[CORRECTION: Talk about a half-hour long brain fart. Folks, I must have used the term "serviceable" incorrectly dozens of times throughout this video. I only realized my mistake a couple hours after I had published it. I do these videos in one take with no edits, so it is what it is. What I meant to say is that Nuobell's handle isn't designed to be repairable and restored to serviceable condition. Any time you hear me say serviceable in the video, think repairable. Also, at 25:00 I meant to say "as you try to extend the rod", not retract it. Last but not least, I only briefly alluded to believing I now know how to take the handles apart without destroying them. If ever I acquire another Nuobell handle, I will give this a try. Here's how I believe it can be done: 1. Remove all of the plates from the base. 2. Set your handle in the base as you normally would, and twist the grip to set the maximum weight of 80 lbs. The telescoping rods should be fully extended now. 3. Unscrew the two remaining end plates to remove them from the handle. 4. Find the cam grooves that run lengthwise along the extended rods. Those are the grooves that have a spring steel catch/clip that I pointed out in the video. 5. Find a thin, flat object such as a thin-shaft flathead screwdriver at least a few inches long that you can slide down that groove into the handle from the end. Too thick and the tool/object may get jammed in the handle. 6. Slide it down the groove into the handle until it stops. It should have come into contact with the end of the spring clip. Now comes the potentially tricky part. Your goal is to depress that spring steel clip against the telescoping rod while simultaneously pulling the telescoping rod outward. If you are able to disengage the clip then the rod *should* slide out completely. 7. Repeat on the other side. Be careful to lay the handle on a flat surface or hold it horizontally while you do this so the entire handle assembly doesn't accidentally fall apart. 8. Once the second telescoping rod is removed, slide the remaining dark-colored steel shaft/rod out from the handle. Its notches should disengage from the two end plates to allow you to do that. 8. At this point both assemblies, one on each end *should* be able to be removed from the center grip by sliding them off. Perform this at your own risk. Even if I'm right about how the handles can be disassembled non-destructively, no replacement parts are currently available, and reassembly may prove difficult. If you own a broken Nuobell handle that is no longer of any use to you, I would love an opportunity to try to disassemble it now that I understand how it all goes together. Let me know.]
Wow I'm amazed they could create such a good looking Dumbell and then just use those cheap plastic parts. But this is great to know! You're doing the lord's work man
Thanks Matt. The sad part is that the exterior plastic shell of the handle is tough. I'm talkin' crazy, whack it several times with a hammer and not crack it tough. But the plastic type, size and shape they chose for those internal cam followers is just a poor match for those metal telescoping shafts. A product that is only as good as its weakest link. Hopefully they find a way to resolve that, or at least make future handles repairable and sell the followers.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC yeah, consumable parts aren't the end of the world, so long as they are easily serviced, reasonably priced, and available. Unfortunately that's not the case here.
@@plmn93 Absolutely agree. As a lifelong gearhead, maintenance is always a priority consideration. I view fitness equipment the same way that I view automobiles. Make the parts accessible (preferably without the need for specialty tools) and available and I'm good. There's something off-putting about manufacturers with a throw-away mentality. Let customers decide if they want to replace equipment or repair it themselves.
You better believe, I’m on my fourth replacement dumbbell $200 a pop! I have a semi private fitness for middle age women and trust me, they can’t be dropped from any highly, even a couple of inches off the floor It’s extremely cheaply made
Some of you may recall that several days back I ordered a Snode AD28 to dissect. It was *supposed to* arrive yesterday. Instead, a stand-up desk showed up at my door. I kid you not, a desk not a dumbbell. I asked the folks at Snode what happened. Apparently, they outsource fulfillment to another company and that company sent the wrong item. Snode contacted that fulfillment center to resolve the problem. I've been told that a dumbbell will be on its way to me by Monday and arrive in about a week. And I ended up with a free stand-up desk since they'd likely lose money just to have me send it back. I'm a bit disappointed in the mix-up, but I'm happy with how Nancy at Snode handled it within hours of learning of the mistake. That's a good sign and something to keep in mind. Fortunately this wasn't urgent. It'll likely be a week or two before I have time to shoot that video anyway.
Looking forward to seeing that disassembly. Seeing as how Snode shows off their "all metal" gearing but not their cam followers, I have a pretty good hunch as to what you'll find. Hope I'm wrong.
@@JohnDoe-ql9pf Hey John, yes the Snodes arrived more than a week ago. I'm just swamped with shipping out long-awaited pre-ordered products to several hundred customers. I began a week ago and I still have days to go yet before I finish. After I get their orders out the door and take a breather, I'll make the Snode tear down video.I hope you will stay tuned. Figure late Nov or early Dec.
Thanks for this video. I suspected as much from the reports I've seen of broken handles and this confirms that they really aren't made to last much past the warranty. Powerblock and Ironmaster still stand alone after all these years, IMO.
This is why I love the Powerblocks, they are nearly unbreakable. And if they ever break I can weld them together. Good video by the way, your videos are always very interessting. Thank you.
Thank you for watching Karim, and for your kind words. I appreciate it. And I agree. Powerblocks are quite possibly the least complex of all adjustable dumbbells on the market today. And that's a positive for sure. There's a beauty in the simplicity, especially the pairs with welded joints. A couple versions had issues with peeling finishes and bolted joints that snap off, but overall I suspect the brand still ranks at or near the top in long-term durability. Of course, I still wouldn't recommend dropping them...nearly all adjustable dumbbells on the market today aren't meant to withstand repeated drops (and their warranties reflect that). I think the top 2 turnoffs with Powerblock dumbbells are their shape--it's one of those love it or hate it designs--and the "hand cage" vibe.
My Powerblocks are over 10 years old. I expect they will last the rest of my life. Other designs come and go but they never hold up. Except for Ironmasters, but I don't really consider those to be quick changing.
This channel needs more subs. Best videos on adjustable dumbbells. I thought I would get Nuobells, but after two tear down videos on this channel I am getting Snodes.
Thank you for your kind words, Voltec. I'm glad you found the tear downs helpful. A Snode AD80 just arrived here this week. I plan to do a tear down shortly and comparison to the AD28 as well as Core and Nuobell. I've got a Core tear down coming too. I hope you'll pop back in for a look-see!
Can't wait. I was going to buy noubells due to the heavier option than the bowflex 55lbs. Which I got a kit from you and works fantastic! So I will keep search for heavier adjustable ones that last more than a year lol
Thanks Thong! One of these days I may receive a To Whom It May Concern letter from Nuobell. I sincerely hope before they choose to send such a letter that they will instead address the issue I raised so I can make a future video about how they fixed the issue.
I'm glad you found it helpful. The thing that kills me with their design is that we could toss the empty handles around on a lightly padded floor and we're unlikely to break them. That outer plastic casing is pretty tough. It's the internals--specifically those cam followers---that appear to be unable to deal with the stresses of ordinary use when loaded. It's like designing a modern Porsche with 1960s drum brakes.
Thanks for the info! This reinforces my decision to get the ironmaster adjustable dumbbells. Not as fast to adjust but so much more durable for the long run.
Hiya, Dan. You can't really go wrong with the IMs. I don't own them but it seems like a solid design. I've heard that the screw can loosen over time (meaning not lock as securely) but I suspect that is from repeatedly dropping the dumbbells. Over time the force will tweak those screws. Adjustable dumbbells--even IMs--simply aren't meant to be dropped repeatedly even if some manufacturers claim it is ok. Cheers.
Great Video - not a single person recommending these products discusses this defect. I have just bought a Snode AD80 you reviewed a few months after this video as the internals are easily replaceable/fixable. And Snode are actually listening to your feedback on these reviews. Excellent work.
Heya, Kevin. Most fitness gear reviews--the vast majority of them--focus on usability/features and only anecdotally reference durability. What they miss is that the same audience genuinely cares about potential issues with an investment, especially for any gear with a number of small parts that may or may not be replaceable. . I hope the people behind Nuobell watch my review, read the comments below the video, and make it their mission to eliminate the weakness, and simplify the design to make it repairable by customers. That will go a long way toward winning over new customers. And, since they're licensing the design to a number of other brands that white label it, those improvements might eventually make their way into a number of other alternatives on the market (Octabell, for example). . By comparison, Snode entered the market much later in the West, and they're hungry for market share. They've started with an arguably "better" baseline product than Nuobell, and already demonstrate the willingness to improve that you alluded to. It'llbe interesting to see how the next couple of years play out.
Thanks for the video. I've been considering these but had some concerns in regards to the construction of the handle. I'm no longer considering them, thanks to this video.
Hiya SirC. My pleasure. I'm glad you found it helpful. I hope that the folks behind Nuobell read comments like yours and take this seriously. It's a decent dumbbell aside from the cam followers. If they solve that, then they'll definitely have a solid offering.
Almost bought them on black friday but thinking as my strength and weight increase the flat bench will force me to drop them at some point to get up and off the flat. Seeing this I made the right decision not to buy them so thanks AJI.
Glad this video was able to help, Moe. I know SMRTFT isn't going to look too kindly at a review like this, but it is what it is. Even though they don't warranty for drops and they warn against dropping the dumbbells, they still need to address the shortcoming because it can also affect people who have never dropped them. Other than perhaps a more traditional bar/collar/pin design like IronMaster/Pepin, or potentially the Snodes that I plan to test, I can't think of any adjustables that you'll be able to drop repeatedly without damaging them. Even with Ironmaster/Pepin I have concerns about the long term durability if their pins or hollow grips begin to tweak from drops. Will they become jammed eventually? Or no longer lock securely? Time will tell.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC I just got a pair of Snodes (80Ib ones), so I am really looking forward to your video on their handle internal mechanisms. This video was helpful in making my decision on the Snodes over Nuobells. The downside for the 80Ib Snodes is the big jump in 10Ib increments, but the PlateMates that are sold on Amazon fix that problem with the exception of the Snodes not being able to start out on 5Ibs (10Ibs would be the lowest weight you can use for the Snodes). With that said, the PlateMates fit really well on each plate on the Snodes except for their fit on the last plates. I am not a guy who really needs to use the whole 80Ibs, so I don't need the PlateMates to fit the last plates. For those guys who lift heavy, an alternative to the Iron Masters and Powerblocks looks to be the new Pepin Fast Series (built in Canada). I saw them on Instagram and there might be a big market for them. They are very expensive though. I hope you take a look at those eventually if you can borrow a pair and look at their mechanics. You got my curiosity with how all of these dumbbells work. Link to Pepins: instagram.com/reel/Cg2Zbd1gZhH/?igshid=ZmVmZTY5ZGE=
I just ordered the MX85 Select Dumbbells yesterday due to their gearbox being actual metal parts and MX Select selling service kits for their handles in case there is any problems. They were on sale and in stock for $599 with free shipping. Nuobell has a current offer where you get a free stand if you order the matte black set but they wanted to charge me shipping, taxes AND they weren't expected to ship for 4-6 WEEKS! There was $280 difference between the Nuobell and the MX85 dumbbells. Yeah you got a "free" stand with the Nuobell but I would also have had to pay $280 extra to get it. After seeing this I am so glad I didn't spend hundreds more on the Nuobells.
Hiya, CraneD. Wise choice. Even if MX had chosen to use less durable parts, just designing the handle to be customer-repairable and making the parts available would still be a huge step up from Nuobell. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on one at some point just to do a tear down. I've heard that their parts can be replaced in mere minutes. Cheers.
Thank you! I have looked at these very closely along with all of the other adjustable dumbbells, and this is going to be a “No”. A set of these will set you back almost $900 without the stand. Way too much money for something you can’t fix, or will break at all for that matter.
One of the biggest limitations of today's fitness equipment "reviews" is that they focus entirely on aesthetics and use. There's really no deeper dive into how the product is designed, if it is repairable, if parts are available and what, if anything, may end of breaking on it down the road. I decided to (slowly) introduce a series of videos in which I look at what's going on inside these contraptions to better understand how they're built and how they compare. There are people out there who appear to be using Nuobells regularly without any issues. I firmly believe it's simply a matter of time until the cam followers on their Nuobells begin to fail. One or two may have already failed and they don't notice it because of the internal redundancy. As more fail, the two sides of the handle will either get out of sync or begin locking in position. At that point there is only one option: a brand new handle, hopefully under warranty. If Nuobell wants to continue to use its current design, it needs to address those cam followers. Or in a few years they're going to have a boatload of pissed off customers venting online.
I bought mine with the extended warranty, and I'm hoping that they'll have updated the handle for durability by the time mine fail, and I hope that mine both fail within the warranty period. I love how they operate, and they're perfect for my needs. Being able to sit on my bench, set the Nuobells into their cradles, switch the weight, and go for the next set has been a game changer. However, it's insane that there's so much plastic. They've got time to make it right, but I'm hoping someone will introduce a viable replacement that combines the convenience of the Nuobell with superior durability. The current construction quality leaves me with a feeling of impending doom, and that's not right for premium equipment.
Thanks Anand. One of these days, if I ever get my hands on another Nuobell handle, I'll attempt disassembly without destroying it now that I understand how they are designed.
Thank you for this video. I almost bought these dumbbells. I absolutely despise plastic drive components. And I hate when things aren’t repairable. Now I’m considering the mx select dumbbells because they are metal drive components and fully repairable at home with an inexpensive kit you can get from the manufacturer (according to their website.) They have their own cons but at least they should last. It’s nice to hear that the knurling is weak because one cons of the MX is that it’s a rubber coated handle. But if the nuobell is a weak knurl that’s no better.
I hope this isn't a duplicate reply to you, Carl. If it is, I apologize for the redundancy. I got an error when submitting the reply earlier and had to refresh. Some of the plastics on the Nuobell are incredibly tough. I definitely can't complain about the housings on each end. They took quite a beating during my early attempts to open them. And they may have had some practical reason for why they chose to make the cam followers out of plastic. I just don't know what that reason might be. Whatever plastic they chose, it's not up to the task. If I ever make a replacement cam follower, my first attempt will be steel for sure. To me, that's a no brainer. I definitely want to check out the MX. The fact that they sell repair kits and claim something like 15 minute repairs definitely caught my attention. We don't want our equipment to break, but when it does, the ability to repair the investment is a big deal. If you do end up getting the MX, I hope you'll come on back and share your thoughts about it. I'll do a tear down and test their repair claims if I ever get my hands on a pair.
I thought i had my mind set on Nuobells given the cost savings vs fixed DBs. But the more times i look at these tear-down videos the more i am leaning back towards fixed weights.
If you have the space and budget, fixed is definitely nice. And there are some really great looking racks out there. Though I know someone who recently sold off their entire rack set and went adjustable just to reclaim some of the limited space in his garage. It depends on where you're at, and where you'd like to be. There are a number of great adjustable dumbbells out there beyond Nuobell. I tore down Snode which was interesting and has potential (video on my channel). Someone recently pointed me to MX which I have yet to check out but also seems to have potential. And then there are all of the usual names such as Powerblock, Ironmasters, Pepin, Badass, etc. In my opinion, Nuobell needs to address the cam follower issue and repair-ability if it wants to be a serious contender for your hard earned money and mine.
Great video, Joe. I have a pair of these, and your input helps me understand what's going on with them. Its obvious (and unfortunate) that Nuobell had no intention of these being repaired or serviced - just replaced. While I think that they are outstanding adjustable dumbbells, it is inevitable that they will break down (at least the plastic follower cams) with time and wear. What that says to me is that Nuobell is selling warranties and handles, vs much cheaper and stronger steel cam followers. It seems they intentionally designed them with fragile plastic cam followers for eventual failure, and to not be repairable by the layman, even though steel cam followers would definitely add years of use before requiring repair/replacement.
Hiya, Bik. Did some of your cam followers shear off? I do hope the powers that be read comments like yours and choose to rethink their handle design sooner rather than later. At about $190 per replacement handle, for a handle that contains the very same design deficiency, they're doing their brand and their customers a disservice. I have a Trulap dumbbell tear down video that I had originally hoped to publish several weeks ago, but I've not done so yet due to my crazy schedule. Once I finally publish that, take a look when you have time. You'll see the difference between a ridiculously easy to repair dumbbell, and Nuobell. Wishing you and your family Happy holidays, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and all that good stuff!
Great video! Thank you so much for talking me through this. I just had to pull a handle off a Nuobell that had some bent rods and broken plastic. It had seen some sad days and was found in a garage sale. I had to take a hammer and punch to the extending rod to get it back into the main body of the handle and to get the weight plates off. Not a fun replacement!
Oh boy, that's definitely no fun, Derek. I hope you were able to get the replacement handle(s) for a reasonable price. Last I looked they ran about $190 each. I also hope the previous owner was upfront with you about the damage because there is almost no way that s/he didn't know the handle(s) had issues prior to selling the pair.
I had a similar problem. The numbers were out of sync and both the 5# weight cams wouldn't engage on one side of the handle. The cone and weight window plastics showed separation. The rod would extend. They sent a replacement handle. I was looking at the damaged handle to disassemble it and I gave up. It looks like the little clip is the key. How to depress that and remove the rod is another story. Thanks for tearing it down.
Hi J, do you still have that broken handle? In the pinned comment for this video I wrote instructions that I have not yet tested. You could take a crack at it. Or, if you aren't planning to do anything with that broken handle, I'd love to give it a go now that I've seen the internals. 😁
I bought 2 pairs of 80lbs for my training studio. I've had them for 2 years, and looks like the that little plastic part finally gave away leading to a plate falling off when set to 25lbs. Your video explains the mechanics behind the problem. Now I have a handle replacement or competitor dumbbell in near future hmmm
Hiya iWay. I hope nobody was injured when that happened. I wouldn't waste time on designing a replacement. I'm even unlikely to make replacement cams for it. I haven't found a method (yet) to disassemble the handle such that the average consumer could reliably use that method to replace parts without ruining the handle. Definitely invest in a design of your own to blow it out of the water. That's what I've been doing (albeit slowly). But we need to be realistic. It's a very crowded market now with seemingly dozens of approaches to weight adjustment. If and when I come out with something original, I have no idea how well it'll actually do in the market. Good luck man! Cheers
I had a little bit of buyer's remorse after getting the Bowflex 1090s, especially when I saw how much more compact and uniform the shape of the Nuobells were compared to my Bowflex. I've since replaced the handles on my Bowflexes with yours, and am glad I went with Bowflex now seeing how these Nuobells are designed. At least my dumbbells should last me quite a long time, especially with your disc replacements!
Awesome, I hope you get many years of use out of your 1090s. I wouldn't say I hate Nuobells. I just think at this point that the company needs to fix a couple issues. Once they do, it'll be a solid contender. I should mention that I just received another broken Nuobell handle from a subscriber who donated it to me to attempt a non-destructive tear down. I'm going to give that a go and let everyone know how it goes. If they can be disassembled non-destructively, there's at least a chance that they could be upgraded/repaired. I hope you'll stay tuned!
@@Alexithymiander A while back one of my subscribers contacted me with an offer to send his broken Nuobell handles to me to attempt another tear-down now that I understand how they're build internally, but he never followed through. I did hear from another subscriber not more than a month ago with a similar offer. He says he's just waiting on his replacement handle to make sure Nuobell doesn't want the old handle back. Then he'd send it over to me so I can give this a go. Fingers crossed. I've been dying to take another crack at it.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC you could pin a post on every video you have asking for specific parts... That might greatly increase the amount of offers you're getting. I'll send a handle your way if/when mine break.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLCquestion for you, did they ever do anything to address or admit this is an issue ? I just got a pair and now concerned. Is there a way for me to make them last as long as possible?
Thanks alot for making this phenomenal in-depth video. I was heavily looking into Nuobells, but have heard about the durability issues from multiple parties, and this video confirms it all. I just saw a comment of you replying to someone stating that you will be reviewing Snode next. That made me excited because Snode was one of the finalist on my list to picking dumbbells. Ironmasters are off my list sadly because they've been out of stock for ages. My final two choices are PowerBlock Pros and Snodes. I came across two deals for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. PowerBlock Pros with stage two going to 70lbs (will update to stage 3 later because I don't want to spend too much now), all costs with shipping and tax along with 15% off storewide will cost me $839. And with Snode 80 lbs. it's 20% off with free shipping final cost $856. The regular cost for Snodes are a bit over 1k. Before these deals are over, which of these two would you recommend? Thanks again in advance.
