Fixed C2 vs C2 on rails

[rhyszoe]

After a break of around 6 months or so due to travel and other commitments I am back on the C2 again, but at a different place where the ergs all run on rails. At my old gym the only machines available were the fixed variety. The machine on rails certainly has a different feel to it and I am wondering whether I need to vary my technique in order to maximise my performance. After only 2 weeks training I am only 5% short of my previous best over 30 minutes and the temperature has been up over 30C (86F), so I am not unhappy with how I am going to date.
Is it reasonable to expect that you would perform better on a rails machine or does it work the other way round? Or is there no difference at all?
Should I be concentrating on particular aspects of my technique on the rails machine? It certainly feels more like rowing on the water, although that was a long time ago!
Any thoughts?

[Carl Watts]

It's better on slides and the temperature makes a huge difference, PB's are so much better in the Winter at say 17 C compared to even 26 C. Personally I find anything over 30 C very difficult conditions to row in, but then again we always have 70-80%+ humidity so you just sweat all over the place without the full cooling effect from it.

[carlb]

The machine on rails certainly has a different feel to it and I am wondering whether I need to vary my technique in order to maximise my performance. After only 2 weeks training I am only 5% short of my previous best over 30 minutes

I know I am slower on slides. You might try a lower drag factor. AUS rowing (and Ivan Hooper) suggest these lower drag factors on slides. Here's the table from the Step test PDF.
Table 2: New Ergometer Drag Factor Settings (only to be used if tested on sliders)

• Factor Category
  95 Junior Female
  95 Lightweight Female
  105 Heavyweight Female
  105 Junior Male
  105 Lightweight Male
  115 Heavyweight Male

http://www.rowingaustralia.com.au/docs/ ... rowing.pdf

Also in The Rowing Ergometer - Relevance to Training & Testing
http://www.concept2.com.au/products/Slides/default.aspx

[djh]

I think slides give a slight advantage, but are definitely slower at the start. So they may be a disadvantage at very short distances.