I purchased this rower because my knees won't allow me to run anymore.....I'm pushing sixty......the stamina 1205 is just what I needed. I have had several rowers in the last thirty years, and this one is, by far, the best. Putting it together was fairly straight forward, and took less than an hour. You might as well be lifting weights if you set this thing on a difficult setting.....I put it at about 25 percent difficulty and use it for cardio. I am up to 800 rows, and this takes about twenty minutes. My goal is 1000/day, five times weekly...then maybe.....maybe.....I will increase the difficulty levels. I feel I get an excellent workout, I am losing weight and gaining tone, and I feel better than I did before I started. I think the construction of the stamina 1205 is excellent, and I would have given the unit five stars, except I feel like I am going to wear the wheels out on the seat........but it hasn't happened yet. If is does, I will just replace them...this is a great buy.