Shox-Box "vs." Slides

[rowbike]

Rear box arrived today. Pulled a few strokes. Feels good at the finish; definitely a softtail now! Raises the extreme rear of beam 2.5". I don't know if i'll like that fwd cant to the beam. if not, I'll raise the front on a box or on 2by scrap. Additional elevation on both ends would be an advantage for my wife who has to deal with arthritis involving the kneecaps. I doubt if there is a pad type isolator or vibration damper which would give the degree of vertical compliance available from the spring suspension in the Shoxbox. Not cheap at 20% off the original. Understandable given the tiny niche market.
Jack

You should be fine using a 2x4 or such to raise the front. I actually have a front shox box but prefer just raising the front of the rower with something while using the back box. However, if you are looking to make it easy on the knees, adding the front box does seem to do that well.

[climber511]

I don't have the Shox-Boxes but am curious what others have found (in regards to low back and/or knee stresses) with raising either the front or back with a simple board etc set up under one end or the other. I've never played around with any of this stuff and am now curious.

[rowbike]

I don't have the Shox-Boxes but am curious what others have found (in regards to low back and/or knee stresses) with raising either the front or back with a simple board etc set up under one end or the other. I've never played around with any of this stuff and am now curious.

I haven't raised either end of the rower with just a board and no shox box, but even with just the back shox box, it is harder on the knees. The back shox box is good at reducing back stress/compression, but that is due to the springs in the shox box, not elevation. At the same time, I find that the rear shox box alone will increase knee stress, and raising the front of the rower to be level with the rear with shox box reduces that knee stress.

Basically, it is the springs of the shox box's that reduce stress, rear for back and front for knees, just like the shox box site claims. I don't think simply raising either end with a hard surface will do much without creating other stresses, at least in my experience.