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rowing machines

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
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Concept 2 is the standard but I've got an rp3 dynamic erg that is pretty badass.

Dynamic vs static is something you want to consider.

I hate using it, PTSD from college I think. It's better than a stationary bicycle though.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
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should add, costco & bj's member, high consideration given to what i could get through there


 

jonKranked

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don't need instructor classes, online connectivity or any such nonsense. there are a few which fold up / store upright, which would be a plus
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
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I had a concept2. It was boring. I didn’t use it and sold it.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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@Sandwich has one i think?
ay mate

My understanding is there is only one rowing machine, the concept 2. It has the computer that summarizes your workout well, can do intervals and can post to strava, which I know is essential to you. It has adjustable resistance with many different settings.

As you know by now, I over-analyze literally everything, and the only downside to the concept 2 is the noise from the fan and the high cost. Because they are the best, they are expensive even used. The sound is just a subtle woosh, but if that's a problem then it's a problem. The water rowers allegedly simulate rowing in water better, and they make a more natural sound which is admittedly pretty soothing. Adjustability is more difficult and they have a similar starting price to concept 2 but much lower resale.

I "curb-alerted" a water rower and it's perfect for me. It works OK, has adjustable resistance, and stands upright when I need it to. It has a little computer and connects to my PC, but doesn't connect with my HRM and doesn't track/communicate distance well if you are tracking fitness and shit. I usually connect my HRM to my phone or headunit and just track it as a generic workout, but it doesn't give me credit for the distance or anything.

tl;dr get a concept 2 if you can afford it, get whatever is high quality and local if you just want to get rowing.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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should add, costco & bj's member, high consideration given to what i could get through there


Of these, I think I would lean toward the FDF Viking, the Proform at costco, or the AMRAP at BJ's. I would lean toward something with adjustable resistance, which all three have. I would also consider the Echelon if you can use it without a subscription- it looks well built with adjustable resistance and is similar in price to some others. The rest may be junk territory, it's hard to tell.

I will point out that I have a FDF trident. It's extremely well built and sturdy, looks like it has survived many years of hard use, and feels like it would be fine in an actual gym and not my grimy basement. The stroke is smooth and it's relatively issue free. That being said the computer is ancient, has no bluetooth or ANT for HR connectivity, and the software is really nothing more than a digital display of what's on the computer. It has 4 levels of adjustment and I basically never go beyond 2 or 3 (of four). Two is great for a workout, 3 is fine when I want some resistance, 4 is too firm for my girly arms and 1 tends to feel a little notchy. I don't really feel the need for 24 levels of resistance.

I typically use dark horse rowing videos on youtube for interval sessions and such. He provides guidance on how to row better and has workouts with intervals and everything, and they are ad-free and extremely useful.
 

jonKranked

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Nov 10, 2005
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Of these, I think I would lean toward the FDF Viking, the Proform at costco, or the AMRAP at BJ's. I would lean toward something with adjustable resistance, which all three have. I would also consider the Echelon if you can use it without a subscription- it looks well built with adjustable resistance and is similar in price to some others. The rest may be junk territory, it's hard to tell.

I will point out that I have a FDF trident. It's extremely well built and sturdy, looks like it has survived many years of hard use, and feels like it would be fine in an actual gym and not my grimy basement. The stroke is smooth and it's relatively issue free. That being said the computer is ancient, has no bluetooth or ANT for HR connectivity, and the software is really nothing more than a digital display of what's on the computer. It has 4 levels of adjustment and I basically never go beyond 2 or 3 (of four). Two is great for a workout, 3 is fine when I want some resistance, 4 is too firm for my girly arms and 1 tends to feel a little notchy. I don't really feel the need for 24 levels of resistance.

I typically use dark horse rowing videos on youtube for interval sessions and such. He provides guidance on how to row better and has workouts with intervals and everything, and they are ad-free and extremely useful.
the fdf viking was the one i had at the top of my list from the available options. i'm really disinclined to get anything with an fancy screen, IMO it's just something else to break, and something i really can't see myself using. the lack of connectivity isn't a deal breaker for me, i'd be tracking my workout through my garmin anyways.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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the fdf viking was the one i had at the top of my list from the available options. i'm really disinclined to get anything with an fancy screen, IMO it's just something else to break, and something i really can't see myself using. the lack of connectivity isn't a deal breaker for me, i'd be tracking my workout through my garmin anyways.
Right on. I will say my machine is very well built and does what I need it to, which is rowing. I'd have a hard time spending $1000 on the FDF rather than $1020 on the Concept2: https://www.amazon.com/Concept2-Performance-Monitor-Indoor-Machine/dp/B00NH9WEUA?th=1 https://www.roguefitness.com/black-concept-2-rowerg-rower-pm5-black but I think water rowers are also neat, and the viking is way more beautiful to look at, if it has to go in a room where you'll actually be.
 

jonKranked

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Nov 10, 2005
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Right on. I will say my machine is very well built and does what I need it to, which is rowing. I'd have a hard time spending $1000 on the FDF rather than $1020 on the Concept2: https://www.amazon.com/Concept2-Performance-Monitor-Indoor-Machine/dp/B00NH9WEUA?th=1 https://www.roguefitness.com/black-concept-2-rowerg-rower-pm5-black but I think water rowers are also neat, and the viking is way more beautiful to look at, if it has to go in a room where you'll actually be.
i've always heard that water rowers feel more natural, so i guess there's that too.
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,838
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Yakistan
If your just wanting a workout and don't ever plan on actually getting in a boat, get whatever machine you want and strap into it and huck your meat up and down the slide.

