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About Bowflex Reviews
Bowflex is a brand of home fitness equipment that offers indoor bikes, treadmills, tread climbers, adjustable dumbbells and its most popular product, the Bowflex Home Gym. Bowflex designs its products to help you maximize your home fitness plan through strength and cardio workouts.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Advanced technology
- Compact designs
- Wide variety of equipment
Cons
- Inconsistent power rod tension
- Extra cost to upgrade weight
Bottom Line
Bowflex offers a range of exercise equipment in several budget ranges. It uses innovative technology to provide a high-quality home workout. It may not satisfy experienced gym enthusiasts, but it’s a good choice for others.
Featured Reviews
I ordered it, it showed up quickly, and I followed the instructions to set it up in a timely manner … I love everything about it. It is the perfect size, color, shape, and isn't ...
Read full reviewI like the 11 pre-programmed workouts, the upwards of a 15% incline, app sync abilities, bluetooth capability, as well as the overall appearance and ease of use. … Overall, it is ...
Read full reviewWhat is a Bowflex?
Bowflex offers multiple kinds of workout equipment, including:
- Treadmills
- Max Trainers
- Bikes
- TreadClimbers
- Accessories, including dumbbells, kettlebells and curl bars
Some of Bowflex’s most popular products are its Bowflex Home Gym, Bowflex Cycle Bike, Bowflex Max Trainer and Bowflex TreadClimber. The Bowflex Home Gym lets you perform more than 100 different exercises with a single machine, depending on the model used. The TreadClimber combines the benefits of a treadmill, elliptical and stair climber for an intense cardio workout, while the Max Trainer and Cycle Bike resemble traditional ellipticals and bikes.
Using a Bowflex
The Bowflex home gym works by providing resistance using either Power Rod technology or SpiraFlex technology. The Power Rod system uses a cable and pulley system attached to flexible rods. Each repetition increases the tension in the rods, which also increases the difficulty. Since gym machines typically have steady resistance throughout the workout, you may need to do more reps with the Bowflex Power Rod system to reach the same effect.
SpiraFlex is NASA-developed technology designed to help astronauts exercise in space. SpiraFlex uses discs that connect to spokes and bands that provide resistance as they rotate. The discs come in different resistance levels and can be connected to provide an even tougher workout. SpiraFlex provides a steadier resistance throughout your reps, making it more like a workout with free weights.
Bowflex price
There's a Bowflex product for most budgets. For a home gym, the more affordable Xtreme 2 SE model is $1,499, while the higher-end Revolution model is $2,899. Treadmills and tread climbers range from $1,599 to $1,999. The Bowflex C6 Bike costs $999. The SelectTech adjustable weights, including dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells, range from $150 to $679.
Bowflex FAQ
How much does a Bowflex weigh?
The weight varies based on the Bowflex machine you choose. The weight of the Bowflex Resolution is 336 pounds.
Is a Bowflex any good?
Bowflex machines are suitable for resistance training. Resistance through cables helps beginners build their strength and coordination safely. For experienced lifters, cables can help them lift more weight than if using free weights.
What is the best Bowflex to buy?
The best Bowflex to buy depends on your budget and workout needs. The Xtreme 2 SE is a more affordable model, while the Resolution provides a more versatile workout with over 100 possible exercises.
Can I return my Bowflex?
Bowflex offers a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. Products can be returned within six weeks of delivery. Customers get a return merchandise authorization (RMA) number and then send the product back for a refund minus shipping and handling.
Can I finance my Bowflex purchase?
Bowflex offers financing for its products. Customers can purchase products using a Bowflex credit card and pay in installments. Bowflex provides the option to buy before applying or apply and then buy.
How easy is it to assemble a Bowflex product? Is there a service that can do it for me?
Bowflex products come with straightforward instructions for assembly — you just need several tools and time. If you’d rather not assemble it yourself, Bowflex offers an in-home assembly service.
Is Bowflex worth it?
Bowflex equipment lets you complete a gym-style workout in your own home, and the company’s satisfaction guarantee allows you to try out Bowflex’s products before fully committing to the purchase. We recommend Bowflex’s products for anyone interested in working out at home regularly.
Bowflex Reviews
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Reviewed Feb. 23, 2023
The equipment works ok. The problem is this company wants you to pay for a subscription so they make it very difficult for you to use your own equipment after having paid a lot of money for it. The worst part is that their technology is very bad. You have to create an account to keep track of the usage and it log out every time so you have to log in with user name and password every time you want to use it. Also it reboot by itself randomly and once it does the images on the screen are defective. They harass you constantly to try to make you subscribe to the very bad software they provide. They pretend to be a technology company but they need to understand they manufacture average gun equipment at best. I would NOT recommend this product to anyone. Sadly enough I also bought a Max Trainer 6 with same issues, decent equipment with very very poor technology and user experience and the same harassment with the subscription.
