Indoor rower

Concept2 is considered to be the go-to brand, that is what I got for my home gym.

Another vote for Concept 2, works great! (but I've never used another brand).

Yup, C2. I'm an on-water rower, and Concept 2 is what's used for land training all the way up to national team (Olympic) level, plus for most indoor competition, whether simple machine racing or part of Crossfit games. Gold standard.

Not cheap, but bulletproof. I've had mine since around 2004, use it lots through Winter. A little chain oil, a couple of battery changes, and it's still perfect.

What everyone else said.

I own both the Concept 2 Rower and the Concept 2 Bike Erg.

The rower is fantastic.

The Bike Erg.... well, I really, really don't like the bike at all.

In fact, I'm looking to sell it and instead buy a trainer for one of my road bikes / zwift.

Motorsheen wrote: »

I own both the Concept 2 Rower and the Concept 2 Bike Erg.

The rower is fantastic.

The Bike Erg.... well, I really, really don't like the bike at all.

In fact, I'm looking to sell it and instead buy a trainer for one of my road bikes / zwift.

When I bought my Assault style bike, I considered one. I think the real huge C2 geeks (way more passionate about it than I am) love their BikeErgs. For the same reasons they love the rower -- because the ability to compete against each other and see all of their times.

For me, it was a no brainer to get something (instead) that worked more of the entire body.

There's also the whole "ergathlon" thing where now they have a way to do the rower, bike and skierg and somehow tie the times together, like a triathlon of C2 machines. Again, you have to be a huge fan of C2 to enjoy that sort of stuff.

MikePfirrman wrote: »

Motorsheen wrote: »

I own both the Concept 2 Rower and the Concept 2 Bike Erg.

The rower is fantastic.

The Bike Erg.... well, I really, really don't like the bike at all.

In fact, I'm looking to sell it and instead buy a trainer for one of my road bikes / zwift.

Oh, and some of the friends that I know that ride the thing a ton are experiencing noises that are hard to fix. While Customer Service has been super responsive to them, there are some mechanical issues that C2 hasn't quite seemed to work out with the Bike yet.

I called customer service and was told "Those noises might be normal; can you record them and send those to us?"

..... and in regards to standing on the Bike Erg while pedaling ( spoiler alert: You Can't - the resistance simply slips away - this is the deal breaker for me.). I was told to "change my pedal stroke". Really? I've trained for decades on road bikes and know exactly what I'm doing. To change my pedal stroke to meet their inane recommendation was kind of insulting.

I purchased it online and before doing so, I called Concept 2 and asked if there was a Bike Erg anywhere in the state of Arizona that I could try out. You know, like maybe a Crossfit gym. I was told "No.".

I could go on and on about the poor ergonomics and design decisions on the Bike Erg. My problem is that I'm used to putting in the hours on a road bike and not 15 minute sessions while only seated. Comparing the two are like night and day. That's 100% on me for believing the reviews from the crossfit community and not riding the bike before it's purchase.

This thread has now convinced me to sell that (*&%@! thing online and invest in something far more worthwhile.
Thanks for keeping it alive.

MikePfirrman wrote: »

@Motorsheen - I would join a C2 online group on FB and sell it that way. I think you'd find takers. Yeah, that would kill me not being able to stand up and pedal. I can even do that (though it's not terribly comfortable to do it) on my AD Pro.

@MikePfirrman

Thank you sir, not a bad idea.

I recently purchased a Concept2 rower, used but in excellent condition. I was going to buy a cheap 1 from Amazon but glad I didn't. This is a tank and parts are available if needed from the company.

Another happy C2 user here. They're the gold standard and there's a reason that olympic level athletes use them for dryland training, they're built like tanks and require minimal maintenance. I've had mine for close to 10 years (and closing in on 10,000,000 metres) and it has performed flawlessly with the occasional cleaning & chain lubrication.

I echo everyone's comments about the C2 rower. I have rowed millions of meters. Have one at home.

No one has spoken about the C2 SkiErg. I first used it at the local gym. Bought one for my home gym. A great cardio and maybe full body workout. Has the same monitor and online experience as the rower. I highly recommend it.

Please note that I am not an on-the-water rower, nor am I a skier. Just a gym rat.

bartcal wrote: »

I was prepared to buy an expensive rower...then realized the Concept2 would do what I needed and I could find videos etc. on youtube or other places for much less than those expensive machines' monthly contracts. I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

There are tablet holders for the C2. asensai is an app where they are now making videos and integrate training. EXR is an app where you row in a virtual river. There are a growing amount of apps that, arguably, are going to be better than what either NordicTrack, Ergatta or Hydrow can offer. And they are all being made for the Concept2. Zwift is even working on a rowing offering with the C2.

albamarie61 wrote: »

Hi Rower Users! I want to pull the lever on getting the Concept2 Rower and I am now confused and over-analyzing (analysis paralysis is real!) on whether the standard 14 inch height or the new 20 inch height is a better choice. I am now 60 and while I have no issues getting up from a lower height, I am thinking of the future. Thoughts, user experience and opinions are welcome! Thanks in advance.

I have the lower type, bought way long ago when there was no taller version. I'm 66, have bad knees (osteoarthritis, torn meniscus), but not to the point where they prevent rowing. I have zero problems getting up and down from the rower. I suspect that if you start rowing regularly at 60, it will be a long, long time before you can't get up and down from the short one - unless you are unfortunate enough to experience some unrelated injury, which we of course all hope won't happen!

