The A-Z of Home Fitness
Team RBF Home Fitness Industry Myth-Busting
We thought it might be helpful for customers old and new to gain some insights into the home fitness world, to better understand a few of the challenges that we face industry-wide, and also to provide customers with topline information, pre- and post-purchase. Understanding can lead to more informed buying decisions and better managing our customers’ expectations when it comes to buying and caring for home fitness equipment.
A: Availability
Roger Black Fitness will always endeavour to offer at least one bike and one treadmill ‘in stock’ via our website. Given that lead-in times are around three months for out-of-stock equipment, in the event that a product line is not available, we will always offer a pre-order option and a goodwill 10% discount. An estimated in-stock date is always shown on our website as per the gold bike currently being out of stock until October 2023 (date TBC):
Roger Black Gold Exercise Bike | Home Fitness Exercise Bike (rogerblackfitness.com)
B: Belts
Treadmill belts will require lubrication, especially if you are using the machine for regular walking vs. running. Counter-intuitively, there is more impact for the machine to handle if you are walking vs. running or jogging. Have a watch of Roger’s interview with Steve Mellor of Fitness Equipment Services (135) How to maintain your RBF Folding Treadmill and Gold Treadmill with FES – YouTube
From time to time, your machine’s belt may also need to be tightened – if you have any queries or doubts, please email us a video to hello@rogerblackfitness.com
C: Carriers
Whilst full T&Cs of delivery and shipping information are available to view via our website pages Delivery | Roger Black Fitness we would like to remind customers that our delivery companies will only deliver Monday to Friday, subject to date and slot availability in your area. Whilst we fully appreciate that the ‘Amazon Prime Effect’ has created a very high bar to compete with when it comes to delivery services, most companies are slightly at the mercy of third-party carriers, especially when the weather is poor or delivering to more remote postcodes. We will always endeavour to help as much as possible with delivery challenges, but please remember that we are working with third parties, and not our own drivers or vans, so are subject to their T&Cs of service.
D: Delays
We appreciate that some deliveries may be slightly delayed but unfortunately, this is slightly out of our control. Most delays or issues with delivery are the responsibility of the carriers DX and ArrowXL – sometimes delays happen due to limited drivers or slots in any given area and sometimes, as in life, things just go wrong. We apologise in advance if you have experienced a delay but unfortunately, this is part and parcel when it comes to delivery of goods. Delays can also occasionally occur at key times of the year or due to weather conditions. We ask customers to be reasonable when it comes to logistics challenges.
E: Extras
We don’t currently sell Roger Black Fitness accessories but would recommend customers invest in the following few extras if they are purchasing a piece of home fitness equipment:
All machines – a mat that is bigger than the recommended machine footprint.
Bikes – A unisex gel saddle cover – especially if your machine has multiple users with different requirements.
F: Flooring
We sometimes receive emails from customers advising us that their machine appears to be ‘off-kilter’. We would always recommend that you check that your flooring is level before using a piece of home fitness equipment (especially treadmills). If the flooring isn’t level, it will likely impact the usability of your machine.
G: Garages
We are aware that some of our customers either use or store their machines in a garage. If this is your preference, we would advise that you ensure the area is sufficiently ventilated and that any electrics (including fuses, especially in new-build homes) are checked prior to use. If you are storing your machine in a garage, please ensure that dampness doesn’t get into the machine’s component parts and that flooring is level prior to use.
H: Home Insurance
Our gold product delivery teams will only deliver to a ground floor room of choice, as per ArrowXL’s agreement with our logistics team at Pure-Tec. We are sometimes asked by customers about taking a machine to a higher floor level or using a machine upstairs.
We always recommend customers speak with their home insurance company regarding where and how to use their home fitness equipment. We have been made aware that some insurers won’t cover the use of home fitness equipment on a higher level other than the ground floor – so please check prior to purchase.
I: Information
It is really important that you check your personal details before you place your order. Sometimes, email addresses or telephone numbers might be incorrect and we have no way of knowing of the issue at the point of purchase. We would ask that customers always check their details to avoid processing, despatch and delivery delays thereafter. Feel free to contact us with any information changes via hello@rogerblackfitness.com
J: Joints
Many of our customers come to us with joint issues, especially with knees and hips, as advised by their medical professionals and physios. We would always recommend that you speak with a professional prior to purchasing a piece of home fitness equipment to support joint issues, especially bikes. This mainly relates to the ability to fully extend your leg when using a machine. The Roger Black Fitness Gold Exercise Bike may allow a fuller leg extension Vs its folding counterpart due to the way the machine is manufactured – but leg extension is not always the ultimate goal when exercising on a bike.
K: Kilos
We are sometimes asked by customers whether the weight unit in kilogrammes can be changed to stones or pounds. Unfortunately, this is not possible with our machines so would suggest that you use an App to manually convert your weight entry. We would also make customers aware that suggested calories burnt will also depend on your weight, so please use an App or speak with a personal trainer if you are seeking precise calorie-deficit information or want to burn a definitive number of calories when you exercise.
L: Lubrication
Many of our customers ask us about product lubrication in the first year of ownership and beyond. Whilst there is no exact science when it comes to product lubrication, we would refer customers to the Steve Mellor interview mentioned above regarding treadmills and also, with bikes, to lubricate (re)moveable parts every six months or so, depending on usage. In terms of which product to use, here is a link to information about Decklube, as recommended by FES for treadmills Decklube-Instructions.pdf (rogerblackfitness.com). For stationary bikes, WD-40 should suffice as a general lubricant although some issues may require a more specialised product – if in doubt, please contact FES info@fitnessequipmentservices.co.uk
M: Mats
As per information detailed within product manuals, we would recommend that you purchase a thin protective rubber mat to place underneath your home fitness equipment. This will serve as dual-purpose floor protection and also product safety. Such mats are readily available to buy online or instore at the likes of Argos, Decathlon or similar. When considering the mat size, always take into account the suggested workout area size, as detailed within your product manual. Your mat can also double-up for stretching or yoga when not being used under your machine.
