Schwinn Airdyne AD7 Pro Review 2024 – Pedal Hard or Go Home

Dimensions/Storability

The Airdyne AD7 bike has wheels under the front stabilizer, so you can tip it and gently roll it out of the way. Remove any water bottles or phones before moving your bike.

The bike does not fold up, and it is a bit heavy at 113 lbs, but this isn’t the heaviest bike we’ve tested. For a bike this size, we recommend finding a dedicated space to use it; however, it can be tipped and rolled when needed.

Its dimensions are 53” L x 26.5” W x 53” H.

Onboard Workouts & Apps

Air bikes are the kind of machine that you don’t have to worry about using near an electrical outlet. They don’t require electricity and have battery-powered consoles. This means they don’t have the highest tech features, but they come with the right number of workout options, which is my option.

The Airdyne has a pretty large console that’s easy to read, and it includes plenty of onboard workout programs. Here is what you can expect.

Onboard Workouts

Tabatas, 30/90 second intervals, and custom intervals are what’s possible on the AD7 Pro. This is pretty standard, although I tend to see inverted Tabatas (10/20 second) intervals on most other air bikes. If you want to do inverted Tabatas, you can create them in the custom mode.

Targeted time, calorie, and distance training are all available on the console, too. This is where you can select goal times, distances, or calorie goals to work towards during your workout.

Although you’ll need to buy their Polar chest strap separately, you can also do heart rate training on the Schwinn Airdyne. With the chest strap, you can track your heart rate in real-time on the console.

Console

Like other air bikes, this is a pretty basic console. It doesn’t have a video screen or other fancy features found on studio bikes, but this is because air bikes are used differently. Rather than sitting on the bike for hours, pedaling while you watch a program, air bikes are designed for high-intensity training and short bursts of full power. Although, you can ride on them for longer if you want.

The console provides just what is needed for HIIT and interval training with the included onboard workout programs. It also tracks all your vital metrics like speed, mph, watts, RPMs, and heart rate.

I like the fact that it includes a cup holder and a small pocket for your phone or earbuds. There isn’t a device rack to stream content from your phone or tablet, though.

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Build Quality

The Schwinn Airdyne AD7 Pro is a hearty air bike with a reinforced steel frame, comfortable seat, and extra thick air blades. The flywheel is bigger and wider than comparable air bikes and the wider air blades create more resistance.

The Airdyne AD7 Pro is heavy and difficult to move, but it feels very sturdy while riding. Compared to other air bikes, there is no rocking motion from side to side, even when pulling the handlebars as hard as possible. We find the Airdyne to be absolutely solid. The stabilizers are wide and have adjustable leveling feet underneath.

I wish the coverings on the frame weren’t plastic, but these don’t seem to affect the bike’s durability.

Frame

The black frame with white and red accents and lettering is striking. Schwinn wants users to know this bike will be a lovely addition to your workout space without looking like something you pulled out of the garage.

Stabilizers on both the front and rear provide balance, and both stabilizers have red leveling feet underneath that adjust up or down for more stability. The seat post is supported by a steel bar and has two adjustment points.

It also has a textured step area to help riders get on and off the bike safely. The handlebars attach on either side of the flywheel for upper body work, and the console sits between the handlebars for a perfect view.

One of our favorite features on this bike is the multiple handlebar grips. Two horizontal grips with an external vertical connector provide plenty of places to hold and engage different muscles in your arms, back, and chest.

Again, we have to mention the impressive 10-year warranty on the frame. This bike is not only well built, but Schwinn has backed it up with a more extensive warranty than comparable models.

The Airbike has two points of adjustment. The seat moves up and down as well as forward and aft. The handlebars are one solid piece and do not adjust up or down. The adjustment points are important for enabling users to find the right bike fit when using the AD7.

Even if you only plan to do a quick HIIT session of 90 seconds on with a 30 second recovery, we recommend adjusting the seat before you begin. A seat that is too low will hurt your knees and a seat that is too high will hurt your posterior (you’ll notice that one sooner). Either way, the AD7 allows different sized users to ride comfortably.

The flat metal pedals will support any athletic shoe. There is no strap over the top of the pedal, so make sure to connect the ball of your foot securely to the pedal while riding. The AD7 pedals are a lighter gray color that contrasts nicely with the dark frame. The pedals do have a rubberized surface and knobs along the sides so your foot doesn’t slip.

The Airdyne AD7 does not plug in. The console is battery powered. You can place your Airdyne AD7 anywhere without needing close proximity to a wall outlet.

Flywheel

The Airdyne Pro bike has a premium 26-blade fan and a weighted inertia ring to ensure that bike output equalizes rider input. This system also helps enable safer start-ups and slow-downs.

The 26 steel blades move air through the flywheel at a speed that is determined by the rider. The faster you pedal and pull the handlebars, the faster the air blades move. This unique flywheel design is what makes air bikes so popular for HIIT intervals. Like an air rower, there is no max resistance.

