Most treadmills are designed primarily for walking, jogging, and running, involving your lower body the most and very less likely to put your upper body into the real work.
And to develop or shape your upper body, tone your arms and build your chest, you often have to use other exercise equipment that actively engages your upper body parts.
But what if a treadmill offers almost a full-body workout including both lower and upper body? That would be great, right?
The Weslo Crosswalk 5.2T treadmill is designed with upper body resistance bars to give you a complete body workout to accelerate weight loss and maximizes your results at the comfort of your home that sets it apart from the other traditional treadmills.
However, a question may roll in your mind: does its unique ability make it a good purchase, or is the Weslo crosswalk 5.2T treadmill a worth buy to accomplish your fitness goals?
To help you out, we dug deeper and researched every single aspect of this well-known exercise equipment, so you could make a wise decision that meets both your fitness needs and budget.
Without any further ado, let’s get straight into Weslo Crosswalk 5.2T Treadmill Review.
Weslo Crosswalk 5.2T Construction, Core Features & Benefits
Construction and Aesthetics
The Weslo Crosswalk 5.2T treadmill’s frame is made up of steel, whereas other parts are designed from plastic and rubber. All the steel parts are well-coated with anti-corrosive paint to protect themselves against rust and to increase lifespan.
The front part of the deck rests on rubberized feet which provides a good grip to the floor while giving stability to the machine when being used. Being stable shouldn’t give you unnecessary shakes and wobbles when you’re walking on it.
The console masts and the display area have a silver finish, whereas the rest of the treadmill is black, giving a nice, simple, and sleek look.
Dimension and Design
Having a footprint of approximately 68” long x 29” wide and going up to 55” inches high, when in use, it’s a fairly sized treadmill. But if you live in a small home or apartment where you can’t afford to keep it open all the time, you would be glad to know that it has a space saver folding design.
It’s not too heavy, which means probably any adult can easily fold/unfold it manually and lock it in place. When folded the length reduces to 30” whereas the width remains the same. And when you need to move it for storage, the integrated wheels at the front base help you.
Talking about the weight limit, it can withstand individuals up to 250 pounds. Although it’s not the highest weight capacity for treadmills, this is what you get on an inexpensive treadmill.
So, it’s a good option for anyone who weighs under 250 pounds and is limited on space.
Motor and Speed
Having a 2.25 horsepower impulse O motor, the Weslo crosswalk 5.2T is a treadmill ideal for shorter and light workouts. It should run very powerful and give a smooth ride if you’re not very heavy and weigh under its maximum weight capacity.
Though it’s not one of the most powerful motors, it still can reach the maximum speed of 10 miles per hour that’s plenty fast for beginner-level walkers and joggers. The speed control is designed digitally and you can adjust the speed in 0.1 mph or 0.5 mph with short and long press respectively.
Moreover, the motor isn’t completely silent, not the loudest either, it emits a soft noise when operating.
So, overall, it’s a competent fast, reliable, and balanced motor for your light and short in-home workout sessions.
Running Area
The running area on the Weslo crosswalk 5.2T is 16 inches wide and 50 inches long, making it a sufficient workout surface for probably all walkers, but might not be suitable for taller runners.
So, the Weslo crosswalk 5.2T is great for you if you’re shorter to medium stature even for running and lets you stretch your natural stride comfortably, but the taller and wider people may feel a bit restricted or falling.
Cushioning Cell
In terms of how comfortable the running surface or deck feels, it’s well-cushioned integrating one comfort cell cushioning on either side of the deck.
Although this cushioning system isn’t like the high-end and advanced cushioning, it still can reduce a large amount of impact on your joints, and make your steps land softer on the belt. It’s a good feature to have especially if you struggle with bone or joints issues or pain after walking or running.
Incline Ability
If you want to diversify your regime or want to shed more calories in the same amount of time while more protecting your joints, working out at an inclined surface can help you.
Though the crosswalk 5.2T incline feature isn’t powered and as high as you often see on bigger and advanced treadmills, you still can have a decent inclined surface. It allows you to change the degree from flat surface to approximately 6% or 8% position level manually, which means you’ll have to get off the machine to change the incline using the rear folding deck feet, however, doing it manually might be a little inconvenient.
No need to say, you need to take your height into consideration while placing your machine, so you could have a nice room over your head when you opt to work at an incline. Having said that, at 0% incline, the deck surface stands at approximately somewhere between 7” to 8” above the ground level.
Mobile Resistance Arms
One of the best things about the Weslo crosswalk 5.2T treadmill and which makes it a bit unique from traditional treadmills is the addition of upper-body resistance arms that are the vital part of elliptical machines. This added feature gives you workout opportunities for your upper body including your arms and shoulders while exercising your lower body.
Having resistant arms help you tone your upper body, build lean muscle mass while burning more calories. This also saves you time by reducing the need to do different workouts to target upper body parts.
The rubberized handle should be comfortable and give a good grip on the arms. Also, you can increase or decrease the resistance intensity or tension depending on your fitness level, though the length can’t be adjusted. They are bolted at a fixed efficient height on the frame itself.
