Bells of Steel Blitz Rower Review | Our Most Detailed Look

Dimensions/Storability

Bells Of Steel recommends separating the rower into two pieces for storage. The Blitz Rower can be split in two on the rail at the bottom of the footboards and pedals. We don’t see why you couldn’t store it upright, too. We store ours upright. You just need to make sure you have a high enough ceiling to do this.

For transporting and storing the Blitz Air Rower, there are two front transportation wheels so you can lift up the back end of the rail to move it.

Geometry

• Footprint: 95″ L x 24.25″ W x 37.5″ H
• Pedal Footboards: 11″ L
• Pedal Width: 13.5″
• Monorail: 12″ H
• Seat: 12″ W x 10″ D x 15″ H
• Belt Drive: 26″ from where the belt (or chain) appears from the flywheel

Onboard Workouts & Apps

Don’t expect a ton of workout options and apps built into the Bells of Steel Blitz Rower. Its content offerings are minimal. However, some of you might be after such a straightforward machine.

Console

What makes most air rowers convenient to use is that they don’t require electricity. The Bells Of Steel Blitz Air Rower has a battery-powered console like many other air rowers.

Once you pull the handle and start rowing, the console turns on.

It tracks important metrics like your time, time per 500m, distance, estimated calories, heart rate (when paired with a compatible monitor), strokes per minute, total strokes, and watt output, which is your power. You can also see the damper level on the screen.

There are also different settings to choose from. If you just start rowing, the console will start in manual mode, where you can row for as long or as little as you want. There are also custom settings where you can do interval training and set custom intervals. You can also set target time, distance, calories, stroke, and heart rate goals.

You can reset the settings by pushing the “Reset” button. The console’s other buttons are “Set” and “Mode.” I wish there were more buttons to navigate and adjust the custom workout settings slightly easier. Currently, the console isn’t the most streamlined or intuitive to use.

The iConsole is also Bluetooth-enabled to connect to compatible heart rate monitors and the Kinomap app. Compared to the PM5 Monitor on the Concept2, this console doesn’t offer as many features or connectivity.

Like other rowers, there isn’t storage to put your water bottle.

There is a small ledge in front of the console where you can place your phone.

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Build Quality

Although the Bells Of Steel Blitz Air Rower hasn’t been around long, it feels well-constructed and built. It is lightweight but feels durable and capable of handling a lot of use. It doesn’t hurt that it shares many similarities with the tried and tested Concept2. Even with so many similarities, Bells Of Steel didn’t cut any corners with this design, especially regarding comfort.

Frame

This is where the Bells Of Steel Blitz Air Rower most resembles the C2. These rowers have the same design, from the monorail to the front and rear stabilizers. The Blitz weighs around 90 lbs and can handle up to 320 lbs—not as much as the Concept2, which can handle up to 500 lbs, but still a good amount of weight.

The frame is made out of steel and aluminum.

The Blitz Air Rower should work well for most people. The rail is about 12″ high, with the seat around 15″ high, so it’s pretty easy to get on and off. Lower seats like those on water rowers may not be suitable for people with mobility issues. They can also be harder to use if the seat and pedals are the same height because this requires more hip flexion.

The monorail is really stable, the same length as the RowErg, and the seat glides over it smoothly.

Footboard & Pedals

The footboards are two separate pieces that sit under each pedal on either side of the rail. Regarding width, the footboards and pedals have a nice space between them to work better for most people.

When testing home rowers, we like to see some space between the pedals. This helps to give larger users and beginners enough room to not feel constricted. Rowers with pedals that are close together resemble outdoor rowing shells more similarly, but they can also feel harder for most people to use.

The pedals adjust up and down to fit a good range of shoe sizes.

They’re compatible with athletic shoes. The bottom heel clips fit around your heels to help hold your feet in place.

We noticed that when the pedals are extended to the largest settings, the heel clips hang off the bottom of the footboards. So, users with larger feet will have their heels hanging off the bottom. Over time, this could cause some damage to the heel clips since they don’t have a complete area to push off from in the drive, and they’re just made out of plastic.

We would like to see the footboards lengthened by just a few inches on a future upgrade. For most, though, they work just fine.

Matt’s shoe heels hang off the bottom of the footboards slightly.

One aspect that I really like about the pedals is the Velcro straps. They’re thick, so they hold your feet in place well, and the Velcro makes strapping in and out of the rower really fast and easy. We prefer Velcro straps on rowers.

Handle

Right above the pedals is the handle. This handle is rounded, light-padded, and versatile. I like its texture: It is gritty and grippy, so it doesn’t feel slippery in your hands.

I can wrap my hands comfortably around the handle.

The middle also has finger-webbing, like the C2, so you can do single-arm rowing. I think the finger-webbing design works for most people, but if you have larger hands and fingers, you might prefer the open design on the Assault AirRower Elite’s handle for single-arm rowing.

