Peloton has been pushing innovation in the home fitness equipment market since the release of its smart exercise bike in 2014. Its first rowing machine, the Peloton Row ($3,195, plus $44 per month for a class membership), follows that trend with a unique Form Assist feature that tracks your movements to determine whether you're performing each stroke correctly and warns you when your form isn’t right. The Row is undeniably expensive, but justifies its price with a high-quality build, silent resistance, and metrics-driven rowing classes that are suitable for all levels. It delivers the same excellent interactive features that Peloton Bike and Tread owners know and love, including live workouts, competitive leaderboards, social high fives, and flawless integration with Apple Music and Spotify. We also like the NordicTrack RW900, which costs a lot less at $1,999, but the Peloton Row earns our Editors' Choice award for its luxurious feel and its personalized form insights that can help you row smarter and safer.
Peloton Row vs. Hydrow and Other Connected Rowers
The Peloton Row costs $3,195, which includes delivery and assembly, as well as a limited warranty. The machine is meant to be used with Peloton’s $44-per-month All-Access class membership, which is mandatory for whatever Peloton equipment you have.
Without an active All-Access membership, you can only use the machine in Just Row mode, which simply shows your metrics on the screen (with no scenic backgrounds) as you row. You cannot use the Row with Peloton's entry-level $12.99 monthly app membership. (Regardless of brand, all smart fitness machines typically require a membership, priced from around $29 a month, to stream workout classes on the display.)
Peloton's membership offers access to thousands of classes across a range of disciplines including barre, boxing, cycling, HIIT cardio, meditation, outdoor running and walking, pilates, rowing, treadmill running and walking, strength, stretching, and yoga. Peloton also offers a popular boot camp class type, which combines strength training with either rowing, cycling, or running/walking.
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I've detailed the Peloton cycling, running, strength, and yoga classes in the past, but the platform stands out for its excellent music and Apple Music/Spotify integration; its interactive features such as live classes, competitive leaderboards, and social high fives; and its top-notch instructors and production value.
The Row features a 23.8-inch 1080p touch screen on which you can stream Peloton's workout classes. The display swivels 45 degrees left and right and 25 degrees up and down to adjust the viewing angle when you're on and off the rower.
Peloton locks you into its platform, so you can't view outside content on the tablet. One disadvantage of Peloton's platform is that it does not offer access to video streaming services like Netflix or Hulu, features that are available on some competitors like Aviron.
The Row resembles the original Hydrow, another premium connected rowing machine. The main difference between the two is that Peloton model focuses more on the studio class experience while Hydrow films most of its rowing classes on water outdoors. Peloton offers a lot more variety in its workout library, but if rowing is your primary focus, it's hard to beat the scenery of Hydrow's workouts. The NordicTrack RW900, another excellent and slightly more affordable option in this category, also offers access to a large library of scenic global workouts with an iFit membership, but it lacks leaderboards.
Peloton offers a few trainer-led rowing classes filmed on the water (to find them, navigate to More > Scenic Row > Guided), but this seems to be a feature the company is experimenting with rather than broadly rolling out. At press time, most of the scenic rowing content on Peloton's platform is unguided, and thus boring.
The Row is recommended for riders at least 16 years old, between 4'11'' and 6'5'' tall, and weighing up to 300 pounds. Its adjustable footboards accommodate a women’s size 5 to a men’s size 13.5. If you exceed the Row's rider weight limit, check out the Aviron Strong Series, which is safe for riders up to 507 pounds.
The Row itself weighs 156.5 pounds, which is heavy for a rowing machine. It has two wheels on the front for transport so you can pick it up by the back end to move it around. I’m able to reposition it within a room on my own, but I'd probably need help to move it to a different room.
It measures about 94 by 24 by 45.5 inches (LWH) and can be stored in an upright vertical position to save space when not in use. It requires an 8-foot ceiling for vertical stowing, and you'll need to use the included upright wall anchor for safety.
The seat sits 14 inches off the ground, which is standard for rowing machines. Aviron makes rowing machines with 20-inch-high seats that are easier to mount and dismount.
Peloton's rower is well constructed with an anodized and powder-coated aluminum rail, a black woven strap with a contrasting red centerline and matching foot straps, an ergonomic and slightly grippy handle, and a comfortable sculpted seat. It's sturdy and smooth to ride. I never feel any skipping on the seat or the handlebar strap during workouts.