And in case you don’t want to use them, you don’t have to, and they remain stationary while you’re just walking or jogging.
Know More About Weslo Crosswalk 5.2T
Console Features & Computer Functionality
When it comes to the console area and computer functionality, the Weslo crosswalk 5.2T offers a very basic experience. The console has a straightforward and minimal design, which is good for anyone who doesn’t like muss or fuss, instead the one-touch quick and easy navigation makes understanding your fitness equipment and making workout adjustments a breeze.
Display area
The silver and black display area is the center of the console. There is a very basic window screen at the top that readouts essential workout data such as speed (mph), distance covered (miles), the elapsed time, the approximate number of calories, your current heart when measured, and the number of laps you’ve done during the session while also keeping count of how much you’ve completed from the current lap, where each lap is the ¼-mile track.
Below the screen there are 6 one-touch quick keys as follow:
- Workout Select
- Priority Display
- Start
- Stop
- And Speed up and down key
Workout Programs
The Weslo Crosswalk 5.2T’s console is loaded with 4 preset workout programs. From which 2 are focused on performance and 2 are for weight loss. They can be easily accessed through their own keys enabling you directly get into the workout.
They are great to get started especially if you’ve never worked out before. On the other hand, you’re also allowed to work out at any speed. Most other treadmills in the same price bracket offer more workout options than this, but still, it’s something for motivation and to follow along.
Thumb Pulse Monitor
Since a treadmill is a cardio machine, it enables you to track your heart rate, however, in different ways. The Weslo Crosswalk 5.2T’s console front panel has a thumb pulse monitor to keep your pace inside your target heart zone.
All you have to do is push your thumb into the sensor directly, and you get a clear and quick reading on the display window, however, it’s probably the least accurate method for tracking your heartbeat. And according to most customers, the readings are not reliable and accurate always.
Moreover, it may or may not be an easy and convenient way for you depending on how accurately you can place your thumb on the sensor while you’re moving.
Storage Spaces
And lastly, there are two conveniently designed storage areas on either side of the main display to store your water bottle, smartphone, or other small fitness essentials that you may need during your workout.
Assembly and Maintenance
The most difficult parts of the crosswalk 5.2T come pre-assembled including the deck, motor, and belt. So you’ve to connect the wires, assemble the console masts, the console, the handlebars, and then fix the mobile arms with the help of included tools and some other tools as well that are not included such as Phillips screwdriver, adjustable wrench, and needle-nose plier.
Putting it together should be easy and quick by following the manual instructions and the whole process can take roughly somewhere between 45 minutes to an hour if done properly, however, you may or may not need another person for help.
Regarding maintenance, general rules apply here. Keeping the machine dust-free, tightening the nuts and bolts, and lubricating the belt when needed is all you need to take care of for your machine to work appropriately and avoid before-time wear and tear.
Things to Consider
Like most pocket-friendly treadmills, the Weslo crosswalk 5.2T also has certain limitations or lacks some features that you should know to make a fair decision.
Lacks Some Features
It may or may not be important for you, but the console lacks some decent basic features. There is no air fan, no audio compatibility or sound system, no tablet holder, no reading racks to put your magazine. Moreover, there’s probably no Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity as well.
Manual Incline & Gradual Speed Adjustment
Although the treadmill has the incline feature, it’s manual. This means you need to stop your workout to change the incline level, which can be bothersome.
Moreover, you’re only allowed to make gradual increments/decrements in points in your speed rather than whole numbers. It’s a very small thing to consider, but you’ll need to press the button many times more to reach a somewhat high speed than if there were quick digital buttons.
Limited Warranty
Talking about coverage, it’s a bit disappointing to find out that there is no warranty on the frame and motor at all. And the Weslo only offers 90 days warranty on parts and labor which is very short even for a pocket-friendly treadmill. However, you can opt for an extended warranty for an extra charge at the time of ordering it.
Weslo Crosswalk 5.2T Treadmill Review At a Glance
Pros
- Very affordable for anyone on a budget
- Simple design for beginners
- Mobile arms allow you to work the upper body, sculpt lean muscle mass, and trim arms
- Adjustable incline to give a more challenging workout
- 4 preset workouts
- You can monitor your heart rate throughout the workout
- Small footprint, lightweight, and folding design
- Easy to assemble and use
- Shock-absorbing comfort cell cushioning
Cons
- The length of the resistance arms is non-adjustable, so the motion range is limited.
- No fan, quick keys for speed control, tablet, book, or accessory holder.
- Lacks entertainment features including built-in stereo to connect your audio device, and Wi-Fi capability
- Poor warranty package
- Made from less reliable parts that might not last longer
The Bottom Line
Wrapping up, the ability to put your upper body into an active workout, the folding design, the sturdy and well-built design for walking and jogging for beginners, and above all the reasonable price makes the Weslo crosswalk 5.2T a good treadmill for light to medium intensity workout for muscle toning, cardio health, stamina building and weight loss to those who’re limited on both space and budget but want a decent buy for the money.
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