency stop works very well). I am very pleased and satisfied with this purchase, and I can say that the company truly stood behind it's product. Yay!

Things break in shipping, it it part of life as someone who buys any products on the Internet, one thing that isn't part of life is products that break in shipping because they are packed like they are going to be gently carried out to the car. My treadmill didn't arrive broken because of poor handling by anyone, it arrived broken because the packing was so shoddily done, seriously pathetic, that it was probably placed on the ground or truck firmly or something over the load max was on top of it. If a company doesn't take pride in their product and wants to make a positive first impression, they honestly don't care much. Getting this giant box out of my living room and buying elsewhere. *Update*-The people at RebelDesk were super nice and cordial and seemed to take a genuine interest in the why and how their product arrived how it did, however, even though I called within 5 minutes after it was delivered, the large box sat in my house for 2 days before the shipping company came to get it, they did not call to schedule the pickup for 2 days either. I will never know if the product is any good or not, I just know there are a lot better options who deal with shipping companies I have at least heard of or who have locations I can drop it off at to get it out of the way. Will file this under the lessons learned.

My husband works from home and so he doesn't get as much walking in as he did when he worked at an office -- going out to lunch, walking to and from the train station, walking around the office, etc. He became a little sedentary at his desk so he decided to get a standing desk. Well, that worked out for a little while until standing all day started hurting his feet. He finds walking around all day much more gentle on his body than standing still for hours. He's been thinking about getting a walking desk for awhile but held back because they are quite expensive. He did a lot of research and is really happy with the Rebel Treadmill. It delivered quickly, and the price was really competitive with other products on the market. He liked the simplicity of the functions (no incline or other fancy features). This was also why the price was so good -- no bells and whistles. He just wanted an under the desk treadmill that he could walk at a very steady and slow pace throughout the day. The treadmill can be controlled at .1 speed increments. It's not very loud, although it's not silent either. My husband is in video conferences all day and the sound doesn't seem to be an issue. He was worried about it disturbing the audio on his calls. He walks 11 miles a day going at a very comfortable pace, and he finds it much easier than standing at his desk. The footprint of the treadmill isn't that big either so it doesn't take up an absurd amount of space in his office. He hasn't used his ergonomic chair in over a month now! The set up was super easy. You just plug it in and set it in place. CAKE! He mentioned that programming (typing on a keyboard) and walking was a little challenging at first but after he was able to get the hang of it after a week. Now it's second nature to him. So far, no complaints or regrets. It's probably been his favorite purchase of the year and he'd do it again in a heartbeat! He feels so much healthier now and has shed a lot of weight.

I wanted an under-desk treadmill for a sit-stand desk I just purchased. The desk cost plenty so I was especially trying to avoid a high price tag for the treadmill. The main competitor's treadmill at this time costs closer to $1000, with caveats how many hours you could use it a day! And if you want to walk more than 6 hours a day they suggest upgrading to the $1200 unit (on their web page!) I've read the Rebel has no such limitation. This unit has a top speed of 2 MPH. Which is completely adequate if not ideal for desk use allowing the motor to small enough and quiet enough to be ideal for a low profile / light duty treadmill (e.g. under-the-desk type). I read somewhere that walking treadmills that have a top speed of 4MPH are actually using re-purposed running treadmill motors (e.g. heavier duty motors optimized for a different task) and that a heavy person walking at too low a speed on an over-capacity motor will strain the motor too much which can harm the motor and burn out the controller board (so can forgetting to lube the belt, leading to increased friction which mars the running board under the belt but that's another issue). What I like about this unit is: - Straightforward. Worked right out of the box with no setup. Not much read or learn to use it. - Small "footprint" but wide enough (18") and long enough for walking. - Motor is surprisingly quiet - Belt is textured well so you can walk comfortably in socks or slippers - Discreet, looks nice. Doesn't take up more space than necessary. - Motor comes up to speed and slows down very smoothly and gently. It weighs only 88 lbs and has wheels on the front so you can lift the tail part (which weighs much less than the front where the motor is), and can easily roll it where where you want it to go. My impression is this model is engineered very carefully and specifically for the under-desk walking role, and has no more and no less than necessary in every respect. It appears well designed, well built and solid. Though I just got it, don't anticipate problems. Though the motor is quiet, be aware the impact of shoes will make the most noticeable noise. And how *much* noise I imagine depends on the speed of the treadmill, weight of the person, style of walking, how hard the soles of the shoes are. The motor itself is quieter than our Sole Fitness treadmill which is a much heftier larger machine, and I had to replace the controller, running board and belt on that so I've gotten a feel for what treadmills about from that.

I bought the Rebel 1000 for my home office. Received it in great condition and had it set up in about 20 minutes after unpacking. It is EXTREMELY quiet and smooth running. It is a very sleek, well built piece of equipment, with a simplistic control panel. The control panel has a start button that begins with 0.5, a stop button and a view button for speed, time, and mileage. There is also an emergency stop tag. In the event one needs to stop for a few minutes for a break , the stop button keeps data for 20 minutes and then reverts to zero. The Rebel has a max speed of 2.0 mph, however, I use it at about 1.2-1.5 mph based upon the level of complexity of what I am doing at the moment. Conference calls are a breeze, no one on the line can hear anything and my productivity has amazingly increased, so has my creativity. Between my morning walk and working on the treadmill desk, I am now getting in typically 10-12 miles a day. As an aside, I combined the Rebel 1000 with a Varidesk, which is also a great product. I cannot wait to see the results of working this way in a month and then at two months. Initial changes are: tremendous decrease in back pain, greater stamina and energy level, no afternoon drowsiness, legs are much stronger, stairs are suddenly a breeze, and my overall body tone is improving. This purchase was a great decision for me and I highly recommend both the Varidesk and the Rebel 1000.