The Assault Bike Classic is easily one of the most popular air bikes on the market. This bad boy comes with years of experience and boatloads of happy customers that swear by the bike.
Basically, it’s the bike athletes around the world love to hate.
But now that Assault offers 2 other upgraded versions of their popular air bike, does it make more sense to go all-in with one of these models or is it smarter to save the cash and invest in the Classic edition?
Well, that’s what we’re here to discuss in this article.
More specifically, in this review I’ll be comparing the Assault Bike Classic to the Assault Bike Pro with regards to all the key specs and features each bike has to offer.
I’ll also point out all the differences there are between these bikes so you can decide for yourself which bike makes more financial sense.
Let’s roll.
| Assault Bike Classic | Assault Bike Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance | 27" steel fan | 25.25" steel fan |
| Frame | 98 lb assembled weight 300 lb weight capacity | 118 lb assembled weight 300 lb weight capacity |
| Warranty | 5 year frame 2 year parts (non-wear) | 7 year frame 3 year parts (non-wear) |
| Features | LCD console 7 workouts Chain drive Fully adjustable seat Leveler feet Transport wheels Standard pedals | Upgraded console Bluetooth compatible with Assault app Chain drive Fully adjustable seat Sealed bottom bracket Leveler feet Transport wheels |
| Price | $749 | $899 |
The Assault Bike Classic vs The Assault Bike Pro
Above images courtesy of Rogue Fitness
Assault Fitness is a part of the bigger company, LifeCORE Fitness, and is based in Southern California. They’ve been in business for over 20 years and in that time, they’ve built a devoted following.
Their Assault Bikes became popular with Cross Fit athletes and can be seen in action on the annual televised Cross Fit Games, which pits the top Cross Fitters around the globe against each other.
If you’ve never watched it, you should check it out- it’s pretty insane what these men and women are capable of.
I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say these are the fittest people on the planet.
Anyway, I think it’s the growing popularity of Cross Fit that really helped Assault Fitness gain notoriety.
They’re most well-known for their air bikes, but they also offer a couple of high-end manual treadmills and an air rower.
Speaking of bikes, we’re here today to compare the Classic edition and the Pro edition, but there’s also a higher-end “Elite” model as well.
Resistance
All of Assault’s bikes are air bikes, meaning they use spinning fan blades cutting through air to create the resistance you’re working against when you use ’em.
As you pedal (and push/pull with your arms), the fan blades spin.
The faster you pedal, the faster these blades are going to turn and the more resistance you’re going to feel – this makes them a potent tool for interval training.
Which is why they’ve been used so much in Cross Fit.
Not only does the resistance change based on how fast you’re pedaling, but there’s also really no limit on how much resistance you can achieve.
Again, it all depends on how fast you pedal.
So, with regards to the use of air resistance, the Assault Classic and Pro (as well as every other air bike) work by the same principle (for more info, check out my complete guide on air bikes).
Something worth considering though, is the size of the fan.
Even though all air bikes provide resistance based on the speed of your pedaling, technically speaking, a larger fan will be able to create more resistance.
And that’s just because the bigger the fan is (and the blades are), the more air those blades are going to come in contact with.
When looking at the fans on the Classic and Pro, surprisingly the fan on the Classic bike is a little bigger than the one on the Pro edition.
The Classic comes with a 27″ fan, which is as big as they get (and the same as Schwinn’s AD7), while the Pro comes with a 25.25″ fan.
Honestly, I don’t think being 1.75″ smaller is going to make that much of a difference, but smaller is smaller.
Which is surprising considering the Pro costs more than the Classic.
I would think they would’ve simply used the same fan they use on the Classic, but I would be wrong.
Overall, both bikes use air resistance which is great because you can get huge amounts of resistance based on how hard you pedal, but the Classic’s fan is a little bigger than the Pro’s.
Frame
When comparing any 2 exercise bikes, I like to see how their frames stack up against each other. More specifically, I’m looking to see which one is heavier-duty.
And when I use that term, I mean literally which one weighs more.
Looking at the assembled weight is a good way to get an idea of how stable or sturdy the bike is going to feel without being able to take it for a test drive.
Heavier bikes usually feel more stable than lighter ones.
With this in mind, let’s compare these Assault bikes.
The Classic comes with an assembled weight of about 96 lb, which is respectable. The Pro model comes with an assembled weight of 118 lb, which is obviously quite a bit higher.
And when you look at the assembled dimensions of each bike, there isn’t much difference at all, so it’s not like the Pro is just a bigger bike all around.
