Showing posts with label X1 elliptical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label X1 elliptical. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Frustration mounts with the ProForm CE 6.0

Hey elliptical, you've gotta screw loose!
Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

Today has been busy. This morning was filled with meetings and this afternoon I presented a technical paper at a W3C conference. I'd had a much different expectation about early retirement. Tomorrow will be even busier. 

This morning I decided to use the new elliptical while my wife ran on the treadmill. It was my second time using the machine and, once again, I was disappointed. I had hoped that this ProForm, that looks a lot like our old X1, would perform in similar way. Aside from the fact that they both provide elliptical motion, the user experience is far opposite.

The difference is in the quality. The X1 had its challenges, but it was a sturdy beast. The ProForm CE 6.0 is a wobbly contraption that squeaks and squeals. The display shows your distance only in revolutions (huh?) and there's no way to pause the timer during a workout.

Why would need to pause the timer? One reason might be that the bolt that attaches the arm to the center post tends to work its way free. I had to jump off the machine this morning at one point and tighten it with an Allen wrench. Lucky for me, I'd removed the decorative plastic collar last week to get to this bolt. I needed to break the collar's connecting tabs when I did that, so it's not going back on.

The rest of my workout went without incident and the bolt stayed in after my mid-session triage. While I consider the CE 6.0 far inferior to the unit it replaced, I still ended up with good workout that got my heart rate to target. It will be back to the treadmill tomorrow. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually looking forward to using it.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Kicking cross-training to the curb

BH Fitness X1: it was fun while it lasted
Today's run (street): 3.3 miles

The snow began to fall as I ran through the streets of my neighborhood this morning. It didn't amount to much, although I'd hoped to see some accumulation during the time that I ran. The streets remained clear for the thirty or so minutes that I was outside. Since then, the snow has mixed with rain.

Earlier in the day, I took on the task of disassembling our BH Fitness elliptical machine. This was a disappointing end to a machine that promised both quality and durability when we made our purchase. It was probably a mistake to buy this unit, rather than opting for the cheaper Schwinn model that we liked at Dick's. After nine months waiting for parts that never arrived from BH Fitness, we had no choice but to give up on the machine.

Had we bought the Schwinn, I'm fairly sure that it would still be working today. Further, if it did break, the manufacturer would have surely provided the necessary parts. BH Fitness and Fitness Showrooms (where we bought our elliptical) will never see another dollar from us. Still, I'll be sad to see the X1 sitting on the curb, waiting for the sanitation people to pick it up.

We're hoping that the stores will have some post-holiday sales on fitness equipment so we can replace the X1. It's been almost a year since I've had a weekly cross-training option and I miss the variety. At least now we know the value of buying equipment that can be easily repaired.

I've continued to fight my cold head-on by running every day since Tuesday. It was a chilly 30° this morning but that didn't discourage me too much. Today's run was about getting in some miles and raising my heart rate, but performance wasn't a priority. I probably overdressed but the short distance prevented me from overheating. Tomorrow may be the last opportunity to get in a trail run before I return to work on Wednesday. If the weather improves I'll head over to Stillwell. If the rain and snow continue, I'll probably take a pass on the trails.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Our BH X1 is a bad houseguest

BH Fitness X1: down for the count?
Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

This weekend we had guests who stayed over in our spare bedroom. It's actually a misnomer to characterize this room as a spare because, next to the kitchen and den, it is easily the most utilized room in the house. Besides being the staging area for my morning runs, the guestroom is also where my wife does her daily treadmill workouts and it occasionally serves as my home office.

The guest room is fairly large and, besides having a bed, side table, armoire, wall unit and work table, it also contains a treadmill and an elliptical machine. The elliptical has been dormant, awaiting parts since March. Still, with all that stuff, the workout section of the room can seem a little tight. If we'd known back in March that our BH Fitness X1 was going to be out of commission for seven months (and counting), I'm sure we'd have either moved it to the basement or kicked it to the curb. But it sits there every day, mocking us for naively thinking BH Fitness will some day send us the needed parts.

I really miss using the elliptical and we had high hopes when our local service person (unaffiliated with BH Fitness) informed us that that replacement parts had come in. Unfortunately, once the technician arrived, we learned that they'd sent the wrong parts. I'll try to be diplomatic here and just say that BH Fitness machines are overpriced, seem to wear out quickly and you can't get parts. On the other hand, if you live on Long Island and need your home equipment fixed, I'd certainly recommend Busted Fitness.

We hope to learn soon if the correct elliptical parts will ever come. If the answer is no, we'll have to decide whether to buy a new unit. If we do, I'm not sure what brand to buy or what level of machine to get. With our experience with the X1, I'm thinking the most important question is, "If it breaks, how quickly can it be fixed?"

Thursday, June 21, 2012

BH Fitness elliptical parts are 75 days late!

