The Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer is by far one of the most useful, adjustable, and durable Pilates reformers around. It might cost you a pretty penny, more than most other Pilates reformers in existence today, but the fact that you get so much choice and versatility is well worth the big investment. This is a reformer that everybody can use with ease and comfort, and that can provide everybody with a comprehensive Pilates routine.
Overview
If you would like to find out more details about the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer, you can always check out the little presentation video below.
Main Features
The Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer has quite a few awesome features, all of which definitely need to be mentioned.
- Easy-set foot bar – moves along the frame
- Powder coated aluminum frame with wooden accents
- Extremely durable and stable
- 8 resistance springs for many resistance configurations
- Choice of a low or high leg configuration
- Precision carriage for a smooth ride
- Great shoulder pads – adjustable
- Adjustable headrest
- Adjustable cord length
- 51 choices of upholstery
- Folds & stacks for storage – wheels for portability
- Features a highly adjustable SoftTouch rope system
- Includes the Allegro 2 Tower – more exercise options (pull bar) and storage
- Well-padded carriage
Dimensions & Weight
The Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer is definitely one of the bigger and heavier Pilates Reformers out there. While it is not the longest or widest, with the tower, it certainly is the highest. Also, while it is not the heaviest of all reformers, it does weigh well over 100 pounds. This can make assembly, storage, use, and transportation somewhat hard. However, the folding and stackable feature, plus the transportation wheels do help to make things a little easier.
- Length: 94 inches
- Width: 25.5 inches
- Height: 9 inches – 15 inches with legs
- Weight: 140 pounds
Warranty
The Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer does come with quite an impressive warranty. It features a 10-year warranty on the frame and the foot bar. This warranty also counts for many of the added and optional accessories, but the warranty for the moving parts is fairly less substantial.
Assembly
The Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer is alright to assemble. Due to its large size and fairly heavy weight, we would definitely recommend having a helping hand. Although the instructions are clear and straightforward, plus everything you need to complete the assembly process comes included in the box. If you are working alone, it should not take you more than 2 hours to do, and if you have a helping hand, the time it takes should be substantially less. If you don’t want to assemble it yourself, you can always choose to pay an additional fee for expert in-home assembly. If you need some help with assembly, you can always take a look at the in-depth assembly video shown below.
What We Like About The Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer
There are quite a few features of the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer which really stand out, so let’s take a few minutes to talk about those in some greater detail.
One of the things that we really like about the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer is that it comes with a great carriage system. The carriage itself is totally integrated and seamless, plus it also includes an adjustable, well-padded, and 3 position headrest to make your Pilates experience comfortable. The carriage system is precision engineered to provide you with as quiet and smooth a ride as possible. The carriage also comes with well-padded shoulder rests that can be adjusted to a wide or narrow position to suit your exact size. You can even remove the shoulder rests to create a completely flat carriage for a variety of exercises.
Something else that is very impressive about the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer is that it can fold down and stack on top of itself to create a neat package that can be easily stored. This is not something which most other Pilates reformers can do, especially not ones of this size, weight, and price range. You can also get optional wheels for transportation, which also allow you to store the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer on its end, which means you can easily move it or store it upright in a closet.
Perhaps one of the best parts about the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer is that it comes with the Allegro 2 Tower. This tower is extremely stable and will not bend even with a very rigorous workout routine. This tower is great because it allows you to greatly increase the range of exercises you can do with the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer. It allows for extra reformer, mat, and Cadillac exercises, plus a few carriage integrated exercises too. This tower comes with various extras such as the wide push-through bar, the roll-down bar, 8 springs, and a rope pulley, which allows you to change the angle of certain exercises. On that same note, the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer also comes with 5 basic springs for various levels of resistance. It includes 1 light, 3 medium, and 1 heavy spring which can be configured in a multitude of ways. These springs are extremely durable and built to withstand the test of time.
The next thing that is quite impressive about the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer is the SoftTouch rope system. There is a simple to use lever behind the headrest which allows you to make quick rope adjustments. There are also soft attachment loops included so you can easily change the size of the loops and handles to fit your needs.
In terms of the foot bar, the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer comes with an easy-set foot bar. This foot bar is very impressive because it can slide all along the length of the frame to accommodate a plethora of exercises and different sizes of people too. In other words, everything that needs to be adjustable on the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer is adjustable to the max.
We also really like the frame of the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer. It is an anodized aluminum frame, plus it features a powder-coat finish for great durability and longevity. It even comes with a few warm maple wooden accents to make it look really nice. What is pretty neat is that you can choose to have the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer 8 inches from the ground, which makes it easy to fold and stack, or you can choose to add on the legs which will bring the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer 15 inches off the ground. The additional legs do help to increase the number of exercises that can be done with this reformer. Also, the ergonomic risers on the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer even allow you to do pull-ups, which is not something that most other reformers can do.
What We Don’t Like About The Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer
There are a couple of minor issues that we have with the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer, all of which need to be mentioned for your benefit.
One of the drawbacks of the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer is that you can’t change the incline in order to use your own bodyweight to increase or decrease resistance even more.
Another thing which is not too great about the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer is the price. It will end up costing you a whole lot of money, so you better be a big time and hardcore dedicated Pilates enthusiast that will use it every single day.
We would like to see an included cardio rebounder, not just a foot bar. For the high price which the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer comes at, we feel that the cardio rebounder should definitely be included.
Alternatives To The Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer
So you have a bit of a reference point, let’s take a look at some of the alternatives to the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer.
Balanced Body Pilates Studio Reformer
This particular option is a fair amount cheaper than the Allegro 2, but still quite expensive. That being said, both models are fairly pricey, but the lower cost of the Studio Reformer does reflect that it has a few fewer features. In essence, the Allegro 2 has a more durable frame, it comes with the Allegro 2 Tower, and it can fold and stack for easy storage. This is really the biggest difference. On the other hand, the frame of the Balanced Body Pilates Studio Reformer contains a lot more wood and looks a little nice, but it does have a little less functionality. That being said, the Studio Reformer does come with several spring bar options which function as cardio rebounders, which the Allegro 2 does not come with.
This particular reformer is pretty much the exact opposite of the Allegro 2, which is accurately reflected in the price, which is a fraction of that of the Allegro 2. The Pilates Power Gym Pro Mini Reformer is much smaller, lighter, and more compact than the Allegro 2. Surprisingly enough, the Mini Reformer can actually be adjusted in terms of incline in order to provide you with more resistance. However, the Allegro 2 does have an awesome spring resistance system, which is probably a little more reliable and durable too. The bottom line is that the Pilates Power Gym Reformer is ideal for lighter use and more moderate workouts, whereas the Allegro 2 is big, heavy, has a ton of features, lots of extras, and a high level of adjustability. The Allegro 2 is designed for extreme hardcore users, whereas the Mini Reformer is better suited for light/medium use.
Final Thoughts On The Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer
The bottom line is that the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer is probably the best high end model you could go with at this time. Yes, it is big, it has a lot of options, a high level of comfort and adjustability, and it is about as durable as it gets. If you are truly serious about Pilates and dedicated to daily use, the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer might just be the best option for you.