NordicTrack Rowing Machine or Exercise Bike: Which One Will You Actually Stick With?

Quick Answer: While a rowing machine like the NordicTrack RW900 offers a full-body resistance workout, an exercise bike like the NordicTrack X24 may be the better choice for those primarily focused on weight loss and cardio endurance.

To row or to roll? If you’re considering a home exercise machine, you might be wondering which type is right for you. Exercise bikes and rowing machines offer similar low-impact workouts, but is there any difference? The answer: it depends on your fitness goals, what type of exercise you enjoy, your space constraints and a few other key considerations.

NordicTrack’s flagship machines offer distinct ways to target your goals. The NordicTrack RW900 Rower pairs an oversized HD touchscreen with an inertia-enhanced flywheel designed for smooth, high-output full-body strokes, while the NordicTrack X24 Bike features an incline/decline capability that mimics real-world terrain to recruit more lower-body muscle groups. Both leverage iFIT SmartAdjust technology, which automatically changes your resistance and incline in real time to match trainer-led workouts.

Here’s what you need to know to decide between an exercise bike and a rowing machine.

Rowing machine vs. exercise bike: which muscles do they work?

Rowing machines and exercise bikes both deliver low-impact cardio, but rowers offer full-body muscle activation while exercise bikes are more lower-body and core focused.

Here’s how each machine engages your muscles:

• Rowing Machine (Full-Body): Every stroke relies on a sequential push-pull motion. Your quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes drive the initial phase (the Drive), while your core stabilizes your torso. The final pull engages the muscles in your upper back, shoulders and arms to pull the handle toward your ribs, finishing with calf activation as you reset.
• Exercise Bike (Lower-Body and Core): Pedaling targets the primary movers of the lower body. The downward pedal stroke heavily engages your quads and glutes, while the upward sweep (especially when using clip-in pedals or foot cages) activates your hamstrings and calves. Your deep core muscles and lower back work continuously to maintain upper-body posture and balance on the saddle.

Does a rowing machine or exercise bike burn more calories for weight loss?

Rowers offer a full-body strength-training resistance workout and can burn slightly more calories per hour than bikes, which potentially helps you achieve a calorie deficit – the foundation of weight loss – faster. At the same time, rowing can be more fatiguing, tempting you to quit too soon. If you’re more likely to stick to your routine and get in a full workout if you’re able to watch your favorite TV show while you sweat, then you might prefer a  bike.

Joint impact and injury risk: Is a rowing machine or exercise bike safer?

Both rowing machines and bikes can be used safely with proper technique, but rowing machines engage more of the body, including the spine, which makes them slightly more challenging to master. According to Harvard Health, rowing machines may not be ideal for fitness beginners or people prone to back pain. 

Since bikes are stationary and only engage the lower body, they can be a bit easier for beginners, and they’re gentle on the joints for people with arthritis and osteoporosis. That doesn’t make bikes “safer” than rowing machines, per se, but they may make it easier for some users to avoid injury.

NordicTrack RW900 rower vs. NordicTrack X24 bike: Which one is right for you?

Comparing NordicTrack’s premium exercise bike and rowing machine can seem a little apples-to-oranges, but given their similar low-impact workouts and identical prices, it’s worth setting them side by side to consider how each can help you reach your fitness goals.

Here’s what you need to know about these two top-of-the-line machines.

What is the NordicTrack RW900 rowing machine?

The NordicTrack RW900 Rower is a seated row simulator whose 24-inch display offers real-world, instructor-led iFIT workouts in immersive simulated environments. The RW900 offers 26 levels of silent magnetic resistance, creating a smooth, quiet, low-impact workout.

What is the NordicTrack X24 exercise bike?

The NordicTrack X24 Bike is a high-incline, fully immersive stationary bike with real-world iFIT simulated topographies, 24 levels of resistance, and a massive 24-inch pivoting touchscreen display.

How do NordicTrack’s top bike and premium rower compare?

Checklist: How to decide between a rowing machine and an exercise bike

• Space requirements: While identical in width, the NordicTrack RW900 rower is over two feet longer than the X24 exercise bike — a 40% difference in size which may not be feasible in many living spaces, particularly apartments. 
• Technique tolerance: If you prefer a distributed, full-body burn over a concentrated muscle group, the RW900 is your choice.
• Upper-body limitations: Rowing requires (and builds!) a lot of upper body strength, which may not be ideal for beginner fitness goals or those looking solely to burn fat or build cardio endurance.
• Multitasking desire: For those who want to catch up on streaming or audiobooks while exercising, the simple cycling motion of the X24 might make it easier to concentrate when compared to the RW900.
• Training goals: For fat burning and cardio training, the X24 offers a simpler, more compact training machine; but for strength and endurance training — particularly for the upper body — the RW900 is the ideal choice.

FAQ

Is a rowing machine or exercise bike better for losing belly fat?

Both machines can help burn belly fat by contributing to an overall caloric deficit (depending on diet, as always), though neither can spot-reduce fat in a specific area. Rowing burns slightly more calories per minute due to full-body engagement, though cycling concentrates on the largest muscles in the body.

Can I use an exercise bike or rower every day?

Because both machines are low-impact, they are safe for daily use. However, to avoid overtraining you may want to vary your intensity, alternating between heavy resistance days and light recovery days.

Do I need an iFIT subscription to use NordicTrack machines?

You can use NordicTrack equipment in a manual mode without a subscription. An iFIT membership is required to access the on-demand library, trainer-led scenic routes and auto-adjusting resistance features, but lacking a subscription will not brick your machine. That having been said, the iFIT subscription ensures you get the most out of your investment and the machine was definitely designed to be used in conjunction with the service for best results. 

How long should a beginner row or cycle for a good workout?

While it’s tempting to leap in and exhaust yourself, beginners should aim for around 15 to 20 minutes per session to build cardiovascular endurance and practice proper form. You can gradually increase the duration to 30 or 45 minutes as your fitness improves, then experiment with adding resistance. 

Are rowing machines bad for your lower back?

Like any exercise, rowing is safe when performed with proper form, which requires driving with the legs and bracing the core. Back pain typically only occurs when a user rounds their spine or pulls too early with their arms. For guidance on technique, try one of iFIT’s trainer-led rowing workouts.