TITAN fan bike vs Concept 2 bikeerg
This is a comparison between the TITAN fan bike and Concept 2 bikeerg including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally published in Which cardio equipment to get from TITAN. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Concept two bikeErg
The Concept 2 bikeErg comes in at $999. 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".
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Overview of the Concept 2 bikeErg
The
concept 2 bikeErg is concept 2‘s take on bringing the real cycling experience to your home. Most
bike parts are compatible with the
bikeErg so you can attach your own pedals, saddle and handles to simulate your bicycle. The
bikeErg also has been designed with increasing resistance the faster you go. The mechanics simulate shifting gears to get you ready for the real ride. All of this comes with poly groove belts instead of a chain. This ensures a smooth ride which does not produce too much noise. The
bikeErg comes with the following specs:
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Assembled in the US
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Color black
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Length 48”
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Width 24”
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Weight 58lb
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Made of Aluminium
Concept 2 has a long history of building machines for cardio. The bread butter machine is the concept 2 rower and recently the company has added the
skierg and
bikeErg to their portfolio. The bikeerg is the machine for you if you want to cycle at home and can not always take to the road to do your training.
Pros of the Concept 2 bikeErg
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Lightweight construction
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Adaptable
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Simulated gears
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PM5 monitor
The lightweight aluminum construction is an advantage for what this machine wants to achieve. Real world bicycles are usually built as light as possible. If you want your home training to be specific for cycling in a triathlon or the gourde France, you can not have a bulky
Airbike to replace the experience.
If you want you to take all of the sports you touch as a driver apart and swap them for your own. This way you can get very close to riding your actual
bike from the comfort of your home.
The
bikeErg simulates the switching of gears during the ride so you get as close to the real experience than you can.
Finally, the PM5 monitor will enable you to race against others in parallel on multiple
bikeErg. This can result in great fun for spinning classes.
Cons of the Concept 2 bikeErg
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No full body work out
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Not for the big guys
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It’s indoors
The
concept 2 bikeErg will mainly focus on your legs. Therefore you will not get a lot of an upper body workout from your session. If this is important to you, you might want to go for the
Rogue Echo bike instead.
The
concept 2 bikeErg is lightweight and therefore build for cyclists. If you have a lot of football players on your roster you might want to go for one of the bigger Airbikes to make sure they don’t fall off.
Last but not least, nothing is like the real experience. If you want to compete in cycling you also must put in the miles on your
bike outdoors. Otherwise, it is very likely that you will fail on race day.
Alternatives to the Concept 2 bikeErg
Alternatives to the concept 2 bike erg are
If you are buying equipment for your home gym and you are more on the extreme side of things you might prefer the
Rogue Echo bike. This is the solid all body workout for the weekend warrior.
The
concept 2 skierg is a great variation from concept 2 for anyone who skies. It simulates the upper body movement of skiing. Thing of it like a marathon version of a lat pulldown machine.
If you are shopping for a commercial gym you also might want to throw in a couple of rowers to mix things up. Avoid getting all of the same. Concept 2 actually has a mix pack on offer at Rogue where you can buy a
skierg, bikeErg, and rower in one go.
Overview and review of the TITAN fan bike
This is an overview of the TITAN fan bike including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally published in Which cardio equipment to get from TITAN. Follow the links for more details.
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Overview of the TITAN Fan bike
The
TITAN fan bike is a clone of the
Rogue Echo bike with massive wheels on it. One other major difference is that it is driven by a chain rather than a belt. Price-wise it undercuts the
Rogue echo bike.
Fanbikes are ideal for interval training to really kick your butt with Tabata training or other forms of interval training. For this,
fan bikes are far superior to
treadmills or
rowing machine. If you want to burn the maximum amount of calories in the shortest amount of time,
fan bikes are the best option for the lowest price. The details of the
TITAN fan bike are:
Height: 50-in
Seat height: 33 - 42.75 in
Footprint: 50.25-in x 20.375-in
Handle diameter: 38 mm
Wheel diameter: 10-in x 3-in.
Finish: Powder-Coated Black
Material: Heavy-Duty Steel
Weight capacity: 330lb
Product weight: 111lb.
