5 comments about Stamina 1205 Precision Rower.

1. I have really enjoyed this piece of workout equipment. In 30 minutes I get a great workout; especially upper body. I have to really concentrate on working out my hips and legs; I need to create my own resistence for the lower part of my body. That would be my only complaint. It's fairly easy to put together. The only complaint I would have on the instructions is it would be nice if they labeled all the screws and washers with a matching number. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out which was which. Otherwise, it only took about an hour to put together. Overall, I would definitely recommend this piece of equipment.



2. I'm pleased with this purchase. I was unwilling to spend a fortune knowing that most exercise equipment goes unused after a few months - and didn't want it taking up lots of room. I picked this rower based on the price and hoped that it would fit under my bed. It was fairly easy to assemble. It just barely fits under the 7.5 inch frame of my bed with the seat off (it slips off easily). I've used it vigorously for 5 months and am delighted with the workout and have gradually been able to increase the tension.
   A couple problems have surfaced over time:
   1) It squeeks.
   2) The timer/stroke counter display failed after 4 months; even though out of warrenty, Stamina quickly shipped me a new one at no charge.
   3) The shocks get HOT after a workout and melted the foam hand hold on one of the arms. I have to remember to keep the arms elevated for a while after I'm done.
   All in all, this has been a good machine at a great price which I continue to use regularly.



3. Purchased this for use in my basement. It got some light use for about 3 weeks. After that, I found that one of the rollers underneath was fragmenting, making a smooth "row" difficult.
   
   Long story short, I could not really figure out what the issue was as I was preparing for a trip out of the country. Trying to be a good citizen, I called Stamina first and was told that they would send me new higher quality rollers at once. After about 10 business days, (they had told me 5-7) I called back. The parts are on back order.
   
   The roller only got worse, and now is unusable.
   
   So I have a useless rower in the basement. Unbeatable sales will not take it back, and 3 weeks later i still do not have replacement rollers.
   
   I know it is my fault for not figuring out the issue (during return period) before I had to leave the country, but obviously I had a few things on my mind at the time.
   
   Stamina needs to get it's part supplies figured out, and I would not order from this company again.



4. Stamina 1205 Precision Rower
   I am a 50 year old man who is a bit over weight and has a history of spinal surgery many years ago. At my recent physical the Dr. said my cholesterol was 242 and ordered me to lose weight. I chose a rower to get the benefit of both aerobic exercise and muscle toning. When I purchased this rower they had lowered the price to $116.27 including shipping. This was a phenomenal value so I grabbed it. I haven't had my cholesterol checked again since then, but in the last month I've lost 12 pounds. I have been seeing a chiropractor two or three times a month in the past. I haven't seen the chiropractor for more than a month now. I row for 20 minutes and stretch about 10 3 or 4 times a week and I feel great. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase this again. The only negative is that I have found the swing arms squeak a bit. I suspect a little dry lube or WD40 will fix that problem.



5. this is a great rowing machine... not too pricey and a good working machine. A little stiff if you have the arm segments too high but a good machine overall.

5 comments about Stamina Body Trac Glider 1050 Rowing Machine.

1. I purchased this rower to get back into working out. I originally thought of buying a used rower elsewhere, but decided upon this one given the price.
   
   As others have said, it's a great rower for the price. It was easy to put together. And once together, the operation was quite smooth and as expected. In the past, I've used rowers with the T-bars, and not handles like this, so it took a bit of practice to get my cadence right.
   
   With rowing, form is absolutely critical. As noted by others, the unit does not include instructions on rowing -- so definitely search the next for a good tutorial on rowing.
   
   And yes, the foot pads and straps could have been designed a bit better. I'm a size 9 -- and if I wear high-tops, my feet will work their way out of the foot pads.
   
   All in all though, I really like this machine and feel I will get much use out of it before upgrading.



2. The rower was easy to put together, good quality for the price, I am a man who is 6'4 240lbs and it was a good fit.



3. I have not used a rower before and was quite pleased with this product. Glides very smoothly. Great tension for a good workout.
   
   Read the instuction through once and you should have it together in 30 minutes.
   
