The 5.65 is the least costly of the Smooth Treadmills. The price difference is mostly explained by the shorter running surface and less powerful motor.

If they know what they are buying and are intending only to use it for walking or perhaps light jogging, most people would probably find this treadmill sufficient however things do not bode well for the quality of the motor when a review page linked to from Smooth Treadmills own website complains about the 5.65 motor freezing up.

Another review contains the wistful comment that the buyer wishes he had stumped up a bit extra for a more powerful motor and yet a third disgruntled buyer points out that this machine is marketed as having 15 incline levels which is not the same thing at all as inclining to 15%.

The overall feeling is that those who opted to buy this machine end up regretting it and wish they had gone for something with a bit more tiger in its tank. At 2.5 HP, the motor on the 5.65 really is about as low as you would want to go but more power would definitely be better. Sufficient for walking or light jogging, this motor would not challenge a dedicated runner at all.

The 5.65 offers 14 different workout options including 5 speed related, 5 incline, 1 distance and 1 heart rate control programs. Though the machine does not include a chest monitor the hand grips contain pulse monitors which send heart performance information to the console which then adjusts speed or incline to keep the user within his or her target heart rate zone.

Im-Pression shock absorption cushioning keeps the user’s exposure to impact related joint stress to a minimum while the dual stage gas shock assisted folding system makes folding the machine deck up and out the way a breeze. The machine does come with transport wheels but at 191lbs you are unlikely to want to wheel it about the house very much.

The 5.65 includes a few extras which are nice to have including a sound system with mp3 port, a cooling fan and speed/incline switches on the hand rails for adjusting intensity on the fly.

Priced at a whisker under $1,000 the 5.65 is not seen as an expensive machine and is more or less worth the cost if what the user wants is a relatively low end workout. The running surface is long enough to suit most users at a walking or light pace. Those looking for more would be better to move on up to one of the more powerful models with a longer running surface.

All Smooth treadmills come with free shipping to ‘curbside’. Of course, free shipping is always appreciated but bear in mind that a treadmill comes packed in a very large, very heavy box and is transported in an 18 wheeler. If your house is down a narrow lane that the truck cannot access you will need to be ready with an alternative way of hauling that baby home.

Once you get it there and installed in the room of your choice, unpacking and putting the 5.65 together is not complicated. It comes with a good warranty. Both frame and motor have lifetime coverage, parts and electronics are covered for 3 years and in-home labor for two years.