Autumn has arrived and the leaves are collecting on the landing stages of boat clubs around the Northern hemisphere, a lot of rowers will find themselves with less time on water and reluctantly coming back to the iron throne that is the Concept2 Ergo-meter. The bum and leg pain that rowing brings is all the more apparent when you find yourself staring at a brick wall in a pool of your own fluids. A necessary evil to make sure you are fast on the water come spring.
So how can one distract from this discomfort with a bit of data geekery and get your #wattfarming from the Concept2 to Strava. That 30 minute / rate 20 does feel better once you get some kudos on Strava, honest!! 😜💪
Strava does not directly record from the Concept2 to the Strava app, so to get your data across you need to sync or upload your workouts, there are now many ways to this and I shall hopefully list them all below.
What will you need for recording your rowing –
Concept 2 PM5 – This can connect to smart phones/tablets via Bluetooth
Concept 2 PM3 & PM4 – LiveRowing Connect Cable, Concept 2 Connect Kit iOS and Android available. Note some Android phones do not support USB OTG so can not connect with the PM3&4.
Once you have connected your phone to the Concept 2, you can record your row with a number of apps. The app will record and store workout data from your row including split, speed, watts, stroke rate, heart rate (if you are wearing HR monitor), stroke length, some apps even record stroke power curve data.
Concept2’s ErgData – (iOS, Android and Amazon Fire)
BoatCoach (Android)
Painsled (iOS, PC – Google Chrome Browser add on)
LiveRowing – (iOS) They have a nice link up with Strava being a ‘Gym & Studio Sync‘ partner.
Once you have finished rowing these apps can sync to various services. I believe LiveRowing, Painsled and Boatcoach can all directly sync/upload your workout to your Strava account.
ErgData however can only upload your workout to the Concept2 logbook (http://log.concept2.com/). So to get your row to Strava from there you need to set up an automatic sync. Do this first before uploading any of your workouts and then they automatically appear in Strava once they are uploaded. Instructions to set up the link between the C2 Logbook and Strava.
Another really cool way of syncing your workouts from the C2 logbook to Strava is to use @C2_2_Strava and their website – http://p729.com/
This service syncs your workout but also overlays it on to a rowing Strava segment from the real world. Currently saving as a ‘Virtual Ride’ it lets you race Strava segments virtually. So if you fancy a Henley Regatta 2km or a Boston Marathon 50km there is something for you. Its a great way of showing off to all your Strava friends that ‘Zwift’.
Don’t forget for in depth rowing data analysis most of the C2 compatible apps can also upload rowing data to http://www.Rowsandall.com
(I started writing this 7 months ago and had not yet published it so it will be refined and added to)
Concept2 Model D Indoor Rower with PM5 – Black
Concept2 Model E Indoor Rower with PM5 – Grey
StravaRow 