Nordictrack S15i vs Assault airbike elite

This is a comparison of the Nordictrack S15i and the Assault airbike elite including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Assault airbike elite

The Assault Airbike elite comes in at $1299. 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 airbike elite

Air assault has been around a while in the world of Air bikes. The elite is their take on taking it tongue next level. Compared to the basic version you will get an upgraded LCD, bigger seat and sturdier steel frame. The Air Assault Elite comes with the following specifications:

Color Black
Product weight 140LB
Length 51“
Width 27“
Height 55“

Airbikes are a great option for your cardiovascular training. The resistance increases naturally the faster you go. This makes it a great tool for interval training. In addition, you also address your entire body. With the assault bike, you also have the option to only focus on the upper or lower body by keeping the feet or arms engaged or out of the loop. If you want something else from a treadmill and find cycling not challenging enough the air assault elite is the best you can get in the market.

Pros of the Assault airbike elite

The pros of the Assault air bike elite are:

Most up to date LCD computer
Bluetooth capability
Overbuilt
Strong brand
Price

Compared to other air bikes the assault bike elite has one of the most advanced computers. If this is important to yourself or the image your gym want to convey, this is a great option. Quite a few other vendors are behind when it comes to this. Still, keep in mind that most options will never be used.

The Bluetooth capability is nice in the age of the internet of things. You might want to combine the output of the air bike with other technology you are using for analysis or your clients just want to hook your phone up.

I personally admit that I like overbuilt gym equipment. I lift comparatively heavy and like to abuse any kind of cardio machine I am on. That I weigh 90kg does not help the machines. If it rattles and I feel like it will break right under me, I am not too impressed. If you have a team of rugby players to entertain, maybe spent the extra money so that they feel like they are safe.

With the Assault, you are hooking up with a company that has been around the block. You can expect good customer service.

The price is good when you compare the Assault air Bike elite to another top of range endurance machines like the TrueForm Runner, Versaclimber SM, and Run Rocket. When you compare Airbike to Airbike the story is a little different.

Cons of the Assault airbike elite

Cons of the Assault Air bike elite are:

Price
Specificity

The main point against the elite is the price. When you compare Airbike to Airbike the elite comes in at almost double the price compared to other Airbike options. Are the extra features worth giving up on one extra Airbike for the same time? Most of the times probably not unless you are 7’ 10” tall and weigh 250kg. You can also make an argument for this if your marketing strategy is to never ever be seen to be cheap because you charge your clients a fortune for your services (well to them it is peanuts, but that is precisely why you have to give them the best of everything).

The other downside to the Assault Air bike elite is that the movement pattern is not specific to most sports. Except cycling, the carryover will not be as high as with a treadmill or run rocket when you train athlete who competes on their feet on a pitch.

Alternatives to the Assault Airbike elite

Alternatives to the Assault Air Bike elite are:

The TrueForm runner is the best you can get in the realm of self-propelled treadmills. It will put you back considerably more than the Assault air bike elite. However, if you consider the Elite budget is probably not one of your main concerns.

What goes for the TrueForm also holds true for the Versaclimber SM. The SM is the top of range product of Versaclimber with all the bells and whistles and a generous warranty for commercial use. If you want the workout that burns the most calories per square foot over time this is the way to go.

The Rogue Echo bike is the reasonable choice if you want an Airbike at a normal price tag. The Echo is overbuilt and Rogue took the best ideas from the existing mass products and offers them at a very competitive price tag for the amount of bike you get.

Summary for the Assault airbike elite

The assault air bike elite is a great option for you if you train big athletes or only want the best of everything. It is also one of the cheaper options for top equipment when you want to offer your clients or yourself that special care. If you are budget conscious you can save about half by getting solid alternatives from the mid-market price range which are under $1000.

Overview and review of the Nordictrack S15i 2199 / 1599 (UK/US)

This article discusses the pros, cons, and alternatives for the Nordictrack S15i.This review was originally posted in “Which Nordictrack bike to get”. Follow the links for more details.

The S15i Nordictrack is part of the flag line S series from Nordictrack. Its main features are the 14-inch screen, 20% incline, and the two free dumbbells which can be put on the bike. The S15i will be a good choice for anyone who wants to exercise at home and bring the outdoors indoors. It comes with an I fit subscription for the first year and is more space-efficient than treadmills or ellipticals. The full list of features reads as followed:

14” Smart HD Touchscreen
Watts Power Readout
Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
Auxiliary Music Port
Two 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers

Ergonomic Padded Saddle
AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
Non-slip, Multi-position Handlebar
Vertical & Horizontal Seat Adjustment

Inertia-enhanced Flywheel
-10% – 20% Incline
SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
OneTouch® Controls
Enhanced Corrosion Resistance
Large Diameter Adjustable Leveling Feet
22 Digital Resistance Levels
150 kg User Capacity
Commercial Grade Steel Construction

Dual Water Bottle Holders
Two 3 Lb. Dumbbells Included
Compatible with Standard Road Bike Pedals & Seat
Front-mounted Transport Wheels
Assembled Dimensions - 141 L x 55 W x 154 H cm
Warranty - 2 Years parts and labour; 5 year frame guarantee upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.

