Rower vs exercise bike (2026)
This is a seated-row versus stationary-bike decision inside one monitor family, not a remake of our rowing-machine best-of, the bike best-of, or air-bike versus spin bike.
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How this page was made: this is a research-based guide built from manufacturer spec pages, official prices and published findings from the outlets we name and link. We haven’t tested these products ourselves, and we don’t invent scores. Our methodology.
Quick answer
Choose Concept2 RowErg ($990) if you want official Concept2 rowing, including the option to split the machine for storage. Choose Concept2 BikeErg ($1,100) if you want official Concept2 cycling in a 48" × 24" assembled footprint or you want the official $1,100 BikeErg with $60 lower-48 shipping and a 350 lb user-weight limit.
Last updated Prices checked Nov 2026
Check Concept2 RowErg price (opens in a new tab)Check Concept2 BikeErg price (opens in a new tab)
Key facts at a glance
| Concept2 RowErg | Concept2 BikeErg | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and shipping (official, Nov 2026) | $990 standard legs; $1,155 tall legs. Official lower-48 ground shipping $55 standard or $85 tall, as cited from the official RowErg page | $1,100 official. Official lower-48 ground shipping $60 (Alaska/Hawaii $200 on that official shipping table) |
| Motion | Seated rowing stroke on a sliding seat, with standard 14" or tall 20" seat height | Stationary cycling. Official seat-to-pedal range 30.75"–41" on the standard BikeErg, or 28.75"–38" with the low-seat option; 170 mm cranks; 15.5 cm Q factor. Official copy says it fits most standard bike parts so you can swap a saddle, handlebars or pedals |
| Monitor and resistance | PM5 and a device holder included; air flywheel | PM5 and a device holder included; air flywheel with a damper described as gearing, plus a clutch so the flywheel keeps spinning when you stop pedaling, per official copy |
| Size and weight | Official assembled 96" × 24"; splits into two pieces for storage. Official machine weight 57 lb (standard) or 68 lb (tall), as cited from the official RowErg page | Official assembled 48" × 24"; official clearance for use 60" × 48". Machine weight 68 lb; shipping weight 82 lb. Official copy: must be stored fully assembled. Maximum official user weight 350 lb / 159 kg |
| Power | PM5 is battery-powered, with the usual Concept2 flywheel-assist behavior described on official pages | Official copy: PM5 takes two D-cell batteries and draws power from the spinning flywheel during a workout to extend battery life. No power cord in the way, per official “easy to move” copy |
We compared official Concept2 RowErg and official Concept2 BikeErg pages, both fetched November 10, 2026, plus official SkiErg and Schwinn IC4 pages fetched the same day and Concept2’s official volume-pricing table on the BikeErg page, which restates current RowErg, SkiErg and BikeErg retail prices. We have not used these machines ourselves, and we don’t give scores. This page is a rower-versus-bike format decision. Confirm live price, shipping, leg height and seat-post option before you buy.
Choose the official Concept2 RowErg ($990 with standard legs, or $1,155 with tall legs, plus $55 or $85 ground shipping to the lower 48) if you want a seated, sliding-seat row and can spare the official 96" × 24" assembled footprint (with a 9' × 4' working-space recommendation on official Concept2 copy we have already cited). Choose the official Concept2 BikeErg ($1,100, plus $60 ground shipping to the lower 48) if you want the same PM5 monitor on a stationary bike with a much smaller official assembled footprint (48" × 24"), a 350 lb maximum user weight and a 68 lb machine weight. Both official machines use an air flywheel and include a PM5 and a device holder. This is a cardio-class choice, not a third rowing-machine review.
