If you’re looking for new home workout equipment, you may have been tempted by BowFlex weights, smart treadmills, or stationary bikes. However, in March 2024, the company filed for bankruptcy and is up for sale. So is it still a good idea to buy BowFlex equipment?
Years ago, this wouldn’t have been a big deal. After all, weights are essentially plates of metal. But his BowFlex, the company behind BowFlex equipment and his Schwinn machines, has made a name for itself with smart devices that sync and integrate data to your phone. With the app.
So, the company makes some of the best adjustable dumbbells and great stationary bikes, but what happens to your smart equipment once it’s on sale? And even if it’s discounted, you can’t buy BowFlex products. Let’s dig into whether it’s worth buying.
Which BowFlex equipment should I buy on sale?
In general, if you want to buy BowFlex equipment on sale (including Schwinn brand stationary bikes), your best option is to go with a non-smart machine that doesn’t rely solely on the company’s JRNY workout app for functionality.
So it may still be worth considering BowFlex weights, Schwinn bikes, and BowFlex multigyms. However, if you buy a BowFlex branded stationary bike, elliptical, or treadmill, you’re taking more of a gamble as most features are locked by his JRNY membership.
With the news of BowFlex’s bankruptcy, now is a great time to invest in these machines and weights, as many pieces of equipment are now on sale, including the BowFlex SelectTech 1090 Adjustable Dumbbells. Currently marked down to just $329 on Amazon.
Which Bowflex equipment should you still buy?
BowFlex (the company formerly known as Nautilus) owns BowFlex and Schwinn Fitness. The BowFlex brand primarily focuses on strength training equipment such as dumbbells, kettlebells, and home gym multigyms, but it also makes stationary bikes, ellipticals, and treadmills.
Most of BowFlex’s equipment integrates with the JRNY Workout app and has built-in displays for streaming classes, in a similar way to home training machines and Peloton, which offers virtual memberships for classes and training sessions. .
Schwinn brand stationary bikes typically have non-smart displays to track your workouts, but you can download the JRNY app and use the machines for instructor-led classes. In addition, Schwinn also makes some of the most popular recumbent bikes, such as the Schwinn 270 recumbent bike, which are perfect for low-impact exercise.
While we don’t know much about what’s next with BowFlex, the safest option is to only purchase items that don’t rely on the JRNY Workout app. This way, you can continue to use your device even if the new owner shuts down the app or leaves it broken.
Is the JRNY Workout app still available?
The JRNY app is an integral part of most BowFlex products, including SelectTech dumbbells, and helps you improve your weightlifting form using the app’s motion tracking features. The JRNY app was last updated on March 6th. Google Play Store — the day after filing for bankruptcy.
The app is also available from the Apple App Store, with the most recent update on March 12th, which is likely the same update you’ll find on Android, although the one-week delay is likely due to Apple’s app review process. And importantly, it’s still available for download on both platforms.
However, it’s also included in the display of many BowFlex machines, and it’s not clear when that version was last updated. However, you can still sign up. JRNY member Available for $11.99 per month or $99 per year.
This gives you access to thousands of on-demand workouts, virtual coaching features, bodyweight sessions, and classes designed for your equipment. This is very competitive as a Peloton equivalent. Peloton app+It costs $240 a year, and that includes live workouts.
What is the best alternative to Bowflex?
Peloton and NordicTrack are BowFlex’s closest competitors. Both brands make smart home training equipment designed around subscription-based workout apps (Peloton App+ or Peloton One, NordicTrack’s iFit app).
If you want live classes, Peloton is your best choice. The brand popularized on-demand live home workouts with Peloton Bike+. The Peloton Tread is one of the best pieces of home gym equipment you can buy today. But if Peloton is wondering how he escaped BowFlex’s fate, it was almost inevitable.
The brand had a terrible 2023, with a forced recall affecting its entry-level Peloton bikes due to safety risks and demand for its tread-and-row machines stalling. However, the app has been revamped and the company has refocused on more affordable training options, like his Peloton Guide.
NordicTrack, on the other hand, is a great alternative to Peloton and the most similar brand to BowFlex in terms of product range. The company makes standard and smart equipment, so you can get a gym-style rowing machine or stationary bike, or a Peloton-like treadmill or elliptical that integrates with the iFit workout app.
These studio-grade treadmills are great, and two NordicTrack models also made it into our roundup of the best treadmills. But considering the similarities between the two brands, it may be difficult to choose between them. Luckily, we can help you find the best bike for your home by comparing Peloton and Nordic Track.
What happened to Bowflex?
BowFlex will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2024, which allows other companies to make offers to acquire the company. It’s unclear whether the new owners will decide to keep her BowFlex name alive, discontinue some or all of the products, or shut down the brand completely.
The decision comes after a difficult period for trading as pandemic lockdowns ease, gyms reopen and demand for home training equipment falls. The pandemic was a perfect time for fitness brands like BowFlex, with millions of people eager to invest in home workout equipment.
Once the lockdown was lifted, demand for expensive machines and weights essentially disappeared, leaving BowFlex in a difficult position. The company, formerly known as Nautilus, changed its brand name to BowFlex in late 2023 in an attempt to reverse declining sales.
However, this was a big mountain to climb, as BowFlex’s revenue for the 2022/23 financial year fell by 43%, with losses widening to $21 million. By February 2024, BowFlex Warned The company was told it might file for bankruptcy, but ultimately did so a month later.