   I love the way the glider stores out of the way - any corner will do- mine is against the wall in a small living room.
   
   I had thought this item would be a little chinchy from the photo but it is well made and quite sturdy.



4. This rower is great, exactly what I thought I was getting. It's a good workout - aerobic as well as a muscular workout. It was easy to put together, inexpensive, and arrived on my doorstep very quickly! It doesn't really fold up for storage, but it does tip up to get it up and out of the way. I find that I do need to wear sneakers in order for my feet to stay in the straps, but other than that, no complaints!
   Well worth the money!



5. The potential is there for this to be a great machine for the price, but since I have to try to force myself to keep my feet in/on the pedals, this is why I would never reccomend this to anyone. I wish I would have followed others that have said when they experienced the same thing because I would never have purchased this.

5 comments about Fitness Quest Integrity 3000 Air Rower.

1. This is a very good example of "you get what you paid for" My wife and I first used this machine at a local gym for nearly a year. Having used many of the whiz-bang machine over the last decade and decided we can do without all the extras liable to break. We needed something simple, robust and maintainable without an engineering degree.
   However, this does not mean it had to be agricultural; good design is always elegant. This machine does have enough electronics to counts our strokes and keeps track of how long that we have been going. As it uses a fan for resistance we have no need to keep changing the settings to account for our strength and weight differences. The action, while not of the quality of the high end water rowing simulators has a similar feel to our real row boat.
   Our only grouch is that the strong aluminium frame is too light. It has a tendency to creep during use. In10 minutes at 24 strokes per minute to do six inches backwards travel on a concrete floor--more on a more slippery floor. A non-slip pad or a tether would be a sensible extra.
   Yes, you get what you pay for but I had much rather spend our dollars on a getting a better boat to test out those newly developed muscles on.



2. Wish I could return the rower. Instructions on putting this piece of equipment together were horrible to understand and the equipment doesn't feel very sturdy. I've never reviewed anything I've purchased before on Amazon, I was compelled to let people know not to purchase this item.



3. Just purchased the Fitness Quest Rower and love it. Easy to assemble with clear directions. The exercise should keep me nimble. A rowing machine was recommended to me by an Exercise Physiologist as moving the most muscles in an exercise. Highly recommend.



4. I purchased this for myself and so far I am totally satisfied with this rower. I have never had this kind of exercise machine before but knew I wanted an air rower instead of a piston style as I need to be careful of my shoulders and rotator cuff. Because you are pulling towards you instead of to the side of you it works great.
   My husband set it up rather quickly and I was ready to go.
   This machine does exactly what I wanted it for. Strengthen my arms, back muscles, legs and abs. An all around exercise.
   I read other reviews before I purchased and felt the low price was good for what I needed. I am 5'2, weigh 125 lbs and hope to go down to 115. I have been using for almost a month and have seen a difference already. I work out 3 mornings a week before work doing a different exercise 2 days a week.
   I highly recommend to anyone my size. Can't tell you about anyone heavier although it is rated up to 225. (My husband is off limits to it). It isn't perfectly quiet, but I am able to watch the morning news and hear it.
   The only thing that would have been better was if it was packaged better. When UPS delivered it the carton was open and one of the foot pedals was out of the carton. Thankfully nothing was missing or broken.
   All in all I am very happy with my purchase.



5. This is not a $700 rowing machine - I knew that when I bought it. I was looking for a reasonably sturdy, reasonably priced machine to add some variety to my workout routine - anticipated using it 2-3 times per week, more in the cold weather months. I looked at comparable models and it was obvious that I should avoid the piston based machines.
   
   I have seen complaints in other reviews about the packaging and about the product arriving damaged. I found the packaging to be pretty much standard, no more, no less (hint: the manufacturer isn't going to ship this in a vault, and if it arrives damaged ping the shipping co and/or send it back). I had also seen complaints about the assembly instructions. They were a little on the weak side - but this is not rocket surgery. With a little common sense and trial and error everything went fine. Also saw complaints about the fan being noisy - even a $2000 fan-resistance machine is going to be noisy! Yes, it makes noise, it's a freakin' exercise machine! My elliptical trainer is noisier.
   
