Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Rowing Machine With Extended Slide Rail

I just got this thing yesterday, assembled it, and gave it a quick test run, so I’ll have to report back as to durability, but these are my initial impressions.

Assembly: Could not be easier. There are only 5 steps to completely assemble what comes in the box, and the parts for each step are individually bagged and labeled “Step 1”, “Step 2”, etc. The 4 tools that are used for assembly were also included. The entire process took maybe 30 minutes, and was exceedingly easy and straightforward. The completed product felt considerably sturdy, considering the price. This rower is certainly low profile (as most are), and the process of folding it up to save room while not in use takes no more than a minute. I like how the product looks both fully laid out and folded up. I would consider this a visually attractive rower (relatively speaking).

My quick test run revealed that the seat and the resistance through the handle were both very smooth, and the machine was also very quiet. No squeaking whatsoever, even at first use. The digital display is very basic and runs off batteries, so no electric outlet needed, but I wasn’t expecting a highly technical display at this price point.

So my initial impression is exceedingly positive and I am very pleased with my purchase at the outset considering the purchase price of the product. Now let’s hope the thing holds up.

UPDATE
I wanted to provide an update after using this machine for 4 1/2 months. The machine continues to run smoothly and quietly. I’m 6’3″ (with a 34″ inseam, which is more important than your overall height when determining whether you’ll fit on a rowing machine. The height of your upper torso matters not.) and 240 lbs and have had absolutely no problem. The resistance on this machine is from 1 to 8. I started on 3 and methodically made my way up to 8, which is where my workouts occur at now. Even at level 8, you don’t have to be a bodybuilder to get 30 minutes in, which is fine. This is a cardio/toning machine. If you want to really build muscle, hit the weight room. The resistance continues to be smooth and even throughout every workout. The physical aspects of this machine continue to work very well and I have no complaints whatsoever.

The only con involving this rower is with the display, which is largely useless. Even just setting a workout for so many minutes can be a frustrating task. The displays guess at calories burned is barely an educated guess and is largely useless. The only thing you can count on the display for is to act as a timer, once you’re able to actually set it (again, be patient), and to provide the number of rows you completed in a workout. And that’s it. It’s important you limit your expectations here.

So overall, this is an exceedingly solid machine for the money with a largely useless display. At this price point, I continue to be pleased. Happy rowing!

Aufbau sehr einfach. Solides Gerät. Gut sortiertes Werkzeug.

I’m 54 and in good shape but wanted to work on my cardiovascular fitness. I have been wanting to purchase a rower for quite some time and almost bought the Aviron for (2400.00). I didn’t really want to spend that much money. So I took to Amazon and checked out several rowers. I came across this one at 18,000+ reviews for a really cheap price (compared to 2400). It’s a good, solid machine and my husband said it was really easy to put together. It’s not as a good as a high end machine and it’s a bit difficult to explain why. First – the foot pedals move so it’s difficult to get a good push off from the heels. It works well enough but it’s lacking in that area. The machine is quiet for the most part (seat moving makes a bit of noise). The resistance is easy to change and I can see the display just fine. My other issue is the pull…it just feels off especially if you are following a video and they want you to pull high or do bicep curls. It’s minor but enough to notice. Like I said it’s difficult to explain. I’m not doing any major rowing on it…a few times a week for 20 minutes. And if I stop using it I’m not out 2,000 bucks. I’m happy with the purchase.
EDIT: I keep having pain in my legs and butt and I don’t know why. I can’t adjust the seat or pedals.

The most important thing I can think of to say is that if, like me, you are unfamiliar with rowing machines, you may think after 5 or 10 minutes, even on the highest resistance setting, that it’s not much of a workout. That is deceptive. Since I’m willing to hike 2 or 3 hours on a nice weather day, I should be willing to row for at least one hour – I have to say that the last 5 minutes is very much different than the first 5. You are using a lot more muscles than you think, and you will tingle all over when you finally stop after even half an hour. Other ratings are pretty standard – arrived in very good time, assembles easily if you take your time and don’t make foolish mistakes in excitement to use it. It’s very quiet so no neighbor complaints even at 4am if you rise early. I suspect some of the screeching noises other reviewers mention might be coming from the strap rubbing on the plastic guide if you don’t pull in and out in a narrow (proper rowing?) range of angles. The electronic screen gadget got such poor reviews I honestly never even put the batteries in – I have a kitchen timer, I don’t need LCDs to watch while rowing. If they wanted to do something really clever, they would incorporate a small generator so you could charge your cellphone while you rowed – that would be more fun. Longevity of the hardware will be a mystery for a while, but I think the manufacturer has come a long way in responding to defects and failures and if I’m unlucky with some component I think they will make it good. Compared to a $900 rowing machine I think it’s a very safe investment for my health, and I should be proud if I wear one out every few years.

UPDATE: After months of experience my opinion hasn’t changed, well worth the price (even tho it has gone up!) Only 2 complaints – the handlebar is too narrow for me (bangs my knuckles on my knees) so I extended it with PVC pipe and bicycle handlebar foam – perfect! Second – the infamous spring clicking noise – this developed over weeks and became MUCH more noticeable as the machine warmed up (>400 pulls) each day. Contrary to the incorrect assumptions of some reviews here, the spring does NOT provide the workout resistance, it just winds the strap back up as you pull yourself forward with your feet. I opened things up – grease was dripping out of the spring box. Disassembly is tricky, but if you clean the poor grade of grease out and replace it with some good, high temp, tacky grease, the noise (and possible damage leading to spring failure?) goes away immediately. See the tip below to really make this fix work well.

UPDATE 10-24 one more important trick to make this really work perfectly – when you tighten the 4 nuts that hold the front shaft to the frame – first tighten the inner one so it rests LIGHTLY against the spring box cover, not against the frame. This provides a necessary seal to keep the spring action from pumping the lube out and eventually running dry and causing the whole problem. Then tighten the outer nut on that side. You can tell if you made the inner one too tight by giving the strap a test pull, it should retract the strap completely or you have to back the inner nut off until it does. Tighten the other inner nut lightly against the FRAME, and then tighten the last outer nut. This probably is (or should be) the proper assembly process where they build them and this (and thicker grease) would keep the noise and premature spring failures from happening. Enjoy!! It’s a good product and an excellent maintenance workout!