Concept2 RowErg

The Concept2 RowErg is the most trusted indoor rowing machine in the world, used by Olympic athletes, CrossFit boxes, and home gym enthusiasts alike. Its air resistance flywheel delivers a smooth, responsive stroke that scales perfectly to your effort level. Getting the setup right from day one — flooring, placement, accessories, and maintenance — ensures you'll enjoy tens of thousands of trouble-free meters.

What ships with the RowErg

The RowErg arrives in a single carton and requires about 20–30 minutes of straightforward assembly with no extra tools needed — Concept2 includes the wrench and screwdriver in the box. The package contains the flywheel/fan cage unit, the monorail with slide rail and seat, the front floor legs, the footrests (already attached), and the PM5 monitor with its mounting arm. You also get a smartphone cradle that clips onto the PM5 arm, a USB cable for firmware updates, and two D-cell batteries pre-installed in the monitor. Notably, Concept2 does not include a heart rate strap; you'll need to purchase a Bluetooth or ANT+ chest strap separately if you want live heart rate data on the PM5.

Flooring and space requirements

The assembled RowErg measures approximately 96 inches (8 feet) long by 24 inches wide, and Concept2 recommends a footprint of at least 9 feet by 4 feet to allow for comfortable rowing and safe dismounting. Place it on a hard, level surface whenever possible — concrete, hardwood, or dense rubber flooring all work well. If you're rowing on hardwood or in an upstairs room, a 4mm horse stall mat or a dedicated rowing machine mat like the Concept2 Floor Mat (about $45) will protect floors from sweat and minor vibration. Avoid thick, spongy foam tiles, as they can shift during hard pulls and make the machine feel unstable. If your ceiling is low, you'll be happy to know the seat height is only about 14 inches, so headroom is rarely an issue even in basements.

Accessories worth buying

A Polar H10 or Garmin HRM-Dual chest strap ($50–$80) is the single best accessory you can add — the PM5 will display your heart rate in real-time via Bluetooth or ANT+, and apps like ErgData track it alongside your splits. Concept2's own seat pad ($40) or the Rowing Pad cushion ($35) makes long sessions much more comfortable, especially if you're rowing over 30 minutes. Consider picking up the Concept2 Phone Cradle 2 if you want a more secure tablet mount, or a third-party option like the LiveRowing tablet holder (~$30) for iPads. An ErgData-compatible logbook account on the Concept2 online logbook is free and essential for tracking lifetime meters. Finally, a small fan pointed at your rowing position makes a huge difference in comfort since the flywheel's breeze alone isn't enough during intense intervals.

Pairing with strength equipment

The RowErg pairs beautifully with a minimal strength setup because rowing already hits legs, back, and arms — your supplemental work should focus on pressing movements and single-leg stability. A flat/incline bench and a pair of adjustable dumbbells (like the PowerBlock Elite 50 or Bowflex SelectTech 552) cover overhead presses, bench presses, and single-arm rows that complement your rowing. Adding a pull-up bar and a kettlebell in the 16–24 kg range lets you do Turkish get-ups, swings, and goblet squats that bulletproof the hips and core for better rowing posture. For CrossFit-style workouts, pair the rower with a wall ball, a jump rope, and a plyo box — many popular CrossFit WODs alternate rowing calories with bodyweight or light barbell movements. Position your strength equipment so the rower remains easily accessible without rearranging the room, ideally along a wall where the monorail can slide out freely.

Maintenance and storage

The RowErg is famously low-maintenance, but a few simple habits will keep it performing like new for decades. After every session, wipe down the monorail, seat, and handle with a dry or lightly damp cloth to remove sweat — salt corrosion on the rail is the number one cause of premature wear. Every 50 hours of use (or roughly monthly for most home users), apply a light coat of Concept2's recommended chain oil (3-in-1 oil works perfectly) by putting a few drops on a cloth and running the chain through it. Inspect the seat rollers quarterly for hair or debris buildup and wipe them clean. For storage, the RowErg separates easily into two pieces — pull the frame lock pin, tilt the monorail up, and the unit stores vertically in a footprint of about 25 x 33 inches, or you can lean it against a wall with the optional Concept2 vertical storage hook ($20).

◈   Frequently asked questions

◈   Pro tip

Set the PM5 damper lever between 3 and 5 for most training — this is where Concept2 themselves and elite rowers recommend it for optimal feel and aerobic development, despite the common beginner mistake of cranking it to 10. A lower damper setting doesn't mean less resistance; it means the flywheel responds more like a sleek racing shell on water, letting you build power through leg drive speed rather than brute force, which protects your lower back and lets you row longer with better form.