   There just isn't all that much to the machine as far as assembly goes, and what is there seems to be pretty durable at this point. I did have an annoying squeak that I thought was coming from the seat but finally pinned down to the rear upside-down t-shaped stand. A little lube on the hinge on that and all is good.
   
   Great workout, feels pretty invigorating! I had read an article in Men's Health that said that a 30 minute workout on one of these was great for overall body and cardio. Sat down the first time with the intention of going for 20 minutes. (I have been on a routine for more than a year of almost daily 4 mile walks, with an extra 2.5 mile run on approx. 2 out of 3 of those days, with weights on alternating days) I crawled off the machine in muscle lock-up after SIX minutes!!! What a butt-kicker. I have worked my way up over a couple of weeks of use and can now do 30 minutes with no problem - feels really good and offers a great change of pace to a workout that had gotten a little stale.
   
   I am pretty much completely satisfied with this machine. I might have knocked a half star off for the weak instructions if this site had let me, but I pretty much got more than what I paid for with this purchase.
   
   I would do it again and have recommended this to friends and co-workers.

5 comments about Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Rower Rowing Machine.

1. Great product. This is my first rowing machine and I am very pleased with it so far. For the money, you get a well engineered product. It only took about an hour to assemble the whole thing.
   
   You get a great cardio workout with this machine along with working various upper and lower body muscles. The machine takes up very little space compared to other excercise machines. The only improvement I have made is purchasing a bungee cord to hold my feet in place instead of the Velcro straps that come with the product.



2. I have used several lighter-weight rowers for many years (Precor, Tunturi) and have always loved this kind of exercise. Unable to run for the time being, I wanted an affordable step up and something I would use often. I am very pleased with this machine, [...]. Assembly was actually fun, especially with the quality tool kit that is supplied. It folds nicely, but I leave it open and jump on as soon as I get home from work, rowing at least half an hour a day (in front of the TV, of course). Realize that things can break, however, even with a well-designed product. First to go was the cam latching lever, which sheared under little pressure despite looking Germanically solid. Then one of the pistons started to skip, which can be very annoying. (These are complex, patented mechanisms that will not last forever.) However, Kettler USA was very responsive, replacing the parts promptly with no questions asked. You may want to confirm how long the pistons are warranteed for beyond the first year, though I believe there is a 3-year warranty in general) -- they cost about $75 each, and like any such part will eventually need replacing, sooner if you use this a lot. Still, don't let these issues deter you -- the rower is a well-designed bargain (especially given the current lousy dollar exchange rate, and look for free shipping) that is well worth the investment. (Doctor visits cost far more.) It also helps to be a bit mechanically inclined, as regular maintenance (as long as you also maintain your body regularly!) is to be expected. I believe you may find rowing rather addicting with this machine. Zo, gett the Kadett.



3. First let me say that the electronic computer gizmo that come with this is absolutly, 100% worthless. Why? It displays all results in German! I don't speak/ read German. I live in the USA and no where in the discription on Amazon or Kettler's website does it say that the computer displays readings in German. That was disappointing but even so I tried using it for a few months just for the setting that tells me how many rows/strokes I have performed. But I stopped using the computer because every time I moved the machine from the corner of my room, to in front of the TV: the display would slide off it's attachment point and crash to the floor. So I just use the rowing machine without the electronic aids. Once the machine is set up and I am rowing, I have to say this machine does have very smooth rowing motion and I really enjoy using it. A word of caution. The machine is heavy, and very difficult to move. This is not just because of the weight, but because when the outriggers are folded in, the are not secure. As one is trying to lift and move the machine the outriggers are free to flail around. Many times I have lifted the machine to vertical ( to move it from one spot to another) only to have one of the outriggers come free and knock over something or strike my body. Very awkward moving it. Other wise once it's set up and I'm rowing away, It works great and gives you a great work out.



