The Domyos T540C is a connected treadmill from Decathlon which is pushing up towards professional level. Is it worth the outlay for home workouts?
What we like: Great running action; Tilt mechanism works well; Quality feel; Heartrate grips
What we don’t like: Tricky setup ideally requiring two people; Kinomap requires subscription
Within the range of treadmills available on the market today, there is a seemingly never-ending list of options to choose from. From basic manual devices to high-end, high spec models with all the bells and whistles, there’s something for everyone. And of course, different athletes and levels of ability require different equipment to maximise their workout potential. After extensive and meticulous research, we have reviewed for you a model from Decathlons own brand Domyos, the Domyos T540C treadmill.
The Decathlon megastore group, covering Europe with its athletic and outdoor products, have invested heavily in developing their own brand, Domyos. Whilst not owning the panache that comes with a Nike tick or designer flamboyance, the Domyos range has built a reputation of being reliable, well built, and functional. Decathlon offer good warranties and excellent customer service. The brand is now a staple for home users, and with the T540C we’ve figured out why.
The Domyos T540C is Decathlon’s response to the budget-wary intermediate runner and is a step above the Run100E which we’ve previously reviewed.
Priced enticingly at £549.99 in the UK and $550 in the USA, we found the T540C to be great value for money during our review, although the treadmill is obviously not cheap. Beneath the hood is a reliable 1.25 continuous-HP motor, and this is topped off with a spacious 13 x 5 cm backlit LCD screen. Using the screen you can track session time, calories burned, distance covered, speed and incline.
The useful addition of heart rate hand grips means you can also view and monitor your heart rate, perfect for heart rate zone training. There are even two speakers with a jack input (cable handily thrown in), a USB port for charging mobile devices, and as we’ve seen on our other reviews, manufacturers have finally started to catch up and add tablet holders to their treadmills! Finally, and perhaps the icing on the proverbial cake, the T540C comes with a heart rate belt monitor included, for absolute accuracy when tracking your heart rate.
For someone looking for a mid-range treadmill with all the functionality that an entry to intermediate athlete would need, at a price that doesn’t break the bank, on the face of it the Domyos T540C fits the bill. It has the vast majority of features a high-end treadmill would have at an affordable price.
But let’s dive a little deeper….
T540C Design and Layout
The T540C is sleek and compact. Whilst only being available in one colour, it’s the timeless black on offer, fitting neatly in wherever you choose to setup your treadmill. Although being a mid-range machine, its design is modern and streamlined; using it gives that feel-good factor to working out, and just lifts the burden of the grind somewhat. The controls are ergonomic and visually pleasing, as well as being simple to operate whilst running on the machine.
Does it have the luxury high-end look and feel of a commercial range treadmill? No, but we didn’t really expect it to. We knew we weren’t test driving a Rolls Royce. As far as bang for our buck goes, so far, we’re getting a lot.
Key Specifications
Dimensions and Weight
When in use, the T540C takes up 177 x 79 x 141 cm of space. This is quite typical of what we’d expect from a mid-range treadmill. Once folded, you save yourself a handy 63cm of length, meaning when you need the extra space, the Domyos T540C can be easily moved into a corner out of the way. It’s worth noting the treadmill folds up into a standing position, rather than lying flat. The Domyos T540C weighs in at a below average 73.3kg, meaning the portability of the treadmill is only enhanced.
The treadmill frame is 100% steel, giving a sturdy feel that other low-end treadmills don’t have. Running on the treadmill feels safe and secure, with no noticeable rocking or shifting of the frame. The running deck is an expansive 45 x 125cm, adding to the security of the Domyos T540C. With a maximum user weight of 130kg, a motor power of 932 watts ensures there aren’t many people who won’t be able to use the Domyos T540C treadmill in comfort.
Setting Up is a job for two
If you’re relatively handy at assembling things, you should be able to get the Domyos T540C assembled and up and running by yourself. Although there are some large parts to man-handle and a touch of common sense required, it’s a simple assembly. However, the official guide recommends a 2-person setup, and it will make your life easier if you have someone to help you set the T540C up.
Build
Overall, the build quality of the Domyos T540C is excellent, and for the budget range we have been surprised at the ease and comfort of use. The steel frame allows you to take the T540C to its limits, where it will perform with ease and no lack of sturdiness.
