Although the Concept2 rower is very do-able to setup on your own, it can be confusing when trying to figure it out by yourself. So below we have both a video and step-by-step guide you can follow to ensure everything goes smoothly for you. You can expect the total installation and setup to take approximately 20 minutes.
INCLUDED PARTS
- Screwdriver
- 8 screws
- Long leg
- Short leg
- Bar with caster wheels
- Rowing machine
- Monorail
BEFORE STARTING
I recommend you have everything laid out before you get started. You should have 8 screws and a screwdriver comes included which you’ll need to assemble everything together.
I also recommend watching the video below as it’s just under 3-minutes and it will give you a visual of what you’ll be doing. Then you can either use the video, the assemble steps below or a combination of both when putting your rower together.
ASSEMBLY STEPS
STEP 1: Get your foot with casters ready. Then grab the “long leg” and the “short leg.” You’re going to be putting the long leg over the short leg (where the screw holes line up), and then putting both of those over the “foot with casters” piece. Then go ahead and completely fasten all 4 screws.
TIP: Make sure the long leg is on the same side as the casters.
STEP 2: Next you’ll be attaching the legs you just assembled to the front of your rowing machine. Begin by placing the rowing machine on it’s back (ie. turning it upside down).
Take the piece you just assembled (leg bars with caster bar) and position it so that the long leg and casters are on the outside (so that the short leg is on the inside).
You’ll then be using the remaining 4 screws to fasten the legs to the bottom of the rower.
TIP: You can loosely attache the screws/fasteners at first to get them all in. Then you can go back and tighten them all down with the screwdriver.
STEP 3: Take the legs and rower that you just fastened together with the screws and flip it turn it over so that it’s upright. Now you’re ready to attach the monorail.
TIP: Look for the groove on the bottom side of the monorail. This is what you’ll be using to attach this to the rower.
Look for the silver crossbar between the feet on the rower. You’ll be attaching the groove of the monorail (which is on the bottom of the monorail) to this crossbar. To do this, grab the foot strap to lift up the rower so that you can attach the groove underneath the monorail to the crossbar (which is located between the feet on the rower).
Once you attach the groove to the crossbar, you can slowly set both pieces down to drop everything into place. Make sure that once you’ve done this, the latch is completely down. You want to make sure the groove has completely slid over and secured itself over the crossbar.
STEP 4: All that’s left to do is to flip the monitor over so that it’s in place. Then you take take the handle and place it down in the handle-hook.
Congratulations! You’re now all set up now and ready to use your new rower.
VIDEO SETUP AND ASSEMBLY GUIDE FOR YOUR CONCEPT2 ROWER
Once your rower is all setup, there isn’t anything else you need in order to start using it. However, I wanted to offer some recommendations for additional items that could help you have the best experience possible with this rower.
IS IT WORTH GETTING A MAT FOR YOUR ROWER?
While getting a mat isn’t necessary, there are some valid reasons and benefits to getting one.
First, it helps to protect your floor. One of the biggest things people may not think about when using this rower is the back that they might start sweating, and it’s possible that sweat could drip onto your floor.
Depending on how much you sweat or how often you think you’ll use this could determine how big of an issue this might really be. But it’s something to consider. Having a mat underneath your rower is a great way to save the floor underneath from any potential sweat dripping onto it.
Next, if you’re in an apartment and concerned about creating additional noise that anyone below you might hear than a mat is a good idea. Having a floor mat (the thicker the better) will dampen any vibrations caused by the rower and lessen the amount of vibration noise people below you would otherwise hear.
Also, something I didn’t realize until talking to an exercise equipment repair guy is that carpet fuzz can and often does get into the motors and mechanical parts of exercise equipment if there’s not a mat underneath. It’s not something you’d notice right away, but over time, it can potentially cause an issue.
Finally, the exercise mat will help prevent slippage, so you’re not as likely to have to keep re-positioning the rower if it starts to move from your workout. This also helps to again, protect your flooring as you won’t have to worry about the rower slowly sliding across it.
So it really depends on your situation, whether getting a floor mat might be a good idea or not. Now if you’re using this rower on a concrete floor in the basement, then getting a mat probably won’t be as big a deal. But if you’re using this on hard wood or carpeted floors then it could certainly be a wise decision to get one.
BEST MAT TO GET FOR THE CONCEPT2 ROWER?
There are a couple things to keep in mind if you decide to get an exercise mat to go underneath your rower.
First, you want to make sure its the right size. One of the most frustrating things when comparing floor mats for this rower, is making sure the dimensions will work with the Concept2 rower as not all rowers are the same size.
Also, you don’t want to get a mat that will stain your hardwood floors or carpet. That can be just as bad or even worse then damage caused from sweat. This tends to be a problem with cheaper products but it can sometimes happen with some of the more expensive ones as well so this is something to watch out for.
Finally, you want a mat that will stay put and won’t start to slide or move while you use the rower. This often has to do with either the material the mat is made out of or the thickness or a combination of both.