4. As others have said, this machine is very quiet; a big plus. I would give the overall design 5 stars. The downside is quality control, as some others have commented on. One of the oars (rowing arms) arrived defective. The arm rotates in a sleeve and there is a bolt-like pin that fits into a slot to limit the amount of rotation. The first time I used the machine the bolt broke loose. Kettler USA immediately sent me another arm. However, this one was also defective. The screw that holds the handgrip in place could not be adequately screwed on which caused the handgrip to be too loose. (There is supposed to be a certain amount of looseness, but this was way to much.) After a couple of phone conversations, Kettler agreed to send me another arm. This one checked out okay, and I haven't had any problems since. So, to Kettler USA's credit, their service after the sale was very good. Just need better inspectors on the factory floor. One other thing, it took a month to receive this item from Amazon. Don't blame Amazon though, as I checked with 3 other websites, and it was on backorder.



5. I agree with the descriptions of praise for the rower itself, but the "computer" is somewhat cheap and the wiring connection to it and the magnetic sensor are fragile (mine was cut almost the whole way through). The sensor wire also plugs in with a rather flimsy connection which caused me a few problems, but after repairing the wire and pushing the tiny connector into the back of computer, it seems to be working fine now. I alerted the company and they agreed to send spares out immediately.
   
   But make no mistake, this is a great machine for exercising in the home...and it's quite fun. Unlike most rowers, it actually is like rowing the real thing.
   
   I may purchase a spare wire just in case of the rather tiny and flimsy wire connector goes.
   
   BTW, the rower fits perfectly on a standard 3 x 6 exercise equipment mat.

1 comments about Spartan Sports Full Motion Rower.

1. Although the directions were confusing for assembly the rowing machine is great. I use it everyday.

3 comments about WaterRower Natural Rowing Machine in Ash Wood with S4 Monitor.

1. Absolutely great! The only thing that beats this is the shell on the river, except when its really cold.
   
   Shipped as promised in good packing and the unit was mostly assembled. The rest was easy.
   
   If you can, get the S4 monitor with heart rate



2. The waterrower is an excellent machine that is exceptionally designed and provides an outstanding workout. I have owned one for about 10 years, and my wife and I both use it regularly. In the entire time I've owned it, the only parts I've had to replace have been the monitor batteries and the double-sided tape that fastens the monitor wire brackets to the frame. I found the workout it provides to be deceptive at first--until I stood up after using it the first several times, I didn't realize just how intense the workout had been! If you've used other rowing machines, you're in for a treat when you try this one--there is absolutely no shock to the shoulders or arms at the beginning of a stroke (even from rest). The footrest is rock solid and easily adjustable for foot size; the frame is long enough to accommodate very tall rowers (I've had friends up to 6' 4" use it without banging into the stops); the components are rugged and last a long time (at least 10 years so far); and the seat is about the most comfortable I've found on any rowing machine. It's also quiet--the only sound from the machine is the sound of rushing water (rather appropriate). And when you're done with your workout, it easily tips upright for rolling into a convenient corner until the next time you're ready to use it. This machine definitely deserves five stars. I've also used a `Concept2' fan-resistance rower at a local gym that I'd rate at a 4, and a Brookstone folding rowing machine that I rated a 2 at best--but only because I was feeling generous at the time I entered that review on Amazon.com. Although this machine is expensive, if you're serious about working out on a rowing machine, this is definitely the one to get.



3. I cannot believe no one else has reviewed this yet! I got mine more a year ago. I use it at least once a week (usually 2-3 times). Read online about the benefits of rowing---you get the cardio/aerobic plus the muscle toning, with no joint impact. A very, very nice combination. Despite some folks expressed concerns (at least folks tell me they worry), there are no back issues. This rower looks nice, feels great (love the water resistance!), and gets results. It is elegant and functional. Yes, it is a tad pricey. But hey, if you actually use it, you will get results, it is more than worth it. I live in a traffic congested area (Washington DC) and have no desire to fight traffic to get to the gym. For me, this is a perfect solution. Given the quality of this piece of equipment, I expect to be using it for years!

No comments about Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machine with PM3 Monitor.

5 comments about Kettler Favorit Rowing Machine.

1. I admit I didn't want to spend a lot for a rowing machine, so the Kettler Favorit seemed a good compromise. Shipment was free and item arrived quickly and in perfect condition. The Kettler Favorit is built of high quality, well-designed, sleek machinery (German-made after all). It's solid and quiet.
   
