Here's another cross trainer with a motivated seller:
http://www.englishforum.ch/sale-want...tml#post426282
I can get a Silhouette membership through my company in Zurich for 699 CHF a year all inclusive... and I will take that up soon I think. They have quite a few gyms dotted about through the city and 55 CHF a month is a bargain in Switzerland.
Ok the lack of EDIT function until after a week doth sucketh mucheth. What I was going to add that Mike in your position there is reall no excuse to be a getting a pricey gym membership at all. The weather is turning much better so get out there, buy a cheap bike, do some running, and enjoy the outdoors. It's free.
From my experience, and I really can only relate to one particular gym, is that fitness in Switzerland for Swiss people is more about being seen than actually doing anything. Everyone chats it up and takes 10 minutes rests while sitting on the machines I might possibly want to use.
I go to an Activ Fitness just outside Zürich that is packed with treadmills and bike machines that only get half used, an aerobics hall not often in session, and a kids centre I never see kids in... and yet it has only a handful of free-weights and a total of three benches. My mistake for assuming they had adequate stuff and signing away. It's a mob to get those weights if you go any time other than mid afternoon.
If you like Cardio and NOTHING BUT, by all means go to Activ Fitness
Actually, I'm not a huge fan of Silhouette. It's cheap, that's for sure - I actually got my membership there last year for that price without a company discount - but it's somehow... unpleasant. It seems you get a lot more of the jerks there, people with cell phones or headphones so loud you can't hear the speaker music. The trainers attempt to be helpful, but I always found them getting in my way - one trainer had me stop mid-set and take off my headphones so that he could suggest a different lift!
Your membership may not include all Zurich locations, either - the Bellevue location, for example, costs extra. They do have decent equipment, though limited - only Bellevue had a pull-up bar.
if you can spend a bit more cash, I found Migros FitnessPark to be the best. Been there about 4 months now, and while the equipment is a little closer together than I'd like, it's manageable, the people seem to be there for the workout, and they have sufficient variety of gear, although they are somewhat cardio-focused.
Just my 2 cents though - your mileage may vary.
Lance
ARG... probably my biggest pet peeve. Some kid with a sunken chest telling my I'm on the bench press wrong, also mid-set