A common sticking point when deciding on whether to get a Concept2 RowErg rowing machine is not whether it is a durable, reliable or comfortable indoor rowing machine, of which it easily ticks all those three boxes. Rather a big deciding factor when buying a Concept2 for your home gym or home environment is the fact that it is an air rower with a fanned flywheel which produces a bit of noise. The Concept2 noise can be a bit of concern for those that live in apartments or share their living space with others.
After rowing on Concept2’s for the last couple of decades and having one at home I thought I would add my experience around this issue so as to provide some help for those trying to make the decision around whether a Concept2 is going to be fine inside their home or whether it is better to go for an alternative like the WaterRower original series indoor rowing machine.
Is the RowErg really as noisy as they say?
Concept2 RowErg
The Concept2 RowErg is one of the best air resistance indoor rowing machines. It features a slick black aluminum monorail and smooth stainless-steel track and includes 10 resistance levels to choose from giving you the experience of rowing in a lightweight racing scull to a heavy row boat.
The 2 main issues with Concept2 noise
Most people concentrate on the flywheel as being the biggest issue with noise generated from the Concept2, however in my opinion the noise of the monorail should also be considered. Let’s look at both of these in further detail.
The Flywheel
There are videos out there on YouTube of people measuring the decibel reading of the Concept2 noise using dB meters right next to a Concept2 flywheel. The two main issues with this is that 1. the noise drops as soon as you move further away from the flywheel and 2. you yourself are not that close to the flywheel. So, although it may be a concern that the reading on the dB meter is over 70dB when rowing at a quick pace the importance of this result is less dramatic.
Unless you’re in the same room as someone else, the noise from the flywheel is not really a huge issue and is subjective as to whether it disturbs them or not, but it would interfere with someone’s ability to watch TV or carry out a phone call in the same room if they are close to the flywheel. A bit of wind is also generated from the flywheel which can be quite nice in the summer but perhaps not so nice for the rest of the year.
From my experience, the Concept2 noise from the flywheel doesn’t travel that well through walls meaning it’s not going to be a huge disturbance to someone who is in a separate room. Also, I can easily listen to content from a tablet whilst rowing on a Concept2 RowErg, although I do need to have the volume increased a bit in order to rise above the Concept2 noise from the flywheel.
The Monorail
If you are in a separate room from others, is the Concept2 noise acceptable? That’s where it gets interesting.
The Concept2 monorail can be quite noisy and this is not specific to the Concept2 but also other monorail rowing machines such as the Hydrow Wave, Aviron, WaterRower A1 etc. they all have a monorail which produces a lot of noise whilst in use.
Sliding up and down the monorail at speed as well as if you are also a heavier user, produces a lot of noise. This noise unfortunately does travel well through walls or floors. Having noise dampening objects in a room such as bookcases, carpet, a rowing mat etc. can help alleviate this issue. However, it can still be quite a disturbing noise and can possibly be an issue for others, especially if you are doing early morning or late-night rowing workouts and there are others in your home trying to sleep.
The solution
- Test out the Concept2 RowErg in your environment to see if the Concept2 noise is actually an issue for you or not.
- Have your Concept2 RowErg rowing machine in a dedicated space like a garage, basement or spare room if you are likely to disturb others.
- Change your environment, put pieces of carpet or a mat under your Concept2, install sound proofing.
- Keep your monorail clean. Having a dirty monorail can make it bumpy for the seat as it slides along adding to the noise. Ensure you keep the monorail clean and the chain well-oiled in order to reduce noise.
- Look at getting a much quieter rowing machine like the dual-rail original series WaterRower.
If you are concerned about Concept2 noise or if you are not sure whether the noise will disturb others you could borrow one or have one under a trial period to test it out. Otherwise a good alternative to the Concept2 RowErg rowing machine is the WaterRower dual-rail original series rowing machine. Having dual rails as well as having water resistance vs air resistance make for a very quiet rowing experience and with the SmartRow upgrade you get decent comparable rowing statistics to that of a Concept2 RowErg.
WaterRower Natural
The most popular water resistance rowing machine is the WaterRower Natural. Hand crafted in the USA from sustainable wood which absorbs sound and vibration makes it a truly natural and enjoyable rowing experience.
Conclusion
I hope this clears up an often-overlooked issue when looking at Concept2 noise and that the solutions presented will help you in your scenario with getting a Concept2 RowErg and having it work in your environment. Or if you think a WaterRower original series might be a better fit for your home environment check out my WaterRower buyer’s guide or my article on the Concept2 RowErg vs WaterRower where I compare the two best indoor rowing machines. Happy rowing!