Treadmill for taller runners?

I hope someone here can help as I can't seem to find any UK posts on good treadmills for taller runners. I've seen that, ideally, taller runners need a treadmill with a running surface of over 140 cm, but the only models I've seen so far with longer surfaces are really expensive and I'm hoping to only spend around £500. I'm 5'8" and my bf is 6'4" and we will both probably do more jogging than running on it, but I don't want to buy one that's too small for us to use.

Are there any taller runners on here who manage fine with shorter treadmill surfaces? Or is a longer one really the only way to go? Any advice much appreciated!

No, the length of the running surface is what I'm concerned about. The height of the room/treadmill is fine.

Haha. I don't think that's the best way to get fit 

freakfire wrote (see)

 Or is a longer one really the only way to go? Any advice much appreciated!

No the way to go, Is to open the door... and you see that big wide world out there ? Go run...

Also-ran wrote (see)

Have you tried one that is a standard length - is there really a problem here?

He has used other ones fine, but has no idea how long they were as he just hopped on and used them. Ideally we'd go try some out, but I don't know of any stores that let you do that, or even have them on display; they all seem to come from warehouses

I'm not the tallest bloke in the world (5'10") but in my experience I wouldn't have thought the length of the belt would be much of an issue.  The more you get used to running on a treadmill the more comfortable you feel keeping the right tempo going, which means you're hitting the belt at near enough the same point every time when  you land.  When you speed up, the only major change in your running gait ought to be how high you flick your heels up towards your bum, or your knees in front of you*, but that's got nothing to do with the running surface.

*If anything, most people I see at the gym run far too close to the front of the treadmill and have a lot spare to play with, presumably because of some irrational fear of flying off the back.  if you use the middle of the belt you'll avoid any mishaps either way.