Concept2 RowErg with PM5
Concept2 RowErg with PM5
Setting the Standard For Over 30 Years
The dependable performance of our Model D Indoor Rower has made it the best-selling indoor rower in the world. Long recognised by competitive rowers as the standard for indoor training, the Model D delivers an effective cardiovascular workout that will increase your fitness level and tone your physique. At a fraction of the cost of other premium fitness equipment or a yearly gym membership, you can have the luxury of working out in your home whenever you choose…and get a great workout to boot.
Features
The Choice Of ChampionsWe value practical design: our Model D is efficiently engineered and will last a lifetime. The Model D you buy is the same machine used by Olympic- and elite-level athletes to train for their sport—it’ll take the abuse of heavy training day after day. If you’re looking for a solid piece of exercise equipment at a great value, the Model D is the perfect choice. The Model D is available in two colours: light grey or black. Easy To AssembleThe Model D Indoor Rower requires the installation of the front legs using a total of eight screws. We include the necessary tool and clear, illustrated instructions. Allow about 20–30 minutes for the job. What’s In The Box
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We had considered getting a rowing machine for some time as we wanted an at home exercise option which was high intensity but low impact. We did a lot of research before deciding to go with a Concept 2, and we’re so glad we did. The machine is light enough to move and store on your own but totally solid and doesn’t budge an inch when being used. All the parts are high quality and the erg screen has all the metrics you could ever want (but easy to simplify if you want a cleaner screen). Connects seamlessly to the Erg app for workouts and logbook. I feel this will last us forever. Not a cheap buy but a long term investment.
I bought this to help get a bit of light exercise as i have a lot of health problems and need the exercise
I have been using these rowers for decades in different gyms and decided to take the plunge and buy my own
I use it 3 times a day for a few minuets it helps loosen up my joints and get the circulation moving and may increase the time in a while
A very good product and easy to use
I would recommend
the model D rower is heavy (in a good way) nice n sturdy, the damper allows for various resistance and its quieter than my last air rower too. but its also really smooth throughout all its motion. could not recommend it enough. it stays planted on the floor well cause of the design its feet and its weight. no moving at all when pulling on the handle like the lighter models.
the ease of use has encouraged me to use it more now, (doing short distance rows only 5k) 2-3 times a week and this has also made me feel better too.
if and when it breaks, i will only be replacing it with another like for like model , will not be going cheap again. thats how good this model D rowing machine is.
I used to use one of these at the gym but stopped going some years ago. Missing the rowing excerisce, I researched a few and then found you could actually buy a Concept2 for your own home. Yep, it’s not cheap but it’s easily the best and I’m so glad I bought this one. Really well made and the quality is obvious. Used in all the Crossfit games, it’s pretty much the benchmark for indoor rowing machines. Many Apps available but the Concept App is fine. Loads of workouts, challenges etc. Loads of stuff on the internet about training, correct form and records to aim for. You’ll never outrow this machine, no matter how fit you are. Just buy it, it’s an investment and the best.
Probably the best rower you can buy, came quickly, very easy to use and take apart / put together. Really good work out, choice of options and resistance, very smooth and good quality.
Negatives – software needed updating on the computer, can’t be done by WiFi, you have to connect it via a cable, it keeps saying unable to do it which has stopped me from using some of the features. The rower can be quite loud once you get going and creates a breeze, not unexpected though.
Have used these in gyms before and wanted rower for home. Not cheap but good quality, you get what you pay fo
The Concept 2 rowing machine is amazing so neat and doesn’t take up much room. It certainly works all muscle groups. Great value for money. I’ve used rowers in gyms before and this one is as good, very professional.
They are the best indoor rowing machines on the market.
Really easy to split in the middle and store. Then set up again. Takes seconds.
I was actually surprised at the quietness of this one having only used concept models in a commercial gym before.
Great price too at present for just under a grand.
Normally these are around the 1400 mark. Must be surplus stock after know one being able to get hold of them during the pandemic as every store seems to be selling them now for this price.
Even Argos!
Make sure you check the available space this is a very large item. We booked the place in room & remove packaging service, even though they had to reschedule the initial agreed delivery date the guys were great, it’s heavy! It been used twice a day since arrival & is an awesome piece of equipment. We’re following you tube tutorials at the mo, to get the hang of it, there’s loads to choose from & free of course. You don’t really need a phone holder as it come with a good adjustable one on the main body, the seat pad is with the additional cost though.
I got this to help me with my cycling. Rowing is a good way to expand your chest and shoulders if you find yourself doing lots of cycling like I do. This machine is priced in the mid-range but more than provides what I need.
