Customer Reviews

BodyCraft VR100 Rowing Machine

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

After having purchased an inexpensive piston rower (which was not so bad,
by the way) I tried in a fitness shop some magnetic rowers and I found them much better. So I shopped around and I tried the Tunturi R30, The Kettler Coach, the Fitness Quest Integrity 3000, the Water Rower,the Lifecore R900, the Life Span and the Body Craft VR 100. I found that the Body Craft has the best value for money ratio. It is built very well, its ergonomics are handsome, the workout is fantastic, and the price is very acceptable.
I particularly like the position of the footpedals and of the handle-bar,
which I think is perfect.
It also looks like it is very durable and it will last forever. I am very much satisfied, and would recommend it to everyone looking for a classy rower at a very honest price.

I was/am a runner who constantly was sustaining leg injuries of one type or another. I finally yielded to the fact that I needed to seriously cross train and reduce my running. I decided to row, however I abhore having to spend tons of cash on exercise equipment to work out indoors when running is virtually free outside. I originally wanted to spend only a few hundred dollar so at least I could get my work outs in and see if I really liked rowing. After reading every review I could find, I decided that it may be in my best interest to spend more than a few hundred dollars. When I chose the Body Craft VR100 rower I figured that I would still be compromising quality since it was a mid-priced unit. I didn't want to listen to things click and clack, and have to tighten things that would loosen over time. Much to my amazement, this rower Rocks! It was really easy to put together, the parts are high quality, and the important thing is when you row you don't even think about the fact that you are on a machine. It's solid, steady, smooth, and a great workout. I use it 4-5 days a week for 45 mintues each time and have had it for about 1 month. It feels just as good as the day I bought it. If you are thinking about purchasing a rower, I highly recommend this one.

Don't be fooled by its slick appearance: Whoever designed this machine has no clue about rowing.

To row the standard 2000m distance on the BodyCraft VR100 takes EXACTLY two hundred and twenty strokes. It does not matter if you take 220 long, powerful strokes or 220 stunted, one-foot strokes; the computer always displays 2 km. Nor is it responsive to resistance. 220 strokes at the highest resistance level gives you 2 km, as it does at the very lowest resistance level. Also, according to the computer, you burn .6 calories for every stroke; it does not matter if they are long and laborious or short and effortless. Clearly, the manufacturers installed a dummy computer to fool unwitting buyers - in no way does it measure power, like a real ergometer.

Thus, the exerciser has ALMOST NO CLUE about his performance and fitness. The computer is nothing more than a stroke counter and a clock. (The "stroke rate" indicator is fickle and nearly useless, and the "speed" is also made up. How can you measure speed without measuring power?)

What's left? A rolling seat with a handle. Perhaps this part of the unit could be worth, say, $300 - the construction looks solid. Some people can live without a computer, and just need something for a proper workout. But maddening quirks ensure the unit gives you nothing resembling an actual rowing experience. (Good indoor machines already have enough trouble in this regard.)

The foot braces: They swivel about and envelop the whole foot. On real boats and proper rowing machines, the feet are strapped onto a fixed plate. The strap holds down only the ball of the foot, allowing the heel to come up at the catch (when the rower is stretching forward, about to pull). Since the ball of the foot is fixed firmly to the boat, all the rower's energy flows into the boat when he begins the leg drive. On the BodyCraft, the entire foot pivots. How can you row with no fixed surface to push against?

The flywheel: It is mounted very close to the track, making it very easy to bump into at the catch. This is infuriating.

Resistance: The oars of a rowing shell at speed provide surprisingly little resistance - a high cadence is the key to going fast and getting a good cardio workout. Resistance on the BodyCraft is huge - only the bottom two resistance levels resemble anything like an actual boat, and poorly at that. Plus, a nearby electric fan was all it took to permanently increase the magnetic resistance on my VR100, making it even more useless.

