April 20th, 2010
For my men, it’s all in the hands and eyes. For the Reformer, I’ve learned, it’s all in wheel bearings. And until recently, I had no idea how sexy and differentiating the wheels can be on the various brands of Pilates Reformers on the market today.
On a tour of Root Manufacturing’s shop headquartered in Boulder I got to be the fly on the wall (with big safety goggles on) as I walked through the many aisles of the stages of equipment production. Through the upholstery department I saw them stretch and staple seamlessly. Next was assembly where the wood pieces are carved and cut – some by hand others by fancy computerized templates (the chair sides and ladder barrel shapes for instance). Then I moved on to the finishing department where motorized hoses coat the assembled equipment not once, not twice but three times. And in between each coat they are sanded to perfection. And lastly, the shipping department where they are crated and shipped to studios throughout the world.
Lining the walls of the huge factory are shelves and shelves of rolled vinyl sheets and uncut wood variations including oak, and bamboo.
But it was when I got to the nitty gritty bins of wheels, bolts, screws and bearings that I got educated on what it is that makes one reformer ride differently from the next. I’ve often heard people attribute “the ride” on a reformer to the springs. But they are so wrong! Some reformers – that oh so loved “classic resistance” model — is a result of metal on metal. In other words there are no wheel bearings inside the axle of the wheel. I learned that some manufacturers use shopping cart wheels (no good) and that a “grooved” wheel is better than one that is traditionally sanded down. Who knew they sanded them down? My wheels were turning…
At the end of the day I was fully educated on the inner construction of a Pilates Reformer and felt inspired by some of the innovation being made within the Root factory. Glad we made the switch!
Established in 2002, Core Pilates NYC is a full service Pilates studio located in the Union Square neighborhood of New York City with a CPNYC Annex studio in Venice, CA. Our Pilates instructors have a reputation for being the best in the biz and deliver customized training in group Pilates classes including Pilates Mat, Tower, Pilates Reformer classes, Prenatal Pilates and Mommy-and-Me classes. Pilates private, semi-private, and duet sessions are classically designed to include the Pilates Reformer, Chair, Cadillac, Barrels, and other small equipment for all levels. Our world-renowned Pilates certification and Teacher Training courses have resided in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Italy with more worldwide locations coming soon.
99 University Place 9th Floor NYC 10003
212.260.5464
info@corepilatesnyc.com
At Union Square
At 14th Street
At W 4th Street or 14th Street
212.260.5464
