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01Chapter 1 · The engine and the erg

Damper ten is the hard setting?

Transcript

  1. Damper ten is the hard setting?
  2. It's a gear. Not resistance.
  3. Pull harder, it pushes harder.
  4. The monitor reads the slowdown.
  5. That's the drag factor.
  6. Home three may feel like gym four.
  7. Concept two says start at three to five.
  8. Read the number, not the lever.
  9. Setup first, then test.

In short

Damper 10 isn't the hard setting. It's a gear.

Concept2 compares the damper to gears on a bike: it changes how the stroke feels, not directly the resistance.

The resistance comes from you. Pull harder and the air pushes back harder.

Between strokes the monitor reads how fast the flywheel slows. That's the drag factor, and it's the number that compares machines.

A 3 on your home rower may feel like a 4 at the gym. Air temperature, elevation and even lint in the fan cage change it.

On the PM5: More Options, then Display Drag Factor. Concept2 suggests starting on damper 3 to 5.

How to run and pace each test, and how to read the result.

See the four engine tests

Or start in Telegram.

Sources

  • Concept2 / web

    Concept2, All About Damper Setting and Drag Factor, concept2.com/training/articles/damper-setting : 'Damper setting is similar to bicycle gearing: it affects how it feels but does not directly affect the resistance.'; 'the harder you pull, the more resistance you will feel'; 'Between each stroke, the PM measures how much your flywheel is slowing down ... This rate of deceleration is called the drag factor.'; 'A damper setting of 3 on your home machine may feel like 4 on the machine at the gym. Differences in air temperature, elevation—even how much lint is caught in the flywheel housing—can all affect the drag factor from machine to machine.'; 'you may need to adjust the damper setting to achieve the drag factor and feel you prefer'; 'We recommend starting out on a damper setting of 3–5.'

    concept2.com/training/articles/damper-setting

Nothing here is medical advice. The tests are maximal efforts: if you have a health condition or any doubt about training this hard, check with a doctor first, and stop if you feel unwell.