Re: Re: Buying used Bullworker

[Guest guest]

Just thought I would stick my two pennyworth in. I have collected six bullworkers over the years. I have an old brown handled one that I bought in the mid 1970's I think. I also have an old brown handled and a green handled one that I bought on E-Bay UK. I also have an X5 which I bought on E-Bay UK plus I have the new Bullworker Classic and that steel-bow. I would agree with the previous advice that you need to see the bullworkers and feel how they work before buying. I was lucky when I bought my X5 off E-Bay. It is in good condition and works well. The other two I was not so lucky with as they worked poorly. I had to take them apart and service them and they are still not great. I would say that for what you might pay for a second hand bullworker on E-Bay I think for the few

extra pounds/dollars you would be better buying new. The new bullworker classic knocks spots off all the older models. I now only use the classic combined with the steel-bow and occasionally the X5. What a difference the new classic has made. Saving a few pounds/dollars may prove more expensive in the long run.

JH

To: bullworkerclub Sent: Tuesday, 20 September 2011, 12:22Subject: Re: Buying used Bullworker

> > > >> > > > Anyone have any helpful hints on buying a used, older Bullworker? Things such as what to look for, where to look for them, etc. is appreciated.> > > >> > > Hello,I think that you should get a lot of replies on this topic.If you do all to the good as its hardly likely that anyone can think of everything re the issue you raise.It would therefore be a good thing to here different as well as convergent points of view.> > > > > > I will however have a crack at giving you a few hints as they have occurred to me as I have a few older Bull workers myself acquired from different sources.> > > > > > Well all of my Bullworkers acquired here in the UK were bought from charity shops and you may have their equivalent where you live.> > > > > > Evidently EBay is another good

source of Bullworkers often available at rather good prices,although here you may be in competition with others at some level to purchase and that may{or may not} drive the price up.> > > > > > Another good source is local newspapers who carry ads for items that people want to dispose of.Many parts of the world also have publications entirely devoted to a variety of items for sale.Bullworkers are often listed under sporting goods or used exercise equipment.> > > > > > Dont forget either that over the years a vast number of Bullworkers have been purchased and fallen into disuse.Many of these have not been thrown away nor sold but put away in peoples lofts,wardrobes etc.Try asking friends and family-you may be surprised to find someone has one somewhere.> > > > > > If you live in the US garage sales are another good source of all sorts of exercise equipment including our friend

the Bullworker.> > > > > > > > > Now you don't say what you consider an older Bullworker to be.For example I have some ones from the 80s as well as an original German model from the sixties{works perfectly as it happens}> > > > > > Here are a few points that would occur to me.Inspect the Bullworker very well if you are buying it in a context unlike the Internet where you can actually handle the item.> > > > > > How well does it compress?Try and select one exercise at least that allows full compression.Obviously you do not want to find that it compresses only so far.Is it noisy on compression?Do you consider that it is an acceptable or curable level of noise and not as it were pathological.I would be very careful of something that scrapes really badly.> > > > > > How important to you is the look as opposed to function of the Bullworker.Do

you want something that look perfect or do you for example find acceptable a few little signs of age and general wear and tear.A little pitting for example on metal parts might be acceptable to you but not others.If for example you have the possibility of buying something really old like my German model-how important is it to you that it be absolutely complete?Mine is but that may not be an issue for everyone as some people may value and use it despite it not being perfect.> > > > > > If you were going for one of the X5s for example I would check the integrity of the handles as I have seen quite a few where the glue had partly{for whatever reason} come away and upon compression a slight gap would open up on the affected handle.Any handle bearing for example tape is very likely to have an issue like that.You will need to decide whether this acceptable to you on for example aesthetic grounds as well as safety?Look for any wearing

also of the straps as I have occasional seen models that must have been rather roughly used.The same issues of compressibility apply as above.> > > > > > Does the Bullworker of any model come complete with original box,instructions,carry case etc?Is this important to you or would you buy something that had for example become separated from its instructions.My guess is that like much else this will be important to some and unimportant to others who will say-I can get the instructions off the Internet anyway.> > > > > > Ebay and similar sites are great and you can pick up some great bargains.They do however have the great disadvantage of your not being to get hands on with any purchase.A seller may present an item and describe it rather glowingly in terms of its condition etc.Others clearly are selling and have no idea about the item they are putting up so their evaluation of for example the condition of

a Bullworker may be way off.Someone who writes for example original sixties X5 Bullworker chest expander perfect condition-clearly does not have a clue.Incredible though it may seem I have seen that very wording.> > > > > > Hope that this may have helped a tiny bit.I look forward to reading other contributions.Good luck in your hunt.Ed> > >> > A little addendum to the above.I suspect that X5s I have seen with problems with the handles have been dropped rather badly from some height as they are otherwise whilst not a favourite model strong and well made.Ed> >> > > Once again ed a out standing reply! Nothing left to say sound and informative advice well said ed!>Thanks for your kind reply .I think that I rather overused the word issue upon re-reading and I could have checked my spelling rather more carefully.However I think the general sense of what I intended

to say comes over acceptably.If however given a choice I would always tend to go for the hands on approach when purchasing a Bullworker as its certainly the best way of providing answers to questions of condition and performance.At times of course we may decide to take a chance if the price is reasonable and buy sight unseen.The decision is of course the purchasers.