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Fitbill F.Row Smart Rowing Machine Review


The makers of the Fitbill F.Row claim it's the 'smartest rower ever'. That's quite a boast to make when you're up against the likes of Concept2 and First Degree with a track record of innovation. But then again, the F.Row costs around a tenth of these brands.

But does the addition of a gadget or two make it smart? And does a rowing machine have to be 'smart' to get you fit? Read on...

As with all our reviews we'll start with the unpacking and assembly. The F.Row comes in a few parts and requires only minimal assembly and shouldn't really challenge even the most unskilled DIYer. 

The rowing position is okay at best, the seat is actually quite comfortable and the footrests are wide and will hold your feet secure and in place. But if you're over 5' 7" then forget it. The compact machine has a short beam and you just won't be able to get a decent workout. The full motion handles mean you can row or scull. Most rowing machines have one handle and replicates rowing with one oar. Sculling is using two oars in involves a wider movement. So in effect you can have two different types of workout using a different set of shoulder muscles.

The F.Row uses hydraulic pistons for the resistance. One on each side (painted gold in photo) provides the resistance for your muscles to pull against. There's a choice of 8 levels of resistance which can be selected by sliding the end of the piston up and down the handle. If you have a weakness on one side you could have different levels for each handle. But for a machine that claims to be 'smart' this is quite an old-fashioned and pretty crude way of doing things. Plus, there are a number of problems with hydraulic pistons losing resistance over time - see here for more on pistons.

So onto the 'smart' part. Fitbill claim this is the rowing machine with an app on the market. As far as we're aware this may be true (sort of), but other rowers are PC/Smartphone compatible and offer far more in respect to tracking your training progress and some even allow you to compete against other rowers around the world. We have more on rowing apps here...

However, Fitbill's app is pretty good when you consider the price - see Display unit below for more details.

You may wonder why we've only scored 45% for features when it comes with a motion sensor, iPhone holder and app, but the limitations of the actual rowing machine beneath the tech really does limit the use of these features. The motion sensor does nothing more than a standard console and monitor, in fact compared to many it's actually less because it cannot know how much work you're doing (watts) and how many calories you're burning.

The six month warranty on the frame and parts is around about what you'd expect for low cost rowing machine.
Display Unit
This doesn't come with a display as such because  on this machine it's your smartphone - see the photo below right.

The app displays the usual data such as distance, time and stroke rate. One plus is that it stores his information and will show your progress over time. This is always good for motivation if you can see the improvement in your stats - and also hopefully on the scales!
Summary:
The F.Row can be summed up as an old-fashioned, generic, low-cost rowing machine fitted with some hi-tech gadgets. This does allow for a few more features to be offered on a model costing under $200, but to be honest, it looks more like a gimmick. Using a motion sensor is clever, but does it really do more than a standard half-decent performance monitor? Probably not in our view. But perhaps further down the line we'll see Fitbill installing their technology on  better machines, but for now, this doesn't cut it for us.

​Note: This website is an associate of Amazon and a number of other retailers. We earn a commission from sales generated via these links, ​but this does not influence how we rate the rowing machines we review.
Fitbill F.Row: 4.5/ 10 4.5 Stars Reviewer: R. Palmer


rowing machine review likes
We Like...
  • The price - very low price model
  • Full-motion rowing
  • Looks pretty good with stylish design
  • Some interesting innovation - but see comments above
  • Compact machine needing little space 
Picture
We Don't Like...
  • Not suitable if you're over 5'7"
  • Hydraulic pistons - look old-fashioned
  • Changing resistance level is awkward
  • The gadgets could be viewed as a gimmick
  • Not the best build-quality - but then look at the price
 
rowing machine review specification
Technical specification:
Resistance type:
Max user weight:
Dimensions:
Machine weight:

Hydraulic
300 lbs

43" x 25" (W) x 19" (H)
300 lbs



Picture
Warranty:
6 months frame and parts
QUICK REFERENCE
Click images to enlarge
Fitbill F.Row Smart Rower
Fitbill F.Row Smart Rower
Fitbill F.Row Smart Rower seat
A stylish and comfortable seat
Fitbill F.Row Smart Rower motion sensor
Motion sensor monitors performance
Fitbill F.Row Smart Rower holder for iphone
Your SmartPhone is your monitor
Fitbill F.Row Smart Rower training app
Monitor your performance on the app
Also worth a look:
If both your budget and your space at home is limited, the Stamina 1110 is worth considering. If you can go for a few dollars more you can get a better rower and workout with the Sunny RW5515.

Fitbill F.Row user comments

"I don't have much space and this small machine fits nicely into my home. I quite like the idea of using my iPhone and the app is pretty good, but it's difficult to row at higher speeds meaning the workout is limited." Lindon, user for 3 months.

Do you have one of these? We'd be interested in your comments

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  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Benefits
    • weightloss
    • Rowing Machine Technique
    • rower verses exercise bike
    • rower verses treadmill
    • rower verses elliptical cross trainer
    • Injuries
    • Setting Goals
  • Brands
  • Buyers Guide
    • Compare
    • Types
    • used
    • Dropshippers
    • terminology
    • retailer strategies
    • Buy from store or web
    • Help
  • UK Rowers
  • Workouts
    • Example Workouts
    • Tabata Rowing Workouts
    • Time Trial Workouts
    • Duration Workout
    • Heart Rate Training Programs
    • Rowing Machine Workout Program
    • Training Apps
    • Bad Workout Habits
  • Concept2
    • Model D vs Model E
  • WaterRower
  • Blog
  • The zone
    • Awareness and Focus
    • Peak Performance Zone
  • Fitness Tests
    • Cardio Vascular Fitness Test
    • Balance Test
    • Coordination Test
  • Maintenance
    • mats
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
    • Your Privacy
    • Disclaimer