York R510 Rower

Picked up one of these as a no-impact exercise while healing up from shin splints, and at the end of day one I can't find much to moan about as a secondary workout.

Position and seating feels comfortable, allowing from a low squat up to knee lock, and puts no significant stress on your ankles or lower legs. My 31" inside leg length leaves about 3-4" of spare run at the back of the rail when at full extension. Cable is a little shorter than it could be, not reaching past my sternum with a reasonable lean back (I'm 5'8"), but I guess that's a matter of rowing style.

Foot supports are a little large to use with size 8 feet without shoes, and lend themselves to trainers with a heel that is flat to the ground at the back. Cheapo pair of squash shoes work fine. Straps have a good strong grip and hold you securely on the return stroke, but don't let the ends flip round under your feet if you're not very flexible - they're velcro'd all the way along and you'll be wearing the machine to work next day :)

Feels stable in use, despite the narrow footprint, and is quiet enough to use in a living room without putting subtitles on the TV. No annoying rattles or squeaks.

Resistance settings are via a dial on the cylinder, so you can't change them mid-workout without taking a break. They aren't vastly varied, but the cylinder stiffens up a little as it warms during use, and at maximum it's enough for a bloke to work against if you're not already a powerhouse (I'm ~11 stone and it ain't all muscle). 200 strokes got me sweating nicely.

Can't comment on long term durability, but it doesn't feel as flimsy as others reviews imply; wheels under the seat are a soft white plastic that doesn't feel likely to break, frame is pretty thick, as are the bolts. About what you'd expect from a York budget model, really; not outstanding, but not junk either. Will review again if it proves to fall apart rapidly, so if you're reading this in 6 months and it's not corrected, must be ok for 3 times a week use :)

Overall pretty good for the cost, and only loses a star due to the slightly-too-short cable. Still beats those rowers with the big metal levers though!

*edited 14 months later*

Cable snapped after 10 months of moderate use (~2400 reps per week). Didn't want to waste a whole machine for the sake of a bit of nylon so contacted York for spare parts. Eventually obtained a replacement cable after a mere 4 month wait (!!)... Secret is to stop being polite and start rudely demanding, then suddenly the part is in the post.

Nearly knackered the new cable immediately on re-assembly... but that was mostly my own stupid fault.

Tip for the wise: if the mechanism stiffens up, lubricate it, but for goodness sake don't loosen any screws! All that happens if you loosen stuff is the cable slips down the side of the flywheel and grinds against the casing until it breaks.

I've been using this product about 3 times a week since I purchased it 6 weeks ago. I was a bit apprehensive about it since reading other reviews of this and York's similar product the R501 rower.
I can report no problems with it so far. It's an ideal size for me (I'm about 5' 9"), and is highly portable. I keep it in my garage which is cluttered full of stuff but it fits neatly against a wall when I'm not using it. I registered the warranty online and have had no reason to contact York with any problems yet.
Only issues are that when you first use it it's pretty difficult to get a comfy seating position. The seat feels pretty cheap. After 5 or 6 uses however it seems to get the shape of your backside and becomes comfy and stable enough.
A simple improvement for York to make would be to install a backlight on the display panel but it's not a big deal for me.
Hope this helps...

Firstly, I would like to state that I understand where taller people might be coming from complaining about the length. However, I am 5ft 10 and it fits me perfectly with a few inches to spare.
I have been after a rower for a while and this is the ideal peice of kit for smaller home gyms. It fits well in any room gives u everything you need for a good 15-30mins cardio workout/warmup before other excercise.
I always like to keep in shape and I prefer rowers to treadmills for cardio as you can help pump your arms at the same time.
In summary, this gives you everything you need, however, i suggest for those that have the space and can afford it, go for the larger more comprehensive rowers for a more comfortable, longer workout