Bowflex BXT116 Treadmill Review

Quick Summary

Although a discontinued model, the BXT116 remains a terrific buy for the right family at retail stores. While in production, it was highly rated among the Bowflex Results treadmill series. Built for best-in-class performance, durability and programming, the machine is designed to sync naturally with the Bowflex JRNY Fitness app and comes with Bluetooth benefits. Add a 7.5-inch full color LCD screen, Bluetooth heart rate connectivity, and a unique calorie burn rate console, and this machine is definitely worth a look on the used market.

Pricing will vary as the treadmill is out of production, but we’ve found online offers of $1,499. Expect specials and discounts to pick up particularly around the holidays. Read our detailed review below and see why this treadmill remains a hot item for fans of home fitness.

Our Rating

Rating: 90/100. The new fitness brand Bowflex Results debuted in May 2017 with the BXT116 and BXT216 Treadmills, and both cardio trainers should give competing brands a run for their money. The T116 in this review served officially as the “entry level” for the series, but Bowflex Results set high standards. Power, programming and durability made the treadmill a top contender at the $1,499 sale price — and it’s not a bad deal at full price either.

Supporting four user profiles and featuring a foldable frame, the BXT116 strikes us as a great match for the typical family. Some highlights are a 3.75 CHP motor, a maintenance-free belt, nine preset workouts and Bluetooth for use with fitness apps. With several unique features it’s also nudging the home treadmill industry along in terms of innovation.

Bowflex Results treadmills are designed to work with the JRNY Fitness App, but they also work with RunSocial and Zwift. RunSocial is a popular “mixed reality” fitness app with an optional social component where one can choose to run solo or with other avatars. Zwift is a newer exercise app for treadmills but has already wowed the world of indoor cycle training. The new treadmill workouts for Zwift let you virtually explore volcanoes and otherwise make cardio workouts anything but ordinary. Also included with the T116 purchase price is a 15-year frame and motor warranty with five years on parts and electronics, and two years for labor.

Pros:

20” wide x 60” long track
Three-ply tread belt
3.75 CHP drive motor
Top speed 12 mph
Power incline
7.5” full color back-lit LCD display
Burn Rate console provides motivating feedback
Supports up to four user profiles
9 workout apps
Real-time customization of workouts
Includes 8 weeks of Dailyburn workouts
Two-month trial of Zwift virtual workouts
Two-month trial of RunSocial mixed reality workouts
Bluetooth enabled for wireless stats sharing
Media shelf with USB charger
Wireless heart rate receiver and chest strap
Contact heart rate reader
Speed and incline controls built into the handgrips
Coated handrails
Water bottle holder
375-pound load capacity

Cons:

Discontinued from production
Not the best treadmill for extra-large trainees

Introduction

The Bowflex Results BXT116 is an all-around impressive new treadmill for home use with the specs to serve a whole household for many years. Overall, it stands out for meeting or exceeding competitors’ deals and adding a mix of other features one struggles to find, such as Bluetooth Heart Rate equipment coming with the treadmill, as well as an automatic three-speed fan. Read on for details about the new Bowflex treadmill workout programs, features, and warranty.

Workout Programs

Bowflex Results treadmills have color screens for built-in workout programs. The BXT116 has a 7.5-inch color screen and nine preset training programs. Examples of overall goals for the different programs are calorie burn, speed, and cardio endurance. These workouts are designed by fitness pros and can be customized by you; with controls on the handlebars, you can easily make program adjustments as you move. With real-time customization, you can also save program changes that you make during a workout.

For endless options the machine’s media ledge and charging port make it easy to integrate workout programs with your tablet computer. In addition to syncing with JRNY, free Zwift access is included with this Bowflex Results equipment too. Zwift digital reality workouts can help keep any family member entertained as they train. Like Dailyburn, Zwift is also useful away from the treadmill; it can sync with exercise bikes and other fitness machines too.

Finally, the free app RunSocial can be used with BX treadmills. RunSocial delivers “mixed reality” outdoor training in scenic settings. One of its social features is the option to invite friends to join along virtual routes and sync accounts when training or racing together outside.

Bowflex BXT116 Treadmill Features

Programming is shown on a 7.5”-wide full color screen. It’s backlit for easy viewing regardless of home gym lighting. As noted above it has Bluetooth connectivity and comes with a wireless heart rate monitor, and to support weight loss the Bowflex Results machines use a Burn Rate Console. This console indicates calories burnt per minute, which can add motivation and help boost performance. This console supports four user profiles.

To power through long walking and running workout sessions, the T116 has a 3.75 CHP drive motor. It supplies ample power for most trainees. The 4.0 CHP of the T216 might be better if the home gym will be used for marathon training. The bigger motor can also handle a higher user weight.

The T116 belt system has specs we’d expect from a commercial cardio trainer but not necessarily from a home treadmill. First, the belt is three-ply whereas the norm is just one or two layers. The thickness makes a significant difference, making the Bowflex Results treadmill belt longer-lasting, very low-maintenance and quiet-running compared with alternatives. Second, the belt rollers are 2.75 inches in diameter, which is larger than what competitors often supply. Larger rollers promote the tread belt’s longevity and minimize demand on the motor. A media shelf at the top of the console can keep your mobile device handy and includes a USB charging port.

Questions & Answers

What are the major differences between the Bowflex BXT116 treadmill and Bowflex BXT 216 treadmill?
Size across the board. Right off the bat, the BXT116 features a 3.75 CHP motor as opposed to the 4.0. The smaller treadmill also brings a 7.5″ screen compared to the BX216’s 9″ LCD screen. The BXT116 also weighs 280 lbs and can hold users up to 375 lbs, while its larger counterpart weighs 304 lbs and can hold 400 lbs users. The running surface of the BXT116 is 20″ x 60″ compared to 22″ x 60″ on the BXT216.
Can you listen to or stream music to the speakers on the Bowflex BXT116 treadmill?
Users can plug the media cable which comes with the treadmill into their tablet, phone, or other device to play music through the speakers. Volume is controlled through the device.
What is the size of the Bowflex BXT116 treadmill when folded?
The folded dimensions are 52.5″ x 36.3″ x 67″.
Does the Bowflex BXT116 treadmill work with Zwift so that it automatically changes the elevation to match the program?
No.
How loud is the Bowflex BXT116 treadmill when in use?
Our experience and that of other users is that this model is very quiet relative to the competition.
Is the Bowflex BXT116 easy to assemble?
Actually, yes. It’s always easier to assemble a treadmill with a friend to help, but overall this machine is quite simple to put together.

Warranty & Guarantee

The Nautilus warranty here is a good value for customers getting the $1,499 treadmill deal. It includes:

-15 Years Coverage on Frame and Motor, with five years on parts and electronics, and two years for labor

This cardio trainer is also sold with a six-week money-back guarantee.

Conclusion

With a home treadmill budget the BXT116 could be a top deal for shoppers stocking their gyms. Building our lists of pros and cons above, we found plenty to praise. Our main concern is that this fitness machine hasn’t been on the market for long. But backed as it is by a six-week guarantee, overall we’re inclined to give it a thumb’s up. For a great sale price you can get traditional Bowflex strength plus the extra benefits of Bowflex Results extras.