| Unit | Size | Supported weight | Resistance | Fitness monitor | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sunny SF-RW5940 Check Discounted Price | L:94" W:21" H:39" | 300 lbs | Air & magnetic, 16 levels | Time, Time/500m, SPM, Distance, Strokes, Total strokes, Calories, Pulse, Race, Recovery, Goals | Frame: 3 years Parts: 180 days |
The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5940 rowing machine is pretty similar to the Sunny SF-RW5983 when it comes to the resistance system. It combines magnetic resistance with air resistance. However, it has a standard rail rather than a dual rail, and a fitness monitor with fewer workout programs.
Key Features and Specifications
- Assembled dimensions: 94L x 21W x 39H inches (239L x 53W x 99H cm)
- Assembled weight: 81.6 lbs (37 kg)
- Weight capacity: 300 lbs (136 kg)
- Frame: Steel & aluminum
- Resistance: Air & magnetic, 16 levels
- Console: Time, time/500m, SPM, distance, strokes, total strokes, calories, pulse, race program, recovery
- Extras: Device holder
- Warranty: Frame 3 years / Parts 180 days
Frame construction
The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5940 rowing machine features a steel frame combining oval, rectangular, and
triangular tubes in its construction for improved sturdiness and aesthetics. However, its main rail also has an aluminum beam on top to prevent the paint on the rail from wearing out and to provide a smoother motion for the seat. The steel parts are coated with a rust-resistant and chip-resistant paint finish; the main color is dark gray.
The rower is not too bulky, but it’s fairly long. With all the parts assembled, it is approx. 94″ (239 cm) long, and 21″ (53 cm) wide. Also, the top of the fitness monitor is its highest point, which is approx. 39″ (99 cm) above the floor. It is also recommended to allow at least two feet of clearance on each side of the rail and at its rear for ease of access and a correct form.
The machine’s rail is 50″ (127 cm) long and offers an inseam applicability of approx. 46″ (116 cm). This being said, the rower should be able to accommodate users up to 6’6″ (198 cm) with no problem, allowing a complete leg extension. The rail is also foldable, and with it folded up, the unit’s footprint becomes approx. 39″L x 21″W (99 x 53 cm), while its height reaches around 61″ (155 cm).
This Sunny Health & Fitness rower is not super heavy. Its net weight is 81.6 lbs (37 kg), so the packaged unit may require two people. However, once it is assembled, it can easily be moved by only one person as its front stabilizer has a set of transport wheels. Also, the rear stabilizer and the middle stabilizer have adjustable levelers.
Seat and other parts
The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5940 rower is equipped with a pretty standard seat, similar to the one included
with the RIF6 water rower or the Marnur air & mag rower. Its top section is made of high-density foam. It is contoured and textured to provide a better positioning for the user. It is also approx. 14″ (35.5 cm) wide, so it provides a decent contact surface.
The base frame of the seat is steel-made. It integrates three sets of wheels. Two of them move on top of the rail, the other one closes the seat assembly on the rail and slides underneath it for extra stability. The wheels have internal ball bearings for a smooth motion and a rubber outer layer to reduce noise.
The rail itself is not fully horizontal. It is slightly slanted forward. Thus, the seat is a bit higher when it is close to the rear. Its highest point is approx. 17″ (43 cm) above the floor. Also, both the seat and the rail assembly are rated for a maximum user weight limit of 300 lbs (136 kg).
The rower’s footrests are not super large but should accommodate footwear of all sizes. They’re made of thermoplastic material. They have heel guards and adjustable straps for improved foot stability. They also have a pivoting design, so they can tilt forward in order to adjust better to your position during each stroke. They do have heel stoppers, though, and won’t tilt backward past an angle of approx. 60°.
The pulling handle is a simple, straight bar. It has rubber foam sleeves for an improved grip. It’s attached to the machine’s resistance system via a heavy-duty, braided nylon strap, highly resistant to stretching and abrasion.
Resistance system
The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5940 rowing machine combines air resistance with magnetic resistance. Evidently, 
the large metallic flywheel-fan visible at the front of the rower is the main resistance-generating element. It is attached to the machine’s pulley system, so when you pull the handle, it spins inside its casing increasing the workout load.