I have rower buddies into their 70s and 80s, and none have ever complained about the rowing machine height. (I'd observe that our boats - the singles - are about 4" above the waterline, seat might be up a little from that, maybe 6", depending on the boat. The 70s and 80s folks are getting into and out of those, too. I admit, that does get more challenging as I age, unless I work at the relevant flexibility/strength.

If it feels better to you to spend the extra $150 as a bet-hedge, that's fine, too. There's no particular technical down-side to the taller one, that I'm aware of.

I'm just being puckish, now: Some people my age tell me they're (sadly) having trouble stepping into a standard bathtub (14-16"), and (also sadly) I've seen others have difficulty putting their legs over the bench of a picnic table (17-18"), where the bench isn't a separate thing one can slide onto from the end. I guess one could get onto the rower by walking in from the end, if one's space has enough room for that, but the 20" Rowerg would otherwise require lifting one's foot 6" higher, to swing the leg over the rower, compared to the 14" one.

If I were buying a Rowerg now, I'd buy the dynamic. However, the difference is small, and if the user doesn't also row boats, my reasons for saying that absolutely wouldn't apply. (I've heard that Concept 2 tries to dissuade people from picking the dynamic, unless they're on-water rowers. That makes sense to me. The dynamic is harder to use - in a technical sense, not in a workout intensity sense - and costs like $350 more.)

albamarie61 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

albamarie61 wrote: »

Hi Rower Users! I want to pull the lever on getting the Concept2 Rower and I am now confused and over-analyzing (analysis paralysis is real!) on whether the standard 14 inch height or the new 20 inch height is a better choice. I am now 60 and while I have no issues getting up from a lower height, I am thinking of the future. Thoughts, user experience and opinions are welcome! Thanks in advance.

I have the lower type, bought way long ago when there was no taller version. I'm 66, have bad knees (osteoarthritis, torn meniscus), but not to the point where they prevent rowing. I have zero problems getting up and down from the rower. I suspect that if you start rowing regularly at 60, it will be a long, long time before you can't get up and down from the short one - unless you are unfortunate enough to experience some unrelated injury, which we of course all hope won't happen!

I have rower buddies into their 70s and 80s, and none have ever complained about the rowing machine height. (I'd observe that our boats - the singles - are about 4" above the waterline, seat might be up a little from that, maybe 6", depending on the boat. The 70s and 80s folks are getting into and out of those, too. I admit, that does get more challenging as I age, unless I work at the relevant flexibility/strength.

If it feels better to you to spend the extra $150 as a bet-hedge, that's fine, too. There's no particular technical down-side to the taller one, that I'm aware of.

I'm just being puckish, now: Some people my age tell me they're (sadly) having trouble stepping into a standard bathtub (14-16"), and (also sadly) I've seen others have difficulty putting their legs over the bench of a picnic table (17-18"), where the bench isn't a separate thing one can slide onto from the end. I guess one could get onto the rower by walking in from the end, if one's space has enough room for that, but the 20" Rowerg would otherwise require lifting one's foot 6" higher, to swing the leg over the rower, compared to the 14" one.

If I were buying a Rowerg now, I'd buy the dynamic. However, the difference is small, and if the user doesn't also row boats, my reasons for saying that absolutely wouldn't apply. (I've heard that Concept 2 tries to dissuade people from picking the dynamic, unless they're on-water rowers. That makes sense to me. The dynamic is harder to use - in a technical sense, not in a workout intensity sense - and costs like $350 more.)

Ann,

Thank you for commenting. I remember reading in your posts that you are a rower and I was hoping you would answer! I will definitely never row on open water as I have an intense fear of it (so good to know that I don't need the dynamic). I didn't learn to swim until I was in my 20s and being able to do laps in a pool (with a deep end!) is one of my proudest accomplishments. May sound silly to some, but I used to be so scared of the water that I would not get in anything deeper than my mid-thigh. I am swimming laps two to three times a week now, but I need some cross-training and due to an ankle injury intense walking/running is out.

I will most likely stick to the lower height rower and if I feel that I would be better served by the taller legs one day, they do make a retro kit that I can order.

It doesn't sound silly at all! While I don't fear the water - I took backwoods canoe-camping vacations in Canada for years, with my late husband, for example - I didn't really learn how to swim competently until taking adult learn-to-row classes when I was around 50. (Before that, I could float & swim on my back indefinitely, but no other strokes.) I still don't like swimming, but do try to practice sometimes - rowers need self-rescue skills.

Sounds like you have a good plan, for the rowing machine. That's what I'd do, in your spot.

I'd recommend investing some time and patience in slow rowing at first, to get the technique down well. Good technique is what lets a person scale workout intensity as they get fitter. With sub-par technique, intensity is limited (people end up whipping up and down the slide at high strokes per minute, not much intensity, don't get as much out of the workout as they could). It's better to be patient, go slow, get technique right initially, harder to fix it later.

Have fun!

pridesabtch wrote: »

My daughter is a college rowed and C2 all the way.

Remember the scandal with the rich kids in California with Lori Loughlin and Olivia Jade?

To me, the most hilarious part of this is they sent a picture of Olivia Jade to the rowing coach (that was in on it) with her on a WaterRower. Everyone in the entire rowing world was like, "a WaterRower????".