New Model D break-in period

[Wilbury]

I just purchased my second Model D this past week. My times are well off what i would normally row with my C or three year old D Model. I've often heard of a "break-in" period on new models, but I don't remember my first D purchase being this "tight."
Is this a psychological issue, or is there really a defined period to break-in a new unit?
Thanks in advance.

[luckylindy]

Do you still have your old Model D? If so, try comparing Drag Factor between the two. If they're different that could explain it.

[GlassJoe]

More importantly, do you still have your Model D and where do you live?

Time to sell the old one (to me), I guess. Seriously, though, why the new model if these things can handle millions of meters? I have a model C, and I'm already longing for a dynamic erg. My low back seems to be tender if I log 20k or so in a week....wondering if the DE might help that (posting a video of my form so I can get input would probably be a better idea, but I've still yet to do that...).

[Carl Watts]

As above, check the actual drage factor on the monitor. An old machine that has never been cleaned can easily get down to a drag factor of 110 or less with the damper setting on 10 so it will feel completley different than a brand new machine where a setting of about 3 will give you the same actual drag factor.

[Wilbury]

OK. Ill try to cover all the responses received so far.
My Model C is in Iraq. I will probably meet up with it (unfortunately) this summer. My original Model D is at my home in upstate New York. I'm on the road constantly, so I sprung for a new Model D to travel with.
The drag factor on my two older rowers is right around 100-105 with a 3-4 damper setting. This one is about 90 with the same setting. It just feels a lot more muscular, vice aerobic.
I'll stay with it. Maybe after a couple of hundred thousand meters, things will "smooth" out.

[GlassJoe]

I really didn't like the very low drag factors on my Model C ( <100) and settled around 110. It sounds like you're saying that even though the drag is lower, though, that it feels like there's more tension in the machine? I'm probably no help since I've never used a new C or D (just the used D at CrossFit and the used C I purchased), but that doesn't make sense to me. Seems a 90 drag should feel annoyingly easy to pull. How many K on the new machine so far?

[Slidewinder]

It's possible that this is a shock cord tension issue. The effect of chain return tension was exhaustively discussed in the thread "Stretched shock cord and time". If the shock cord of the new Model D has say, two pounds more tension than the old machines, this translates into several hundred pounds more pulling force required over a 2K distance. I would use a weigh scale and check chain return tensions between machines.

[jcastro20111]

I agree with slidewinder, but if you don't have a scale, just compare how the handle hangs at the catch when it's fully retracted. I bet the new one sticks right in the middle of the black plastic opening and your older ones hang at the very bottom of said opening. Another way to compare is to give the erg a good pull, and while the flywheel is moving, pull the handle back slowly. The only resistance you will feel at that point is the shock cord. You get a pretty good feel at how tight that guy is.

Good Luck,
Carlos

[Wilbury]

Thanks for all the inputs. It does appear (feel) like a Shock Cord Issue. There does seem to be excessive tension on the handle. I will do some tests, and make an adjustment if necessary.