Avari Conversion II Rower/Recumbent Bike

Nice piece of equipment, sturdy and easy to assemble. This is a great piece of exercise equipment for those who may want to get into better shape. What I like is that you have the choose of rowing or biking and it folds up and out of the way. This is ideal for apartment living or if you just don't want your exercise equipment taking up all your space. The display can be seen even if you have bad eyes, the numbers are pretty large. The row handle is comfortable and is coated with foam of some sort, so keeps the calluses away. The chair glides with ease and provides plenty of field of movement. The only downside I can see (if you want to call it that) is the resistance. It has eight settings with number eight being the most difficult but would like to see 2 more settings allowing for more resistance. On number 8 you can feel the resistance but if used often, it will be no time before your body is use to it. It still provides a good workout and to combat the after mentioned, one could always increase the time they are working out. It tracks your heart rate, speed, distance etc. as well. Take 2 double A batteries which are not included.

This is the new generation of the "Stamina Conversion II Recumbent / Rower". I purchased it because it was $100 cheaper than the Stamina. After assembly I can see no difference in the two except the shape of the housing around the pedal assembly and the separate pedestal for the computer. Pros: Both the bike and the rower work well. Good range of resistance, I dare you to set it on 6 or above and tug on it for an hour, however I started out weak as a fledgling with a setting of 3 and it didn't kill me. Folds up to be fairly compact... The bike and rower are both very quiet in operation. I removed the computer and re-purposed the computer mount with some help of a 3" piece of PVC from the hardware store. Now it holds my laptop so I can watch while I work out. I also like to unlatch the seat like it is used in the rowing configuration and then pedal the bike. It makes me use my gut and back to stabilize my position as I pedal. This is tougher than it sounds... Does not mar my soft bamboo flooring. Cons: The included computer is inaccurate in both heart rate measurements and wildly optimistic in calories burned estimates. Also my heart rate monitor stopped working completely after a few days... This was not a deal breaker for me as I have a heart rate monitor watch that works well. The seat is hard and the angle is not so comfortable. I bought an extra pillow just for the bike and now I'm happy. The resistance of the pedaling / rowing is set manually, and it's a bit of a challenge to simulate hills and valleys like the exercise bikes found in the gym. Handy hints. The assembly looks daunting but the instructions were well organized and I am a handy guy... took just over 40 minutes to assemble. Initially I had trouble with the pedals, strangely enough, for me, exercising in my bare feet seems to have solved this problem. Your mileage may vary. At first this critter would "walk" across the floor as I rowed. I noticed that this occurred because the seat arm was not locked down. Lifting up on the rower just behind the pedals and in front of the seat allowed the assembly to snap into place and then all was fine. Later I noticed a foot at the rear of the pedal assembly that could be rotated down to provide more clearance. When this foot was adjusted properly I didn't have to lift the center any more when I unfolded the device. This is not a strength trainer. It is designed for aerobic activity, to use this machine properly, set it at low resistance and work rapidly. I was worried when reviews of the "Stamina Conversion II" mentioned there was not enough resistance, and when another mentioned that when rowing he didn't like the shock to his joints. It seems to me that both users were not operating the device properly. When rowing if you go fast enough to keep the fly wheel spinning there is no heavy initial jerk. I have a friend that bikes to work every day and he made fun of my new "toy". I dared him to go 15 minutes at the highest setting. He only made it to 10 and was sweating like a horse before he got off... Seems there is enough resistance for even fit folks. If you don't mind throwing the computer away this is a functional device. The combination of rower and exercise bike works well for me and was worth the additional cost.

So initially I got pretty frustrated. After taking about 1.5 hours to set up, it wasnt until the final step when I realized the machine was broken. When pulling the rower handle or using the bike, there was a loud grinding noise. So I contacted stamina products and they were great! It did take about 10 days to get a second machine but the new one works great and was generally easy to assemble. As others have mentioned there is a bit of a tug when you pull out the rower, but you get used to it. The seat is more firm then one would like but just get a cushion and your set. The machine feels sturdy, the heartrate monitor works, and this will get plenty of use by me. I love it! Kudos to Amazon for the discount due to the trouble of it all.

The unit is far from gymnasium quality equipment. It is sturdy enough but I would go full bore out on it. I like the rowing better than the cycling. i feel I get more out it. The cycling i use once a week just to change up my workout schedule. It was relativity easy to assemble and it stores away nicely. I did break the plastic collar(which by the way i only use the unit 3 times a week at a level 7 for 30 minutes at a time so I'm not beating on the machine) where the rope comes in and out but it still functions. When this unit goes I'll buy one of the high end models. caveat emptor!

This is a great little machine for the money. Folded up it has a small footprint, and the transition between storing or using it is very simple. It preforms as expected for both rowing and cycling, and will give you a good workout. Set up was pretty easy, though our box was missing one nut (which was easy enough to grab at a local hardware store). There's no sense in buying two machines when this little beast does a great job of both. If you're considering, go ahead and pull the trigger! A word of caution though - make sure you have the box where you intend to set up the bike before you cut the ties off of the box to open it (as without their support the box will break open and make getting it there a bit more "fun".