Hi Josh, I'm glad you found the video helpful. Here's my take as someone who owns several pairs/types of Powerblocks and now the baby Snode (AD28). If you don't mind the boxy form factor of Powerblocks, they're still the king of the hill when it comes to expansion options. I spoke with the folks behind Snode and it seemed like they genuinely took my expansion suggestions to heart. We'll see if they try any of it down the road for future models. So if you envision pushing past 80lbs, Powerblock is the way to go. Powerblock is also the simplest design with the fewest components. It's not uncommon to see 20+ yo PBs still in use. I prefer the PBs with welded plate connectors, not bolted. And the versions such as Pro EXP without the upper cross bars found on the USA Elite and Elite EXP. And if you're not opposed to used dumbbells, you can often pick PBs up for great prices from locals on Craigslist. I've even seen expansion kits on CL from time to time. I expect to make the Snode tear down video in early December. I did take a peek under the covers already but I'll cover all of that in the video. It's a nice design with some serious potential. But the lack of expandability alone seems like it might not fit your plans. Cheers, Joe
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Thanks a lot for the response! I agree with everything you said. The Snodes are absolutely gorgeous, but what is also attracting me to the PowerBlocks is the 90 lb capacity along with the attachment potential. For instance, the barbell attachment for the Pros gives you a weight potential of about 200 lbs. Perhaps I'm giving too much credit to the PowerBlock attachments? I'm sure the 80 lbs on the Snodes would be great enough for me, but the PowerBlock attachment variety is very tempting. There is also a private seller online who makes knurled metal handles for PowerBlocks if needed. This is going to be one of the toughest decisions I've had to make because these two options are so great. But man those Snodes are beautiful. Also I just figured out a hack for the Snodes! You can just buy 2.5 lb. Magnetic Donut shaped weight plates, stick them to each side of the dumbbells and you have your 5 lb increments! So your Snodes can actually go up to 85 lbs! Man this really is a tough decision lol. Both Snode and PowerBlock have extended their sale, so I only have a few more days to make a decision.
Started looking to get Ironmasters about a week ago and they are sold out like you said. How long have they been sold out and have they ever said anything about renewing stock?
@@sonofashepherd6668 Sorry, man, I wish I knew. None of these companies are very transparent about their inventories. I've heard from more than a few people who were given timelines that had long since passed. I'm not entirely sure what is going on. Could be supply chain issues. Quite a few people online (including sources such as Sports Illustrated) incorrectly state that Ironmasters are made in the U.S. They aren't. Like some of my own products, they were designed here and made overseas. If they're made in China, the last few months have been brutal. Between pre-December lock-downs, forced energy conservation measures, and now Covid running rampant over there since the beginning of December, it's a challenge to get anything accomplished. And if they failed to get any inventory on a ship by yesterday, they're completely hosed until mid-February because China's Spring Festival and New Year factory shutdowns are underway. Shipping out mid-Feb means late March or early April arrival up in Washington State where they are based.
Hiya, M. I'm glad you found the video helpful. I hope you were able to find dumbbells better suited to your needs. Wishing you and your family a healthy, happy new year! Cheers, Joe
Very informative video 👍🏻 One of my Nuos actually broke in a different way in which the outermost weight disc at the 30kg setting falls off. Any clue if this is a fixable issue? Strangely it only happens at 30 kg, which is the second last setting.
My pleasure, Babu. I hope to do teardowns and comparisons of other popular adjustables in the future. I'd love to do some drop tests, but I don't have the $ for that yet. I hope you will stay tuned!
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC That would be cool. I know you said the core homefitness probably has the same mechanism but would you be open to do a tear down with that.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Crowd fund it? You have a fair amount of subscribers, and you don't seem to be sponsored. I'd trust you to do honest drop tests and would contribute to that.
Finally the video that explains the internals! The attachment of the main plate with 4 screws going into plastic doesn't make the design any better. I have recently returned a pair. I wish you made this video earlier :) Thanks a lot! Wonder if you may have seen adjustable dumbbells from brand Snode? If so, are they any better? Thanks!
Hi Andrew, as far as I can tell, the two end plates attached with screws on the Nuobell handle serve at least 3 purposes and, as you noticed, none of those increase the durability of the dumbbell: √ to increase the weight of the "empty" handle up to the intended starting weight √ to cover the telescoping rod ends that protrude from the handle. √ to ease alignment of the empty handle with the plates/base. In contrast, Core brand's design uses telescoping rods that sit flush with the empty handle, and the handle weighs 5 lbs so there's no need for the Nuobell style fixed end plates. I just bought a Snode AD28 five minutes ago for the heck of it to test it out. Supposedly, it'll be here in about a week. When it gets here I will break it down and make a video with my opinion of the design and build quality. The AD28 is their smallest Snode but representative of the design and its anti-drop claims. Here are a couple of initial impressions: * pretty quick replies to my questions on their website chat. Friendly and helpful. * weird that the dumbbells are the only product of 13 on their website that does not have a downloadable user manual, but the rep said she could get one for me. So we'll see if she does or if it comes in the box anyway. * free shipping. If that applies to their AD50 and 80s as well, that's excellent * design appears as if it may be durable...we shall see. I do plan to drop it purposely to test it. But the force generated in the drop test will not be the same as the force generated by the 50 or 80lb versions. So even if the 28 survives, we cannot automatically assume the 50 and 80 would too. * I have been told that the handles and plates are not interchangeable between the models. So you can't just buy an expansion kit to go from the 50 to the 80 or the 28 to the 50, etc. Strange design decision but it is what it is. I wish they'd have standardized across all 3 models. * AD50s are out of stock and they told me it could be 2-3+ months before they have more. This is why I chose to test the AD28 instead. * they do sell a slightly lower priced "budget" version called the Loyo. I'm told that it uses some plastic for components that are metal on the Snode AD-series. Plastic isn't inherently worse. Some plastics outperform metals. But I've been told that the Loyo and its use of plastics can't withstand drops like the Snode ADs. I almost pulled the trigger on buying a Loyo 50lb but decided not to. At least not for now. Already I've got to find the time to fit in testing the AD28 when it arrives. Stay tuned man. I'll show you all how the Snode compares to the Nuobell and Core. Cheers, Joe
Thanks for the breakdown. Bought a pair. Now if / when they fail I'll know why and what to do about it. Hopefully they'll see this video or get enough feedback to constantly improve their design.
Glad you found it helpful, JYD. I hope you'll check back in now and again, and let us all know how they're holding up. It definitely helps to hear some real world feedback.
Thank you for making this video. I was trying to decide between the MX Select MX85 and the Nuobells 80 as a Christmas gift for my husband. I’ll go with the MX85 since it’s made of all metal gears
Hi OBL, Although metal parts can certainly have their own issues, and plastics can be superior to metals in the right applications, for the moment I think you made the right choice. If Nuobell addresses this issue down the road, they'll be worth a second look. And a very Merry Christmas to both of you!
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC As I understand it on the MX select mx85 and mx55 dumbbells they have and sell replacement parts kit for the handle that that they say takes about 10 minutes to repair the handle If it needs repair.
@@itsatoolthing6323 thanks for that insight. Right after I read your comment I did a few minutes of research just to confirm a few things. I'm only very vaguely familiar with MX in that I've seen the name pop up on social media. They're definitely worth a much closer look. I might buy one this Spring just to pull it apart and drop test it. They display at least one photo of what appears to be a relatively simple and straightforward mostly metal assembly consisting of various gear/rack/pinion parts. And they do advertise repair kits ranging from $10-30 along with the 10-15 minute DIY repair claim. All-in-all, I think it is worth a closer look. Thank you again for that tidbit. It piqued my interest. Cheers, Joe
Great video. This along with your Snode video certainly shows a strong contrast in built quality as well as a bit of misleading advertising from Snode which I was under the impression was all metal as well after watching their product videos. After looking at both products I think neither may not be a good long term investment and instead getting something more like a core adjustable set might be the way to go, if only for the fact that if it breaks you are only out half as much as either of these choices. Thanks for putting these videos together.
Thanks for the insight Joe! I was about to buy a pair of these, but decided to take a look at your tear down video first, and I'm glad I did! Now it's a question of whether to wait for an upgraded version of the product, or go with something else that can be repaired if/when it breaks.
Glad to help, A.T. I'm not sure if Nuobell has any current plan for a redesign. The original Flexbell was introduced maybe 16 or so years ago. About 9 years ago they made a few changes such as decreasing the weight increments from 4kg to 2kg. Then they changed the name to Nuobell maybe 4-ish years ago. Other than that, I don't think they've altered the design in any significant way since 2013 or so. I do plan to make a follow-on to my Snode teardown video to discuss what I have recently learned about the Snode AD80 as it compares to the 28 and 50. In terms of being able to potentially "abuse" and repair a dumbbell, Snode shows promise.
I believe that these are a universal handle. I purchased the Bolt Octabell Adjustable Dumbbell set and they have the exact same handle. Now both of my handles came in broken. Currently still waiting for replacement from Bolt but it is 100 % identical.
Hi, Jose. NÜO Athletic Innovation in Sweden licenses the design to a boatload of resellers worldwide. So you'll find this same basic design under a number of other brand names with minor cosmetic changes, usually to the weight plates (like the Octabell), not the handles. Are you saying that two handles arrived broken, brand new, right out of the box? Wow. Sorry to hear that. Has Bolt required you to return the broken handles in order to obtain replacements? If Bolt does not need you to return them, would you be interested in parting with those broken handles? I have two broken handles here, but I am in search of a few additional broken handles to experiment with as I research ways to make these handles repairable/upgradable.
@Average Joe Innovations Yes they both arrived broken but so was the box it came in. Bolt sent me pictures of the boxes before they left the warehouse. UPS delivered it in a complete mess. Bolt has not requested them back so I have no issue in parting with them. Once the new ones came in, I was going to trash them. I did have to force the weights off by hitting the center bolt down.
@@LuDogg215 Man that's terrible. Sorry to hear UPS created that mess for you, Jose. I quit using UPS back in 2020. I got tired of dealing with corporate. Now I only use them if a customer is willing to accept the risks. If it isn't too much trouble for you, would you please send an email to me at joe@averagejoeinnovations.com I'd definitely be interested in getting those handles to see how they compare to the other broken Core handles that I have. I can't promise that I'll come up with a realistic fix, but I'm taking a serious look at it. I look forward to hearing from you. Cheers, Joe
very helpful video. i was wondering if snode adjustable dumbbells are better than nuobell or core. do u prepare a video discussing how to pull apart and how does it compare with other adjustable dumbbells
Hi Sam, Sorry about the late reply. I've not been on UA-cam for the past few months. I do have two Snode tear down videos if you search my UA-cam channel, but no step-by-step disassembly video for the Nuobell at this point. Primarily because I have yet to come up with a way to disassemble Nuobell handles without breaking them. If you can't find the Snode videos, shoot me an email and I will send the links to you. Cheers, Joe
Great video. I sat mine down today using 75 lbs. Sat them at a slight angle and the handle broke. I assume a mechanism inside bent. Very disappointing for them to break after just sitting them down at an angle.
Oh man, sorry to hear that happened to you. Thanks for letting everyone know about it. When you wrote that it broke, did you mean that you're no longer able to turn the handle to adjust the weights, as if it is seized? It's possible that a rod bent, or that one or more cam followers sheared off. Have you contacted the retailer/manufacturer? If so, what was the result? In the event that they send a replacement handle, I would be interested in obtaining and dissecting your old handle to see if it's what I suspect, or a different type of failure. Shoot me an email at joe@averagejoeinnovations.com . Thanks again for sharing how it happened so that others may avoid doing this. Cheers.
Hey! The inner most plate won’t latch on. One of the pins that hold in the inner most plate no longer engages when the dial is twisted. I think when I sat it down at an angle it must have bent something in there. I’m thankful for your video because otherwise I would’ve tried to rip it apart and it wouldn’t be functional at all 😅Luckily, they are still functional but I can only use them at 5-15-25-45-55-65-75 weights. . I emailed support and I’m waiting to hear back. I’ll keep you posted!
Glad i went with the bowflex over the neubells in canada these go for like between 800 and 1000 dollars....At least with your upgrades i can keep my bowflex in good condition
Thank you thank you. On a completely unrelated note, I picked up my favorite electric (corded) impact wrench from Canadian Tire 19 years ago and it's still going strong. That baby goes in my trunk with a converter for roadside repairs. :-)
Yes, I've been using these for about a year. Then, my wife decides to use them for the first time, twists one of the handles, and it goes out of alignment. I'm thinking, how does a 110 pound lady break one of these handles? Now, thanks to your video, I know how. Plastic has its place, but obviously not for the cam followers. Now I know this will be an ongoing issue.
Unfortunately, it doesn't take much force. I suspect the damage isn't occurring in one shot. With each turn of the handle, those aluminum rods are probably gradually chewing away at the plastic cams until, eventually, one or more give way. And at that point the handle is toast. I've spoken with multiple people who receive brand new units with broken handles. It's unclear exactly why they arrived broken. According to them, the sellers provided replacements free of charge which is great. Unfortunately, those new handles will eventually fail too. I'm glad you found the video helpful. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I hope you'll check out my upcoming Trulap and Non Zero Gravity dumbbell tear downs.
Hi, Nikola. Nuobell may not like to read that, but hey, I hope they see it and do something to fix it on their next generation of the design. You can't go wrong with Powerblocks, man. I own several pairs. I make knurled grips for them, and I've got other Powerblock mods in the hopper too. Cheers, and happy holidays!
I haven't received a Nuobell cease and desist letter yet, so that's a positive...lol. I hope you found something more suitable and durable for you. Cheers, Joe
So happy i stumbled upon this video. I was debating between Nuobell and another newer D.B. that came out which is the Trulap.. Very similar with the twist selector more weight and more metal on the outside but i'm assuming the inside is plastic too. Have you heard anything about the Trulap dumbells ? Awesome breakdown by the way
Hey Bigdog. I'm glad you found the video, but I think you're really going to like what I write next. My Trulap will arrive today. Purchased with my own funds. It did take them a couple weeks to finally ship out to me, but I was in no rush. I had received a number of requests to tear one down, so I decided I'd do that as soon as I have the time toward the end of this month, beginning of next. I also have a brand new Non Zero Gravity dumbbell to tear down too. I hope you'll stay tuned for those. Figure within the next couple weeks. Cheers.
This is awesome Joe! I almost pulled the trigger on a pair of Trulap today then saw your reply. I will wait for your tear down now 👍 Liked and subscribed!
Glad you found it helpful, TVW. Plastic isn't inherently bad. I wouldn't want to give you that impression. Some plastics can be incredibly strong and flexible and eliminate gouging, deformation, oxidation, etc. Sometimes it's just a matter of spec'ing the right plastics for the application. I'd still prefer steel pins in this specific Nuobell application, but there may be a plastic out there that's capable of doing the job. Powerblock is a great example. At one time there was a CNC machined aluminum Powerblock. A beautiful version of the product. But the company discovered that it could mold plastic bodies that perform well at a lower cost. Now all Powerblocks have plastic bodies, including the Comm Pro which maxes out at something like 175lbs per hand. So it all comes down to spec'ing the right material for the job. And we know the folks behind Nuobell dropped the ball with that part of their design. Cheers.
I noticed core fitness rod is full while nuobells’ is halved. They do look similar in design but I wonder which one provides stronger moment arm. Please consider taking the core handle apart Since you have both types.
Hi Jessica, it'd definitely be an interesting comparison, but I'd prefer to find an already broken Core handle for two reasons. First, we can explore why the handle broke, and second because, like the Nuobell, I may further damage the handle in my first attempt to take it apart when the steps aren't initially obvious. Thanks to the tear down in the video above, I believe I may have learned how to disassemble a Nuobell non-destructively. If I encounter another broken Nuobell handle, I'm going to test my ideas and let everyone know if I successfully disassemble it without damage Though there are no aftermarket parts for Nuobell yet, so at this point it's all purely informational. If I do get my hands on a broken Core handle, I'll definitely do a tear down, especially to see if they can be repaired/upgraded. The center shaft for Core is some type of plastic. But until I have one apart I couldn't tell you much about how that shaft is secured inside the handle. Let's hope one crosses my path in the months ahead.
@@jessicavotran I'm glad you found it helpful. I suspect the engineer(s) needed a solid central shaft on which the two telescoping halves could slide and remain aligned. The shaft is a fixed length so it doesn't extend in either direction or bear any of the weight of the plates. Consequently, each of the two half-cylinder telescoping rods bear the weight of the plates on one half of the dumbbell. I'm guessing here, but dropping the Nuobell, especially at an angle, may tweak/bend a telescoping rod just enough that it will no longer retract properly. That is in addition to the possibility of shearing those plastic cam followers.
Thanks for the video, great break down! I'm hesitant to order these, I've had similar experiences with cheap plastic parts when dealing with my nutri-bullet and Samsung vacuum. As you showed, these were not built for longevity, even if you do not drop weights you still will have deteriorating cam followers. Could you review the core home adjustable dumbbells?
There are some strong plastics out there capable of holding their own against metal counterparts. But that's definitely not the case inside the Nuobell. I'd love to have the skill necessary to identify the specific plastic used but that's outside my wheelhouse. To your closing point, I think that's the number one issue. Wearing down and eventually shearing those cam followers simply by using the dumbbell as it was intended to be used...twisting the handle to set the weights. As soon as I'm done with shipping out all of my customer's orders this week, I plan to tackle a Snode AD28 teardown. I've already "cheated" and had a peek, but I look forward to sharing it with all of you. I've been actively keeping an eye out for a broken Core handle to dissect. I own a pair of Core dumbbells and have some ideas about what's likely inside. But I haven't tried to take them apart because, like the Nuobell, they have no obvious external fasteners. I don't want to potentially ruin one of my handles trying to take it apart. But rest assured, when I find a handle I can mess with, we'll take a look inside.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Great, sounds like a plan. The goal is to find adjustable dumbbells that keep a slim profile as you change weights. I haven't looking into Snode, I'll check it out as I await your teardown. :D
Yeah. The old magic bullet blender taught me the lesson that plastic drive parts are silly. Before that broke on me I didn’t realize that someone would ever make such a stupid design. I have since bought a vitamix and am always trying to avoid plastic drive components in any tool if possible.
@@CarlYota We've had our Vitamix for like 5 or 6 years now and it is used nearly every day. In the long run solid design and quality are more important than marketing gimmicks. Nuobells fall into the marketing gimmick category IMO.
Hi Milton. Technically, someone could completely redesign the handle mechanism and maintain compatibility with the plates and base. No small project, but definitely doable. I don't want to give the false impression that plastic is inherently bad. There are many excellent uses for it. We just need to understand which plastics makes sense for specific applications. In some applications, a plastic may be the best choice. I just don't think it was a good choice for the cam followers in this application. If I do end up making replacement cam followers for this handle, I'll probably try stainless steel first and see how it goes.
Hi Anto, I'm not exactly sure. I just sent an email to the person who sent it to me. I'll let you know what he says. By the way, I received another broken Nuobell handle a couple months ago. I've not yet had a chance to see if I can take it apart non-destructively. But I will attempt that shortly. The person who donated that handle said his brand new Nuobell's arrived that way...with one broken handle inside the protective carton. He's not sure how it was damaged in transit to him. Fortunately Nuobell replaced the handle at no charge, though it took a few months for them to do that. I hope you will stay tuned for attempt number 2!
One of my dumbbells is stuck and I’m trying to remove the handle. How do you force the shade to detract so you can remove the weights? I saw an official video where the guy taps the shaft lightly with a screwdriver/hammer but even doing it with a decent amount of force doesn’t seem to move it for me.
