1975: Brothers Peter and Dick Dreissigacker create a set of carbon fiber oars in their apartment kitchen while training for the Montreal Olympic trials. Although they were unsuccessful at the trials, the prototype oars attract attention.
October 1976: Peter and Dick head east in their bread truck searching for a location to pursue building carbon fiber oars.
November 1976: An abandoned dairy farm in Vermont is bought as a “tinkerer’s paradise” where Dick and Peter can pursue their inventions.
Summer 1977: The US Women’s Pair, Anne Warner and Anita DeFrantz, agree to row with Concept2 oars and use them in the World Championships.
1978–1979: College crews using Concept2 oars experience increases in speed. Orders substantially increase.
1980: Concept2 has eight employees working in the shop in the barn. Oars ship worldwide.
Early 1981: Peter and Dick decide to create a winter training device for rowers. Peter nails his old bicycle to the floor of the barn and pulls on the free end of the chain—the indoor rower is born.
Fall 1981: Concept2 launches the Model A Indoor Rower or “erg” (ergometer).
1982: The CRASH-B rowing club in Boston calls and is interested in hosting an indoor rowing competition. The event is now the World Indoor Rowing Championship with 2000 plus entries.
1984: With 12 employees, Concept2 grows too big for the barn and moves to the Morrisville Industrial Park. The only neighbors are a craft supplier and a wood stove company.
1986: The Model B Indoor Rower is launched with a revised design including an added flywheel cover for safety, improved comfort and a powerful Performance Monitor.
1990: The majority of crews are now rowing with Concept2 oars world wide.
1991: The Big Blade is introduced in oar design, an asymmetric hatchet-shaped blade that appeared to be 1–2% faster than existing designs.
1992: The Big Blade is prominently used in the Barcelona Olympics.
1993: The Model C Indoor Rower is introduced. Its features include a new flywheel housing and a redesigned monorail and footstretcher.
1996: Concept2 introduces an adjustable length system for oars, allowing the same oar to be used for different conditions and crews.
1997: The Smoothie blade is introduced. Similar to the Big Blade but without a central spine, it is cleaner and more efficient in the water.
2000: Concept2 introduces the Concept2 Slide, an accessory that brings an on-water feel to indoor rowing and also allows for team training. Concept2 also launches the DYNO, a strength training device.
2003: The Model D Indoor Rower is introduced. Quieter and smoother than its predecessors, it also has an ergonomic new handle and a new monitor, the PM3.
August 2006: Concept2 launches the Model E Indoor Rower. Offered alongside the Model D, the Model E features a PM4 monitor, 6” higher seat for easier accessibility, sturdier frame, double coated finish for durability, and nickel-plated chain.
December 2006: The Fat2 blade is introduced. The latest design based on everything Concept2 knows about how blades move through the water, it offers the greatest potential for increasing boat speed.
June 2009: Concept2 launches the SkiErg, a ski ergometer and training tool that brings a favorite winter cross-training indoors and makes it accessible to anyone.
November 2010: Concept2 installs the first four of seven photovoltaic solar trackers, which help produce a percentage of our electricity needs.
December 2010: Concept2 launches the Dynamic Indoor Rower, a machine that more closely simulates rowing a boat on the water.
May 2011: Concept2 introduces the Dynamic Link, allowing two or more Dynamic Indoor Rowers to be connected together to create a team rowing experience.
August 2014: Concept2 releases an updated SkiErg with a new look, black color, and an internal drive mechanism that improves cord wear and allows for both double-pole and single-stick technique. It also features a new monitor, the PM5.
2015: The Bantam Sculls are developed and released as a low-cost sculling oar. The Bantam Sculls incorporate the injection-molded Compact blade, a durable plastic option that is 10 cm shorter than a Smoothie2 blade.
August 2017: Concept2 releases the BikeErg. With the same flywheel and Performance Monitor as the indoor rower and SkiErg, the BikeErg brings to cycling the strengths and features we've brought to rowing and cross-country skiing.
2019 The Comp Blade is developed and released. This combines the best elements of our existing blade designs to create a lightweight, efficient, stable, and easy-to-row competitive blade.
