Top critical review
2.0 out of 5 starsTHE Standard for Rowing Machines--Amazon Prime Delivery = Fail
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2017
NOTE: The 2-star rating is for Amazon Prime's unreliable delivery despite charging a premium of $45 over the MSRP of $900 I could have paid directly to Concept2 or other retail vendors like Rogue Fitness. I gave them a 2nd star because they did get it to me within a standard shipping window after blowing the original guaranteed delivery date. The Concept 2 D rower itself rocks.
I've had it with Amazon Prime's now-routine failure to timely deliver items ordered from Amazon direct in violation of "guaranteed" delivery windows, despite charging premiums on the items in addition to the express delivery charges. I specifically searched and found multiple online sources including the OEM offering this machine for $900, but decided to pay the $45 premium to Amazon Prime because they guaranteed next-day delivery. It was important to my personal schedule and training schedule at the time. Not only was the delivery date completely missed, no update was provided confirming late delivery and rescheduling. I checked repeatedly on the scheduled day, and the tracking continued to show delivery by 8 p.m. on the scheduled day. I wasted time prepping to receive the rower, and deferred another workout anticipating I'd get it in on the new machine. By 10 p.m. I gave up. It was obvious no one was updating the delivery tracking. It was too late to get the workout in. I got delivery 2-days late, following a scheduled long distance run the prior day and a full body gym workout the same day and was obviously out of sync in terms of using the machine on the day of delivery--may as well not have come until the next day. That's about a 5% premium on purchase price plus express delivery charges completely unjustified. In the last several months I've had items lost, destroyed, and delayed. I've received multiple refunds, but of course the key point is that I didn't have the items when I was "guaranteed" to receive them. Amazon Prime is no longer at the top of my list of resources because they aren't reliable. I've noted, in a couple of interactions, Amazon Prime appears to be using local ground delivery services who don't seem to have gate codes as the major carriers do for gated subdivisions and who are not professional. After being called while out at dinner by a local carrier because they couldn't get into our subdivision and telling them we were not running home from dinner to let them in, they apparently just decided to "lose" the items--we never received them and I had to contact Amazon for the refund. If paying a premium, we shouldn't be dependent on fly-by-night vendors. Enough.
As for the Concept 2 D rower, this is my second C2 and they are built to withstand a nuclear strike. My last one lasted 8-years and was still in perfect operating condition when I ditched it (only because it didn't break down and we literally could not get it up the narrow stairwell in a new townhome). This is THE standard for rowing equipment. This is the same machine used in Lifetime Platinum facilities. The new rowers are significantly lighter (only 65 lbs.), and readily broken down for easy storage. Despite being seriously fatigued, muscle sore and plain tired, I was able to carry the box with rower inside upstairs to the room to be uncrated by myself, very easily. The damping control is clearly marked 1-10, and will adjust to simulate drag for a super-sleek sculling boat or a row boat. The PM5 monitor/CPU module provides ALL the real time metrics and stores them, provides for pacing, has multiple pre-loaded workouts and allows for custom workouts, and provides games to keep it interesting. You can use it with a USB storage device to upload your data for analysis to third party apps or a spreadsheet. The PM5 syncs to Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ heart monitor devices, and is compatible with Wahoo TCKER X monitors, for example. C2 does provide an online log capability, and its own applications for additional capabilities. Numbers of third-party applications are available, notably Row Pro, which provides 3D virtual coaching for form, 3D pacing, and both 3D virtual and online racing against multiple parties internationally. More rowing and training support apps are compatible with the C2 PM5 module than other rowers because C2 commands maximum market share and for good reason. The C2D is light and storable, making it practical to set up in the media room and row using a large monitor for the virtual rowing applications to train and race, and then breaking it down and storing it when done daily. The C2 website provides an incredible array of useful reference materials, including among the best videos and instructions on proper rowing technique out there.
I row for a total body + cardio cross-training workout to take some stress off my joints in between running and gym days. I can pull training plans from Row Pro which load directly to the app and track progress, in combination with my A, B and C run event training plans. In my case, the Row Pro app will track progress specific to rowing including workups to indoor virtual race events, and I load the workouts from my Wahoo and/or Garmin applications directly to Training Peaks to track my total training load. If you want to train and participate in indoor rowing competitions, this is the rig. I strongly recommend the machine, and strongly recommend you purchase through a channel other than Amazon Prime because there is no reason to pay the higher price.