   The instructions are written in several languages; just seek out yours. If you can't find your language, you aren't looking close enough.
   
   For the price, this is a very nice machine. As to the alleged cumbersome adjustment of the rowing bars (seen in other reviews), I disagree. The trick is to slowly pull the bars toward you/back of the machine to an upright position before raising or lowering the clamps. Don't attempt to adjust the clamps when the rowing bars are parallel with to the ground. I'm not unusually strong and found the clamps easy to slide up or down as long as the bars are upright. Once the clamps are tightened, they stay in place.
   
   Pulse ear clip: This is the only flaw to the design (in my opinion). it's just not practical and won't stay put. I didn't plan to use the clip to monitor my pulse, but for anyone who does, you may be disappointed.
   
   If you want a perfect rowing machine, spend much more money. Otherwise, this is a fine machine for the price. I've no complaints.



2. This rowing machine was fairly easy to assemble, however picturing the exact size of screws, nuts, bolts, etc. would be very helpful. The reason for 3 stars is the computer unit's lack of functionality. The directions for use are horrible and confusing. We still have not been able to get it to work properly. I emailed Kettler and they responded within 2-3 days. Unfortunately, their response was of no help. They said the computer unit automatically begins working when rowing begins and offered no other assistance. Numbers do appear at times, but the information displayed is inconsistent. The display doesn't automatically come on all the time, and the methods for using the unit's control buttons are not explained anywhere (including Kettler's email). Again, the rowing maching works great, but the computer stinks.



3. Had no problem putting it together and have found no problem with the tightness of tension adjusting on the "oars" mentioned by previous reviewer - if anything they are very hard to release to slide up or down. So if sharing this machine with a different build quick adjustment day-to-day would be hard as you have to pry the plastic apart with a screwdriver.
   However still a vast improvement on my previous machine of 20 years.
   Shipping was a problem as the cardboard box and packing not heavy enough for the usual drop off but it survived even that!



4. This rower seems to be well built and very sturdy. However, buyer beware, the design of this machine contains one major, VERY IMPORTANT flaw having to do with the resistance adjustment. The resistance is controlled by tightening knobs on the side of the machine at the bottom of each individual piston. Loosen the knob and you are able to move the bottom of the piston up (to increase the resistance) or down (to decrease the resistance). Regardless of how much I tighten each knob the resistance always loosens up during my workout. Sometimes one side will come loose before the other, producing an uneven workout. Eventually both sides loosen and the workout is much too easy.
   
   Which begs the question... Why didn't Kettler catch this problem during the testing phase of this product? I am extremely disappointed and would not recommend this product until Kettler comes out with a fix or different design with respect to the resistance adjustment.



5. My son received a Favorit as a present. Well constructed, but not perfect, which one would expected given the price, almost twice competing models. Earlobe pulse meter wire got tangled and broke on the first day. I needed added low cost washer to secure adjustable tension clamp that would slip otherwise. But, once the machine was set-up and adjustments, this rower was better than the Precor model it replaced.

5 comments about Stamina 35-1400 ATS Air Rower.

1. I'm a competative collegiate rower, I got this erg in order to keep in shape over semester break. The noise and the difficult assembly didn't bother me. The two main problems with this machine are the lenght and the monitor. At 6' I'm not very tall for a rower and I'm not getting anything close to full extension, I'm barely half an inch away from the end of the slide on my drive and I can't pull the handle all the way in, and when I come up to the catch I can still stretch my arms almost past the fan assembly. The monitor displays distances in miles and speed in mph instead on meters and 500m split, making it extremely difficult to keep track of my performance. The seat is less comfortable the solid plastic seats in shells and the concept 2. In sumation this machine is fine for the casual rower, but not for anyone seriously invloved in the sport.



2. I've had this rower for almost a year now and it has held up well. There were a few issues locking down the resistance fan housing on the front of the rower. It took some effort and force but I finally got it secured.
   
   The idea that resistance is generated by increasing the speed of the rowing motion is sound, but it does reach a point of diminishing returns. You are going to go anaerobic (or catatonic) trying to get enough true resistance by speeding your stroke pace.
   
