Is it worth it?
If your knees groan at the mere thought of barbell squats or you simply don’t have space for a full rack, the compact Row-N-Ride promises a deep lower-body burn without the joint-crushing load. Designed for busy adults who want a quick, full-body routine in a studio apartment, it combines a guided squat movement with rowing-style pulls so you sculpt glutes, quads and core while giving your heart rate a nudge. After three weeks in my living room, I can already climb stairs without the usual twinge—keep reading to see why this little gray contraption might replace your gym membership.
In short: the Row-N-Ride is a bargain-priced muscle toner that excels at teaching proper squat mechanics, but it’s not a magic fat-melter and definitely not for hardcore lifters who crave barbell heft. If you want low-impact strength work during Netflix episodes, I’d buy it again tomorrow; if you’re training for a powerlifting meet, skip it and spend the cash on plates. Its biggest win is knee-friendly depth control, and its biggest compromise is a 220-lb user limit—intriguing enough? Let’s dive deeper.
Specifications
| Brand | Sunny Health & Fitness |
| Model | NO. 077S |
| Resistance | 3 bands, 22 lb each |
| Max user weight | 220 lb |
| Folded size | 9.5 x 19 x 56 in |
| Monitor | time, count, calories |
| Unit weight | 24.5 lb. |
| User Score | 4.5 ⭐ (43449 reviews) |
| Price | approx. 100$ Check 🛒 |
Key Features
Guided Squat Rail
A stainless-steel rail and rolling seat keep your hips in a fixed path, enforcing proper knee alignment and preventing butt-wink. This mechanical guidance mimics a Smith machine without the footprint, letting beginners learn depth safely. In practice, I can drop to 90° without fear of toppling, a blessing for anyone rehabbing joints.
Triple-Band Resistance
Three removable latex bands clip under the seat, adding roughly 22 lb each. Because resistance comes from elastic tension instead of gravity, stress shifts away from spinal compression. I start warm-ups band-free, then snap in one or two for strength sets—no fumbling with plates or pins.
Adjustable Saddle Angles
The saddle tilts to 30°, 60° or 90°, letting you target different parts of the posterior chain. Shallow angles light up quads, steeper angles hammer glutes and hamstrings. During HIIT circuits I set it to 90° to maximize hip extension; on recovery days I dial it back for quad pulses.
Compact Fold-Away Frame
A single pull-pin folds the column flat so the unit slides behind a door or under a bed. At 24.5 lb I can carry it one-handed, unlike my 70-lb spin bike. Small-space dwellers or college students will appreciate reclaiming floor space between workouts.
Basic But Helpful LCD
The battery-powered screen cycles through time, rep count, total reps and calorie estimates. While not as smart as a connected rower, it gives instant feedback—hitting 200 reps before the clock hits 10:00 has become my daily micro-challenge.
Low-Impact Full-Body Motion
By combining a squat press with a rowing pull, you engage legs, glutes, lats and rear delts in one fluid motion. The load curve feels smooth, so joints stay happy while multiple muscles fire. For me, that means a 15-minute session torches roughly the same calories as a brisk walk—but with far more muscle activation.
Firsthand Experience
Unboxing took less time than queuing a workout playlist—nine bolts, an included wrench, and the frame snapped together in under fifteen minutes. The steel tubes feel thicker than the price suggests, and the matte gray finish shrugged off the occasional screwdriver slip.
Day one, I started band-free to learn the glide. The sliding seat guides you into a textbook hip-hinge: chest up, knees tracking over toes, heels planted. My Apple Watch registered 115 bpm after a single five-minute set—light cardio, but my glutes screamed louder than on a treadmill.
By day five I clipped in one of the 22-lb bands. The extra tension transformed the movement from rehab gentle to legit strength work; I hit 30 reps before the burn forced a graceful collapse onto the sofa. Tracking progress on the LCD is basic—calories are optimistic—but the rep counter is gold for pacing EMOM sets.
Maintenance so far is wipe-and-go. The seat rail gathers dust bunnies, so I keep a microfiber cloth draped over the handlebars. After two weeks I added a dab of silicone spray to the rail and the glide became whisper-quiet, perfect for 6 a.m. sessions without waking roommates.
The real test came when my 5’2″ mother borrowed it. We slid the seat forward, set the saddle to 60°, and she managed ten assisted squats pain-free—something she can’t do with bodyweight alone. That adjustability is the secret sauce: one machine, multiple body lengths, zero intimidation.
Pros and Cons
Customer Reviews
Users rave about knee relief, quick setup and surprising booty gains, but some wish for heavier resistance or smarter metrics. Sentiment skews strongly positive, especially among older adults and small-space apartment owners.
My knees stopped quivering on stairs after a week—25 daily reps changed everything
Solid burn and folds behind the couch, though I outgrew the three bands after a few months
Good beginner tool but the calorie counter is way off—shows 200 when my smartwatch says 120
Assembly was easier than IKEA and my glutes have never been this sore—in a good way
Seat rail started squeaking at month two and support just sent me a YouTube link instead of parts.
Comparison
Many shoppers cross-shop the DB Method machine, which looks sleeker but costs almost triple. In real use, the Row-N-Ride offers the same guided squat path and similar resistance range, though the DB Method’s tension dial is slightly smoother. Unless aesthetics are your priority, Sunny’s unit delivers 90 % of the workout for a fraction of the price.
Against compact rowing machines like the Concept2 SkiErg Lite, the Row-N-Ride focuses more on strength than pure cardio. My heart rate peaks about 15 bpm lower, yet muscle activation—especially glutes—is markedly higher. For calorie-focused athletes, a rower wins; for shape and tone, Sunny pulls ahead.
Traditional power racks grant unlimited barbell load and full exercise variety but require space, plates, and coaching to avoid injury. The Row-N-Ride flips that equation: limited load, zero intimidation, and living-room friendly. Think of it as a stepping stone before committing to a garage gym.
Finally, cheaper elastic squat straps exist, but they anchor to doors and lack the seat rail’s alignment assistance. After testing one, my knees drifted inward, something the Row-N-Ride physically prevents. The extra $100 buys priceless joint peace of mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does it require electricity?
- No, only a single AA battery for the LCD, so you can work out off-grid.
- Can I replace the resistance bands?
- Yes, Sunny sells spares, or any 22 lb loop band of similar length fits the carabiners.
- How tall or short can the user be?
- Riders from 4’11” to 6’4″ can adjust seat distance and handle height, though very long-legged users may not hit full depth.
- Will it help me lose weight?
- It burns roughly 8-10 calories per minute at moderate pace
Conclusion
The Row-N-Ride proves that effective leg day doesn’t require barbells, loud gyms or aching knees. For under the cost of a year’s gym membership, you get a folding trainer that teaches flawless squat mechanics, spices up HIIT circuits and sneaks neatly behind a closet door.
That said, heavy lifters and users over 220 lb should look elsewhere, and data geeks will frown at the bare-bones monitor. If you fall into those camps, invest in a power rack or a connected rower. Everyone else—from rehab patients to apartment dwellers craving toned glutes—will find this an outstanding value. Current street prices hover in the low-three-figure range; watch for sales and you could snag it for even less.
