Blink Fitness

6/2/2016

Yelp is getting this place so wrong. Just changed over from the Equinox after I spent a bit of time out of New York and decided to recalibrate my first-world life. I say that to explain why I might be so delighted to be paying $25 a month as opposed to $230.

I rarely took classes at Equinox and was put off by the incessant salesiness of the place, from the trainers to the spa. HERE THERE IS NOTHING TO SELL.

I bought a lock for $6. T-Shirts are $10. Water is $2. Towels are $4 or $7. It's the Marriot Marquis of Gyms. And sadly, the equipment is the same -- minus a few things that I don't miss, like weight bars, and Indian Clubs.

The front desk people are ridiculously friendly and helpful. You hear that Blink? I hope you are taking care of these people because they are your everything.

I come, I cardio, I lift a bit. I save $200 a month and can't wait to consciously spend that on something great.

7/19/2016

I was looking to switch over to Blink from NYSC... and boy was I wrong. This whole time I was thinking NYSC must be the worse chain gym but this location put a bad taste in my mouth for the whole Blink brand.
I was initially drawn to the clean & no frills branding of Blink (good job Equinox on Blink's branding!) but visiting the actual place is another story. Thank god they have a free trial visit, which I used to test it out first before I dove into getting a membership.
I work a 9-6 job, so like most people, I have to workout during peak hours... and this place is PACKED. The single floor layout of the gym doesn't help much either. I mainly use the free weights so if you're looking to lift weights, don't come here. There are SO MANY people waiting around the free weights section that you literally don't know if a bench is taken or not. People are just standing around next to benches, behind benches... then you think a bench is empty but there actually is someone using it. There is no open area for you to take the free weights elsewhere if you choose, so everyone is just standing around in that general vicinity. That's something I didn't realize I appreciated at NYSC until I came here. NYSC is much better at providing more open-use areas. That being said, they have a plethora of machines to use that take up most of space of the gym. The lockers/bathroom are so-so... it's pretty small and there is only one wall of lockers. They have "stash and go" convenience lockers outside of the bathrooms for you to use, so they are definitely trying to make up for that. I can see how Blink might be great if you're a casual gym-goer or if you just happen to live around the corner.

Bottom line: If you need to workout during peak hours, mainly use free weights, and take your workouts seriously - this place is not for you. I'd happily spend a bit more to go to NYSC for more workout space, towel service, and bathroom toiletries (which Blink has none of that).

5/19/2016

Great value for the money! Friendly staff, clean machines. I wish they had spin bikes, though.

I've also started working out with Tamel Straker and he's amazing! He only needs me to book half-hour personal training sessions, as he does high intensity workouts. Definitely worth the $28 per session.

7/7/2016

• 2 check-ins

No squat rack. No bench press. No barbells. Don't come here to lift weights. Giving 2 stars because they at least have stair masters and a billion cardio machines.

8/11/2016

Signing up for Blink is super easy online. Cancelling the membership is not. It can't be done online, or over the phone. It has to be a certified mail to the HQ, or at the gym. And they will charge you for 45 days after you send in the letter.

I made the mistake of signing up for the grey program thinking it was a one month trial. I didn't read the fine print like most. My back pain worsened and couldn't even visit the gym once. After few months I realized they have been charging me for the monthly membership fee and some kind of one-time annual fee.

Besides the bank record, they never sent me any kind of receipt, either through email or post. I had never been to the gym and didn't want to anymore. So I tried to cancel online, but no option there. Couldn't do it over the phone either. So I just canceled future payments through the bank hoping they would cancel the membership.

Now there is another bill of $78 I had to pay plus I will have to pay for another 45 days after I cancel the membership. I understand there is nothing illegal about not sending a receipt or anything. But this is like one of those expensive mistakes I hope I learn from because I basically ended up paying hundreds of dollars without visiting the gym even once.

11/11/2015

• 21 check-ins

I recently renewed my membership at Blink, and I'm glad I did.

A few years back, I was at the Blink Chelsea and loved it. I decided to join this gym location since it's pretty central and close to my work. Plus, I thought If I signed up for membership, it would encourage me to work out and prevent me from getting out of shape (so far, so good).

Compared to the other gyms I toured, this one was clean, had new equipment, and for a fair monthly cost. This gym gets pretty packed during peak hours ( professionals trying to get in their basic 20 mile jog after work...typical NYC), so just something to keep in mind. I really don't like the fact that they do not have wifi at this facility. I know it's not a huge deal, but while working out, my reception was weak and had a hard time listening to music while working out.

