MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Would like a rowing machine at home but can't stretch to a Concept 2 (new or s/h) .
What is good in the £150 - £200 range ?
IF you bought a s/h Concept2 it's very likely you'd get your money back.
I can only recommend the Concept 2. I've never seen or used a cheaper type that was worth having.
As above, Concept 2's are the go-to rower IMO. They also do hold their value very well, and if well maintained in your possession I doubt you'd have too much bother selling it on. I haven't got one now but as a student rower at university, living in a house full of rowers, we all chipped in and bought one from a defunct gym. Bolted on the more modern data screen and used it for 3 years. Sold it on for about £50 less than we bought it for.
HTH
"IF you bought a s/h Concept2 it's very likely you'd get your money back. "
No doubt but I can't afford one . I am buying one to use not as an investment .
Concept 2.
It's pretty much the standard for every gym and rowing club I know.
Can one of you geniuses post a link to a Concept 2 for sale in my price range ?
This thread is pure STW
"I'd like X, but can't afford it. Any alternatives I could look at"
"Get X"
You have my sympathies Pete...
Ok, but I think what people are really meaning is: if you can't afford X, it's really not worth getting a cheaper alternative. Plus, ergs make turbos and dreadmills seem positively exciting. I recently bought a treadmill and it's had a surprising amount of use, it's actually quite bearable with a bit of telly or one of the virtual run apps.
Pete, I've had a few rowing machines, Kettler (broken monitor), V-Fit (broken frame) and now a Concept2 (5+ years). The cheaper ones do not have the build quality or feel of the Concept2. They are more than double what you've budgeted for one but you will save money in the long run as they hardly depreciate.
If you still can't stretch to that and you've not used one before then look at hiring one to see if it's for you first before investing.
This thread is pure STW"I'd like X, but can't afford it. Any alternatives I could look at"
"Get X"
You have my sympathies Pete...
but not your useful advice? 🙂
Sometimes it's actually best to tell people what they don't want to hear, no matter how adamant they are that they don't want to hear it.
Another option is a waterrower - 2nd hand you might find a bargain as they are not as well known.
They are suppossed to be good because the catch is much better with no gap, and also the swooshing of the water is suppossed to be somewhat mesmeric/relaxing. An you can stand it upright so it looks like a bit of furniture.
e.g.
You budget is too low I reckon though, you'll be buying cheap junk that will fall apart. Something like a concept would be a better investment as it would be worth something later if you wanted to sell it.
If your budget is that low then consider a turbo trainer, or a Schwinn Airdyne type bike which will give you upper body exercise as well, e.g.
I had a reebok spin bike, which you could get in your budget, but got rid as it was too boring.
whereas the Schwinn Airdyne I used at the gym was excellent and I really enjoyed it.
The only alternative to a C2 machine which comes in cheaper is the WaterRower. But even then a 2nd hand one will most likely be double your budget, I'm afraid to say.
We have a WaterRower at home, and I use a C2 in the gym at work. I prefer the WR for home as its quieter, and being wooden, is much more appealing to look at! The action is much smoother than a C2 too, making you row at a lower rate, which I like.
I know this will mark nme as a bit of a rowing machine snob, but all the chaeper machines I have used, have been so shonky they really weren't worth bothering about.
OP sadly for both of us perhaps I sold a Concept 2 a few weeks ago for a £100. It was very lttle used and in perfect order but 7 years old so didn't have the latest features like iPhone links etc. Keep an eye out, you never know.
Have hired a waterrower and a C2 in the past for injury rehab. Preferred the water rower. Nice feel to it. Not that any of that helps the OP 🙂
When I used to row, it was all Concept 2's. Hated them though as I associated them with the dreaded ergo tests. But on the odd occasion when I tried any other, they were always worse, shonky, felt bad...., y'know, just not right.
Work out the the cost of gym membership over 5 years, then compare with the cost of a C2. As well as making the C2 look cheap by comparison, you'll be left with an asset worth 75% of it's initial cost.
I've had a C2 model C for about 15yrs, still works as good as new!
We bought a cheap one for my wife very much against my better judgement about 7 years ago. It was sh*t. Don't do it, if you're used to a C2, you'll be bitterly disappointed and you won't use it jut like my wife. Ours went unused for 2 years then got sold on for a £150 loss.
What you need to consider is cost of ownership, just like with an Islabike.
C2s occasionally come up for £250-350 on eBay/Gumtree but you'll have to be patient and willing to travel to pick up. Or get saving.