PM5 obsolete?

[Carl Watts]

The whole Concept 2 rower could come with two options, those that want the existing PM5 setup and one for those that now want to move to a tablet that not only has the same monitor as an App but you can have a totally customisable setup like the widgits on my car display where you just integrate ErgData into it.

I would be truly surprised if C2 hasn't had IT + Rowing experts thinking hard about doing this very thing. Certainly, as they see their competitors come out with fancier and fancier displays, if they're still stuck in a PM5 and nothing else mindset, that would be equivalent to sticking your head in sand and hoping the danger passes you by.

I'm sure they've been watching their market share erode over the years (I assume it has been) and while there's no need to defend their historically high percentage of it at all costs (which would also be a mistake) they do need to think strategically about what they offer vs their competitors, and how those competitors are successfully differentiating themselves. Anything less than that would be foolish.

I agree, just because you have been a successful company for a very long time doesn't mean it will be in the future.

Seen a few companies come and go, simply because they didn't keep up. There will always be a place for them with top level rowers but I could see the likes of gyms and home users dropping them totally in favour of something that users prefer to use.

The Erg really is not at the top of the list in terms of what people use any more. Recently went to a gym over here and my how things have changed, everyone walking about with their mobile phone and starring at it. Things like treadmills are popular because you can use it while looking at your phone. It was truly a sad experience, back in the day there was not a phone in sight.

[HornetMaX]

Certainly, as they see their competitors come out with fancier and fancier displays, if they're still stuck in a PM5 and nothing else mindset, that would be equivalent to sticking your head in sand and hoping the danger passes you by.

Now that seemed to do much for Blackberry

Anyway, for me the idea is surely not to force feed a tv screen to all potential buyers, that would be foolish.
The idea is to make the product more flexible to better cater to all.
Today the feeling is more: "You get this because this is what pro-rowers want/use". Then of course other users start raising all sort of complains.

[gvcormac]

A couple more points:

1. Battery operation is a big plus. Dangling extension cords are a menace.

2. Price point. RP3 (for example) is outrageously expensive. NordicTrack is garbage underneath the glitz (I owned one pre-glitz, thinking it would be adequate as a significant-other-machine). Peleton is outrageously expensive and a money pit.

If Concept 2 continues to make a portable, high-quality device at a price point 1/2 of the viable competition, it'll continue to have a solid market. If it is going to diversify, maybe something other than rowers. I'm waiting for a Concept 2 sled.

It appears that Concept 2 is amenable to partnering with a software company. That makes sense to me.

Final shot: You can't buy a replacement PM5 without the extra-cost "device holder" anymore. Too bad.

[Ombrax]

Final shot: You can't buy a replacement PM5 without the extra-cost "device holder" anymore. Too bad.

If the "device holder" is what I think it is, it probably adds at most 50 cents to the cost of the PM.

[gvcormac]

Final shot: You can't buy a replacement PM5 without the extra-cost "device holder" anymore. Too bad.

If the "device holder" is what I think it is, it probably adds at most 50 cents to the cost of the PM.

Might not be. Originally they supplied a plastic phone holder. Now they have something with arms and clamps for a large tablet.

[HornetMaX]

Final shot: You can't buy a replacement PM5 without the extra-cost "device holder" anymore. Too bad.

If the "device holder" is what I think it is, it probably adds at most 50 cents to the cost of the PM.

Might not be. Originally they supplied a plastic phone holder. Now they have something with arms and clamps for a large tablet.

In the US at least you can: monitor and batteries only (160$) vs monitor + device holder (185$).
The device holder retrofit kit alone is 25$. The small plasticky creadle ("phone holder") is 1$.

[gvcormac]

In the US at least you can: monitor and batteries only (160$) vs monitor + device holder (185$).
The device holder retrofit kit alone is 25$. The small plasticky creadle ("phone holder") is 1$.

Interesting. When I was looking last time model C/D retrofit directed to the one with the device holder, and no other option. Today, there is a "monitor only" option as you note. The default is still with the device holder.

I think there is some issue with the C that the cord won't route to a naked monitor, which may be how this arose. I understand that some trivial drilling will deal with the C routing issue.

[older rower]

I love the pm5. I do a weird thing, I get on my machine and just row. I see my meters, my s/m and my time—-happy as a clam!