The Row features an electronically controlled magnetic resistance system, similar to Hydrow models and the NordicTrack RW900. Aviron rowing machines feature air and magnetic resistance, while WaterRower-based models like the Ergatta and the Cityrow Max feature water resistance that mimics the feel of rowing an actual boat.
There are pros and cons to each type of resistance, but the nice thing about magnetic is that it's practically silent. On the downside, you'll forgo the refreshing breeze of an air rower, and the meditative swooshing sound of a water rower. Unless you have audio playing through its speakers, the only noise you'll hear from the Peloton Row is the quiet sound of the seat moving back and forth on the rail.
In an otherwise silent room, without audio playing through the Row's speakers, I measured its operating volume at around 60db using the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app, or about the equivalent volume of a normal conversation or air conditioner. Hydrow models are similarly quiet.
Getting to Know the Peloton Row
I first tested the Row at Peloton's Tampa showroom last fall and walked away from that ride impressed by its real-time form feedback feature. For this review, Peloton sent a Row to my home, where I've been testing it for the past five months as of this writing.
The first Row unit I received would not turn on, so the delivery team boxed it back up and Peloton shipped me a new one. Fortunately, the second delivery went off without a hitch, and the team had my working unit installed in about 30 minutes. When they arrive at your home, the delivery team will assemble the Row in the room of your choice, make sure it's working, and haul away the packaging materials when they leave. Peloton's delivery and assembly service does not include installation of the provided upright wall anchor.
When selecting a location for the Row, Peloton recommends 2 feet of clearance on all sides of the machine, and a total workout footprint of 8-by-6-feet so you have enough room for boot camp and floor workouts.
The machine's 7.8-foot power cord plugs into a standard three-prong outlet, and its power button is located on the back of the touch screen. After powering it on for the first time, the machine will prompt you to connect it to your Wi-Fi network, sign in to your Peloton account, and create a profile if you haven't already done so. The Row requires a Wi-Fi connection (2.4GHz or 5GHz) to function, even in Just Row mode; it is not Ethernet compatible. Peloton recommends minimum internet speeds of 10 to 15Mbps down and 2.5Mbps up. I never experienced any buffering or lag while using the Row.
You can create up to 20 user profiles under one All-Access membership, so everyone in your home can separately track their workout history and stats. If you already own a Peloton Bike or Tread and pay for an All-Access Membership, you can use that subscription with the Row at no additional cost.
As with other Peloton machines, the Row's display is bright and sharp, and its front-facing stereo speakers and rear-facing woofer deliver clear, crisp sound that fills a room at maximum volume. Volume buttons are easily accessible on the right side of the tablet. When you adjust the volume, the Row offers three audio mix options: Original Mix (the default setting), More Music, or More Instructor.
The Row supports ANT+ and Bluetooth 5.0, so you can connect a heart rate monitor (HRM) and wireless headphones to the machine. I mostly use it with a Peloton Heart Rate Band, which always quickly connects to the rower. I also successfully paired a Polar OH1 heart rate monitor and Apple AirPods Pro with the Row.
Peloton offers free Apple Watch and Wear OS apps that let you use a compatible smartwatch as a heart rate monitor during Row workouts if you wish; I had no problem connecting an Apple Watch Series 8 with the machine.
In addition to Apple Music and Spotify, the Row optionally integrates with Facebook so you can easily see which of your friends are Peloton users, and follow them to see when they're working out. It also connects with Strava and Fitbit so you can share your workout activity to those platforms if you choose.
As for other tech, the Row packs a four-way digital microphone array and an 8MP 1080p webcam with a privacy cover, but it does not support in-class video chats, a feature Peloton removed from its stationary bikes and treadmills last year. Apart from letting you snap a profile photo, the Row's webcam is mostly useless at this time.
The Row offers three main resistance—or Drag Factor—settings: Light (100), Medium (115), and Heavy (130). Medium is the default setting and Peloton "strongly recommends" not changing it regardless of your rowing experience level.
"This setting simulates the feeling of rowing a boat in the most realistic way," Peloton explains. "Increasing or decreasing this number will change that lifelike feeling."