N: New Year
Whilst the old adage appears to still ring true about ‘New Year, New You’, here at Roger Black Fitness, we encourage you to consider your health and wellbeing at any time of the year. Why not set yourself mini targets to reduce your blood pressure or increase your knee mobility BY the New Year and not IN the New Year? There is no such thing as a health ‘timeline’ – we are here to help every body, day in and day out.
O: Older Machines – Argos
We are regularly contacted about parts, manuals and servicing requests for older Argos-manufactured Roger Black Fitness machines, especially those that have been purchased second-hand or gifted. Please be aware that when you buy an older machine, whilst it might seem like a good buy at the time, if a part is required, it is unlikely that parts are now available as Argos no longer manufactures these machines (and nor do we or any other third party). Read more detailed information here on our Troubleshooting page <TO FILL IN WHEN LIVE>
P: Parts – How to source parts?
Most parts for both older and new Roger Black Fitness machines are sourced in one of four ways:
1.Parts from faulty machines that are still (re)usable – Post-2021 models
2.Moveable parts from new machines (subject to availability) – Post-2021 models
3.Stand-alone parts ordered by bigger companies who manufacture and ship in-house – Pre-2021 Argos-manufactured models
4.Via eBay or online part specialist websites (we cannot vouch for the quality or availability of any parts sold online) – Pre-2021 Argos manufactured models
Parts are not always available for any model of machine so, in the case of new machines, we are more likely to replace than repair a machine (depending on the issue). With older machines, dated pre-2021, please be advised that very few parts are now available to buy.
For more detailed information about parts sourcing, please visit our Troubleshooting page.
Q: Quality Control
During our long-haul shipping and UK-wide delivery service, occasionally machines will be subject to damage. Rest assured, all machines are tested and inspected at source although might be subject to mishandling by third parties or damage during international or carrier shipments. Any in-transit damage noticed upon receipt of your order should be reported to us via email address hello@rogerblackfitness.com, including your name, order number/date and photos or videos of the purported issue.
R: Recycling
Currently, we don’t offer a recycling service for new or second-hand Roger Black Fitness machines. We appreciate the size and weight of many machines may be cumbersome so usually suggest to customers that they contact their local Council regarding a bulky waste collection or research local recycling centres.
S: Saddles
Whilst we have endeavoured to source bike saddles that offer comfort to most, we appreciate that some of our customers may find a seat too narrow or too wide for their stance.
What we normally recommend is for customers to purchase a unisex gel seat cover from the likes of Argos or Decathlon, especially if more than one person is using the bike.
We are sometimes asked if saddle stems are interchangeable. The answer is that unfortunately, this is not possible. We would ask customers that they do not swap seat stems from one bike to another as this will invalidate their Warranty.
T: Threading – Specifically reverse threading
Always remember that when attaching pedals to your bike, the right-hand pedal should be attached clockwise and the left-hand pedal, anti-clockwise or ‘reverse threaded’. Please do nor force pedals during assembly as you may damage the unit.
U: Upgrades
For any customer wishing to upgrade their Argos machine, we do offer a 10% goodwill discount to existing customers. Please email us at hello@rogerblackfitness.com to find our more. Please be advised that we do not accept older machines as part-exchange or offer a second-hand collection service.
V: Vouchers
We have recently introduced a new Gift Voucher scheme – with £50 and £100 denominations available to buy, exclusively via www.rogerblackfitness.com. Vouchers are ideal as Christmas and Birthday presents, especially as we fully appreciate that buying a piece of home fitness equipment is a substantial financial investment. So why not invest in the gift of health for your friends, colleagues and loved ones over the coming months?
W: Warranty
All new Roger Black Fitness machines come with a one-year product Warranty that can be found on the final page of your product Manual. Should there be an issue with your machine during your first year of ownership, we would ask that you contact hello@rogerblackfitness.com with photos or a video of any issues, together with your original order details (website orders are in a four-digit format, eg 5182). In many circumstances, we may offer you a replacement machine vs sending out an engineer. This is due to the nature of our industry and stock availability, especially if spare parts are not available.
X: Xmas
As detailed above, we have recently launched Roger Black Fitness Gift Vouchers to buy exclusively via our website. We acknowledge that the cost of a piece of home fitness equipment might be prohibitive as a Christmas gift, especially at the moment – whereas a contribution might be slightly easier on the household budget and especially well received by the recipient.
Y: You
We always like to remind customers that your fitness journey is all about you and your personal circumstances, goals and challenges. Whilst much of the fitness industry focuses on the body beautiful and achieving levels of unattainable perfection, here at Roger Black Fitness, we want to help people of all ages and fitness abilities to find your home fitness ‘mojo’, at a pace that works for you and your body.
Z: Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
We couldn’t think of something appropriate for ‘Z’ so started singing along to the famous song from the film ‘Song of the South’ instead. However, if our clever customers can think of a suitable ‘Z’ to add in, feel free to email us at hello@rogerblackfitness.com. The best suggestion will be eligible for a complimentary £50 Gift Voucher. More than enough reason to be feeling a little ‘Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah’!
