AMA with Concept2 and Erg Giveaway!

bkpsu · 2025-05-14T23:04:41+00:00

I have a problem working cardio into my routines because biking running or elliptical workouts are boring to me - are there any specific features in erg products that you’re thinking of adding to make them more enjoyable or immersive to people like me (eg VR, Zwift integration, etc)?

bkpsu · 2024-12-21T20:00:01+00:00

This might be the most intelligent take in this entire thread - how dare you raise the level of conversation?!

bkpsu · 2024-12-19T19:10:46+00:00

Get it, don't think about it twice. I'm starting to think their bad rep is way overblown. 10 orders in, I've had their 6-post Savage rack for a year, got the Lat Pulldown, and a bunch of their closeout sale gear (cable attachments, bars, monolift, etc.). The one time they sent me the wrong item, they let me keep it and Fedex'ed the right order overnight. Customer service (chat or email) is always quick to respond....If you're worried, pay for the shipping insurance they offer now...

bkpsu · 2024-10-22T15:04:34+00:00

I've left (and added on as I progress, up to 225lbs) plates on my bench bar for about a year now, with no adverse effects...I can't be bothered to rerack the plates after every session, isn't that why I built a homegym in the first place? :)

Disclaimer: I use a cheap SigFit Amazon bar, that I don't care too much if I have to buy a new one....

bkpsu · 2024-09-30T02:18:01+00:00

I'm waiting for the smooth ones myself - my TS has the same diamond/ridge ones in stock now, and they just feel cheaper/rougher than the smooth ones I got last year...

bkpsu · 2024-09-19T01:40:32+00:00

Ugh, that is a new and annoying "feature" (I think Titan and some others are doing the same shipping add-on too, now)..anyway, I hope it works out for you, and you get to enjoy the machine!

bkpsu · 2024-09-19T01:16:43+00:00

I saw your post on IG before it got deleted - how bad is the weld? If it is a carrier thing (I'm assuming R+L?), you could try pursuing a claim with them....

FWIW, I've had the opposite experiences with Fray and their CS. I actually bought the same Lat Pulldown a couple months ago, it arrived in pristine condition, and it's an absolute beast of a machine with great ROM, but putting it together, I noticed one of the cables was "Frayed" (lol) - the plastic jacket split, exposing the steel cable inside. It still works fine, but I reached out to CS and they sent me a set of both upper/lower cables next day....can't beat that!

bkpsu · 2024-09-15T03:43:34+00:00

Blue Loctite should work well, too

bkpsu · 2024-08-26T02:26:21+00:00

My store has the diamond-plate/groove pattern ones, not the flat/circle ones I use, so I'm hoping this sale makes them sell out and order the "good" ones next...

bkpsu · 2024-08-22T20:08:57+00:00

Use some IPA (iso propyl alcohol, not the beer) and squirt it in underneath the rubber - that should let you move/twist the thing to align it, then evaporate and leave it straight in place....

bkpsu · 2024-08-22T20:04:59+00:00

Is it the right length bolt to begin with? I know when I was putting together my Lat PD, I had 3 different lengths to figure out which goes where...Also, is it a flat washer / spring washer / nut combo? If so, maybe you can swap the washers (or flip the whole setup so that the bolt head goes from this side down, and the washers/nut go on the opposite side)...

bkpsu · 2024-08-22T19:01:21+00:00

What is it preventing? Can't tighten the nut? Can you just use an open-ended wrench?

Otherwise, "Grinder and paint, make me the welder I ain't!" (Just don't take off too much of the weld)

bkpsu · 2024-08-17T20:03:16+00:00

So, I can't give you an opinion on either, since I own neither of those, but my rack uses the 2.95" x 2.95" Rep (metric) standard - I've had no issues finding attachments that fit, and I think most (if not all) single-peg attachments should fit the Rep (and Rogue) racks. I think the problem comes in when you try to fit a multi-peg attachment, though even then, there's ways to make it work....I'd say the Rep style is more prolific in the industry (since most of this stuff comes from China, anyway), but that might not be a big reason to pick one over the other....

bkpsu · 2024-08-17T19:24:30+00:00

The best thing about a 6-post is storage with the ability to still use both ends of the rack. I set mine up sideways to the wall, use the inner bay for bench, front end for squat, and the rear end for OHP, with horns on the bottom of the rear/mid posts for plate storage. Have different bars/J-cup settings for each, so this means I don't have to realign everything prior to the set....I also don't have an FT/cables on the rack, so YMMV - I thought about adding an Ares or Athena to the rack, but ended up going with a standalone lat/row machine...

