Rowing machines - http://www.rowingmachinez.com

Editor's picks

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  Kettler Favorit Rowing Machine

  Sports (KETTLER)
  

  Rating (29 reviews):

  (4.3/5)

  

  Good machine, but I got a dud.

  I got my Favorit about 5 days after I ordered it and when I went to put it together I realized that a piece was missing (the bar to hold the foot pedals on). So I called customer service and they sent me one free of charge the next day. I was a little disappointed because I was excited to use it but couldn't without something to put my feet on. So I waited another 5 or so days and I got that part.After using it I realized the right shock absorber wasn't working correctly, and it started losing more pressure within a few day to where it was unusable. I emailed customer service this time and they sent me a new shock right away.Since then I haven't had any problems, the machine works great and I've been using it about 3 weeks daily with the new shock. The customer service was really great, which is why I decided not to take off a star. I think I might have gotten a returned machine. It was obviously a dud either way, everything else about the experience was... 5/5 L P - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Kettler Favorit Rowing Machine (Sports) I got my Favorit about 5 days after I ordered it and when I went to put it together I realized that a piece was missing (the bar to hold the foot pedals on). So I called customer service and they sent me one free of charge the next day. I was a little disappointed because I was excited to use it but couldn't without something to put my feet on. So I waited another 5 or so days and I got that part.After using it I realized the right shock absorber wasn't working correctly, and it started losing more pressure within a few day to where it was unusable. I emailed customer service this time and they sent me a new shock right away.Since then I haven't had any problems, the machine works great and I've been using it about 3 weeks daily with the new shock. The customer service was really great, which is why I decided not to take off a star. I think I might have gotten a returned machine. It was obviously a dud either way, everything else about the experience was... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , August 28, 2009

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  Well built with one major flaw...

  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. 2/5 Mike S. (Fredericksburg, VA USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Kettler Favorit Rowing Machine (Sports) 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. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , December 26, 2007

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  Best in its class

  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! 5/5 Steven Medway (USA) - See all my reviews, February 28, 2008

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  List Price: $399.00
  Price: $398.99
  You Save: $0.01 (%)

  Two hydraulic cylinders with continuous resistance and a comfortably ergonomic seat

  Rowing machine to help you stay in shape and train in your own home

  Program for desired distance covered and stroke speed; visual and audio signals

  Training computer provides info on time measurement, number of oar strokes, speed of strokes, distance covered, and more

  250-Pound weight capacity; measures 49 x 31 x 10-Inch

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• 

  Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Rower Rowing Machine

  Sports (KETTLER)
  

  Rating (53 reviews):

  (4.2/5)

  

  The rowing motion is like heaven

  I initially tried to order my Kettler Kadett from a company called Mercantila, a.k.a. Rowingmachines.com. It was a complete disaster and nightmare including some false advertising, trying to cover up some mistakes on their part which caused about a month of delays, some horrible customer service (or lack thereof), some false charges, and a lot of headaches. Eventually enough was enough and I wound up ordering it directly from Amazon, which cost me a few bucks more, but was well worth it.The machine comes mostly disassembled and took about an hour and a half to put together. There were a few confusing moments as the instructions are only pictures and no text, so making sure you have the right part takes a little extra focus. It came with all the tools necessary except an allen wrench which was necessary for one small thing.In terms of overall quality, it's very high. I'm not concerned about this thing breaking, nor does it rattle or have ill-fitting parts... 4/5 chris carter (California, USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Rower Rowing Machine (Sports) I initially tried to order my Kettler Kadett from a company called Mercantila, a.k.a. Rowingmachines.com. It was a complete disaster and nightmare including some false advertising, trying to cover up some mistakes on their part which caused about a month of delays, some horrible customer service (or lack thereof), some false charges, and a lot of headaches. Eventually enough was enough and I wound up ordering it directly from Amazon, which cost me a few bucks more, but was well worth it.The machine comes mostly disassembled and took about an hour and a half to put together. There were a few confusing moments as the instructions are only pictures and no text, so making sure you have the right part takes a little extra focus. It came with all the tools necessary except an allen wrench which was necessary for one small thing.In terms of overall quality, it's very high. I'm not concerned about this thing breaking, nor does it rattle or have ill-fitting parts... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , March 4, 2006

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  Best thing I've done for myself in a long time!