The controls are easily accessible and safe to operate whilst running, and the convenient display makes it easy to check important factors such as speed, incline, and heart rate. All these factors combined make for an experience that feels safe, secure, and conducive to a decent workout.
In Use
Having spent alot of time with the Domyos T540C treadmill, we have learnt a great deal about its capabilities and what the treadmill is like to use. If you have anything like the same reaction to the T540C that we did, you’re going to be quite impressed.
Running Comfort
The Domyos cushioning system, developed for this range of treadmills, was a major factor in our experience with the machine. Even up to the top speed of 16kmh (10mph) you feel secure and comfortable. There isn’t too much bounce, or too much landing pressure, it is a smooth experience far superior to those knee grinding tarmac sprints. This means you can maintain decent paces for longer and harder than on exterior surfaces or subpar treadmills. As a result, you can focus on the cardio element of the workout, rather than avoiding those potholes. The expansive running deck also removes any fear of instability; giving the ability to focus purely on the activity of running.
Speed
At a top speed of 16kmh (10mph) most of our team were able to rise into the red heart rate zones easily, although for some it wasn’t enough. In our view, intermediate or lower-level runners would be able to create a relatively decent HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout on the Domyos T540C. However, to be perfectly honest, we’d recommend you find your nearest hill and sprint up that instead. It’s not that the T540C couldn’t really handle HIIT, it just doesn’t feel quite right for such a dynamic activity. Steady state cardio is more its forte, with maybe a sprinkling of 16kmh bursts thrown in when you feel like a challenge.
Motorised Incline
Want to spice up your workouts with some real-world challenges? Enter the Domyos T540C with its motorised incline. From perfectly flat to a demanding 10%, we found this to be one of the T540Cs best features. Easily accessible and adjustable on the control panel, incline jogging (or even simply walking) both took the monotony out of the workout and allowed us to exercise in a realistic fashion.
Whether a park run 5k or a serious marathon, we all know in real life the terrain is never perfectly flat. Hence it is a must to include some incline training to target the posterior chain muscles’ endurance. This is a breeze with the Domyos T540C. Even a 5% incline, seemingly easy at first, soon becomes testing. This is a really useful feature to mix up your training.
Kinomap
One of the drawbacks to treadmill training can be the monotony of home workouts in isolation. Fortunately, the Domyos T540C integrates with the Kinomap interactive video training system.
Kinomap has thousands of user generated motion videos, allowing you to run the best trails and routes in the world from inside your home. We found this to be one of the T540Cs best features. It provided that air of novelty so often missing from treadmill running.
The only drawback was that it requires a paid Kinomap subscription (starting at €11.99 per month for a non-binding monthly package), however in our view the motivational aspect it added to our workouts far outweighed the cost. To follow routes through Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland and even French Polynesia made running about as enjoyable as it could get without actually being there. Put simply, we loved this feature.
E-connected
The Domyos T540C is fully compatible with Domyos’ own E-Connected infrastructure. With E-Connected you can track your progress on all Domyos machines. The app, (100% free by the way) allows you to track your progress, set goals and even create your own personalized training sessions. We found this to be a useful feature, as it negated the need to fiddle with controls during our workouts, as everything was pre-set. This allowed us to concentrate on the workout alone.
24 pre-set workouts
The Domyos T540C treadmill comes pre-set with 24 training sessions. These include 8 “Health and Well-being” workouts, 8 “Calorie Burn” workouts, and 8 “Endurance” workouts. These are a mix of basic programs which would help an entry level runner out, taking away the need to design your own workout. We didn’t really think there was anything special with these programs, but it was nice they were included for those new to treadmill training.
T540C Audio Output
The speakers in-built into the Domyos T540C are a nice feature, but nothing to write home about. At 2 x 3 watts, they gave out some noise, but whilst running they weren’t audible enough to not go for the simpler option of wearing headphones. As our in-house staff would mix running outdoors and inside on treadmills, we found changing from headphones to speakers and back again a little routine-interrupting, and it was just easier to stick with one way of doing things. It’s possible that for some people the speakers on the Domyos T540C may come in handy if watching TV or Netflix on the handy tablet holder, but for us, long term they would be slightly redundant.
