Merach R50 Rower

Written By PJ

Intro

The Merach NovaRow R50 Air Resistance Rower, is basically a clone of the Concept 2 Row Erg – which has long been the gold standard of rowers for many years now. However, the Merach R50 is half the price. Should you grab that Concept 2 - or even a Rogue Echo --or save some money and go with the Merach R50? Let’s discuss.

Review

I do not currently own a Concept2 Row Erg – however, when I worked out in a commercial gym I did use one quite often – and in my option, the Merach R50 one feels identical to the Concept2. It should be noted that there are TWO Concept2 RowErgs – the 14” -high seat version and the 20”-high seat version. Specifically, the Merach R50 is a clone of the STANDARD 14” version.

Assembly: Assembly was easy…there are only 5 parts….and the assembly can be in done in just a few minutes.

Storage: The manufacturer of both the Concept2 and Merach tell you NOT to stand the unit up with the monorail still attached –due to the fact that it increases the likelihood of it falling over and this could damage the product or cause injury. However, most people elect to store these unit this way anyways.  However, I cannot store the unit vertically with the monorail attached in my basement because my ceilings are too low. Therefore, I must use the manufacturer’s recommended storage option – of disconnecting the monorail first. Disconnect and reconnecting the monorail is very quick and easy.

Resistance: Just like the Concept2 RowErg, the resistance Level can be adjusted, by setting the air damper level 1 to level 10, where 1 is the least resistance and level 10 is the most resistance.

Foot Stirrups: Can be adjusted very easily and the straps are wider than the CONCEPT 2. Further, the straps have a large D-Ring on the end making it very easy to get into and out of position.

Handle: The handle feels identical to the Concept2. Feels great!

Seat: By all accounts, the Merach R50 seat is more comfortable than the Concept2 seat. In fact, many people buy off-market seats to replace their standard Concept 2 seats since it is very dense. Whereas, the Merach R50 seat is a little more “squishy.”

Display Unit: The display “toggles” back and forth between two display pages, but if you want to look at something else – you can use a phone or tablet to use the Merach App or Kinomaps app. These apps, may allow you to push yourself a bit more than raw dogging your workout. The Merach app has quite a few maps, allows you to compete with others online, and recorded classes. You can also use the Merach app’s “Free Mode” training. The App costs a few bucks a month. That being said, both the Rogue Echo and the Concept2 offer a much better display unit.  The Merach R50’s display housing – is kind of a “cheap plastic” – whereas the Concept2/Rogue options have a more durable looking and more refined back-lit display. ALSO - the and the Merach R50’s has three wires protruding out of the back -- whereas the Concept2 and Rogue Echo have a single wire --- offering a cleaner, more refined look. This is really the only major negative of going with the Merach R50 over the Concept2 or Rogue Echo.

Phone/Tablet holder: The holder is a shallow ledge on the Display Unit.  Unfortunately, this design covers the screen. Whereas the Rogue Echo and the Concept2 has device holders that do not cover the display unit. The other issue with the shallow ledge: while it fits my iPhone with an OtterBox case – my iPad with an OtterBox case does not fit well.  

Comparison

Here is a spreadsheet comparing everything. Note that these prices are as of early April 2025. Due to price fluctuations, the actual price may differ. In fact, I believe, that the Merach R50 is actually even cheaper now. Use Promo Code DBL25 using this link to save big: https://bit.ly/DBL-MERACH-R50-ROWER

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Shopping

The following links are Affiliate Shopping Links to purchase any one of these rowers. Full disclosure: If you click on the link and end up making a purchase, I do get a small commission - which helps defray my costs (e.g. hosting this website). Much appreciated!




PJ
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