jimmy rigged model C - please help!

[teammate]

Hey guys! I just bought my first rower yesterday. It's a Model C that used to be in a gym, and I got it for around 500USD (brand new ones where I'm from are around 1600USD).

So anyway, I got it in a sorry state; not at all well maintained and 1. the shock cord has already snapped right in the middle, and somehow 2. the handle doesn't get pulled all the way to the chain guide. I've found a way to hook just one cord onto the Traveling Pulley Assembly (with the help of chicken wire), loop it around the Shock Cord Pulley in the rear (just one) and hook the S.C.A.M. onto the leg in the front part. <it works>

As for the non-returning handle, it looks like the chain of my rower is too long. I really don't know how that happened (aren't they supposed to be of standard length?), I don't think it's because of the shock cord because the Traveling Pulley Assembly already hits the Shock Cord Pulleys even before the handle hits the Chain Guide. As far as I know, the routing is correct. So what I did was I used the two Dead End Connectors and spooled the excess chain into a bunch (I'm seriously considering shortening the chain). <it works>

It seriously looks like crap when you look at it (think Mad Max), but so far it works. I called the local service provider and they said it'll take them more than a month to source me a shock cord (I'm in the Philippines BTW).

Please help me out:
1. Is there anything else I could use as an alternative for the official Shock Cord while I wait for it to arrive? I'm afraid that if I keep using it as is, it'll warp the plastic Shock Cord Pulley eventually; and the half a Shock Cord I have will eventually fail too.

2. And is it possible for the rower to work smoothly even if the chain is incorrectly routed (it could be routed wrong, but still works fine)?

I know it's broken and I should wait for parts, but I really just want to row.

P.S. I'm sure many of you are thinking "why the heck did you get it for such a high price at such a sorry state?"; well I have been looking for a 2nd hand rower for more than 2 years already by the time I got it (they are pretty rare in the Philippines), and this one came up and I just had to get it. I thought that the local distributor had parts, but tough luck they still have to order it.

[Citroen]

Replace the shock cords and you'll find it'll all get better. You may want to change the chain and sprocket it they are well worn.

BTW, I think they saw you coming when you paid $500 (£320) for an ex-gym model C. I've got a nice bridge in London I can sell you.

[teammate]

Is there anywhere online I can order the shock cord? Does amazon carry it? For the meantime, is there any alternative I could use? Like a tent bungee/shock cord?

Oh a bridge? Sure, how much?

Haha, I just really think these rowers are difficult to find [where I am]. The gym was actually selling two units, I was about to get both, but when I was inspecting them in the gym with my dad, I think the owners realized they're repairable (before I inspected the internals they were just trying to dispose of them). They didn't want to sell me the other one (my dad wanted one for himself too). They were initially selling them for 700USD a piece

[Citroen]

Is there anywhere online I can order the shock cord?

http://www.concept2.com/us/includes/shoppers.asp
http://concept2.co.uk/shop/

[teammate]

Thanks, Citroen. Won't be easy for me ordering from a non-webstore kind of format though. Perhaps I'll have to resort to ordering it from Concept2 UK...

OR has anybody tried ordering from this site? http://www.sportsmith.net/productsearch ... =N%3a12200

But really, thanks for the help.

Teammate

[Cyclist2]

When my model B cord needed replacing, I just went down to the local hardware store and found some bulk cord of the same diameter. I took the old one in just to make sure the tensions were close. Being an engineer type, I also cut the new one based on some tension tests I did, but that was overkill - if it feels about right, cut it about the same length as the old one and put it in. If the tension is off a little, it's easy to adjust. I don't know what is special about the C2 cords, but mine is working fine. I've never ordered from the site you listed.

[teammate]

Cyclist, that is really great news. I was just waiting for somebody to say that they've done it! I'll probably still order an authentic C2 shock cord, but knowing that a generic one would work makes me really happy.

Thanks and cheers!!
Teammate