Hi, Alan. Sorry about the delayed reply. I've been overseas for 5 weeks with limited internet access, and I'm back now playing catch up with orders and answering questions. Were you able to solve this already? If the handle is already not retracting normally, chances are excellent that one or more internal cams have already sheared off. It *could* work for a bit longer depending on just how many of the internal cams are still functional, but you'll likely need to replace the handle. I say this because forcing the shaft back into the handle will probably further damage it by shearing any cams that aren't already damaged. I would try this: have one person hold the handle of the dumbbell while it is firmly in its base. That will unlock the ability to retract the shafts. Otherwise, If you attempt this with the handle out of the base, you'll be fighting the locking mechanism. Have a second person tap the jammed shaft with a hammer and whatever long narrow blunt object you have available. A rod or punch would be ideal, but a long thick screwdriver could work. Your goal is to drive that shaft back through the center of the plates into the handle. While tapping the shaft, have the first person try to rotate the grip to its lowest weight setting to "assist" in the retraction of the shaft. Note that if the two half shafts are already out of sync such that one is extended further outward than the other, then the tapping will very likely shear the remaining cams on the jammed side. Let me know how it goes...or if you already did it. Cheers.
Hi Ronin, somewhere in the comments of this video or my Snode tear down there should be a very detailed reply that I wrote in response to the same question from someone else. There are so many things to consider. For example, Powerblock kicks butt as far as growing with you. A Sport EXP at 50 that you can expand to 70 and 90. Snode can't do that, at least not currently. But Snode offers a traditional form that you can use one or two-handed, which really isn't an option with PB. They can both be used with magnetic adders. They are both fairly compact in the world of adjustable dumbbells, and neither one is fixed width which is a plus. Both have pretty solid construction. Of course Powerblock has the track record here with 3 decades in the biz and dumbbells that are still in use after 30 years. But Snode strikes me as a hungry newer brand eager to build a loyal fan base. Technically they've been around a few years and only threw their hat into the adjustable dumbbell market more recently. I know the urethanes look good, but unless Powerblock resolved the issues with the urethane delaminating and also cracking at the joints, I'd stay clear of them. Plus, they're just more bulky than they need to be. All of that urethane added size without adding weight. Put a Sport EXP or Elite EXP side by side with any urethane PB and you'll immediately see what I mean. I think you might like both the Sport/Elite EXP Powerblock and Snode AD80 for different reasons. So it's more a matter of which one better fits the way you like to work out.
@Average Joe Innovations thank you so much for the response. I also checking videos on the ironmaster dumbbells. What is your opinion on those? By the way are you still gonna do the drop test videos?
They might have made it non-repairable to prevent people from taking it apart to repair or adjust it themselves and then injuring themselves due to missuse or improper repair. So it could be like this to limit liability. The cost of replacing the whole handle might be less than dealing with possible lawsuits, etc. This video was excellent. Based on the current design, I wouldn't get these. I like the concept and hope they can improve or another company can.
Hi, Andrew. I'm glad you found the video helpful. Hopefully they'll address the issue. I recall seeing an older Flexbell teardown somewhere online. Not a video, but a series of photos and captions. It appears that at one time these things could be disassembled more easily. There's definitely the potential for liability from injury during proper use. I'm no lawyer, but from what I can tell improper use, abuse, and injuries as a result of DIY repair generally aren't covered. Otherwise industries such as automobile manufacturing would be wide-open to liability claims from DIY owner repairs. One thing is certain: DIY repairs nearly universally void any remaining warranty. Someone just reached out to me recently and they have a broken Nuobell handle. It arrived broken as part of a brand new dumbbell pair. Fortunately, they will receive a replacement handle under warranty. I'm looking into acquiring that handle to (hopefully) do a non-destructive tear down now that I know how the internals are configured. If I succeed with such a tear down, and I accomplish it in a way that others can fairly easily follow, there may be a way to upgrade these handles down the road, especially after warranties have run out. We shall see. I hope you'll stay tuned. Until then, Happy Holidays!
It is more likely to make you buy another pair when they fail. Their warranty is only 2 years, so they know it will fail sooner rather than later and they don't want to foot the bill.
Thank you for this video. I am really wanting/thinking about buying second hand nuobells. I am worried about the handle breaking, by any chance do you know the price of replacement handles? Or should i just start calling and asking the different sellers that sell nuobells? Thanks in advance.
Hi Skrimpz. Your best bet is to contact SMRTFT. They can point you in the right direction. I vaguely recall seeing prices that range from $90 to $180-ish for individual empty handles. Though I can't recall if those were knockoffs or OEM. If I get my hands on another broken Nuobell handle, I plan to use what I learned from the previous handle to attempt disassembly without ruining the handle in the process. Once I figure that out, I'll know if it's worth making repair kits for them.
Can i ask what adjustable dumbbells you think have the best design/value? I'm looking to buy a set and thought i would choose nuobell but this changed my mind. Thanks for all your hard work and quality content!
For best durability and best feel, my vote would be Ironmaster. For speed of changes with good durability and a fairly good feel IF you buy a set of aftermarket knurled handles, I vote Powerblock. My biggest complaint with Powerblocks is the adder weights, which are a PITA to change imho.
There are two main types of adjustable dumbbell. First you have the more traditional approach. That involves a handle, plates, and some sort of collars/pins to secure those plates to the handle. The plates are stored separately and added one at a time to change weights. Traditional "bar and collar" dumbbells, including the inexpensive sand filled and cast iron stuff you find at department stores, are in this group. I'd lump Ironmasters, Pepin and Badass into this group too for one simple reason: they're just fancier versions of the same basic concept. They came up with novel alternatives to slip-on collars, and they did away with fixed length handles. I don't own any of them, but they appear to be simple and built to last. I suspect their large notched/threaded locking pins could eventually cause issues if the dumbbells are dropped regularly. I only recall one video of what appeared to be an Ironmaster coming apart during a chest press and dropping plates. I don't know the cause. Possibly a pin that wasn't properly secured. Then there's the second group. This is closer to what I believe to be the spirit and intent of modern adjustable dumbbells. A stack of weights in a base into which you insert a handle. Selector pins/levers/knobs/dials/grips that you slide, twist or rotate to set the amount of weight you wish to secure in the handle. Some have fixed length handles, while others have handles that grow/shrink according to the weight setting. Pretty much all of the other brands fall into this category. Bowflex, Ativafit, Weider, Merax, Snode, Nuobell, Core, MX, etc. It's a lengthy list. They tend to be more complex with lots of little moving parts. You'll find more plastics (not that it's inherently terrible), and unlike the first group, you can't adjust the weight at all (up or down) without returning the handle to its base. The complexity and convenience of some comes at the expense of durability. It depends on the overall design and materials. Some of these dumbbells, such as the recently mentioned MX and Snode appear to be built a bit more sturdy than others. Powerblock sort of straddles these two groups with some characteristics of each. I think the single biggest issue anyone really has with Powerblock is its form factor. The blocky look and "hand cage" vibe isn't for everyone. The second biggest issue is the clunky adder weight mechanism that's limited to 2.5 and 5lb increments and causes the handle to feel imbalanced at times. And they aren't without their share of controversy. PB was at the receiving end of a class action suit in 2017. Its urethane dumbbells were not holding up well. Apparently they didn't age well in hot sunny climates. The rest of their line-up is solid. Disclaimer: I own several different pairs and models of Powerblock, Bowflex SelectTech, Core, and one Snode with another arriving supposedly in February. Although each brand has its pros and cons, I don't think you can go wrong with Powerblock. Maybe a Sport or Pro EXP, or if you want something more compact, an Elite EXP or Elite USA. Or if you want something truly gargantuan, the Commercial Pro 175 which is the King of the Hill of adjustable dumbbells at up to 175 lbs per hand. If you don't mind the appearance and feel, you'll likely own them for decades and pass them down to the next generation. Good luck with your search, Vex. I hope you find dumbbells that work best for you. Cheers, Joe
Hi, Cristina. Sorry about the delayed reply. I was away on a trip for 5 weeks overseas with limited internet access. I'm back in the States now and playing catch up with filling orders and answering questions. You can't really go wrong with Powerblocks. I know some folks don't like the shape or the adjustment mechanism, but it's a proven design with decades of sales. I own several pairs. In fact, I make custom knurled stainless steel grips for them these days: knurledgrips.com So if you buy Powerblocks and find that the grip feels a bit too thick for you, or you just prefer something with a more traditional grip, I've got you covered. Cheers.
I just bought a pair of Snodes 80lbs dumbbells...mechanism s/b very similar to Nuobells/Core. Assuming I never drop them, would it help maintain the inner mechanisms to spray some WD40 into them? Thx!
Hi James, Hypothetically, it wouldn't hurt. WD-40 is safe for many plastics and metals. But WD-40 isn't a lube in the same sense as, say, a dry silicone lube (which is what I'd use, if needed) . The gears inside the Snode remain mostly stationary. They only rotate slowly during weight adjustment, and not really under any load. I'll definitely be sure to discuss lubricants when I film the Snode tear down in December.
Hi, FunkMaster, Sorry about the late reply. I've not been on UA-cam for the past few months. You likely already found an answer by now, but the aftermarket handles *should* fit if the manufacturer copied the original design. The challenge with aftermarket (and even some OEM) parts is that different manufacturers play by different rules. So a pair from one source may fit beautifully, while a pair from another source may not fit at all. Cheers, Joe
No set of dumbbells can be used permanently. It will not appear now, and I believe it will not appear in the future. This is easy to understand, because there is no permanent non oxidizing, wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant material in the world. If there were, it would have been used in the material production of the space shuttle. What I said is not a joke. In other words, even if you are using the traditional round head rubber covered dumbbells, the rubber will age in about five years, so there is nothing invincible. I think some people commented on the dumbbells of PowerBlock series, but have you ever thought that they really look like toasters rather than dumbbells, so there are many problems in use. The most important thing is that the pwoerblock dumbbells are too large and the volume is too large, so there is a risk of collision during the promotion process. I think the design of nuobell dumbbells is very classic, not only classic, but also art should be used to call nuobell dumbbells. Many people suspect that there are many plastic materials used in the dumbbells. That is because you don't fully understand the dumbbells. In other words, if plastic parts are not used, metal parts are used instead of plastic, but the flexibility of metal is very poor. Once metal fatigue occurs, it will bend or break. For example, you doubt the plastic snap on the bell piece, but you should know that this place is replaced by a metal part. The dumbbell is often lifted and put down. If the metal part is bent, your bell piece can not be put up, and the whole dumbbell weight replacement system will be damaged. However, if plastic parts are used instead, the durability will be greatly enhanced, which is why Nuobell dumbbells use many plastic parts. The designers of Nuobell will not be foolish enough to test the products before they leave the factory, but also put them on the market for testing. They should know more about the materials used than we do. In addition, you can't have both fish and bear's paw. Nuobell dumbbells have met the needs of too many people.
Hi Henry, I don't disagree with some of your points. Specifically that materials such as plastic and metal should be carefully selected based on their intended applications. I cover this topic in a newer video teardown of Snode brand dumbbells. I mention permanent metal deformation versus plastic resilience, friction and other considerations. However, I stand by my assessment of Nuobell in this video. These Nuobells do fail for the reason I pointed out in the video, and it isn't simply a matter of eventually failing several years down the road due to aging materials. These failures occur within weeks, months or a couple years of use. The outer shell of its handle isn't the problem. Its plastic exterior shell is incredibly tough. The main problem is its cam followers. Fixing the cam follower issue would be a step in the right direction for Nuobell. Powerblocks have a boxy design that is definitely not for everyone. I have a love-hate relationship with mine. But the brand has 3 decades of sales history of a virtually unchanged design concept. Its simplicity is key to its long-term durability and popularity. Have you used them? I know Coop over at Garage Gym Reviews feels the same way. He says as much in this video clip: ua-cam.com/video/mkpoN4hVE-I/v-deo.html. Look to the left in that clip and you will see the Powerblock Commercial 175 side-by-side with a similarly sized Nuobell less than half its weight. Consumers generally do not expect a product to last forever. But they do expect to get more than just a handful of months or years of use from several hundred dollar fitness equipment investments. And when something small breaks, consumers generally expect to be able to fix/replace it without having to replace an entire major component. An analogy would be if you had to replace the entire engine in your vehicle each time its water pump failed versus simply replacing the water pump.
You speak as if a product lasting 2 years and 60 years are on the same plain simply because neither lasts forever. Powerblocks aren't particularly cumbersome until you get past the 90-lb mark. The fact that they're square is purely a cosmetic concern and doesn't impact function. In terms of durability, as someone who buys, sells and services gym equipment, I can tell you that I routinely come across Powerblocks that are 20+ years old and still function like new. Ditto for Ironmaster. They may not last forever, but they're lasting a lot longer than Nuobells, which seem to be failing in less than 3 years in most cases. As for bare metal dumbbells, there are plenty of bells out there that are 60+ years old and still "straight and tight" as we say. As for coated dumbbells, rubber won't break in 5 years unless you're keeping them outdoors. Ten years in a damp basement and they'll start to show some signs of deterioration. Double that up to twenty years if you have a climate/humidity controlled home gym. Or you could just opt for urethane. You can pass those on to your kids and they will won't have broken down in most indoor environments. I have urethane-coated plates that are about 25 years old and they haven't shown any signs of breakdown yet.
Have you watched this video from Nuobell: ua-cam.com/video/ux6vc_dqalk/v-deo.html ? At least it seems like you can "repair" the system by changing the whole handle. Waht do you think about this? I don´t own Nuobells but I´m considering buiyng a pair. I know thinks will break after a while, that just happens to mechanical systems. So for me it´s important to be able to use them after a breakdown...
Hi DC, just seeing this comment now. It was "held for review" for some strange reason. You can definitely always replace the handle. Though someone else just recently mentioned that a single replacement handle from Nuobell costs around $185. Yowzers. Depending on the circumstances under which these handles might fail, and the frequency, I'd be concerned about the long term costs. Yet another person contacted me recently to offer up another broken Nuobell handle. He plans to send it to me if Nuobell doesn't require him to return it as part of the warranty process. Apparently, Nuobell has been stringing him along for several weeks with promises of a replacement handle. Not cool. If he is able to send it to me, I will attempt to non-destructively disassemble it. If I succeed, and the process is reliable and repeatable, I *may* make some replacement metal cam followers for it. Right now those are big "ifs". Hopefully I'll have something more to share about this over the next few months.
I had 20lbs on it and it fell from 18in to the padded gym mat. Cost me $225 for the same cheap replacement handle. Had I to do it all again I would’ve never purchased the nuobell.
Wow, thanks for sharing this with the rest of us. I have no direct experience with using the Nuobell beyond tearing one down, so your real world experience is valuable. I suspected the internals might be fairly delicate, but just 20lbs to a padded mat is worse than I imagined. Are you outside the U.S.? I ask only because the last time I looked at their replacement handle pricing it was $190. So I'm curious is the price went up or if that's the cost with shipping or something. My general rule of thumb with all adjustable dumbbells--even the ones that are marketed as "droppable"--is to never drop them from any height onto any type of surface, or use them as pushup handles in exercises such as Renegade Rows or Devil's Press. Most adjustables aren't made to handle those forces. They're designed to retain the relatively light individual plates on the handle. With each drop, we risk damage. I know for some folks that just sucks. Being able to let go of the dumbbells a foot above a mat *shouldn't* be something we have to worry about. But even higher end dumbbells such as Pepin's Fast come with warnings not to drop them. So we're best off if we just set them down every time. The challenge with Nuobells is that drops aren't their only weakness. Several subscribers have contacted me with stories about how their Nuobells simply stopped adjusting weights, or adjusted the two sides out of sync while the handle is still in its base. So, we'll see how these things hold up over the next several years even when they aren't dropped. Thanks for watching the video! Cheers.
The grip on my Nuobell is seized and stuck on 40lbs. I ordered new grips and paid a lot of money and didn’t know the price was for one grip only. I ordered the black one and the original is silver. The black one for some reason has less aggressive knurling compared to the silver ones. So now I have a black and silver grips, one with different grip knurling. I’m still trying to figure out how to remove the weights from the broken grip their instruction video is so useless. With a mild tap, the weights should come right off. I’ve been hammering away and dented the rods and the weights are still on. It’s so frustrating. Once they all break completely I will never buy another product from this company. I never drop my dumbbells and handle them with care I will look elsewhere maybe Snode dumbbells.
Hi Rickey. Wow, you confirmed $185+ for a replacement Nuobell handle out of warranty? Yikes. I suspect they'll be selling quite a few replacement handles in the years ahead. Someone who saw my Nuobell tear down reached out to offer up another broken Nuobell handle. I hope to receive that within the next month or two. If I can find a way for us everyday people to disassemble these at home without destroying them, I might consider making a couple key replacement components.
One of these days Nuobell will either fix the issue, prove that it isn't an issue, or send me a beautifully worded cease and desist letter. ;-) I hope you find the right dumbbells for you, Alex. Good luck with your search.
It is, but Snode and Trulap implement the same basic approach (telescoping rods) using fewer parts, and in a way that you and I can DIY repairs if parts fail. Considering how long Nuobells have been on the market, the other two brands may have had the benefit of reverse engineering and improving on the design. Although I'm a big fan of metal components (and built a business around it), it is entirely possible to produce a durable plastic component, and to make it easy to replace in the event that it does break. This is where the folks at Nuobell failed. Cheers, Joe
Uff, hmm... you really gave me doubts now🥴 I almost click buy and now I am not sure... Those small plastic pins and gears really doesn't looks to last for a long time.
Hi DIY. This is one of those situations where I haven't personally put the dumbbells through any sort of rigorous test. I don't even own a pair. It's just a Nuobell handle that had already failed and it was provided to me to take a closer look at why it failed. So we have to weigh my findings in this video against real-world use by Nuobell's customers. I feel fairly confident in stating that many of the Nuobell handles of this type will fail due to the cam followers. The question to me isn't "if" but "when". For each brand of adjustable dumbbell--especially brands such as Bowflex that have been around for decades--you'll find a percentage of customers whose equipment broke fairly quickly, and another percentage who claim to have had zero issues after 5, 10 or even 15 years of use. Nuobell hasn't really been around long enough for anyone to claim, definitively, that they have long-term durability. It's just my opinion that they do not in their current configuration. Keep an eye out for my Snode tear down in a couple weeks. I just bought one of their dumbbells after another follower asked for my opinion about them. They have a really interesting design. Approximately the same price range as Nuobell, and they not only look like they can be disassembled, but the company confirmed for me that they will sell replacement parts to install yourself if ever the need arises after the warranty ends. All positives, but I'll personally review and discuss how they're built in a couple weeks. I hope you'll stay tuned!
Hi again DIY. Your other reply got caught up in UA-cam's filter. When I clicked what I thought was approval, apparently I accidentally deleted it. Sorry about that. Fortunately I remember what you had written so I'll reply here. The cam followers on the Nuobell aren't directly responsible for holding the weight plates. Their primary function is to extend and retract the telescoping rod. So when those cam followers shear off, I believe it is unlikely the handle would drop plates. Instead, you would no longer be able to adjust the weights properly. Either the handle would lock up completely and not allow you to turn the grip at all, or when you turn the grip one side would adjust and the other would be out of sync or not adjust at all. So it appears to be less of a safety issue and more of a product durability issue if you suddenly find yourself with the handle stuck on a weight setting, unable to change it. The Snode link that you had sent (the one from Alibaba) shows what appears to be their budget model. The version that is on its way to me is supposed to be their premium model. So when I pull it apart and test it we'll see precisely how well their top-of-the-line is made and how it holds up. From there we can make some educated guesses about the budget version for now, until I have the time and budget to take a look at their budget version too. More to come! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy your weekend.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Hi Don't worry about my comment. I still see it. Only the link doesn't work anymore. Yeah I know what can happen if the pin is broken = can't use it anymore... That 700€ hanging on some small plastic pin is pretty weird. And they want to be some EU - Swedish high value brand name... I am looking now at Snode AD80. Looks better. I only don't like that it can change weight for 10lbs. That's a pretty big "jump" I think. They are also not avalibale in EU. Thnx for your nice wishes. We have bad weather here, so it will be more inside next to fireplace:) Have a nice weekend too!
