Transform your home workouts with the NordicTrack T 6.5 S Smart Treadmill. Powered by a SMART-Response motor and iFIT® interactive training (1-month membership included), this foldable treadmill auto-adjusts speed and incline to match studio classes and global courses led by expert trainers. Enjoy a 20″ × 55″ FlexSelect® deck for superior cushioning and recovery.
- Interactive iFIT Training – Access 10,000+ live and on-demand workouts; auto-adjust speed & incline to your fitness level (subscription required).
- Powerful Performance – 0–10 MPH speed range lets you sprint up to a 6-minute mile pace on demand.
- Dynamic Incline – 0–10% Auto-Adjust incline for varied terrain simulations and full-body conditioning.
- FlexSelect Cushioning – Choose between firm or soft deck settings to protect joints and enhance comfort.
- 5″ LCD Display & Device Shelf – Track live stats or stream iFIT classes from your tablet for an immersive experience.
- Foldable & Compact – Easy SpaceSaver® design with one-step hydraulic folding for quick storage.
- SmartPulse Heart-Rate – Option to add a chest strap (sold separately) for real-time heart-rate training.
| Brand | NordicTrack |
| Model | T 6.5 S |
| Color | Black |
| Motor | SMART-Response |
| Belt Size | 20″ × 55″ |
| Speed Range | 0–10 MPH |
| Incline Range | 0–10% |
| Dimensions (L×W×H) | 73.5″ × 36″ × 54″ |
| Weight | 203 lb |
| Folded Footprint | 36″ × 36″ |
So, we bought it assuming we would be able to fold it and put it away. Unfortunately, that's not the case, and the lack of clarity is really frustrating. I'd have even spend the extra couple hundred dollars for the nicer model if it had been clearly marked! As is, we have to find the space to fit the full-sized machine now.
Great product, but REALLY frustrated by the misleading advertising. If you want a folding model, don't get tdoesn't.
Maybe I missed something, but I still believe that including a photo of a folding model and advertising it as a feature of the T Series without clearly labeling the T5 as the exception is dishonest and setting folks up for failure.
The unit is extremely well packaged and there was no damage from shipping at all, even though the the package weighs around 140 pounds. The walking platform and motor assembly is all one piece and does not fold like other treadmills. The instructions do say that two people are required for assembly. Two people would make a couple of steps easier, but are by no means required. I was able to do it all myself. I was just barely able to lift the big piece and wrestle it into the house. 3 or 4 pounds more and I don't think I would have been able to lift it.
Once I got all the pieces inside, it was time to start assembling. The instructions are well written and it was mostly clear what had to be done. Unfortunately, I hit a snag on step 4. I got the wire through the upright and the grommet installed with little problem. The next step was to remove the screw that they used to hold the wire tie in the upright and use a different screw to attach the ground wire to that hole. The ground wire screw would not thread into the hole. The proper screw is, of course, a machine screw, but the temporary screw they had in the hole was not. It was a completely different thread and it boogered up the first thread or two in the upright.
I stopped at this point so as not to make things worse by completely stripping out the hole in the upright. I figured I could just run a tap through the hole to clean up the threads and be off to the races. I went to get a tap, thinking that the screw looked like 6-32 or 8-32. It turns out it was neither, it is very close in size to a #8 screw, but it has more like 36 teeth per inch than 32. Now what, I don't believe anyone makes an 8-36 screw. Oh crap, the dumb thing is metric and I don't have any metric taps. Again, Amazon to the rescue. They had a metric tap and die set to me that same night. Turns out, the screw in question is M4 X .7. Once that was sorted out, the rest was easy.
I like that it is smaller (narrower and shorter) than my old one. I like that it doesn't go overboard with electronics (though just a smidge more would be nice). I don't really like that it moves around a lot more than my old one, but that would be due to the fact that it is smaller and lighter. I wouldn't mind so much, but since it comes with a tablet holder, I had planned to put a tablet there running Kindle software so I can read while I walk without having to hold the tablet in my hand. With the whole thing rocking around, it was a little difficult to focus on the Kindle.
