After reading the bad reviews for the everlast chinning bar, I settled on this one. I didn't see how this would work with the pics amazon had, but it's very sturdy and works great. I've posted some pics of the bar mounted. See "customer images". GoFit Chin-Up Bar
I agree with all the positive reviews of this product, and agree with the people that say you really should use the mounting hardware and that it only takes a few minutes to put up. However, the screws that came with the mounting bracket are very soft, and the head of the first one I tried to drive in just turned to iron filings, so I grabbed 6 decent wood screws and put them in. As near as I can tell, the cheap hardware is the only real corner they cut.
Like all of the other people here, I bought this bar and it has performed magnificently. $15 is ridiculously cheap for the high build quality of this item, but **BEWARE**.
******* DO NOT USE THIS ITEM WITHOUT THE BRACKETS ******, no matter how strong you think it is.
I am approximately 165lbs teenager and was using the bar sporadically throughout the day just for fun. Again, I hung this WITHOUT the brackets, which I learned to regret.
One time when I was pulling myself up, the bar fell broke off and fell, leading me to land party on my back and neck.
I immediately got back up like nothing happened, but the next day my back and neck are experiencing shrieking pain.
The use of brackets is not only recommended, but required. It takes only a few minutes!!
I bought this bar because of the excellent reviews and because I wanted to be able to do pull ups in my home. The bar is very sturdy and the grips are comfortable. It was easy to install, you just screw some brackets into your door frame. The problem is that you can't really do an effective push up unless you are 5' tall. I mounted it about 4" from the top of the door. At 6' tall, I have to bend my knees to do a pull up, then have to worry about hitting my head on the top of the door jamb. It was uncomfortable and I stopped using after a couple days, because I was exerting too much effort into trying to stay out of the way of the door jamb or keep my feet off the floor.
I don't think this is a problem with this bar, but with almost all pull up bars mounted this way. I would highly recommend that people over 5' tall look for a door-mounted bar that is pushed out and up from the door frame rather than one that mounts on the inside. Either that, or a full-standing pull up bar.
EDIT - 10/9/09 - After giving this bar another try with the P90X Extreme Home Fitness DVDs, I like it a lot more than I used to and wish I could bump up my rating to three stars. I found that if I mounted the bar very high up, about 1" from the top of the door frame, it works a lot better. You just have to get used to bending your knees. Additionally, it helps to mount it as close to the end of one side of the door frame as well (as opposed to directly in the middle). That way I do not have to concentrate on clearing my head from the top of the door. It is also nice that I can leave it in my door frame and it is pretty much out of the way and not as the bars you mount on the outside of doors. That's convenient since I can knock out a few pullups whenever I want without having to setup a bar in the doorway and then find a place to store it when I'm done.
It still has faults though. The screws it came with broke easily and I had to replace them with heavier machine screws (do NOT use wood screws for this!). Also, the grips can be moved, but not easily, and not while the bar is mounted. Once the grips are in position they are going to stay there unless you put some effort into sliding them down. It would be nice if I could move them because trying to do "wide" pullups by holding onto the metal bar hurts my hands.
So finally, I want to say I no longer think this is a bad pullup bar, but I wouldn't really recommend it either. If you have the right door frame for it, I think the Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar - Extreme Edition gives you a lot more versatility.
If you're buying this item I strongly suggest you put it IN THE DOORFRAME... i placed on the walls right in front of my door --my brilliant idea to be able to do it with the door closed, and also higher to allow taller people to pass without bending their heads. However, after about three days the pressure became too much and produced a good sized hole in my wall...
Thats when I realized that the doorframe would be stronger...
I repeat...DONT BE STUPID LIKE ME! USE IT IN THE DOORFRAME!
otherwise, i like it.
I haven't done a chin-up since way back (60 pounds ago- My record was then 27).
This was "now" MUCH to difficult, for me...!?
Then I talked to a fitness instructor, about my problem...?-
He suggested that I turn regular chin-ups into a "much easier/better" isometric exercise!-
Grab the bar (palms facing, for starters), and hop up (get a stool...), until chin is about even with the bar (you can support a little weight with legs on stool, if too difficult...).
Then just hold that postion for a few seconds... (increase time..., as is comfortable...), then let yourself slowly down.
Do this every "other" day (don't do/Arthritis...!- if joints or muscles, are sore...!).
I'm now up to four sets of 30 seconds bi-daily, and rotate palms facing or palms away (pull-up)-
My arms & back... have toned up, and I do so "!MUCH!" better at tennis/golf!
I can now do a regular chin-up, but the "extra" strain REALLY makes my joints (shoulder, elbow) ache!
I'll just stick with the isometrics...!
Notes:
1. I hung it in the bathroom doorway, to help remind me...!
2. Yes- the bar rotates a little, if not gripped firmly (this is REALLY good, for toning your wrists...!)!
3. I Love the cushioned foam grips, that don't cut off circulation to hands- like my old cushionless bar did! - Exercise - Chin-up - Chin Up Bar - Chin Up'
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