Getting Started

[OregonERG]

I bought a beautiful, brand-new Concept 2 this year and have rowed about 200km on it so far. It works great and I have zero problems or concerns. That said, what are the first steps in terms of maintenance (chain oil? dusting? etc?) that a new owner should keep in mind?

I wipe off the rail with water and a rag after each row so gunk doesn't get on there. Other than that, I haven't had to do anything yet. What should I expect as a first step towards good maintenance?

Thanks!

[Citroen]

https://www.concept2.com/service/indoor ... aintenance

[Carl Watts]

Keep the slide and rollers clean all the time with water on a cloth, preferably before every row and oil the chain like once a year.

The elastic shock cord will last about 10 years if the chain is kept in like new condition.

Check all the fasteners on the legs now and again for tightness.

Lube the one way clutch bearing in the flywheel every few years while your cleaning the flywheel and the cage out of dust.

The Concept 2 rower is very low maintenance but I have still seen them totally wrecked in gyms due to no maintenance what so ever.

[OregonERG]

The Concept 2 rower is very low maintenance but I have still seen them totally wrecked in gyms due to no maintenance what so ever.

I love the low-maintenance aspect but yes, I too have seen those partially destroyed ergs at gyms with the gnarly rail, the weird chain-slip, and a fly-wheel full of dust bunnies... I want to avoid that, to say the least.

[mict450]

You shouldn't worry about your erg turning into a useless pile of scrap metal. Just follow the recommended service schedule recommended by C2.

Your erg won't be subject to the heavy use & outright abuse & neglect that a gym erg is. Lotta damned idjits with single digit IQs who think their gym membership allows them the privilege of destroying gym property. Lotta gym owners who don't give a flip about maintaining their equipment.

At most, the "abuse" will come from the little crumb crunchers in the family....kids, grandkids, great grandkids. They love to stuff junk into the flywheel cage & play with the buttons on the PM. Don't leave any Sharpies around as they may feel they need to "decorate" your erg.

[Rick]

As @Citroen noted: (video and PDFs on his link above)

Daily

Wipe the monorail with a cloth or non-abrasive scouring pad after use. You can use soap and water or any glass cleaner. Do not use mineral acids, bleach, or coarse abrasives.

Every 50 Hours of Use, Weekly for Institutional Users

Lubricate the chain with a teaspoon of purified mineral oil, 3-IN-ONE® oil, or 20W motor oil. Apply oil to a paper towel, and rub the paper towel along entire length of chain. Wipe off the excess. Repeat if needed. Do not clean the chain with any kind of cleaner or solvent, e.g. WD-40®.

Every 250 Hours of Use, Monthly for Institutional Users

Inspect the chain for stiff links. If stiff links are found, and if thorough lubrication does not help, replace the chain.
Inspect the chain-handle connection for wear. If the hole has become elongated, or the U-bolt is worn halfway through, replace the entire connection.
Tighten the shock cord if the handle does not return all the way to the fan enclosure. See Shock Cord Adjustment
Check screws for tightness, including those used for assembly.
Loosen or tighten the nuts on the Performance Monitor arm joints as necessary. See Performance Monitor Arm Tension Adjustment
Check for dust inside flywheel with a flashlight. Vacuum if needed. See the Flywheel Opening and Cleaning instructions.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE

Use of this machine with a worn or weakened part, such as the chain, sprockets, swivel connector or shock cord, may result in injury to the user. When in doubt about the condition of any part, Concept2 strongly advises that you replace the part immediately. Use only genuine Concept2 parts. Use of other parts may result in injury or poor performance of the machine.

[Carl Watts]

Each to their own but I wouldn't be oiling the chain that often, excess flicks off onto the plastic slider on the underside and runs off.

Don't try and tighten the shock cord, run it for 10 years and then bin it. After 12 years its down to about half the tension which is fine if your technique is good and your chain works like new but for really high ratings and a not so great chain it starts flapping about as it simply doesn't retract fast enough. Its rubber and it slowly deteriorates whether you use the rower or not. Once its stuffed, its stuffed. If all your doing is shortening it the tension will either not improve or not last anyway.

[SwindonRower]

if i may just hijack the thread for a brief moment.
talking about replacing parts, how long should the chain last if maintained well? I saw a video on how to replace it and the sprocket and it looked a real nightmare to do.

[Citroen]

if i may just hijack the thread for a brief moment.
talking about replacing parts, how long should the chain last if maintained well? I saw a video on how to replace it and the sprocket and it looked a real nightmare to do.

If you apply the right amount of oil, don't let the chain go dry, fix any stiff links, keep everything clean and dust free and row normally then your nickel chain should be good for tens of millions of metres (10, 15, 20 years or more). It's not like a bicycle as there's no exposure to abrasive things thrown up at you from the surface.

[Carl Watts]

As above, it pretty much lasts a lifetime.

Problems are if you sweat a lot or the storage conditions are not good and it rusts. There is no dirt flying into it like even a road bike so it simply doesn't wear out with maintenance. The Nickel one is fantastic just oil it now and again. I use the Concept 2 supplied oil, the bottle they give you with a new one also lasts a lifetime.

[SwindonRower]

Great to know, thanks.

[OregonERG]

As above, it pretty much lasts a lifetime.

Problems are if you sweat a lot or the storage conditions are not good and it rusts. There is no dirt flying into it like even a road bike so it simply doesn't wear out with maintenance. The Nickel one is fantastic just oil it now and again. I use the Concept 2 supplied oil, the bottle they give you with a new one also lasts a lifetime.

Thanks to all you guys who posted on this thread. I just didn't want to forget something. I would be embarrassed if, after a year, someone mentioned the "fan hinge" or something that I'd never heard of... "Did you keep the fan hinge dry? No? You can bin the whole erg if you didn't." I was worried there was some secret thing I had never thought of.

When I first got into cycling, I did everything I could to maintain my bike. Then, after running the chain diagonally across the front chain rings and the rear cassette (Big/Big or Small/Small), I suddenly flew forward into the ground. Yep, while climbing out of the saddle, I snapped the chain. Lesson learned...