@@SomeFrenchDude Hiya Lash. Possibly, but I strongly believe there's only a loose relationship between part quality and warranty length. Too often warranties are more marketing than anything. I once owned an early Hyundai Elantra with a 10yr/100k warranty....easily the biggest turd I ever owned. from the day I drove it off the lot brand new. And I say that as a lifelong gearhead and owner of multiple reliable vehicles that have exceeded 300k. Many of them out of warranty after 3 years. I am definitely looking forward to inspecting the planetary-gear-like internals of Snode up close. I have so many questions that I hope to answer for all of us. I hope you'll keep an eye out for the video. I'll do my best to post a tear down within a few weeks of receiving the dumbbell.
Hi Krish, that's already in the works. A Snode AD28--the little brother to the AD50 and AD 80--arrived over a week ago. They're virtually identical inside, save for one difference. Once I get through shipping out the past several months of pre-ordered kits, I'll tear down the Snode and tell you what I think in a new video. I also spoke to a Snode rep so I'll talk about that conversation too.
Hey Joe, thank you so much for this video! Just one question: Are these dumbbells the first version (Nuo Flexbell) or are these the second and current version of it? And if so, do you think they might have changed the internals and possibly upgraded the plastic part to a more durable material?
Hi Bradley. This is the new post 2013-ish version with 2kg increments. And this specific handle came from someone who had not owned the dumbbells very long at all. I'm not sure if any other non-cosmetic hardware revisions have been introduced since the "redesign" a decade or so ago. I recall seeing photos a few years back taken by someone who disassembled the earlier version (~2006-2012) which was only available in 4kg increments. Remarkably, the version I saw in his photos was built in a way that it could be more easily disassembled. If that's true, then the engineers took a step backwards with the redesign. The shift from 4kg to 2kg increments is also what increased the complexity of the internals. They had to come up with a way to engage and disengage the half-plates (the two that straddle the grip) with every other click of the grip. I talk a little about plastic versus metal in my newer Snode teardown. Plastic isn't inherently bad. It's actually superior to metals in many applications. The key is in understanding when and where it makes more sense to use plastic, and which plastic to use. In this case, their use of plastic for the outer shell is not bad at all. The chosen plastic is incredibly tough and impact resistant under ordinary use. But I have to question their use of plastic (or at least the type of plastic they spec'd) for the cam followers. Perhaps a different plastic would work well. I think steel would work well too. As far as I am aware, what you see in the video is what is currently inside Nuobells shipping now.
There's always a chance that you may find complete replacement handles (whether they are OEM or knockoffs), but it is unlikely that you'll find any direct supplier of internal components. At this point, complete replacement handles are the only realistic option. Wasteful, but I haven't found a way to disassemble the current version of their handles (yet) without damaging other components along the way. Cheers, Joe
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC They claim OEM and sell parts. Maybe worth a shot? I would be really curious myself to see the difference between the AliExpress alleged OEM and the NUOBELL. I don't own either, but based what I could find around the place it seems like NUOBELL are just dropshipping. Thank you lots for the reply.
@@alias5281 Always definitely worth a shot to check something out. I'd be shocked if they sell internal components, but it's not beyond the realm of possibility. You may hit pay dirt. Just keep in mind that parts aren't going to be useful to you unless you find a way to disassemble and reassemble the handles non-destructively. They are a bandit to take apart. Personally, I'd love to see it happen. If someone can offer a way to fix the handles relatively easily and inexpensively, versus $180+ per replacement handle retail in the States, that's a win for Nuobell users. Nuobell is a patented product. Swedish company Personality Gym AB appears to be licensing to resellers under the name NÜO Athletics. Here's a link where you can check out the various brands currently licensing from them: nuoathletics.com/about/collaborations/ Nuobells sold direct from NÜO Athletics are supposedly made in Sweden. It's unclear whether they allow licensees to manufacture elsewhere in the world. The stuff you're seeing on Ali is very likely one of two things: unlicensed knockoffs, or product being sold direct by manufacturers who produce for licensees (possibly without anyone's permission to do so). Potential patent infringement issues aside, the big question with this is whether the ones sold through Ali are exact copies or similar. If they are merely similar, the parts may not be interchangeable with "authentic" Nuobells. If components are even a fraction of a millimeter off it could affect the way the parts fit and perform. Bowflex and other brands suffer from this issue, even with their own OEM parts. The components from one pair of dumbbells aren't always perfectly compatible/interchangeable with the components from another pair. Messed up, I know. But this is what happens when brands outsource to manufacturers with an emphasis on cost rather than quality and consistency. Definitely check back in and let me know how it goes. I redesigned the Nuobell cam followers a while back, but I never bothered to manufacture them because there's no known practical way (at the moment) for the average consumer to install them. Cheers, Joe
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Thank you a lot for the very detailed answer! It's pretty eye opening to get a detailed answer from someone with expertise on the topic. :D If I ever pull the trigger on anything from there - I will let you know. I will look into the link you've sent and dig a bit more - I was not aware of it. Once again, thanks a lot. Have a great day!
We shall see. First I'm going to see if I can take these things apart and put them back together without ruining them. If we can't do that, spare parts won't matter. Someone has agreed to send me his broken handle for my 2nd attempt. I hope you'll stay tuned for that.
If i recall correctly, somewhere in the comments of one of my videos, a viewer mentioned paying something like $185 for his replacement handle. A Google search turned up ~$180-200. With perhaps $10-ish in parts the company could significantly improve durability. But then it wouldn't sell a boatload of replacement handles after warranties runs out (assuming they don't already wriggle out of warranty handle replacements). Note that I am not claiming that the company deliberately made its Nuobell handle less durable. It may very well be nothing more than a consequence of poor design choices, and customers are left holding the bag.
"cheap plastic" I can't help but see that as not very informative. There are many types of plastic. Platic is used for many parts of firearms. How do we really know how good this design is/how long it will last, just be the fact it is some form of plastic instead of metal? There are cheap metals as well. Could you elaborate?
Hi Peter, yours is definitely a legit perspective. You may have already read some of my other older comments in the time since you posted your question. You can find them sprinkled throughout the comment section of this video and some of my other videos too. Although I didn't get into it in the video, I do mention in comments to others that not all metals and plastics are created equal, and that there are definitely applications in which some plastics (and plastic composites) outperform metal. It all comes down to choosing the right material for the task at hand. For example, I have some rods that I use in various design tests and they're made from a variety of plastics with high elastic limits. Meaning they can withstand an incredible amount of elastic deformation and still return to their original shape. Typical steel and aluminum rods would permanently deform under the same conditions rendering them useless. At the moment, all we have is somewhat anecdotal evidence that one of more parts inside the Nuobell handle aren't up to the task. I have two handles here and the same part (the plastic cam followers) failed in exactly the same way: they sheared off. A quick search online reveals that others experienced failures that are very likely due to the same issue. One of the symptoms of sheared-off cam followers is the eventual misalignment of the weight settings on either end of the dumbbell. It's due to the cams no longer tracking properly and in sync with each other. Another symptom is that the grip will either not twist past certain weight settings, or stop twisting altogether. You can see examples of this here: ua-cam.com/video/xpUmiP0BPJg/v-deo.html and here: www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/sdqj03/nuobell_adjustables_are_a_waste_of_money/ So we know the design isn't durable in its current form. It needs--at a minimum--cam followers (of some material) that are much less likely to shear/snap/split under load. My choice for an application like this would be some type of steel, the minimum strength of which begins at or beyond the upper range of many plastics. For the same reason that I'd choose a steel bolt over most plastic equivalents of the same dimensions. I recently received another broken Nuobell handle. I hope to use what I learned from the last one to disassemble and reassemble it without destroying it. If I can do so in a way that is repeatable and relatively easily accomplished by the average owner with readily available tools, then I may experiment with some replacement cam followers in different materials to see if I can come up with a viable upgrade kit. I'll talk more about this in my Nuobell tear-down followup video. I hope you'll return and check it out.
This new generation has the disposable mentality, so therefore, all items can carry the cheapest, smallest parts that will eventually lead to the disposal of the item, no questions asked by the consumer. However, if the mentality of the general public was opposite, then such corporations would be forced to manufacture quality items with good common sense. But why care for such things when the general public really doesn't give a damn anyway. And, the time it will take for most of these non-sense parts to break millions more sales of the items will be in the marketplace. Then in time, they too will only experience the same malfunctioning of the device. Key point in your commentary, "just a matter of time." The devil in men is crafty as world economies come to a global shutdown.
I wish I had watched this video before buying these dumbbells. I now have severe buyers remorse. Everything he says is true, and getting replacement handles is a pain. Do yourselves a favor and avoid nuobells until they engineer a serviceable product.
So sorry to hear about your experience with the Nuobells, Karil. I wish I had the means to spread the word to a wider audience. I suspect a number of other consumers are now in the same boat. I hope the designers do something about it besides just shipping warranty replacement handles that will also eventually fail.
Oh man, I'm simultaneously happy that the video helped you make a decision that's best for you, and waiting for Nuobell to send me a "love letter". LOL.
Hi, Plas. I think the majority of us would agree that safety and durability are two key considerations with any fitness equipment. With a couple relatively minor changes to its overall design/materials, Nuo would be a solid offering. Let's hope they're listening and do something about it.
Hi, Paul. I have a Snode AD28 tear down on my channel, and now that my AD80 has arrived, I plan to tear that down as well to compare to the Nuobell and Core. I hope later this year to also conduct some drop test comparisons too. Technically, none of them should ever be dropped. They aren't really designed for that. But I plan to drop them anyway and see how they all hold up since there are many folks out there who drop them intentionally or accidentally. I don't have a time frame yet on the drop test. I hope you'll stay tuned!
The Chinese don't care about anything but easy money, it's built into their culture. They'll never change the nuobell design. Best to buy something else.
Appreciate the comments. Though I should mention that this isn't a Chinese-engineered product. As someone who has dealt with suppliers in the U.S., India, Russia and China, I can tell you that the country of origin isn't an automatic indicator of quality. We have both excellent and crappy products and service providers right here in the States. Same goes for every country around the world. Quality starts way back at the design phase. Back when engineers were selecting and spec'ing the materials before they even approached a manufacturer. Then come the bean counters. Manufacturers will generally reply that your specs cost X in quantity Y on schedule Z. Whomever is holding the purse strings (those corporate buyers) will negotiate that price down--typically not with customers' best interests in mind. They may instruct the manufacture to use cheaper materials, cheaper production methods, few quality checks or none at all. poorly written and unedited documentation, cheaper packaging, little to no customer support, etc all in the name of their own bottom line. Ask around here in the States and you'll find shops under the same sort of pressure. Brands have the ability to spec high quality and to seek out and partner with manufacturers capable of delivering high quality. But they don't. Companies like Apple, Samsung, IBM, EMC, etc know the importance of high quality suppliers with low defect rates and the impact on their brands. But a great many brands out there--the Walmarts of the world--choose the low road instead. I manufacture both down the street here in my town, and overseas in China....two excellent shops that I personally vetted. They understand my expectations and know I am not going to nickel and dime them into insolvency. I'm willing to pay more to get more. I've said in the past that product labels should not read "Made in X". Those labels lack context. The labels should read "Made in X for cheap ass Company in Y"
@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC While that may be true as an exception, I am referring to the rule. I have a shop and I can tell you with absolute certainly that 95%+ of the absolute garbage products and fire hazard electrical components that I see are from China. It never fails and I can place a bet on it every time I encounter these products. Overall, the proven general rule of thumb is that China makes total crap. They have a constant rotation of pop up companies that create a cheaper alternative to a competitors products, then they disappear in 2-3 years. Parts are not obtainable or fixable and you have to just completely replace the item. Their wires are thin 4 strand wires with extra thick insulation to give the appearance of a thicker gauge wire. Their "annodized" aluminum fades or is just dyed on the outside. Their colored bolts are made out of the softest aluminum I have ever seen. And their machined items are FREQUENTLY way out of spec. Based on my professional experience, China needs to be banned from US import.
@@adventuremanintheclouds8968 Respectfully, I have no doubt about your personal experience buying off-the-shelf parts. I'm sure there's a ton of crap out there. Sorry to hear that has been your experience. I can't imagine dealing with it. My experience differs in that I personally design every product that I sell, and I personally vet the manufacturers that are permitted to make them both in China and here in the States. So I have the final word on everything coming off the shop floor, and I'm willing to pay for a certain level of quality. I almost always deal directly with the owners of the shops/manufacturers--very rarely any middle management. And I rely on contracts written by attorneys local to the suppliers and enforceable in their jurisdictions. The point here being that quality is available/attainable from anywhere in the world, including China. The key is knowing who to ask, where to look, and how to make it happen. To build lasting relationships with companies that have been around the block a few times. FWIW, the local machine shop here in town that does some of my manufacturing has seen the parts that I import (in person) and they were impressed. A couple years back they asked me why I'm not just making everything overseas if I'm able to get that level of quality. My answer was simple: I value relationships above all else. They're a great shop that does excellent work. They've been there for me when no other local machine shops would give me the time of day because my orders were for 200 parts and not 20,000. Whenever I can throw business their way, I do it. Same goes for the folks who make my custom neoprene and nylon washers down in Delaware, and my fastener supplier down in Massachusetts.
22:05 "Why would you make this (outer shell) so tough, and make this (inner breaking plastic) so crappy?" On purpose... It's obvious Planned Obsolescence.
It's entirely possible, and certainly seems to be the norm in some industries. But I suspect they never tested for it, or never encountered it. I say this because they'd lose money sending out warranty replacements for these things. Everyone I've spoken with (so far, anyway) told me that they received free replacements. It's also a good will issue. Something like this can do irreparable damage to a brand's reputation over time. Remember Maytag's seemingly impeccable reputation many years ago, and its fun Maytag repair man commercials? They eventually squandered that with cost cutting and quality issues and never fully recovered.
You may have seen similar comments from me elsewhere, SV. Hopefully this isn't redundant. Plastics aren't necessarily terrible materials. Some are incredibly strong. Powerblock uses a plastic weight selector that (if I recall correctly) is rated to something like 500lbs. It depends on the design of the part and the plastic spec'd for it. In this case, someone messed up. Frankly, I'm not sure which plastic would be durable enough to survive long-term with the way the mechanism is currently designed. If I ever decide to make a replacement cam follower, I'll probably go with steel. But I'd probably redesign their telescoping rod and cam keeps too. Belated Happy New Year! Joe
Sort of, lol. Usually I'd try not to destroy the product in the process, but there was no obvious way to open it up. Now that I have seen the inside, I *think* I may know how to take it apart without ruining it. Someone who saw this video is planning to send me his broken Nuobell handle to attempt my currently unproven method of disassembly. If I succeed, I'll create a tutorial about how to do take it apart and put it back together. And at that point I may make stronger replacement cam followers.
Hi, Julian. I suspect on some level they may be concerned about potential liability from any failures due to customer repair rather than replacement. Though customer repair is common in other product categories so I'm not sure why they'd think they're any different. If we can fix our Kawasakis or Fords or John Deeres ourselves, it makes no sense that Bowflex would tell us that we can't fix our own dumbbells. But they also have a history of somewhat inconsistent manufacturing, so there's also a parts compatibility issue. They may not want to deal with keeping parts on hand to repair older handles if their new handles are made with parts that are not always backwards compatible. It's easier (for them) to just ship a handle. But for us as consumers that approach is both wasteful and doesn't really solve the underlying problem.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC I'm starting to wonder if their choice if plastic for the cams was deliberate. As you've mentioned, the plastics elsewhere were chosen appropriately, so why skimp on this small, critical part? Is it that if they were metal they'd start wearing a deeper of wider groove in the metal channel? That's all I can really think of. But even if that were the case, the dumbbell should be more easily taken apart, because that would mean an inside part is essentially a consumable.
This was a brilliant and informative video.Are you familiar with the Nordic track adjustable dumbells and the sistem they use?What do you think about it?I live in the UK and i own primal gear adjustable dumbells which are just nordic track but under different name.I am curious about your opinion about them and if you.d ever get a chance to tear them apart i really want to see the mecanism inside and how reliable they look.Untill now they seem solid but there a few things that worry me like with every adjustable dumbells.
It is manual mate.there.s nothing electronical about them.There is an electronic version of them Nordic Track but i am not speaking about that one.That one,i agree is unusable in my opinion.But check and see and you ll find the manual version aswell.That is a solid one and is the one i own.
Just seeing this thread today, folks. I've been up to my eyeballs with work. iSelect is an interesting approach not unlike a couple of the dumbbell concepts I've been toying with, but it's incredibly tough to nail durability and usability. The amount of internal complexity that is sometimes required to make something appear outwardly simple can be staggering. That drives up cost without necessarily bringing customer value along for the ride. A tough nut to crack.
[CORRECTION: Talk about a half-hour long brain fart. Folks, I must have used the term "serviceable" incorrectly dozens of times throughout this video. I only realized my mistake a couple hours after I had published it. I do these videos in one take with no edits, so it is what it is. What I meant to say is that Nuobell's handle isn't designed to be repairable and restored to serviceable condition. Any time you hear me say serviceable in the video, think repairable.
Also, at 25:00 I meant to say "as you try to extend the rod", not retract it.
Last but not least, I only briefly alluded to believing I now know how to take the handles apart without destroying them. If ever I acquire another Nuobell handle, I will give this a try. Here's how I believe it can be done:
1. Remove all of the plates from the base.
2. Set your handle in the base as you normally would, and twist the grip to set the maximum weight of 80 lbs. The telescoping rods should be fully extended now.
3. Unscrew the two remaining end plates to remove them from the handle.
4. Find the cam grooves that run lengthwise along the extended rods. Those are the grooves that have a spring steel catch/clip that I pointed out in the video.
5. Find a thin, flat object such as a thin-shaft flathead screwdriver at least a few inches long that you can slide down that groove into the handle from the end. Too thick and the tool/object may get jammed in the handle.
6. Slide it down the groove into the handle until it stops. It should have come into contact with the end of the spring clip. Now comes the potentially tricky part. Your goal is to depress that spring steel clip against the telescoping rod while simultaneously pulling the telescoping rod outward. If you are able to disengage the clip then the rod *should* slide out completely.
7. Repeat on the other side. Be careful to lay the handle on a flat surface or hold it horizontally while you do this so the entire handle assembly doesn't accidentally fall apart.
8. Once the second telescoping rod is removed, slide the remaining dark-colored steel shaft/rod out from the handle. Its notches should disengage from the two end plates to allow you to do that.
8. At this point both assemblies, one on each end *should* be able to be removed from the center grip by sliding them off.
Perform this at your own risk. Even if I'm right about how the handles can be disassembled non-destructively, no replacement parts are currently available, and reassembly may prove difficult.
If you own a broken Nuobell handle that is no longer of any use to you, I would love an opportunity to try to disassemble it now that I understand how it all goes together. Let me know.]
Which dumbbells would you recommend for durability snodes, powerblocks sport or the powerblocks urethane?
Having never looked up the definition, I just assumed serviceable was a synonym for repairable.
Hi there, can confirm this disassembly method does work
Wow I'm amazed they could create such a good looking Dumbell and then just use those cheap plastic parts. But this is great to know! You're doing the lord's work man
Thanks Matt. The sad part is that the exterior plastic shell of the handle is tough. I'm talkin' crazy, whack it several times with a hammer and not crack it tough. But the plastic type, size and shape they chose for those internal cam followers is just a poor match for those metal telescoping shafts. A product that is only as good as its weakest link. Hopefully they find a way to resolve that, or at least make future handles repairable and sell the followers.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC yeah, consumable parts aren't the end of the world, so long as they are easily serviced, reasonably priced, and available. Unfortunately that's not the case here.
