Rogue Echo Bike vs. Assault Air Bike: The Differences That Matter

Air bikes have been a staple at home gyms as well as commercial gyms. For years, Schwinn air bikes were the favorites until the Assault Air bike came to the market. Assault air bikes took the game a notch up and soon became the most favored exercise bike. It continued to rule the market until very recently when the Rogue Echo Bike ‘beefed’ things up. It offered an improved version of both Schwinn and Assault air bikes and soon made its place in commercial gyms, CrossFit Boxes, and CrossFit Games. 

What is the difference between the Rogue Echo bike and the Assault bike? 

If you are willing to buy an exercise bike, you must understand what each bike puts on the table. Both may be air bikes, but what they offer isn’t the same. The following table will help you understand how the Rogue Fitness Echo Bike differs from the Assault Air Bike:

Rogue Echo Bike

The Rogue is a heavy-duty, overbuilt, sturdy, and strong bike built as an upgrade of the Schwinn Airdyne bike. If you are a fan of Tabata-style and HIIT workouts, then you will like the intense workout that the Rogue Echo provides. It is a low-maintenance, easily portable exercise bike that offers a smooth, consistent ride and is good for athletes and training enthusiasts. It allows a power-packed training session with higher RPMs and brutal power. 

Features

Pros

• Has a sturdy, strong, and stable frame
• Steel blades are highly durable
• The belt drive is low maintenance.
• Helps in working out the entire body
• Produces very little sound
• Easy tracking of all data
• Easy assembly and highly portable

Cons

• Some accessories need to be bought separately.
• The pedals aren’t quite secure. 
• The price is on the higher side. 

The Rogue Echo may be a good choice of stationary bike for hardcore trainers, but it may not suit everyone very well. It will push you to work harder, which can be both good and bad, depending on what your requirements are.

Assault Air Bike

The Assault Air Bike is a popular garage gym option that is built for the masses. It is also a popular choice amongst CrossFit enthusiasts and has been commonly used in CrossFit games and boxes along with the Airdyne bike. It has a sturdy frame and can withstand hours of training. The movable handlebars offer an added benefit to the user. It is good for a whole-body workout which is impossible without movement of the handles. It comes with prefixed workout programs for both adults and kids and offers excellent results when followed religiously. In fact, the Assault Air Bike tops the chart for reliability, performance, and versatility for a home gym. 

Features

Pros

• Adjustable and comfortable seat
• Better Q factor
• Sturdy steel frame
• Infinite resistance levels
• Black matte finish
• Easy to install
• Durable rubber grips

Cons

• Chain drive can wear out easily
• Can be uncomfortably noisy
• Can wobble if you put in a lot of effort

The Assault Air Bike is a good choice for a home or garage gym. If you aren’t hell-bent on crazy workouts, this should suit you very well. 

Don’t miss:

Rogue Echo Bike vs Peloton Bike
Air Bike vs. Spin Bike
9 Best Recumbent Exercise Bike With Moving Arms

Rogue Echo Bike vs. Assault Air Bike: Which bike should you buy?

Design

Rogue Echo Bike: The Echo bike is unsuitable for anyone below 5’3”. The wider and higher handles of the bike make it difficult for short people to use the bike comfortably. Moreover, the handles have more sweep than usual, which can get in your way. The bigger grips can also pose a problem if you have small hands.

Another problem with the design of the Rouge Echo is the bigger Q factor of the bike. The Q factor indicates how much far apart your knees get while on the bike. This makes it quite uncomfortable for people with short legs and may result in injuries. 

Assault Air Bike: The Assault bike, on the other hand, is a perfect fit for people with short height. It also works well for people with an average height. The comparatively narrow Q factor of this stationary bike allows a more natural position while exercising. The handles are positioned just right for quick motion while cycling. 

Size

Rogue Echo Bike: The Rogue Fitness Echo bike is a beast. When set up, it measures 52.75” H x 58.875” L x 29.875 W with a footprint of 44.5” x 23.75”. This can overshadow any air bike.

Assault Air Bike: The airbike is comparatively smaller. It measures 48.4” H x 50.9” L x 23.3 W. 

Quality

Rogue Echo Bike: There is no comparing the quality of the Rogue Echo with any fan bike that’s in use currently. It is quite like a beast. You can easily hit your top RPM and max effort with ease and there should be no problem. At 127 pounds, the Rogue Echo can handle any abuse that you can humanly throw at it. It will not wobble or topple, thanks to its super heavyweight. It can also easily support a 350-pound human and the motion that cycling creates. So, you can trust this beast blindfold.