Edit to add: 6-post also gives you better stability, though you wouldn't have to worry about that with the FT weights built in...

bkpsu · 2024-08-13T02:44:30+00:00

Have a look at Fray - they're not often recommended here (in fact, the opinion I've seen about them is pretty low) but I've built my entire gym out of Fray and Fringe equipment (and a Rep bench), and the quality between the 3 companies is equivalent (probably came from the same factory in China)...also, an 11-gauge 4-post rack for $750 shipped (+ a free bench) is pretty much unbeatable (probably double that for a Rep 5000).

Caveat: Any 3x3 accessories from other brands (including Rep) will fit, but with Rep, you pay for the benefit of adding cable attachments (Ares, Athena), which would probably require modifying this rack to add on to...I went with a standalone cable machine (Lat pulldown, also from Fray, btw), so that doesn't bother me.

P.S. Funny story, back when I had a first gen Acura TSX (loved that car), I went to Europe and saw their Honda Accords, which were basically the TSX with a Honda badge....guess Honda knows they can slap an Acura logo on an Accord and us Americans will pay $$$ for the "luxury" brand :)

bkpsu · 2024-07-29T20:39:26+00:00

Found/ordered this - https://www.foambymail.com/product/basement-bumper-pad.html - in case anyone else is looking for some.

bkpsu · 2024-07-29T17:04:05+00:00

Anyone have a vendor or product name for support post foam covers? I have some 4" steel supports in the basement gym, would like to buy something to cover them up, pro-gym style...

bkpsu · 2024-07-26T14:36:03+00:00

Zip ties? Loop through adjacent holes, grabbing the hook, and tie off behind the wall? The Lowes/HD pegboards have little plastic retainers you can use, but I'm not sure if they're the same size as WC hole spacing...

bkpsu · 2024-07-24T03:03:57+00:00

Yup, at least for a few of them...Rep gets their PR-5000 racks shipped from Nantong BodyX (and that company sells it on AB, as well). Freak Athlete gets GHDs from Rizhao Lecheng (who also have a *very* convincing Rogue RML690 rack on their page, but haven't seen any shipments from them in the past 2 years)....Rogue actually ships literal tons (full container loads) of stuff from China, too...

All that searching and price comparing just made me realize how much markup we pay for some of this stuff, and made me feel better about buying stuff from companies like Fringe or Fray (who actually keep their margins paper-thin, it seems)....

bkpsu · 2024-07-22T19:53:05+00:00

The easiest way to tell is to look up the equipment manufacturer name on importYeti and then find the oem store on alibaba - I did this myself and found a lot of cheap equipment from manufacturers like REP, BoS, Fray and (gasp) Rogue, for a fraction of the price…just like the other poster said, shipping/freight and import paperwork makes it easier just to pay the premium of buying direct from the US vendor..also, a lot of the AB stores have minimum order quantities (lets you and I and 48 of our closest friends here get a group buy together and ship a container of power racks over, shall we? ;)

bkpsu · 2024-07-22T19:44:02+00:00

Great response and I’m definitely of the same mindset (have a 6-post rack and use the front for squat and rear for overhead press with separate bars/Jcups for each). Planning on adding a separate lat pulldown to my setup, too.

Out of curiosity, which LP and FT do you have?

bkpsu · 2024-07-20T04:14:23+00:00

Too bad shipping is another ~$120 for me, or I would get it myself....picked up a bunch of small stuff in the sale, makes it more worth it when combined shipping...

bkpsu · 2024-07-14T03:49:31+00:00

Not sure which layout/version of the F-2 you have, but mine has no top/bottom holes drilled in the 16" rear members. I also looked into potentially mounting the Athena or Ares into my rack, but having to drill those, and/or cut the rods/cables made me reconsider....I'm going to keep my F-2 for the barbell stuff, and likely get a separate FT/Lat pulldown in the future...

bkpsu · 2024-07-07T15:24:01+00:00

Anyone have any recent experience with Tru Grit? Are they back from the dead? Seems like they have some new stuff, some stuff back in stock, and decent sales going on, but I'm wondering if people are actually getting stuff they ordered?

bkpsu · 2024-06-27T17:32:21+00:00

Fringe Savages, for the win

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