There's really nothing more I would complain about. The fitness center has a fair membership price (the deal I got was $25 monthly for premium status. I'd say that's pretty good), clean, and has all of your basic workout needs.

8/11/2016

Don't get involved with Blink unless you want to jump through hoops to cancel.

They will ruin your credit for 30 dollars those stupid mother futhers.

5/10/2016

If I was reviewing purely on the business and business practices I would give Blink zero stars, however their space, equipment, and value for the cost is actually pretty great. That said, Blink has some of the shadiest business practices around. I cancelled my membership in person only to find out over a year later that they'd still been charging my credit card. I canceled my card, assuming that would stop the charges, but I'm now being pursued by a collection agency asking for back payments since I canceled my card. I tried contacting Blink but they're claiming I never canceled my membership and still owe them for back payments (I haven't visited their gym in years).

If you cancel your membership, be sure to get everything in writing and keep an eye on your credit card. In talking to others, this wasn't an isolated case.

6/9/2016

• 1 check-in

Friendly staff but this place has no squat racks. No bench press either. Wtf did I come all the way here for. NO bars either like.... What. You guys have like 40 treadmills and no rack. You can definitely afford it.

12/8/2015 Updated review

The robotic, mandatory greetings by the front desk are inauthentic, cold, and unnecessary.
If you're not genuinely happy to see members, why say anything at all?

• 

  Gym time! Everyone get out your smartphone!

  Gym time! Everyone get out your smartphone!

4/13/2016

Blink is such a friendly and great gym environment. I am always greeted at the door, and I have never felt pressed to finish up with a piece of equipment. The place is clean and does not have a weird odor (like some other review mentioned). I highly recommend this gym for someone on a budget looking for access to gym equipment.

Note: they do not offer classes, but for the monthly price that is a-okay with me!

3/31/2016

I forgot cancel my membership after I left New York.  Blink make it impossible to cancel on the phone or online.

7/29/2016

This location is really small.  They really crammed the machines into this space.  Another location I would visit only if it was a time that there weren't lots of people expected.  The staff is friendly and the people that I have encountered while visiting this gym do clean up after themselves.  I did give an extra star for the shower head..... IDK if it was the shower head or the water pressure but, it was great....:)

3/22/2016

I've been a member of this gym for nearly a year now. It was a great gym, no hassles, great price, clean & great assortment of machines (no classes)
I would have given it a 5 star rating 4 months ago.
They're downfall is catering to the masses when it comes to technology. They make it nearly impossible to make payments or cancel a membership.

For example, I signed up with autopay for my monthly payments. However 4 months in my card was compromised. I called the gym & they said you pay online. I had the front desk walk me though doing this, but neither of us could find a "pay your bill" section of the site.

They later let me know they removed this feature from the site. But also said they cannot take payment over the phone.
So my only option of updating my card information & paying my bill was to go in & do it.

For me, I travel a lot for work so this can be sometimes tricky. Basically by the time I got in to blink I needed to make three months payment.

Today, I called to cancel my membership, as it's up on April 4th & I just don't use it as much as I'd like to.
Of course, they can't cancel it over the phone or unsubscribe on their site. I have to go in the location I signed up at. Big shocker.

Come on Blink! Technologically advance yourself. In a world where people are making life work via cell phone, you need to adapt yourself.
It's 2016.

6/11/2016

This place is fine for what it offers. What I don't like is the hidden cancellation fee. They charge you to get out of your monthly membership and it feels like a scam. They don't offer a lot at this place so I don't feel like they should be trying to gouge people with random fees. Not worth it.

11/2/2015

• Listed in Blink Fitness locations

I've been a member of Blink since I moved to the City 2 years ago and have thus reviewed many of its clubs (Chelsea, Penn, Midtown). Therefore, in this review I will detail what makes this specific club different from other Blink locations and why I like Blink in general so much.

TL;DR: Blink deserves 5 stars for a clean, reliable, and cheap gym, but this location is at 3.5 stars.

Joining Blink is like pledging a fraternity, except less painful. As a member, you can work out in other locations, just as fraternity membership lets you visit other chapters (and drink their beer free of charge, but that's another story).

For the longest time, Blink had an unusual pricing structure meaning that my membership allowed me to work out in all NYC locations except for NoHo. They recently changed that and I decided to check out this illusive club.