Assault Air Bike: The Assault bike may have a strong and sturdy built meant to last, but it cannot withstand as much abuse as that of the Rogue Echo. This air bike is good for people with moderate RPM and max effort but may wobble when subjected to too much speed or force. Also, you may face problems with loose pedals, wobbly handles, loose chains, and more when you use an Assault air bike for long.  

Tech

Rogue Echo Bike: The Echo bike doesn’t perform well in the tech department. The screen lacks backlighting which makes it difficult to read the indicators. There is no instruction regarding the use of the heart monitor. Moreover, the calorie count is indicated only in multiples of 10 which deprive you of an accurate measure of calories burnt. What bothers users the most is the countdown that runs on every reset. You have to wait for it every time you want to start anew. 

The only upside in this aspect is the size of the numbers on the monitor. The comparatively big size makes them easier to read. 

Assault Air Bike: The Assault Air bike comes with a monitor that’s just passable. The backlight is missing, and the numbers are small as well, which makes reading the indicators extremely difficult. However, on the upside, you do not have to wait for the countdown like in the Rogue Echo. You can also add a heart sensor to the console to monitor heart rate. Without the sensor, the console will track calories, distance, and standard time. It also allows you to enter the exact number of calories that you want to burn.

Don’t miss:

9 Best Elliptical Bike Combo
10 Best Spin Bike Pedals
10 Best Exercise Bike Mats

Features

Rogue Echo Bike: The Echo bike has a strong steel frame and rubber feet to go with it. The exercise machine has a belt drive for a smooth ride. The LCD control allows easy monitoring of workout data. It is also compatible with Shimano accessories and Polar heart monitors for better monitoring.

Assault Air Bike: This stationary bike has a solid air resistance system backed by a fan with 6 blades. The seat is adjustable to suit all users, and the arm bars are made of thick steel tubes that can last a lifetime. The console is also quite updated and displays workout-related data for easy monitoring.

Assembly & Portability  

Rogue Echo Bike: The Rogue Fitness Echo bike may not come assembled, but assembly is very easy. All tools necessary for assembly are included with the product, and the instruction manual is very elaborate and accurate. You should have no problem with assembly. Portability shouldn’t be a problem either as the bike is fitted with polyurethane wheels at the front. This makes it easier to move the bike or to stow it away.

Assault Air Bike: Setting up the Assault bike isn’t difficult either. You have the instruction manual with the product, and assembly should take about half an hour. You can also move it around quite comfortably.

Drive System

Rogue Echo Bike: The Rogue Fitness Echo bike is fitted with a belt drive that makes it less prone to damages. The belt drive is smooth, quiet, and low maintenance, making it perfect for a home gym. That said, the belt drive makes it difficult to get the bike started and gain momentum. You need to put in more effort to keep it running which enhances the intensity of your workouts, thus fulfilling the basic functionality of an air bike. 

Assault Air Bike: This bike, on the other hand, is operated by a chain drive that makes it prone to wear and tear. That’s why an Assault airbike will need more care to keep it in shape. However, riding it is a bit easier than the Rogue Echo. Once you are accustomed to using it, you can keep going without difficulty. 

Don’t miss:

10 Best Exercise Bike Seats
5 Best Exercise Bikes for Bad Knees
10 Best Stationary Bike Stands

Noise

Rogue Echo Bike: The Echo bike, operated by a belt drive, is the quieter of the two. It produces a low sound like a rower and will not disturb your family or housemates during your early morning workouts or at times when noise can be a bother.

Assault Air Bike: The Assault fan bike, however, doesn’t fare well in this segment. It produces enough sound to make TV watching difficult. This makes it unsuitable for an early morning workout as it can create disturbance for neighbors. 

Cost 

Rogue Echo Bike: The Rogue Echo is one of the expensive exercise bike models in the market today. 

Assault Air Bike: The Assault Air Bike may not be the cheapest airbike, but it sure costs much less than the Rouge Echo. 

What Is Better Rogue Echo Bike Or Assault Air Bike? 

The Echo bike is a better choice in many ways in the given price range. It is built heavily, which makes it perfect if you are going to put in a lot of effort. However, with a bigger Q factor, this fan bike is unsuitable for petite people and people with short legs. In short,

• Choose the Rogue Fitness Echo bike for a smooth, quiet, and hardy performance.
• Choose the Assault bike if you are short or average in height and want an exercise bike that is tough and sturdy.

If you are keen on a bike for garage gym that is heavy as hell and will not wobble or give in during extreme workout sessions, then the Rogue Echo is a better choice. Its beefy structure ensures that it can handle any strain or pressure that you throw at it.

The Assault Air Bike, on the other hand, has quite a few downsides when compared to the Echo but does a great job if you aren’t going too hard on the machine. You can buy one for your home gym if you are looking for some great performance at a cheaper price.