When you put all the fancy gizmo’s aside, when it comes to exercise the thing you value most is reliability. True enough a machine will fail you just when you feel you need it the most. This machine feels like it will go 100 years before anything breaks on it.
We wanted to get something that would allow us to do exercise without chance of injury! This works amazingly the machine is efficient can fold smaller for space and is quiet to use.
Best exercise for older people as that is why we wanted it you get all round exercise at the pace you feel comfortable with. Different levels for how hard from 1 – 10 you can adjust it to suit yourself.
It has a display that tells you how long, distance and loads of other things depending on how detailed you want it to be.
Great machine very happy with i
I also bought a Garmin heart rate monitor and that too has shown a marked improvement in my peak heart rate when exercising and recovery time when I stop.
I’ve not yet reached a level of fitness to take part in the daily workout challenges sent out by Concept2 but I’m getting close to being good enough. The associated RowERG App enables users to compete online with other rowers if you like that sort of thing.
Though ordered from Amazon my Concept2 came direct from the UK distributor. It was very well packaged and the hardest part of assembling it was figuring out the best sequence for removing the excellent packaging 😉
Overall I’m VERY impressed with my Concept2 Row ERG. It’s already made a noticeable difference to my fitness and stamina and it enables me to exercise whatever the weather. When cycling I can now get up a nearby hill I previously called ‘The Hill of Death’, which is now easier to get up without needing a rest at the top.
If you are serious about getting fit and maintaining it I’d strongly recommend the Concept2 RowERG and using a heart rate monitor. I’m now at a stage where I can safely increase the degree of difficulty of my workouts whilst staying within a safe heart rate band. OK my setup is not the cheapest but once bought there’s no running costs and it can be used whatever the weather so no excuses!
First off this is a very well built machine, all the parts have been meticulously machined and they all fit together like a glove. There really isn’t much building to do either, just attach the legs and the front and back parts clip together. I did it myself in less than 10 minutes. If you maintain this properly it will out live you!
In use it is amazing it’s actually a joy to use. The seat rollers don’t catch and the rower chain runs super smooth.
The PM5 monitor really is the star of the show. I’ve not used all the functions yet but what I have are seamless. I connected my polar 10 without problem and the metrics are second to none. You can also look back through your history at past times etc..
This really is an outstanding bit of kit. It’s one of the best things I own.
It arrives in a giant box, and the whole thing is absolutely massive so you really need a large area for it – it’s not wide, but it’s incredibly long.
It arrives in 2 pieces and it comes with instructions so you can put it together but, literally, you just screw the legs on then clip the two parts together and you’re done. I was worried it would be flimsy but, somehow, clipping it together forms an almost solid steel bar.
If you don’t have room to leave it “open” you can just unclip it to store it in two parts against the wall and it’s well made enough that the clipping and unclipping probably wouldn’t damage it but, to be honest, if you do have room to leave it as is I would really recommend it because over time wear and tear at the join *could* affect its durability.
The seat is surprisingly comfortable – I remember using the rowing machine at the gym in my twenties and my bum being angry at me for days. Presumably over the years they’ve made them more comfortable, but you can order a specific seat cushion for it if your coccyx has words with you.
It’s good and quiet to use with just a fan that whooshes as you row, and the LCD screen tracks your speed, how far you’ve rowed and how long you’ve been rowing.
The LCD screen has myriad buttons on it, too, where you can program specific workouts including Racing mode and Games but we only use the Just Row option and then heave ho until our legs get a bit wibbly.
To be honest it, all a bit high-tech: you can connect it to various apps and monitors using Bluetooth and something called ANT+ (?) but we’re luddites who just want to go for a row in our front room.
It’s a bit like having an iPhone or an expensive camera – you know it does loads of fancy gubbins but you just need it for the basics and having a dabble with the gubbins is really, really fun but ultimately you always go back to the fundamentals.
And the thing is, the fundamentals of this thing are *amazing*. The rowing motion is smooth and sleek and, even as a bit of a chubber, it feels absolutely rock steady beneath me. It doesn’t even wobble.
Just quickly: on the flywheel there’s a dial that goes from 1 to 10 and I assumed that was the resistance. I actually put it to 10 because the resistance wasn’t increasing so I wondered if it was faulty. Have no fear, it isn’t broken! That dial doesn’t increase resistance, it’s a damper – essentially the higher the number, the heavier the boat you’re rowing. The instructions recommend setting it to between 3 and 5 to simulate a sleek, fast rowing experience.