@@plmn93 Absolutely agree. As a lifelong gearhead, maintenance is always a priority consideration. I view fitness equipment the same way that I view automobiles. Make the parts accessible (preferably without the need for specialty tools) and available and I'm good. There's something off-putting about manufacturers with a throw-away mentality. Let customers decide if they want to replace equipment or repair it themselves.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Do you think that one could create a similar dumbbell but just replace the plastic with metal?
You better believe, I’m on my fourth replacement dumbbell $200 a pop! I have a semi private fitness for middle age women and trust me, they can’t be dropped from any highly, even a couple of inches off the floor
It’s extremely cheaply made
Some of you may recall that several days back I ordered a Snode AD28 to dissect. It was *supposed to* arrive yesterday. Instead, a stand-up desk showed up at my door. I kid you not, a desk not a dumbbell. I asked the folks at Snode what happened. Apparently, they outsource fulfillment to another company and that company sent the wrong item.
Snode contacted that fulfillment center to resolve the problem. I've been told that a dumbbell will be on its way to me by Monday and arrive in about a week. And I ended up with a free stand-up desk since they'd likely lose money just to have me send it back. I'm a bit disappointed in the mix-up, but I'm happy with how Nancy at Snode handled it within hours of learning of the mistake. That's a good sign and something to keep in mind.
Fortunately this wasn't urgent. It'll likely be a week or two before I have time to shoot that video anyway.
Looking forward to seeing that disassembly. Seeing as how Snode shows off their "all metal" gearing but not their cam followers, I have a pretty good hunch as to what you'll find. Hope I'm wrong.
@@plmn93 where does snode sat their gear is all metal?
So did it ever came?
@@JohnDoe-ql9pf Hey John, yes the Snodes arrived more than a week ago. I'm just swamped with shipping out long-awaited pre-ordered products to several hundred customers. I began a week ago and I still have days to go yet before I finish. After I get their orders out the door and take a breather, I'll make the Snode tear down video.I hope you will stay tuned. Figure late Nov or early Dec.
Thanks for this video. I suspected as much from the reports I've seen of broken handles and this confirms that they really aren't made to last much past the warranty. Powerblock and Ironmaster still stand alone after all these years, IMO.
This is why I love the Powerblocks, they are nearly unbreakable. And if they ever break I can weld them together. Good video by the way, your videos are always very interessting. Thank you.
Thank you for watching Karim, and for your kind words. I appreciate it. And I agree. Powerblocks are quite possibly the least complex of all adjustable dumbbells on the market today. And that's a positive for sure. There's a beauty in the simplicity, especially the pairs with welded joints. A couple versions had issues with peeling finishes and bolted joints that snap off, but overall I suspect the brand still ranks at or near the top in long-term durability. Of course, I still wouldn't recommend dropping them...nearly all adjustable dumbbells on the market today aren't meant to withstand repeated drops (and their warranties reflect that).
I think the top 2 turnoffs with Powerblock dumbbells are their shape--it's one of those love it or hate it designs--and the "hand cage" vibe.
My Powerblocks are over 10 years old. I expect they will last the rest of my life. Other designs come and go but they never hold up. Except for Ironmasters, but I don't really consider those to be quick changing.
My spinlock dumbells will never break (I could drop them off the roof) and are a bit slower than power blocks but faster than Ironmaster.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC normally I would always buy the most simple durable option. But with the powerblocks it’s the hand cage that gets me.
This channel needs more subs. Best videos on adjustable dumbbells. I thought I would get Nuobells, but after two tear down videos on this channel I am getting Snodes.
Thank you for your kind words, Voltec. I'm glad you found the tear downs helpful. A Snode AD80 just arrived here this week. I plan to do a tear down shortly and comparison to the AD28 as well as Core and Nuobell. I've got a Core tear down coming too. I hope you'll pop back in for a look-see!
Can't wait. I was going to buy noubells due to the heavier option than the bowflex 55lbs. Which I got a kit from you and works fantastic!
So I will keep search for heavier adjustable ones that last more than a year lol
Thanks you're saving a lot of people!
Thanks Thong! One of these days I may receive a To Whom It May Concern letter from Nuobell. I sincerely hope before they choose to send such a letter that they will instead address the issue I raised so I can make a future video about how they fixed the issue.
Thank you for this video. My gut told me that these were no good. I even Got to hold them in a store and was questioning all of that plastic.
I'm glad you found it helpful. The thing that kills me with their design is that we could toss the empty handles around on a lightly padded floor and we're unlikely to break them. That outer plastic casing is pretty tough. It's the internals--specifically those cam followers---that appear to be unable to deal with the stresses of ordinary use when loaded. It's like designing a modern Porsche with 1960s drum brakes.
Thanks for the info! This reinforces my decision to get the ironmaster adjustable dumbbells. Not as fast to adjust but so much more durable for the long run.
Hiya, Dan. You can't really go wrong with the IMs. I don't own them but it seems like a solid design. I've heard that the screw can loosen over time (meaning not lock as securely) but I suspect that is from repeatedly dropping the dumbbells. Over time the force will tweak those screws. Adjustable dumbbells--even IMs--simply aren't meant to be dropped repeatedly even if some manufacturers claim it is ok. Cheers.
stupid me sold my iron masters with extension kit during covid for similar product to nuobells which have now broken
Great Video - not a single person recommending these products discusses this defect. I have just bought a Snode AD80 you reviewed a few months after this video as the internals are easily replaceable/fixable. And Snode are actually listening to your feedback on these reviews. Excellent work.
Heya, Kevin. Most fitness gear reviews--the vast majority of them--focus on usability/features and only anecdotally reference durability. What they miss is that the same audience genuinely cares about potential issues with an investment, especially for any gear with a number of small parts that may or may not be replaceable.
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I hope the people behind Nuobell watch my review, read the comments below the video, and make it their mission to eliminate the weakness, and simplify the design to make it repairable by customers. That will go a long way toward winning over new customers. And, since they're licensing the design to a number of other brands that white label it, those improvements might eventually make their way into a number of other alternatives on the market (Octabell, for example).
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By comparison, Snode entered the market much later in the West, and they're hungry for market share. They've started with an arguably "better" baseline product than Nuobell, and already demonstrate the willingness to improve that you alluded to. It'llbe interesting to see how the next couple of years play out.
Thanks for the video. I've been considering these but had some concerns in regards to the construction of the handle. I'm no longer considering them, thanks to this video.
Hiya SirC. My pleasure. I'm glad you found it helpful. I hope that the folks behind Nuobell read comments like yours and take this seriously. It's a decent dumbbell aside from the cam followers. If they solve that, then they'll definitely have a solid offering.
Almost bought them on black friday but thinking as my strength and weight increase the flat bench will force me to drop them at some point to get up and off the flat. Seeing this I made the right decision not to buy them so thanks AJI.
Glad this video was able to help, Moe. I know SMRTFT isn't going to look too kindly at a review like this, but it is what it is. Even though they don't warranty for drops and they warn against dropping the dumbbells, they still need to address the shortcoming because it can also affect people who have never dropped them.
Other than perhaps a more traditional bar/collar/pin design like IronMaster/Pepin, or potentially the Snodes that I plan to test, I can't think of any adjustables that you'll be able to drop repeatedly without damaging them. Even with Ironmaster/Pepin I have concerns about the long term durability if their pins or hollow grips begin to tweak from drops. Will they become jammed eventually? Or no longer lock securely? Time will tell.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC I just got a pair of Snodes (80Ib ones), so I am really looking forward to your video on their handle internal mechanisms. This video was helpful in making my decision on the Snodes over Nuobells. The downside for the 80Ib Snodes is the big jump in 10Ib increments, but the PlateMates that are sold on Amazon fix that problem with the exception of the Snodes not being able to start out on 5Ibs (10Ibs would be the lowest weight you can use for the Snodes). With that said, the PlateMates fit really well on each plate on the Snodes except for their fit on the last plates. I am not a guy who really needs to use the whole 80Ibs, so I don't need the PlateMates to fit the last plates. For those guys who lift heavy, an alternative to the Iron Masters and Powerblocks looks to be the new Pepin Fast Series (built in Canada). I saw them on Instagram and there might be a big market for them. They are very expensive though. I hope you take a look at those eventually if you can borrow a pair and look at their mechanics. You got my curiosity with how all of these dumbbells work.
Link to Pepins:
instagram.com/reel/Cg2Zbd1gZhH/?igshid=ZmVmZTY5ZGE=
I just ordered the MX85 Select Dumbbells yesterday due to their gearbox being actual metal parts and MX Select selling service kits for their handles in case there is any problems. They were on sale and in stock for $599 with free shipping. Nuobell has a current offer where you get a free stand if you order the matte black set but they wanted to charge me shipping, taxes AND they weren't expected to ship for 4-6 WEEKS! There was $280 difference between the Nuobell and the MX85 dumbbells. Yeah you got a "free" stand with the Nuobell but I would also have had to pay $280 extra to get it. After seeing this I am so glad I didn't spend hundreds more on the Nuobells.
Hiya, CraneD. Wise choice. Even if MX had chosen to use less durable parts, just designing the handle to be customer-repairable and making the parts available would still be a huge step up from Nuobell. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on one at some point just to do a tear down. I've heard that their parts can be replaced in mere minutes. Cheers.
Thank you! I have looked at these very closely along with all of the other adjustable dumbbells, and this is going to be a “No”. A set of these will set you back almost $900 without the stand. Way too much money for something you can’t fix, or will break at all for that matter.
One of the biggest limitations of today's fitness equipment "reviews" is that they focus entirely on aesthetics and use. There's really no deeper dive into how the product is designed, if it is repairable, if parts are available and what, if anything, may end of breaking on it down the road. I decided to (slowly) introduce a series of videos in which I look at what's going on inside these contraptions to better understand how they're built and how they compare.
There are people out there who appear to be using Nuobells regularly without any issues. I firmly believe it's simply a matter of time until the cam followers on their Nuobells begin to fail. One or two may have already failed and they don't notice it because of the internal redundancy. As more fail, the two sides of the handle will either get out of sync or begin locking in position. At that point there is only one option: a brand new handle, hopefully under warranty.
If Nuobell wants to continue to use its current design, it needs to address those cam followers. Or in a few years they're going to have a boatload of pissed off customers venting online.
I bought mine with the extended warranty, and I'm hoping that they'll have updated the handle for durability by the time mine fail, and I hope that mine both fail within the warranty period. I love how they operate, and they're perfect for my needs. Being able to sit on my bench, set the Nuobells into their cradles, switch the weight, and go for the next set has been a game changer. However, it's insane that there's so much plastic. They've got time to make it right, but I'm hoping someone will introduce a viable replacement that combines the convenience of the Nuobell with superior durability. The current construction quality leaves me with a feeling of impending doom, and that's not right for premium equipment.
Always wanted to see what was inside.
Great Post.
Thanks Anand. One of these days, if I ever get my hands on another Nuobell handle, I'll attempt disassembly without destroying it now that I understand how they are designed.
Thank you for this video. I almost bought these dumbbells. I absolutely despise plastic drive components. And I hate when things aren’t repairable.
Now I’m considering the mx select dumbbells because they are metal drive components and fully repairable at home with an inexpensive kit you can get from the manufacturer (according to their website.)
They have their own cons but at least they should last. It’s nice to hear that the knurling is weak because one cons of the MX is that it’s a rubber coated handle. But if the nuobell is a weak knurl that’s no better.
I hope this isn't a duplicate reply to you, Carl. If it is, I apologize for the redundancy. I got an error when submitting the reply earlier and had to refresh.
Some of the plastics on the Nuobell are incredibly tough. I definitely can't complain about the housings on each end. They took quite a beating during my early attempts to open them.
And they may have had some practical reason for why they chose to make the cam followers out of plastic. I just don't know what that reason might be. Whatever plastic they chose, it's not up to the task. If I ever make a replacement cam follower, my first attempt will be steel for sure. To me, that's a no brainer.
I definitely want to check out the MX. The fact that they sell repair kits and claim something like 15 minute repairs definitely caught my attention. We don't want our equipment to break, but when it does, the ability to repair the investment is a big deal. If you do end up getting the MX, I hope you'll come on back and share your thoughts about it. I'll do a tear down and test their repair claims if I ever get my hands on a pair.
I thought i had my mind set on Nuobells given the cost savings vs fixed DBs. But the more times i look at these tear-down videos the more i am leaning back towards fixed weights.
If you have the space and budget, fixed is definitely nice. And there are some really great looking racks out there. Though I know someone who recently sold off their entire rack set and went adjustable just to reclaim some of the limited space in his garage.
It depends on where you're at, and where you'd like to be. There are a number of great adjustable dumbbells out there beyond Nuobell. I tore down Snode which was interesting and has potential (video on my channel). Someone recently pointed me to MX which I have yet to check out but also seems to have potential. And then there are all of the usual names such as Powerblock, Ironmasters, Pepin, Badass, etc. In my opinion, Nuobell needs to address the cam follower issue and repair-ability if it wants to be a serious contender for your hard earned money and mine.
I was wonder what was inside! Thank you!!! 🙏
My pleasure. We'll take a look inside the Snode AD80 and Core dumbbell too, shortly. I hope you'll stay tuned! Cheers, Joe
Great video, Joe. I have a pair of these, and your input helps me understand what's going on with them. Its obvious (and unfortunate) that Nuobell had no intention of these being repaired or serviced - just replaced. While I think that they are outstanding adjustable dumbbells, it is inevitable that they will break down (at least the plastic follower cams) with time and wear. What that says to me is that Nuobell is selling warranties and handles, vs much cheaper and stronger steel cam followers. It seems they intentionally designed them with fragile plastic cam followers for eventual failure, and to not be repairable by the layman, even though steel cam followers would definitely add years of use before requiring repair/replacement.
Hiya, Bik. Did some of your cam followers shear off? I do hope the powers that be read comments like yours and choose to rethink their handle design sooner rather than later. At about $190 per replacement handle, for a handle that contains the very same design deficiency, they're doing their brand and their customers a disservice.
I have a Trulap dumbbell tear down video that I had originally hoped to publish several weeks ago, but I've not done so yet due to my crazy schedule. Once I finally publish that, take a look when you have time. You'll see the difference between a ridiculously easy to repair dumbbell, and Nuobell.
Wishing you and your family Happy holidays, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and all that good stuff!
Great video! Thank you so much for talking me through this. I just had to pull a handle off a Nuobell that had some bent rods and broken plastic. It had seen some sad days and was found in a garage sale. I had to take a hammer and punch to the extending rod to get it back into the main body of the handle and to get the weight plates off. Not a fun replacement!
Oh boy, that's definitely no fun, Derek. I hope you were able to get the replacement handle(s) for a reasonable price. Last I looked they ran about $190 each. I also hope the previous owner was upfront with you about the damage because there is almost no way that s/he didn't know the handle(s) had issues prior to selling the pair.
I had a similar problem. The numbers were out of sync and both the 5# weight cams wouldn't engage on one side of the handle. The cone and weight window plastics showed separation. The rod would extend. They sent a replacement handle. I was looking at the damaged handle to disassemble it and I gave up. It looks like the little clip is the key. How to depress that and remove the rod is another story. Thanks for tearing it down.
Hi J, do you still have that broken handle? In the pinned comment for this video I wrote instructions that I have not yet tested. You could take a crack at it. Or, if you aren't planning to do anything with that broken handle, I'd love to give it a go now that I've seen the internals. 😁
The cone and weight window plastic shows a huge concerning separation for me too, especially when you get to the heavier side.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Sorry it took so long. I can send you the piece if you want it.
I bought 2 pairs of 80lbs for my training studio. I've had them for 2 years, and looks like the that little plastic part finally gave away leading to a plate falling off when set to 25lbs. Your video explains the mechanics behind the problem. Now I have a handle replacement or competitor dumbbell in near future hmmm
Hiya iWay. I hope nobody was injured when that happened. I wouldn't waste time on designing a replacement. I'm even unlikely to make replacement cams for it. I haven't found a method (yet) to disassemble the handle such that the average consumer could reliably use that method to replace parts without ruining the handle. Definitely invest in a design of your own to blow it out of the water. That's what I've been doing (albeit slowly). But we need to be realistic. It's a very crowded market now with seemingly dozens of approaches to weight adjustment. If and when I come out with something original, I have no idea how well it'll actually do in the market. Good luck man! Cheers
I had a little bit of buyer's remorse after getting the Bowflex 1090s, especially when I saw how much more compact and uniform the shape of the Nuobells were compared to my Bowflex.
I've since replaced the handles on my Bowflexes with yours, and am glad I went with Bowflex now seeing how these Nuobells are designed. At least my dumbbells should last me quite a long time, especially with your disc replacements!
Awesome, I hope you get many years of use out of your 1090s. I wouldn't say I hate Nuobells. I just think at this point that the company needs to fix a couple issues. Once they do, it'll be a solid contender. I should mention that I just received another broken Nuobell handle from a subscriber who donated it to me to attempt a non-destructive tear down. I'm going to give that a go and let everyone know how it goes. If they can be disassembled non-destructively, there's at least a chance that they could be upgraded/repaired. I hope you'll stay tuned!
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC I'd love to see this video of a possible non-destructive disassemble.
@@Alexithymiander A while back one of my subscribers contacted me with an offer to send his broken Nuobell handles to me to attempt another tear-down now that I understand how they're build internally, but he never followed through. I did hear from another subscriber not more than a month ago with a similar offer. He says he's just waiting on his replacement handle to make sure Nuobell doesn't want the old handle back. Then he'd send it over to me so I can give this a go. Fingers crossed. I've been dying to take another crack at it.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC you could pin a post on every video you have asking for specific parts... That might greatly increase the amount of offers you're getting.
I'll send a handle your way if/when mine break.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLCquestion for you, did they ever do anything to address or admit this is an issue ? I just got a pair and now concerned. Is there a way for me to make them last as long as possible?
Thanks alot for making this phenomenal in-depth video. I was heavily looking into Nuobells, but have heard about the durability issues from multiple parties, and this video confirms it all. I just saw a comment of you replying to someone stating that you will be reviewing Snode next. That made me excited because Snode was one of the finalist on my list to picking dumbbells. Ironmasters are off my list sadly because they've been out of stock for ages. My final two choices are PowerBlock Pros and Snodes. I came across two deals for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. PowerBlock Pros with stage two going to 70lbs (will update to stage 3 later because I don't want to spend too much now), all costs with shipping and tax along with 15% off storewide will cost me $839. And with Snode 80 lbs. it's 20% off with free shipping final cost $856. The regular cost for Snodes are a bit over 1k. Before these deals are over, which of these two would you recommend? Thanks again in advance.
Hi Josh, I'm glad you found the video helpful. Here's my take as someone who owns several pairs/types of Powerblocks and now the baby Snode (AD28).
If you don't mind the boxy form factor of Powerblocks, they're still the king of the hill when it comes to expansion options. I spoke with the folks behind Snode and it seemed like they genuinely took my expansion suggestions to heart. We'll see if they try any of it down the road for future models.
So if you envision pushing past 80lbs, Powerblock is the way to go. Powerblock is also the simplest design with the fewest components. It's not uncommon to see 20+ yo PBs still in use. I prefer the PBs with welded plate connectors, not bolted. And the versions such as Pro EXP without the upper cross bars found on the USA Elite and Elite EXP. And if you're not opposed to used dumbbells, you can often pick PBs up for great prices from locals on Craigslist. I've even seen expansion kits on CL from time to time.
I expect to make the Snode tear down video in early December. I did take a peek under the covers already but I'll cover all of that in the video. It's a nice design with some serious potential. But the lack of expandability alone seems like it might not fit your plans.
