Concept2 Rower Reviews

The purchase process for the Concept 2 was easy and to the point. The product is sold the same way (price and shipping option) via other online stores, so there were really no options to select. I did feel that buying through Amazon was easier than buying direct from Concept 2. In any case, the item arrived quickly and I’m very satisfied.

i’ve only had the rower for a week so take this review with a grain of salt.
pro’s
easy to assemble. you only need to attach the front legs.
quiet in operation
built like a tank. should last forever.
computer is probably the best in the rower market.
concept 2 will sell you the parts if it ever need them.
concept 2 does not forget their users. go on the site and see all the help and motivational things available. they do their best to see that you continue to use it . too many exercise machines end up as clothes racks and concept doesn’t want that to happen with their rowers.

con’s

the only one i can think of is that i am so out of shape i am still suffering a little when i use it. the point is i am using it and i know it will get easier as i progress.

i am so happy with this unit my sister has also purchased one.

if you are looking to lose weight, get in shape the rower is the best all round unit you can use.

I’ve been using concept2 rowing machines on and off for the past 10 years, they are extremely good. This model D looks like it will last forever in my personal gym, just like the model C.

It was really easy to set-up. It actually took longer to get it out of the box (not really, but it is that fast).

If you’re looking for a rowing machine this is best you can get. I don’t know what the difference is between the model D and E, but if you’re using it at home there really isn’t a need to spend the extra cash, this one works great!

I bought the erg before a household move to a colder climate where we’d be living in an urban apartment. I cannot recommend this workout product enough! I’ve had a NordicTrak and recumbent stationary bike and I use this far more often. It’s a deceptively gentle motion that in the end provides a great workout. Set the flywheel to 4, put on the headphones and you’re off! I’m a muscular Charlton Heston in that slave galley rowing scene in Ben-Hur; I’m a free spirit in an ocean kayak amidst volcanic islands; I’m in the winning boat on the Potomac; you get the picture. Great for legs, upper arms, and your core – all our favorite areas, ladies – and relatively easy on the joints, of course with a great aerobic workout. Follow it with some lunges, push-ups, ab work and you’re looking fine. It’s got a long but skinny footprint so you can put it in a hallway or against a wall. I use mine looking out the window, contemplating snow fall or the antics of birds. I will echo what others have said about the shipping container – seemed rather flimsy upon arrival for the value of the piece inside – however ours arrived in good shape and set up was easy. Be sure to buy the mat for it to sit on. After 6 months of frequent use, all is good.

For a long time I looked at the Concept 2 rowing machines as another over rated piece of gym equipment. Around six years ago I was going to a community gym and because most of the other types of equipment were occupied I started to use the lonely Concept 2 rower. Once I realize what a great exercise device it was I was hooked. Not long afterwards I ordered my own Concept 2 and it is now my primary exercise device next to my bicycle. The onboard computer and heart monitor are simple, functional, and will challenge rowers from basic beginners to Olympic gold medalists. I now have owned this machine for nearly 5 years and it has operated flawlessly everyday with just basic care, and a few drops of oil every six months. The contact with Concept 2 is always professional and supportive. If you can find a better training machine let me know and I will buy it tomorrow, but I don’t think you can.

This machine is great!!

It only took a few minutes to put together. The pictures are a little difficult to understand at first, but once you look at the parts and then the pictures it’s totally obvious how to put it together, and there’s only like 8 screws. The box it came in is much smaller than I thought it would be, and light enough for one person to lift and move.

If you go to the Concept 2 website and read through the beginning exercises they recommend not getting on and just rowing for 30 minutes your first session, but rather row for a couple of minutes, get up and walk around, then row a couple more minutes, get up and walk around, and repeat for about 20-30 total minutes. After a few sessions on it I’m still only rowing for about 20 total minutes but easily hitting 28-32 strokes per minute so it doesn’t take long to get into a good rhythm. If you push hard with your legs and follow through with strong upper body strokes this machine can be used for a great whole body cardio and strength workout. It is really a great machine for those who don’t have lots of time to work out, but still want to be in good shape.

Indoor rowing is perhaps the best cardiovascular/toning exercise one can do. This is the defacto machine for doing it as most crew teams around the world, and other training programs use Concept 2 rowers exclusively.