Without getting too technical, adjusting the Drag Factor changes how quickly the flywheel slows between strokes. It doesn't necessarily make your workout easier or harder like the resistance knob on a stationary bike. Instead, "the opposing force on the Row is automatic and gets increasingly difficult as you pull the handle faster," Peloton explains. "The intensity of your workout is determined by form, technique, and the effort you put into each drive."
To adjust the Drag Factor, tap the Settings button located in the upper right corner > Drag Factor. Here, you can choose from one of the three recommended settings, or manually adjust the Drag Factor from 1 to 230 using a slider. Peloton warns that a Drag Factor below 50 may be too low for an effective workout, and anything higher than 150 is not recommended for intense rowing.
Form Assist: A Game Changer for Indoor Rowing
The Row's standout feature is Form Assist. Using sensors in the handlebars and seat, the Row can track your movements to deliver real-time and post-workout form feedback, a first for a rowing machine.
The Tempo and Tonal smart strength-training machines already offer real-time form insights, and I've been waiting for something similar to reach indoor rowing. Gamified rowing machine maker Ergatta last year told me it was working on an automated form feedback feature, but has not yet launched it.
Experienced rowers know it's one of the most efficient and effective forms of exercise, offering a full-body, low-impact cardio workout that puts minimal stress on your knees and other joints. But rowing is a technical sport that requires coaching and practice to learn.
The rowing stroke is a complex movement consisting of four parts: the catch, drive, finish, and recovery. You start out leaning slightly forward with your knees bent and your arms extended holding the handle (the catch), then push your feet into the footboards to extend your legs before you hinge at the hips to slightly lean your torso back (the drive), and finally, bend at the elbows as you pull the handlebar back to your sternum (the finish). You move in this order: legs, body, arms. On the recovery, you reverse that sequence to make your way back to the catch position, first extending your arms, then hinging at the torso so your hands pass beyond your knees, and finally bending your legs.
Rowing might look like it mostly involves your arms, but if you're doing it correctly, most of your power comes from your legs. If you do it incorrectly, you can hurt your back or shoulders, which would obviously be a major setback for any fitness goals.
The Row's Form Assist experience starts with a calibration. I detailed this process in my previous story, but the Row Form Assist calibration is pretty quick and easy, requiring about five minutes of easy, guided rowing. Each person with a profile on the Row will need to individually calibrate Form Assist to see this feedback during and after classes. You can still take Row classes without Form Assist, but it adds a lot to the experience, so don't skip this step.
Following the initial calibration, a Form Assist visualization on the Peloton Row class screen will sync with your movements and highlight areas for improvement in real time. If you do something wrong or out of order—like bend your knees too early, lean back too far, or slump forward—the corresponding body part will light up in red, so you can adjust your technique accordingly.
Peloton recently updated Form Assist, giving users the option to see written form correction tips on the screen during workouts, in addition to the visual highlights. If you have Form Assist text and highlights enabled, in addition to the visual corrections, it may, for instance, tell you to "swing body forward on the return," "stay more upright at the catch," or "don't reach too far forward." If you find the Form Assist module distracting, you can easily swipe it away on the class screen.
Overall, Peloton's Form Assist feature works very well. My Form Assist figure is always in sync with my motions during class, and when I intentionally row incorrectly for testing purposes, it always catches my mistakes.
Even with the new text tips option, I find that it can be a bit difficult to follow Form Assist feedback and take action in real time since each rowing stroke happens so quickly. You might see a body part shine red on the visualization, but after just a second, the warning is typically gone. There's probably a better way to display this data so it's easier for users to interpret during workouts, so I'm happy Peloton has been experimenting with different real-time form feedback options.
That said, even as is, the red warnings and text tips go a long way to motivate me to maintain proper form throughout rowing workouts. You might get out of sync with the instructor from time to time while closely tracking your form, but that's OK. I caution you to prioritize proper form ahead of trying to hit every pace and stroke rate target the instructor offers.
While Peloton's real-time rowing form feedback has some room for improvement, its post-workout insights are wonderfully helpful.
At the end of each workout, you receive a Form Rating score out of 100% based on your performance, with any tracked errors bringing it down. Peloton also gives you a score out of 100% for each phase of the rowing stroke, so you can see which parts you need to improve on. In your workout history, Peloton offers a detailed form report for each rowing class you have taken, with a breakdown of your errors and tips to improve.
