Q:Does the Nike+ kit work when running on a tread mill?
– Barbara
A: Although the Nike+iPod is not specifically recommended for use on a treadmill, our own experiences have demonstrated that it will work on traditional treadmills—that is the ones with a conveyor belt that simulate actual walking motion.
Although the Nike+iPod does work well for most people out of the box, if you plan to use it on a treadmill, it’s strongly recommended that you follow the included calibration instructions to ensure that it’s measuring your pace and distance as accurately as possible.
It is also important to note that if you frequently switch between using your Nike+ kit with a treadmill and using it for normal walking, you may find that the calibration for each is somewhat different.
This is due to the fact that most people’s running or walking gait and/or pace differs between treadmills and normal walking. A simple test of the calibration can determine whether this is a significant problem or not. Further, as the Nike+iPod allows for separate calibrations for running and walking, this should be taken into consideration based on your normal activity patterns as well.
The key point to remember is that the Nike+iPod is designed to track the movements that are normally associated with walking. It uses a piezoelectric sensor to detect the movement of you foot up and down from a surface. Therefore, the sensor will work reasonably well with any activity that closely resembles normal walking or running, but will not work with other activities such as cycling.