York Active 125 Folding Treadmill Review

York Fitness have followed up the highly successful Active 120 treadmill with a new model, the Active 125 which is being reviewed here.

Like the original 120 model, assembly of our review model of the Active 125 was a doddle as the machine is almost completely pre-built in the box (folded flat). Just a few bolts to secure the uprights into place that’s pretty much it.

Most compact treadmills are supplied with a 40cm wide by 120cm long running deck, making them suitable for light jogging, more than than running. The Active 125 differentiates itself by adding an extra 10 cm to the deck length. Whilst it may not sound like much, this extra length does make a noticeable difference when running!

Before trying the machine, we were a little concerned by the motor rating of 1.25 HP. However, this is the continuous duty rating and it has a peak output of 2.5 HP.  When using it, the motor had more than ample power to run the belt all the way up to to the top speed of 10 mph and was actually clearly quieter than many treadmills with a higher advertised motor rating!

The elastomer based cushioning on the running deck does an effective job of providing cushioning on heel strikes whilst running and the 12 levels of computer controlled power incline provide plenty of opportunities for those seeking to burn the calories jogging on a gradient!

For a machine at this type of price point, we’re impressed with the clarity of the blue back-lit display of the Active 125: A number of little windows along the top provide permanent feedback on workout statistics such as speed, distance and exercise time. At its centre, there’s a nice quarter mile (400m) track display, and in the middle of this lap display there is a bar segment display to show the speed and incline profile of the programmes on the treadmill.

In manual mode (known as goal mode on this machine as you can set a target distance, time or calories), the speed and incline can be controlled through either the conveniently placed speed and incline adjustment buttons on the handlebar, or alternatively by using the direct speed and incline keys on the console. In addition to the manual programme, there are 12 pre-set programmes each of each can be set for a user defined duration. Also, whilst using any of these pre-set programmes, the overall speed or incline profile may be adjusted using the speed and incline keys.

For maximum flexibility, there are also 3 user defined programmes. These allow you to define the speed and incline profile of each of the 20 programme segments and would be the right answer for those looking to use the machine to do interval training, as the pre-set programmes don’t have have any profiles particularly well suited for this purpose.

As you’d expect, this treadmill has a folding deck, which locks securely in place and has a hydraulic soft drop feature. It’s fitted with transport wheels, but weighing in at a substantial 67 kg, it’d be best not to be needing to move it around too often!

Pulse rate measurement is achieved by gripping the pulse grip sensors on the handlebars. For accurate heart rate monitoring, however, we’d recommend just purchasing a heart rate monitor with a chest strap as pulse grip sensors aren’t ever particularly accurate.

All treadmills need to be periodically lubricated, something which is often neglected by treadmill users, resulting in additional strain on the motor. We’re pleasantly surprised that this budget treadmill has an indicator on the console to indicate when the deck is need of lubrication. This is something we’ve seen as a standard feature on premium brand treadmills from the likes of Sole Fitness, but never on a budget treadmill!

Finally, should the machine develop a fault, the product is covered by a one year warranty from York Fitness. We’re surprised that the warranty period isn’t longer but can only assume it’s due to a marketing reasons: with this machine they’re running the risk of undermining their more expensive models!