Xebex Air Bike vs Assault Bike: Are They The Same Bike?

Brutalizing the legs of home gym owners the world over, air bikes are beginning to establish themselves as a serious player in the home fitness world. Popular amongst CrossFit athletes and fitness enthusiasts in general, air bikes have proven themselves more than capable of delivering an exhilarating yet vicious full-body workout.

With unlimited levels of resistance and formidable-looking handlebars, the workout air bikes can offer is both intense and incredibly difficult. Both the Assault Airbike and Xebex air bike help to provide the full range of benefits offered by air bikes, making them amongst the most popular you can buy.

However, conspiracy theories are rife across the fitness world that these two well-liked bikes are actually the same. With a comparable frame, interchangeable consoles, and curiously similar parts, there may be some legitimacy to the rumors.

What a great opportunity then to do an in-depth review of these two models to find out just how similar they are? Heck, this could be really easy.

This is our guide to the Xebex bike vs Assault bike.

An Overview Of Two Popular Air Bikes

Whilst air bikes have been around for some time now, the real game-changing moment was the introduction of the Assault Bike and Xebex Air Bike onto the market. Both bikes appeared in a bolt from the blue, far exceeding the quality offered by the then leading manufacturer Schwinn.

Yet despite being from entirely different companies, there are a remarkable number of similarities. They’re both made in Taiwan, the frames have many identical parts, the consoles are interchangeable (i.e., you can literally connect the Assault console to the Xebex and it works just fine and vice-versa), and they feel rather similar to use.

This has led to many assuming both bikes were made in the same Taiwanese factory, an idea that has never been officially confirmed (or denied…).

Xebex Air Bike

Despite not being a household name across the fitness realm, Xebex fitness has entered an excellent machine into the air bike market. A high-quality and robust frame is complemented by nice aesthetics and a decent ride, allowing this machine to go toe to toe with some of the best bikes on the market.

Those who have purchased the Xebex have given it glowing reviews. At a competitive price and delivering everything you’d want from an air bike, the Xebex is one of our favorites on THFF and a worthy challenger to the best air bikes.

Assault AirBike Classic

A bike so popular it has led many people to refer to air bikes as “assault bikes”. This demonstrates the impact its release had on the air bike market. Challenging the dominance of the original unreliable and flimsy Schwinn Airdyne range wasn’t difficult and the Assault kickstarted a new era of high-quality air bikes.

Some issues put it down the current air bike pecking order but the Airbike Classic is undeniably a major player across the field. Well-priced, well-built, and well-liked, the Assault is an immense triumph in-home fitness equipment.

	Xebex Bike	Assault Bike
Price	$695	$699
Size	48″ L x 26″ W	50″ L x 23″ W
Weight	109lbs	98lbs
Max User Weight	350lbs	350lbs
Drive System	Chain drive	Chain drive
Where to Buy?	Get RX’d	Rogue Fitness

Xebex Bike vs Assault Bike: Key Similarities and Differences

Frame

There are significant similarities between the two frames. The frame on the Assault is, for all intents and purposes, the exact same as the frame on the Xebex, aside from a few aesthetic differences.

The attachments and bolt sizes are identical between the two bikes. Even the console looks like it uses the same neck to connect to the frame. The size of the fans is the same, although the housing for the Assault bike’s fan is slightly wider.

There are some slight differences when it comes to the seats. The Assault bike sits on a bar, which is a strange design and makes adjustment difficult. The adjustment knob has also been known to be a bit problematic. The Xebex fixes some of these design flaws, giving it a slight edge when it comes to seats.

The bases on both bikes are duplicates too. You could very easily switch the base of the Xebex with the base of the Assault, and not notice the difference. Other than the slightly different finish, you’d think you were riding the same bike.

There are some key differences. The handlebars are a little higher on the Xebex making it slightly more appealing for taller users and less appealing for smaller users.

While the seat and screws on the Assault may occasionally cause issues, the overall frame of the bike is sturdy and resilient. Here the Assault has an edge over the less sturdy Xebex, which is one reason Assault still dominates the market.

