Upgrade from PM2+ to PM5. Worth the £150 ($215)?

[sticky]

Hi all,

I'm considering replacing the PM2+ on my Model C with the PM5, and I'm just trying to decide if it's worth the £150 ($215).

I row 6 x 10km per week, with the odd 1/2 Marathon once a month (and maybe a Marathon once per year), so I'm not setting up any complex rows (intervals etc.). I row in my garage while watching TV on my iPad, which is mounted on the rower's monitor arm. I currently add my workouts to the Concept 2 Logbook using the same iPad right after the row, it's a little manual, but it's not really much of a hassle. If I had the PM5 I would use my Android phone and the ErgData app to sync to the logbook (is this 100% reliable?). Apart from the slightly easier syncing to the logbook, the backlight on the PM5 would also be quite useful, as I watch TV I like the room to be quite dark, but that means I can't see the PM2+ display very well.

Has anyone made the shift from a PM2+ to the PM5, any thoughts?

Anyone know if the PM5 is due to be replaced by a PM6 anytime soon?

Mark

[mickyduck]

Second hand prices for PMs of any vintage seem silly... I sold a PM3 for £95 so upgrading to PM5 cost me £60. You would probably get half the money for the PM5 by selling the PM2, no guarantees of course. You would need the new monitor arm as well.
I think the synch via ergdata is excellent it does fail but rarely then I resort to the USB cable connected directly. The backlight is good but does use more battery ..
You can have some extra data displayed on the phone alongside the PM display.. stroke length, Power

[Citroen]

Your PM2+ is a twenty year old design and at least 15 years old with a second hand value of £0.00 (if you get anything by selling it, it's pure profit). The PM5 is four year old tech and has things like BTLE to connect to your phone and ANT+ to connect to a digital HR strap. You can buy a brand new PM5 for £155 from http://concept2.co.uk/. It's a very simple choice to make.

If Concept2 are developing any future monitor you and I won't know about it until it's released. Anyone who knows would be gagged with a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to avoid the "Osborne Effect". It's never a good idea for current sales to pre-announce the next version before it's ready for sale. In Osborne's case it broke the company - they went into liquidation by making a pre-announcement of something better than they were selling.

[sticky]

A better product (at least for upgrades for home users) would be a unit that does all the "pick-up" stuff from the flywheel but then uses the mobile phone as the computer and display. That should be much cheaper than £155 (in theory), and also much easier to upgrade (software, not firmware)....but of course, then they wouldn't be able to sell upgrade PM#s

I know they haven't announced anything, but what I'm not aware of is the product life-cycle for the PM#s? do they tend to offer a new option every 3, 4, or 5 years? I thought someone might have the answer to that question.

And I'm sure not that it is a simple choice to make (hence my original question), products are meant to satisfy users' requirements, if an existing product does that then an upgrade is not worthwhile.

I think I'm going to stick with the PM2+, to be honest, I don't think it's worth the £155 for the backlight, and to save me the 10s it takes me to enter the stats into the logbook.

Cheers for the comments all.

Mark

[Carl Watts]

The backlight will be the best upgrade in your case.

I would NOT sell your PM2+, if you have looked after the batteries in it then it is the worlds most reliable monitor on an indoor rower.

If you sell the Model C rower then you can put the PM2+ back on it or put it back on when the PM5 dies.

With increased complexity comes decreased reliability. There are reasons why people over here still want the PM2 over the PM3/4/5, crossfit gyms in particular.

I recommend putting a couple of Lithium AA batteries in the PM2, they should go for 2 to 3 years and they don't leak.

[sticky]

With increased complexity comes decreased reliability

Very true, that's why I had a plumber come round last week to fix my heating, but he thinks it's the Nest, so now I have the Nest guy coming around later in the week (I still think it's the boiler).

I do change the batteries quite regular (as I've read about issues with them leaking). Think I'll defo stick with the PM2+ now, cheers.

