Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle vs Assault air runner

This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness GR3 Indoor cycle and the Assault air runner including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of the Assault air runner

The Assault Air runner comes in at $3699. In this article you will learn more about the product itself, its Pros and cons and alternatives you might want to consider. This article has originally been published in the overview "Which conditioning equipment to buy from Rogue".

Overview of the Assault Air runner

The assault air runner is stake on the treadmill which is free of an electrical motor and highly portable. The air assault runner will be propelled by your own bodyweight. This means that it will be easier for you to accelerate and break during your workouts to simulate real-life conditions in running. The specifications of the Assault air runner are:

Product weight 280LB
Color black
Length 69.9”
Width 32.8”
Height 32.8”

This machine has been endorsed by the CrossFit community and Rogue Fitness. The area for footfall is curved to minimize the impact. This makes it easier for the joints compared to regular treadmills. You will also buy this from a multi-product company which has been around for a while. This is especially important if you are going to buy for commercial use and make heavy use of the service and warranty that comes with the machine.

Pros of the Assault Air runner

These are the pros of the Assault air runner compared to other similar products and for endurance needs

Lightweight
Price
Company
Innovative
Monitor

Compared to other treadmills and the TrueFrom runner it is lightweight and mobile. The fact that it comes in wheels is especially good for a gym setup where you like to change group setups a lot. You can clearly see that Assault went with the TrueForm runner design and optimized it for CrossFit gyms.

The price is also a big advantage when you compare like for like. There are two main options out there when you want a self-propelled treadmill. The assault air runner has about a $2000 advantage in the TrueForm runner. That is a considerable amount of money when you buy for your home gym or multiple units for a gym outlet.

Assault has been around for roughly 20 years and has solid revenue streams from three different product lines. With this piece of equipment, you are likely to get proper support and background for your needs. TrueForm hasn’t been around that long and their channels are a bit less developed.

Compared to other treadmills and ellipticals the experience with the assault runner for yourself or your client will be more innovative compared to other options. This Ingram attracts some extra clients as you differentiate from the next gym around the corner. Especially the ones who appreciate quality and might pay a higher price.

The monitor on the Assault air runner is better than the one on the TrueForm runner based on some reports. If you care about the settings on a machine you propel yourself this might be a deciding factor for you.

Cons of the Assault air runner

Price
Me too approach
Mechanics
Fewer options

Price can also be a con when you compare the outcome rather than like for like. If your main goal is to improve your endurance and lose weight without being specific to running there are options which are a lot more budget friendly. The Rogue echo bike would be one of them which still gives you a kick up the bum without costing as much as an entire home gym.

This is more of an ethical one, but if you support innovation you might want to go for the TrueForm runner. The original idea seems to have come from the first in a well-executed way. Assault just has the experience to copy and mass produce the idea more efficiently and effectively which will probably win the market for self-propelled treadmills.

Based on some reports I have read and seen the air assault runner accelerates in an unnatural way making you way faster than you actually should be. The TrueForm runner seems to be doing a better job correcting your posture and simulating real-world conditions.

With the TrueForm runner, you can also choose between a field turf and running track surface which the Assault air runner does not offer. If you want to make your training even more specific this might swing it against it.

Alternatives to the Assault Air runner

These are the alternative to the assault air runner:

The TrueForm runner is the original in the market for self-propelled treadmills. If you want a machine for your football athletes to warm up on before going o the field, this is probably the right choice. Who cares about $1000 to $2000 more a pop if the guys running on these things are paid $100000 a match? If you can afford it or if you don’t buy in bulk, the TrueForm runner might be the choice just to have the best.

The rogue echo bike is the realistic version for the home gym to still get a great workout in. A good air bike workout will gas you out and the design is a little more up to date than for the original assault air bike.

For the price of one air assault bike, you can even add a Rogue RM6 rack to your shopping list in addition to the Rogue echo bike. This leaves you with a full gym excluding barbells and plates. Count another $1000 for that.

If you want to spend some extra money for your home for something that is super effective the Versaclimber H might be for you. You still save $1000 compared to the Assault air runner and have a machine that burns the most calories over time per square feet. The vertical climb at home is the most intense thing you can do for your cardiovascular fitness.

Summary for the Assault air runner

The assault air runner is a lower cost option on the idea of self-propelled treadmills. You will buy a piece of equipment from a company with a long tenure which has other products in the market. If you always want the best you probably ought to go for the TrueForm runner. If you want to provide for your gym or use this innovative idea without breaking the bank, go for the TrueForm runner.