Cheers, Joe
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Thanks a lot for the response! I agree with everything you said. The Snodes are absolutely gorgeous, but what is also attracting me to the PowerBlocks is the 90 lb capacity along with the attachment potential. For instance, the barbell attachment for the Pros gives you a weight potential of about 200 lbs. Perhaps I'm giving too much credit to the PowerBlock attachments? I'm sure the 80 lbs on the Snodes would be great enough for me, but the PowerBlock attachment variety is very tempting. There is also a private seller online who makes knurled metal handles for PowerBlocks if needed. This is going to be one of the toughest decisions I've had to make because these two options are so great. But man those Snodes are beautiful. Also I just figured out a hack for the Snodes! You can just buy 2.5 lb. Magnetic Donut shaped weight plates, stick them to each side of the dumbbells and you have your 5 lb increments! So your Snodes can actually go up to 85 lbs! Man this really is a tough decision lol. Both Snode and PowerBlock have extended their sale, so I only have a few more days to make a decision.
@@Dial_J_for_Josh I'm in the same boat as you, currently pondering whether to get the Powerblocks or the Snodes. What did you end up getting?
Started looking to get Ironmasters about a week ago and they are sold out like you said. How long have they been sold out and have they ever said anything about renewing stock?
@@sonofashepherd6668 Sorry, man, I wish I knew. None of these companies are very transparent about their inventories. I've heard from more than a few people who were given timelines that had long since passed. I'm not entirely sure what is going on. Could be supply chain issues.
Quite a few people online (including sources such as Sports Illustrated) incorrectly state that Ironmasters are made in the U.S. They aren't. Like some of my own products, they were designed here and made overseas. If they're made in China, the last few months have been brutal. Between pre-December lock-downs, forced energy conservation measures, and now Covid running rampant over there since the beginning of December, it's a challenge to get anything accomplished. And if they failed to get any inventory on a ship by yesterday, they're completely hosed until mid-February because China's Spring Festival and New Year factory shutdowns are underway. Shipping out mid-Feb means late March or early April arrival up in Washington State where they are based.
Thank you. Im happy to see your Video and buy another which more durability.
Hiya, M. I'm glad you found the video helpful. I hope you were able to find dumbbells better suited to your needs. Wishing you and your family a healthy, happy new year! Cheers, Joe
Very informative video 👍🏻 One of my Nuos actually broke in a different way in which the outermost weight disc at the 30kg setting falls off. Any clue if this is a fixable issue? Strangely it only happens at 30 kg, which is the second last setting.
I just got a set of these, is there a way I can make them last longer ? And have they ever officially said they are working on this ?
I LOVE THIS CHANNEL. Teardowns!
Awesome man! Stay tuned. Trulap and Non Zero Gravity tear downs coming up. Waiting on the dumbbells to get here.
Wonderful video. Thanks for showing us how it works!
My pleasure, Babu. I hope to do teardowns and comparisons of other popular adjustables in the future. I'd love to do some drop tests, but I don't have the $ for that yet. I hope you will stay tuned!
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC That would be cool. I know you said the core homefitness probably has the same mechanism but would you be open to do a tear down with that.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Crowd fund it? You have a fair amount of subscribers, and you don't seem to be sponsored. I'd trust you to do honest drop tests and would contribute to that.
Thanks joe
For your incredible knowledge..........
My pleasure. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on their allegedly new and improved Nuobell to find out if the internals live up to the hype.
Finally the video that explains the internals! The attachment of the main plate with 4 screws going into plastic doesn't make the design any better. I have recently returned a pair. I wish you made this video earlier :) Thanks a lot!
Wonder if you may have seen adjustable dumbbells from brand Snode? If so, are they any better? Thanks!
Hi Andrew, as far as I can tell, the two end plates attached with screws on the Nuobell handle serve at least 3 purposes and, as you noticed, none of those increase the durability of the dumbbell:
√ to increase the weight of the "empty" handle up to the intended starting weight
√ to cover the telescoping rod ends that protrude from the handle.
√ to ease alignment of the empty handle with the plates/base.
In contrast, Core brand's design uses telescoping rods that sit flush with the empty handle, and the handle weighs 5 lbs so there's no need for the Nuobell style fixed end plates.
I just bought a Snode AD28 five minutes ago for the heck of it to test it out. Supposedly, it'll be here in about a week. When it gets here I will break it down and make a video with my opinion of the design and build quality. The AD28 is their smallest Snode but representative of the design and its anti-drop claims. Here are a couple of initial impressions:
* pretty quick replies to my questions on their website chat. Friendly and helpful.
* weird that the dumbbells are the only product of 13 on their website that does not have a downloadable user manual, but the rep said she could get one for me. So we'll see if she does or if it comes in the box anyway.
* free shipping. If that applies to their AD50 and 80s as well, that's excellent
* design appears as if it may be durable...we shall see. I do plan to drop it purposely to test it. But the force generated in the drop test will not be the same as the force generated by the 50 or 80lb versions. So even if the 28 survives, we cannot automatically assume the 50 and 80 would too.
* I have been told that the handles and plates are not interchangeable between the models. So you can't just buy an expansion kit to go from the 50 to the 80 or the 28 to the 50, etc. Strange design decision but it is what it is. I wish they'd have standardized across all 3 models.
* AD50s are out of stock and they told me it could be 2-3+ months before they have more. This is why I chose to test the AD28 instead.
* they do sell a slightly lower priced "budget" version called the Loyo. I'm told that it uses some plastic for components that are metal on the Snode AD-series. Plastic isn't inherently worse. Some plastics outperform metals. But I've been told that the Loyo and its use of plastics can't withstand drops like the Snode ADs. I almost pulled the trigger on buying a Loyo 50lb but decided not to. At least not for now. Already I've got to find the time to fit in testing the AD28 when it arrives.
Stay tuned man. I'll show you all how the Snode compares to the Nuobell and Core.
Cheers,
Joe
Another great anatomy of an adjustable dumbbell! Thank you.
Awesome, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Snode is next on the list.
Thanks for the breakdown. Bought a pair. Now if / when they fail I'll know why and what to do about it. Hopefully they'll see this video or get enough feedback to constantly improve their design.
Glad you found it helpful, JYD. I hope you'll check back in now and again, and let us all know how they're holding up. It definitely helps to hear some real world feedback.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC It is mystifying on why they wouldn't make them at least out of the same aluminum as the slide.
@@neilvines8821how are they doing after 9 months?
Visiting over from Gluck's great video man, thanks!
Awesome! Thanks for visiting! I appreciated his shout out too
Thank you for making this video. I was trying to decide between the MX Select MX85 and the Nuobells 80 as a Christmas gift for my husband. I’ll go with the MX85 since it’s made of all metal gears
Hi OBL, Although metal parts can certainly have their own issues, and plastics can be superior to metals in the right applications, for the moment I think you made the right choice. If Nuobell addresses this issue down the road, they'll be worth a second look. And a very Merry Christmas to both of you!
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC As I understand it on the MX select mx85 and mx55 dumbbells they have and sell replacement parts kit for the handle that that they say takes about 10 minutes to repair the handle If it needs repair.
@@itsatoolthing6323 thanks for that insight. Right after I read your comment I did a few minutes of research just to confirm a few things. I'm only very vaguely familiar with MX in that I've seen the name pop up on social media. They're definitely worth a much closer look. I might buy one this Spring just to pull it apart and drop test it.
They display at least one photo of what appears to be a relatively simple and straightforward mostly metal assembly consisting of various gear/rack/pinion parts. And they do advertise repair kits ranging from $10-30 along with the 10-15 minute DIY repair claim. All-in-all, I think it is worth a closer look. Thank you again for that tidbit. It piqued my interest. Cheers, Joe
Great video. This along with your Snode video certainly shows a strong contrast in built quality as well as a bit of misleading advertising from Snode which I was under the impression was all metal as well after watching their product videos. After looking at both products I think neither may not be a good long term investment and instead getting something more like a core adjustable set might be the way to go, if only for the fact that if it breaks you are only out half as much as either of these choices. Thanks for putting these videos together.
Thanks for the insight Joe! I was about to buy a pair of these, but decided to take a look at your tear down video first, and I'm glad I did!
Now it's a question of whether to wait for an upgraded version of the product, or go with something else that can be repaired if/when it breaks.
Glad to help, A.T. I'm not sure if Nuobell has any current plan for a redesign. The original Flexbell was introduced maybe 16 or so years ago. About 9 years ago they made a few changes such as decreasing the weight increments from 4kg to 2kg. Then they changed the name to Nuobell maybe 4-ish years ago. Other than that, I don't think they've altered the design in any significant way since 2013 or so.
I do plan to make a follow-on to my Snode teardown video to discuss what I have recently learned about the Snode AD80 as it compares to the 28 and 50. In terms of being able to potentially "abuse" and repair a dumbbell, Snode shows promise.
I believe that these are a universal handle. I purchased the Bolt Octabell Adjustable Dumbbell set and they have the exact same handle. Now both of my handles came in broken. Currently still waiting for replacement from Bolt but it is 100 % identical.
Hi, Jose. NÜO Athletic Innovation in Sweden licenses the design to a boatload of resellers worldwide. So you'll find this same basic design under a number of other brand names with minor cosmetic changes, usually to the weight plates (like the Octabell), not the handles. Are you saying that two handles arrived broken, brand new, right out of the box? Wow. Sorry to hear that.
Has Bolt required you to return the broken handles in order to obtain replacements? If Bolt does not need you to return them, would you be interested in parting with those broken handles? I have two broken handles here, but I am in search of a few additional broken handles to experiment with as I research ways to make these handles repairable/upgradable.
@Average Joe Innovations Yes they both arrived broken but so was the box it came in. Bolt sent me pictures of the boxes before they left the warehouse. UPS delivered it in a complete mess. Bolt has not requested them back so I have no issue in parting with them. Once the new ones came in, I was going to trash them. I did have to force the weights off by hitting the center bolt down.
@@LuDogg215 Man that's terrible. Sorry to hear UPS created that mess for you, Jose. I quit using UPS back in 2020. I got tired of dealing with corporate. Now I only use them if a customer is willing to accept the risks. If it isn't too much trouble for you, would you please send an email to me at joe@averagejoeinnovations.com I'd definitely be interested in getting those handles to see how they compare to the other broken Core handles that I have. I can't promise that I'll come up with a realistic fix, but I'm taking a serious look at it. I look forward to hearing from you. Cheers, Joe
very helpful video. i was wondering if snode adjustable dumbbells are better than nuobell or core. do u prepare a video discussing how to pull apart and how does it compare with other adjustable dumbbells
Hi Sam, Sorry about the late reply. I've not been on UA-cam for the past few months. I do have two Snode tear down videos if you search my UA-cam channel, but no step-by-step disassembly video for the Nuobell at this point. Primarily because I have yet to come up with a way to disassemble Nuobell handles without breaking them. If you can't find the Snode videos, shoot me an email and I will send the links to you. Cheers, Joe
Great video. I sat mine down today using 75 lbs. Sat them at a slight angle and the handle broke. I assume a mechanism inside bent. Very disappointing for them to break after just sitting them down at an angle.
Oh man, sorry to hear that happened to you. Thanks for letting everyone know about it. When you wrote that it broke, did you mean that you're no longer able to turn the handle to adjust the weights, as if it is seized? It's possible that a rod bent, or that one or more cam followers sheared off.
Have you contacted the retailer/manufacturer? If so, what was the result? In the event that they send a replacement handle, I would be interested in obtaining and dissecting your old handle to see if it's what I suspect, or a different type of failure. Shoot me an email at joe@averagejoeinnovations.com . Thanks again for sharing how it happened so that others may avoid doing this. Cheers.
Hey! The inner most plate won’t latch on. One of the pins that hold in the inner most plate no longer engages when the dial is twisted. I think when I sat it down at an angle it must have bent something in there. I’m thankful for your video because otherwise I would’ve tried to rip it apart and it wouldn’t be functional at all 😅Luckily, they are still functional but I can only use them at 5-15-25-45-55-65-75 weights. . I emailed support and I’m waiting to hear back. I’ll keep you posted!
Glad i went with the bowflex over the neubells in canada these go for like between 800 and 1000 dollars....At least with your upgrades i can keep my bowflex in good condition
Thank you thank you. On a completely unrelated note, I picked up my favorite electric (corded) impact wrench from Canadian Tire 19 years ago and it's still going strong. That baby goes in my trunk with a converter for roadside repairs. :-)
Yes, I've been using these for about a year. Then, my wife decides to use them for the first time, twists one of the handles, and it goes out of alignment. I'm thinking, how does a 110 pound lady break one of these handles? Now, thanks to your video, I know how. Plastic has its place, but obviously not for the cam followers. Now I know this will be an ongoing issue.
Unfortunately, it doesn't take much force. I suspect the damage isn't occurring in one shot. With each turn of the handle, those aluminum rods are probably gradually chewing away at the plastic cams until, eventually, one or more give way. And at that point the handle is toast.
I've spoken with multiple people who receive brand new units with broken handles. It's unclear exactly why they arrived broken. According to them, the sellers provided replacements free of charge which is great. Unfortunately, those new handles will eventually fail too.
I'm glad you found the video helpful. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I hope you'll check out my upcoming Trulap and Non Zero Gravity dumbbell tear downs.
Thank you for this video, I ordered Powerblocks! ;)
Hi, Nikola. Nuobell may not like to read that, but hey, I hope they see it and do something to fix it on their next generation of the design. You can't go wrong with Powerblocks, man. I own several pairs. I make knurled grips for them, and I've got other Powerblock mods in the hopper too. Cheers, and happy holidays!
Good job! Sold mine 🎉
I haven't received a Nuobell cease and desist letter yet, so that's a positive...lol. I hope you found something more suitable and durable for you. Cheers, Joe
Great video!
Thanks Jaryn. I'm glad you found it helpful.
So happy i stumbled upon this video. I was debating between Nuobell and another newer D.B. that came out which is the Trulap.. Very similar with the twist selector more weight and more metal on the outside but i'm assuming the inside is plastic too. Have you heard anything about the Trulap dumbells ? Awesome breakdown by the way
Hey Bigdog. I'm glad you found the video, but I think you're really going to like what I write next. My Trulap will arrive today. Purchased with my own funds. It did take them a couple weeks to finally ship out to me, but I was in no rush. I had received a number of requests to tear one down, so I decided I'd do that as soon as I have the time toward the end of this month, beginning of next. I also have a brand new Non Zero Gravity dumbbell to tear down too. I hope you'll stay tuned for those. Figure within the next couple weeks. Cheers.
This is awesome Joe! I almost pulled the trigger on a pair of Trulap today then saw your reply. I will wait for your tear down now 👍
Liked and subscribed!
Awesome video, thank you so much. I'd never buy adjustable dumbbells with critical plastic parts. Such low quality. Powerblocks 4ever
Glad you found it helpful, TVW. Plastic isn't inherently bad. I wouldn't want to give you that impression. Some plastics can be incredibly strong and flexible and eliminate gouging, deformation, oxidation, etc. Sometimes it's just a matter of spec'ing the right plastics for the application. I'd still prefer steel pins in this specific Nuobell application, but there may be a plastic out there that's capable of doing the job.
Powerblock is a great example. At one time there was a CNC machined aluminum Powerblock. A beautiful version of the product. But the company discovered that it could mold plastic bodies that perform well at a lower cost. Now all Powerblocks have plastic bodies, including the Comm Pro which maxes out at something like 175lbs per hand.
So it all comes down to spec'ing the right material for the job. And we know the folks behind Nuobell dropped the ball with that part of their design. Cheers.
I noticed core fitness rod is full while nuobells’ is halved. They do look similar in design but I wonder which one provides stronger moment arm. Please consider taking the core handle apart Since you have both types.
Hi Jessica, it'd definitely be an interesting comparison, but I'd prefer to find an already broken Core handle for two reasons. First, we can explore why the handle broke, and second because, like the Nuobell, I may further damage the handle in my first attempt to take it apart when the steps aren't initially obvious.
Thanks to the tear down in the video above, I believe I may have learned how to disassemble a Nuobell non-destructively. If I encounter another broken Nuobell handle, I'm going to test my ideas and let everyone know if I successfully disassemble it without damage Though there are no aftermarket parts for Nuobell yet, so at this point it's all purely informational.
If I do get my hands on a broken Core handle, I'll definitely do a tear down, especially to see if they can be repaired/upgraded. The center shaft for Core is some type of plastic. But until I have one apart I couldn't tell you much about how that shaft is secured inside the handle. Let's hope one crosses my path in the months ahead.
What is the function of the small black center “long stick” between the two halved rods? Thank you for looking into this
@@jessicavotran I'm glad you found it helpful. I suspect the engineer(s) needed a solid central shaft on which the two telescoping halves could slide and remain aligned. The shaft is a fixed length so it doesn't extend in either direction or bear any of the weight of the plates. Consequently, each of the two half-cylinder telescoping rods bear the weight of the plates on one half of the dumbbell.
I'm guessing here, but dropping the Nuobell, especially at an angle, may tweak/bend a telescoping rod just enough that it will no longer retract properly. That is in addition to the possibility of shearing those plastic cam followers.
Thanks for the video, great break down! I'm hesitant to order these, I've had similar experiences with cheap plastic parts when dealing with my nutri-bullet and Samsung vacuum. As you showed, these were not built for longevity, even if you do not drop weights you still will have deteriorating cam followers.
Could you review the core home adjustable dumbbells?
There are some strong plastics out there capable of holding their own against metal counterparts. But that's definitely not the case inside the Nuobell. I'd love to have the skill necessary to identify the specific plastic used but that's outside my wheelhouse. To your closing point, I think that's the number one issue. Wearing down and eventually shearing those cam followers simply by using the dumbbell as it was intended to be used...twisting the handle to set the weights.
As soon as I'm done with shipping out all of my customer's orders this week, I plan to tackle a Snode AD28 teardown. I've already "cheated" and had a peek, but I look forward to sharing it with all of you.
I've been actively keeping an eye out for a broken Core handle to dissect. I own a pair of Core dumbbells and have some ideas about what's likely inside. But I haven't tried to take them apart because, like the Nuobell, they have no obvious external fasteners. I don't want to potentially ruin one of my handles trying to take it apart. But rest assured, when I find a handle I can mess with, we'll take a look inside.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Great, sounds like a plan. The goal is to find adjustable dumbbells that keep a slim profile as you change weights. I haven't looking into Snode, I'll check it out as I await your teardown. :D
Yeah. The old magic bullet blender taught me the lesson that plastic drive parts are silly. Before that broke on me I didn’t realize that someone would ever make such a stupid design. I have since bought a vitamix and am always trying to avoid plastic drive components in any tool if possible.
@@CarlYota We've had our Vitamix for like 5 or 6 years now and it is used nearly every day. In the long run solid design and quality are more important than marketing gimmicks. Nuobells fall into the marketing gimmick category IMO.
It would be a good business to make all metal replacement handles, or atleast the critical internals. I'm sure the owners would upgrade.
Hi Milton. Technically, someone could completely redesign the handle mechanism and maintain compatibility with the plates and base. No small project, but definitely doable. I don't want to give the false impression that plastic is inherently bad. There are many excellent uses for it. We just need to understand which plastics makes sense for specific applications. In some applications, a plastic may be the best choice. I just don't think it was a good choice for the cam followers in this application. If I do end up making replacement cam followers for this handle, I'll probably try stainless steel first and see how it goes.
Thank you for the great explanation!
Ohne question: Do you know, how long this one was used before getting damaged/sheared off?
Hi Anto, I'm not exactly sure. I just sent an email to the person who sent it to me. I'll let you know what he says.
By the way, I received another broken Nuobell handle a couple months ago. I've not yet had a chance to see if I can take it apart non-destructively. But I will attempt that shortly. The person who donated that handle said his brand new Nuobell's arrived that way...with one broken handle inside the protective carton. He's not sure how it was damaged in transit to him. Fortunately Nuobell replaced the handle at no charge, though it took a few months for them to do that. I hope you will stay tuned for attempt number 2!