Just like any other fitness machine with an air resistance system, the Sunny SF-RW5940 delivers a dynamic response during usage. In other words, the resistance increases or decreases, depending on how fast you pull the handle. For example, if you row at a faster rate, the fan will also spin faster and generate more resistance. This resembles up to a point, the rowing of a real boat through the water.
The machine’s overall resistance can also be adjusted, as it is equipped with a magnetic resistance system. This consists of a magnetic brake connected to the tension knob on the front unit of the rower. The flywheel has an extra metallic sheet next to the brake, so when you adjust the resistance, the brake covers more or less from it, which increases or decreases the workout load.
The magnetic brake offers 16 levels of resistance. The first one delivers little extra resistance; on this setting, you will basically work only with the resistance generated by the fan. Conversely, the 16th tension level provides noticeable extra resistance, great if you want to undergo a more intense workout.
Fitness monitor
This Sunny Health & Fitness rower comes with a fitness monitor similar to the Sunny SF-RW5809. It features a
7-window LCD display so you can view up to 7 workout metrics at once. It shows time, time/500 m, strokes, strokes per minute, total strokes, calories burned, distance, and pulse. Distance is shown in meters and cannot be changed to miles, kilometers, or yards. Also, the pulse reading function requires you to wear a 5.3 kHz heart rate chest strap or armband; this accessory is not included, though.
The monitor unit does not have Bluetooth and it is not compatible with any fitness apps. It has two workout modes: Manual and Race. When using the manual mode, it simply monitors your stats. In this work mode, you can also select goals for some of the workout metrics. For example, if you select a goal for calories, it will countdown from the selected value until it reaches zero, notifying you that you have completed your goal. You can set goals for distance, time, strokes, calories, or pulse.
The Race mode has 15 levels of difficulty. For level 1 (L1) the Time/500m is set at 8:00, while for level 15 (L15) it is set at 1:00. If the Race mode is on, you will basically race with the computer for the set time/distance. The center display will indicate the user and the PC on two separate lanes. Each virtual boat advances towards the set goal, and the meter will end when either your boat, or the PC boat reaches the goal.
The monitor unit also has a pulse recovery function. This has its own quick selection button. Of course, it requires you to wear an HR chest strap. It counts your pulse at the end of the workout and rates your fitness level from F1 – excellent, to F6 – poor.
Last but not least, the monitor unit is battery-powered. It runs on two AA batteries. These are included. It starts up when you begin rowing and automatically turns off after a few minutes of inactivity on the machine. In idle mode, the display indicates the current date (year, month, day), as well as room temperature, and clock.
Assembly and Maintenance
The front unit of the rower with all the drive and resistance elements is already assembled. You only have to attach the front stabilizer, insert the seat on the rail, connect the rail to the front unit, add the rear stabilizer, the footrests, and the fitness monitor. This shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes. The manual provides clear assembly instructions with attached illustrations. Also, all the necessary tools are included.
For maintenance, you only have to keep your rower clean, especially the rails to prevent any damage to the seat wheels. If the fan accumulates dust, you can vaccumm it from the outside without taking the casing apart. The internal parts do not require lubrication or any maintenance.
The Pros
- Sturdy construction – can hold users up to 300 lbs (136 kg);
- Folding rail;
- Adjustable levelers on the rear stabilizer and mid base;
- Transport wheels on the front stabilizer;
- Aluminum beam reinforcement for the main rail;
- Long rail for users with an inseam up to 46″;
- Pivoting footrests with heel guards and adjustable straps;
- Padded and contoured seat;
- Air resistance for a natural, dynamic response during rowing;
- 16 levels of magnetic resistance;
- Multi-window fitness monitor that tracks time, time/500 m, strokes, strokes per minute, total strokes, calories burned, distance, and pulse;
- Target function for time, distance, strokes, pulse, and calories;
- Very quiet for an air resistance rower;
- Easy to assemble;
- All the necessary assembly tools are included;
- Little maintenance required;
- Excellent warranty.
The Cons
- No online connectivity;
- Heart rate chest strap is not included;
- The fitness monitor does not have backlight.
Summary
The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5940 is a rowing machine made for home use. It is equipped with an air resistance system and a 16-level magnetic resistance system, a comfortable seat, and a fitness monitor with two workout modes (manual and race). It is also pretty sturdy (300 lbs capacity) and has a long rail for an applicable user inseam of 46″. In all, it’s a pretty decent machine, great for a full-body cardio workout, muscle toning, stamina development, and weight loss.