Overall though, there’s no getting away from the fact that these bikes are ridiculously similar. As mentioned earlier, both are made in Taiwan and, perhaps, the same factory?

Drive System

Both bikes use a chain drive system offering very similar performance and ride quality.

Chains on air bikes are fairly loud, require a degree of upkeep, and are generally higher maintenance drive systems than the belts used on other popular air bikes.

An alternative to the chain drive system is a belt drive system, such as that found on the Rogue Echo Bike and Airdyne Pro. Compared to chain drives, belt drives perform better in several areas. They offer a smoother, quieter ride while also lasting significantly longer and requiring less maintenance.

Seeing as the Assault and Xebex still both operate on a chain drive system, neither brand grabs the advantage on this one.

Console

Both consoles kicked off the frustrating trend of simplistic air bike consoles. For some reason, air bikes have a habit of fitting basic consoles that can feel like an afterthought. Compared to the consoles that you find today on ergometers or spin bikes, they are outdated.

The consoles look different but both show the same information, both are relatively clear (although no backlight is frustrating!), and both offer a few preset programs to help you get started on your workouts.

On both consoles, you can access overall time, segment time, distance, speed, rpm, and heart rate when connected to a Polar HRM.

The Xebex does count between calories (1-1.1-1.2… as opposed to 1-2-3) which is a nice addition although the fact the Assault doesn’t do this is far from a deal-breaker. Interestingly, both consoles work equally well when attached to the other bike, again fueling the suggestion they are built in the same way.

A more important takeaway from this note is that they count calories in a very similar way, as I discuss later on.

Aesthetics

The identical frame means that these bikes look pretty similar too. There are a few standout differences though.

The curved handlebars on the Xebex are a nice addition. They look great and have practical benefits too. A taller user will find straight handlebars tend to come perilously close to their knees as they push and pull the handlebars.

While not a deal-breaker, it can be distracting and by curving the handlebars Xebex have negated this issue. In this regard, the Xebex Air Bike is comparable to the Rogue Echo Bike.

The matte finish on the Assault is admittedly better than the glossy look the Xebex has. The paint on the Xebex is less scratch-proof than that of the Assault, so you’ll have to take more care of where you store it or what’s around it.

The metal pedals on the Assault feel more durable too compared with the plastic ones found on the Xebex. They’re a bit sturdier and offer a more comfortable ride. With the amount of energy and power you put into pedaling on an air bike, it does feel like all air bikes should have metal pedals as standard.

Aftermarket Attachments

The Xebex and Assault bikes both come with a few attachments that must be purchased separately if you fancy.

Air bikes have an annoying knack of chucking air into your face thanks to the huge fan on the front of them. To combat this both bikes offer a wind guard at an extra price. I know some people don’t mind the air in the face, even going as far as to find it refreshing. Therefore, it’s worth trying out the bike first before forking out extra $ on a wind guard.

The seat upgrade on the Xebex is a nice addition if you fancy a more sporty seat. The similarity in attachments means it will probably fit on the Assault too (I haven’t tried this so don’t take my word for it!).

The Assault also comes with a water bottle holder. While this is useful I’m not sure why it doesn’t come with one already and it’s really overpriced. I’ll just keep my water next to the bike for now, thanks.

Pros and Cons of the Xebex Bike

Pros and Cons of the Assault Bike

Xebex Air Bike vs Assault Bike: Calories Burned

As I mentioned earlier, the consoles on these air bikes are interchangeable. This suggests that they use the same electronics, and thus the same algorithms for estimating heart rate via rpm, and calories burned via heart rate. Therefore, the calorie counting on each is likely identical.

The Xebex potentially offers more accuracy by showing calories to one decimal place. Other than that, there’s not an awful lot of difference here.

Is the Xebex Air Bike the Same as the Assault Bike?

Both bikes are incredibly similar. From the frame to the console to the performance, there isn’t much to choose between these models.

I prefer the practicality of the Xebex handlebars but the stiffness of the Assault makes it a little tougher. The differences are minimal though and riding these two bikes with your eyes closed you wouldn’t notice them.