This is a solid option if the S22i is not in stock and you are in a rush or just want a little smaller screen. Still, around 2000 for just a bike is a hefty investment for a home gym. For this amount of money, you can buy a squat stand, barbell, and plates if you are more into strength.

Pros of the S15i

The pros of the S15i are as followed:

14-inch screen
20% incline
Free dumbbells

The S15i omes with a high-quality touch screen which Nordictrack also uses in their elliptical and treadmill setups. This is a good size and the screen is crisp. If you care about screens you will not be disappointed with this one.

The S15i gives you a wide range of incline options from -10% up to 20%. With this you can simulate most outdoor rides at home. Combined with the Ifit this makes a compelling workout machine for the home which keeps you engaged a long time. From the easiest to the most challenging workouts you will find something for any level in the Nordictrack repository.

The free dumbbells are a nice bonus to make the S15i a home gym rather than just a bike. Apart from the regular bike workouts Nordictrack also has stretches and strength exercises in their library which can be done on and off the bike to make it a 360-degree experience. Don't expect too much for strength results out of two 3lbs dumbbells, but they definitely will help anyone who likes to tone and stretch.

Cons of the S15i

The Cons of the Nordictrack S15i are:

No hrm
Price to screen ratio
No Bluetooth

The S15i, as the S22i do not come with a Heart rate monitoring device and also has no Bluetooth. For a machine with such a price tag this is definitely an oversight on Nordictrack's behalf. Experienced cyclists might want to sync all of their data with their polar devices from the indoor and outdoor runs and just simply can not do that as there is no Bluetooth to hook up. Great for Nordictrack to monopolize the data and lock you in. Bad for anyone who wants to use more than just the S15i to stay fit. As there is no Bluetooth you will also not be able to hook up your Bluetooth headphones to the machine. This can be a real bummer if you live in a house with thin walls or just like your music and instructions extra loud.

Another thing specific to the S15i is the price to screen ratio. When you purchase you will at some stage make a decision whether you need a big touchscreen to keep engaged or not. If you decide that this is throwing money in a bottomless pit, you will probably not get any screen at all. If you decide you want a screen, you will probably tend towards getting one that is as big as possible. If that is the case you might as well go for the S22i. The price of both bikes is the 2000 range so you might as well go for 22 instead of 14 inches and take it all the way down to town. If you can afford a 2000 bike you can afford one for 2500. Why compromise at the upper range of the portfolio?

Alternatives to the Nordictrack S15i

These are alternatives to the S15i in the same price range:

The Nordictrack X9i treadmill is the cheapest 40% incline treadmill in the Nordictrack portfolio. It is a little outdated as the Product range has moved on to the X32i, X22i, and X11i in the United States. In the UK the X9i is still available. The X9i has a relatively small screen but makes up for it with a strong motor and incline. If you have space, run a lot, and care for an incline up to 40% this might be a better option than shelling out 2000 on the S15i.

The Nordictrack T9.5 is another option that would even save you a little money compared to the S15i. The main point this treadmill has going for it is a very strong motor. If you want to put in a lot of miles per week without crazy inclines and a reasonable screen, this can also be an option.

If you have to accommodate different fitness levels in your home or do not have space in your commercial setting to have a lot of machines, then the FS7i can be a good option. This elliptical has the option to function as a treadmill, stepper, and elliptical based on how you use it. This gives it a very wide range of people to work with. The downside of the design is that it takes up more space than the S15i, is more prone to error, and has no option for a big screen to be attached. The free stride technology also requires a little bit of balance and fine motor skills to make it work for you. This might be overwhelming for the very clumsy among us. who are better off opting for an elliptical with a fixed range of motion.

The concept 2 model D is the classic rowing machine that dominates this segment of the fitness market. If you want to save about 1000 compared to the S15i and like rowing this is a viable option. It will take more space than a bike, but can be hanged on the wall if it is not used. In a commercial setting this is also more cost-efficient to built a fleet rather than paying 2000 per unit with the S15i.

My personal favorite for home gyms is the Rogue Echo bike. for about 700 you will get a tank of an airbike that has everything that is necessary to take everything out of you. If you do not need a screen to be entertained and want one of the best stationary bikes for home use, this is the one. However, this bike has been designed with the serious athlete in mind. Comfort or entertainment was only an afterthought in this design.

Summary for the Nordictrack S15i

The S15i has the same bike as a base then the S22i. The main reason to look into this direction in the Nordictrack portfolio is that you want a bike with a big screen but not go over 2000 to get it. In my opinion, this is a bit of a false economy to make you feel less bad about shelling out 2500 on a bike, when you could buy a used car for the kids for that. If you think you need the luxury of a touch screen to work out, you might as well buy the S22i. If you want to justify the purchase you will use this bike for probably five years at least. So just spent 100 less a year on fitness toys and you are fine. Another option is to just get rid of the touch screen and save 2000.