LifeCORE Fitness Rowers
LifeCORE Fitness was founded in 2004. The brand manufactured a range of fitness equipment for home use and use in light-commercial settings. This included everything from elliptical trainers to rowers to stationary bikes. Although they no longer manufacture rowers, you may still be able to find the models online or at a factory outlet. If so, check out the top LifeCORE rowers and learn about the pros and cons of the brand’s rowing machines below. Although we would recommend checking out our picks of the best rowers currently on the market to find your perfect match instead.
Top LifeCORE Rowing Machines
Model
Rating
Resistance Type
Weight Capacity
Folding
Resistance Levels
Pricing
Reviews
LifeCORE Fitness Rowers
LifeCORE used to make three rowing machines for residential and/or light-commercial use: the RW100, the R88, and the R88 PRO. Although these have been discontinued at present, if you do have your heart set on a LifeCORE rower, you may find one floating around online or in a discount factory outlet. Each rower uses a combination of magnets and air for resistance. The compact R88 is LifeCORE’s most affordable rower. This machine sits about 15” from the floor and offers six levels of resistance which you adjust manually. The R88 PRO is raised higher from the ground (19.5”) for easy access and has pivoting footrests which allow the rider’s lower body a more natural movement. Like the R88, it has six levels of resistance. The R100 is LifeCORE’s top-of-the-line rowing machine. It’s the only model with a light-commercial warranty option. It’s also the only LifeCORE rower with preset workout programs. It has 16 levels of resistance, whereas the other LifeCORE rowing machines have six.
The Great
- Quiet Operation: Magnetic resistance helps ensure quiet operation. Also, LifeCORE uses belt drives instead of chains.
- Data: A simple LCD monitor shows 500 m time, total time elapsed, strokes per minute, total strokes, calories, speed, distance and pulse.
- Wireless Heart Monitor: LifeCORE rowing machines are all equipped with wireless heart-rate receivers to help trainees make the most of exercise sessions.
- Moving Footrests: The R88 PRO and R100 have moving footrests for good ergonomics. When footrests do not pivot, riders could get strained because their bodies aren’t following a natural motion.
- Storage: LifeCORE rowing machines can easily be folded for storage. Transport wheels facilitate movement.
The Not-So-Great
- Plastic: On the R88 and R88 PRO, the flywheel housing is plastic. On the R100 and other higher quality rowing machines the flywheel has a metal casing.
- Two Program Modes: Very little workout support is provided on the R88 and R88 PRO. Other rowing machines with comparable prices include considerably more programming.
- Price: LifeCORE rowing machines seem a bit overpriced. For the R88 and R88 PRO in particular, riders can only choose from six resistance levels. That said, as they are now discontinued, you will probably be able to find them online or at factory outlets for much less than the original retail price.
Conclusion
LifeCORE rowers appeal to people seeking virtually silent workout machines. Owners are generally pleased with their selections, judging from customer reviews. The R88 models are without workout programs so might be a good choice if you seek simplicity. The R100 has programs but its price isn’t competitive. Another magnetic rower to check out is the Velocity Magnetic Rower. Unlike the R88 and R88 PRO, it has built-in workout programs and a competitive price. Unless the quiet of a magnetic rower is essential, we’d opt for the Concept2 Model D air rower or WaterRower Natural with real water resistance.
1. LifeCORE R100 Rower (Discontinued)
The LifeCORE R100 rower is an interesting offering built to compete with Concept2 and other commercial grade units. By mating both magnetic and air resistance into a single drive unit (as many others do), the R100 rower offers 16 levels of resistance that can be controlled via its simple and easy-to-read LCD console. While you may come across one of these units somewhere in a discount fitness warehouse, LifeCORE has completely discontinued their line of rowing machines. We don’t know for certain, but we suspect that the steep $1,299 retail price and stiff competition from other leading brands led to the decision to no longer pursue this fitness category.
Read the Full LifeCORE R100 Rower (Discontinued) Review
Pros
Cons
2. LifeCORE R88 PRO Rower (Discontinued)
Though LifeCORE has discontinued all of its rowing machines at present, including this model, this has happened relatively recently and you can still find some models floating around on the web. Of their once ample offerings, the R88 PRO rower came quite well reviewed overall. It has a taller frame than some other rowers on the market—a plus for those that don’t want to hike themselves up off the ground after a strenuous workout—and it features a host of different upgrades from the standard R88 model. When they say ‘pro’, they mean it. For a relatively affordable machine it certainly seems built closer to the club-like specs of the likes of Concept2, among others.
Read the Full LifeCORE R88 PRO Rower (Discontinued) Review
Pros
Cons
3. LifeCORE R88 Rower (Discontinued)
The LifeCORE R88 rowing machine is a compact and affordable offering, now discontinued from the brand (as is the entire line of rowers from LifeCORE, unfortunately). You might come across one in discount fitness warehouses or elsewhere on the web, but generally they’re a bit hard to track down these days. It’s another one of these machines that isn’t the best in the category, but also isn’t the worst; in a deep competitive pool like this, there’s little surprise that the brand decided to get out of the category. It’s not especially quiet, nor is it packed with bells and whistles, however it is otherwise reasonably well made and had a couple of built in training programs (not too common in rowers under $700).
Read the Full LifeCORE R88 Rower (Discontinued) Review