   It's not great but it is a good introduction to rowing. It was good enough to get me hooked on rowing as an addition to my aerobic home gym stockpile (along with the Treadclimber, Airdyne Bike, and ellipticals). But, I will be finding a new rowing machine that will allow me to set a static resistance instead of the dynamic air driven kind.



3. I've owned a Stamina 1400 for about 2 years. I use it religiously twice per week for a half hour per session. So that's 52 hours per year or about 100 hours so far.
   
   The electronic counter worked correctly for about a week. The timer function still works and that's been good enough for my purposes, but not what I paid for.
   
   The foot strap buckles slip sideways. I finally just replaced them with some wide velcro straps that work ok. Again, not what I paid for.
   
   The machine is now making some very loud metallic scraping sounds from within the chain housing which is impossible to get into. Based on other reviews I'm fully expecting a complete meltdown soon.



4. The initial assembly wasn't too bad, though there are a couple of connections that were tedious and difficult. The first impressions were very favorable. Everything worked smoothly and quietly. That changed abruptly after about two weeks. That's when the high pitched scraping/rubbing noises started from the fan housing. Then I started noticing a black "powder" that was starting to coat one side of the fan that resembled greese. Then I'd find a spot of greese on my face after a workout. The noise became VERY loud and the rowing effort just about doubled! I could no longer hear my mp3 player without turning it up too loud! Stamina cust service sent me a whole new fan assembly that I had to install, and that started making noise after another two weeks. Finally, the straw to break my back nearly injured my back when after about ten weeks of use (admitedly, heavy use - by one 57 yr old 145 lb man)something snapped underneath and about 30 inches of slack pull chain came out and woudn't go back. It had died.
   When I called Stamina cust service, intending for them to take it back and get my money back, they wanted to send another part, but couldn't because I could not tell tham WHAT had broken! They wouldn't entertain the idea of taking it back, so I had to call the seller and after much effort to get to the right listener, it was picked up. Fortunatly I had a box from a new rower - a different make - that I could fit this junk into.
   This is NOT made for anyone even mildly athletic! Buy it if you're going to use it once a week for 20 min at a time, it might be worthwhile. If you're serious about improving your fitness, do what I did (now) and spent about $1,000 for something that has a proven record, and is used by professionals and intituions.



5. Easy assembly (4 bolts) and simple adjustment. Good action, but a tad easy on the resistance. Overall good value. Two complaints - sensor wire can cut out on speed and distance, and speed and distance should be in meters, not miles.

5 comments about Lifecore R900 Rowing Machine.

1. This product is great! Whisper quiet....I was so glad because my son works graveyard shift and is sleeping in the next room when I row and he can't hear a thing. Also, VERY easy to put together. Gives you a great workout at all levels....with lots of room to advance to higher levels. Also the workout programs are great. I love it! Amazon was great with the shipping. It shipped in a week, and arrived in great shape. A little on the heavy side for wheeling away but all the rowers are. Does fold up for easy storage in a closet. Great for leaving out and putting away when company comes. I wouldn't recommend it if you want something you can put away every day, unless you really want a workout putting the thing away. Overall, I would highly recommend this product.



2. First off, this is a nice machine. It looks nice, it is relatively quiet, customer service at the factory is really nice, and I can see where people without much muscle would feel this gives them a workout. If you are a relatively casual or relatively weaker person who needs a good workout, this is probably a great machine for you. The only thing I did not like was the screen which is hard to read in the light. If it's dark when you are working out, it's probably great.
   
   However, and it's a big however, if you are used to working out on a high resistance machine like a C2, then this is NOT the machine for you. You will find it pitifully underpowered and will not even break a sweat. It's near worthless for anyone with decent upper body strength, and I'm not talking a macho guy. My 14-year old thin-as-a-stick son could not get a workout. I'm 6'4" 215 and not anymore muscular than the average guy and I could not believe this was on the market. So make sure there's a good match when it comes to your expectations because this is not anything like your exercise club machine.



3. This is a well-built machine and gives an excellent workout. It is very quiet (I can hear the TV at normal volume while rowing). The magnetic resistence is smooth and effective. The seat rolls very smoothly. The bar is comfortable in an overhand grip position (underhand is slightly uncomfortable, but I alternate my grip).
   
