I bought the GDCC200 about two months ago from an online retailer that had an instant rebate saving me about $300 vs. the common online listing price. I additionally purchased the 50lb weight stack upgrade (50lbs of plates x2 for each cable stack), a GDCC bar (for barbell exercises squats, bench/military press, lat pull-downs, etc.), and the tricep rope (all Body Solid accessories). Paid a little over $1600 for everything including shipping.As background (physique is a consideration with such equipment), I''m 6''3", weigh about 205lbs, and have done moderate weight lifting for about 4-5 years. Most of my workouts have been done at home (primarily using dumbbells & bench, a combination pull-up/dip tower, and a Landice treadmill) with the occasional workout in hotel gyms. I started looking at cable tower machines for PT rehab after tearing my infraspinatus (a shoulder rotator cuff muscle), for general muscle toning, and to perform exercises that I couldn''t perform with free weights.
The shipment arrived via freight truck consisting of several boxes ranging from small to large, most relatively heavy if you have to carry them far, I''d recommend a dolly if you''re alone; total shipping weight was over 600lbs. Assembly was not impossible, but more challenging than I was led to believe by other reviews. The parts are not well-marked, there are several sets of bolts and washers that are nearly identical but are not interchangeable as are two of the three sets of pulleys. My total assembly time from box-open to finish was about six hours, of which 1-2 hours were wasted by using the wrong part in a step, progressing further, then realizing the mistake and correcting. Unless you''re a pro at setting up equipment, it''d be hard for me to think it could be done in less than three hours, but I don''t want to dispute others'' experiences. The final steps connecting the two fully-loaded towers via the crossbar and pull-up bar represent the hardest part of the assembly and require two people (preferably tall/strong my 5''4" wife had a hard time).
Fit & finish are almost perfect. The only flaws in my unit included:
Two plastic end-caps/feet that wouldn''t lock into place.
One of the two rods that isn''t perfectly aligned with the weight plate stack requiring a fair amount of force to place the weight selector pin, a frustration (see below).
Some minor surface rust on a couple of the weight plates (I plan to photograph and contact Body Solid about this I have no doubt they''ll ship replacements).
Some friction or something causing mild variations in cable resistance (see below).
What I love about this trainer:
The pulley system is incredibly adjustable between the height adjustments (there are 17 or 18, I believe), the pulley attachments that swivel 180 degrees, and the 2:1 pulley system allowing the cables to travel 2x as far as the plates rise, there are countless exercises that can be performed on this machine. I chuckled at the included exercise chart, which depicts only a small fraction of what can be done. Look at an exercise app like the iPhone/iPad ''iMuscle'' app to get a better idea.
Similarly, the available attachments further extend the amount of exercises that can be performed with this equipment.
The machine is very sturdy I have yet to find an exercise that has caused the tower to wobble/sway/etc., even when lifting heavy weight loads, doing pull-ups, etc. But once set up, don''t plan on moving it.
I owned a BowFlex years back (power pro xt model) and the pulleys'' resistance action of this machine is considerably more consistent than the BowFlex power rods the latter increase resistance the further the rod flexes good for some exercises, lousy for others.
Likewise, the handles are much better than the BowFlex''s. The included handles have an inner cylinder that rotates independent of the outer grip, the grip is very comfortable, the nylon straps appear very strong, and the multi-point metal hangar adjustments allow for exercises where you might want to either be very close to the pulley base or conversely, very far.
With the ability to load up to 210lbs per side (105lbs resistance given the 2:1 pulley system), it''s more than enough weight for most people (steroid freaks excluded). That said, I''d highly recommend purchasing the GDCC bar it spans both columns allowing many exercises (squats, bench press, lat pulls, deadlifts, etc.) combining the weight of both towers.
The price point it really is a good deal for the money.
Aesthetics it''s a very nice looking piece of equipment and does not take up too much space in my exercise room.
Confidence while I haven''t used it yet, it''s backed by a warranty that by all-accounts is very impressive.
Disappointments/Considerations:
As mentioned, assembly wasn''t the easiest.