Why waste $700 for this piece of junk? Buy a new or used Concept2.

Very easy to assemble and seems very robust.There are a good spread of exercise levels from gentle to tough but evenly graded in between. This machines action is very smooth,the pull action is progressive and there's no whiplash of the belt on return.The ergo's are perfect for me (5ft 7ins )but a much taller person would also fit easily.Can't fault the seat and it's great to have the cool air directed at you, so all in all I would say this machine is a good buy and great value.

Bought this as a way to exercise through the Cleveland winters. Easy assembly. Have owned it for about two weeks. Easy to work up a sweat.

Two negatives: the fan is louder than I anticipated and there is no way to disengage it necessitating high volume of music/TV while rowing. Polar heartrate monitor does not report accurately when exercising. Heart rate OK at rest, but with movement it jumps all over.

Overall - well worth the $699 - let's hope it lasts.

I bought this rowing machine as my New Year's resolution to get back in shape and I hate jogging. I read lots of reviews. I needed something small and well built, but not too expensive. This was the perfect machine.

I keep it in my basement and even with the fan blowing, I can still hear my TV set 20ft away - and it's not blaringly loud. The seat slides smoothly on the rails. the pull in nice and even, and the computer works well, though I found that I sometimes had to push the connection back in to the back of the computer - guess it ocassionally vibrated out - that's the only comment even close to negative I'd have for this. After more than 100 hours on this machine, it still rides like the day I bought it and I still get a good workout and am not even at level 6 in intensity yet. (I'm a 50yr old woman who was in avg shape to start).

A few other pleasant surprises -

I only wear a size 6 shoe and the foot holders actually hold my feet down - though the strap does come over my toes and not further down. I tried other rowers and my feet were too short. My husband, who wears a size 10 !/2 shoe also had no problem.

Both of us get a good range of motion and workout - he at 5'10" and me at 4'11" - again, not something we usually find easily.

I didn't spend the money for the heart rate monitor. A few months after I purchased this machine, Costco was selling the Nike Women's heart rate monitor and watch for $50. I bought it, thinking I'd use the watch and monitor. To my surprise, the monitor was automatically discovered by the rowing machine computer and I see all my vitals right in front of me - I didn't have to do any setup.

There are no programming settings, so you're on your own for a workout, however, if you want a decent aerobic workout without putting on your shoes and heading out the door, this is a great find.

There aren't many exercise routines I can do without getting bored or hurt (bad knees) but rowing is reasonably low impact but great all-around. This machine is a great value given its variable levels of magnetic-assist resistance on top of the basic air resistance. It folds up nicely when you need the floor space, runs smooth, and isn't too noisy. Best of all, it got this lazy-bones back to exercising regularly and, after one month, I can already feel the difference.

Like Bodycraft stuff--a good product for the home. Not really built for commercial use but clearly does the job at home. The build is good enough neither creaky nor rock solid--the front end plastic--is just that plastic. The machine is not quiet--no unhealthy grating sounds, just a lot of wind noise. Computer is iffy--heartrate monitor doesn't work with the exercise--too much chest motion.

Still, unless you're some type of superathlete--this machine will do a very respectable conditioning job; of course you have to hold up your end of the bargain. I don't know if I can beleive the calorie count but I can burn 800 in 30 minutes at 45 strokes a minute--and machine recommends 60 to 70 strokes a minute.

So a reasonable machine for around the house. Not superb but very good.

This thing is solid. Ignore the comment from one reviewer saying that the front lifts off the ground. When properly set up for rowing, the middle leg is locked in place above the ground. There's no way the front could lift when only the front and back legs are touching the ground. The middle leg is only used when the rower is folded for storage.

I'm 6'2" with longer legs and there's plenty of room left on the slider when my legs are fully extended. (I used to hit the end of a piston rower.)

This machine is well-built, easy to assemble and provides a great overall workout. It is a solid machine and it appears to be one that will last for years.