The Blitz Rower handle is long enough for rowers of various sizes. It doesn’t rotate and isn’t as padded as the Aviron Rowers’ handle, but the texture is nice. It also is designed to keep your hands and wrists in alignment so they stay in a neutral position throughout the stroke.

Seat

It seems to be the same one on the AssaultRower Elite. It is one of the most comfortable seats we’ve used on rowers. It has contouring in the back for your tailbone and in the front for your thighs. The cushioning is forgiving for improved comfort. On firm seats, my glutes tend to hurt and sometimes go numb when rowing for long periods, but this seat is soft.

I really like this seat.

The seat has some texture, so it doesn’t feel slippery, especially when wearing slippery shorts or leggings.

Unlike the Assault, the seat doesn’t lock into place when not in use, so use caution when storing and moving the Bells Of Steel Rower.

Flywheel

I did notice that when you first start rowing, the fan blades can feel a little harder to get moving than other rowers during the first stroke. I’m not sure if they’re a little heavier than other fan blades, but once you’re rowing and the blades are moving, the tension feels consistent.

The flywheel on the Bells Of Steel Blitz Air Rower is a fan.

It is the same size as the Concept2’s fan. The Blitz also has a chain drive system. So, a chain connects the handle to the flywheel. This makes the Blitz a little louder to use, in addition to the fan, which creates noise. It also makes each stroke feel a little grittier than belt drives.

It really comes down to personal preference between the two drive systems. Some folks prefer chains, while others prefer quiet and smoother belts. If noise is an issue for you, you might want a magnetic or water rower with a belt drive, but if noise isn’t a factor, then look into the air rower like the Bells Of Steel.

Chains can require some maintenance with time.[/caption

They often need to be tightened and lubricated occasionally, while belts don’t. The chain on the Blitz, however, feels tight. It is nice to give you a good amount of contact on the resistance, and it helps to encourage you to recover from the finish more naturally.

Resistance

The Bells Of Steel Blitz Air Rower uses air as resistance. There are vents in the fan that allow air inside. Once you start rowing, the fan blades in the flywheel start moving and pushing against the air that gets sucked into the vents.

Air rowers are known for providing unlimited tension to pull against. The harder and faster you row (increasing your intensity), the more resistance you get. While there aren’t set resistance levels, there is also no maximum level at which the resistance tops out.

[caption id="attachment_33688" align="aligncenter" width="705"]The flywheel does have a damper on it with ten levels like the Concept2.

This gives you a little more range to work with when rowing versus just changing up your effort levels. Level 1 lets in the least amount of air, which gives you less resistance, while level 10 lets in the most air, giving you the most resistance to pull against.

Something to keep in mind is that the damper can’t be changed when you’re sitting on the rower. Like the C2, you have to get up to adjust the setting or, at the very least, unstrap one foot. The damper does feel easier to adjust, but it feels so much easier that it can be harder to set to a specific setting.

If I close my eyes, I have to concentrate hard on feeling the differences between the Bells Of Steel Blitz Air Rower and the Concept2 RowErg.

Warranty

Bells Of Steel includes a 5-year warranty for the frame and a 2-year warranty for parts with the purchase of the Blitz Air Rower. This rower is pretty simple to assemble. It is shipped in two separate packages.

Should You Buy the Bells of Steel Blitz Rower

The Bells Of Steel Blitz Air Rower is another piece of cardio equipment from the brand that is proven to be functional, robust, and comfortable. It not only looks like the Concept2 but also performs similarly. We love the comfy seat, versatile handle, and lightweight yet durable design.

This air rower provides unlimited resistance, can be stored upright or in half, and handles users of most sizes. It doesn’t require electricity because the console is battery-powered and straightforward. Plenty of metrics tracking and workout options exist for high-intensity training, conditioning, and long-distance rowing.

The Blitz does make noise, but it is appropriate for most home and public gyms.

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Bells of Steel Blitz Rower Q&A / FAQ

Is 15 minutes a day enough on the Bells of Steel Blitz Rower?

Fifteen minutes of rowing per day on the Bells of Steel Blitz Rower could be enough if you are new to rowing or rowing at a higher intensity. If you prefer shorter rowing sessions, try incorporating 10 to 30-second high-intensity intervals into your routine. You can supplement your rowing with resistance training to develop a well-rounded exercise routine.

Is it worth it to buy the Bells of Steel Blitz Rower?

The Bells of Steel Blitz Rower is worth it for exercisers who want to save as much money as possible but desire a quality air rower. It is a more affordable alternative to the Concept2 RowErg. It is also a good air rowing machine in its own right, with a comfortable seat and simple console.

What are the disadvantages of the Bells of Steel Blitz Rower?

The Bells of Steel Blitz Rower is an air rower with a chain drive, making it very loud. It may not be ideal for apartment renters or exercisers training in close proximity to others. It also has very limited training options and is not the best option for anyone looking for guided training.

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