The console display is quite small, which is generally a good thing as I only use the most basic features of the machine anyway. In this case, it would be nice if the display was slightly larger. All of the treadmills I have used, including my old one, have a graphic display of a generic running track and it is easy to track progress by counting laps. This one will tell you how far you have gone, but there is no quick reference graphic to depict where you are in the lap and I missed that from the very beginning.
I realize that you get what you pay for and for this price it's not reasonable to expect too much, but a little more functionality shouldn't break the bank.
Somehow I doubt this one will last 20 years, but we'll see.
My Usage: only manual mode - no programs and no iFit, so can't speak to those. I'm also not a runner. I walk in the 2.2 - 3.2 mph range with level 2 to full incline for 20-45 min once a day. I am the only user.
My last Nordic TM lasted 20+ years and that's the only reason I overpaid for this one ($799 and with tax closer to $900). IMO this TM should be $679 - the 2023 Black Friday price - all the time. But know I can get parts for it over the years and keep it going, but still; being overpriced is one reason for knocking off a star.
In tandem with that it has to be assembled (price should reflect this but doesn't). So many TMs today come pre-assembled. I don't mind assembling something, but would mind it much less at $679. That said the assembly was fairly easy as long as you have your own socket/ratchet, etc tools and don't use the suggested ones. Also helps to have watched a few YT vids on how to assemble it. I did it alone without help.
Final reason for taking off a star is the funky dot matrix display. I know many TM's have this, but it's ugly and dated... like all the way back to 1200 baud modem and floppy disk days. When will TMs have nice LED screens like cell phones? On the pro side, it's at least quite large and has all the data you need.
The Settings are funky to get through too, but once set, really won't need to bother with them.
Otherwise I like how there are buttons for everything you need (MPH and incline) so you don't have to press the - or + buttons overmuch.
The box arrived absolutely pristine and looked brand spankin' new like Scotty had transported it directly from the packer to my garage. Not a scratch or blemish on it. The interior was also well packed. I read many reviews of people who received cracked or broken plastic trim parts. Not so in my case. The beautiful condition it arrived in took some of the sting out of the price.
Once together I bypassed iFit then tested it without getting on it. The belt was too far left and made a rubbing noise on the trim. I adjusted it to center until it was quiet; then loosened it slightly on both sides because after centering it, it was a little tighter than the 2-3 inches the manual calls for. So some minor adjusting.
(When I first turned it on it went to the highest incline position on its own, then immediately went back down and stopped. I knew it was calibrating itself so just let it do that.)
The noise factor is similar to my last Nordic. I wouldn't call it a quiet machine or put it in a bedroom if people will be trying to sleep while you use it, but it's not annoying either. I listen to music over a stereo system (not the TM's speakers) and so I don't notice it. Like my last Nordic, the motor does change pitch a little with every step, as if the weight makes it work a little harder (I'm of average weight at 160).
The console is much larger than expected. It makes the TM look pretty darn big. Not an issue for me since it's in the garage. I did order a "fully-opened" cover for it from Amazon (vs a cover that only fits when the TM is folded up).
There have been some reviews saying it would not run on a 15A circuit. From what I gather, newer circuits (i.e. found in newer houses) are made differently than the very old ones. I live in a house built in the 1950s and the TM is on a 15A circuit along with a bunch of other stuff and it works fine, but maybe part of that is that I am not pushing it at high speeds, IDK.
But it runs smooth, the buttons are responsive, and it does what it's supposed to. As long as it keeps doing that I'll be happy enough. If I run into problems, will update this review.
One thing that bothers me is it says in the manual not to use silicone on the belt, that it's pre-lubed. That's fine for now, but if belts aren't regularly lubed they will wear the deck too, (and put drag on the motor). then you'll need a new deck AND belt... and might burn out the motor in the process. Maybe Nordic doesn't mind because then they can sell more parts that way, but there should have been a schedule included for how often to lube it, and what lube to use. Instead I will have to take time to research that myself.
Bottom line: Would I recommend it? At $679 absolutely. At $799 you can find cheaper ones that do the same thing, but whether or not those will last as long, or if parts will be available down the road, who knows... I wanted to stick with Nordic - not because they're as great as they used to be - but because they seemed like a safer bet than newer brands that also had many complaints, but YMMV.