What about the Xebex AirPlus Bikes vs the Airbike Pro and Airbike Elite?

Both Assault Fitness and Xebex Fitness offer more advanced versions of their marquee bikes. It’s at this point a few more differences start to emerge.

Xebex AirPlus Performance Bike

The key difference in the Xebex AirPlus range is that they offer more levels of resistance thanks to the inclusion of magnetic resistance. Combining air and magnetic resistance lets you choose between 8 levels of intensity.

You can train twice as hard on this air bike and target more specific fitness goals using magnetic resistance.

The AirPlus Performance looks relatively similar to the Xebex Air Bike, although an upgraded console, heavier-duty handlebars, and an ergonomic seat provide much-improved performance, comfort, and stability.

This is a great bike for garage gym-ers who are serious about their training or have specific training goals.

Xebex AirPlus Expert Bike

The Expert features 8 levels of resistance much like its little sister, but the similarities really do end there. This beast of a bike looks the part, rides beautifully, and is priced to match.

The biggest impact on performance is the belt-drive system which offers a smoother and quieter ride than the chain drive found on the other Xebex’s and Assaults. It’s less high-maintenance than the chain drive too.

The upgraded console is a big plus on this bike, while the frame is sturdier and beefier for exceptional ride quality. The multi-grip handlebars are a nice addition to support a range of heights and the ergonomic seat is micro-adjustable and provides high levels of comfort.

If you’re serious about your training and have money to burn, you might want to check out this beast.

AssaultBike Pro

Effectively a hybrid of the Classic and Elite (see next section) bikes, the Pro is durable, low-maintenance, and built for committed usage.

The upgraded frame features more heavy-duty steel as well as 4 adjustable stabilizing feet. This gives it incredible stability and smoothness on those flat-out sprints. The reinforced steel pedals and extra protection against the elements in the frame help the AssaultBike Pro support the hardest of workouts.

An upgraded console is now Bluetooth compatible so you can track your workout via your smartphone and features more customization for your training, including a “Competition Mode” setting.

I like this bike and it’s not priced that much higher than the Assault Classic. It’s definitely worth considering if you’re looking to make the most of your air bike sessions.

AssaultBike Elite

This is Assault Fitness’ top of the range model. It looks the part, coming with an array of features that make it deserving of its top-of-the-range tag and an impressive warranty.

A bulkier and sturdier frame ensures the Elite is optimized for interval training and hardcore use. No matter how hard you pedal this bike will remain steady and stable, absorbing your pedaling with ease.

Riding it is more comfortable. The ride is smoother thanks to the upgraded frame and the larger, ergonomic seat provides extra comfort on those longer endurance runs. The wind guard is no longer an optional extra either. It’s integrated nicely into the fan cage so there’s no air in your face whether you like it or not.

An elite bike designed for someone looking for an elite workout. It specializes in interval sessions and the stability and brutality will have you develop a love-hate relationship with this bike.

	AirPlus Performance	AirPlus Expert	AssaultBike Pro	AssaultBike Elite
Price	$859	$999	$899	$1,299
Footprint	48”L x 26”W	57”L x 26”W	50”L x 24”W	55”L x 26”W
Weight	109lbs	174lbs	118lbs	138lbs
Drive System	Chain	Belt	Chain	Chain
Warranty	5yr frame, 2yr parts	5yr frame, 2yr parts	7yr frame, 3yr parts	10yr frame, 3yr parts, 1yr labor
Where to Buy?	Get RX’d	Get RX’d	Rogue Fitness	Rogue Fitness

Verdict

The Xebex AirPlus Expert is my favorite of all the upgrades. Yes, it’s the most expensive but the belt drive wins me over. All the bikes are stable and supportive, but none can match the Expert for smoothness, durability, and quietness. The added levels of resistance are a big plus point over the Assault range too.

Xebex Bike vs Assault Bike: Which Should You Get?

Both bikes are incredibly similar, but for me, the cheaper and better built Xebex is a worthier buy for your home gym.

If you fancy more of a challenge and have some extra cash to burn don’t discount the upgraded models from your thinking.