3 ms·

For the record, I just looked at my (formerly commercial) treadmill and it has no guard. Looking at a google image search for "treadmill" shows maybe 1/3 do not

For the record, I just looked at my (formerly commercial) treadmill and it has no guard. Looking at a google image search for "treadmill" shows maybe 1/3 do not have a guard. Whether or not it is a terrible design, it's common.

Larrikin 6y ago
I checked my treadmill and it doesn't as well. I also googled trying to see what they look like. They seem to be used on treadmills that sit higher off the ground. My guess is that the Peloton design is more dangerous due to the treads, the thickness overall and how to high it sits off the ground. Perfect design for sucking things under.
- rconti 6y ago
  Yeah, it's certainly not uncommon on either treadmills, but I think the height of the Peloton unit perhaps makes it more problematic than most.
- ramraj07 6y ago
  And also being famous hurts. "Kid dies getting sucked under some random treadmill" is not as newsworthy as saying it's a peleton treadmill.
dkdk8283 6y ago
My treadmill doesn’t have a guard either. It does monitor the motor and if it suddenly stops it shuts down. I have observed an accident at a commercial gym where it also shut down on jam. It’s poor software.
- rubidium 6y ago
  Safety is always a systems problem. Software is never an adequate single point of failure for critical risks.
  - Gibbon1 6y ago
    Early 90's read a long article on safety. First point front and center is safety is a primary system design issue. Example: Old coworker mentioned working on a controller for an airbag. She said the watchdog timeout was set to a shorter period than required to fire the airbag. So if the firmware went off into the weeds the watchdog would fire before the air bag.
stefan_ 6y ago
I mean, there is no regulation for it, but it seems like an incredibly risky design for the manufacturer. Quick release forks famously have "lawyer lips" that make sure the wheel doesn't fall out in case you are riding the bike without actually closing the quick release.
- matthewowen 6y ago
  I always thought those lawyer tabs were so dorky... until a branch or something somehow unhooked my qr lever descending camino alto, at which point the lawyer tabs really were the only thing keeping me from a pretty nasty accident.
dillondoyle 6y ago
Yeah what should I look for? Is it like this just a piece of plastic on the 'outside' of the tread? [1] My proform doesn't have one? though i always wear the emergency clip on treadmills. cheaper treadmills though motors are super slow to ramp up and down. [2] https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0027/4490/9879/products/TRM_445_3Q_2020_600x600.jpg?v=1598305070 https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0027/4490/9879/products/TR... https://res.cloudinary.com/iconfitness/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto,fl_progressive,fl_lossy,dpr_auto,w_auto/v1/site--6/PFTL87720.png https://res.cloudinary.com/iconfitness/image/upload/f_auto,q...
- Animats 6y ago
  I just came back from my usual gym, a Snap Fitness, which has Cybex treadmills. Those have the belt running around a roller at the back, and then, on the underside, there's a bar or plate just past the roller, almost touching the belt. So if something gets pushed underneath, it gets peeled off the belt, instead of being sucked underneath. Simple.
  - Mountain_Skies 6y ago
    Checked my NordicTrack 1750 and it has something similar. Didn't even realize that bar was there but it's good to know it is and what it is for. I'm not familiar with the design of the Peloton treadmill but it seems like most could have something similar.
    - dillondoyle 6y ago
      Oh cool. Still would suck to get sand papered. I wonder if could make something like those construction cutting blade things, where if you trigger the bar with a lot of force it hard stops. I always wear the clip i've fallen off a treadmill before didn't get great balance on the hand rails stepping off a sprint.
hellbannedguy 6y ago
Procore dosen't either, or at least the $5000 commercial models.

Larrikin 6y ago

I checked my treadmill and it doesn't as well. I also googled trying to see what they look like. They seem to be used on treadmills that sit higher off the ground. My guess is that the Peloton design is more dangerous due to the treads, the thickness overall and how to high it sits off the ground. Perfect design for sucking things under.

rconti 6y ago
Yeah, it's certainly not uncommon on either treadmills, but I think the height of the Peloton unit perhaps makes it more problematic than most.
ramraj07 6y ago
And also being famous hurts. "Kid dies getting sucked under some random treadmill" is not as newsworthy as saying it's a peleton treadmill.

dkdk8283 6y ago

My treadmill doesn’t have a guard either. It does monitor the motor and if it suddenly stops it shuts down. I have observed an accident at a commercial gym where it also shut down on jam. It’s poor software.

rubidium 6y ago
Safety is always a systems problem. Software is never an adequate single point of failure for critical risks.
- Gibbon1 6y ago
  Early 90's read a long article on safety. First point front and center is safety is a primary system design issue. Example: Old coworker mentioned working on a controller for an airbag. She said the watchdog timeout was set to a shorter period than required to fire the airbag. So if the firmware went off into the weeds the watchdog would fire before the air bag.

stefan_ 6y ago

I mean, there is no regulation for it, but it seems like an incredibly risky design for the manufacturer. Quick release forks famously have "lawyer lips" that make sure the wheel doesn't fall out in case you are riding the bike without actually closing the quick release.

matthewowen 6y ago
I always thought those lawyer tabs were so dorky... until a branch or something somehow unhooked my qr lever descending camino alto, at which point the lawyer tabs really were the only thing keeping me from a pretty nasty accident.

dillondoyle 6y ago

Yeah what should I look for? Is it like this just a piece of plastic on the 'outside' of the tread? [1] My proform doesn't have one? though i always wear the emergency clip on treadmills. cheaper treadmills though motors are super slow to ramp up and down. [2] https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0027/4490/9879/products/TRM_445_3Q_2020_600x600.jpg?v=1598305070 https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0027/4490/9879/products/TR... https://res.cloudinary.com/iconfitness/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto,fl_progressive,fl_lossy,dpr_auto,w_auto/v1/site--6/PFTL87720.png https://res.cloudinary.com/iconfitness/image/upload/f_auto,q...

Animats 6y ago
I just came back from my usual gym, a Snap Fitness, which has Cybex treadmills. Those have the belt running around a roller at the back, and then, on the underside, there's a bar or plate just past the roller, almost touching the belt. So if something gets pushed underneath, it gets peeled off the belt, instead of being sucked underneath. Simple.
- Mountain_Skies 6y ago
  Checked my NordicTrack 1750 and it has something similar. Didn't even realize that bar was there but it's good to know it is and what it is for. I'm not familiar with the design of the Peloton treadmill but it seems like most could have something similar.
  - dillondoyle 6y ago
    Oh cool. Still would suck to get sand papered. I wonder if could make something like those construction cutting blade things, where if you trigger the bar with a lot of force it hard stops. I always wear the clip i've fallen off a treadmill before didn't get great balance on the hand rails stepping off a sprint.

hellbannedguy 6y ago

Procore dosen't either, or at least the $5000 commercial models.