   As others have noted, the digital readout sucks - you can't see the numbers; they often look like 8's; it's positioned at the wrong angle; the blue background makes it worse. I've unhooked the bottom of the readout panel and put a piece of foam under it, which positions it less vertical, and it helped a little, but I didn't expect to need to jury rig a $900 piece of exercise equipment.
   
   The 10 bars of the graph divide evenly if you set the time (35 minutes = 3.5 minutes per bar). But if you don't set the time and only set the strokes, it defaults to 3 minutes per bar. So if you set 1200 strokes and that takes you about 45 minutes, the bars change every 3 minutes and the routine stops after 30 minutes. You have to set a time limit to get the workout pattern evenly distributed. This is a stupid design oversight.
   
   However, after a week, you learn the time and strokes you like, set it to that and row, and the in-progress readout isn't so important.
   
   The calorie calcultion seems way off. Maybe they determined that weight doesn't need to be entered for this equation for rowing (?), but it says I burn 1700 calories in 45 minutes. I have the resistance up high for most of it, but 2265 per hour?? I wish. I'd say it's exaggerated by a factor of 3.
   
   The heart rate monitor seems to work OK, but I don't use it every day. The pickup is mounted on the underside of the rail, about mid-stroke, so it picks up the signal from the chest belt OK. To turn off the belt sensor, you have to open the little cover with a coin and pop the battery out, which isn't a big deal (I guess they wanted to save on a sealed switch?).
   
   It's a solid machine and I like it way better than the elliptical machine I was using. Works your arms, shoulders, back and legs. I work up a good sweat, and can get my heart rate up if I row quite fast. I've also tried laying backwards on the rail and pulling the bar from overhead to my waist, and that gets at the triceps, chest and stomach -- a little awkward, but effective.
   
   I ordered on a Thursday, and the Free Shipping said it would take 7-9 business days. I'm in New York, and the UPS guy tried to deliver it the NEXT day. I missed him on Friday, and they didn't leave it (I guess due to the price), but I got it on Monday. Nice. The manual is a bit cheesy, but it's easy enough to assemble. Took about 20 minutes.
   
   They could (should) improve the computer readout, but overall it's a keeper.



