Initial Pull tension on D2

[RowDude]

Just took delivery, Have question. There seems to be about 6 to 12 inches of "little to no resistance" when initiating the row sequence. Is this by design or is there an adjustment needed.

[hjs]

Just took delivery, Have question. There seems to be about 6 to 12 inches of "little to no resistance" when initiating the row sequence. Is this by design or is there an adjustment needed.

Not both, its the rower who does not catch the flywheel, which is spinning. We first have to “catch up” that speed. The first pull has no slack, cause the wheel is not moving yet. If you have 6/12 inches slack, the stroke is wrong a way to slow. We should push firmly right away at the catch. Its the rower who creaties the resistance, the machine itself does nothing.

[Nomath]

This is by design. On a static C2, starting from the catch where handle speed is by definition zero, the handle speed has to match the speed of the flywheel before you can apply force on the handle. Since proper rowing technique is to start the drive with arms fully extended, you start by accelerating your body by pressing hard on the foot stretchers. If body acceleration is fast, the 'catch slip' (see figure below) is closer to 6 inches than 12 inches. Elite rowers may catch up to the flywheel speed in 4-5 inches.



The initial horizontal body acceleration of strong rowers comes close to what you need for a vertical jump in the air : 9.8 m/sec² (=g, standard gravity ).
For a high drag factor (a setting close to 10 on the flywheel damper) you will reach the flywheel speed much quicker (both in time and in distance) than for a low drag factor (damper set close to 1).

[jamesg]

You can shorten the catch slack by shoving hard and fast with the legs, as to Newton's rules. Don't think you can solve the "problem" by increasing drag; it's much better to over-reach a little, but it's the legs that must do the acceleration job. See the C2 technique page for correct adjustment of drag and foot height. If the feet are too high it's dfficult to move fast at the catch.

[Carl Watts]

As above its a combination of drag factor and leg speed and rating.

To put it in a simple mechanical explanation there is a clutch bearing in the flywheel that locks up and drives the flywheel when the rpm of the shaft and chain sprocket is HIGHER than the rpm of the flywheel.

Unless the shaft rpms is higher then the flywheel rpms, there is no drive of the flywheel and hence no resistance other than that of some small mechanical losses in bearings etc.so you get the feeling of "No resistance" at the beginning of the drive.

With a high drag factor, the flywheel slows down faster so there is less slack. If the rating is lower, there is more time for the flywheel to slow down so less slack.

So from the above you can see that with very high rating or strokes per minute and low drag factor you need really fast legs to get the acceleration down the slide to engage the clutch bearing.

With a drag factor or 90-100 I simply cannot get to a decent pace on the rower it has to be higher.

[jamesg]

when initiating the row sequence.

This is typical of power sports. Whatever has to be moved maybe is already moving. So to do any work, as in Langlauf or cycling or running, going downhill included, we must first catch up.

[mict450]

RD, lot of good suggestions from everyone. I would suggest posting a video of yourself. You might have other areas that need tweaking to improve your connection to the flywheel.

[StevenWayne]

These are great replies, and an eye opener for me. I notice that DH Shane Farmer did a video of this principle today. Kismet!

https://youtu.be/RqYmxCj38rc

[MiddleAgeCRISIS]

Just took delivery, Have question. There seems to be about 6 to 12 inches of "little to no resistance" when initiating the row sequence. Is this by design or is there an adjustment needed.

I found it useful to watch an olympic rower and match his timing on the stroke. Your legs have to be fired a lot quicker and earlier than you think.