- Fully enclosed metal chain drive
- Removable fan guard
- LCD Console Display with customizable modes
- Bluetooth Heart Rate function pairs with Polar® Bluetooth Heart Rate Transmitters
- Tracks Time, Distance, Heart Rate, RPM, Calories, Watts, Odometer
- High-Intensity Interval Training Programs
- Large ergonomic seat with multi-adjustment options
- Knurled footpegs and rear handle
- Reinforced metal foot pedals
- Sealed cartridge bearings utilized in every pivot
- Turf tires for easy moving over any terrain
- Aluminum Water Bottle Holder
- Phone holder with grippy pad
- Assembly hardware
This is a solid low price fan bike, especially if you want to use it outside. The only downside is the chain which is more likely to break than a belt.
Pros of the TITAN Fan bike
The price of the
TITAN fan bike is something to behold and undercuts the
Rogue Echo bike even further. The
Echo bike already was an attack on the $1000 mark in the Airbike sector and TITAN is taking it one step further by making it even cheaper.
Another bonus are the bigger wheels on the TITAN. This is a smart move on TITAN's behalf to differentiate the
TITAN fan bike from the rest of the line up in
fan bikes. These big wheels are great for the outdoors or a garage gym with very rough surfaces.
Cons of the TITAN fan bike
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Computer unit
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Chain drive
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Build
The computer unit and arrangement of the buttons is not as convenient as with other vendors on the market. The computer of the
Rogue Echo bike has different programs on speed dial beside the panel and the display is also bigger. The display is also a little removed from you so that your sweat won't drop as easily on it. If you lean forward on the
TITAN fan bike on a strenuous session, your sweat will be all over the screen.
Chain drives are cheaper and easier to build but also make for a less smooth transition of force to the flywheel and make the machine more prone to malfunction. This is more of a consideration for very heavy users, as it takes some time to get a chain to break, but still, something to consider, especially in commercial settings.
Overall the
TITAN fan bike is one of the air bikes that feels the flimsiest of the different products which are available in the market from bigger vendors. This is TITAN's style of cutting corners where they can to bring you the cheapest possible viable product for a given purpose. If you want to save money, you'll like it.
Alternatives to the TITAN Fan bike
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NordicTrack VU 19
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Schwinn Airdyne
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Versaclimber
The
Rogue Echo bike has been the disruptor in the market of air bikes. It was the first air bike of a reputable brand that undercut the $1000 mark while still being sturdy. This is the gold standard and if you want to be sure what you are getting, opt for the
Echo bike. I own one myself and have put it to a lot of abuse. The only downside of this bike is that it does not have a screen for watching movies, but that is the same for the
TITAN fan bike.
The Nordictrack VU 19 is one of the cheapest bikes in the collection of Nordictrack. This bike is more focused on long-distance cycling and comfort for the masses. You will get a small screen to watch movies or browse the internet. This is what would work for the entire family without intimidating anyone. The only disadvantage is that this bike is $1000 instead of considerably lower like the
Rogue echo bike and
TITAN fan bike.
The Schwinn Airdyne fan bike is the original market leader in the industry which has been dethroned by the
Rogue Echo bike. If you want to buy from a company that has been around for a long time and focuses majorly on cardio machines then Schwinn is the right bet.
Versaclimber is the tool to get if you want to burn the most calories possible in the shortest amount of time on the smallest footprint. A workout on a Versaclimber is relentless and will get your pulse racing and sweat rolling. To top this of these machines also have a very small footprint and therefore save space in any home gym environment. The disadvantages are that you need a high ceiling and that the price is far beyond $1000. If you only want the best and be fast
Conclusion for the TITAN Fan bike
The
TITAN fan bike is everything that TITAN stands for. They take a great product where another company took the lead. Then they try to get a share of that market by becoming the cost leader. This is reflected in the product, its finish, and the subtle little details like the sweat dripping directly on the electronics. The
Fan bike will do its job and it will do it well. If you want to be proud of your equipment you might want to look somewhere else. But in the end, it is just fitness equipment.