Waiting for parts, 45 days and counting...
Today's run (treadmill): 3.1 miles (6% - 4% - 2% incline)

I just learned today that the parts to fix our BH Fitness elliptical machine will not be shipped for another 30 days. This is on top of the 45 days that we've waited since our local repair person diagnosed the problem. The X1 had some initial problems, but overall, it has been a good machine. Still, the elliptical wore out fast considering BH Fitness was sold to me as a "premium" brand. Of course the company that sold it to me was Fitness Showrooms, who never stood behind their product. 

We had a busy schedule today, so I did my run indoors on the treadmill. This treadmill, a Sole F63, has also had its share of problems. The belt slip that we'd experienced when we first used it has returned. We'd hoped that replacing the motor and the tread had fixed the problem. Perhaps it's time to think about a more heavy duty machine.

The temperature reached 100° today and, for some reason, I decided that it would be a good idea to run with a 6% incline for 15 minutes before dropping down to 4% for the next five. I decreased the incline and increased my speed intermittently until I finished the workout. We bought a stand up oscillating fan at Target today that I've positioned in front of the treadmill. I wish I had it this morning. Even with central air, the heat and humidity were the worst I've experienced this year.

Really nice and pockets too!
While at Target, I also picked a great pair of C9 running shorts (with two side pockets!) for less than $19. With a 9" inseam they'll be perfect for the trails.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

The elliptical is damaged and the treadmill is down

Crack(ed) pipe on the X1 elliptical
Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes
I had great expectations for years of problem-free workouts when we took delivery of our Sole F63 treadmill two years ago. Our Pro-Form L18 treadmill had served us well for 13 years despite the daily pounding it received. The Sole is good unit, with a powerful motor, generous tread area, and some nice features. We did have some problems with belt slip, early on, and we needed to replace the console, but those issues got resolved under warranty.

With the impressive long term performance of the Pro-Form machine, I expected the Sole to do just as well. However, a few weeks ago, my wife and I noticed that the sound from the motor had become especially loud. A visit from the repairman revealed a number of problems with the unit, and he ordered replacement parts. The parts are still covered under warrenty, but not the labor. You can't have everything.

As we wait for the repair person to return next week, our only indoor option is to use the elliptical machine. This machine, a BH Fitness X1, has been a solid performer, despite some initial problems at the beginning. It was expensive, relative to other units in its class, but its build quality is better than what you might find at Dick's Sporting Goods.

As it happened, the elliptical machine has also joined the disabled list, having cracked one of the struts that connects the pedal assembly to the dynamic arm assembly. I've been able to restore functionality by tightly wrapping the pipe-end with duct tape, but the torque from the crack has cantered the foot bed a couple of degrees to the left. It's not that bad and the unit is still usable. We worried that the slight shift would lead to leg or knee issues, but neither my wife nor I have experienced anything like that.

Our treadmill repair person is an independent contractor and I'm hoping that he might be able to replace the elliptical's pedal assembly after repairing the treadmill. I guess these units wear out, I'm just surprised how little time it takes before that happens.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

A little Sole and a lot of X1

My BH Fitness X-1

Today's workout: Treadmill and elliptical, 26 minutes

I haven't been on the elliptical for a while so I thought I'd return to using it this morning for a change of pace. I prefer running over most other workout options but I also recognize the benefits of cross training. The elliptical, with its no impact motion, along with some upper body resistance, provides a good workout. As a bonus, it's user powered so it operates fairly quietly compared to other gym equipment. As I prepared for my session I couldn't ignore our Sole F63 treadmill that now operates correctly since a technician realigned the belt and replaced the motor last week. I had not used the machine since this work was done so I was a little curious to re-experience running on the now-stable unit. I decided to run for about five minutes, just to confirm that the belt slipping had truly been cured. I hit the 6 MPH button and started running, edging the speed up to about 6.7 after a minute. The treadmill worked fine but I wasn't enjoying the experience at all. Unlike my wife who is able to focus daily for 45 minutes on this machine I could not wait to stop. No matter, with all the rain we're expecting this weekend I'll likely be spending a lot more time on it in the coming days.

After about five minutes I switched over to the elliptical, setting the resistance to generate 75 watts (medium high) and starting at a fairly fast pace. The treadmill warm-up helped me get to speed quickly and I continued for about 21 minutes. I've said before that the elliptical provides a deceptively effective workout. It doesn't seem as hard as running but the sweat index is often greater. I've compared my heart rate between a treadmill run and an elliptical session (of the same perceived level of effort) and noticed running definitely provides a more elevated pulse rate. Different benefits and different effects. That's why we cross train. I'm due to run in the city tomorrow with a friend (weather permitting) and I have a Central Park run scheduled with another friend, CK, on Tuesday. That walk in Central Park on Monday made me wish I was running that run/bike loop. Next week I'll finally get to do it.

