The ProForm 550R Rower is definitely a site for sore eyes and would look good in your home gym.
ProForm is a respectable and well-known brand when it comes to good quality fitness equipment.
It doesn’t matter what age or fitness level you are at, the ProForm 550R Rower is a great machine when it comes to full body workout.
The ProForm 550R Rower is a great beginner rowing machine because it’s not expensive, its very strong and has unlimited features.
The only major flaw with this rower is some customer concerns about its resistance strength. Just be mindful if you’re an intense rower.
When purchasing the ProForm 550R Rower, the model number is #PFRW3814 and in other countries it is known as ProForm R600 Rower.
View the ProForm R500R lowest price here
Resistance Type
The ProForm 550R Rower is built as an air resistance rower.
How air rowers work:
Once the handle is drawn, the flywheel spins and the fan blades in it produce wind. Resistance is created when the flywheel spins.
The more you row, the more wind you produce and the more wind you produce, the harder it is to row because you increase the resistance.
Just like water rowers, the resistance in air rowers is adjusted by the speed at which you row. The faster you row, the more the resistance and the slower you row, the slower the resistance.
This self-adjusting resistance is why we say air rowers have variable resistance. Rowers such as hydraulic piston or magnetic ones have to be adjusted with a knob to set them to either high or low and that is why they are referred to as adjustable resistance.
This rower is very strong in resistance and has a smooth stroke. The benefits of this resistance are listed below.
Benefits of resistance
The resistance of the ProForm 550R Rower is one of the things people love most about it because if feels just like one is rowing in the water.
That is the reason why Olympians and professional rowers love using air rowers.
Those that have used this rower love the fact that you get what you receive, meaning, the more you row, the more the resistance.
If you are a crossfitter you will definitely enjoy this rower because it is great for high intensity interval training workouts. No need to change settings to increase speed, you just row as fast as you want or as slow as you want.
Those that have used the rower mentioned that the ProForm 550R Rower is strong enough for rowers who are just starting out and also intermediate rowers.
Damper Settings
Just like the Concept2, the new design of the ProForm 550R Rower comes with an inertia enhanced flywheel that has damper settings.
There is a lever on top of the flywheel housing that controls the damper setting. You can push the lever top or bottom to regulate the volume of air that is getting into the flywheel housing.
There are those that have had a problem differentiating between damper setting and adjustable resistance but they are not the same.
If you regulate the air getting into the housing, it only changes how the strokes feel and not the resistance.
Adjusting the lever to the bottom ensures that less air gets in making it feel like a lighter boat which may end up feeling like a decrease in resistance.
Whereas, adjusting the lever to the top ensures that there is more air getting in making it feel like a heavier boat which ends up feeling like an increase in resistance.
Complaints on Resistance
It’s a shame that the most complaints about the ProForm 550R Rower were about resistance.
The reviewers felt that the resistance was very weak and working on the ProForm 550R Rower did not feel like much of a workout. They went on to add that even after adjusting the damper setting to the highest, they still did not feel a strong resistance.
The truth is, those that were of that opinion do not know that to feel the resistance on the ProForm 550R Rower one must row faster. If you row slowly you cannot feel heavy resistance on this rower.
Having used the ProForm 550R Rower enough times, I believe that this rower is for those who have just started out rowing as well as intermediate rowers. The ProForm 550R Rower is also good for warm ups and cool downs and elderly people.
Noise from the machine, as with all air rowers is also another negative comment from users. What happens is that, the faster one rows the more the noise that is emitted from the flywheel.
The reviewers also felt that the noise was similar to other air rowers but even less than most. The noise however does not transfer from one room to the next.
Summary
The ProForm 550R Rower has a smooth resistance for those starting out to row as well as intermediate rowers.
If strong resistance is what you really want then I would suggest the Stamina 13399 Air Rower or the Concept2 Model D.
Monitor
The ProForm 550R Rower features an LCD monitor that tracks strokes per minute, watts, time, calories and total strokes.
The monitor shows the data in three’s the upper, centre and lower. One can put it in scan mode to show the data in cycles or the priority display to show what you want.
One thing I like about the monitor is the watts meter that shows you the power your strokes create. This comes in handy when you want to remain on one power level so you can confirm if it is rising or falling.
The monitor switches on and off automatically which saves batteries. It uses 4 AA batteries that are not inclusive in the rower, so you have to buy them separately.
The calorie counter should only be used in comparing effectiveness between workouts since it is based off an average user.
The basic monitor on the ProForm 550R Rower calculates common fitness data as is the case is rowers of its price range.