As a 6''3" individual, the machine is slightly shorter than I''d like. Pull-ups require bending my knees and the highest pulley adjustment level is a little shorter than I''d like it to be. I''d estimate that if you''re 6'' or under, it won''t be a consideration and is still a minor issue at my height. I have a decent wingspan and the towers are *barely* separated enough to do cable flies and similar exercises. If you''re taller than 5''10" or so, I would definitely recommend the GDCC200 over the narrower GDCC210 for this reason.
The one weight column riser rod that has a hard time accepting the pin (the other column is fine).
The resistance feels heavier than the theoretical weight where I would do dumbbell bench press sets with 75lb dumbbells, I think there''s no chance that I could do sets with each column set at 150lbs (2:1 pulley ratio should mean 75lbs of resistance per side, but feels more like 85lbs or so). Assuming this isn''t indicative of friction that''s going to damage the machine down the road, it''s really a non-issue to me.
The pulley operation is smooth, but not as smooth as some commercial systems I''ve used in mid-to-high-end hotel gyms. You can feel the resistance fluctuate ever-so-slightly (perhaps 1-3lbs) as the cables extend and retract, but it''s enough to be slightly unnerving, especially when doing high-weight/low-rep exercises; I''ve used silicone spray on the weight stack risers so I know it''s not due to that. I can''t say for certain if it''s friction or imbalance in the pulleys, weight plates vibrating against the (lubricated) stack risers, or something else, but it''s noticeable. Additionally, compared to free-weights, the resistance feels harder when pulling the cable system/lifting the plates and lighter when releasing the cable system/lowering the plates (beyond the normal concentric/eccentric strength curves). It''s this inconsistency in resistance (albeit minor) that is probably my biggest gripe with the machine.
Overall, I think the Body Solid GDCC200 represents an excellent value for the money and I have no regrets about purchasing it. You can perform an unbelievable number of exercises on this machine adjusting resistance to your needs. I''d also highly recommend purchasing the attachments mentioned especially the bar. If you have two able-bodied adults to assemble it and can look past the minor inconsistency in resistance (assuming my machine is representative), I think you''ll love this trainer. I''m knocking off one star, though, for the inconsistent resistance (all other gripes are minor at best).
At any rate, and the risk of rambling, if you are looking for a versatile cable column... definitely give this one consideration. I''ve found it to be a great piece of equipment and a center piece of my home gym.
Buy Body Solid Dual Weight Stack Cable Crossover Machine Functional Training Center GDCC200 Now
I''ve had this product for a few years now and I''m still using it each & every week. Excellent build and is very sturdy. This piece of equipment is one of the most used items in my gym that gives so many different exercises & muscles that can be worked with it. I would definitely recommend by the extra 50 lb weight stack. My only negative is I''m starting to max out on some of the exercises even with the extra weights.The machine was exactly what I was looking for! It''s just the company made some huge mistakes! Body Solid needs to make sure that they have all the parts and pieces they need for the equipment before telling consumers what they have "in stock!" That was where my problems all began, then a lady called me about my order (which was already a week late). She was short with me. Then when I was trying to get my questions answered by this woman, which she made it seem like they were not valid questions about the GDCC200! Then my boxes came and I began building my functional trainer. And found out they put all the little pieces, nuts, bolts, washers, all in one bag. I feel like that it is not the consumers responsibility to determine which bolt needs to go where! They NEED to separate the parts. Body Solid also needs to rewrite the instructions because their "order" of how things should be put together is totally wrong and confusing as Hell! It is so frustrating!I bought this product after years of thinking about it. This is an expensive piece of equipment, so I was apprehensive. First, let me say, this is not your typical Joe Weider stuff. This is a serious piece of equipment with a lot of potential. Every time I work out with it, I''m learning something new. My strength gains have increased with nearly every workout and using the pin system makes me go for greater amounts of weight per exercise since it is so easy to change the weight. I definitely would recommend the #50 additional weight option when you order. There isn''t the room to do the crossovers that you do with the bigger systems, so I find myself doing one side at a time on some exercises. Plenty of room for pecs/chest presses and most others. Product quality is top notch, but directions are somewhat confusing. I''m very mechanically inclined and it took me 6+ hours to put together. No buyers remorse here....I would buy again, without hesitation.Save 10% off
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