Assault AirBike Review

Quick Summary

The Assault AirBike is a best-selling exercise bike for total body training. It’s a unique machine that supports any strength level (the fan air resistance system adapts to user effort) and unlike most exercise bikes, it adds moving arm bars for total body training. These arm bars can also be used while you rest your legs. This durable fan bike is a preferred physical trainer in the US military and is also popular for home use. It fits adults and kids alike, and everyone can benefit from its preset workout programs. These programs support interval training and goals for time, distance, calorie burn, and heart rate. Heart rate can be monitored wirelessly with any Polar compatible chest strap. The Assault AirBike is one of the best exercise bikes under $1,000 in terms of versatility, performance and reliability.

Specifications

Model	Assault AirBike
Rating Our custom rating considers all of the bike's features, specs, warranties, and 100's of user & expert reviews, to save you time!	95.75%
List Price Suggested retail price, typically higher than the price you'll pay with our recommended retailers.	$999
Best Price Since prices change daily, this link goes to our preferred retailer for the current best price. Note: MSRP stands for Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price.	$749
Resistance The flywheel in an exercise bike is what creates resistance. You can choose the level of resistance to increase your workout intensity.	27" Fan 6 Fan Blades
Resistance Type The type of resistance shows what kind of flywheel is being used (if any), and its weight if the manufacturer provides it.	Air Resistance
Type Type refers to the style of the ride: Recumbent bikes allow you to lay back, while Upright bikes are more like road bikes (lean forward).	Upright
Drive System The bike's drive system is how your pedaling interacts with the rest of the bike (flywheel) to give you a good workout.	Air Resistance
Frame It's important to choose an exercise bike that will last, and the material of the frame determines how durable the bike is.	Steel
Seat The most important part for comfortability during your workout, the seat should be adjustable and have ample cushioning.	Leather
Pedals Pedals are the driving force for an exercise bike, and should be comfortable, adjustable, and easy to control without slipping.	Standard
Programs Bike Programs allow you to complete a workout with changing speeds and inclines, without changing anything manually.	7 on board workouts
Heart Rate Heart Rate programs allow you to track how many times your heart is beating per minute (bpm), and some control the workout for you.	Chest Strap Compatible
Display Display refers to the screen you'll look at to monitor workouts. LED and LCD displays are similar to TV screens.	LCD Screen
Max. Weight Max. User Weight is the amount of weight, in pounds (lbs), that the bike can safely support, which can represent durability.	300 lbs
Dimensions Dimensions are included to help you figure out if this treadmill will fit properly (Length x Width x Height and Height x Depth).	50.95" x 23.34" x 50" Weight: 98.1 lbs
Accessory Tray Some bikes include an accessory tray for holding items such as water bottles, wallets, keys, or MP3 players like iPods.
Speakers
Cooling Fans
Portable? Some exercise bikes can fold up and/or have wheels that make it easy to roll them around for convenience and to save space.
Warranty The warranty is a very important part of your investment. The longer the warranty, the longer you can get free/discounted repairs by the manufacturer.	Frame: 5 Years Non-Wear Parts: 2 Years

Pros & Cons

Pros:

Steel frame.
Industrial strength pedal cranks.
Comfortable and adjustable seat.
Infinite resistance levels from 27″ fan.
Upper-body training.
Can use arm bars alone or combined with pedalling.
Seven workout programs.
Wireless heart rate receiver.
High user weight capacity (350 pounds).
Competitive warranty.
Very low maintenance.
On some units the saddle becomes loose

Cons:

Saddle comes loose on some units.
Not foldable or compact.

Full Review

A best-in-class fan bike, the Assault AirBike by LifeCORE is built for almost everyone. It has adjustable size to fit most children and adults and its air resistance system can match anybody’s leg power. This fan bike also supports full body training with its moving arm bars. At just $749, it’s a best buy for weight loss, cardio training, body toning, and physical rehabilitation. It’s produced by Assault Fitness Products, a California-based company with more than two decades of fitness retail experience. They also sell Assault AirBikes to the United States government for military physical training. Customers can count on excellent customer service from reps based in the US.