Overview and review of the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle

This is an overview of the Horizon fitness GR3 Indoor cycle including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was first published in Which Horizon fitness bike to get?

For the most up to date information and asking direct questions you can follow me on Instagram.

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Overview of the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle $499

The GR3 is the cheapest option to join the Horizon Fitness family. This is a no non-sense spinning bike that provides resistance via a flywheel and mechanical brake system. If you ever have attended a spinning class in your local gym, then this is exactly what you can expect with the GR3. The full specifications are:

Frame Type: Indoor Cycle

Adjustable Pedal straps: Yes

Pedal Type: Pedal Cage with toe strap

Seat Type: Road-Style Saddle

Seat adjustment: Horizontal, Vertical

Resistance System: Friction Brake

Resistance levels: Control knob

Heart Rate: Polar wireless Receiver

Extras: Transport Wheels, Water Bottle Holder

Max User Weight: 286

Weight: 97 lbs.

Assembled dimensions: 49 x 19 x46

Home Warranty Frame: 10 years

Home Warranty Parts: 1 year

Home Warranty Labor: 1 year

Pros of the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle

The pros of the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle are:

Compact
Price
Quality

This is a compact and light bike for indoor cycling if you want to keep it professional and not put the bike you already own on a stand. It is easy to move around and is not as bulky as other cardio options you might have for the home.

The price is great for professional home equipment or pragmatic commercial equipment. In a commercial setting, $500 is not a big loss on the books even if you have troubles with the warranty. In a home gym scenario you get a robust too you are unlikely to break. This is a very low price bar to step over to take your home training seriously.

This is a good quality bike compared to just getting the cheapest option of Amazon or eBay. Go ahead with this bike if you do not need any fancy digital dials and just want to go after it.

Cons of the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle

The cons of the Horizon GR3 indoor cycle are:

Limited online functions
Not suitable for big athletes
Resistance setup

Compared to more modern bikes like the Peloton series, this bike has no fancy internet access and group functions to keep you motivated. So you have to bring that on your own and for a simple spinning bike, you might think it is overpriced. Still stripping things to essentials is often a good thing.

This bike operates at the lower end of the maximum weight of the user as the frame is rather small compared to other machines. If you weigh more than 100kg and go hard at your equipment you might want to choose something with a heavier frame. It will work, but it won’t be fun.

The resistance setup on this machine is completely mechanical which means it is more likely to break. Be prepared that if you use this hard that you will have to swap the flywheel and break at least once in its lifetime. These are not the most expensive items to replace and especially in a commercial setting you just can have a spare bike, but at home, you will have to wait with training until the repair is done.

Alternatives to the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle

Here are some alternatives to the GR3 indoor cycle:

The Horizon IC 7.9 indoor cycle follows a very similar design to the GR3. The big differences are the more convenient resistance lever, the sturdier frame, and the professional pedals with a clip-in mechanism. If you want a spinning bike that feels a little more like a professional racer or if you weigh more than 100kg, then the Horizon IC 7.9 is the better choice.

The Nordictrack VU19 is the entry-level bike from this brand. If you are looking for something a bit smoother and less wild, this is a good alternative. It also might be an option if stock is running low for Horizon Fitness and you need something fast.

The Rogue echo bike is a great alternative to the GR3 Indoor cycle if you want to step your game up a little. It has a sturdier frame and the resistance is regulated by the big fan and the air that circulates through, rather than a brake pedal. This makes it better for interval training and heavier athletes. For me, the Rogue echo bike is the best cardio machine you can get for a home gym in terms of value for money. The only downsides are that you will have to invest more than for the GR3 and that it is considerably heavier.

The TITAN fan bike is a copycat of the Rogue echo bike with bigger wheels for transport at a smaller price tag. It will do the job, but the overall design and finish are not as on point as with the Rogue echo bike. However, you will save some money that you can put against more equipment.

The concept 2 skierg is one of the most compact cardio machines you can find out there. If you have very limited space, but still do not want to take your cardio outside, the concept 2 skierg is a great option that is also ready ably priced.

Conclusion for the Horizon GR3 Indoor cycle

I personally like a simple design that focuses on the essentials. That is why I own a Rogue echo bike as I weigh more than 100kg. If I would weigh 80kg, the GR3 would be a serious contender to make it into my garage gym.