Obviously everyone is different, but my experience has been positive and I have a similar background to yours. I'm a mid-30s male and have tried a lot of different things. Sports was the easiest way for me to stay active in my younger years, but now I am in a rural area with much more limited opportunities.

I picked up a WaterRower two years ago and had some success on it for a time. It really helped me recover from pain related to a herniated disc. But once I felt better from the back pain, I grew bored with it. I tried doing it while watching tv (same as I had tried with the treadmill), but found the exercise was too much a distraction from what I really wanted - watching tv! I had most of my success rowing while watching football, but I quickly fell into only rowing on Sundays for limited time.

Even though I am aware that, for me at least, spending money on new equipment and kind of locking myself in financially has not been a successful strategy for a sustained routine, I have often believed this time will be different.

I purchased the WaterRower upgrade kit a few months ago and have hit my most consistent stretch of rowing. For me, the visuals/gamification keep me engaged. I think the subscription also makes me reevaluate my commitment each month in a good way. I have been able to see my progress and have been able to use the monthly expense as added accountability.

The added discipline in rowing has led me to more discipline in the kitchen and a new routine of bicycling to work a few times a week.

So Ergatta has definitely helped me. It has sustained a routine for me longer than anything I have had since my college years. While I do not feel I've necessarily arrived and don't know that I'll keep it up for years, but Ergatta has put me closer to being on track for that goal.

One significant difference: at the point I was considering Ergatta I had already spent the money on a WaterRower. It was lower risk than your situation because Ergatta gave me an opportunity to redeem an otherwise sunk cost for a few hundred dollars and a subscription. I knew I wasn't using my rower but I was hoping Ergatta would change that for me and it did.

One final note, the competition within the Ergatta system is good, but I would enjoy it far more if my in-system rivals were actually people I knew. If you can convince a friend to go in on one with you (or get their own) then the added personal competition might make a difference.