Here are a few different exercise floor mats that satisfy the above criteria:
SuperMats High Grade Exercise Equipment Mat (BEST VALUE)
This is an excellent mat. It is made in the USA and all the raw materials are sourced in the USA as well. No harmful chemicals are used and there’s no bad rubber smell. It’s dimensions are 3 ft x 8.5 ft so it’s a perfect fit for the Concept2 rower.
Currently this floor mat is the best value of all the recommended mats for the Concept2 rower in this list. You’re getting the best performance for your money with this floor mat.
This mat has slightly smaller dimensions then the example above at 2.6 ft x 8.2 ft. But otherwise it meets all of the same core features you’d want to have as mentioned earlier. It cost a few dollars more and you also includes the Concept2 branding (logo) on this mat.
Rubber Cal Elephant Bark Mat (BEST MOISTURE RESISTANCE)
If you want to have a mat you can use or leave outdoors, like on a balcony for example, this mat would be a top choice. It costs a bit more than the other recommended options above, but you’re getting exceptional water and UV resistance which allows it to hold up and last, even when dealing with lots of moisture.
This is also a great option if you’re wanting to cover a larger area with a protective floor mat. You’ll often find this used in gyms as an example for their entire flooring.
There is a slight amount of off-gassing with these mats, and while it dissipates fairly quickly, that’s something to keep in mind depending on how sensitive you might be to that type of thing.
Ultra Durable, Non-Slip Gorilla Mat (BEST QUALITY)
When you want the best mat for your Concept2 rower, then this Gorrilla Mat would be the one to get. It’s a little wider (4 ft) compared to the other options which range between 2.6 to 3.5 ft so that could be a good or bad thing depending on your space.
But it includes a lifetime guarantee, is made completely from non-toxic materials, is designed specifically to not slip at all, and it won’t stain or bleed onto your flooring. It’s 1/4″ think so you get just a bit more padding and vibration dampening. So while the other recommended options will work just fine, this one would be the best option if the price and additional width aren’t a problem.
Here are some examples that I wouldn’t recommend:
I’ve noticed there are a lot of options when it comes to choosing an exercise mat. And finding good ones for the Concept2 rower seems extra challenging because of it’s length.
So below are a list of floor mats that may sound good based on their reviews or might even be recommended as a ‘rower’ floor mat, but I explain why each of these wouldn’t actually be a good choice to use with the Concept 2 rowing machine.
Stamina Fold-to-Fit Folding Equipment Mat
Although the concept of being able to fold up your mat is cool, this mat is not large enough for the Concept2 rower. Also, it’s not as durable as the examples suggested above.
Kettler Heavy-Duty Floor Protection Mat for Exercise Equipment
Although this mat is large enough to accommodate the Concept2 rower, it has quality issues and is overpriced. The name makes it sound like you’re getting a “heavy-duty” mat, and while your first impression when getting it is that the mat is nice and thick, it compresses more like a softer style yoga mat. And over time, you can wear a hole through the mat where your rower sits on it. This is a good example of what I was talking about before, where spending more on a mat, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting a good quality mat for your rower.
This is another cool concept in that the mat is almost 100% recycled. And while I’ve seen people recommending this mat for the Concept2 rower, the problem is that it’s too short so for this reason I would not recommend getting it.
Also, this particular Mat is currently unavailable. But I’ll keep the product link live so that you can check to see if that changes and/or if they add any other dimensions for this particular mat. Because if they were to offer another option that was a little longer, this could be a great choice for those wanting a recycled floor mat.
RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES
Besides getting a floor mat for your rower, there are a few more accessories I’d recommend considering:
Concept2 Rowing Machine SmartPhone Holder
This allows you to easily hold your SmartPhone (ie. iPhone) on top of the monitor of your rower. Then via different apps available for your phone, you can choose from 100’s of different workouts, training programs, global challenges or you can compete against friends.
If you’re getting ready to purchase or have recently purchased the Concept2 rower, then you will be able to connect to the Concept2 monitor with your phone via Bluetooth. But if you already have or are purchasing an older model Concept2 rower that is a PM3 or PM4 model, you’ll need to purchase the LiveRowing Connect Cable as you won’t be able to connect to these models via Bluetooth.
Some find the seat of the Concept2 rower too hard or find it starts to get uncomfortable after a while. The seat cushion has 3″ of memory foam, is machine washable and was designed by a collegiate division 1 rower to allow for longer rowing sessions in order to help improve fitness and speed.
It’s designed specifically for the Concept2 rowing machine so it fits perfectly. It helps prevent tailbone pain which can happen especially if you’re newer to rowing. And there are lots of very positive testimonies from people using this, from both newbies and veteran rowers.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I hope this setup guide and list of recommended accessories was helpful. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to post a comment below.
Also, if you have started using any of the recommended accessories or mats listed above, please share with us what your experience has like so far!
Thanks for reading 🙂