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Thank you! Of course I will!
As all great content 👌 👏 👍
Thank you Mr.S!
One of my dumbbells is stuck and I’m trying to remove the handle. How do you force the shade to detract so you can remove the weights? I saw an official video where the guy taps the shaft lightly with a screwdriver/hammer but even doing it with a decent amount of force doesn’t seem to move it for me.
Hi, Alan. Sorry about the delayed reply. I've been overseas for 5 weeks with limited internet access, and I'm back now playing catch up with orders and answering questions. Were you able to solve this already?
If the handle is already not retracting normally, chances are excellent that one or more internal cams have already sheared off. It *could* work for a bit longer depending on just how many of the internal cams are still functional, but you'll likely need to replace the handle.
I say this because forcing the shaft back into the handle will probably further damage it by shearing any cams that aren't already damaged.
I would try this: have one person hold the handle of the dumbbell while it is firmly in its base. That will unlock the ability to retract the shafts. Otherwise, If you attempt this with the handle out of the base, you'll be fighting the locking mechanism. Have a second person tap the jammed shaft with a hammer and whatever long narrow blunt object you have available. A rod or punch would be ideal, but a long thick screwdriver could work. Your goal is to drive that shaft back through the center of the plates into the handle. While tapping the shaft, have the first person try to rotate the grip to its lowest weight setting to "assist" in the retraction of the shaft.
Note that if the two half shafts are already out of sync such that one is extended further outward than the other, then the tapping will very likely shear the remaining cams on the jammed side. Let me know how it goes...or if you already did it. Cheers.
Which dumbbells would you recommend for durability snodes, powerblocks sport or the powerblocks urethane?
Hi Ronin, somewhere in the comments of this video or my Snode tear down there should be a very detailed reply that I wrote in response to the same question from someone else. There are so many things to consider. For example, Powerblock kicks butt as far as growing with you. A Sport EXP at 50 that you can expand to 70 and 90. Snode can't do that, at least not currently. But Snode offers a traditional form that you can use one or two-handed, which really isn't an option with PB. They can both be used with magnetic adders. They are both fairly compact in the world of adjustable dumbbells, and neither one is fixed width which is a plus. Both have pretty solid construction.
Of course Powerblock has the track record here with 3 decades in the biz and dumbbells that are still in use after 30 years. But Snode strikes me as a hungry newer brand eager to build a loyal fan base. Technically they've been around a few years and only threw their hat into the adjustable dumbbell market more recently.
I know the urethanes look good, but unless Powerblock resolved the issues with the urethane delaminating and also cracking at the joints, I'd stay clear of them. Plus, they're just more bulky than they need to be. All of that urethane added size without adding weight. Put a Sport EXP or Elite EXP side by side with any urethane PB and you'll immediately see what I mean.
I think you might like both the Sport/Elite EXP Powerblock and Snode AD80 for different reasons. So it's more a matter of which one better fits the way you like to work out.
@Average Joe Innovations thank you so much for the response. I also checking videos on the ironmaster dumbbells. What is your opinion on those? By the way are you still gonna do the drop test videos?
Great video
Thanks Matt! More to come. I hope you'll stay tuned!
You just saved me alot of money.
Oh man, now I'm going to check my mailbox tomorrow for a Nuobell legal love letter. ;-)
They might have made it non-repairable to prevent people from taking it apart to repair or adjust it themselves and then injuring themselves due to missuse or improper repair. So it could be like this to limit liability. The cost of replacing the whole handle might be less than dealing with possible lawsuits, etc. This video was excellent. Based on the current design, I wouldn't get these. I like the concept and hope they can improve or another company can.
Hi, Andrew. I'm glad you found the video helpful. Hopefully they'll address the issue. I recall seeing an older Flexbell teardown somewhere online. Not a video, but a series of photos and captions. It appears that at one time these things could be disassembled more easily.
There's definitely the potential for liability from injury during proper use. I'm no lawyer, but from what I can tell improper use, abuse, and injuries as a result of DIY repair generally aren't covered. Otherwise industries such as automobile manufacturing would be wide-open to liability claims from DIY owner repairs. One thing is certain: DIY repairs nearly universally void any remaining warranty.
Someone just reached out to me recently and they have a broken Nuobell handle. It arrived broken as part of a brand new dumbbell pair. Fortunately, they will receive a replacement handle under warranty. I'm looking into acquiring that handle to (hopefully) do a non-destructive tear down now that I know how the internals are configured. If I succeed with such a tear down, and I accomplish it in a way that others can fairly easily follow, there may be a way to upgrade these handles down the road, especially after warranties have run out. We shall see. I hope you'll stay tuned. Until then, Happy Holidays!
It is more likely to make you buy another pair when they fail. Their warranty is only 2 years, so they know it will fail sooner rather than later and they don't want to foot the bill.
Thank you for this video. I am really wanting/thinking about buying second hand nuobells. I am worried about the handle breaking, by any chance do you know the price of replacement handles? Or should i just start calling and asking the different sellers that sell nuobells? Thanks in advance.
Hi Skrimpz. Your best bet is to contact SMRTFT. They can point you in the right direction. I vaguely recall seeing prices that range from $90 to $180-ish for individual empty handles. Though I can't recall if those were knockoffs or OEM.
If I get my hands on another broken Nuobell handle, I plan to use what I learned from the previous handle to attempt disassembly without ruining the handle in the process. Once I figure that out, I'll know if it's worth making repair kits for them.
Can i ask what adjustable dumbbells you think have the best design/value? I'm looking to buy a set and thought i would choose nuobell but this changed my mind. Thanks for all your hard work and quality content!
For best durability and best feel, my vote would be Ironmaster. For speed of changes with good durability and a fairly good feel IF you buy a set of aftermarket knurled handles, I vote Powerblock. My biggest complaint with Powerblocks is the adder weights, which are a PITA to change imho.
There are two main types of adjustable dumbbell.
First you have the more traditional approach. That involves a handle, plates, and some sort of collars/pins to secure those plates to the handle. The plates are stored separately and added one at a time to change weights. Traditional "bar and collar" dumbbells, including the inexpensive sand filled and cast iron stuff you find at department stores, are in this group. I'd lump Ironmasters, Pepin and Badass into this group too for one simple reason: they're just fancier versions of the same basic concept. They came up with novel alternatives to slip-on collars, and they did away with fixed length handles. I don't own any of them, but they appear to be simple and built to last. I suspect their large notched/threaded locking pins could eventually cause issues if the dumbbells are dropped regularly. I only recall one video of what appeared to be an Ironmaster coming apart during a chest press and dropping plates. I don't know the cause. Possibly a pin that wasn't properly secured.
Then there's the second group. This is closer to what I believe to be the spirit and intent of modern adjustable dumbbells. A stack of weights in a base into which you insert a handle. Selector pins/levers/knobs/dials/grips that you slide, twist or rotate to set the amount of weight you wish to secure in the handle. Some have fixed length handles, while others have handles that grow/shrink according to the weight setting. Pretty much all of the other brands fall into this category. Bowflex, Ativafit, Weider, Merax, Snode, Nuobell, Core, MX, etc. It's a lengthy list. They tend to be more complex with lots of little moving parts. You'll find more plastics (not that it's inherently terrible), and unlike the first group, you can't adjust the weight at all (up or down) without returning the handle to its base. The complexity and convenience of some comes at the expense of durability. It depends on the overall design and materials. Some of these dumbbells, such as the recently mentioned MX and Snode appear to be built a bit more sturdy than others.
Powerblock sort of straddles these two groups with some characteristics of each. I think the single biggest issue anyone really has with Powerblock is its form factor. The blocky look and "hand cage" vibe isn't for everyone. The second biggest issue is the clunky adder weight mechanism that's limited to 2.5 and 5lb increments and causes the handle to feel imbalanced at times. And they aren't without their share of controversy. PB was at the receiving end of a class action suit in 2017. Its urethane dumbbells were not holding up well. Apparently they didn't age well in hot sunny climates. The rest of their line-up is solid.
Disclaimer: I own several different pairs and models of Powerblock, Bowflex SelectTech, Core, and one Snode with another arriving supposedly in February. Although each brand has its pros and cons, I don't think you can go wrong with Powerblock. Maybe a Sport or Pro EXP, or if you want something more compact, an Elite EXP or Elite USA. Or if you want something truly gargantuan, the Commercial Pro 175 which is the King of the Hill of adjustable dumbbells at up to 175 lbs per hand. If you don't mind the appearance and feel, you'll likely own them for decades and pass them down to the next generation.
Good luck with your search, Vex. I hope you find dumbbells that work best for you. Cheers, Joe
Can you do one on the snode dumbbells?
Absolutely...here are two of my Snode tear downs:
ua-cam.com/video/PBK_f9RTYmw/v-deo.html
and
ua-cam.com/video/pE1ridBICYM/v-deo.html
Cheers, Joe
Glad I came across this video.. debating between Nuobell and Powerblock.. powerblock it is
Hi, Cristina. Sorry about the delayed reply. I was away on a trip for 5 weeks overseas with limited internet access. I'm back in the States now and playing catch up with filling orders and answering questions. You can't really go wrong with Powerblocks. I know some folks don't like the shape or the adjustment mechanism, but it's a proven design with decades of sales. I own several pairs. In fact, I make custom knurled stainless steel grips for them these days: knurledgrips.com So if you buy Powerblocks and find that the grip feels a bit too thick for you, or you just prefer something with a more traditional grip, I've got you covered. Cheers.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC absolutely i will check these grips! I was thinking of gifting myself with some PB dumbbell for my birthday this November!
I just bought a pair of Snodes 80lbs dumbbells...mechanism s/b very similar to Nuobells/Core. Assuming I never drop them, would it help maintain the inner mechanisms to spray some WD40 into them? Thx!
Hi James, Hypothetically, it wouldn't hurt. WD-40 is safe for many plastics and metals. But WD-40 isn't a lube in the same sense as, say, a dry silicone lube (which is what I'd use, if needed) . The gears inside the Snode remain mostly stationary. They only rotate slowly during weight adjustment, and not really under any load. I'll definitely be sure to discuss lubricants when I film the Snode tear down in December.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC looking forward to it, thx!
I bought a set of after market nuobells. Anyone know if the Nuobell handles will fit on them?
Hi, FunkMaster, Sorry about the late reply. I've not been on UA-cam for the past few months. You likely already found an answer by now, but the aftermarket handles *should* fit if the manufacturer copied the original design. The challenge with aftermarket (and even some OEM) parts is that different manufacturers play by different rules. So a pair from one source may fit beautifully, while a pair from another source may not fit at all. Cheers, Joe
No set of dumbbells can be used permanently. It will not appear now, and I believe it will not appear in the future. This is easy to understand, because there is no permanent non oxidizing, wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant material in the world. If there were, it would have been used in the material production of the space shuttle. What I said is not a joke. In other words, even if you are using the traditional round head rubber covered dumbbells, the rubber will age in about five years, so there is nothing invincible. I think some people commented on the dumbbells of PowerBlock series, but have you ever thought that they really look like toasters rather than dumbbells, so there are many problems in use. The most important thing is that the pwoerblock dumbbells are too large and the volume is too large, so there is a risk of collision during the promotion process. I think the design of nuobell dumbbells is very classic, not only classic, but also art should be used to call nuobell dumbbells. Many people suspect that there are many plastic materials used in the dumbbells. That is because you don't fully understand the dumbbells. In other words, if plastic parts are not used, metal parts are used instead of plastic, but the flexibility of metal is very poor. Once metal fatigue occurs, it will bend or break. For example, you doubt the plastic snap on the bell piece, but you should know that this place is replaced by a metal part. The dumbbell is often lifted and put down. If the metal part is bent, your bell piece can not be put up, and the whole dumbbell weight replacement system will be damaged. However, if plastic parts are used instead, the durability will be greatly enhanced, which is why Nuobell dumbbells use many plastic parts. The designers of Nuobell will not be foolish enough to test the products before they leave the factory, but also put them on the market for testing. They should know more about the materials used than we do. In addition, you can't have both fish and bear's paw. Nuobell dumbbells have met the needs of too many people.
Hi Henry, I don't disagree with some of your points. Specifically that materials such as plastic and metal should be carefully selected based on their intended applications. I cover this topic in a newer video teardown of Snode brand dumbbells. I mention permanent metal deformation versus plastic resilience, friction and other considerations.
However, I stand by my assessment of Nuobell in this video. These Nuobells do fail for the reason I pointed out in the video, and it isn't simply a matter of eventually failing several years down the road due to aging materials. These failures occur within weeks, months or a couple years of use. The outer shell of its handle isn't the problem. Its plastic exterior shell is incredibly tough. The main problem is its cam followers. Fixing the cam follower issue would be a step in the right direction for Nuobell.
Powerblocks have a boxy design that is definitely not for everyone. I have a love-hate relationship with mine. But the brand has 3 decades of sales history of a virtually unchanged design concept. Its simplicity is key to its long-term durability and popularity. Have you used them? I know Coop over at Garage Gym Reviews feels the same way. He says as much in this video clip: ua-cam.com/video/mkpoN4hVE-I/v-deo.html. Look to the left in that clip and you will see the Powerblock Commercial 175 side-by-side with a similarly sized Nuobell less than half its weight.
Consumers generally do not expect a product to last forever. But they do expect to get more than just a handful of months or years of use from several hundred dollar fitness equipment investments. And when something small breaks, consumers generally expect to be able to fix/replace it without having to replace an entire major component. An analogy would be if you had to replace the entire engine in your vehicle each time its water pump failed versus simply replacing the water pump.
You speak as if a product lasting 2 years and 60 years are on the same plain simply because neither lasts forever.
Powerblocks aren't particularly cumbersome until you get past the 90-lb mark. The fact that they're square is purely a cosmetic concern and doesn't impact function. In terms of durability, as someone who buys, sells and services gym equipment, I can tell you that I routinely come across Powerblocks that are 20+ years old and still function like new. Ditto for Ironmaster. They may not last forever, but they're lasting a lot longer than Nuobells, which seem to be failing in less than 3 years in most cases.
As for bare metal dumbbells, there are plenty of bells out there that are 60+ years old and still "straight and tight" as we say. As for coated dumbbells, rubber won't break in 5 years unless you're keeping them outdoors. Ten years in a damp basement and they'll start to show some signs of deterioration. Double that up to twenty years if you have a climate/humidity controlled home gym. Or you could just opt for urethane. You can pass those on to your kids and they will won't have broken down in most indoor environments. I have urethane-coated plates that are about 25 years old and they haven't shown any signs of breakdown yet.
Have you watched this video from Nuobell: ua-cam.com/video/ux6vc_dqalk/v-deo.html ? At least it seems like you can "repair" the system by changing the whole handle. Waht do you think about this? I don´t own Nuobells but I´m considering buiyng a pair. I know thinks will break after a while, that just happens to mechanical systems. So for me it´s important to be able to use them after a breakdown...
Hi DC, just seeing this comment now. It was "held for review" for some strange reason.
You can definitely always replace the handle. Though someone else just recently mentioned that a single replacement handle from Nuobell costs around $185. Yowzers. Depending on the circumstances under which these handles might fail, and the frequency, I'd be concerned about the long term costs.
Yet another person contacted me recently to offer up another broken Nuobell handle. He plans to send it to me if Nuobell doesn't require him to return it as part of the warranty process. Apparently, Nuobell has been stringing him along for several weeks with promises of a replacement handle. Not cool. If he is able to send it to me, I will attempt to non-destructively disassemble it. If I succeed, and the process is reliable and repeatable, I *may* make some replacement metal cam followers for it. Right now those are big "ifs". Hopefully I'll have something more to share about this over the next few months.
I had 20lbs on it and it fell from 18in to the padded gym mat. Cost me $225 for the same cheap replacement handle. Had I to do it all again I would’ve never purchased the nuobell.
Wow, thanks for sharing this with the rest of us. I have no direct experience with using the Nuobell beyond tearing one down, so your real world experience is valuable. I suspected the internals might be fairly delicate, but just 20lbs to a padded mat is worse than I imagined. Are you outside the U.S.? I ask only because the last time I looked at their replacement handle pricing it was $190. So I'm curious is the price went up or if that's the cost with shipping or something.
My general rule of thumb with all adjustable dumbbells--even the ones that are marketed as "droppable"--is to never drop them from any height onto any type of surface, or use them as pushup handles in exercises such as Renegade Rows or Devil's Press. Most adjustables aren't made to handle those forces. They're designed to retain the relatively light individual plates on the handle. With each drop, we risk damage. I know for some folks that just sucks. Being able to let go of the dumbbells a foot above a mat *shouldn't* be something we have to worry about. But even higher end dumbbells such as Pepin's Fast come with warnings not to drop them. So we're best off if we just set them down every time.
The challenge with Nuobells is that drops aren't their only weakness. Several subscribers have contacted me with stories about how their Nuobells simply stopped adjusting weights, or adjusted the two sides out of sync while the handle is still in its base. So, we'll see how these things hold up over the next several years even when they aren't dropped. Thanks for watching the video! Cheers.
The grip on my Nuobell is seized and stuck on 40lbs. I ordered new grips and paid a lot of money and didn’t know the price was for one grip only. I ordered the black one and the original is silver. The black one for some reason has less aggressive knurling compared to the silver ones. So now I have a black and silver grips, one with different grip knurling. I’m still trying to figure out how to remove the weights from the broken grip their instruction video is so useless. With a mild tap, the weights should come right off. I’ve been hammering away and dented the rods and the weights are still on. It’s so frustrating. Once they all break completely I will never buy another product from this company. I never drop my dumbbells and handle them with care I will look elsewhere maybe Snode dumbbells.
$745 for a pair of the 80 lbs dumbbells and $185 + shipping for a replacement handle
Hi Rickey. Wow, you confirmed $185+ for a replacement Nuobell handle out of warranty? Yikes. I suspect they'll be selling quite a few replacement handles in the years ahead.
Someone who saw my Nuobell tear down reached out to offer up another broken Nuobell handle. I hope to receive that within the next month or two. If I can find a way for us everyday people to disassemble these at home without destroying them, I might consider making a couple key replacement components.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Yes, it is confirmed as I need a replacement and reached out to them.
Thank you for saving me $800+ dollars!
One of these days Nuobell will either fix the issue, prove that it isn't an issue, or send me a beautifully worded cease and desist letter. ;-) I hope you find the right dumbbells for you, Alex. Good luck with your search.
Pretty ingenious handle for when it works. And for $750+ all that should be metal, not plastic or nylon.
It is, but Snode and Trulap implement the same basic approach (telescoping rods) using fewer parts, and in a way that you and I can DIY repairs if parts fail. Considering how long Nuobells have been on the market, the other two brands may have had the benefit of reverse engineering and improving on the design.
Although I'm a big fan of metal components (and built a business around it), it is entirely possible to produce a durable plastic component, and to make it easy to replace in the event that it does break. This is where the folks at Nuobell failed. Cheers, Joe
Uff, hmm... you really gave me doubts now🥴 I almost click buy and now I am not sure... Those small plastic pins and gears really doesn't looks to last for a long time.
Hi DIY. This is one of those situations where I haven't personally put the dumbbells through any sort of rigorous test. I don't even own a pair. It's just a Nuobell handle that had already failed and it was provided to me to take a closer look at why it failed. So we have to weigh my findings in this video against real-world use by Nuobell's customers. I feel fairly confident in stating that many of the Nuobell handles of this type will fail due to the cam followers. The question to me isn't "if" but "when".
For each brand of adjustable dumbbell--especially brands such as Bowflex that have been around for decades--you'll find a percentage of customers whose equipment broke fairly quickly, and another percentage who claim to have had zero issues after 5, 10 or even 15 years of use. Nuobell hasn't really been around long enough for anyone to claim, definitively, that they have long-term durability. It's just my opinion that they do not in their current configuration.