[Psychopasta]

I have no idea about C2's plans, but it's hard to see how they can make much change to the PM5. You have a simple 2-pole jack coming out of the Erg and into the PM. It could just as easily go into a phone, tablet, laptop etc. Maybe they'd offer a PM6 that has a color TFT and includes RowPro or similar. But my guess is that most of us already have phones and tablets that can do all that anyway. I quite like the PM5: it's quite 8-bitty for those who go back a bit, is totally solid and connects via Bluetooth to your phone/laptop/computer. Can't see what more you'd want.

- Pasta

[Carl Watts]

I have no idea about C2's plans, but it's hard to see how they can make much change to the PM5. You have a simple 2-pole jack coming out of the Erg and into the PM. It could just as easily go into a phone, tablet, laptop etc. Maybe they'd offer a PM6 that has a color TFT and includes RowPro or similar. But my guess is that most of us already have phones and tablets that can do all that anyway. I quite like the PM5: it's quite 8-bitty for those who go back a bit, is totally solid and connects via Bluetooth to your phone/laptop/computer. Can't see what more you'd want.

- Pasta

Told C2 they need a "smart tach" option like 3 years ago. No monitor, just use your smart phone with an App as the monitor and Bluetooth to the tach sensor. Its a no brainer. You simply cannot compete with a colour option with the mass production of the players like Apple and Samsung and who wants to purchase a new monitor anyway when you already have a smartphone ?

Will be the ultimate setup for me because RowPro will be an App as well and can just run that connected to the smart tach. Will simplify my current setup greatly as my smartphone is only being used as a wi-Fi hotspot and still using a great big monitor and SFF pc in a cabinet with the PM4 doing noting but comms to the PC really. The whole rower could then be wheeled outside in seconds in good weather as there would be no cables or external power required.

Imagine just your Smartphone on the monitor arm and no wires at all !!! this really cuts down the hardware required, power wasted and sends the reliability of your set-up through the roof.

[Erik A]

And reduces the cost which would put more people onto the rower

[sticky]

Large iPad, TV/Movie/Podcast etc. taking up 3/4, and the Rowing data in the last 1/4 as a strip down the right-hand side. Sign me up!

[Citroen]

Large iPad, TV/Movie/Podcast etc. taking up 3/4, and the Rowing data in the last 1/4 as a strip down the right-hand side. Sign me up!

You can do the iPad stuff with a PM5 and a DIY bracket.

Carl is wrong about keeping the PM2+, sell it. A PM5 should be good for 15 years and more.

[Steve1960VA]

My only experience is with the PM5. I've had it, and the erg, for just over three years. Everything trouble-free so far and all appears to be in nearly new condition.

The backlight feature of the PM5 is important to me. That's why I made sure the erg I ordered came with a PM5. I don't see all that well now, without correction, and I can easily see everything on the PM5, regardless of room lighting.

I think I might have replaced the (single?) battery once - maybe just to be on the safe side as I don't recall the PM ever not working.

Minor hijack -

I did just order and receive, from C2, a Polar H7 heart monitor belt. Took me a few minutes to learn how to use it (I have to tell the PM which monitor it is - don't like that too much), but it seems to work fine. I've been sick, again, so I didn't really feel like a long-session row on Sunday, but I did use it enough to see that I'll like it. I was growing concerned about pushing myself too hard, in my very un-fit state, toward the end of 45 - 60-minute sessions.

[2001rotax800]

Sticky, if you are still looking for a PM3 I am pulling one off and replacing it with a PM5. I don't know what the shipping would cosat from the states but I would make you a good deal on it if you are still looking. Thanks

[Carl Watts]

Sticky, if you are still looking for a PM3 I am pulling one off and replacing it with a PM5. I don't know what the shipping would cosat from the states but I would make you a good deal on it if you are still looking. Thanks

The 2008 and onwards version is great, the earlier version from 2003 to 2008 is no longer very reliable without a refurb, even then its getting pretty old for the type of components in it.

[sticky]

Sticky, if you are still looking for a PM3 I am pulling one off and replacing it with a PM5. I don't know what the shipping would cosat from the states but I would make you a good deal on it if you are still looking. Thanks

Cheers for the offer, but I'm going to give the upgrade a miss. I decided that the PM2+ is actually "good enough" (and I'm typically an early adopter!)