Rogue Assault Bike Review
Barbell Pursuits tests and reviews fitness equipment and products to ensure quality for you. If you purchase something using one of our links, we may earn commission. Read our disclosures.
Adored by anybody who loves getting a crazy amount of cardio exercise, the air bike has experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent times. It's more of a love-hate relationship.
A mix of both the elliptical and resistance bikes, air bikes provide a fantastic workout, however, they're so effective and exhausting that I find it very difficult to get excited about it.
I've heard it called the “misery machine” plenty of times. I'm sure you've heard of high-intensity interval training otherwise known as HIIT, or Tabata style workouts where short breaks are followed by differing but intense bursts of exercise.
These kinds of exercises are King for burning fat, warming up, conditioning, and getting really really sweaty.
Speaking of Kings, today we are talking about the king of air bikes, the Rogue Assault. It has quickly become the standard for high-intensity competitions and is utilized in every gym across the globe.
What is an Air Bike?
Regardless of what they're called, “misery machines”, “Satan’s Tricycle,” air bikes differ from traditional bicycle exercise equipment.
They use both pedals and arm handles to power a chain or belt-driven system to then spin a large fan where the front wheel of the bike should be.
Because Air bikes use a combination of both upper and lower body to provide input and power the machine.
They will leave most of their users sucking for air, and wobbling their way home after a very quick session, all while still being a low-impact workout.
Low-impact means anyone suffering from joint issues or have difficulty with higher impact sports such as running, can still get plenty out of this machine.
Why is an Air Bike Effective?
Air bikes are not really meant for longer durations and there is a reason for that. The resistance of the fan works in such a way that it increases resistance as a user's input increases.
So technically speaking that means there are an infinite amount of resistance levels based on how much effort you're throwing in.
This, as I mentioned earlier makes it perfect for HIIT and Tabata-style workouts which require bursts of energy, and in my opinion, that makes air bikes the most effective tool for cardio conditioning.
The people who find themselves slacking off and not putting in their full effort on an air bike will find themselves quickly getting bored and quite uncomfortable with the awkward cycling stance.
My favorite part about an air bike is that it gives back exactly what you put into it, and if you have that effort in you, and if you have that kind of motivation to push yourself, that bike will torture the living hell out of you.
If you find yourself hating long workouts, or you just really don't have that much time, air bikes offer the best solution for getting the most out of your time and workout.
Now that we are all on the same page about air bikes let's just jump right into the review.
Rogue Assault Bike
The Rogue assault bike, now sometimes seen as the air bike classic, is a heavy-duty exercise bike designed directly from the feedback of athletes and coaches.
Rogue has been a solid company from the start and are always producing quality American-made products.
They did not disappoint with the Rogue assault bike. One of the best features of the Rogue Assault is the diversity of people who can use it, from a total beginner to rehab, conditioning training, or a seasoned pro athlete pushing themselves to the limits.
Specs
Length 51” / Width 23.5 “/ Height 48.5”/ Diameter of Fan 25”/ Weight 98 lbs
Material
The Rogue assault air bike comes in black powder-coated steel and is very durable. It has to be considering it was the gold standard for a while until of course,
Rogue outdid itself again. The bike comes in at just about 98 lbs and is fairly steady, but anyone going all-out will have some difficulty throwing the frame about a little bit. Rogue has listened and made changes from the criticisms of the old king, which is very encouraging to see in the fitness world.
Shipping and Assembly
Rogue sends their air bike very well packaged and allows you to track your order from the time you place it to the time it hits your door. the package comes with everything you need for a quick and simple assembly.
The instruction manual is very clear, and if you still have difficulty, there is an instructional video online for further guidance and visual clarity.
Features
The air bike comes with a hybrid seat that has multiple height and horizontal seat adjustment settings.
This is a frequently overlooked feature on air bikes and I feel like the ability to get the best position and comfort while exercising is key to proper form and getting the most out of your workout.
The pedals are reinforced as well as the crank And covered in very durable and comfortable foam.
This is incredibly important and time has proven its durability on the Air Assault Bike, as any bike in a public space like a gym needs to outlast everybody’s combined efforts.
The Rogue Assault comes equipped with an LCD screen that outputs Wattage, RPM, calories burned, Heart Rate, Distance traveled, Time, Odometer, and interval training modes.
The interval training options are customizable to fit your workout requirements perfectly.
The fan is powered by a chain drive, so there is some extra noise when going all out, and a little bit of extra maintenance as well.
Occasionally it may be necessary to lube up the chain and tighten the bolt here or there to make sure the bike keeps running smoothly.
Some look at this as a bad thing, but with proper care and maintenance, chains are extremely strong and durable and will last a very very long time.
In comparison to other chain-driven air bikes, I can confidently say that this chain stays on a lot better than any other chain-driven bike I've seen so far.
My Experience
I am a larger individual and I absolutely despise high-impact training, my joints in my knees really feel it.
When I was using the Rogue Assault Air Bike I found that it was very low impact, and I could easily warm up my muscles and joints for weightlifting and further punishment.
Cardio has always been a difficult exercise category for me, but using the air assault bike really takes away from the difficulties I faced in cardio exercises before.
This bike absolutely kills me when I use it.
When I'm trying to hit my time intervals and I'm pushing all out on this bike and the timer tells me I can stop I'm not sure if I should walk around, lie down and die, or run to the bathroom and throw up, because this thing kicks my ass every single time.
It works my whole body and my god does it ever show me how much more I can grow in strength and conditioning.
I heard a lot of complaints about the stability of the bike when going all out and I find that there is a little bit of movement when going all out.
There has to be movement when a 200-lb guy is smashing into the inputs as hard as he can, especially on such a narrow frame.
However, I feel a lot more folks out there can do a better job messing with the stability of the bike because I did not find it nearly as bad as people claimed, and I’m a bigger guy.
The other complaint I noticed about this bike was the chain drive. It is said that it is too loud and breaks down. After using the bike I have to say that yes, there definitely is a decent amount of noise, not only from the fan but from the chain as well.
That being said, I wear headphones and I think a lot of people have sound going during their routines and it drowns out the noise pretty easily. As far as the bike breaking down, it must come down to simple maintenance.
If you don’t lube the chain every so often, then yes, it’ll wear down. Just like maintenance on your vehicle is important, it is equally so on any mechanical device.
I feel a lot of the issues come from poor assembly or lack of maintenance as I experienced very few of the issues that were bouncing around the internet.
Recommendation
I find the Rogue Assault Air Bike to be one of the most punishing machines at the gym.
For that reason alone, I have to give it a big recommendation if you are looking for your own personal bike.
The price is significantly cheaper than newer models of air bikes, but it doesn't compromise on effectiveness. I definitely find myself recommending this to anyone.
Honestly, anybody can benefit from his bike. It’s low impact, conditions your whole body, and burns calories as its a full-time job.
This machine will transform you using your own willpower. The more effort you put in, the better results.
I always think of a great quote, “Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the sculptor and the marble“. I always think of it when I find myself reaching my limit, and the Rogue Assault Air Bike is one of those tools that you can use to remake yourself.