  The Kettler Kedett rowing machine is an amazing piece of equipment. I unpacked mine last night and despite missing a washer and having to wade through 90 minutes of assembly instructions, I was impressed from the very start.From the solidity and the perfect fit of the parts, it is clear that this machine is the product of German engineering. I haven't seen anything so well designed in years. Each part fits well, tightens nicely and still rotates or slides with ease. The machine is sturdy, sits well on carpet or hard flooring and easily folds into a compact shape when not in use.A workout on the Kadett is better than any workout I've ever experienced, aside from rowing or kayaking. The motion is very realistic, with nothing to distract one beyond the small chirping of the pistons and the occasional knock of the seat against the front of the rail. It is easy to close my eyes and imagine myself rowing down a quiet river. The entire experience is more like... 5/5 Karl Treen "Karl" (Providence, RI) - See all my reviews This review is from: Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Rower Rowing Machine (Sports) The Kettler Kedett rowing machine is an amazing piece of equipment. I unpacked mine last night and despite missing a washer and having to wade through 90 minutes of assembly instructions, I was impressed from the very start.From the solidity and the perfect fit of the parts, it is clear that this machine is the product of German engineering. I haven't seen anything so well designed in years. Each part fits well, tightens nicely and still rotates or slides with ease. The machine is sturdy, sits well on carpet or hard flooring and easily folds into a compact shape when not in use.A workout on the Kadett is better than any workout I've ever experienced, aside from rowing or kayaking. The motion is very realistic, with nothing to distract one beyond the small chirping of the pistons and the occasional knock of the seat against the front of the rail. It is easy to close my eyes and imagine myself rowing down a quiet river. The entire experience is more like... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , January 6, 2006

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  OK, but some weaknesses

  well, after reading that many positive reviews, I decided to buy one.delivery and assembly were flawless.There are some strange things about this piece of equipment, however.1. all the labels on the equipment are in German. Not a problem for me, because I am a German living in the States. Must be strange for locals, though.2. the pulse meter is completely inaccurate. I was rowing like mad to get my pulse into my aerobic zone (130). Once I was exhausted and double-checked with my chest-strap based other pulse-meter, I was already beyond 150, when the Kettler thing still showed only 110. If you don't want to kill yourself, don't use the built-in pulse meter.Besides, I hate having a cable dangling at my ear while rowing.3. at the beginning of my 2nd training session, when I tried to fix my shoes with the 2 tapes which were provided for this purpose, one of the plastic rings broke. It is made of such a cheap material, it... 3/5 Rezensent "Rezensent" - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Rower Rowing Machine (Sports) well, after reading that many positive reviews, I decided to buy one.delivery and assembly were flawless.There are some strange things about this piece of equipment, however.1. all the labels on the equipment are in German. Not a problem for me, because I am a German living in the States. Must be strange for locals, though.2. the pulse meter is completely inaccurate. I was rowing like mad to get my pulse into my aerobic zone (130). Once I was exhausted and double-checked with my chest-strap based other pulse-meter, I was already beyond 150, when the Kettler thing still showed only 110. If you don't want to kill yourself, don't use the built-in pulse meter.Besides, I hate having a cable dangling at my ear while rowing.3. at the beginning of my 2nd training session, when I tried to fix my shoes with the 2 tapes which were provided for this purpose, one of the plastic rings broke. It is made of such a cheap material, it... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , January 8, 2009

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  List Price: $599.00
  

  Training computer provides info on time measurement, number of oar strokes, speed of strokes, distance covered, and more

  Outrigger style rower simulates actual water rowing, resistance setting from 1 to 12

  250-Pound weight capacity, measures 49 x 31 x 10-Inch

  Rowing machine to help you stay in shape and train in your own home

  Program for desired distance covered and stroke speed, visual and audio signals

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  HCI Fitness Sprint Outrigger Scull Rowing Machine

  Sports (HCI Fitness)
  

  Rating (30 reviews):

  (4.0/5)

  

  It's Like A Review Only Mildly Amusing....

  This, I think, is my first review on Amazon (woo hoo) and I'm mostly doing it because I'm reasonably sure the previous review is fake and from a company rep. With that said there is some truth to the review.I just received mine yesterday and was pleased to see it was all heavy steel with no plastic that I could see, even the casing is metal. The directions were hard to make heads or tails of which turned out to be okay given that a slow witted monkey could put this thing together in under a half hour, given that I am at least a few IQ points ahead of a slow witted monkey I was able to assemble it in about 15 minutes. Once the machine is all together feels really solid with only a slight, negligible wobble to the seat but that is not unexpected given that I'm a 6 foot 215 former bodybuilder and most things wobble or yell "hey don't sit on me" when I sit on them.Once on the machine I was pleased with the motion and resistance as it felt pretty even and the seat... 4/5 Brandon May "Thanos" (USA) - See all my reviews, February 13, 2009

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  Pretty much as expected ...