Concept2 RowErg vs Concept2 BikeErg: side-by-side
| Concept2 RowErg | Concept2 BikeErg | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and shipping (official, Nov 2026) | $990 standard legs; $1,155 tall legs. Official lower-48 ground shipping $55 standard or $85 tall, as cited from the official RowErg page | $1,100 official. Official lower-48 ground shipping $60 (Alaska/Hawaii $200 on that official shipping table) |
| Motion | Seated rowing stroke on a sliding seat, with standard 14" or tall 20" seat height | Stationary cycling. Official seat-to-pedal range 30.75"–41" on the standard BikeErg, or 28.75"–38" with the low-seat option; 170 mm cranks; 15.5 cm Q factor. Official copy says it fits most standard bike parts so you can swap a saddle, handlebars or pedals |
| Monitor and resistance | PM5 and a device holder included; air flywheel | PM5 and a device holder included; air flywheel with a damper described as gearing, plus a clutch so the flywheel keeps spinning when you stop pedaling, per official copy |
| Size and weight | Official assembled 96" × 24"; splits into two pieces for storage. Official machine weight 57 lb (standard) or 68 lb (tall), as cited from the official RowErg page | Official assembled 48" × 24"; official clearance for use 60" × 48". Machine weight 68 lb; shipping weight 82 lb. Official copy: must be stored fully assembled. Maximum official user weight 350 lb / 159 kg |
| Power | PM5 is battery-powered, with the usual Concept2 flywheel-assist behavior described on official pages | Official copy: PM5 takes two D-cell batteries and draws power from the spinning flywheel during a workout to extend battery life. No power cord in the way, per official “easy to move” copy |
What are the pros and cons?
Concept2 RowErg: pros
- Lower official hardware price on the standard-leg RowErg ($990 vs $1,100)
- Official machine splits in two for storage, unlike the BikeErg, which must stay assembled
- The same official PM5 family if you already know Concept2 rowing data
Concept2 RowErg: cons
- Much larger official assembled footprint (96" long) than the BikeErg
- A rowing stroke is not a cycling stroke; this is the wrong machine if you specifically want to pedal
- Tall legs add official cost and shipping ($1,155 plus $85)
Concept2 BikeErg: pros
- Much smaller official assembled footprint (48" × 24") and a published 350 lb user-weight limit
- Official PM5 plus a clutch and damper described as gearing, with parts you can swap
- Official $1,100 price and $60 lower-48 shipping are clearly listed
Concept2 BikeErg: cons
- Higher official hardware price than the standard-leg RowErg
- Official copy says it must be stored fully assembled
- A BikeErg is still an air bike in the Concept2 sense, not a studio spin bike with a subscription — see our bike pages if that is what you wanted
Which should you choose: Concept2 RowErg or Concept2 BikeErg?
Choose Concept2 RowErg if…
- You want official Concept2 rowing, including the option to split the machine for storage
- You can work with the official 96" assembled length and $990 / $55 (standard) checkout
Choose Concept2 BikeErg if…
- You want official Concept2 cycling in a 48" × 24" assembled footprint
- You want the official $1,100 BikeErg with $60 lower-48 shipping and a 350 lb user-weight limit
Who should skip this
- Shoppers comparing two rowers (for example RowErg versus Hydrow) or two bikes (air bike versus spin). Those are separate pages.
- People who wanted a connected class bike with a membership fee. The official BikeErg page lists third-party apps and does not replace an official Peloton or IC4 membership discussion.
- Anyone who needed a third cardio class, such as a skierg-only decision. The official SkiErg is cited here only as same-family context.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BikeErg cheaper to ship than the RowErg?
Do both machines use the same monitor?
Sources
Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Nov 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
- Concept2 RowErg official page (fetched Nov 10, 2026) (concept2.com)
- Concept2 BikeErg official page (fetched Nov 10, 2026) (concept2.com)
- Concept2 SkiErg official page (fetched Nov 10, 2026; same-family monitor context) (concept2.com)
- Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike official page (fetched Nov 10, 2026; spin-bike class context) (schwinnfitness.com)
- Horizon 7.0 AT Treadmill official page (fetched Nov 10, 2026; other cardio-class context) (horizonfitness.com)
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