So, is it with the money? My goodness YES. We went back and forth for a while because of the cost but it’s worth every single penny. This will be with us for years to come and not compromising on the quality is so worth it for something like this. It feels like a better piece of kit than the professional rowing machines I used to use in the gym… if you’re thinking of ordering it, don’t hesitate a single second. It’s absolutely bloody marvellous.
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.
First of all, the most significant improvement for me is that the concept 2 rewards you for how strong your strokes are, whereas the JLL R200 (and other relatively cheap rowing machines) only look at the number of strokes and assume a standard stroke strength. Not only does the concept 2 take strength into account, it gives you real-time feedback on your watts, calories burned, split timing, predicted finish time/distance. These numbers really help you to understand how well you are doing, and encourage you to do better. It makes the whole process of rowing so much more satisfying, because all of this business about using your legs properly, engaging your core, not pulling with your arms too early – it suddenly matters.
Being able to alter the drag factor is quite a different thing to altering the resistance setting on cheaper rowing machines. A higher drag factor doesn’t mean ‘hard mode’, it is more like changing the gearing on a bike – it means that you can find the level at which you perform best. It also means that you can more easily swap between endurance and strength training as you like.
The concept 2 isn’t heavy – it splits into 2 parts very easily, and then doesn’t take up much space to store. I found with my previous rowing machine that it would skid around on the floor while I was rowing, despite using a floor mat, whereas the concept 2 doesn’t move at all. It feels super solid.
The way that the concept 2 integrates with your online logbook is great. It makes it easy to keep a record of your rows, see how well you are doing compared with similar people (filtered by gender, weight, age etc.) Again, this is really motivating since it helps you set personal targets to beat. There are also challenges set up throughout the year that you can join (usually of the form ‘achieve total distance X between dates Y and Z) that give you something to aim for.
With my concept 2 I also got a device holder that allows you to attach a tablet (or phone) to the rower, just beneath the monitor. Great for a nightly netflix and row. 🙂
The only negative (besides the higher price) is that it does make more noise than the JLL R200. Having said that, it is not an unpleasant sound – mainly the whoosh of air, and quiet enough that it is unlikely to bother somebody in a neighbouring room.
I mean, you are going to buy this rower anyway, so just get on with it already!
I hate running, I don’t like treadmills and I’m too self conscious for roads, I enjoy my exercise bike and cross trainer but I find although I lose weight it’s based mainly on my lower half, plus also they aren’t that fun to do.
I looked on here and saw loads of machines but I had to go pay monthly for finances and all the reviews of machines up to 600 were littered with scary things that will happen or awful online reviews, the two that they hype were concept 2 and hydrorow, firstly definitely not going over a grand but secondly I’d used that concept at the gym, the next day it suddenly appeared with pay monthly option so I bought it disappointed as prime member to pay for delivery but oh well.
Unpacked it and it looks beautiful, crisp simple design, an elegance to it, easy to put together 8 screws slot a-b and your done, the tablet holder was rubbish and A bit flimsy and too restrictive but that doesn’t bother me too much.
It makes exercise fun and also does a massive 84% of your body which is great, I have back issues and it didn’t effect it yet I spent time on technique which is important. It’s just an absolute blast to use and I genuinely think it’s something every house should have in an ideal world.
My only advice
Look for technique video on YouTube
Practice technique before starting
Go low resistance to begin with and gradually increase time
Read up about the monitor it’s pretty awesome and look for apps like ErgData to sink with and keep track.
The Daddy.
It’s reliability and durability are legendary. Most home cardio equipment is shaky and won’t last with regular use. The exceptions are the rogue echo bike, concept 2 bike erg and ski erg. Pretty much everything else will give you problems.
The C2 requires barely any maintenance and all parts can be easily replaced if needed. The only part that should require changing is the shock cord bungee which will last about 10 years with regular use. Easily swapped and a few quid from th C2 web site.
The only slight issue is that rowing is a technical movement and requires some viewing of the movement and practice. Dark Horse Rowing on youtube are recommended viewing to ensure you get the stroke right. If you are willing to put a little bit of work in to get the right technique then this machine will reward you with engaging workouts.
The machine is simplicity itself to assemble, only 8 screws. Even folding it up is simple, with no unscrewing required. As for quality, it seems rock-solid to me, with nothing fancy, just the minimum of what’s needed. The monitor seems a bit old-school, but I use it with my phone on top showing the Ergdata app, which easily uploads my data to the cloud logbook.
One good thing about this model is the massive amount of information on the internet, with the manufacturer’s site having loads of useful info, not to mention elsewhere having forums, videos and articles aplenty. If you have any query about how this works etc, someone somewhere has already asked it and got the answer, making your own life a little easier.
