I have been wishing for a product like MyRow to come to market for as long as I can remember. I love rowing, and I own a Concept2 Model D, which is one of the most popular rowing machines in the world. Concept2 ergometers – a fancy name for “rowing machine” – are a mainstay of gyms around the world. But a Vermont company has dragged its feet when it comes to embracing the fitness revolution. The best it offers are clips on its latest device that can be used to hold a third-party tablet in place.
Inspired by Peloton, many other companies have attached HD screens with live classes to their gyms. But the Concept2 still stands next to the PM5, a small black box with a liquid crystal display that debuted in 2014 and shows stats like your split times and stroke rate. If you can’t imagine exactly how I feel: It’s like you own a Game Boy, and everyone else in the world is rocking a Steam Deck. To try and improve things, I bought a 3D printed smartphone holder on eBay but, even so, it’s hard not to feel short-changed.
Enter MyRow, the brainchild of Gary Simpson, founder of Transit Wireless, the company that brought cell service to the New York City subway. While he was immune from COVID, he had a Concept2 and a Peloton bike at home to help keep in shape. Back at CES, he told me, despite his love of rowing, he used to build a bike for himself with its shiny screen and video classes. Inspired, he founded MyRow with the spirit of bringing something like Concept2.
The product is an online display that can be retrofitted to a Concept2 Model C, D, E or RowErg as long as it is equipped with a PM5. The package includes a 22-inch display, a power adapter and a mounting arm that you’ll need to bolt to the paddle. Once installed, you can access on-demand video classes and digital workout guides, as well as a great way to keep an eye on your rowing stats against the familiar Game Boy display.
Installation took me less than half an hour, and most of it was tying the mounting arm to the paddle. Remember, you will need to use a data cable from the PM5 to the MyRow as the tablet cannot communicate with the machine directly. I hope you’re good at cable management, as you’ll need to find a way to properly route data and electrical cables to the rower’s body.
Under the hood, MyRow is a skinned Android tablet that takes a minute to boot, and software updates take another minute. Since the device is new, there have been many updates, including the addition of programs and features. The UI is simple enough, with large target boxes and clean lines, perfect if you need to change a setting mid-line.
There’s a surprising amount of connectivity in this thing, too, with ports for Ethernet, USB-C, micro-USB, USB-A and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Plus, Bluetooth and ANT+ compatible with any wireless headphones or heart rate monitors you use. There is a front-facing webcam on the body that is not used for anything yet. The company is looking to develop a form analysis tool to use in the end, and may use a camera to improve team lines.
Once your feet are strapped and you have one hand on the grip, it’s time to choose your workout. Users can choose from video workouts, as well as preset training programs that will automatically throw your intervals on the screen. Maths is well laid out like all other required qualification categories, your priority applies below. That includes calories burned, distance rowed, stroke rate, 500 meter speed, average speed, stroke length, power and average power.
On the left side of the display, you’ll find a timeline showing when the next tutorial is, and on the right, a leaderboard for the video class you’re participating in. I was surprised, because I don’t do that. I consider myself competitive in that way, but the leaderboards revealed something to me. The fact that I was able to jump into the top 10 in most classes is, I’m sure, just down to MyRow’s small user base. But, a win is a win.
As much as I enjoy using MyRow, I have one gripe given the custom version of the product. Concept2 rowing machines use wind resistance, so when you pull the chain you drive the fan. A fan that produces enough noise to drown out the teacher’s voice and music even when you turn the volume up high. Maybe keen-eared paddlers won’t find it a problem, but I wish they had made more of an effort to block out the typical paddler noise.
Now, 2024 is a year of careful self-examination and being humble enough to admit my mistakes. I’m almost 40 and I’m not going to magically turn into one of those people who care about their little benefits. I won’t look at the countdown timer, compare it to my previous lap’s best and try to beat it every time. And as much as I love to paddle, I get bored, and a big screen can alleviate that if I can watch my favorite streaming service while doing so.
That’s why I’m excited to learn that MyRow has promised to integrate streaming video into its platform by spring 2025. Because if you’re not taking the most sought-after video category, you’re just staring at the beautifully designed stats screen. . The sooner we can add any kind of entertainment to that, even if it’s just a clip of someone paddling down a beautiful river, the better.
I’m optimistic about MyRow’s potential to help turn the Concept2 into a slightly more user-friendly machine, even for its most demanding users. Available to buy now, the tablet will set you back $500 and membership costs $36 a month or $359.88 for a year, which represents a 20 percent discount. If you’re getting the tablet itself, however, you’ll still be able to use the Just Row feature, albeit at a higher price for better data visualization.
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