Reviewed June 27, 2022
I purchased the Bowflex C6 Bike on June 1st and it was promptly delivered on June 4th. My husband and I put it together on June 5th and, after the entire bike was put together, noticed that the flywheel was warped. Therefore, the bike cannot be used. I contacted Bowflex immediately and they sent out a new flywheel with the tools to replace the warped flywheel. They told me that once I received the materials, I would be contacted by the company GoConfigure to make an appointment to fix the bike. GoConfigure called within a couple of days and scheduled an appointment to fix the bike on Friday June 17th between 12 and 5 pm. At 3:30 pm, they texted and cancelled the appointment. I called Bowflex on Friday to let them know and they said that if I didn't have a new appointment scheduled by the following Monday afternoon, to contact them back.
On Monday, I contacted GoConfigure and set up an appointment for Thursday June 23rd between 5 and 9 pm. At about noon on Thursday the 23rd, GoConfigure cancelled that appointment. I contacted Bowflex again on Friday the to let them know and they said that they would make this a priority. It is now Monday June 27th and my bike still has a warped flywheel with no scheduled appointment to repair it. The bike is simply collecting dust in my garage. I am extremely frustrated, but based on the other reviews, it seems this is common. Go with another company for exercise equipment and if you can avoid using GoConfigure in the future, I would recommend that too.
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Reviewed March 21, 2022
I recently purchased the Max trainer 16. It was installed improperly. My resistance knob was broken and nobody from Bowflex has responded to my emails or calls for over two weeks. I spent $2500 for a broken piece of equipment with no support from the company. I would not recommended them at all. Very unsatisfied. I will be selling this product ASAP.
Reviewed March 16, 2022
So, I got my Bowflex velocore bike back in Dec. and it came with some issues on sensors or something because it's not tracking properly the lean mode and the distances keep setting to 0 during the ride. Anyways, since I got it I've been trying to get it repaired and we are in MARCH still nothing. The communication is horrible, they take weeks to go back to you, then they schedule a time where you said before you won't be at home, then they take about a couple of more weeks to go back to you again. Really, I don't understand what can be so challenging in scheduling a service repair to a brand new machine that came with defects.
It's not a cheap product, I'm still paying for it and it's been 3 months that I got it, and I can't really evaluate the product because it's been with issues since day 1 that was delivered to me. If you really have free time and the patient I would recommend doing business with them, bc if you run into some issues and need their customer services, well good luck with that!
Reviewed March 14, 2022
I purchased this elliptical (Max Total) in Feb 19, for right around $3000. I think it's perfect idea for my training needs an----indoor- I have little time- low impact- with a scalable workout routine- machine. Unfortunately, it's only a concept as I see it, my machine (again $3000) did not work correctly right from the start. As of this writing (3/22), I have had at least 6 phone conversations (after waiting on hold for at least an hour each time-they actually tell you to expect this to happen) only to find that they will need to ship parts, and "I "will need to do the repair to the machine.
Now, I happen to do this sort of thing for my work, (Technical engineering) so electrical/mechanical parts changing/adjustment is a well worn path for me. BUT!! Even though it's my field, should I be expected to spend the hours I have, working on a machine that I had paid $3000 dollars for? (It's not a $300 machine, there is a huge difference in my mind). No, absolutely not, and then when I call I have to wait an hour to talk to someone, and they tell me (3X) that it will take about 2 weeks for the parts to arrive?...Whaaaaat? 2 weeks? This I pushed back on and had the part much sooner!...I did not spend $3000 on a machine for it to not work correctly, then you tell me to repair it I will have to wait 2 weeks for the parts because you don't want to pay expedited shipping costs?
Ok by now I am quite sure I am dealing with a company that really does not care about the people buying their product. I have now replaced an entire control panel, a resistance servo, a AC power supply, and a speed sensor, three of which needed a technician to adjust to the specs provided (oh by the way, I was the technician). If this was not enough, I was offered a 0% finance opportunity when I made the purchase so why not? Right? I am in a position where I can afford to pay cash for this machine, but using their money at 0% is a no brainer I thought until...So the purchase at the time gives you a 12 month membership to "Jrny", which amounts to a personal account to remember your workout history, log into following workouts on screen, suggested future workouts based on your previous, and goals set...etc. It's $20 a month. OK, great, sure, I will try it, even though I never buy these things, but it's free...sure, let's try it!
