Weslo Cadence G 5.9 treadmill: discontinued, and what to buy instead

If your Weslo Cadence G 5.9 needs lubricant, belt tension or a new walking belt, fix it. If it needs a motor, a controller board or a deck, replace it, because those repairs cost close to what a new treadmill does. The XTERRA TR150 is the closest thing on sale today, and the Horizon T101 is what we’d buy if the walking habit stuck.

What the Cadence G 5.9 was

The G 5.9 was the treadmill you bought at a big-box store on a Saturday, pushed into a spare room and used for walking. For most of the 2010s it was among the cheapest motorized treadmills sold in the US, about $300 to $400 depending on the year and the sale. Weslo is a budget label from the same parent company as ProForm and NordicTrack, and the G 5.9 used that family’s fold: the deck lifts toward the console and latches so the machine stands against a wall.

We never tested one, so these are the published figures, rounded and hedged. The belt was roughly 16 inches wide and 50 long, fine for walking and tight for anyone jogging with a long stride. The motor was rated about 2.25 HP, honest at walking speeds and audibly working above 5 mph. Incline came in 2 positions, set by hand at the rear feet before you stepped on.

Who bought it

Walkers, mostly people starting a habit who didn’t want to spend $1,000 on something they might not keep up. Plenty of households later moved up to a Horizon T101 or a Sole F63 once the walking stuck. It was never a running machine.

What fails on one now

A G 5.9 still in service is at least 5 years old and may be 14. Here’s what owners describe most, roughly in order.

The belt slips or hesitates. On a machine like this, that’s almost always a dry deck or a loose belt. Lubricate with silicone under the belt, then tighten the rear roller bolts a quarter turn per side at a time until the hesitation stops. Our belt guide has the steps.

The motor controller board dies. It usually goes after a power surge or after years of a dry belt making the motor work too hard. A replacement board often costs half of what the treadmill cost new.

The fold latch and deck pivot loosen. The deck starts to rattle at the hinge. Tighten what you can reach. If the pivot bushings are worn through, there’s no economical fix.

The speed reading drops to zero while the belt moves. Check the speed sensor by the front roller and the cable up the upright before you blame the console.

Repair or replace

For a treadmill that cost under $400 new, our rule is simple. If the fix is lubricant, belt tension or a new walking belt, do it; those are cheap and the deck will take it. If it’s a motor, a controller board or a deck, replace the machine. A board plus the hour to fit it costs close to a new XTERRA TR150, which carries a lifetime frame warranty the Weslo never had. If you do order parts, use the model number on the sticker near the power cord rather than the name.

How we scored the equivalents

We score the four things a G 5.9 owner cared about: deck, motor, incline and price. A 5 means a straight match or better for the same money, and a total of 20 is a swap you wouldn’t notice. None of the three has been bench-tested yet.

The XTERRA TR150 is the closest thing to a G 5.9 sold today: a 16 x 50 in belt, a 2.25 HP motor, 3 manual incline positions, a 10 mph top speed and a typical price of $399 to $549. It adds a lifetime frame warranty, and its 250 lb rating is slightly below the Weslo’s.

The WellFit Folding Treadmill is cheaper, typically $279 to $399, with a 2.5 HP motor, a 17 x 43 in belt, 3 manual incline positions and real handrails. Its belt is about 7 inches shorter than the Weslo’s, which you’ll notice at a 4 mph walk, and it rules out jogging.

The Horizon T101 is the upgrade: a 20 x 55 in belt, a 2.5 CHP motor, powered incline to 10% and a lifetime frame and motor warranty, for $649 to $999 at time of writing. It scores a 2 on price because it costs about twice what the Weslo did. If the G 5.9 got you walking every day, this is what we’d buy next. Our budget treadmill picks have the full list, the treadmill finder will narrow it down from a few questions about your room, and if your old machine had arm bars, the Weslo Crosswalk 5.2t page is the one you want.