Build Quality
The ProForm 550R Rower’s body is made of steel and also comes with an oversized seat rail made of aluminium.
The steel body is durable and is made to last years after constant use.
The other parts as well as the plastic are high quality and have no breaking issues. The seat, footrest and handle are of good quality which ensures a strong base for rowing.
Generally, the rowing stroke is strong and there were no complaints on build quality.
View the ProForm R500R lowest price here
Comfort
The ProForm 550R Rower is very comfortable even If used for long hours of workout.
The handle is soft to the touch with a strong grip which ensures your hands don’t get tired or get blisters.
The seat on the ProForm 550R Rower is comfortable enough to use for long sessions without distress. The seat is made in such a way that even the bones that are pressured during seating rest comfortably.
No one complained about the ProForm 550R Rower not being comfortable.
Storage
The ProForm 550R Rower is large but it comes with a SpaceSaver design.
One can fold the rower by holding the handles, bending the rower and it will lock in place.
To store the rower, you will only use 10 seconds of your time.
The rower also features caster wheels which make it easier to move around.
Capacity
Depending on the inseam length, the seat rail on the ProForm 550R Rower can be extended to accommodate a person who is up to 6.6 inches tall.
As for the weight, maximum is 250 lbs which is basic on rowing machines of this price.
No one mentioned issues for short users so my assumption is that there is no height limit for short people.
Dimensions
- Weight: 103 lbs.
- Shipping Dimensions: 0″ x 25.8″ x 22.6″ (L x W x H)
- Assembled Dimensions: 5″ x 22.0″ x 25.5″ (L x W x H)
Assembly
To put the ProForm 550R Rower together is so simple and it should only take you around 30 minutes.
Actually, it comes preassembled almost 90% of it and the really major thing you have to do is to put the seat.
Everything that you need to put the machine together come with the box apart from the 4 AA batteries and all you have to do is follow the instructions.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
- Money back guarantee in 30 days
- Easy to put together
- Very comfortable to use
- Easy to store and move around
- The damper settings are adjustable
- Made of strong materials
Disadvantages:
- Has no heart rate monitor
- The monitor is very basic
- It has bad customer reviews
- The resistance is weak for advanced users
Customer Reviews
Generally, the reviews of the ProForm 550R Rower have not been so good. The low resistance levels was the consumer’s main worry since most wanted something with more resistance.
There was no other part that had complaints except the resistance. Those that were okay with the row resistance even rated it 4.5 stars.
I noticed that there was a Groupon deal that was done for the ProForm 550R Rower and my experience with Groupon sales is that they always get many negative reviews.
There are two things to consider here:
Either the ProForm 550R Rower is a bad product that also needs to change their sellers or that customers make hasty buys without understanding a product simply because it has a deal.
Any of the two or both could be the reason.
Overall rating out of 5 -> 3.7
Warranty
The ProForm 550R Rower frame has a three year warranty and the parts and labour have a 90 day warranty. A 30 day money back guarantee is also included.
The labour and parts have a short period warranty but that is normal for a rower of this price.
It’s important to note that this models number is PFRW3814 so when you register in add the number to the name like so: ProForm 550r Rower (PFRW3814)
The ProForm 550r Rower warranties are taken care of by Icon Fitness and they have very good customer service. Other companies that use their service include Gold’s Gym and NodicTrack. One reviewer had a negative comment about them but let’s hope it’s just those on in a million situations.
ProForm 550r Rower Price
The price of the ProForm 550r Rower is relatively fair for a rower with this kind of features and monitor type.
The rower is sold for different prices depending on where you buy it but I always advice my clients to purchase their rowers from amazon because they protect the consumer and have the lowest prices.
View the ProForm R500R lowest price here
Conclusion on the ProForm 550r Rower
I honestly believe that the ProForm 550r Rower is a good rower with low resistance as its only weakness.
Those that use ProForm rowers tend to compare the ProForm 550r Rower to the ProForm 440r Rower which is a magnetic rowing machine.
There are those that also compare it with the Concept2 rower which I think is absurd because the Concept2 is way more superior and expensive than the ProForm 550r Rower.
If you are to compare the ProForm 550r Rower to any rower then the NordicTrack RW200 Rower is a bit more similar only that it is more expensive and has a better monitor.
In terms of price, the Stamina Air Rower 1399 is in the ProForm 550r Rower’s range but the Stamina is a much better rower and has great reviews. The best thing is that it is under $500.
Feel free to let me know any questions you may have about this rower in the comment section below and I hope you enjoyed the review!