Effectively the subscription did nothing for me, but that's relative right? Each of us has our own motivators and workout style. So about half way through this (guessing here, about 12/20), I decide I had had enough of working on a $3000 dollar machine and I am tired of not getting my workouts in, and only finding a machine that does not work correctly when I get on it. My suggestion was, Ok this is really eating at me, but being the (way too nice guy) I am, I tell them, just give me an extra year of the subscription to Jrny for my efforts, and we will call it even. (Never should have done this!!!).
After sending pictures, videos, emails, and phone calls (much of them on hold) it is now 2/22 and I have a machine that is paid for, that still does not work correctly, even though I had negotiated an extra year of the Jrny membership, it turns out, THEY CHARGED ME FOR IT!!! I found this out when I went to make my final payment, and found they had been charging $20 a month to my account for months. (They finance through Synchrony Bank, so all your billing goes through this 3rd party to which most people, like myself, will setup for direct billing online. OK, more phone calls to straighten this out, BUT, it's an odd occurrence with no box to check, so of course the billing dept does not understand any of this, and they charge me for what was supposed to a "hey sorry about all the issues you are having, we will give you this for your troubles"...WHAT?
They actually charged me for months of the service that was supposed to be my "we are so sorry payment". Now I am really upset and I call the bank to dispute the charge, but of course they know nothing about it, call Nautilus and speak to someone on the phone looking at my account online and say, "OH NO, he is supposed to be paying for this, its his membership dues".
I fought for a while, and finally paid the remaining balance to keep it from affecting my credit, my argument was going nowhere with these people, to many involved, none understanding the situation as a whole, only what their computer screen shows them of my account, which quite obviously does not have a box checked that says----"The machine we sent him was a $3000 piece of junk, he was nice for a while and we tried to fix it over the phone, but we were unsuccessful, problems still occurring, no one knows what else to do." If I only knew in Feb 19, what I was getting into!!! GOOD LUCK if you dare to try it!!! It is a great concept, for Mountaineer types looking for strength/cardio training with low impact.
Reviewed Feb. 11, 2022
After ordering my elliptical at the beginning of December. The order has been lost and now cancelled. Guess what - they still have my money!!! Zero response from customer service via email after 6 attempts and wait times over the phone are over an hour!!! This company is full of crooks, liars, and cheats. My credit card company is now involved in trying to get a resolution to this. What a waste of time.!!! PRODUCT NEVER ARRIVED AND IS MARKED AS CANCELLED. BUT THEY STILL HAVE MONEY MONEY - CROOKS!!!
Reviewed Feb. 9, 2022
DO NOT PURCHASE A BOWFLEX 10! And if you require assistance be prepared to wait on the phone for 2 hours just to be told that it will take another two weeks for parts and who knows when the service person will be available. I have a $2500 dust collector because of a monitor!! After reviewing all the options for Treadmills I choose a Bowflex 10. My nightmare started shortly after delivery. After setting the machine up and starting the warranty process, the Bowflex 7 was packaged into the Bowflex 10 box! Next, the Bowflex 7 had to be returned and replaced with the Bowflex 10. Then after setup the Bowflex 10 monitor requires an update and the machine is useless without the monitor.
After waiting on hold for two hours, and I called in at 615am, I am told the part will be shipped two weeks from today. But they can't schedule a technician because that is another company and there are staff shortages. No one will take responsibility for the fact that the WRONG machine was even packaged! $2500 sitting mocking me everyday. Currently deciding on whether or not to return the product. I am so sad!!!
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2022
I paid over $1600 for a Bowflex treadmill that was supposed to include a 1 year JRNY membership. After 2 weeks, we are still unable to set up a profile in JRNY. I have called every single day since receiving the treadmill (which, by the way, was almost 3 weeks late) and been on hold ranging from 15 minutes to over 90 minutes (as my work schedule allowed) and have yet to talk to anyone. I have tried emailing, but get totally unrelated canned responses that are of absolutely no help. It seems as soon as Bowflex got my money, I've been completely ignored.
Reviewed Jan. 17, 2022
I ordered 3 pieces of equipment on 12/13/21. I have received 2 of the 3 pieces. Customer Service does not pick up their phone to answer questions. Customer Care emails have not gotten any response. Terrible customer service. I just spend 25 minutes on the phone only to be told wait times are longer than expected and nobody ever picks up. I just disputed the charge as my only option to hold this company accountable for terrible service.
Reviewed Dec. 31, 2021
This is our 2nd elliptical we purchased since 2020 for 2 different homes. From the first day of use it was very loud and squeaking. We called BOWFLEX & the warranty company came out 2 times. Nothing has improved. It was $2000 and we have asked numerous times to exchange this machine for another one as it is definitely defective. They will not help even after we sent videos & calls proving it's defective.
Bowflex Company Information
- Company Name:
- Bowflex
- Year Founded:
- 1986
- Country:
- United States
- Website:
- bowflex.com
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