I have had this machine for a month and love it. First: The assembly instructions are the best I have ever seen. It is impossible to make a mistake in the assembly. Second: The machine is constructed using very solid, high quality materials through out, nothing cheap here. Third, The machine operates very "smoothly" without any "flat spot. It's operation is equal to those high price machines used by gyms I have been a member of. Fourth: The dollar vs. quality value is far superior to any other home gym equipment I have seen on the market. Fifth: the only minor cons I have experienced is the seat could be softer and the Seat Adjustment knob is difficult to reach and operate. It would be much easier to operate if it extended beyond the edge of the seat. Do your self a favor;, if you are considering purchasing home gym equipment take a good look at this one. I think you will be pleased.

NO Stars. The front wheel/mechanism arrives factory assembled/sealed. It requires NO customer assembly or tinkering: the assembly just bolts to the rail. After assembling the rest of the components, on the first use of the recumbent cycle, there was a loud, jarring "THUNK" in the front wheel/mechanism while pedaling, the pedals seized/froze solid, and could not be moved. This product could not survive 30 minutes of use before it rendered itself non-functioning and useless. Switching to rowing mode, the row handle reeled out the cord, with zero tension, and failed to retract, hanging fully extended and limp. . This is unbelievable. It is going back as soon as I can now dis-assemble it, repackage it, and arrange for shipping. Thanks so much..

Pro: quiet, almost silent; compact, doesn’t take up much room Con: there are annoying decorative bumps next to the monitor that look like buttons but aren’t; the rowing handle is too short, needs to be longer and I have narrow shoulders; the lip on the back of the row foot pads isn’t high enough, if I try and speed up my foot alway pops out and I have to constantly stop and strap my foot back in; as far as I can tell the heart rate monitor has never worked which doesn’t matter because if it did it is probably inaccurate. Update: I noticed today that the foot straps for the bike were at the largest setting. I have a women’s size 10 foot and I can barely get my feet into them. These will be too small for someone with larger feet.

If you're looking for a rowing machine, get a rowing machine. If you're looking for an exercise bike, there are better ones out there for cheaper. To be clear, (1) this unit is NOT as good as a dedicated rowing machine you'd find at the gym, and (2) it is NOT as good as a dedicated recumbent bike you'd find at the gym. However, if you are specifically looking for a compact piece of equipment that combines the two, then this is a great product. Here are a few bullet points you may find pertinent. 1. There is adequate resistance. To give you a baseline, I'm 5'10, 200 lbs, and run a mile in 8 minutes. At a resistance of 6 (max is 8), I don't find it difficult to pull at first, but after 10 minutes I feel quite differently. The same applies for the bike. Note that the resistance of the flywheel is constant. High end rowing machines at the gym use a different mechanism (fluid or air, not magnetic) that increases resistance based upon how hard you pull. 2. You may have noticed from the picture that the sitting angle is different from dedicated rowing machines (i.e., the foot pedals are positioned lower). It only feels slightly different, in that you don't lean back as far (likely so that you don't hit the seat back when you row). 3. There is a "notchiness" to the handle when the cord is in the retracted position. That is, every time you lean forward, you will feel it catch when you pull back. It is not a big deal, and you can pretend the jerk is the paddles hitting the water. 4. The unit has wheels on it, but is difficult to move on carpet. YMMV, but if you can "sink your hands into your carpet by more than a quarter inch, you will likely have the same problem. 5. The unit is very quiet. I watch TV at my normal volume while rowing/biking all the time. 6. My back does not hit the back of the seat when I row. On the other hand, the seat-back is almost too far back for cycling. This is easily remedied by a cushion or piece of foam, as another reviewer recommended. 7. Assembly is a tad harder than Ikea furniture. Socket wrench advised. 8. Delivery person left the package in front of my door (I was not home).

Assembly was not hugely difficult, but the instructions don't quite match the product delivered. Take it slow and bring your common sense. As a bike the weighted pedals are nice. The magnetic resistance means it's very quiet. The belt drive is a little noisier than higher-end rowers I've used in the past, but it's tolerable. Take up at the beginning of the power stroke is a little rough, especially as you turn the resistance up. The range of resistance seems OK, but the steps in resistance are a rather jarring. The whole device can wobble a little as you row. The one oddball complaint I have at this point is the range of rowing motion in the front is somewhat limited: I have short legs and long arms and my reach on the recovery stroke is coming right to the cradle that holds the handle when you're not rowing. I don't think this is a show-stopper, but it came as a surprise. The rail folds up fairly easily, though you need to make sure the seat is locked in place at least a little way from the console or it gets in the way. The seat lock/unlock mechanism is hard to reach from the seated position. The console display is very simple and display units are not configurable. Overall a compact unit that meets two different needs fairly well; good value for the money,