The Schwinn AD2 Airdyne Exercise Bike is latest wind resistance bike in a long line of Airdyne bikes that have been going for 30 years. They are still as popular as they were when first released.
The wind resistance functionality provides a resistance workout that in intensifies the faster you pedal. The manufacturer says that this bike is more than just an upright stationary bike give you a total body cardio workout that is ideal to meet your fitness goals in the home.
This is not the lowest priced wind resistance bike available, so is it worth the extra money and does it live up to all the marketing hype?
Specifications
- Dimensions: 58 by 25 by 48 inches
- Maximum User Weight: 250 lbs
- LCD Computer Display? Yes
- Transport Wheels? Yes
- Machine Weight 96 lbs
- Manufacturers Warranty: Frame: 5 years, Parts: 1 year, Electronics: 1 year, Labor: 90 days, Wear Items: 90 days
The Pros
Full Body Cardiovascular Workout: You get a full body workout with this bike. The hand rests move in synchronized motion with the pedals so all your body is moving when you are exercising. This can help to give quicker results than you get with just a standard upright bike. You can end up with strong and well toned legs and improved fitness levels but with under-exercised arms and upper body. The AD2 helps prevent this from happening.
To help develop your upper body and arms fitness further, the bike includes fixed point footrests. This means you can focus just on your arms and upper body if you want. This is something that most other bikes in this class offer.
Resistance Progresses: The simple idea of using wind resistance has resulted in a brilliant concept for an exercise bike. You have the possibility of unlimited resistance and speed. You can push yourself as hard as you want and as you increase your pedaling or pumping your arms the more resistance you meet. You are in total control of this. The only limiting factor on all of this is how hard you want to train and will appeal to both serious cyclists or those who just want to concentrate on their upper body.
Assembling: This is one of those bikes that is relatively easy to put together. Most people appear to be able to put it all together in less than one hour by themselves, although having two people makes it easier. The instructions are easy to follow with clear illustrations and there aren’t too many pieces to put together. The pieces have also been well made so they go together easily and there is none of the forcing together of parts that you get with some other bikes.
It would be good to see other companies taking this lead from Schwinn and simplifying the assembly of their bikes. In the meantime, if you get this bike you’ll be pleasantly surprised if you have ever struggled to put together other home fitness equipment.
The Cons
Seat Comfort: Or should I say lack of comfort! Although Shchwinn say this seat is padded and can be sat on for a long period of time. But it just doesn’t live up to the claim. It is a very hard seat with little padding and when sat on for a long period of time you suffer from the well known aches of pains associated with bicycle seat.
This lack of comfort is probably the worse thing about the bike. It is a pity Schwinn didn’t think about this and sort the problem. However, it can easily remedied by the customer through buying a padded gel seat cover for much needed relief. The cost of this should be factored into the ultimate buying decision as to whether it is the right choice of bike.
No Stationary Arms: You can concentrate solely on your arms and upper body while using this bike because of the fixed legs points. However, it doesn’t give you the same opportunity to focus just on your legs. The arms keep moving. It would be a great option to be able to turn this movement off when you want to just get the legs pumping. For the time being you’ll have to either rest your hands on your legs or hang them at your sides while you get busy working out your legs.
Should You Buy The Schwinn AD2 Airdyne Exercise Bike?
Schwinn are a well regarded supplier of exercise bikes for many years. They introduced wind resistance bikes into the market about 30 years ago and continue to lead the way, even though others have tries to imitate their lead, they have fallen short.
You get unlimited resistance with the AD2 Airdyne, but you don’t get a lot of variety in your workout. The faster you go the more resistance there is, so it is not the most multi-featured bike you can use.
The seat is badly designed and will cause aches and pains in the rear end when used for an extended period. In spite of that it is a well-put together bike that is easy to assemble. It is a great bike for those who want a full body cardio workout and to get fit at home.
Many users will find this an ideal solution. If you are looking to get one for your home then you might want to get a padded seat cover now rather than going through the aches and pains and then getting one later
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