BSC Reviews

[auntyodi.livejournal.com]

I am considering a membership at the Davis BSC and wondering if any current/former members have any input on how busy the gym is during peak hours and the availability of equipment. I would most likely be going after work around 7:00pm, and looking mainly to use the treadmill, as well as some circuit machines.  Any other opinions on the gym itself?? I am currently a member at Gold's in Everett (and love it!), but looking at BSC for the convenience of location.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions and opinions!! 

EDIT: I go to Gold's in Medford. Sorry!

Comments

[canedeparie.livejournal.com]

i like it. it's better to go in the morning (530am/6am) for less business. after 5pm it's not terrible but you may have to amend your routine a bit. the weekends aren't terrible. i don't really know about after 7pm. im usually done by then. treadmills are not usually that busy. after the new year it will most definitely pick up, business wise and get a lot more crowded. happened last year.

all in all, i am really satisfied with the gym.

[jodi.livejournal.com]

i've been a bsc-davis square member since last year.
as far as rush hours are concerned, you should probably get a trial membership and come in and see if this rush hour is within your acceptable limits. the davis square bsc is considered to be quite small for a bsc. during the day, you could go in an be one of only five people working out but after work from about 6-8, it is very crowded, then the crowd dissipates fast. as the weather gets colder, more people have come indoors (its not this crowded in the spring and summer when people are, say, running outdoors). during january and february it is even more crowded with resolution-minded people. during that two hour window, though, you are probably going to have to wait ten minute, maybe a half hour, if you really really want a treadmill. so far, there isn't a 'sign up' system for getting in line because its not desperately crowded and turnover is okay. maybe if it gets more crowded they will have to do this. circuit machines are always available with no wait whatsoever.

[jodi.livejournal.com]

i'll add to this also that i've been a member for a year now and i like that the desk people are friendly and say hello and that the cleaning staff are excellent. the gym and locker rooms are always clean and the awesom janitorial staff is responsible for that (they've had the same group of people since opening last year0. for the most part the gym still has that new-gym sheen to it.

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

I am so-so about the BSC. Unlike the previous poster, I almost always end up at the gym at 6:30pm. It is crowded. There is no other way to put it. More than half the time, I have to wait for a treadmill or an elliptical (there are only 8 ellipitals...!!!). Weight "room" is always crowded at this time, also. I came from Gold's in Somerville (on the way to Everett, next to Bertucci's), and I was used to having tons of space, so maybe I was just spoiled with all the room :)

However, there are some good things. If you can manage to go in the morning or during the day, it's usually not that crowded. If you go on the weekend, the only real crowded times are 11-3ish. The people that work there are nice and the personal trainers are courteous. You are paying a lot of money, but they generally take good care of the machines and the place is clean. But for the amount of money($60/month), I had hoped they would expand into the empty space on the top floor of the building, but no luck so far...

One more thing to keep in mind - there is a new Planet Fitness opening in Porter Square soon, so I'm actually not planning on renewing my contract at BSC. I don't really care about taking classes (which they don't have at PF), and I'll save the $40/month!! I'd recommend taking a tour of BSC, probably during the time when you'd be most willing to go (in the PM).

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

You can do a 2-week trial for $20 at BSC, so I would suggest trying that first.

[auntyodi.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I was not aware of this. They did not offer this when I went for a tour. Great idea!

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

You have to do it via the website only (pay on it, select the gym you want to try), but it was a simple enough thing to do.

[slinkr.livejournal.com]

Where is the new PF going to be? I haven't seen signs or anything.

[auntyodi.livejournal.com]

The website says it will be under the Uno restaurant. No indication of when it's opening though.

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

oooh. hopefully when it opens, it'll force the other gyms in porter to lower their rates.

[nalz.livejournal.com]

Do you mean the gold's in medford? On 16 heading towards Wellington? Or is there another Gold's in Somerville?

I went to a BSC before and I much prefer the Gold's in Medford. Of course I live about right in between this area and davis square so either trip is about the same distance for me.

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

Yes, I meant the one in Medford. I really, really liked it but I switched to BSC in Davis b/c I didn't have to drive.

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

I assume it will open pretty quickly - hopefully by the beginning of 2009 to get all the new years resolution people? They tend to go up pretty quickly, and since the building is already there it shouldn't be too bad...

I am wondering about the parking situation, since that's what was delaying the opening in the first place. It should succeed in making the Porter Square parking lot even more of a mess, although there is some parking designated for the Porter Square Exchange (where Uno's/Blockbuster is).

[docorion.livejournal.com]

I tend to go during the day (after 10 and before 5), so my experience is skewed. During those hours, it's virtually empty-exception during lunch (about 12-1) when there's more people, but usually not a wait. The criticisms of the crowd during peak times above are on target based on my experience.

There are rumors of expansion to the floor above, with addition of spinning classes. I note for the record these are *rumors*, from a source who is knowledgeable but *not* BSC management. If true, this would affect the crowding problem significantly, IMO.

[starry83.livejournal.com]

When my boyfriend signed up at the Davis BSC earlier this week, they told him they were expanding into the space upstairs. (Of course, there is a certain degree of used car salesman-like things going on when they're trying to get you signed up.)

[whodameg.livejournal.com]

I saw them drop off a truckload of new drywall yesterday. And they were doing something upstairs when I was there this morning...

[blackdove24.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I've been vaguely contemplating this for a while, so this was really informative!

Course, one of the reasons I was contemplating BSC was because they seem to be everywhere around the area, does anyone know if there are that many PFs around?

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

There is a PF in Government Center, and another in Assembly Square. As I said in my post above, they're putting on in Porter Square soon.

[mihmo.livejournal.com]

There were Davis BSC employees saying that when I signed up in Nov 07.