Monday, August 17, 2009

My BH Fitness problem child


Although we have both an elliptical machine and a treadmill I very rarely use either. Since I've started running outdoors before work I have completely stopped using the treadmill and I've been using the elliptical sparingly, perhaps once a week, as a low impact alternative to a daily run. I love the idea of the elliptical, especially the fact that, unlike the treadmill, I can completely control the experience. The treadmill is loud and cacophonous and though I use the safety tether I'm always conscious of the possibility that a slight misstep will turn into a serious injury. I've been unbelievably fortunate to have had such a long string of early mornings without rain that would force me indoors.

The elliptical is self powered and far less dangerous and it theoretically helps build upper arm strength with a motion similar to cross country skiing. I'm not sure if that's true or not but I'd like to believe it. The biggest problem I have with my elliptical is the quality of the unit itself. We spent some time selecting a machine. I did my due diligence and really liked a Schwinn model we'd tried at Dick's but a visit to Fitness Showrooms seduced me into purchasing the "high end" BH Fitness X1 that was on sale for about the same price. From the beginning the X1 proved problematic. I wrote about the fact that the HRM just didn't work and after three attempts to replace it I just gave up. The display itself was replaced three times and is still off center. The machine makes a loud banging-clicking sound that the Showroom Fitness tech could not fix. Not a surprise since the last time the display was replaced my wife needed to point out to him that the upper assembly was installed backwards. Now the machine is beginning to make different noises as though some key connection points are becoming loose. Rather than call the unqualified tech who will likely make it worse and then charge me because it's no longer under warranty, I'll see if I can resolve it myself.

In the meantime my wife uses the elliptical every other day and doesn't complain. I used it this morning and did a few miles that felt like a decent workout. If I had to do it over I would have bought that Schwinn. But I'll live with the BH Fitness, at least until it falls apart under me.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Going negative - let's start with my elliptical



I'm feeling a little grouchy this morning and I'm not sure why. It could be due to my workout this morning. The workout itself was fine, about 23 minutes on the elliptical. What wasn't fine was the noise that my BH Fitness X1 unit often makes during operation. I've written before about my dislike for (among other things) the noise that my treadmill motor produces and lauded the elliptical for its quiet, human-powered operation. Unfortunately my X1 still manages to create a racket often producing a loud clicking/banging noise that's hard to tolerate. We've had people service the unit four times. They have no remedy for the noise and each time the unit has been serviced it has operated a little worse than before. Hard to know if my unit is a lemon or if BH Fitness just makes problematic equipment. Either way, I suggest that anyone who's considering buying a "gym quality" elliptical to avoid BH Fitness units.

While I'm complaining I'll turn attention back to the treadmill. I read an interesting column in Running Times yesterday called "Step Off the Treadmill" written by Tamara Rice Lave, a former US IAAF marathoner. Her complaints about the treadmill were consistent with the mine (and those who have commented on the subject). Lave did present a balanced view and admitted that it works well for many. I spent a few minutes looking at the sunrise calendar yesterday desperately hoping to see that daylight and 4:00 AM would coincide some time this summer. Unfortunately not, the earliest sunrise is 5:23 so I'm going to have to keep running indoors in the morning.

I've been adding one long run into my routine every week and it's helped get my weekly distance up closer to 20 miles. I want to be in good shape to run my 8K and I really want to run the Great Cow Harbor 10K in the fall. AG is running the Patch Sprint this weekend which is a grueling 12 mile course over the four Pok-O-Patch mountains. The note that accompanies the waiver indicates "IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT YOU WILL DIE BECAUSE MEDICAL PERSONNEL CANNOT PHYSICALLY GET TO YOU IN TIME." Sounds like fun!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Fitness Showrooms: Deal or bad deal?

The latest episode in the ongoing saga of our BH Fitness elliptical machine played out yesterday when the Fitness Showrooms tech replaced the X1 display and logic board for the third time since November.

Unfortunately this didn't solve the problem with the inaccurate heart rate monitor (HRM) nor did it fix the problem with the angle of the display. So the net result of all of this is that we're back to the starting point with a unit that doesn't provide a key capability. We are actually worse off than when we started because the original display was properly centered but the last two displays have sat off center.

What's frustrating is that the Fitness Showrooms tech told my wife that the HRMs don't work on these machines and that includes the one in their showroom. While Fitness Showrooms was happy to use the HRM as a selling feature they've refused to rebate the cost to buy an accurate, wearable HRM. Although I like the design and feel of the X1 I am tempted to send it back and buy another brand that has more features and that works as promised.

If I do decide to buy another elliptical I won't be getting it from Fitness Showrooms. Their position is that we should address our problems with the unit directly with the manufacturer, BH Fitness. Fitness Showrooms represented the HRM as a key feature in order to make the sale. But, to date, they have not stood behind what they sold.

 

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