For: Dealers quoting cable stations and functional trainers, and facility buyers comparing them.
The decision: Which cable station gives your programs the resistance range, starting load and step size they need, and whether two quotes describe the same thing.
60-second answer: Stack weight is not the load at the handle. At 2:1 the handle carries half the selected weight; at 4:1, a quarter. Manufacturers state this differently: Life Fitness lists 97.5 lb of effective resistance per 390 lb stack on a 4:1 trainer, while Eleiko writes its ratio as 1:2. For each model, get the ratio, effective maximum at the handle, starting resistance, smallest increment and what the decals show, in writing.
Three numbers sit between the stack and the handle
A stack rating says how much iron is in the column. What the member pulls depends on the pulley ratio: how many cable segments share the load. These are mechanical definitions, before friction:
- Three numbers sit between the stack and the handle
- How manufacturers state the ratio, and what the decals show
- Starting resistance and increments decide who can use the station
- Service exposure: cables, pins and parts
- Red flags, used machines and what the standards settle
- What to do this week
- Continue with FEX
- Source notes
- 1:1. The cable only changes direction. The handle carries the selected weight and moves as far as the stack.
- 2:1. A movable pulley splits the load across two segments. The handle carries half the weight and travels twice as far.
- 4:1. The load is split four ways. The handle carries a quarter and travels four times as far.
The business consequence is comparability. Two trainers quoted with the same stack weight can differ by a factor of two or four in maximum resistance and step size, and in starting resistance as well. The gap can surface after delivery, when trainers start programming the station.
| Ratio | Load at the handle, full stack | Handle travel per inch of stack rise | What a 10 lb plate adds at the handle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:1 | 200 lb | 1 inch | 10 lb |
| 2:1 | 100 lb | 2 inches | 5 lb |
| 4:1 | 50 lb | 4 inches | 2.5 lb |
Friction makes real figures differ from the arithmetic, and some manufacturers publish measured values instead; Rogue says it measures loads on its FML-HR functional trainer with a digital force gauge during the pull.
How manufacturers state the ratio, and what the decals show
Spec sheets follow no single format. On manufacturer pages checked October 8, 2026:
- Life Fitness lists its Signature Series Dual Adjustable Pulley with two 390 lb stacks, a 4:1 cable ratio and 97.5 lb of effective resistance per stack.
- Rogue lists its FML-HR at 2:1 for the functional trainer and 1:1 for the lat pulldown and low row, on one weight source.
- Eleiko says its 90 kg (198 lb) dual adjustable pulley has a 1:2 resistance ratio delivering 45 kg (99 lb) of pulling resistance.
Eleiko’s “1:2” and Life Fitness’s “4:1” both describe a reduction at the handle, written in opposite orders. Ask for the effective resistance at the handle in pounds or kilograms, which removes the ambiguity; confirm whether it is per stack, per handle or for both handles; and where one machine has several attachment points, get the ratio for each.
Decals are a separate question. A Life Fitness support article says current-production stickers on Cybex Bravo and Jungle Gym stations show the effective load at the cable, not the plate’s nominal weight: on the 2:1 models it lists, a 10 lb plate reads 5 lb; on the 4:1 Cybex 8830 and 8840, 2.5 lb. Because the article speaks of current production, check older or used units rather than assuming. Get a written answer per model: do the decals show plate weight or effective load?
Starting resistance and increments decide who can use the station
Starting resistance, what the member feels at the lightest setting, decides whether a deconditioned member or rehabilitation client can begin a movement at all. Eleiko says its 90 kg dual adjustable pulley starts at 3 kg (6.6 lb) of pulling resistance. Life Fitness says its 4:1 ratio provides “lower starting resistances for less experienced users” but gives no figure on that page. Where the spec sheet is silent, ask for the number, or measure both demo units the same way with a force gauge and record the method.
Increments decide how members progress: plate size divided by ratio gives the step at the handle, and add-on weights reduce it. Eleiko says it supports 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) jumps with incremental weights. Life Fitness’s article comparing Cybex 2:1 and 4:1 stations adds the trade-offs: a 4:1 needs a stack about twice as large to match a 2:1, allows higher training speeds before the stack becomes ballistic, gives smaller increments on its 8800 Series Bravo, and cannot be converted between ratios.
Records to pull. The programs that will use the station, trainer feedback and member complaints logged against existing cable stations. They show whether starting load, top-end load or step size is the binding constraint.
| Spec line | Comparable when | Not comparable until |
|---|---|---|
| Stack weight | Stated with the ratio for each attachment point | The ratio is in writing |
| Effective maximum | Stated at the handle on the same basis (per stack or per handle) | Both are converted to one basis |
| Ratio notation | Effective load given in lb or kg | The supplier confirms what “1:2” or “4:1” means |
| Starting resistance | Published, or measured the same way on both units | A figure or measurement is on file |
| Smallest increment | Plate size, ratio and add-on weights listed | Add-on availability and price confirmed |
| Stack decals | Written answer: plate weight or effective load | Confirmed for the revision being shipped |
| Cable and selector parts | Part numbers, lead times and labor quoted | Part numbers supplied |
Service exposure: cables, pins and parts
The ratio decides what members feel; manufacturer instructions decide how the station is maintained. As one example, Life Fitness’s Signature cable motion owner’s manual (April 2007, covering the Dual Adjustable Pulley and Multi-Jungle models) calls for daily visual cable inspection, replacement “at first sign of wear,” close attention at bends and attachment points, Life Fitness replacement parts and only Life Fitness selector pins. Use the current manual for the exact model you service.
