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Cityrow Go Max Rower vs Ergatta Rower

The difference between Cityrow Go Max rowing machine and Ergatta rowing machine is in the materials of the frame and the size of the screen. The Ergatta rower is made of Cherry wood and has a 17.3″ screen while the Cityrow Go Max is made of Ash wood and has a 19.9″ screen. They are both designed by WaterRower.

Both of these models of water resistance rowing machines that I am reviewing have the trademark touchscreen monitor that makes following along with classes a breeze. This allows you to theoretically work from anywhere, a nice luxury in this new world of remote work.

When it comes to the Cityrow Go Max Rower and the Ergatta Rower, you get two beautifully crafted machines with amazing performance and features. For me, the Ergatta Rower gave me everything I would need in a rowing machine, with a hand-crafted wooden frame and the smooth, realistic flow of the water resistance. Check out why I chose the Ergatta over the Cityrow!

Cityrow Go Max Rower

Connected fitness machines are all the rage right now as we continue to integrate technology into every facet of our lives. The Cityrow Go Max Rower combines a sleek, ergonomically designed rowing frame with a 19.9” full touchscreen monitor. Amongst water resistance rowing machines, the Go Max Rower is certainly a higher end model. You can easily tell by the design, the features, and of course, the price tag. I have always been partial to the realistic feel of water rowers, and here’s why I have enjoyed using the Cityrow Go Max Rower.

Ergatta Rowing Machine

The Ergatta water rower is a stunning piece of fitness equipment that is beautifully crafted out of real American cherry wood. It combines the craftsmanship of a wooden framed rowing machine with the technology of fully connected fitness. It has a 17.3” full high-definition touchscreen monitor that helps you immerse yourself into the action of an intense rowing workout. There is nothing I like using more than a well-crafted wooden rower with a smooth water resistance system. Ergatta has checked off all of the boxes in my mind!

Calories Burned

What do you get with Cityrow’s beautiful 19.9” touchscreen? With a monthly membership subscription cost, you do get access to over 3,000 of its workout videos in the On Demand section of the application. Do you prefer the feel of following along with a live instructor? No worries! Cityrow also offers the ability for members to join into real live training sessions with their favorite Cityrow trainers. This is probably the best feature of connected fitness machines and truly allows users to get a world class workout experience from the comfort of their own homes.

Calories Burned

If you’re looking to get in shape and burn some calories, Ergatta certainly has you covered. Ergatta is on the cutting edge of technology with the first of its kind gaming inspired software. The active intelligence provides users with workout structure and real-time feedback, and Ergatta has even implemented a community racing feature where you compete directly with other Ergatta users around the world. While other software platforms provide workout videos, Ergatta uses team workout goals and community competitions to keep users motivated.

Who Can Use the Cityrow Max Rower?

As with most rowing machines, the Go Max Rower is accessible for users of all shapes and sizes. With a maximum user height inseam of 39”, even the tallest users can feel comfortable while rowing. The maximum weight capacity of the Go Max Rower is 375 lbs or 170 kg, which allows most adult users to use the machine with ease. The water resistance is excellent for those looking to stay in shape as well as for those rehabbing a lower body injury.

Who Can Use the Ergatta Rower?

The thing I love about wooden rowers is that they are as sturdy as they come. Ergatta’s rower has included dimensions that allow users of any shape and size, even above the industry standard. With a 40” inseam and 500 lb maximum user capacity, Ergatta’s rower has one of the widest ranges of user accessibility on the market.

Cityrow Max Comfort

At first, I was a little weary of how comfortable the Go Max Rower would be as the sliding rail design for rowing machines is not always ideal. The seat is cushioned and comfortable, and the slide rail moves smoothly as well. The actual rowing machine resistance with the water is always nice and does a nice job of replicating rowing a boat through water. Despite the minimal frame design, I didn’t notice any instability even during a vigorous rowing workout.

Ergatta Rower Comfort

Sometimes wooden rowers can feel a bit stiff if you don’t have the right type of seat to sit on. The seat for the Ergatta rower is comfortable and really doesn’t feel like you’ve been going for a hard workout. With that being said, it’s not the most comfortable seat I have sat on, but it certainly allows for long and intense workouts without feeling any soreness or discomfort. The foot rests are positioned well and the entire machine feels strong and sturdy to use.

Cityrow Max Size and Space

The problem with most rowing machines is that they take up a lot of space. The Cityrow Go Max Rower is no different, with an 85” tip to tip footprint that will take up about seven feet of space in your home. It’s not a foldable rowing machine either, so storing it can be a hassle, although Cityrow does include vertical storage against the wall. The machine itself weighs about 112 lbs with a full tank of water and less without the water as can be expected.

Ergatta Rower Size and Space

As with nearly every rowing machine, size is always an issue you have to take into account. The Ergatta rower has a substantial footprint with a length of 86” when in use. The cherrywood that is used to construct the frame is surprisingly light, as the machine weighs only 103 lbs with a full tank of water, and 76.5 lbs without water. Storage is nice as you can vertically stand the machine on end which Ergatta describes as ‘taking up less space than a barstool’.

Cityrow Max Rower Cost

This will likely be the thing that turns people off of the Cityrow Go Max Rower. Unless you are in the market for a high quality and top of the line fitness machine, you might not want to pay the hefty price tag of $2,195. Remember that on top of this, you also have to pay for the monthly subscription fee which is $29 per month. It’s not a lot, and it is likely comparable to a monthly gym membership, but over the lifetime of the rower it will add a substantial cost to the total price you pay.

Ergatta Rower Cost

Connected fitness rowers will generally cost you a pretty penny, and the Ergatta rower is no different. The rower starts at a price of $2,199 which Ergatta does offer you the ability to finance for $62 per month through Klarna. To use Ergatta’s software you also need to pay a monthly fee of $29 which is fairly standard for the fitness industry. You do not get the live classes that rowing machine brands like Cityrow or Hydrow offer, but if competition is what drives your more than classes, then Ergatta is the rower for you!

CityRow Rower Support and Warranty

Cityrow offers a good warranty for its machine. I firmly believe that if you are paying a high price for your rower, you need to know you’ll be protected by the company if something happens. Cityrow’s warranty includes a five-year warranty for the frame, three-years for non-electronic components, and one-year for the monitor. Cityrow offers customer support via a direct email, as well as having a healthy presence on social media platforms.

Ergatta Rower Support and Warranty

Ergatta offers a one–year warranty for any defective craftsmanship, three-years for all other components except for the touchscreen monitor, and one-year for the monitor. It’s a fairly standard warranty and I would have liked coverage to be a bit longer considering the price tag of the rower. But since the machine is made in the United States by WaterRower, I am not worried about its durability.

Sayed Hamed Hosseiny
Sayed Hamed Hosseiny

Hi, my name is Sayed Hamed Hosseiny. I am a professional health and fitness trainer with nearly 20 years of experience using ellipticals, rowing machines, and spin bikes. I also have my own EU-based Rock Fitness Pro fitness brand where I design, import and sell exercise equipment such as rowing machines and spin bikes. I and writers on my team also often receive fitness equipment to review and evaluate their functionalities and performance from tens of different exercise machines manufacturers. Fitness equipment tips, guides, reviews, and comparisons on this website are my opinion (and opinions of my fitness expert colleagues) based on tens of criteria. I never accept payment to write reviews of products or say positive things about fitness equipment products. If brands are interested to have me review their rowers, ellipticals, or spin bikes, they can get in touch with me via email provided on the contact page and send a sample of their product.

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