  I received my HCI Sprint Outrigger today.Packaging was in good condition, all parts present, no damage. Good job FedEx!Unpacking and setup was pretty easy, took about 10 minutes. Only tools required were hex wrenches, and they came in the box.Initial reactions - fit and finish are reasonably good. Welds are solid - this isn't an elegant piece of machinery, but it's pretty well put together. One nice feature is a pair of locking pins that engage the rowing arms in the folded position so that they're immobilized for transit.Less favorable reactions - someone commented elsewhere that the soft handle grips broke up with use - I can imagine this happening pretty easily, and I also think that given some harsh use, the velcro foot straps might not last too well. Seat rollers on rowing machines typically take quite a beating. Time will tell how well the rollers hold up.One other gripe is that the computer is pretty large - when I was... 3/5 Minarchist "Minarchist" (CT, USA) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: HCI Fitness Sprint Outrigger Scull Rowing Machine (Sports) I received my HCI Sprint Outrigger today.Packaging was in good condition, all parts present, no damage. Good job FedEx!Unpacking and setup was pretty easy, took about 10 minutes. Only tools required were hex wrenches, and they came in the box.Initial reactions - fit and finish are reasonably good. Welds are solid - this isn't an elegant piece of machinery, but it's pretty well put together. One nice feature is a pair of locking pins that engage the rowing arms in the folded position so that they're immobilized for transit.Less favorable reactions - someone commented elsewhere that the soft handle grips broke up with use - I can imagine this happening pretty easily, and I also think that given some harsh use, the velcro foot straps might not last too well. Seat rollers on rowing machines typically take quite a beating. Time will tell how well the rollers hold up.One other gripe is that the computer is pretty large - when I was... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , June 30, 2009

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  Awesome Workout

  I bought this rower without being able to read any reviews on Amazon. I initially wanted to buy the Kettler Kadett rower because I enjoy the sculling action of an outrigger type rowing machine. But after comparing features and pricing I decided on the Sprint Rower. All I can say is that I am not disappointed with my decision. For the price this is a fantastic rower. It really simulates the natural motion of rowing while providing a rigorous and enjoyable workout. Another great plus is that it folds up to be very compact. When not using is I slide it under my bed.I consider myself average to below average when assembling things but I had the Sprint Rower together in under 15 minutes. The rower basically comes completely assembled and all that I needed to do was attach the display panel. The display is nice because it gives you all of the basic features and the numbers are fairly large. I like to row without my glasses so this helps.This is the first... 5/5 EaglesFan "Jake" (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews This review is from: HCI Fitness Sprint Outrigger Scull Rowing Machine (Sports) I bought this rower without being able to read any reviews on Amazon. I initially wanted to buy the Kettler Kadett rower because I enjoy the sculling action of an outrigger type rowing machine. But after comparing features and pricing I decided on the Sprint Rower. All I can say is that I am not disappointed with my decision. For the price this is a fantastic rower. It really simulates the natural motion of rowing while providing a rigorous and enjoyable workout. Another great plus is that it folds up to be very compact. When not using is I slide it under my bed.I consider myself average to below average when assembling things but I had the Sprint Rower together in under 15 minutes. The rower basically comes completely assembled and all that I needed to do was attach the display panel. The display is nice because it gives you all of the basic features and the numbers are fairly large. I like to row without my glasses so this helps.This is the first... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , January 12, 2009

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  List Price: $599.00
  

  High-quality piston rowing machine; 12 levels of hydraulic resistance

  Quickly folds into an ultra-compact unit

  LCD display shows you time, stroke count, total strokes, and calories

  Strong, commercial-grade cylinders

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  Proteus PAR-5500 Commercial Club Series Rowing Machine

  Sports (HCI Fitness)
  

  Rating (5 reviews):

  (3.8/5)

  

  Love the machine, just have one issue

  EDIT: I'm editing my original review up to 5 stars. The machine is great, and I found my error on how to get customer service. Looking again at the product page, I saw an "other products from HCI Fitness" link. HCI Fitness is in Seattle, and looks like who I'd contact to resolve any further service problems. It certainly isn't obvious from what's inside the box, but now I know and feel much more confident about the machine. Below is my original review:There is only one reason I'm not giving this product five stars. On my first workout on this machine, I got about 2/3 through when suddenly the computer displayed an "E-2" error. I tried power cycling the machine, but "E-2" came back. That's when I went to the manual to look for customer service.The only contact info of any kind that I found was the company website. The website URL is shared with "Zeta & Co" auto parts, and clicking through to Proteus Fitness revealed a pretty basic and Taiwan-based... 5/5 K. Ringel - See all my reviews, December 2, 2009

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  Great rower that lives up to the hype

  Almost pulled the trigger on the Concept 2 but was convinced by a friend to check out the Proteus Rower (we each ended up buying one). This rower is definitely commercial quality as advertised from head to toe. I am very impressed with the fit and form of all components, the European manufacturing influence is very noticeable. Display panel provides more than I will ever need but it is great to have all of the options. Extremely smooth workout, so far so good. I will keep you posted. 5/5 GettinFit (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews This review is from: Proteus PAR-5500 Commercial Club Series Rowing Machine (Sports) Almost pulled the trigger on the Concept 2 but was convinced by a friend to check out the Proteus Rower (we each ended up buying one). This rower is definitely commercial quality as advertised from head to toe. I am very impressed with the fit and form of all components, the European manufacturing influence is very noticeable. Display panel provides more than I will ever need but it is great to have all of the options. Extremely smooth workout, so far so good. I will keep you posted. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , November 1, 2009

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  Still waiting to see what happens...

  Got this for $700 during a lightning deal, thiking it was a good price. As usual, got it on time and everything was OK with Amazon. However, after spending a few hours putting it all together and finally starting to use it, the handle/cable would not fully retract, and at times, not retract at all. I called the company for the rower, and they were shocked that this model would have any problems, and said there's nothing I could do to fix it, but rather that I needed to contact AMZ to get a replacement.So AMZ immediately sent me a replacement, but I had to pack up the first one in the box for the new one and ship it back. Although they attempted to send a USPS label, I told them the USPS would never pick that up, and that it had to go back UPS. they said that I had to go ship it myself, and that they would reimburse for shipping. However, after the UPS driver delivered the 2nd one, he said not to do that, but rather have AMZ issue a "call tag."They did, and the... 3/5 William F. Rieck II "Bill" (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews, March 3, 2010

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  List Price: $1,499.00
  Price: $920.07
  You Save: $578.93 (39%)

  Comfortable ergo seat with underside seat rollers for exceptional gliding

  Commercial-grade rowing machine with both air and magnetic resistance systems

  Combines "on the water" feel of air resistance with strength and smoothness of magnetic resistance

  280-pound capacity; measures 96 x 31 x 19 inches (W x H x D); weighs 100 pounds

  Oversized, easy-to-read LCD display panel with 16 resistance levels

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  Kettler HKS Ergo Coach LS Rowing Machine

  Sports (KETTLER)
  

  Rating (4 reviews):

  (3.0/5)

  

  Great Machine!

  This is a great machine. Solid quality. Easy to put together. Screen is easy to see. It offers 6 pre-set programs. Program one is a good 20 minute work out. I'm a 45 y/o male in decent shape. I think this machine would be suitable for anyone. Manual setting allows max flexibility to your specific conditioning. My wife tried the machine as well and thought it offers a great total workout. This is a great lifetime investment in yourself! 5/5 K. Petri - See all my reviews, November 6, 2007

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  13 month life in use

  I would NOT recommend this rower to anyone. Our use was no more than 3 hours per week for 13 months before it broke down in a way that could not be repaired. Maximum weight of users 175 pounds. Ages of 2 users--60's. I have bought another brand of rower, on which I was able to purchase a 5 year service contract. I was able to get in home delivery and assembly and the service contract for the same price as this rower with "in home" delivery, which is NOT assembly. 1/5 Samosee - See all my reviews This review is from: Kettler HKS Ergo Coach LS Rowing Machine (Sports) I would NOT recommend this rower to anyone. Our use was no more than 3 hours per week for 13 months before it broke down in a way that could not be repaired. Maximum weight of users 175 pounds. Ages of 2 users--60's. I have bought another brand of rower, on which I was able to purchase a 5 year service contract. I was able to get in home delivery and assembly and the service contract for the same price as this rower with "in home" delivery, which is NOT assembly. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , July 17, 2010

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  excellent machine

  the only problem with this machine is that i am not using it as much as i should. solid built product with no problems so far. 5/5 R. Tilkin - See all my reviews, September 17, 2010

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  List Price: $1,399.00
  

  Residential Warranty: Lifetime Frame, 3 years parts & electronics

  Heart Rate Controlled Programs

  Ball Bearing Roller Seat

  Impressive 500 Watts Maximum Resistance

  280 Lbs. User Capacity

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  BodyCraft VR100 Rowing Machine

  Sports (BodyCraft)
  

  Rating (21 reviews):

  (3.8/5)

  

  It works and looks like a much more expensive rower.

