Same drag factor on different ergs feels different

[btb1490]

Up until recently I'd been doing all of my rowing on the Model E rower at my gym. A couple of weeks ago, I got my own rower for home, the exact same model as the one at the gym. I understand the concept of drag factor, so that you can make sure you are using the same resistance on different rowers. For example, the rower at the gym is quite dusty, and requires a damper setting between 7-8 to give me a DF of 130, while at home, a setting between 4-5 gives me the same DF. But even with the same DF settings on both rowers, it seems like my new rower at home requires a lot harder of an effort to hit the same pace as the one at the gym. For example, at the gym, I can usually do my 500m intervals in around 1:45, yet at home, I can't get under 1:50 for even one set of them. Any thoughts on why this may be? Is it all in my head? Is there some sort of calibration?

[Citroen]

It's all in your head.

Probably more to do with things like ambient temp than anything else. The monitor on a C2 rower is self calibrating, the physics of the flywheel doesn't change unless you or your gym are at wildly different altitudes. Even then setting the drag to the same number should even out that difference.

[btb1490]

It's all in your head.

Probably more to do with things like ambient temp than anything else. The monitor on a C2 rower is self calibrating, the physics of the flywheel doesn't change unless you or your gym are at wildly different altitudes. Even then setting the drag to the same number should even out that difference.

I'm not surprised that it's probably in my head. Regarding the ambient temperature, there probably is a 25*F difference, as at home I'm in a very cool dry attic and the gym is always hot and moist. Also, I have a fan blowing nearby at home, but not at the gym, so I'm wondering if having moving air around the machine makes a difference. Thanks for the feedback.

[Citroen]

The old model A used to suffer from environmental airflow. The model Cs, Ds and Es are mostly immune to that unless you have them tucked into the corner of a room.