Keep an eye out for my Snode tear down in a couple weeks. I just bought one of their dumbbells after another follower asked for my opinion about them. They have a really interesting design. Approximately the same price range as Nuobell, and they not only look like they can be disassembled, but the company confirmed for me that they will sell replacement parts to install yourself if ever the need arises after the warranty ends. All positives, but I'll personally review and discuss how they're built in a couple weeks. I hope you'll stay tuned!
Hi again DIY. Your other reply got caught up in UA-cam's filter. When I clicked what I thought was approval, apparently I accidentally deleted it. Sorry about that. Fortunately I remember what you had written so I'll reply here.
The cam followers on the Nuobell aren't directly responsible for holding the weight plates. Their primary function is to extend and retract the telescoping rod. So when those cam followers shear off, I believe it is unlikely the handle would drop plates. Instead, you would no longer be able to adjust the weights properly. Either the handle would lock up completely and not allow you to turn the grip at all, or when you turn the grip one side would adjust and the other would be out of sync or not adjust at all. So it appears to be less of a safety issue and more of a product durability issue if you suddenly find yourself with the handle stuck on a weight setting, unable to change it.
The Snode link that you had sent (the one from Alibaba) shows what appears to be their budget model. The version that is on its way to me is supposed to be their premium model. So when I pull it apart and test it we'll see precisely how well their top-of-the-line is made and how it holds up. From there we can make some educated guesses about the budget version for now, until I have the time and budget to take a look at their budget version too.
More to come! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy your weekend.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Hi
Don't worry about my comment. I still see it. Only the link doesn't work anymore.
Yeah I know what can happen if the pin is broken = can't use it anymore... That 700€ hanging on some small plastic pin is pretty weird. And they want to be some EU - Swedish high value brand name...
I am looking now at Snode AD80. Looks better. I only don't like that it can change weight for 10lbs. That's a pretty big "jump" I think. They are also not avalibale in EU.
Thnx for your nice wishes. We have bad weather here, so it will be more inside next to fireplace:)
Have a nice weekend too!
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC According to their website, Snode only offer ONE YEAR of warranty which is pretty worrisome.
@@SomeFrenchDude Hiya Lash. Possibly, but I strongly believe there's only a loose relationship between part quality and warranty length. Too often warranties are more marketing than anything. I once owned an early Hyundai Elantra with a 10yr/100k warranty....easily the biggest turd I ever owned. from the day I drove it off the lot brand new. And I say that as a lifelong gearhead and owner of multiple reliable vehicles that have exceeded 300k. Many of them out of warranty after 3 years.
I am definitely looking forward to inspecting the planetary-gear-like internals of Snode up close. I have so many questions that I hope to answer for all of us. I hope you'll keep an eye out for the video. I'll do my best to post a tear down within a few weeks of receiving the dumbbell.
can you do same with snode dumbbells, they are same as nuobells but claim to have metal parts as they are claimed as drop safe? @joe
Hi Krish, that's already in the works. A Snode AD28--the little brother to the AD50 and AD 80--arrived over a week ago. They're virtually identical inside, save for one difference. Once I get through shipping out the past several months of pre-ordered kits, I'll tear down the Snode and tell you what I think in a new video. I also spoke to a Snode rep so I'll talk about that conversation too.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC thank you
Hey Joe, thank you so much for this video! Just one question: Are these dumbbells the first version (Nuo Flexbell) or are these the second and current version of it? And if so, do you think they might have changed the internals and possibly upgraded the plastic part to a more durable material?
Hi Bradley. This is the new post 2013-ish version with 2kg increments. And this specific handle came from someone who had not owned the dumbbells very long at all. I'm not sure if any other non-cosmetic hardware revisions have been introduced since the "redesign" a decade or so ago. I recall seeing photos a few years back taken by someone who disassembled the earlier version (~2006-2012) which was only available in 4kg increments. Remarkably, the version I saw in his photos was built in a way that it could be more easily disassembled. If that's true, then the engineers took a step backwards with the redesign.
The shift from 4kg to 2kg increments is also what increased the complexity of the internals. They had to come up with a way to engage and disengage the half-plates (the two that straddle the grip) with every other click of the grip.
I talk a little about plastic versus metal in my newer Snode teardown. Plastic isn't inherently bad. It's actually superior to metals in many applications. The key is in understanding when and where it makes more sense to use plastic, and which plastic to use. In this case, their use of plastic for the outer shell is not bad at all. The chosen plastic is incredibly tough and impact resistant under ordinary use. But I have to question their use of plastic (or at least the type of plastic they spec'd) for the cam followers. Perhaps a different plastic would work well. I think steel would work well too.
As far as I am aware, what you see in the video is what is currently inside Nuobells shipping now.
Replacement parts from AliExpress from the actual manufacturer?
There's always a chance that you may find complete replacement handles (whether they are OEM or knockoffs), but it is unlikely that you'll find any direct supplier of internal components.
At this point, complete replacement handles are the only realistic option. Wasteful, but I haven't found a way to disassemble the current version of their handles (yet) without damaging other components along the way. Cheers, Joe
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC They claim OEM and sell parts. Maybe worth a shot?
I would be really curious myself to see the difference between the AliExpress alleged OEM and the NUOBELL. I don't own either, but based what I could find around the place it seems like NUOBELL are just dropshipping.
Thank you lots for the reply.
@@alias5281 Always definitely worth a shot to check something out. I'd be shocked if they sell internal components, but it's not beyond the realm of possibility. You may hit pay dirt. Just keep in mind that parts aren't going to be useful to you unless you find a way to disassemble and reassemble the handles non-destructively. They are a bandit to take apart.
Personally, I'd love to see it happen. If someone can offer a way to fix the handles relatively easily and inexpensively, versus $180+ per replacement handle retail in the States, that's a win for Nuobell users.
Nuobell is a patented product. Swedish company Personality Gym AB appears to be licensing to resellers under the name NÜO Athletics. Here's a link where you can check out the various brands currently licensing from them:
nuoathletics.com/about/collaborations/
Nuobells sold direct from NÜO Athletics are supposedly made in Sweden. It's unclear whether they allow licensees to manufacture elsewhere in the world. The stuff you're seeing on Ali is very likely one of two things: unlicensed knockoffs, or product being sold direct by manufacturers who produce for licensees (possibly without anyone's permission to do so).
Potential patent infringement issues aside, the big question with this is whether the ones sold through Ali are exact copies or similar. If they are merely similar, the parts may not be interchangeable with "authentic" Nuobells. If components are even a fraction of a millimeter off it could affect the way the parts fit and perform. Bowflex and other brands suffer from this issue, even with their own OEM parts. The components from one pair of dumbbells aren't always perfectly compatible/interchangeable with the components from another pair. Messed up, I know. But this is what happens when brands outsource to manufacturers with an emphasis on cost rather than quality and consistency.
Definitely check back in and let me know how it goes. I redesigned the Nuobell cam followers a while back, but I never bothered to manufacture them because there's no known practical way (at the moment) for the average consumer to install them.
Cheers, Joe
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Thank you a lot for the very detailed answer! It's pretty eye opening to get a detailed answer from someone with expertise on the topic. :D
If I ever pull the trigger on anything from there - I will let you know.
I will look into the link you've sent and dig a bit more - I was not aware of it.
Once again, thanks a lot.
Have a great day!
Please make some replacement parts🙏
We shall see. First I'm going to see if I can take these things apart and put them back together without ruining them. If we can't do that, spare parts won't matter. Someone has agreed to send me his broken handle for my 2nd attempt. I hope you'll stay tuned for that.
How much is a replacement handle? Anyone know?
If i recall correctly, somewhere in the comments of one of my videos, a viewer mentioned paying something like $185 for his replacement handle. A Google search turned up ~$180-200.
With perhaps $10-ish in parts the company could significantly improve durability. But then it wouldn't sell a boatload of replacement handles after warranties runs out (assuming they don't already wriggle out of warranty handle replacements).
Note that I am not claiming that the company deliberately made its Nuobell handle less durable. It may very well be nothing more than a consequence of poor design choices, and customers are left holding the bag.
"cheap plastic" I can't help but see that as not very informative. There are many types of plastic. Platic is used for many parts of firearms. How do we really know how good this design is/how long it will last, just be the fact it is some form of plastic instead of metal? There are cheap metals as well. Could you elaborate?
Hi Peter, yours is definitely a legit perspective. You may have already read some of my other older comments in the time since you posted your question. You can find them sprinkled throughout the comment section of this video and some of my other videos too.
Although I didn't get into it in the video, I do mention in comments to others that not all metals and plastics are created equal, and that there are definitely applications in which some plastics (and plastic composites) outperform metal. It all comes down to choosing the right material for the task at hand.
For example, I have some rods that I use in various design tests and they're made from a variety of plastics with high elastic limits. Meaning they can withstand an incredible amount of elastic deformation and still return to their original shape. Typical steel and aluminum rods would permanently deform under the same conditions rendering them useless.
At the moment, all we have is somewhat anecdotal evidence that one of more parts inside the Nuobell handle aren't up to the task. I have two handles here and the same part (the plastic cam followers) failed in exactly the same way: they sheared off. A quick search online reveals that others experienced failures that are very likely due to the same issue. One of the symptoms of sheared-off cam followers is the eventual misalignment of the weight settings on either end of the dumbbell. It's due to the cams no longer tracking properly and in sync with each other. Another symptom is that the grip will either not twist past certain weight settings, or stop twisting altogether. You can see examples of this here:
ua-cam.com/video/xpUmiP0BPJg/v-deo.html and here:
www.reddit.com/r/homegym/comments/sdqj03/nuobell_adjustables_are_a_waste_of_money/
So we know the design isn't durable in its current form. It needs--at a minimum--cam followers (of some material) that are much less likely to shear/snap/split under load. My choice for an application like this would be some type of steel, the minimum strength of which begins at or beyond the upper range of many plastics. For the same reason that I'd choose a steel bolt over most plastic equivalents of the same dimensions.
I recently received another broken Nuobell handle. I hope to use what I learned from the last one to disassemble and reassemble it without destroying it. If I can do so in a way that is repeatable and relatively easily accomplished by the average owner with readily available tools, then I may experiment with some replacement cam followers in different materials to see if I can come up with a viable upgrade kit. I'll talk more about this in my Nuobell tear-down followup video. I hope you'll return and check it out.
This new generation has the disposable mentality, so therefore, all items can carry the cheapest, smallest parts that will eventually lead to the disposal of the item, no questions asked by the consumer. However, if the mentality of the general public was opposite, then such corporations would be forced to manufacture quality items with good common sense. But why care for such things when the general public really doesn't give a damn anyway. And, the time it will take for most of these non-sense parts to break millions more sales of the items will be in the marketplace. Then in time, they too will only experience the same malfunctioning of the device. Key point in your commentary, "just a matter of time." The devil in men is crafty as world economies come to a global shutdown.
I wish I had watched this video before buying these dumbbells. I now have severe buyers remorse.
Everything he says is true, and getting replacement handles is a pain.
Do yourselves a favor and avoid nuobells until they engineer a serviceable product.
So sorry to hear about your experience with the Nuobells, Karil. I wish I had the means to spread the word to a wider audience. I suspect a number of other consumers are now in the same boat. I hope the designers do something about it besides just shipping warranty replacement handles that will also eventually fail.
Just cancelled my order right now thanks
Oh man, I'm simultaneously happy that the video helped you make a decision that's best for you, and waiting for Nuobell to send me a "love letter". LOL.
When I'm buying weights I want something to last a lifetime. It's probably the main reason why I'm not buying NUO
Hi, Plas. I think the majority of us would agree that safety and durability are two key considerations with any fitness equipment. With a couple relatively minor changes to its overall design/materials, Nuo would be a solid offering. Let's hope they're listening and do something about it.
Snode dumbbells are similar and appear to be all metal inside. They say they're drop proof (from 32") .
Hi, Paul. I have a Snode AD28 tear down on my channel, and now that my AD80 has arrived, I plan to tear that down as well to compare to the Nuobell and Core. I hope later this year to also conduct some drop test comparisons too.
Technically, none of them should ever be dropped. They aren't really designed for that. But I plan to drop them anyway and see how they all hold up since there are many folks out there who drop them intentionally or accidentally. I don't have a time frame yet on the drop test. I hope you'll stay tuned!
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC I'll be watching, but I'll stick to my unbreakable spin-locks. Thanks.
We should talk.
Hiya. Shoot me an email any time: joe@averagejoeinnovations.com. Cheers
The Chinese don't care about anything but easy money, it's built into their culture. They'll never change the nuobell design. Best to buy something else.
Appreciate the comments. Though I should mention that this isn't a Chinese-engineered product. As someone who has dealt with suppliers in the U.S., India, Russia and China, I can tell you that the country of origin isn't an automatic indicator of quality. We have both excellent and crappy products and service providers right here in the States. Same goes for every country around the world. Quality starts way back at the design phase. Back when engineers were selecting and spec'ing the materials before they even approached a manufacturer.
Then come the bean counters. Manufacturers will generally reply that your specs cost X in quantity Y on schedule Z. Whomever is holding the purse strings (those corporate buyers) will negotiate that price down--typically not with customers' best interests in mind. They may instruct the manufacture to use cheaper materials, cheaper production methods, few quality checks or none at all. poorly written and unedited documentation, cheaper packaging, little to no customer support, etc all in the name of their own bottom line. Ask around here in the States and you'll find shops under the same sort of pressure.
Brands have the ability to spec high quality and to seek out and partner with manufacturers capable of delivering high quality. But they don't. Companies like Apple, Samsung, IBM, EMC, etc know the importance of high quality suppliers with low defect rates and the impact on their brands. But a great many brands out there--the Walmarts of the world--choose the low road instead. I manufacture both down the street here in my town, and overseas in China....two excellent shops that I personally vetted. They understand my expectations and know I am not going to nickel and dime them into insolvency. I'm willing to pay more to get more.
I've said in the past that product labels should not read "Made in X". Those labels lack context. The labels should read "Made in X for cheap ass Company in Y"
@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC While that may be true as an exception, I am referring to the rule.
I have a shop and I can tell you with absolute certainly that 95%+ of the absolute garbage products and fire hazard electrical components that I see are from China. It never fails and I can place a bet on it every time I encounter these products.
Overall, the proven general rule of thumb is that China makes total crap. They have a constant rotation of pop up companies that create a cheaper alternative to a competitors products, then they disappear in 2-3 years. Parts are not obtainable or fixable and you have to just completely replace the item. Their wires are thin 4 strand wires with extra thick insulation to give the appearance of a thicker gauge wire.
Their "annodized" aluminum fades or is just dyed on the outside. Their colored bolts are made out of the softest aluminum I have ever seen. And their machined items are FREQUENTLY way out of spec.
Based on my professional experience, China needs to be banned from US import.
@@adventuremanintheclouds8968 Respectfully, I have no doubt about your personal experience buying off-the-shelf parts. I'm sure there's a ton of crap out there. Sorry to hear that has been your experience. I can't imagine dealing with it.
My experience differs in that I personally design every product that I sell, and I personally vet the manufacturers that are permitted to make them both in China and here in the States. So I have the final word on everything coming off the shop floor, and I'm willing to pay for a certain level of quality. I almost always deal directly with the owners of the shops/manufacturers--very rarely any middle management. And I rely on contracts written by attorneys local to the suppliers and enforceable in their jurisdictions.
The point here being that quality is available/attainable from anywhere in the world, including China. The key is knowing who to ask, where to look, and how to make it happen. To build lasting relationships with companies that have been around the block a few times.
FWIW, the local machine shop here in town that does some of my manufacturing has seen the parts that I import (in person) and they were impressed. A couple years back they asked me why I'm not just making everything overseas if I'm able to get that level of quality. My answer was simple: I value relationships above all else. They're a great shop that does excellent work. They've been there for me when no other local machine shops would give me the time of day because my orders were for 200 parts and not 20,000. Whenever I can throw business their way, I do it. Same goes for the folks who make my custom neoprene and nylon washers down in Delaware, and my fastener supplier down in Massachusetts.
22:05 "Why would you make this (outer shell) so tough, and make this (inner breaking plastic) so crappy?"
On purpose... It's obvious Planned Obsolescence.
It's entirely possible, and certainly seems to be the norm in some industries. But I suspect they never tested for it, or never encountered it. I say this because they'd lose money sending out warranty replacements for these things. Everyone I've spoken with (so far, anyway) told me that they received free replacements.
It's also a good will issue. Something like this can do irreparable damage to a brand's reputation over time. Remember Maytag's seemingly impeccable reputation many years ago, and its fun Maytag repair man commercials? They eventually squandered that with cost cutting and quality issues and never fully recovered.
$700 and they decide to use plastic weak parts.
You may have seen similar comments from me elsewhere, SV. Hopefully this isn't redundant. Plastics aren't necessarily terrible materials. Some are incredibly strong. Powerblock uses a plastic weight selector that (if I recall correctly) is rated to something like 500lbs. It depends on the design of the part and the plastic spec'd for it. In this case, someone messed up. Frankly, I'm not sure which plastic would be durable enough to survive long-term with the way the mechanism is currently designed.
If I ever decide to make a replacement cam follower, I'll probably go with steel. But I'd probably redesign their telescoping rod and cam keeps too.
Belated Happy New Year!
Joe
So this is house reverse engineering is done…
Sort of, lol. Usually I'd try not to destroy the product in the process, but there was no obvious way to open it up. Now that I have seen the inside, I *think* I may know how to take it apart without ruining it.
Someone who saw this video is planning to send me his broken Nuobell handle to attempt my currently unproven method of disassembly. If I succeed, I'll create a tutorial about how to do take it apart and put it back together. And at that point I may make stronger replacement cam followers.
They just want to force you to buy a new dumbbell when it breaks, so they use cheap plastic.
Hi, Julian. I suspect on some level they may be concerned about potential liability from any failures due to customer repair rather than replacement. Though customer repair is common in other product categories so I'm not sure why they'd think they're any different. If we can fix our Kawasakis or Fords or John Deeres ourselves, it makes no sense that Bowflex would tell us that we can't fix our own dumbbells. But they also have a history of somewhat inconsistent manufacturing, so there's also a parts compatibility issue. They may not want to deal with keeping parts on hand to repair older handles if their new handles are made with parts that are not always backwards compatible. It's easier (for them) to just ship a handle. But for us as consumers that approach is both wasteful and doesn't really solve the underlying problem.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC I'm starting to wonder if their choice if plastic for the cams was deliberate. As you've mentioned, the plastics elsewhere were chosen appropriately, so why skimp on this small, critical part? Is it that if they were metal they'd start wearing a deeper of wider groove in the metal channel? That's all I can really think of. But even if that were the case, the dumbbell should be more easily taken apart, because that would mean an inside part is essentially a consumable.
This was a brilliant and informative video.Are you familiar with the Nordic track adjustable dumbells and the sistem they use?What do you think about it?I live in the UK and i own primal gear adjustable dumbells which are just nordic track but under different name.I am curious about your opinion about them and if you.d ever get a chance to tear them apart i really want to see the mecanism inside and how reliable they look.Untill now they seem solid but there a few things that worry me like with every adjustable dumbells.
I think they are gimmicks. Who wants to rely on electronics just to change weight? If they could make a manual version of them I think they'd be OK.
It is manual mate.there.s nothing electronical about them.There is an electronic version of them Nordic Track but i am not speaking about that one.That one,i agree is unusable in my opinion.But check and see and you ll find the manual version aswell.That is a solid one and is the one i own.
@@EDD-xr4ub Sorry I assumed you were talking about the iSelect.
@@plmn93 No worries,i realised.I agree the isellect are not something i.d ever buy.
Just seeing this thread today, folks. I've been up to my eyeballs with work.
iSelect is an interesting approach not unlike a couple of the dumbbell concepts I've been toying with, but it's incredibly tough to nail durability and usability. The amount of internal complexity that is sometimes required to make something appear outwardly simple can be staggering. That drives up cost without necessarily bringing customer value along for the ride. A tough nut to crack.