The stationary bike is one of the most common types of exercise equipment around. Because it provides an aerobic workout that tones the body effectively, people who want an exhilarating workout without the hassle of going outdoors prefer stationary bikes.
If you’re thinking of purchasing a stationary bike, it’s useful to know which type of resistance suits your workout routine. Resistance depends on a bike’s design: there’s flywheel resistance, magnetic, direct contact, and air resistance.
If you’re looking for a stationary bike that provides a tougher, more intense workout, an air resistance bike might be the best option for you.
What is an Air Resistance Bike?
An air resistance bike uses a large resistance fan instead of a flywheel to generate tension as you pedal. Basically, when you pedal faster, the resistance level increases. You adjust the amount of resistance by how fast you pedal and move your arms. Air resistance bikes work much the same as air resistance rowers like the Concept 2 Model D.
For first timers, it can take a while to learn how to get the pacing right. It’s this varying change in speed and resistance that makes an air bike pretty challenging compared to other stationary bike models.
Air Resistance Bike Benefits
The Air Bike has become an essential in crossfit and home training. It’s a great exercise for those of you who can’t find the time to integrate an exercise routine that includes the usual running, jogging, or other cardio into your daily life.
The Air Bike is low impact which helps reduce the chance of a sprain or pulled muscle that can happen when running. It also has the potential to be integral to rehabilitation as it allows you to exercise at a pace that is comfortable for you which promotes blood circulation and can help speed recovery.
Other benefits that come with using the Assault Air Bike are:
- It helps you burn more calories. Even after your workout is over, a session on the Air Bike burns calories and fat from your body after your workout as your heart rate is elevated as well as your metabolism; which is our next point.
- It boosts your metabolism. The Air Bike is great for incorporating interval training to build up your capacity for aerobics, if aerobic training’s not something you feel you’re up for yet.
- Increases physical and mental endurance. Using the Air Bike on a regular basis is a challenge both physically and mentally. It’s a great method to develop mental toughness and is a good exercise in keeping your mindset positive and focused which helps you deal with the stresses of life.
One key benefit of an air resistance bike - or any bike-based exercise equipment for that matter - is that it enables you to have a low-impact but high-intensity workout. It’s an ideal option for those who have knee, ankle, or hip concerns as you can exercise without subjecting these body parts to continuous impact.
With an air resistance bike, you can prevent injury while still getting that extra challenging workout. The harder you work, the more resistance you feel! Plus, because the handles on an air bike move while you pedal, you can target not only your legs but also your arms and upper body when you use this bike.
This is why fitness enthusiasts prefer air bikes when they engage in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and conditioning.
Assault Aire Bike by Assault Fitness
Assault AirBike is a bestselling model for air resistance stationary bikes. The Assault Bike enables a total body workout for all skill levels by combining arm movement with smooth pedaling motion, creating variable resistance depending on your workout intensity.
Because its air resistance adapts to your personal skill and power, the Assault AirBike can be used by just about anyone, whether an energetic teen, a professional athlete, or an older health buff undergoing rehabilitative training. It’s virtually built for everyone who is passionate about exercising. You can achieve great calorie burning while toning your upper body (arms, chest, back, and shoulders) and legs.
This is one of the best exercise bikes on the market and is the go-to equipment among CrossFit gyms, fitness buffs, and even military base camps.
Assault AirBike Features
This stationary bike is engineered with a thick-gauge chromoly steel frame that covers the sealed cartridge bearings placed in every single pivot, from the flywheels and pedals to the bottom bracket and arms. It has a total of 20 cartridges, unmatched by most exercise bikes on the market today!
The air bike has a 27-inch fan wheel that provides the resistance you generate when you pedal. Meanwhile, the handles can be moved smoothly, engaging you in an arm workout. Made from thick steel tubing, the arm bars can support even the toughest training you undertake. The arm bars can be used on their own as well: you can do upper-body exercises while your feet are resting on pegs beside the wheel.
The Assault AirBike, with its solid steel frame and reinforced cartridge bearings, is a stable, smooth, and durable machine. It has a weight capacity of up to 350 lbs.
Aside from the bike itself, the Assault AirBike package comes with a Polar-compatible wireless heart monitor to give you more information about the quality of your exercise routine.
Assembly:
This air assault bike can be assembled easily by just following the instructions on the manual. You can expect to finish assembly within 20 to 30 minutes.
Wheels are also built into the air bike for easy transport and mobility anywhere you’d want to station it in your home or gym.
Seat Adjustments:
With stationary bikes, users have to feel stable and comfortable while seated, especially for longer workouts. This air assault bike comes with a saddle that can be adjusted to fit a range of heights. Moreover, the seat can be tilted forward and backward, as well as sideways to give you the most comfortable position. Pop pin knobs make all your seat adjustments easy and smooth without the need for any special tools. The Assault AirBike can definitely give you that extra push to work out harder, longer.
Dimensions:
This assault bike has a length of 50.9 inches, width of 23.3 inches, and height of 48.4 inches. The seat height is adjustable to suit your reach. The compact dimensions mean this machine is relatively manageable to be moved about in your space.
Console:
Assault AirBike comes with a state-of-the-art LCD screen display that shows different data, including RPM, speed, watts, calories burned, heart rate, total time, segment time, and distance traveled. With a push of a button, you can navigate and customize data right away.
What’s more, the console can also be customized with an Interval Training program including Tabata and CrossFit exercises, giving you a chance to add to and vary your workout routine. This feature makes fitness training much more interesting.
