[FullNameAndy]

Let me start off by saying the C2 is an amazing rower, but we thought we could improve on its design for the regular user who cares most about a fun and engaging experience. For example, the belt is industrial nylon (not plastic), the same material as seat belts. The main benefit to this is it makes the rower quieter and feels smoother. The rail is aluminum and legs and frame are made from steel, which makes it stable and is why the Aviron rower weights twice as much as the C2. Finally, it is selling for $1999 with taxes, shipping, and the screen included.

[jsjsbdkj]

As someone who has a Model D in my basement, this seems wildly off-base. The cheap water rowers with plastic belts I've used in hotel gyms felt way worse than the metal belt. The noise is almost exclusively from the flywheel and not the chain anyways. And stability has never been an issue - I love that the C2 is relatively light and easy to move. I've never used a C2 that felt anything but rock solid, even the ancient ones at my old gym.

I feel like a cool business model would be to make a replacement color screen for the C2s that can do more stuff. Their built-in games and programs are fun but very limited. I would love to have a Peloton experience on a 500 dollar screen I could add to my existing rower.

[dqpb]

I’m surprised your claiming the belt is smoother than the C2 chain. Every belt rower I’ve used skips when you pull hard. The C2 never skips.

[pitaa]

> the belt is industrial nylon (not plastic)

Last I checked, nylon was still a thermoplastic.

[FullNameAndy]

True. Just sounded cheap calling it plastic. My mistake!

[Ninjinka]

Am I missing something? Your site says $2149, not $1999. And it has a $29/mo membership.

[FullNameAndy]

After staying on the site for some time, a pop-up form asking for your email in return for an additional $150 off will appear.

And yes, the membership is $29/mo or $25/mo if a year is paid up front.

[ganafagol]

Sorry for sounding negative but that's half a gym membership right there. Except for a gym membership I can go 24/7 down the block (5 min walk) get access to 8 C2 rowers, a bunch of barbells, dumbbells, treadmills and spinning bikes as needed, as well as a sauna and space to train in many different ways with friends. Covid will blow over, blowing 300 bucks on a subscription for such a narrow training gear will just not feel like the right tradeoff.

(Former competitive rower here, so YMMV.)

Alright, off to the gym. :)

[mrkwse]

That is an appropriate argument, but afaik it's along the lines of Peloton's subscription pricing. Peloton's shown there's a clearly established market that will pay that sort of price for a home fitness service.

[Grustaf]

But isn't Peloton fairly unique? Like Crossfit, it somehow has gained a huge following that is not directly related to the actual product, it's much more about marketing nous.

That is much harder to reproduce than simply building a solid physical product.

[maerF0x0]

+1000 to this.

You dont buy a peleton because you need economical exercise. You buy a peleton as a form of conspicuous consumption and "exclusive" group membership (I'm a spin _athelete_!) .

The marketing hyperbole gets eaten up in our IG/social media obsessed environment.

[FullNameAndy]

I agree. But a lot of people split the cost of the machine and membership with multiple people in a household.

And a lot of people value the convenience of being able to have a fun and engaging workout any time, in the comfort of home.