As for the effect on my fitness, it’s very early days and I’m still trying to master the technique, but I’m confident that this was money well spent and that the desired results are only a matter of time.
Rowing machines all look a bit the same, and sadly reviews can be confusing and divisive, I did research in several sources and the concept 2 seemed to come out the best, and just my luck, one of the more expensive models, being a believer in you get what you pay for, I bit the bullet and put it in the basket .
As it came off the van in a battered torn box, my heart sank, but on opening all looked fine, the rower was cacooned in polystyrene, normally I hate the stuff, but welcome this time I guess.
Putting together was a doddle, and straight away I could tell that the machine was sturdy and likely to last.
The monitor is beyond anything I will likely need or use ( my age gives away why ) unless one of our children calls in and sets it up for me, so far I use the just row function, this is fine while I build up my stamina in a few shocked muscle groups.
Like all exercise, actually do it , and work hard when doing it ! And I am sure the concept 2 will do what I want it to do .
Whether a cheaper model will be just as good, I will never know now, I made my decision, and am pleased I have a solid well made unit.
I chose to buy from Amazon rather that direct simply because of the excellent customer service I have received in the past when things have gone wrong.
The computer is straight forward and does exactly what it should do, there is no faffing about with calibration or nugatory settings. The rower its self splits in two easily, but is held securely by a latch and can easily be assembled by one person. There is obvious quality to the product and it feels sturdy and well balanced throughout the range of motion.
Worth nothing that this will fit in the back of a medium sized hatch back when split in two and that it will stand reasonably unobtrusively when not in use. The fan is also relatively quiet and the range of motion is smooth throughout.
There is a clear reason why these are the default standard in most gyms. If you are looking to incorporate a rower into your home for training then this is almost certainly worth the extra bucks. I have had no problems after 6 months of regular use, firstly when it was situated in a garage and finally in the spare room of the flat.
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.
After months and months of research into various makes of rower I purchased the Concept2 Model D rower in black and I am so glad we did. It is fantastically smart in the black colour.
We investigated many types of rower from magnetic, to air resistence at various price points and found nothing that came close to the Concept2.
Whilst not cheap, the rower features absolutely rock solid build quality, features and ease of use and hence why it’s the default choice in most commercial gyms.
Once we decided that Concept2 was the best model we did consider purchasing a second hand model from various auction sites but the rower holds its value incredibly well and for not much more money you can get a new rower with full warranty safe in the knowledge that it hasn’t been abused. This isn’t much more than a good gym membership either and had the convienence of being at home. Many rowers are more expensive too.
We have had this rower for about three weeks now and we are already starting to feel leaner and fitter and me and my wife are now competing against each other. It is so easy when we don’t have much time to have a row each night.
The rower itself is pretty heavy but comes in two sections that simply click together. 8 bolts are supplied along helpfully with the tool to tighten them to attach the legs and this literally took 5 mins and we were ready to row.
The rower is easily able to disconnect and split into two sections for storage upright in a corner/against a wall which is really handy in a tight space.
When assembled, the rower is quite long allowing for anyone upto a good height/weight to use this. I am 6ft 4 and have no issues. I believe Concept2 recommend a space if 9ft by 4ft but more details on their website which was helpful in placement.
The PM5 computer came with latest firmware and D batteries preinstalled. These charge off the rower when in use which is an added bonus.
The PM5 is very clear, easy to use and features a wide range of rowing options and even a few games like fishing and darts to change exercise routine.
The PM5 also supports ANT+, Bluetooth and Bluetooth smart for connecting devices such as smartphones, iPads, and heart rate monitors/computers.
We use the free Concept2 Ergdata app which runs on smartphones to track our progress and thus helpfully uploads data to our online logbook which is also free on the Concept2 website. This runs off Bluetooth so is wireless.
I believe results can be saved to USB pen also if needed but app was easier for us.
The Concept2 website is fantastic, as it offers a free online logbook which you can track your progress, compare with others of similar ability and challenge people. In addition there are tons of useful guides, videos and daily challenges (if you sign up) on the website which was really helpful.
In particular the technique videos where really good and easy to understand.
In use, the Rower is pretty quiet and whilst there is some wind noise I can easily listen to music or watch to with the volume up a bit.
Also included is a reduced trial of row pro which allows online training/races against other using a computer but as yet not felt the need for this yet.
In summary:
What’s good
1. Fantastic made to last build quality
2. Easy to use and very clear computer
3. Great website/support
4. Easy to dismantle/store
What’s bad
1. Wish I bought it sooner
Any questions please ask but hope you found this useful.