Bowflex T9 Treadmill Review – Run Simple & Stay Connected

Dimensions/Storability

The Bowflex T9 is a sizable treadmill. It isn’t the largest from Bowflex, but it should be a good size for running and easy to fold up. Its dimensions are 77.2” L x 37” W x 67.6” H. The Treadmill 22 is an over-sized beast that’s 85” long, so the T9 is a more compact option from the brand.

The deck folds up and locks into place. It appears to have an assist for lifting and lowering the deck. The frame has two transport wheels. When folded, you can tip the treadmill back to wheel it around.

The T9 weighs 282 lbs, however. It should move around fine, but it might not be realistic for some people to move it. With the T9’s size and weight, I would plan to use this treadmill in a designated area where it can stay. Most people should be able to fold it up and move it a few feet out of the way relatively easily. It also probably isn’t realistic to move it from room to room often, let alone up and down stairs.

Onboard Workouts & Apps

For a simple treadmill with an LCD screen, the Bowflex T9 has some good connectivity and console features. Let’s examine what’s included and what apps can be paired.

Onboard Workouts, JRNY, & Apps

I’m not entirely sure about all the onboard workouts that are included. There is said to be ten. They are probably standard and similar to what most treadmills come with.

The manual mode allows you to hop on, press start, and adjust the treadmill yourself. The other modes most likely have preset times, speeds, and incline levels that the treadmill adjusts to throughout the workout.

The T9 has Apple GymKit technology. At the bottom of the console, you can hover your Apple Watch or tap your Galaxy Watch to connect to the treadmill. On your watch and the treadmill, you can track your time, distance, average pace, speed, incline, and heart rate.

It is also Bluetooth-enabled to connect to the included heart rate chest strap and other Bluetooth monitors and devices. It can connect to Garmin watches and your phone.

Connecting your phone lets you pair the T9 with JRNY, the Peloton app, Zwift, Strava, and more. JRNY is Bowflex’s preferred training app, and the T9 comes with a free trial to JRNY.

In the JRNY app, you can follow along with trainers on the treadmill and the mat, take customized adaptive workouts that are made for you based on your fitness level, and listen to a virtual coach as you explore outdoor-filmed routes in the Explore the World feature.

I like having these options without feeling locked into one subscription training service. JRNY, along with the other app connectivity and watch pairing, is optional and not required.

Console

The console features a 7” backlit LCD screen in the middle, which should be clear and easy to see. Below it, there are LED windows to display metrics like calories, heart rate, split time, total time, distance, and pace.

On the sides of the console are quick-adjusting buttons that can be used to adjust to specific speed and incline levels with the press of a button. The center buttons should be straightforward for choosing between user profiles and onboard workouts.

I’m excited about the roller dials on the front handles. These are like Horizon’s treadmills. This is one reason why we think Bowflex designed the T9 with HIIT training in mind.

They’re right under your fingers to adjust the speed and incline quickly. The front handles also have pulse grips that read your heart rate when you hold them. To get a more accurate reading, though, I recommend connecting your tracker or the included one.

The console also has two air vents for the fans. The fans have multiple settings to control the airflow, but they don’t look like they can be adjusted up or down to direct the air. The Bowflex Treadmill 22 has a tiny fan that’s effective, so I hope these larger fans are, too.

The speakers are more obscure. They’re below the cup holders. You should be able to pair your phone to listen to whatever app you want to train with or listen to. We’ll update this review once we get the T9 to let you know how the volume level and clarity of the speakers sound.

The cup holders look to be standard for holding water. Next to them, there are shallower holders for smaller items.

Due to the lack of a touchscreen, you can’t directly stream from training apps or streaming apps like Netflix from the treadmill. You’ll need your phone or tablet. There’s a device rack at the top of the console that should hold it steady.

You could also put the T9 in front of your TV for entertainment.

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Build Quality

In addition to some of the console features, the Bowflex T9’s construction signifies that it is a treadmill for running and interval training.

I don’t expect the Bowflex T9 to be as heavy-duty as the Bowflex Treadmill 22. It doesn’t have the same triangular frame design, but the T9 has a 350-lb weight limit, which is a good indication that it’s well-built and made for most people.

Frame

The frame is made out of steel. Like most folding treadmills, the floor frame is positioned under the front of the deck on the floor. The frame keeps the deck steady and inclines the deck. It is also where the steel uprights connect to extend up to support the console and handles.

There’s a steel crossbar mounted under the console between the uprights. We like seeing this design on treadmills. The added steel here helps to keep the console from shaking. I don’t think seeing more metal added to a treadmill ever hurts. You want it to be sturdy and supportive. The T9 should be.