(How does the Lifecore 960RB compare with the 1060RB? The 1060 costs $400 more. It has 12 additional workout programs. Other main upgrades are extra-wide pedals and resistance controls built into the handlebars.)

Workout Programs

Train with guidance from programmable workouts. Whichever program you choose, the Assault AirBike can meet your effort level to deliver the right amount of challenge with its turbo fan power. Train your whole body or just use the moving arm bars. The AirBike’s three interval program names are 20/10 Interval, 10/20 Interval, and Custom Interval. The goal programs are named Time, Distance, Calories, and Heart Rate. Manual mode is also an option. During each training session, the data screen shows segment time, total time, distance, speed, RPM, watts and heart rate.

Features

One highlight of the Assault AirBike is its fan air resistance system. Measuring 27″ in diameter, the fan wheel supports very smooth motion and can match anyone’s effort level. It has 6 fan blades. This resistance system also has little chance of breaking down. Combining high quality pedals and other solid components, Assault AirBikes typically run trouble-free for hundreds of thousands of workout sessions.

The Assault AirBike has a very adjustable seat to fit almost anyone. Trainees can easily move the saddle forward and back or up and down. No tools are required. The seat also has adjustable angling and is shaped for comfort.

Another highlight is the bike’s moving arm bars. Made from thick steel tubing, they will support even your toughest training sessions. The arm bars can be used alone too. To get an upper-body workout without biking, you can rest your feet on pegs placed next to the fan wheel.

As described above, the easy-to-use console provides a good amount of workout feedback. For heart rate monitoring, the machines compatible with Polar wireless chest straps (sold separately).

Transport wheels are built into the bike so that it can be moved with ease.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Assault AirBike provide a good workout? Yes, particularly for those seeking a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout with intermittent spurts of hard riding. Because the bike uses fan-based resistance, there is no limit but the user’s muscles to hard this ride can be.
Why is the Assault AirBike so hard? Because the resistance is fan-based as opposed to say Silent Magnetic Resistance (SMR), there are no specific levels of difficulty. The harder one pedals, the more resistance is generated. The handlebars also add into the mix for more of a total body workout. No matter how tough one thinks they are, the Assault AirBike is tougher.
Is the Assault AirBike worth it? We like the sturdy build a lot, and frankly, there’s very little which can go wrong with these bikes mechanically. Whereas other more computerized bikes could always malfunction, or bikes using chains or flywheels could wear out, the air bikes are built to last forever. So yes, if you like air-resistance bikes and don’t need the big fancy computer screens, this bike is definitely worth it.
Are Assault AirBikes loud? There will be a whirring noise from the fan that increases with the speed, perhaps up to 75 decibels, which is comparable to vaccum cleaner.
Which Assault AirBike is best? We like the Assault AirBike for it’s price-for-performance.
Are air bikes good for seniors? Definitely. These bikes are easy to operate, just hop on and ride. Their resistance is also completely personalized so anyone at any level can use them.

Warranty & Guarantee

The Assault AirBike warranty includes:
– Frame: 5 years
– Non-Wear Parts: 2 years

Conclusion

The Assault AirBike is one of the best exercise bikes under $1,000. It’s among the most durable exercise bikes on the market and is sized to fit virtually anyone comfortably. While it can be used for light rehab, the bike has unlimited resistance potential too. You will never outgrow this machine no matter what your strength. This bike is recommended for home workout rooms and commercial fitness centers alike!

Rating: 95.75/100

Other Lifecore Exercise Bikes

Lifecore 1060RB

Lifecore 960RB

Lifecore 860RB

2 Comments

Amy Janulewicz December 15, 2020 at 10:40 pm

Hi! I am very interested in this bike but I am 5’1 with short arms and was wondering if this bike would be too big for me. Any feedback is appreciated
- Reply
  FitRated December 16, 2020 at 2:01 pm
  
  Hi Amy, the bike seat is adjustable vertically, as well as forward and back, so you shouldn't have any issues reaching the pedals or handles. Others who are 5'0 - 5'2 say that they have no problems using the bike at positions 1-3. Hope this helps!