Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My company recently purchased a membership to the Gold's Gym at RTP. The only time I'll really be able to use it is in the a .m. - 6a or so.... Members (or former members) what are crowds like at that point? I haven't really looked around much - but know I'll want to get on some cardio equipment at least initially, then will go from there. Just trying to decide if it'll be worth my while to get up extra early, or if I'm going to just be waiting around for a treadmill, shower, etc....
I don't know about the RTP facility but I did go to three other Gold's and have nothing negative to say.
They were all consistently good if that helps any.
I have belonged to Gold's for almost a decade, and while I mostly use the Six Forks Celebration branch, I have used them all several times. The RTP one is among the older branches but it's adequate for my needs. I also go in the AM before work, and there is plenty of room on the equipment, unlike most afternoons where the locker rooms can be so crowded sometimes, you can hardly pass through without rubbing up against people (which is awkward when they're naked...).
However, I have not had the greatest experience with equipment maintenance; machines will break and stay that way a long time. It's fine if it's one treadmill out of 10, but sometimes there are only two of a certain kind of equipment and both are broken, for weeks. I realize that it is a royal PITA to stay on constant patrol for broken equipment and always be calling the folks to come fix them, but that's what the gym managers get paid for. I also noticed that several "suggestions" I put in the suggestion box, minor things that could have been accomplished in a matter of an hour, have never been addressed.
As I said, the RTP Gold's is one of the older Gold's in the area (the one I go to on Six Forks probably being the oldest [both are circa 1980s, I'd say]--North Hills and Pleasant Valley are the newest ones, and Cary is in between [probably 1990s]. They do have different amenities, for example I think only RTP and Celebration at Six Forks have racquetball courts, and Cary doesn't have a pool, IIRC. If you have a network membership, might as well find a time to visit each one, as sometimes you will want to use a different club for, e.g. certain classes. They are ALL much less busy in the mornings and crowding shouldn't be an issue unless a group class is just letting out, momentarily, especially if you go as early as 6. Even at 7:30-8:30 when I'm there, the crowds are small and it tends to be the same group of "regulars", a lot of them seniors.
I don't require a lot from a health club and I actually prefer the "old-fashioned" weight machines to the newer ones, so I do like the two older clubs for that reason, but your needs may be different. The condition of a given club will largely depend on the responsiveness of the particular manager, but is generally fine.
Do find out whether you can use other Gold's, though, as the RTP one has a "faded, seen better days" feel to it in some spots.
Thanks for the great info, Francois! I know that I can use other locations, though really none of them are close to home, and the RTP one is close to work, so it would be an A.M., M-F occurrence. Good to know the mornings are pretty open there, in your experience - I'm sooooo not a p.m. exerciser!
my primary golds gym is the cary location, but i also regularly go to north hills and sometimes go to rtp. the cary gym is never really "crowded" per se, but is certainly pretty sparse before 8am. the north hills gym seems to always be packed! i can go at 715am or 630pm, and there is always a large crowd, so locker room gets a bit tight. ive only been to the rtp gym after work, and it gets pretty crowded in the locker room at that hour.
I goto the RTP Gold's gym and while its may be an older location it fits my needs. They are updating/upgrading the facility. I go atfter work so I am not sure about the morning crowd..The staff is really good and knowledgable.
I goto the RTP Gold's gym and while its may be an older location it fits my needs. They are updating/upgrading the facility. I go atfter work so I am not sure about the morning crowd..The staff is really good and knowledgable.
They are not updating the facility. They attend to cosmetic needs (like painting the walls), but the equipment maintenance is very sub-par. (I go there for the equipment, not what the locker rooms look like or the lobby). I do go in the morning and it is not too bad. At times though there are folks using the cardio (or other equipment) from the hotel. So if there is an event, sometimes it is busier in the mornings that other days.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
).
