Last Updated on March 7, 2018 by Jeff
Overview:
The WaterRower Oxbridge Rowing Machine is a beautifully built piece of exercise equipment that will make a wonderful addition to your home and health regimen. WaterRower Oxbridge is hand crafted from solid Cherry, a premium hardwood grown in the US. This isn’t just for aesthetics, but also because Cherry has some excellent structural strength properties. So on top of the rower’s great looks, it is a strong, durable, and quality product that’s going to stand the test of time (and use). How many rowing machine reviews have you read about a rower that has a user weight capacity of 1,000 pounds? This one does., You’re not going to hurt this rowing machine no matter how hard you work out.
Beyond being built-to-last, WaterRower designed this rowing machine for an expert level user, but with a novice in mind. That means absolutely anyone can quickly get rowing on the Oxbridge rower and see the amazing cardio, toning, and weight loss benefits.
Click here to see the price of the WaterRower Oxbridge Rowing Machine on Amazon.
Technical info:
Assembled dimensions:
- Height: 20 inches
- Width: 22.25 inches
- Length: 82.25 inches
- Weight: 73 lbs (117 lbs with full water tank)
Features:
- Patented Water Flywheel that replicates the physical dynamics of rowing, giving realistic and consistent rowing strokes
- Handcrafted solid Cherry wood frame and finished with three (3) coats of Danish oil makes the frame extremely durable (and attractive)
- Ergonomic seat and footrests molded for comfort and stability
- Polycarbonate water tank making it virtually indestructible
- Maximum User Weight: 1,000 lbs.
Computer Features:
- The readouts include intensity in a number of measurements, stroke rate, heart rate, distance and duration.
- QuickStart and QuickSelect options allow single button use in order to quickly start workouts.
- AutoStore and AutoPreview options store the last nine (9) workout settings that are easily scrollable for easy recall and viewing.
- Zone and ZoneBar features allow you to set your intensity, stroke
rate and heart rate zones. The feature tracks and tells you when you are inside or outside your zones. - Distance and duration workout feature allows you to preset and count down your workout. Average statistics are displayed
upon completion. - Interval workout option allows you to set up to nine (9) work intervals separated by rest durations. Alarms and statistics prompt
you at the end of intervals. - The advanced monitor settings allow you to:
- Store an additional nine (9) workout setting independent of the AutoStore.
- Projected settings allow you to view anticipated duration and distance during workouts.
- Advanced heart rate analysis lets you view maximum rates, time spent above, below and in your heart rate zone.
Warranty:
The frame has a three (3) year warranty and the components have a one (1) year warranty. However, by filling out the registration form, the warranties will be extended to five (5) years and three (3) years, respectively. So fill out and submit that registration form!
Shipping and Assembly:
The manufacturer states that assembly should take no longer than 30 minutes.
Packaging dimensions:
The Oxbridge Rowing Machine comes shipped in two (2) boxes:
Box 1
- Height: 23.5 inches
- Width: 28.5 inches
- Length: 24.5 inches
- Weight: 60 lbs
Box 2
- Height: 6 inches
- Width: 3.25 inches
- Length: 83 inches
- Weight: 23 lbs
Company Data:
All of WaterRower’s rowing machines are made by hand in their factory in Rhode Island. They make all of their products out of premium hardwood that is harvest in a sustainable way from Appalacian forests. On top of the quality, hand crafting that goes into the rowers, it’s comforting to know they’re devoted to conservation and preserving the environment.
What We Love About the WaterRower Oxbridge Rowing Machine:
WaterRower is well known for building superior rowing machines. When you purchase the Oxbridge Rowing Machine, you are getting a quality product that is comfortable, durable, and easy to use. What’s amazing about this top-notch machine is that by the time it hits your front door, you can get it out of the box, and assemble it, you can be rowing in less than an hour.
Looks, Quality, and Durability
You’re looking at real quality with the WaterRower Oxbridge Rowing Machine. It is handcrafted from solid, sustainably-harvested Cherry wood that’s finished in Danish oil. WaterRower also claims to keep the Cherry wood pieces away from light to protect them from shadowing until they’re ready to be put together. Cherry naturally will turn darker over time into a deep reddish hue.
In addition to the quality, the frame is extremely durable and ideal for absorbing sound and vibration. There’s no creaking or other sounds that you might expect from wood components. Its low center of gravity means that, even when exerting full power, this rower isn’t going to wiggle around on you. The polycarbonate water tank is equally durable and virtually indestructible. The Oxbridge Rower doesn’t have any moving parts that can wear out, or belts and pulleys that need to be maintained. This is a very well built machine.
Ease of Use
The Oxbridge Rowing Machine is designed for comfort and extremely easy to use. The ergonomics of the machine make the rower a good fit for everyone. From the light and ergonomically shaped handle to the padded heel rests make, this is an easy to use piece of equipment for all shapes and sizes. Everything on the machine can be adjusted in a few seconds. Because there are no moving parts, maintenance is minimal. Even the computer has a lot of one-button operations, so the minute you have the rower assembled, you can jump on and get to work.
Easy Assembly
The Oxbridge Rowing Machine doesn’t come fully disassembled, but there is nothing difficult about putting this rower together. The packaging comes with detailed, step-by-step instructions and tools to put it together quickly. A lot of the pieces are loosely attached and you just need to put them together. Altogether, the rower can be assembled in as quickly as 15 minutes and it shouldn’t take anyone more than an hour.
Other Considerations:
Monitor
The main downside of the S4 monitor is that it’s not backlit. When looking for drawbacks of this rowing machine, this is really the only thing that stood out. Some users feel that the S4 doesn’t provide a lot of advanced features. The S4 does have them (one-button operations and heart rate analysis) but the it just doesn’t quite hit the same level of quality as the Oxbridge Rower itself. There are worse computer systems out there, but there are also definitely better ones.
Normal Noise
Noise isn’t going to come from the Cherry wood structure itself; the wood is great at absorbing vibration and noise. But like all resistance rowers, whether it’s a flywheel or a waterwheel, there is going to be noise during use. The more effort that you put into it, the louder it’s going to get. Some people may find it motivating to hear the water paddles get louder as the burn more calories. If that’s not you, a hybrid magnetic rower like the LifeCore R100 might be more your speed. It’s absolutely NOT a deal-breaker, but something to be aware of with any rower.
Final Word on the WaterRower Oxbridge Rowing Machine:
At around $1,295, the great-looking and great-rowing WaterRower Oxbridge Rowing Machine is a solid investment in your fitness. For the money, you are getting quality, durability and assurance to have a superior rowing machine for a long time. Did we mention it looks good? This rowing machine is practically a piece of art carved from Cherry hardwood. OK, you get it. Beyond that, the machine is comfortable, which allows you to extend those workouts, and very simple to use. Highly recommended.
WaterRower water resistance: