Schwinn’s Airdyne AD7 and the Assault Bike are two of the most famous air bikes around. Both models come with impressive performance specs and features, as well as hoards of satisfied customers over the years.
Simply put- choosing between these 2 elite bikes can be challenging.
But I’m here to help.
In this article, I’ll compare the Airdyne AD7 and the Assault Bike Classic head to head with regards to all the specs and features they each have to offer.
I’ll also include my thoughts regarding which bike I think is the better buy.
After reading, you’ll which air bike is the right fit for your home.
| Schwinn Airdyne AD7 | Assault Bike Classic | |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance | 27" fan Infinite resistance levels | 27" fan Infinite resistance levels |
| Frame | 113 lb assembled weight 350 lb weight limit | 96 lb assembled weight 300 lb weight limit |
| Warranty | 10 year frame 2 years parts/electronics 6 month labor | 5 year frame 2 year parts |
| Features | Large LCD console 6 workout programs Heart rate monitor compatible Heart rate zones Fully adjustable seat Standard pedals Water bottle holder | LCD console 7 workout programs Heart rate monitor compatible Fully adjustable seat Standard pedals |
| Price | $999 | $749 |
The Schwinn Airdyne AD7 vs The Assault Bike Classic
People who’ve ever used an air bike before tend to have a love/hate relationship with ’em- the love have effective they are, but man do they hate using ’em.
Schwinn pretty much created the air bike (aka “fan” bike), so we have them to thank/blame for these torturous contraptions.
Their Airdyne lineup deputed back in the late ’70s/early ’80s and they’ve been going strong ever since.
Assault Fitness hasn’t been around quite as long as Schwinn (who has?), but in their time, they’ve built a strong following just the same.
And even though Schwinn may’ve come out with the first air bike, let’s be real- it was Assault that made them cool again, all thanks to Cross Fit.
Their Assault Bikes have been adopted and used by Cross Fitters around the world and usually even pop up in their worldwide competitions.
And if you’ve never watched one of the Cross Fit competitions, you really should- these are, without exaggeration, some of the fittest athletes on the planet.
So, if the Assault Bikes can stand up to these guys and gals, it says a lot.
Air bikes are pretty simple machines by design, but I still I want to start off with a look at the performance side of things. Then I’ll move on and talk about other features and whatnot.
Resistance
The coolest part of any air bike is that it uses rotating fans and the resistance those fans meet as they cut through the air to provide the resistance for you to work against during your workouts.
This type of resistance system is remarkably simple – there aren’t any resistance levels, magnets, or even electricity involved.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t highly effective.
With an air bike, the resistance you feel is 100% dependent on the speed/force of which you pedal- pedal faster and the resistance increases, slower and it decreases.
This makes air bikes great for interval training because you can get a ton of resistance and quickly elevate your heart rate with these machines.
Since the AD7 and the Assault Bike Classic are both traditional air bikes, they both use the same fan based system.
When looking at air bikes though, you can compare the size of the fans to see which bike should be capable of providing more overall resistance.
A bigger fan means more air, which means more resistance.
But like I said, you control your resistance level by how fast you pedal, but even so, bikes with larger fans will be able to provide more total resistance.
I know that’s kinda confusing, but I hope it makes sense.
Anyway, the AD7 and the Assault both come with a 27″ fan, which is the largest I’ve seen on any air bike (some more affordable bikes come with smaller fans).
So there’s no difference there.
Something worth mentioning though, is that the AD7 uses a belt drive and the Assault Bike uses a chain drive.
Belt drives are generally preferred because they’re a little quieter and tend to be a little more responsive.
Personally, I don’t see this as a deal breaker either way, but all other things being equal, I’d probably go with a bike using a belt drive over a chair.
Overall though, the AD7 and the Assault are very similar with regards to their resistance systems. Both bikes come with the same size fan.
The only real difference is that the AD7 uses a belt drive and the Assault uses a chain.
Frame
When comparing any 2 bikes, I always like to get an idea of which is the “heavier-duty” model. By that, I mean which bike is going to feel more secure and stable during workouts.
The term “heavy-duty” gets thrown out a lot when talking about fitness equipment, but when I use it, I mean literally how much a bike weighs.
Looking at the assembled weight is a great way to get an idea as to how stable a bike should feel during workouts.
Doing this, we see that the AD7 comes with an assembled weight of 113 lb and the Assault Bike comes with an assembled weight of about 96 lb.
Based on these specs, it’s safe to say that the AD7 is a quite a bit heavier-duty than the Assault Bike.
I also like to look at the weight capacities- again, seeing higher numbers is indicative of a heavier-duty bike (this one isn’t always the case, but I still think it’s good practice to compare).
The AD7 comes with a max weight limit of 350 lb, which is impressive for any home bike.
The Assault Bike comes with a max weight limit of 300 lb, which is high enough to hold most people safely, but again, not quite as high as the AD7’s.
In terms of dimensions, the AD7 is a little bigger than the Assault Bike as well: 53″ x 26.5″ (L x W) vs 51″ x 23″.
Overall, the AD7 is a bigger, bulkier bike than the Assault, capable of holding heavier users.
Warranty
The warranty department isn’t as interesting to talk about, but I think it’s one of the most important specs to consider for any exercise bike.
Longer warranties not only add peace of mind about investments, but they can also tell you about the quality of bike you’re considering.
Nicer bikes usually come with better warranties, but this rule isn’t written in stone.
Anyway, let’s start with Schwinn’s warranty on the AD7:
- 10 year frame
- 2 year parts/electrical
- 6 month labor
Ok, and here’s what Assault offers on their bike:
- 5 year frame
- 2 year parts
So, Schwinn’s frame warranty is 2x as long as Assault’s.
To be fair, many high-end bikes are only offering 5 year frame guarantees these days…I’m not sure why, some still offer lifetime too…
Regardless, Schwinn’s frame warranty is obviously much better.
They both offer the same 2 year on parts, which is pretty fair.
6 months on labor is shorter than the standard 1 year most brands offer, but it’s still better than Assault’s non-existent labor guarantee.
Overall, Schwinn easily wins this category (they actually offer one of the best warranties you’ll find on an air bike).
Features
Ok, that about does it for the performance side of things, so let’s switch gears and take a look at the other features these bikes to have.
As I mentioned, air bikes are pretty simple devices, so this won’t take too long.
The AD7 comes with an LCD console that shows all of your workout stats at the same time. It has a cool speedometer type gauge at the top that can show your rate of exertion based on calories, RPM, or watts.
It also provides a digital readout of each of those metrics as well.
The AD7 is compatible with chest strap heart rate monitors and provides a clear readout of that stat on the console.
What’s even cooler though, is that it also calculates your different heart rate zones for you and displays those stats for you as well, so you can see which zone you’re in (assuming you’re using a monitor).
The AD7 comes with a handful of workouts. These include a time target, a distance target, and calorie target, and a few interval workouts.
This bike also comes with a built-in water bottle holder and an air diverter that blocks the air coming off the fan from blowing right in your face.
The AD7 also comes with a fully adjustable seat and standard pedals designed for use with sneakers.
The Assault’s console is pretty simple. It doesn’t include the nifty gauge display, but it still shows all the key metrics you’d be interested in.
It comes with 7 workout programs built-in, including time/distance/calorie targets, 3 interval programs, and a heart rate target workout.
The Assault Bike is compatible with chest strap heart rate monitors too, although some users have complained that it seems a bit inaccurate.
The Assault Bike also comes with a fully adjustable seat and standard pedals.
Overall, the features on these 2 bikes are pretty comparable, although the console on the AD7 is a little fancier and the Assault Bike doesn’t come with a water bottle holder.
Price
Time to talk dollars.
At the time of writing this, these bikes cost the following:
Schwinn AD7: $999
Assault Bike Classic: $749
Prices can vary depending on where you purchase and promotions, but generally speaking, the AD7 costs about $250 more than the Assault Bike.
Are the extra features on the AD7 worst the extra cash?
That’s the real question isn’t it… keep reading.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this is a tough one.
Considering the significantly longer warranty and the heavier-duty frame, I think the price Schwinn is asking for the AD7 is fair.
So yes, I think the AD7 is worth the extra cash.
That said, I think Assault’s Air Bike Classic is more than tough enough to handle the workouts most home users are going to throw at it.
I mean, Cross Fit athletes are using the Assault Bike all the time and if they can stand up to that abuse…
Overall, when comparing these 2 air bikes, I think the AD7 comes with some nice upgrades (like the larger console, the belt drive, and yes, even the water bottle holder) over the Assault.
So, technically speaking, I would say the AD7 is the better bike.
(But honestly, if I had to purchase one of these today, I’d probably save the money and go with the Assault Bike… either way you can’t go wrong).