Assault Airbike Classic vs. Airbike Elite
Both the Classic and Elite were designed with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) in mind; it’s become a huge hit at gyms and home workouts as it can burn calories and fat in a shorter period of time than an intense workout without it, and continues to burn calories and fat well after you’ve finished your workout.
The Assault Air Bike Elite is an upgraded model of the original Air Bike Classic, so it comes with new, improved features. Its new design comes with multiple customizations so anyone can comfortably push their bodies to new limits.
Some of the new features introduced by the Air Bike Elite in design and specifications include:
- A new monitor with an improved LCD screen, Comp Mode, Rest and Work LEDs, an integrated removable windshield, an ISIS splined crank system (compared to the Classic’s square-tapered crank system), and an enhanced commercial steel frame.
- The Air Bike Elite also comes with multiple position handgrips on its moving handlebars with different grip variations which makes choosing the style that suits you and your workout routine easier. By comparison, the Classic has single handgrips which can get uncomfortable, and aren’t as adjustable.
- Both the Assault Air Bike Elite and Classic come with a variety of programs. These include high intensity interval training options and target programs for time, distance, calories and heart rate, but it’s the Elite that offers better readability and Hi Contrast.
Both the Assault Air Bike Elite and Classic include the following:
- Mobile phone holders integrated into the console
- Metal design pedals and stationary footrest pegs
- Sealed cartridge bearings in pivot/moving parts
- Steel frame
- Resistant design and transport wheels for easy relocation
The Air Bike Elite improves most of the features previously found on the Classic while adding a few of its own.
The Elite’s Heart Rate Monitoring, compared to the monitoring feature of the Classic, can monitor your health statistics even wirelessly. The Assault Air Bike Elite also allows you to pedal forward or backward based on what you prefer in the moment.
Most of the new features on the Elite are adjustable for your comfort and ease. One of these is the ergonomically designed seat that ensures you can work out longer without getting exhausted as quickly.
The Assault Air Bike Elite is also heavier and slightly bigger than the original Air Bike Classic. It supports a higher user weight capacity of 350lbs in comparison to the Classic’s support of 300lbs.
Additional features introduced by the Air Bike Elite are a water bottle holder and an integrated removable windshield. The Air Bike Classic doesn’t come with its own windshield, though it can be bought separately.
Fetaures | Assault AirBike Elite | Assault AirBike Classic |
|---|---|---|
Product Preview |  | |
LCD | Hi Contrast with Improved Readability | Hi Contrast |
Rest and Work LEDs | ||
Bluetooth | ||
Comp Mode | ||
Seat | Sport Seat Elite | Sport Seat |
Pedals | All-metal Design | All-metal Design |
Handlebars | Multi Hand position | Single Hand position |
Wind Shield | Integrated | Available Add on |
Cladding | Plastic Shrouds | Chain Covers |
Price |
Assault AirBike Workouts
There are 8 preset workout programs that are included in the air bike console for you to target your exercise goals. Each workout offers just the right customization depending on your fitness level, and also provides enough challenge whether you opt for an endurance workout or an explosive burst-of-energy session.
- 20/10 Interval
- 10/20 Interval
- Custom Interval - create your own intervals
- Time - time based workout
- Distance - distance based workout
- Calories - calorie based workout
- Heart rate - target heart rate based workout
With this Air Assault bike, you can focus on improving your heart rate and stamina with every use. The data screen allows you to keep track of health and fitness indicators.
Based on this assault air bike review, you can already see the advantages in opting for the Assault AirBike model.
PROS AND CONS
Q & A
Does it come with a heart rate monitor?
Yes, the Assault AirBike set includes a wireless monitor that is compatible with any Polar-compatible chest strap.
How many calories can I burn on the Assault AirBike?
The Assault AirBike currently holds the world record for the amount of calories you can burn will depend on the intensity of your workout as with any cardiovascular exercise. On the Assault AirBike you can burn up to around 87 calories per minute which translates into 2,610 for every thirty minutes spent on the bike. However you will likely not be able to keep that intensity up for the full thirty minutes unless you are a professional athlete.
A more realistic number if your in decent shape would be 30 calories per minute or 900 for every thirty minutes spent on the bike which is still very high compared with other forms or cardio
What is the maximum weight capacity?
The maximum weight the air bike can handle is 350 lbs.
Is it noisy?
This air assault bike is made of streamlined steel materials fortified with cartridge bearings that allow a smooth, quiet workout. The air resistance wheel does not entail any friction like other bike models, which is why this model should be your top pick if you want soundless exercise sessions.
How does it compare with Schwinn AD4 and AD6?
Although the Assault AirBike and Schwinn Airdyne are similar in terms of the air resistance mechanism, they have significant differences in the make and features.
Compared to the Schwinn AD4 and the Schwinn AD6, both of which only allow vertical seat adjustment, the Assault AirBike has the forward/backward and upward/downward seat adjustment feature to properly fit the user’s optimal position and prevent cramps.
Customers also report that the assault bike’s steel fan blades and frame are sturdier and better built than the plastic blades of the AD4 and AD6. Hence, while the metal fan creates a louder fan-like sound, it’s more durable than the competition.
Lastly, the air assault bike has a more advanced console that delivers a lot more workout data feedback and functional features compared to Schwinn’s model.
Warranty:
- 5 years for frame
- 2 years for parts
Final Thoughts:
With an air bike, you can completely customize your fitness regimen and use it for fast, explosive sessions or long, recovery-based workout routines. It provides a total body workout everyone can benefit from.
If you have the budget of around a thousand dollars, then the Assault AirBike is a great choice because of its extreme durability and quality build. Plus, you get to accurately monitor your sessions with a modern console. You can finally plan a more productive routine that best suits your fitness level.