Concept2 assembly
Concept2 say do not hire anybody. They are right, and we are going to say so too.
Asked on Amazon who does the paid assembly, Concept2 replied that they do not recommend buying professional setup, and that the rower is very easy to assemble, only a few screws. It is eight bolts. Go and build it.
Eight bolts, twenty minutes, tools in the box
A RowErg arrives in two large pieces that snap together with a framelock, plus the front legs, which take eight screws, and the device holder, which takes a couple of minutes. The hex tool you need is in the box. Concept2 estimate twenty to thirty minutes; reviewers who have built several say twenty to twenty-five, and one says under ten.
An owner on Amazon put it better than any review could: it is assembled with eight bolts, he described himself as a mechanical idiot, and he managed it easily. It ships by UPS rather than freight, and the whole machine weighs 57 pounds.
There is genuinely nothing here. So we are not going to invent something in order to charge you for it.
The whole job
Concept2’s estimate, and people who have done it more than once.
| Model | Time | People |
|---|---|---|
| Concept2’s own estimateAnd they include the tool. | 20 to 30 minutes | 1 |
| A reviewer who has built severalThe least complicated machine he has ever assembled. | 20 to 25 minutes | 1 |
| A reviewer in a hurryEight screws, one clip, done. | ~10 minutes | 1 |
| The only fiddly momentJoining the two halves. They are heavy. Align them or you pinch a finger. | 2 minutes of care | 1 |
One tip from the manual worth taking: do not fully tighten the screws until all of them are in place. It is the same principle Suncast and Silverback both insist on, and it is right every time.
So when IS it worth calling somebody?
Not for assembly, and we would rather tell you that than take twenty minutes of your money for it.
It is worth it if you are kitting out a gym, a box or a studio with a row of ergs and want them all built, calibrated and identical in an afternoon. That is a real job, and it is a different job.
It is worth it for MAINTENANCE, which is where these machines actually need hands. A RowErg is a machine you service rather than a machine you assemble: chains, shock cords, seat rollers, generator coils. Concept2 publish videos for every one of those, which tells you they expect the machine to last long enough to need them.
And it is worth it for a used one. The RowErg holds its value extraordinarily well, the five-year frame warranty is FULLY TRANSFERABLE to each subsequent owner, and a tired secondhand erg with a stretched shock cord and a dry chain is a fifteen minute fix for somebody who has done it before.
What an installer actually does with a RowErg
- Builds out a gym, box or studio with multiple ergs at once, set up identically.
- Services a used or neglected machine: chain, shock cord, seat rollers, foot straps.
- Replaces a generator coil, or a PM5 that has stopped talking to the flywheel.
- Moves one, which is easy, because it splits in two and weighs 57 lbs.
- And yes, assembles a new one if you would rather not. But you should know it is eight bolts first.
Get it built by someone who has built one before.
Tell us your ZIP and what you bought. Installers near you will quote you directly, and you deal with them, not with us.
Questions people ask
Should I pay for professional assembly of a Concept2 RowErg?
Concept2 say no. Asked directly on Amazon, they replied that they do not recommend buying professional setup, because they have no relationship with those providers and cannot vouch for the value, and that the rower is very easy to assemble with only a few screws. We agree with them.
How long does a RowErg take to assemble?
Concept2 say twenty to thirty minutes. Reviewers who have built several say twenty to twenty-five, and one says ten. It is eight screws for the legs, a framelock clip to join the two halves, and a couple of minutes for the device holder. The tool is in the box.
What is the only part to be careful about?
Joining the two halves. They are on the heavy side and need to be properly aligned before they lock together. Rush it and you can pinch a finger or scrape the paint. Take your time and it is fine.
Is a used Concept2 worth buying?
Very much so. They hold their value, they are built to be serviced, and the five-year frame warranty is fully transferable to each subsequent owner during its term, which almost no fitness brand offers. A tired one usually just needs the chain oiled and the shock cord adjusted.
What maintenance does a RowErg need?
Oil the chain regularly. Beyond that: shock cord, seat rollers, foot straps, and eventually a chain or sprocket. Concept2 publish step-by-step videos for all of it.
Installers.org is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Concept2. Concept2 is a trademark of its owner, referred to here only to describe the assembly, servicing and relocation services that independent installers on this directory provide.