It does not matter if you are an elite athlete, or someone just starting out, or even someone who cannot do high impact exercises like running. This is low impact, and as intense as you want it. Almost all muscles in your body are used as well. So by using this machine you get a great cardio work out and total body motion. Honestly, there is nobody I would not recommend this to, it is for all levels.

The computer keeps track of your work, and you can keep your pace at whatever you feel comfortable with. In time you will see that your split times are going down as your fitness improves. It keeps a log of your workouts and also stores it on a card that you can bring to other machines. The great thing is that these machines all automatically calibrate, so your time on any one machine is valid everywhere because they all yield the same results.

The company is great, this is made in USA and of very good quality. I used to row on a team, and none of our machines ever broke. Even if it does break, the company is very responsive and friendly. They have a very good website where you can log your times, and see how you stack up with others, or just keep a record for yourself. They have contests all the time there where they select random people that row certain distances and give them free gear. Also if you row a million meters on your machine or a marathon they give you free gear as well. All of this is free!

The most important thing to learn is proper form, otherwise you will tire out fast. The biggest mistake beginners make is using their arms too much and not enough legs. Concept 2 has a lot of videos that show you proper rowing technique and the good thing is it pretty much directly translates to what one would do on a real boat!

At my gym these things sit there collecting dust while people do the inferior treadmills etc, but everyone I know that I have introduced to rowing loves it. It is good to have one at home because it is very possible to watch TV while you are rowing (it is not loud). The machine also disassembles and can be stored pretty easily. If you stand it up fully assembled it is nearly 8ft tall so it is not very storable that way, but if you take the sled off, you can store it even in a coat closet.

I purchased the Concept 2 Model D from Amazon in May of 2009. I just completed my one millionth meter on April 19th 2010 and the rower is still working just as good as the day I got it. I have been working out for almost 20 years now and was a member of my college track team but with this machine I have exceeded any previous level of fitness!!!

Looking for a low impact exercise machine to complement free weights, so we researched rowers. The nice thing about a rower is that you make your workout what you need; long and steady strokes or intense quick strokes. It doesn’t cause excessive wear and tear on my joints, especially in the knees, which is important to me.

We looked at several types of rowers, read the pro’s and con’s about each, and Concept 2 was always mentioned as top of the line. An added advantage was they have two of these machines in the gym I used to go to, so was familiar with their use. Ordered the rower from Amazon, painless like everything else I’ve bought from them. Had it up and running in 30 minutes from the time I started opening the box, so it was really quite simple.

My personal pro’s and con’s…

Pro’s- easy to set up, very easy to manipulate the workout monitor (we purchased the D version which doesn’t have the heart rate function), solidly built, quiet enough to watch TV while using, provides an excellent workout for whatever you’re game for.

Con’s- really nothing. You get what you pay for, so although it was an initial chunk of change to plunk down, it should last a long time!

My girl and I would have to give this baby two thumbs up, and we’d like to consider ourselves discriminating shoppers.

I started rowing at my gym, where they used the concept2 model D. After awhile, I found that mostly what I was doing at the gym was using the rower, so I decided to buy my own. Maybe expensive, but not really when I know that I’ll probably be using this rower for the rest of my life (I’m 40 now). It holds up really well. The concept2s at the gym are used heavily and show no signs of wear other than that the instructional stickers on the frame have been worn off.

I have put over 3,780,000 meters on mine with 488 workouts with an average time per workout of 45 minutes. It has held up beautifully with very little maintenance other than occasionally lubing the chain (which is very easy to do; I prefer to use my bike lube).

I really like that they send you the concept2 newsletter as well and it has been useful and motivating. You also become a member of this concept2 user community that is out there and you can post your stats on the web site and compete in events and stuff, though I haven’t done these things yet. It is nice to be part of the community even if you don’t really participate in it.

I like to watch tv as I row. I do have to turn up the volume fairly loud (the rower is not noisy exactly, but it can be hard to hear dialog sometimes; dvds with no english subtitles piss me off). The sound of the rower itself is actually kind of relaxing and sounds similar to a fan being turned off and on).

This and my powerblock weight set are investments I’m really happy with and I’ll be using for the rest of my life.