FREE ~ Exercise Equipment
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
United States
September 19, 2010 3:03pm CST
We had a tag sale on Saturday and had quite a few pieces of exercise equipment to offer. All were priced to sell. An exercise bike was marked $10, a manual treadmill for $15, and an abs machine for $15. The only people that even tried the equipment were children.
I remember when I first bought the excercise bike I was excited to get it. I did use it regularly for about a month and then slowly lost interest. My sister had the treadmill and she used it regularly until, like my bike, became a clothing rack.
Now we both certainly can use the equipment in our home to exercise, but for some reason it isn't happening. The equipment did not sell at the tag sale so we decided to put it beside the road. Nobody even slowed down to look at it until today when I placed a "FREE" sign on the equipment.
Many cars have slowed down or stopped to look at the equipment, but the only thing that has been taken is the treadmill which is in my house! I thought that I would give it a whirl. Well so much for that thought. I got dizzy on it. Can't stand the motion beneath my feet. So, it will go out with the rest of the equipment.
Would you take used equipment that was offered for free that sat on the side of the road? How many of you have equipment that is now utilized for a clothes rack?
7 people like this
14 responses
@Wordjunkie (435)
• Canada
19 Sep 10
I would probably drive by and not even look at the exercise equipment as I have some of my own that I am currently using for a clothes rack. I had an exercise bike, got rid of it, a treadmill, sold it at a yard-sale and the one I have left an elliptical trainer, I am more reluctant to get rid of this one as I have rheumatoid arthritis and this one is very good for me when I find the time to use it. I think we have all done the buying an exercise machine that turns into a dust collector. This is probably why most are not interested they have some at home collecting dust. You might want to see if you can post a small add at a local bulletin board, such as at a grocery store, where there are lots of moms with small children, they always seem to be looking for that stuff. You may be able to get someone to come and take it off your hands.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
19 Sep 10
That is a great idea. I also considered posting it on Freecycle.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
19 Sep 10
iF I WANTED IT OF COURSE I WOULD TAKE IT. i'M SURPRISED PEOPLE HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT. tHERE ARE PEOPLE HERE & TOWN THAT DRIVE AROUND EVERY WEEK PICKING UP THINGS LIKE THAT. i NEED TO BE USING things like that but i'm like u can't stand the motion of a treadmill. I have never had any of that & wouldn't have any room for it in my house. It's already crammed full, lol.
@GardenGerty (157865)
• United States
19 Sep 10
The equipment I have is standing in a corner, but is not a clothes rack. I need to get the video out to renew what I know about using it. I have to lay it down to use it, so sometimes stuff gets in the way. Exercise equipment usually sells well at the sales I go to, and the newer the "gadget" the better. I would equip an entire room and probably use it, if I had the room to spare. That may be the drawback for a lot of people.
2 people like this
I have looked on line and in stores and can't find one I like. They are so expensive. I am going to have to do something though. If I get any fatter, I won't fit in my house! 
@BarBaraPrz (45665)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
19 Sep 10
In honor of this discussion, I just took a 30-second spin around my utility room on the stationary bike I got through freecycle.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
20 Sep 10
Yay Barb! I was going to bring the bike back in tonight if it was still there. Unfortunately it was gone along with the treadmill!
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
21 Sep 10
Um sure I am! LOL. But found a partner to start walking with tonight. We start tomorrow after I get out of work. Damn.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45665)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
21 Sep 10
Yeah.
Unfortunately.
I'm sure you're all broke up.
1 person likes this
@LaurenInLA (2270)
• United States
19 Sep 10
You know this is tougher than it sounds. When I read your post, I immediately thought that of course I would. Then I started to really think about all of the exercise equipment that I paid for over the years. At the end of the day, they just ended up taking up space in my house and sooner or later, I gave each piece away. So, I think that after some thought, I decided that I wouldn't take the free equipment.
2 people like this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
20 Sep 10
That is so true about exercise equipment becoming a place to hang clothes from. I personally don't have any but have seen some in other peoples houses that have clothes draped across it. Wow, no one wanted it even with it being free. Good luck on finding a good home for it.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
21 Sep 10
I have an exercise bike that my daughter found on someone's pile out the front of their house. She sent her partner to go get it and it is in excellent condition with only a small amount of rust forming on the handle bars...not noticeable and some knobs missing. I use it and would use it a lot more but the seat is really uncomfortable. I have a feeling she is getting me a gel seat for it. YAY!
@idowrite72 (2213)
• United States
20 Sep 10
I have found many things along the road over the years and most have been needed and/or useful. My dad used to walk the alley on garbage day just to check out what had been put out. I was newly in my own place, and didn't have much money and we were able to find a vacuum that still worked, a kitchen table, head boards for my children's beds and my ex and I even found a baby bed that was cleaned up, repainted and used for all 4 of my children as well as a niece, I think. I am NOT to proud to take a hand out.........it saves money for other things, whether needed or something you want. I DID have a bicyle, years ago, that became a clothing rack! The good thing about it, tho, was that it had a fan in it that was sometimes helpful!
1 person likes this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
20 Sep 10
My Mother had to have an exerciser and it was used for a clothes rack at her house.I go through periods of time when I use equipement and then don't. There are a couple of pieces that I need to sell because I really don't use them. Thanks for the idea, I need to have a rummage sale, soon, too, otherwise, we won't be able to pay our bills. I never think of exercise equipment because mine are all the "fits under __________" stuff. Like under the bed, couch, etc. I go for equipment that doesn't take up much room at this point. So I would probably take free equipment if it didn't take up much room.
1 person likes this
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
21 Sep 10
I can't imagine anything with a free sign on it lasting any time at all, but we are less than 150 miles from Mexico. I did have a Cardio-Glide that wasn't being used sufficiently to justify the space it was taking up. Yes, my husband did use it for a clothes rack, and I had to unload the machine whenever I decided to use it. I gave it to our local charity's thrift store. hey were glad to get it.
1 person likes this
@nijolechu (1842)
• Canada
20 Sep 10
It would be nice to get a free exercise bike. I really like to ride on a bike. I don't usually take stuff lying on the side of the road thinking maybe the person is leaving it there because they are moving away or something. Plus I don't want to get arrested if I accidentally thought they were giving it away. I would only take stuff with a free sign on it.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94921)
• United States
20 Sep 10
I have a treadmill in my home. It is in the kitchen and hogs up a lot of space. I do not really like it but my parents use it occasionally. I generally do not take things for free just because I do not have a truck to haul the equipment. Though, if you put that free in my neighborhood it would be gone in a second. Even old furniture with rips and holes, people take it to refurnish. I am surprised no one bought it for a cheap price let alone hardly take it for free!
1 person likes this