It’s just a bulkier bike- which is a good thing if you ask me.
This extra bulk is going to make the Pro feel a little more stable during workouts, something that could come in handy for larger, stronger users.
This extra bulk is also evident when you compare the dimensions of the main frame components between these 2 bikes.
The Pro is a heavier-duty bike, but both models come with the same 300 lb weight capacity, so there’s no difference when it comes to that spec.
Overall, both bikes score highly in terms of stability and quality of construction, but the Pro model weighs a good 22 lb more than the Classic, giving it some additional heft that could come in handy for larger users.
Warranty
Let’s see how the warranties for these 2 air bikes stand up. Since both bikes come from the same brand, we might not expect much difference, although that isn’t always the case.
Anyway, Assault backs their Classic air bike with the following residential warranty:
- 5 year frame
- 2 year parts (non-wear)
Ok, and they back their Pro air bike with this residential warranty:
- 7 year frame
- 3 year parts (non-wear)
Ok, so, with the Pro you get an extra 2 years on the frame and an extra year on parts- not bad given the fairly small price difference between these bikes.
That said, I think the warranty on the Classic is pretty generous considering the type of workouts most people are doing on these air bikes.
Remember when I said a lot of Cross Fit folks use these things?
Yeah, and they’re not known for taking it easy on fitness equipment.
So, knowing this, I think the fact that Assault still backs it with a 5 year frame and 2 year parts warranty says a lot for the quality of build.
But I like that they offer an extended warranty for the Pro, especially given the extra bulk it’s packing.
Overall, I think both bikes come with great warranties, but the Pro’s is obviously better.
Features
Alright, that about does it for the performance side of things, so let’s move on to the extra features each bike has to offer, starting with the Classic.
The Classic bike comes with a fairly simple LCD console that can track all your key workout metrics like RPM, heart rate, calories, time, and distance.
It also comes loaded with 2 interval programs, a custom interval program, and a few goal oriented workouts (time, distance, calories, and heart rate).
Another nice feature is that the console measures watt output, something most cheaper air bikes don’t offer.
Other than the console, the Classic comes with a fully adjustable seat (height and fore/aft adjustability) and pedals that are designed to be paired with sneakers.
There are also 4 leveling feet and built-in transport wheels, but that’s about it- what can I say, air bikes are very simple (yet effective) machines.
Ok, let’s look at the Pro bike.
The Pro’s console is an upgraded version of the Classic’s and looks a little sharper.
It comes with the same workout options, but this console is also bluetooth compatible with Assault’s fitness app for tracking workouts and sharing results, etc.
There’s also a competition mode so you can have friendly competitions with workout partners.
This console is also compatible with ANT+, giving you options with which heart rate monitor you choose.
The Pro also comes with a fully adjustable seat, leveling feet, and transport wheels, as well as the same pedals found on the Classic.
The only other difference between these 2 bikes is that the Pro comes with a sealed bottom bracket that protects the chain drive from dirt and debris (it also looks a little sharper).
Oh, both bikes use chain drives, as opposed to the belt drives found on Schwinn’s AD7. Belt drives tend to be a little quieter and smoother, but realistically I don’t think it makes much difference.
Especially on an air bike where you’ll be hearing all the noise from the wind you create anyway.
When it comes to features, with the Pro you basically get a slightly nicer console and a sealed bottom bracket.
Price
Ok, time to talk dineros.
I hate to quote specific amounts because by the time you read this these numbers might not be accurate any more, but what the hell, here ya go:
Assault Bike Classic: $749
Assault Bike Pro: $899
These numbers could change a little with promotions or sales, but generally speaking, the Pro costs $150 more than the Classic.
Both bikes are well under $1000 though, making them fairly affordable in comparison to a lot of the home fitness machines out there.
The question is, is the Pro worth the extra cash?
Keep reading.
Final Thoughts
To answer my own question, I would say yes- I think the upgrades you get with the Pro are enough to warrant the extra $150.
The upgraded console and sealed bottom bracket are fine, but it’s the heavier-duty frame and extended warranty that really justify the added cost.
That said, I think most people will do just fine with the Assault Classic too.
And even though I don’t think it makes that much difference I have to admit that I still like the idea of having the larger fan found on the Classic.
And let’s be real- the Assault Classic is still built tough as nails and is still being used by Cross Fit athletes around the world.
Overall though, if I was purchasing one of these bikes today, I’d go with the Pro – I think the extra bulk is worth the cost.
