C2 Erg Performance Check

[cts0303]

I read a lot of these posts but I don't believe I have ever posted. Anyway, the question on my mind today is whether or not any of you develop any concerns about whether or not your home bound ergs are performing to standards? I have had my E for about 3 years and have put about 5,000,000 meters on. In that time, I have not been on another erg to compare mine to. I vaguely remember a smooth sound during the early drive portion of the stroke. However, mine doesn't sound so smooth any more. It's hard to describe the sound. I do not believe the quality of performance has been compromised, but how does one know? Is there a way to diagnose any problem that may exist?

Chris

[hjs]

I read a lot of these posts but I don't believe I have ever posted. Anyway, the question on my mind today is whether or not any of you develop any concerns about whether or not your home bound ergs are performing to standards? I have had my E for about 3 years and have put about 5,000,000 meters on. In that time, I have not been on another erg to compare mine to. I vaguely remember a smooth sound during the early drive portion of the stroke. However, mine doesn't sound so smooth any more. It's hard to describe the sound. I do not believe the quality of performance has been compromised, but how does one know? Is there a way to diagnose any problem that may exist?

Chris

You could check the drag factor, often dust get's collected in the fan, this will lower the dragfactor, search for drag and if so you need to clean the fan. In itself a lower drag does not influence your performance, if it's not to severe.

[Carl Watts]

Yes dust in the fan and you need to oil the chain at regular intervals and it will just about last forever, there is not really a whole lot of power being transfered by the chain at the end of the day. Keep the monorail clean and that little gold bit on the handle should be rotated to the second position now and again for maximum life because it eventually falls in half and flys off in the middle of a row. Have very lightly oiled some of the plain bearing pullys inside the rower, appart from that there is very little maintenance required to keep it in top race shape.

[cts0303]

Have very lightly oiled some of the plain bearing pullys inside the rower

Thanks for the replies. I have routinely oiled the chain and cleaned the dust/stuff out of the fan. So I am good there.

Carl, I noticed the above part of your reply. I rowed after I posted initially and tried to figure out how to describe the noise. It almost sounds like a soft rattle as I pull the handle back in the drive portion of the stroke. It almost seems like it is in the pulley/spindle.

Can you describe a little better how you got at the "plain bearing pulleys"? Are you talking about the spindle and bearings which requires taking off the fan unit? Perhaps I just have to get into the rower and clean/oil.