But if you actually want to row someday look into the dynamic erg's as they actually give a realistic stroke and work the core better.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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apparently I can connect my thing ( and the viking as well) to bluetooth by purchasing a weird taiwanese connector box, then splicing that in between the controller and rower, then I can use the waterrower app to track and upload to strava

Or you can just get the concept 2.
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
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Hey my rp3 requires a tablet and the entire erg works with an app. It's got games and virtual racing I think. I don't really know. It collects dust and waits for that perfect storm of hell where using an erg makes sense. I had to buy a tablet for it because I don't do that. I probably could have used my phone if I was literate.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
cant believe Im even saying this because after thousands of hours and a few heat stroke events I truly view them as torture devices...

but yes concept 2 ergos

the fact that toshi sold his is the best endorsement out there. Its real work not a video game

keep an eye out for a used one. They last forever. Toshis everywhere always selling them

when I quit rowing competitively, I swore Id never sit on one of those abominations again. But they will kick your ass into shape for sure. The concept 2s have been built for professional level training for decades. Everything else is peloton junk
 
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Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
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I wanted to row in high school but to even try out for the team you had to row 1600 meters in less than 5 minutes and I could never do that. At some point in college after a cold ass winter going to the gym every day I pulled it off and promptly puked up my lunch.

I now realize I am much better suited for rowing/riding for 5 hours and not 5 minutes. Nothing but slow twitch muscle.
 
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boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,838
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Yakistan
That's why I like that rp3 dynamic erg - you actually have to finesse your way through the stroke and get a better core workout.

The crew I was on was considered a "sport club" where we were a club that also had some facilities privileges. It also meant we accepted everybody who wanted to participate. We had the fatty hacks who chuck their meat up and down the erg. In the boat they ruined every moment of every row.

Our club was somewhat competitive at times and we had out of state kids who couldn't make it into actual crew's. It appeared that they attended our school just to join our rowing club.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,227
20,004
Sleazattle
thats called head race season

yeah the erg trial gatekeeping shit on rowing was so stupid. It put a lot brute strength talentless hacks in boats that were legit safety risks

Yeah the whole team was pretty much 6'6" meatheads who didn't have the coordination to play basketball.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Yeah the whole team was pretty much 6'6" meatheads who didn't have the coordination to play basketball.
One summer I was in lightweight club 4 that were all of us that raced together in high school during the real seson. We beat a meathead boat from northwestern at a collegiate big hubabaloo by a cunt hair. Two of those dudes weighed the equivalent of our whole boat but looked like the fucking texas chainsaw massacre with oars in their hands.

And fuck you jonkranked for making me say these words I havent said in 20 years. I sound like some douchebag aristocrat...mE N mY rOwINg cOlLeAgUeS....

#bakesalesmatter
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,227
20,004
Sleazattle
One summer I was in lightweight club 4 that were all of us that raced together in high school during the real seson. We beat a meathead boat from northwestern at a collegiate big hubabaloo by a cunt hair. Two of those dudes weighed the equivalent of our whole boat but looked like the fucking texas chainsaw massacre with oars in their hands.

And fuck you jonkranked for making me say these words I havent said in 20 years. I sound like some douchebag aristocrat...mE N mY rOwINg cOlLeAgUeS....

#bakesalesmatter
Sounds like a 1980s prepschool movie
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Sounds like a 1980s prepschool movie
*sigh*

our montage was butt rock at least, and not some upper crust michael bolton shit

We'll always have that

we were number 2 in dirtbag funded crew programs racing a buch of shithead brat schools with way better equipment. One school in the state kept it poorer but Im pretty sure the shit wood boat we trained in was an actual period piece in Ben Hurr
 
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boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,838
6,145
Yakistan
Haha the only reason I considered joining the rowing club was a desperate need to fill the void in my life after I quit drinking.

I went to the campus information meeting and one of the rowers was walking some Kona DH bike with a Monster T. I laughed my ass off and said what the hell. That dude was newer to the sport also. He ended up being able to pull harder than most and ended up transferring schools to row in an ivy league V8.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Haha the only reason I considered joining the rowing club was a desperate need to fill the void in my life after I quit drinking.

I went to the campus information meeting and one of the rowers was walking some Kona DH bike with a Monster T. I laughed my ass off and said what the hell. That dude was newer to the sport also. He ended up being able to pull harder than most and ended up transferring schools to row in an ivy league V8.
the womenfolk are ripped
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
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borcester rhymes
my coworker may be getting rid of his concept 2 (to me!) because of shared PTSD with it. I need another rower like MTB_123 needs a punch in the wang-dang-doodle, but free is free.
 

scrublover

Turbo Monkey
Sep 1, 2004
2,885
6,191
Concept2. Ours is over 15 years old and still works beautifully. Well worth the initial cost. It's gotten a lot of use over the years. When not able to ride, I far prefer it to a bike on a trainer.