4. The R900 has 8 levels of resistance and one heart rate control program. Not 20 or 16 levels of resistance and 3 heart rate control programs, as Lifecore Fitness's website used to say. Lifecore has fixed their website after a lot of pressure from me.
   Magnetic resistance, which is what the R900 has, feels different from air or water resistance. Magnetic resistance doesn't change with the velocity at which you're pulling the bar, but air/water resistance increases with the velocity. That means that with air/water resistance you can kick off hard with your legs, getting a lot of resistance, and take it easy on your arms. So you can put out a lot of power, using the most powerful muscles in your body - getting your heart rate as high as you want - and burning a lot of calories. On the Concept 2 at the gym, which has air resistance, I can easily get my heart rate up to 170+. When I was snowed in the other day I tried working out on the R900 but I could only get my heart rate up to 141. Almost everybody I see rowing at the gym is not kicking off hard, though. So for most people, and before you get in good enough shape so you can kick hard for a long time, a magnetic rower would feel rather similar to the air/water resistance.
   The magnetic resistance is very gentle on your joints for this reason, so maybe it's actually better for people with joint problems.
   Rowing machines aren't like other exercise machines, where you can just hop on and do it. Rowing technique is illustrated in the "Flip Luisi" video online. It's like a complicated dance step. Kicking off hard doesn't mean you have to go at a high strokes/minute, because with the right technique, the return stroke is controlled so you slow down somewhat.
   Lifecore doesn't package things carefully enough for shipping. The first one I got wasn't working right in several ways. It had probably been damaged in shipping. So Lifecore sent replacement parts. When I got them I found one of the parts had also been damaged in shipping! It had been dropped and a metal piece was bent.
   Large packages are all shipped Gorilla Freight apparently. (picture of gorillas throwing 100-pound boxes around). But I've gotten large appliances undamaged from other companies. They double-crate them and use huge amounts of bubblewrap, which Lifecore doesn't. And small things, when they're sent in a sea of packing pnuts, also arrive OK. Lifecore recently sent me a new monitor inadequately packaged which also got here trashed.
   That the R900's monitor broke after 4 months of using it makes me wonder how well built the whole machine is.
   The magnetic resistance isn't silent, as some advertising claims. It maxed at 56 dBA when I measured it. Mostly the strap makes noise going in and out.
   Don't rely on the info at Mercantila's rowingmachines dot com website, anyway. That's what I did without realizing it and I really regretted it. Mercantila is just a marketing company. Try machines at the gym, talking to others who use them.
   I got this one because I thought the bells and whistles, like the many programs with different patterns of resistance over the workout, might make it easier to forget about rowing and pay attention to something else, like music. That seemed like the best way to avoid getting bored using it.
   So far, however, I've controlled the resistance manually, because I can't predict ahead of time what resistance I'll want. But I think some people would enjoy the resistance programs. The pre-set programs have the nice feature that if you press the up-arrow while the program is running, it ups the resistance for the whole program. Also the user can define their own resistance program, something you can't do with most rowing machines.
   The heart rate feature, where it adjusts the resistance level to keep you at a certain heart rate, sounds neat but isn't useful. First, before I could use the heart rate feedback program, I had to get heart rate monitor electrode cream to get the heart rate monitor to work reliably.
   But even with the heart rate program working as designed, it doesn't work well. It starts out at the lowest resistance, I'm hardly pulling at all, then it quickly steps up the load, much more quickly than my heart rate goes up. So if I don't manually correct the load, the machine loads me up with more resistance than I can keep up long term. So then I have to "sprint" with high resistance until my heart rate goes up to the target, then my heart rate goes higher than the target because I'm sprinting, and then it slowly lets up on the resistance. You get the picture ... The time scale of how fast the machine adjusts the load is out of whack with the time scale of how fast my heart rate goes up during exercise.
   The heart rate feedback feature would be more useful if it just beeped when you got out of the range you want. So you could adjust your pace, or the resistance, as you like.
   It IS useful to have a heart rate display. But I bought a wrist heart rate monitor and it's worked OK, mounted on rowing machine pullbars.
   If you want to do other exercises besides rowing, the R900 may not be the best. The strap loops around the pull-bar, so it would rub a lot if you are doing anything that rotates the strap around the pull-bar. The Kettler Coach which is made for doing exercises besides rowing has a rope with a knot at the end attached to the pull-bar. If your upper body isn't used to it you might need to switch off rowing with something else like biceps curls.
   The calorie display is completely wacko as other people have observed.
   It's so hard to buy the right things. What's actually helped me relax and forget about rowing has not been resistance programs in the rowing machine, but books on CD. You might want a fairly quiet rowing machine so you can listen to a book or enjoy music. It's quiet enough for that. But I've heard the new Concept 2's are also quiet enough to listen to CD's.
   It's the first Internet purchase I've made that was substantially misrepresented. Notwithstanding their friendliness, I don't trust a company that's so casual about wrong info on their web page, and I would not buy anything else from them.
   In summary: It has not worked for me. I used to run and I wanted a low-impact workout as intense as trail-running, which I can do on the Concept 2, not on the R900. But I can see how other people might think the R900 is wonderful. The magnetic resistance is very smooth and quiet, and other people seem to enjoy preset resistance programs.



5. researched this and finally chose the Lifecore 900 b/c its reviews were tops. We got the rower quickly from Amazon and unit had been dropped, plastic housing was cracked, so I returned it, not wanting to take chances on the innards being defective after such a visible blow. (plus, when I spend this much money, I want the product to be pristine upon arrival) Amazon was great and arranged for pickup and reorder of replacement. Received the second one in a very timely manner, and it had very similar damage. I'm thinking the whole overseas shipment may have been dropped. So we're returning the second one and trying the Kettler Coach. We hope Kettler does a better job with their product packaging!
   (The machine did feel sturdy and was very quiet, it is very frustrating to send it back a second time.) Thanks to Amazon for fast return and replacement.