  After having purchased an inexpensive piston rower (which was not so bad,by the way) I tried in a fitness shop some magnetic rowers and I found them much better. So I shopped around and I tried the Tunturi R30, The Kettler Coach, the Fitness Quest Integrity 3000, the Water Rower,the Lifecore R900, the Life Span and the Body Craft VR 100. I found that the Body Craft has the best value for money ratio. It is built very well, its ergonomics are handsome, the workout is fantastic, and the price is very acceptable.I particularly like the position of the footpedals and of the handle-bar,which I think is perfect.It also looks like it is very durable and it will last forever. I am very much satisfied, and would recommend it to everyone looking for a classy rower at a very honest price. 5/5 Gerardo Piero Pavone (Troy, Michigan) - See all my reviews, January 23, 2007

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  This rowing machine ROCKS!

  I was/am a runner who constantly was sustaining leg injuries of one type or another. I finally yielded to the fact that I needed to seriously cross train and reduce my running. I decided to row, however I abhore having to spend tons of cash on exercise equipment to work out indoors when running is virtually free outside. I originally wanted to spend only a few hundred dollar so at least I could get my work outs in and see if I really liked rowing. After reading every review I could find, I decided that it may be in my best interest to spend more than a few hundred dollars. When I chose the Body Craft VR100 rower I figured that I would still be compromising quality since it was a mid-priced unit. I didn't want to listen to things click and clack, and have to tighten things that would loosen over time. Much to my amazement, this rower Rocks! It was really easy to put together, the parts are high quality, and the important thing is when you row you don't even think about the fact... 5/5 T. Popper - See all my reviews, March 8, 2007

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  I know I'm going against the grain, but it's really worthless

  Don't be fooled by its slick appearance: Whoever designed this machine has no clue about rowing.To row the standard 2000m distance on the BodyCraft VR100 takes EXACTLY two hundred and twenty strokes. It does not matter if you take 220 long, powerful strokes or 220 stunted, one-foot strokes; the computer always displays 2 km. Nor is it responsive to resistance. 220 strokes at the highest resistance level gives you 2 km, as it does at the very lowest resistance level. Also, according to the computer, you burn .6 calories for every stroke; it does not matter if they are long and laborious or short and effortless. Clearly, the manufacturers installed a dummy computer to fool unwitting buyers - in no way does it measure power, like a real ergometer.Thus, the exerciser has ALMOST NO CLUE about his performance and fitness. The computer is nothing more than a stroke counter and a clock. (The "stroke rate" indicator is fickle and nearly useless, and the "speed" is also... 1/5 Rowist - See all my reviews This review is from: BodyCraft VR100 Rowing Machine (Sports) Don't be fooled by its slick appearance: Whoever designed this machine has no clue about rowing.To row the standard 2000m distance on the BodyCraft VR100 takes EXACTLY two hundred and twenty strokes. It does not matter if you take 220 long, powerful strokes or 220 stunted, one-foot strokes; the computer always displays 2 km. Nor is it responsive to resistance. 220 strokes at the highest resistance level gives you 2 km, as it does at the very lowest resistance level. Also, according to the computer, you burn .6 calories for every stroke; it does not matter if they are long and laborious or short and effortless. Clearly, the manufacturers installed a dummy computer to fool unwitting buyers - in no way does it measure power, like a real ergometer.Thus, the exerciser has ALMOST NO CLUE about his performance and fitness. The computer is nothing more than a stroke counter and a clock. (The "stroke rate" indicator is fickle and nearly useless, and the "speed" is also... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , August 14, 2009

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  List Price: $840.00
  Price: $699.00
  You Save: $141.00 (17%)

  Aircraft-grade aluminum and steel frame; 44 inches of travel from pedals to accommodate different heights

  Contoured ergonomic seat glides along precision-bearing rollers to ensure smooth performance

  Adjustable (height and angle) console tracks your time, distance, strokes, calories burned, and heart rate

  Folds up for easy storage; measures 17 x 22 x 68 inches (W x H x D); lifetime frame warranty

  Sturdy rowing machine with 6 resistance levels (1 air resistance and 5 air and magnetic resistance)

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