Concept 2 - Loose Foot Straps

[Citroen]

Firstly its pointless and secondly the day your one way clutch bearing lets go you will be off the back of the rower on your head.

That doesn't happen. I've had a one-way clutch let go on an old (now replaced) model C - I didn't fall off.

I've found that strapless is a good way to learn to do the recovery by using your legs rather than hauling yourself back to front stops.

[Mike Caviston]

I strongly recommend learning to row without straps to develop more efficient technique. You don’t have to do it all the time, and if you aren’t comfortable without straps you can leave the straps loose to avoid pulling against them but to catch you if you take a bad stroke. Rowing without straps is not without risk. I have had the chain snap on me three different times during the drive while not strapped in. Twice I wound up on my back several feet behind the machine, and once I slammed into a wall just behind the machine. In each case I had the wind knocked out of me but was otherwise unharmed. Those instances were spread over 35 years and 175 million meters of rowing, so I don’t think of it as a particularly common phenomenon.

[Ombrax]

Well, if an exalted luminary as important as Mike Caviston is also advocating going strapless, I certainly feel more comfortable recommending it, if only as a learning tool for newbies. : )

[Dangerscouse]

Well, if an exalted luminary as important as Mike Caviston is also advocating going strapless, I certainly feel more comfortable recommending it, if only as a learning tool for newbies. : )

Agreed. I know they have a use for certain moments, and I do use them occasionally, but if you can master the movement required to row strapless there is no downside that I can see, even if not used all of the time.

[Tony Cook]

I’ve gone from ‘can’t row without straps’ to I never train with straps in a couple of years. The only time I use straps now is for a race/TT of 2k or less. Its a pleasant feeling that I can speed up my return and so maintain a fast pace slightly easier than without. I can hit 1:36 pace strapless for up to a minute in a warmup or interval session but no faster and I don’t think I could maintain sub 1:40 pace for much more than a minute or two.

[nick rockliff]

Just the opposite for me. Been using the erg for 20 years and have never rowed without straps. Could never see the point or any advantage it gave during training. Probably around 60 millionetres covered too.

[Carl Watts]

The risk is also relative to the age of the rower and the power your putting into it. There is no way I would try and "Race" some of the junk you find in the gym. I run the upgraded Koyo one way clutch bearing and a new chain.

I can put a finger between the shoe and the strap so its what I would call "loose" and there just for safety and reassurance. I would say not much of a chance of rowing strapless for my 1 min PB at 46spm.

If you want to end up on your head that's up to you, I'm staying with straps, I mean why bother wearing a seatbelt in the car your never going to crash right ?

[Slidewinder]

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AoKGfq4oRd4IgqRaUKm ... A?e=eTBZrt
Mechanical foot hold-down I designed and built. One hand operation. Quick release. Adjusts automatically to any size foot. Never loosens. Much better than straps.
I built the one. I do not sell them. Nothing proprietary about it. All rowing ergs should be so equipped.

[Slidewinder]

Mechanical foot hold-down I designed and built. One hand operation. Quick release. Adjusts automatically to any size foot. Never loosens. Much better than straps.
I built the one. I do not sell them. Nothing proprietary about it. All rowing ergs should be so equipped.


https://1drv.ms/u/s!AoKGfq4oRd4IgqRaUKmH6Ta-QF_PsA

[gvcormac]

I wear straps, but never tighten them. I just slide my stocking feet in. Of course this is at home so I don't need to adjust them. At the gym I just strap in loosely. They do not loosen as I row.

Maybe you could use this approach as a gateway to help you lessen the amount you yank on your toes during recovery.

This is similar to what I do on my Bike Erg with toe clips. I don't put any force on them and certainly don't "pull up" on the pedals but I like them to help keep my feet positioned.

[JaapvanE]

This is similar to what I do on my Bike Erg with toe clips. I don't put any force on them and certainly don't "pull up" on the pedals but I like them to help keep my feet positioned.

But the "pull up" action on a normal racing bike is quite accepted and beneficial, while to my understanding, a forcefull recovery from the legs will kill the speed of the boat on the water.

[Sakly]

Mechanical foot hold-down I designed and built. One hand operation. Quick release. Adjusts automatically to any size foot. Never loosens. Much better than straps.
I built the one. I do not sell them. Nothing proprietary about it. All rowing ergs should be so equipped.


https://1drv.ms/u/s!AoKGfq4oRd4IgqRaUKmH6Ta-QF_PsA

There is no need for such mechanical food hold-down as your foot should never lift to loosen the straps.
The straps are a kind of ensurance/security in case of something going wrong, but typically they "do no job". So such bigger mechanical stuff will be more expensive without need.

[gvcormac]

This is similar to what I do on my Bike Erg with toe clips. I don't put any force on them and certainly don't "pull up" on the pedals but I like them to help keep my feet positioned.

But the "pull up" action on a normal racing bike is quite accepted and beneficial, while to my understanding, a forcefull recovery from the legs will kill the speed of the boat on the water.

I haven't seen concrete evidence to this effect. Certainly you don't need to maintain positive pressure to keep your feet on the pedals, but it is not clear to me that net "pulling up" is a benefit. Pushing forward with the toes at the top of the stroke, perhaps.

[Slidewinder]

[/quote]

There is no need for such mechanical food hold-down as your foot should never lift to loosen the straps.
The straps are a kind of ensurance/security in case of something going wrong, but typically they "do no job". So such bigger mechanical stuff will be more expensive without need.
[/quote]

Others here have mentioned the need, with foot straps, to take another turn with the loose end to prevent loosening. With my mechanical foot hold down that fussy step is eliminated. Also, some cross-fit members have said that my quick-release, one-hand-operation foot hold down would be great for use in their circuit training, in which they move quickly from one station to another. Finally, it looks better than straps, presenting a clean, functional appearance. The mechanical foot hold down is better than straps. Concept 2 does not have the best solution for everything.

[Tsnor]

This is similar to what I do on my Bike Erg with toe clips. I don't put any force on them and certainly don't "pull up" on the pedals but I like them to help keep my feet positioned.

But the "pull up" action on a normal racing bike is quite accepted and beneficial, while to my understanding, a forceful recovery from the legs will kill the speed of the boat on the water.

I haven't seen concrete evidence to this effect. Certainly you don't need to maintain positive pressure to keep your feet on the pedals, but it is not clear to me that net "pulling up" is a benefit. Pushing forward with the toes at the top of the stroke, perhaps.

Here's the science. "...there were no significant differences (p > 0.57) in the metabolic power consumed for pedaling at 50,100, and 150 W: Nike Free and flat pedals: 445.7, 619.0, and 817.9 W; Nike Free and quill pedals with toe clips: 428.7,600.7, and 818.0 W and cycling shoes with clipless pedals: 441.6, 612.3, and 806.4 W, respectively. Though cycling shoes may have comfort or safety benefits, they do not enhance efficiency." https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... _bicycling

Net is no efficiency benefit from pulling up on pedals, and pros don't do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUEaN9FKGLE Controlled testing is killing what I knew about cycling. Lower pressure, wider tires are faster on anything except smooth wood tracks and clipless pedals are only good to keep your feet from falling off the pedal sprinting, not much else.