A higher ratio needs more cable segments and pulleys in the load path, so there are more bends to inspect. Get the cable assembly part number, lead time and replacement labor before ordering; see stocking the parts that stop machines.
Selector pins are a documented hazard on cable stations. In October 2006, CPSC announced a recall of about 5,600 FreeMotion Cable Cross and Dual Cable Cross machines, stating that a selector pin with worn edges could slip out of its slot and let the weights drop suddenly; FreeMotion had nine reports of contusions to the head and shoulders, and CPSC told consumers to stop using the machines and contact FreeMotion for a free repair kit. Keep the manufacturer’s pins on hand and log replacements; the dealer follow-up workflow is in the Precor pop-pin recall guide.
Red flags, used machines and what the standards settle
Red flags. Only a stack weight on the quote. A ratio with no effective load. Replacement cables described by length instead of part number. A proposal to relabel decals in-house: the Life Fitness manual says not to remove labels and to order replacements from the manufacturer. A card at the station can explain effective load without altering labels; see warning label audits.
Used stations. Without documentation, the ratio can be measured from the handle. Mark the cable near the handle, then pull the handle slowly until the top plate rises a small, measured distance, with a second person reading the rise against a mark on the frame. Compare how far the handle mark moved with how far the stack rose: twice the distance means 2:1, four times means 4:1. Do not lift plates by hand, keep hands clear of the stack, cables and pulleys, and follow the manufacturer’s manual. Then buy parts by part number for that model revision, as in refurbished equipment grading.
Review triggers. A new program needing lower starting resistance, repeated complaints about start load or step size, a cable or pin replaced sooner than the manufacturer’s schedule anticipates, or a model revision on a reorder.
Standards. ASTM F2276-23, the Standard Specification for Fitness Equipment, sets design and manufacturing parameters for indoor equipment for users 13 and older; ASTM lists work item WK88563 to revise it. ASTM F2216-17a, reapproved in 2025, covers selectorized strength equipment and is used with F2276. Neither chooses a ratio for your floor; a conforming machine can still be the wrong ratio for your programs.
What to do this week
- Add ratio, effective maximum at the handle, starting resistance and smallest increment to your cable-station quote template.
- Get a written answer on what the stack decals show for each model on open quotes.
- Measure and record the ratio, using the handle-pull method above, on installed or demo units that lack documentation.
- Collect part numbers, lead times and labor for cables and selector pins on every cable model you sell or service.
Continue with FEX
- Lat pulldown stations: fit, cable loading and parts
- Compare bids on the same scope
- Certification marks: verify the model and standard
FEX editorial guidance: the ratio definitions and arithmetic table are standard mechanics before friction. The comparison table, measurement method and triggers are FEX analysis. Manufacturer instructions control inspection, parts and service; manufacturer figures were checked on October 8, 2026 and can change by model revision. This is not engineering advice; confirm ratings with the manufacturer.
Source notes
- Life Fitness: Signature Series Dual Adjustable Pulley (accessed October 8, 2026) — Stacks, 4:1 ratio, effective resistance, starting-resistance statement.
- Rogue Fitness: FML-HR Functional Trainer (accessed October 8, 2026) — Ratios by attachment point; force-gauge measurement.
- Eleiko: Dual Adjustable Pulley 90 kg (accessed October 8, 2026) — 1:2 ratio, pulling resistance, starting resistance, increments.
- Life Fitness Support: Cybex Bravo, Jungle Gym weight plate stickers (October 15, 2019) — Decals show effective load.
- Life Fitness Support: Cybex Bravo, Jungle Gym Strength 2:1 versus 4:1 (updated April 28, 2025) — 4:1 versus 2:1 trade-offs.
- Life Fitness: Signature Cable Motion Owner’s Manual (April 2007) — Cable inspection, parts, selector pins, labels.
- CPSC: FreeMotion Fitness recalls exercise machines (October 3, 2006) — Units, hazard and injury reports.
- ASTM: F2276-23 and work item WK88563 — Scope; revision in progress.
- ASTM: F2216-17a(2025) — Selectorized strength equipment scope.
Editorial update, October 8, 2026: Verified ratio, effective-resistance, starting-resistance and decal examples on Life Fitness, Rogue and Eleiko pages, and the FreeMotion recall and ASTM references on CPSC and ASTM pages. Removed an unverified claim about shroud labeling, an inaccurate statement that the cable carries the full stack load at 2:1, and unsupported statements about cable wear, timing and warranty conflicts. Added starting-resistance guidance, a handle-pull method for measuring the ratio in place of lifting the stack by hand, and a quote comparison table. October 9, 2026: added CPSC’s stop-use instruction and remedy to the FreeMotion recall example.