The flywheel is connected to both the pedals and handlebars — so you can isolate either the upper or lower body as desired. If you want to work your arms during one interval, you can place your feet on the pegs attached to the sides of the flywheel.

If you want to just pedal, remove your hands from the handlebars, and you can isolate your lower body strength. The combination of both upper and lower body training along with max resistance makes the Airdyne AD7 a fantastic training tool. It is not designed to be easy.

Some of the strongest athletes in the world use this bike to train, so expect to be challenged each and every time you use it.

Saddle

The Airdyne AD7 saddle is padded and slightly wider than comparable racing saddles. This seat is comfortable for an indoor bike. Schwinn designed the bike to challenge your strength — not your tush, so there’s plenty of padding for comfort during your ride.

The seat is both sweat and moisture-resistant and can be wiped down to sanitize after each use.

Handles

Most air bikes have standard handles with a single horizontal grip bar. The handles on the Schwinn Airdyne AD7 are our favorite handlebars on an air bike. These have two horizontal grips, which will engage different muscles depending on which one you use.

The multiple grips are also good for different-sized riders, as taller riders will probably naturally prefer the higher grips, and smaller riders have the option of using the lower bar. A lifted edge of the corner of the top bar keeps your hand from slipping off, which is another nice feature.

The two horizontal bars are also connected via a vertical bar that can also be used as a grip. The handlebars flank the flywheel and the console so you can enjoy the airflow from the fan while you ride. You can also easily see and navigate the console as needed.

Air Resistance and Belt Drive

The Airdyne AD7 and Airdyne Pro features a 26-blade fan and a weighted inertia ring. The ring helps keep the fan blades spinning smoothly for a fluid feel in the pedals and handlebars.

Most air bikes use a chain drive system, which can feel rough and is certainly noisier than belt systems. The single-stage belt drive system allows riders to utilize every ounce of effort to generate resistance with minimal loss of power for significantly greater efficiency.

The single-stage belt drive responds immediately to each rider’s effort, so users can capitalize on custom-generated resistance. Two-stage systems most often used on other air bikes lose some power in the transfer, but the belt drive on the Airdyne is both smooth and quiet throughout the rotation.

Warranty

Schwinn includes a nice 10-year frame, 2-year mechanical parts, 1-year electronics, and a 6-month labor warranty with the Airdyne. This is a nice warranty to help instill even more confidence in the proven construction.

Should You Buy The Schwinn Airdyne AD7 Pro?

The Schwinn Airdyne AD7 Pro is a bike we recommend for its great features and price. This air bike has many advantages, such as a belt drive system, which is both smoother and quieter than comparable chain drive systems.

It also has a large flywheel with 26 rotating air blades to move air through the fan. This air bike has unlimited max resistance since it will generate power in accordance with the strength of each rider’s power. The harder you pedal and pull, the more resistance is generated by the fan.

This is one of the most attractive features of air bikes and why they are a favorite of serious athletes and CrossFit lifters. Rather than pedal for hours in a dark room, air bikes are designed for HIIT or interval training with extremely hard resistance that pushes you to your max in a matter of seconds.

The console is upgraded with nine preloaded programs and comes with both preset and custom interval programs. It also has a wattage meter on the top so you can see how much power is being generated with each pull.

The frame of the Airdyne AD7 Pro is a sleek black with a few chrome accents and crisp red lettering. The bike itself looks stylish and not like something you pulled out of the garage. The console is battery-operated, so you don’t need electricity to operate it. You can place the AD7 anywhere in your home or garage without needing to be close to a wall outlet.

Schwinn sells a few add-ons, such as an equipment mat, windscreen for the flywheel, and even an AC converter if you want to use power rather than batteries. We are impressed with the design and functionality of the AD7. This is an impressive air bike.

It is quiet, easy to use, comfortable to sit on, has unlimited resistance, multiple hand positions, and an upgraded console that is intuitive and easy to navigate. We recommend the AD7 Pro as a good option for anyone looking for a quality air bike from a reputable company.

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Schwinn Airdyne AD7 Pro Q&A / FAQ

Can you adjust the resistance on the Schwinn Airdyne AD7 Pro?

The resistance isn’t quantifiable because it uses a fan. Instead, you control the intensity of your workout, which controls how much resistance you get. For example, the harder and faster you work, the more resistance that’s provided. This is how you control the resistance on the Airdyne.

How do you maintain a Schwinn Airdyne Bike?

Airdyne bikes are pretty low maintenance because of their belt drive system. General maintenance includes making sure the handles, pedals, saddle, etc are properly screwed in. Also, wiping down your bike after every ride helps keep it in good shape so it can get you in great shape.

Is this a paid review?

This review reflects our unbiased opinions of this air bike. We were not paid to create it. We have affiliate links where we make commissions. This allows us to test and review equipment. We work with several brands to test equipment; that way, we can recommend the best air bikes on the market based on our testing.

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