Personally, Peloton's form insights have taught me that I tend to slack on my technique during early-morning workouts when I hop on the machine without a proper warm-up. The good news is that there are plenty of five-minute warm-up rows to help me correct this problem.
I also usually earn a higher Form Rating score when I take a beginner rowing class compared with a more challenging one. I can be overconfident about my fitness abilities, which has in the past led to minor injury, so Peloton's form insights help me stay humble and safe. I'd rather swallow my pride and take a beginner class than injure myself trying to keep up in a more challenging one.
After one Row class for which I earned a paltry 48% Form Rating, the insights showed that I struggled most on the catch, and underextended 83% of strokes.
"Avoid stacking your shoulders above or behind your hips at the catch," the machine offered, along with a demonstration of how to properly perform this phase of the rowing stroke. "Maintain a straight back with your core engaged and lean slightly forward at a 30-degree angle."
I highly recommend spending some time examining your post-row form insights when you have time, as they offer invaluable information that can help you select appropriate classes in the future, improve your rowing technique, and avoid injury.
Exploring the Peloton Row Interface
The Row has a similar user interface as other Peloton equipment, with the following tabs on the bottom of the screen: Profile, Home, Programs, Classes, Schedule, Challenges, and More. Home, the default tab, offers recommended classes based on your previous activity as well as featured workouts, recommended programs, and more.
To browse the entire on-demand library, tap into the Classes tab. Peloton's rowing classes range from five to 60 minutes, and there are options for all experience levels, including true beginners who have never rowed before.
Peloton offers the following rowing class types: warm-up/cooldown, beginner, form & drills, music/theme, endurance, intervals, and boot camp. You can filter the on-demand library by length, instructor, class type, and music. You can also narrow down your options using the following filters: new, popular, top rated, easiest, and hardest.
I started rowing in 2020, and really appreciate the platform's Advanced Beginner classes, which are perfect for casual rowers who want to improve their technique.
To view the live class schedule, tap into the Schedule tab. Peloton broadcasts around two to five live rowing classes per day, but some of them are Encore sessions, or re-airings with a live leaderboard.
Peloton offers two rowing-specific programs at the time of this writing, including a three-week You Can Row series designed to teach newbies the basics and work you up to your first 30-minute rowing workout. The other three-week series, Perfect Your Pace Targets, is meant to help you assess your current abilities and get more comfortable holding challenging paces on the machine. The Programs tab also offers non-rowing series, like Beginner Pilates, Beginner Yoga, Discover Strength, and more.
Before every Peloton rowing class, it gives you the option to connect Bluetooth audio and a heart rate monitor, select the type of Form Assist feedback you want to see (text and highlights, or highlights only), set your personal pace target (level 1, the slowest, through 6, the fastest), and add a leaderboard hashtag to your profile (I use #PlantBasedPower to connect with other vegans).
The Peloton Row Experience
During Peloton rowing classes, there's plenty to look at on the screen to keep you engaged. On the left side, in descending order, you'll see a workout countdown timer, the Form Assist module, your heart rate (if you're wearing a connected HRM), and your Strive Score (a noncompetitive effort metric you'll also see if you're wearing a HRM).
Your real-time rowing metrics reside on the bottom of the screen. Here, from left to right, it shows your total distance and number of strokes; your real-time pace (how long it takes you to row 500 meters), output (a measure of your power and force), and stroke rate (average strokes per min); and your calories burned and total output. Flanking your real-time pace, output, and stroke rate, it shows your average and maximum values for each metric for that workout.
On the right side of the screen is the leaderboard, which ranks participants based on their total output similar to Peloton Bike and Tread models. You can increase your total output—and climb the leaderboard—by pushing harder (lowering your pace) and going faster (increasing your stroke rate).
During on-demand classes, there are two leaderboard views: All Time (which ranks you against everyone who has previously taken that class), and Here Now (which ranks you against other members who are taking it at the same time). Peloton also offers the following leaderboard filtering options: All, Following, Just Me, Gender/Age Group, Top Tags, and My Tags. The filters make it easy to see how you stack up against friends on the platform or others in your demographic.