Tablet Holder
The tablet holder of the Domyos T540C is quite the ‘love it or hate it’ feature. There are those types of runners who love to be distracted and watching their favourite series really helps them through a monotonous workout. On the other hand, some of our avid runner staff thought it took away from the experience and concentration on the workout, a hindrance rather than a help.
Regardless, when in use, the tablet holder on the T540C is sturdy and safe, with no hint of releasing your precious electronics crashing to the floor while working out. Tested with a range of sizes, there wasn’t any tablet we knew of that wouldn’t fit in it. There was no bounce, meaning the screen stayed steady even during high-speed workouts. Basically, if you’re the type of runner who loves to watch while working out, this feature is a massive bonus for you.
Heart Rate Monitoring
The Domyos T540C has two ways of monitoring your heart rate; the hand grips you can hold whilst running and the (included when you buy the treadmill) heart rate monitor belt. While it’s nice to have both options available, as experienced runners with plenty of previous research into heart rate monitoring, the heart rate monitor belt was the best option for us by far. It’s more accurate and a great deal more convenient, taking away the need to hold the handgrips while you run. This is also a great plus for your running form, allowing you to swing your arms and run instinctively, avoiding any unnatural movement that could cause potential injury.
Then there’s the factor that the heart rate monitoring belt included with the Domyos T540C treadmill will increase your training effectiveness immensely. Knowledge of heart rate zone training is a must to maximise your workouts. Without knowing what zone you’re training in, you run the risk of overtraining or not training enough, and the heart rate monitoring gives you real time data to go by.
Miscellaneous
The Domyos T540C has two useful holders for small items either side of the tablet holder, ideal for water bottles, mobile phones, or other bits and bobs you need to keep handy. It also includes a USB port to charge mobile devices, whether that be the tablet you’re watching on while running or your phone.
T540C – The Final Verdict
In summary, at the fair price of £549.99 ($550), there wasn’t much wrong we could find with the Domyos T540C treadmill. It’s a medium budget treadmill with some great features, and very few downsides. It is a pleasure to use, even compared to experience on top-end models with all the bells and whistles. It’s not perfect, but it’s getting close without moving into a price range that tops outs the budget of the average runner.
The T540C would be perfect for entry to intermediate level runners. It’s a solidly constructed piece of gear, with everything necessary inbuilt to help advance your fitness. The heart rate monitor belt being included was one of the greatest highlights for us, and we feel this really displays Decathlons serious attitude towards developing their products. They’ve obviously researched the running world deeply, speaking to actual runners and building from their ideas, creating products like the Domyos T540C that are affordable, easy to use, and functional.
Did we have a few complaints here and there? Sure, but we do with almost everything we review! The included pre-set programs were almost redundant, useful only really to the absolute beginner runner. For HIIT, as mentioned above, we’d recommend you find your nearest steep hill. Not that these are huge problems, just little niggles we found.
Overall, the Domyos T540C is a bargain at the price.
PROS
- Two-year parts and labour warranty
- Five-year metallic frame warranty
- A bargain at the price
- Heart rate monitor belt included
- Kinomap integration (subscription required)
- E-connected integration
- Smooth running experience
- Foldable into a standing position
- Motorised incline capability
CONS
- Not ideal for high intensity interval training
- Ideally requires 2-person setup
Domyos T540C – Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Domyos T540C right for an entry level runner?
Yes, absolutely. It has everything you need to get started and would last you a long time as you progress through fitness levels.
Is the Kinomap integration really worth it, considering the subscription cost?
Most definitely. For those who struggle motivating themselves to workout, it is an absolute lifesaver, providing a massive motivational boost. Even for runners who’ve never needed that boost, it was a joy to use. Plus, you can save on the monthly cost by signing up for a yearly subscription (€89.99, saving you €53.89 over the year).
Is the Domyos T540C suitable for a compact family home?
Yes. The treadmill folds upwards, meaning you can put it against a wall out of the way once you’ve finished your workout, freeing up floor space.
I’m an advanced runner with high levels of fitness, is the Domyos T540C right for me?
We’d say no. You’d want more usage per week than the Domyos recommended 5 hours, and the top speed and incline limitations would also hamper your efforts. You need a treadmill with a higher specification.