The handles seem pretty standard. The front handles extend upright and the side handles aren’t very long, but should be within reach when you need them. It looks like they’re covered in textured plastic. They most likely don’t feel slippery. We don’t encounter many treadmills with handles that are.

Motor

The motor is said to be 3.5 HP, which is a great motor size for running on a folding treadmill. Unfortunately, Bowflex doesn’t include the motor sizes of its treadmills. We assume the Bowflex Treadmill 22 and Treadmill 10 have 4.0 HP motors. The Treadmill 22 performed well in our testing and could handle a lot of use.

Other vendors of the T9 state that the T9 has a 3.5 HP motor. The T9 is the model down from these treadmills, so it makes sense that it doesn’t have a motor that’s as high-powered. 3.5 HP is still a lot of horsepower for running. You should be able to run long distances and frequently use the T9.

We expect this from this treadmill and hope we aren’t wrong. It goes up to 12 mph and has a 15% incline.

Bowflex also says the T9 has “Quick Response Technology.” The motor should quickly adjust the speed and incline levels for the roller dials to be efficient. Horizon treadmills with these rollers are also quick to adjust. I hope Bowflex has taken some inspiration from Horizon and made the T9’s motor more responsive than the Treadmill 22.

The Treadmill 22 takes longer to adjust than Horizon’s treadmills. However, we hope the T9’s motor is as quiet as the Treadmill 22’s.

Deck

The deck is 22” wide and 60” long. It is spacious enough to support all running strides. It’s the largest deck we see on treadmills that fold up. Because the deck is 22” wide, I don’t consider this a compact treadmill for running. Instead, it should be large enough for most people, but because of its size, it might not work in some homes.

The FlexZone XL cushioning might be firm, like the Bowflex Treadmill 22. Since the T9 reminds us of the Horizon 7.4 AT and 7.8 AT treadmills, it might have softer cushioning like these. However, the cushioning and deck are different from the Treadmill 22, which suggests that the T9 could feel softer underfoot.

Once we get it in, we’ll update this review. It probably won’t be as cushioned as NordicTrack treadmills like the 1750. I would check out this one if you have sensitive joints.

Warranty

Bowflex includes a very generous lifetime frame and motor warranty with the T9. The warranty includes three years of coverage for the mechanical parts and one year for labor. It’s probably best to have at least two people for set up, as this is a large and heavy treadmill.

Should You Buy The Bowflex T9 Treadmill?

Based on our assessment of the Bowflex T9, this should be a well-built, solid, and functional treadmill. It is designed for running and has features to make your interval training more seamless.

If you like using your device and preferred training apps rather than getting locked into a touchscreen and a specific training service, the T9 is a great option. It’s compatible with several training apps and devices like my Apple Watch. I haven’t found many treadmills that allow me to track my heart rate in real time, so I’m excited that the T9 includes Apple GymKit technology.

Even if you aren’t into using training apps or connecting your smartwatch to your treadmill, the T9 has a well-constructed design that folds up. From our previous experience using Bowflex treadmills, we have found them to be extremely well-built, and we assume the T9 is, too. It is more compact than the Treadmill 22 and 10 from Bowflex, so that it can fit better in more homes.

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Bowflex T9 Treadmill Q&A / FAQ

Can you use the Bowflex T9 Treadmill without a subscription?

The T9 doesn’t require a subscription to use. It comes with a free trial of the JRNY app, but pairing it with the treadmill is optional. The T9 has a standard LCD screen, so you can’t stream content directly from the treadmill. However, you can pair your device to stream from different training apps.

You can also hop on the treadmill and run without watching or connecting to anything.

Does Bowflex have Netflix?

Bowflex treadmills with touchscreens allow streaming from Netflix when you subscribe to JRNY. The Treadmill 22 and Treadmill 10 let you log into Netflix to stream directly from these treadmills’ screens when you are a JRNY member.

The T9 is compatible to use with the JRNY app. However, Netflix isn’t available to stream in the JRNY app you use on your phone or tablet.

Is this a paid review?

We were not paid to write this spec review of the Bowflex T9. We have affiliate links that allow us to make money and continue writing these reviews. We have tested so many different treadmills from several brands that we have a lot of treadmill knowledge to share.

We can assess a treadmill’s spec list and features to determine its purpose and give a good idea of its performance based on our experience using treadmills of all kinds. In sharing our insight, we hope to help consumers find the best treadmill for them and be confident in their treadmill purchase.

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