To send someone a high five, just tap their profile photo on the leaderboard. Incoming high fives show up below the leaderboard. When I pop into an on-demand class, I always high five everyone in Here Now, and they usually high five back.
Peloton rowing classes usually start with a quick warm-up of easy rowing or technique drills, followed by alternating intervals of effort and rest, and always end with a quick stretch. Row classes are led by a single instructor who guides you through the workout and does it with you, so you can follow along. Throughout the class, the instructor will give you a recommended stroke rate range for each interval, and cue your intensity level (easy, moderate, challenging, or max).
Above the pace metric, it shows your personal pace target based on your pre-set pace level. I have my pace target set to level 3, so right in the middle of the range, which suggests an Easy pace of 3:30 to 3:00, a Moderate pace of 3:00 to 2:40, a Challenging pace of 2:40 to 2:20, and a Max pace of 2:20 to 2:00. As an average rower, I find this pace target challenging but doable. Peloton recommends starting at a pace level of 1 and increasing it from there.
Above the stroke rate metric, it shows the target range, as indicated by the instructor. The instructor may, for instance, say to start with one minute of easy rowing at a stroke rate of 18 to 22. After the warm-up, the instructor might cue you to push it to a moderate intensity level, with a higher stroke rate of 20 to 24. After that push, they might alternate two minutes of easy rowing, followed by a two-minute push. Occasional water breaks are typically built into the rowing workouts, especially in beginner sessions.
When a new song begins, you'll see the name and artist at the top of the screen and you can tap the screen at any time to bring up the track details. During on-demand classes, you can tap a heart icon beside the song name to add it to your connected music streaming account (either Spotify or Apple Music). I have the rower connected to my Spotify and it puts songs I “heart” into a playlist called My Peloton Music by Angela_PCMag on the streaming service. This feature works well, and has helped me discover a lot of tunes.
Peloton currently has five Row instructors, including newcomers to the platform Alex Karwoski, Ash Pryor, and Katie Wang. Rounding out the Row team are existing Peloton instructors Matt Wilpers, who also leads Peloton cycling and treadmill classes, and Adrian Williams, who also teaches treadmill and strength classes.
Each instructor has a different vibe, but all offer expert coaching, so you shouldn't have a problem finding your hype person of choice. Karwoski and Williams have been my go-tos as of late.
Karwoski comes from a family of rowers, and is full of knowledge and stories about the sport. The first time I took his class, I did a double take because he looks just like an instructor on the Hydrow platform named Nick. When I realized that the two are actually brothers in real life and work for competing companies, I squealed with delight.
Williams is my favorite Row instructor because he pushes me, but in a fun way. Williams stresses "fun over fitness" but still unapologetically kicks your butt.
I'll admit, I sometimes find the longer Peloton rowing workouts a bit boring. I prefer the boot camp classes, which alternate rowing with strength training utilizing dumbbells. Breaking up the rowing with strength training makes the boot camp classes fly by, and they offer an effective workout in as little as 30 minutes.
Intelligent Indoor Rowing
The Peloton Row is expensive, but this it offers a buttery smooth ride and one-ups competitors with its innovative sensor-powered Form Assist feature that can help you train smarter and safer. Its real-time corrections can be a bit difficult to decipher, but its Form Ratings gamify good rowing technique, and its post-workout insights are full of personalized data and useful tips to help you improve and avoid injury. The Row is suitable for all experience levels and boasts the same interactive and social features for which the Peloton Bike has gained a cult-like following, including live classes, competitive leaderboards, high fives, and third-party music streaming service integration. Peloton's workout library offers everything from challenging rowing, strength, and floor cardio classes when you want to work up a sweat, to meditation, stretching, and yoga to support you on your rest days.
The Row's closest competitor is the original Hydrow ($2,495, plus $44/month for class), which offers a similarly luxurious experience and better scenery during classes, but no form feedback. Both are excellent options, but the Row narrowly wins our Editors' Choice award for its more varied class library and innovative movement tracking technology. For a more affordable option, we recommend the NordicTrack RW900 ($1,999, plus $39/month for the iFit class), which lacks leaderboards but stands out for its immersive global workouts.
The Peloton Row is the smartest and most luxurious rowing machine on the market, with class-leading interactivity and unique form feedback features to keep you safe.
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