I'm really not sure why Blink billed it as their flagship gym. Yes, the location is prime and I do appreciate the natural sunlight/ cell reception (my usual workout locations in Chelsea and Midtown lack that).

However, Blink NoHo mysteriously lacks barbells--a staple at most gyms, including its other locations--and the locker room is quite smaller than its contemporaries as well.

Now for an actual copy/paste of my other Blink reviews.

Of all the cities and gyms I've worked out in, Blink is by far my favorite for three reasons: cost, product offering, and cleanliness.

Blink's staff is friendly and the environment is very clean. Seriously, take a gander; chances are you'll see at least one staff member cleaning as you work out.

They're so straightforward about signing up it's refreshing. Essentially, you get a one-day free trial to check out the gym, no questions asked. If you want to sign up, they have kiosks at the entrance that guide you through the process and explain the 3 different membership types side-by-side. You know just what you're paying--in my case, just $25 a month, a real value. There's no high pressure environment. Sometimes gyms can intimidate you with used cars salesmen tactics (it's happened to me at Crunch). Not here though.

My jaw always drops when my friends mention how much they pay for gym memberships in the City. $60? $80?! $100?!?!?!

$25 a month lets me lift as much as I want, in various locations, and I can bring in a friend. I've paid twice as much for memberships at other gyms that are not as generous with their offerings, or as nice to their customers.

You do have to determine what it is you're looking for in a gym membership. Don't pick Blink if you want classes, because they don't offer them. This place might not fit your needs if you need plenty of bench press equipment too. If you're a snob who needs Egyptian lavender infused towels to lift, go elsewhere. But for an average, cost-effective fitness enthusiast looking for cardio and standard weight lifting, you can't do better than Blink.

10/13/2015

• 1 check-in

For the price it's really good. The gym itself is kinda small however really enough if you don't ask for much. $25 in NYC can only go that far. My $25 only last a dinner or not even most of time.

This is not my regular gym and I am only here for 1 time. The people here are young. If you are in your 40s, I would advice going elsewhere if you don't feel comfortable. The warm up area is small as well as the rest of the gym. If you only pay that much for gym, you should expect to let some downside go. I did.

1/12/2016

Sub-par budget gym. No barbells, which seems like a gym staple. Very crowded 75% of the time. The men's locker room is hilariously small and unless you like touching bare-assed with other dudes (and props to you if you do!), you are out of luck if there are more than 4 people in the locker room changing.

Also, the water pressure in the water fountains is so weak that you almost have to touch your lips to the spout. Don't worry. I didn't.

All of which is somewhat excusable due to the price. You won't find much cheaper in the city at $25/month.

The inexcusable part, however, is when you inevitably attempt to cancel your membership. The gym's policy is to make it impossible to cancel over the phone or online. You have to trek to a location and do it in person. In an age where you can order booze from the comfort of your couch, this is unacceptable.

Additionally, when I went to cancel my membership, I received a document that led me to believe that I would be receiving a prorated refund of the portion of the month I would not be using. You know, like a reasonable human would assume. Boy was I wrong. Apparently, you are required to give Blink 45 DAYS NOTICE before cancelling. I barely even know what I'm eating for dinner, much less what my gym desires may be next month.

So, to sum up, not only did I have to go out of my way and trek to a crowded, low-water-pressure-having gym, I was charged an ADDITIONAL $27 for the inconvenience. All for 45 days of gym time I wouldn't be using.

I'm sure that somewhere in the fine print of the membership details, all of the aforementioned policies are laid out in overly complex language, and good for them for covering their asses legally. The question that remains is WHY these rules exist to begin with. They are a transparent attempt to bleed the customer of more money. For shame, Blink. FOR SHAME!

I suppose you get what you pay for. You keep being you, Blink. I'll keep being me. Away from you.

5/18/2016

I was pretty upset about their cancellation policy. They make you pay tons of money only to cancel your membership so I would read the fine print carefully

10/23/2015

This is a clean, yet busy gym. If you are into using a treadmill or elliptical, you'll have no complaints here. There are always different channels playing on flat screens in front of you, and you can go to the back if you want your own, smaller screen.

If you're into lifting, you will run into problems here when coming during gym rush hours. You'll have to be assertive to get your weights and bench.  

Ultimately, for the price you're paying, the gym looks good; and I feel good going in and out.