Concept2 RowErg with PM5

This is a big purchase. I wanted to buy a cheaper £100 rower but they all seemed to have compromises in build quality or the rowing experience. I wanted something that felt as good as what I used in the gym that wouldn't break after a couple months or a year. I have used a different and undoubtly expensive rower in a hotel I stayed at and though it was perfectly fine, it definitely didn't measure up to the C2 in how it felt to use and how well made it was. The C2 is a great machine to use, where all you have to worry about is the effort you put into using it. For me, the rowing action feels very progressive and natural allowing easy transition between easy and harder effort and the knowledge that this is being tracked accurately on the Performance Monitor.I also seriously considered getting a water rower but apart from being more expensive, I also had slight concerns with its long term robustness as there were reports of it occassionally going wrong while the C2 just seems to keep on rocking even after millions of km. Also the performance monitor is considered to be superior / more accurate / fully featured. If I was buying for use in a living room then regardless it would have probably been the one I got, though I would have tried to get a test drive of it somewhere.However, since it's not going to live in the living room but in the garage, the extra noise is not an issue so the C2 it was.Assembly was very simple - the only parts that needed to be assembled was the support stand under the flywheel and that took minutes to do. The hex tool required is even provided. The seat rail then attaches cleverly to the main body of the rower, before being locked in place with a plastic flap. Joining up the two parts does require some care as the two parts are heavy and need to be properly aligned prior to attaching. There's a risk of getting your fingers caught in between as well as gouging the paint on the inside, which I've managed to do due to poor alignment.However it's as quick and easy as it's possible to do and still provide a stable and rigid enough structure to take the forces that will be exerted on it. I'm actually surprised by how well it works.I also like how it stores in two pieces as it's not so tall and imo less noticeable than if it was just stood on its end, even though the area footprint may be higher.I've only used it a few times and the heel part of the footrest does cause friction blisters when I wear trainers. I've heard of various remedies from going barefoot/in socks and wrapping a sock around the heel part of the footrest to using duct tape on the heel of all things. However I do remember that this was an issue I'd encounter every time I came back to rowing and it just goes away after it heals and a callus forms.Nonetheless I don't regret the purchase and hope it provides me with a lifetime of trouble-free use.

Finally my very own Concept 2. Assembly was super easy, all you need to do is attach the “legs” and clip the middle bit together, and the version with tall legs looks like a work of art, plus the tall legs make it so easy to get on/off.Value for money if you add up the annual cost of a gym membership where, pre/lockdowns, I mostly only used the Concept 2 rowing machine anyway, I never much enjoyed the gym experience. My wonky back (mild scoliosis) will thank me now, combined with the weekly reformer Pilates classes and long walks, I think I’m sorted. Oh and this rower can be stored next to the sofa in the living room, in two parts and taking apart and putting it back together again literally takes seconds. If I had been aware sooner how easy it is to store this machine, I would have purchased it ages ago. Plus it’s an ergometer, it measures the work you put into your rowing. Also there is an app which is super easy to use, it links to your phone or tablet and your workouts are automatically logged into the app and into the Concept 2 logbook where you can keep track of progress made, participate in races or compare your results against other rowers if you’re competitive. A lovely rower, I’m very pleased and impressed. Built to last a lifetime, I’m over the moon. Already had a couple of rowing sessions in front of Netflix in our living room, no need to go to the gym! A fabulous machine, nothing else comes close. We went to see a cheaper version and it was twice the weight of Concept 2, looked ugly and I tried rowing on it - didn’t even come close the smoothness and pure joy of rowing on a Concept 2 machine. I’m so glad I held out for this one and had the previous experience of rowing on it in various gyms. 100% satisfied.

been familiar with the concept 2 for years as my local gym uses them (like most) so decided to order one for myself, these things are built so well, you only need to check the weight limit to have an idea how confident the manufacturer is and world records have been made on these things by massive massive men, they are tanks.all this is needless to say as the reviews and years of being on the market speak for themselves but it cant be understated how amazing this machine is, smooth and consistent, the monitor looks basic next to some of the high tech offerings out there today but its as powerful as any other if not more so, often with the more expensive high tech offerings with huge HD screens some with the downfalls you would expect of such technology, that being the software can be sluggish, it can crash or outright go service down for hours at a time rendering many of those machines inoperable, they can often lose pace with you and then catch up etc but the concept 2 PM5 monitor is lightning quick, accurate and never goes wrong, they track all your workouts, allow you to log your workouts online and compete for verified world records if you so wish.it really is the gold standard for a reason. you cant cheat yourself out of a workout either, you stop working and it will stop tracking, get your technique down, learn from the best and you will get everything you need from this machine to get fit and healthy.