Schwinn AD6 Airdyne Exercise Bike Review

Schwinn AD6 Airdyne exercise bike review: For those who are looking for an indoor exercise bike that can be used for whole-body exercise with the intention of completely strengthening the body and improving the cardiovascular system, the Schwinn AD6 Airdyne exercise bike is just what you need.

It is one of the most popular indoor exercise bikes from the brand Schwinn. Actually, the Schwinn AD6 Airdyne is a perfect fitness accessory for anyone interested in low-impact exercise, as well as general fitness, physical treatment, cardio training, upper or lower body workouts, as well as performance training.

Our Verdict

The Schwinn Airdyne AD6 is not just designed as a fan exercise bike, it is designed as a full-body trainer. The purpose of this bike is to improve cardiovascular fitness, regulate weight, and strengthen the body at all levels.

The Airdyne AD6 has handlebars that can be moved so that the upper body can be worked at the same time as the lower body. This is different from standard exercise bikes, which only work the lower body, such as the legs.

In addition, the Airdyne AD6 has footrests on each side. These footrests allow you to exercise in two ways: by moving your arms and legs at the same time for a full-body workout, or by using only your arms to strengthen your upper body while your legs are at rest, leaning on the footrests.

By employing fan air to create resistance, the Airdyne AD6 responds to your effort and provides an infinite number of options. The level of difficulty increases as you pedal faster. In comparison, other types of exercise bikes feature pre-programmed resistance levels. Usually, they offer a choice of 20, 30, or more different tension levels.

The LCD monitor of the bike clearly displays the exercise duration, distance, speed, RPM, wattage, and calories burned. Plus, it can show you the pulse measured by using a heart rate chest strap (which is not included with the bike).

Schwinn AD6 Airdyne Exercise Bike Review

Schwinn’s AD6 Airdyne exercise bike is a mid-level fan bike. It is positioned directly between the AD2 and the AD7 in their portfolio of fan bikes. Since Schwinn is popular for producing amazing and practical fan bikes, I think the AD6 should not be an exception at all. Of course, just because a reputable brand is known for producing high-quality products does not mean that everything it produces is great.

This is especially true when one brand offers three different bikes in their lineup (portfolio). But the questions are: is the difference between these models drastic enough to pay off if you invest in a particular model, or is it enough to just buy the more affordable model in their lineup of fan bikes to save you some money?

That’s why before investing in an AD6 Airdyne, it’s important to find out as much information as possible and then make the main decision of whether this fan bike will justify the money invested or not. That’s the purpose of this review: to get a better idea of whether or not this exercise bike is right for you.

What exactly is Airdyne?

The important thing to remember is that Airdyne bikes are fan bikes. Fan bikes, also known as air bikes, get their name from the fact that they generate resistance via the rotation of blades attached to the flywheel of the bike.

First of all, whenever someone mentions the name Airdyne, one basic thing to remember is that it is a model of fan bike manufactured by the company Schwinn. It is as simple as that.

Air Resistance

The resistance of the Schwinn Airdyne AD6 is provided by the built-in blades in the flywheel that move against the air, which increases in intensity while the pedaling is more intense. As with any fan bike, the level of resistance can be adjusted to any desired level. It is practically unlimited.

As previously stated, this is one of the main reasons why so many athletes favor this style of bike. It can deliver an incredible workout.

In addition, the movable handlebars allow you to strengthen your arms, abdomen, and upper back. Furthermore, the handlebars and pedals of this bike are set up so that they move in time with each other, harmonizing in rhythm.

The majority of people think the resistance system is outstanding. Also, during your workout, you may feel some wind. The Schwinn Airdyne AD6 is designed so that most of the air from the blades is directed forward, not into your face.

How Does a Fan Bike Work?

Specifically, these exercise bikes have a flywheel with attached blades that, like any flywheel on a normal exercise bike, starts to rotate when you start pedaling. So, the moment you start pedaling, the flywheel blades start to resist the air, creating resistance. The faster you pedal, the more resistance the blades create.

This system of creating resistance offers you the opportunity to create unlimited resistance. Specifically, the more you strain and want to pedal faster, the greater the resistance. This way, you have absolute control over creating resistance while training.

This is one of the main reasons why fan bikes are mostly used for high-intensity training, especially for HIIT workouts. So you should not be surprised at all why fan bikes are most often used by Crossfit athletes.

But, this should not worry those people who do not want to do HIIT workouts at all. You can use the fan bike according to your fitness needs. As I said before, you have complete control over the intensity of the resistance. The more effort you put in while pedaling, the harder your training will be. So, if you want to enjoy a more relaxed workout, then reduce the force when pedaling. It all depends on you. It’s not rocket technology.

Easy-to-Read Console

One of the positive things about the Schwinn Airdyne AD6 is that its LCD screen has been upgraded, unlike the much smaller screen of the Airdyne AD2. The screen on the Airdyne AD6 is much larger, allowing you to more easily track all your important data in one place while exercising.

Heart rate, calories, speed, time, distance, and watts are some of the things that will be shown on the screen. The cheaper models of exercise bikes do not have this feature. They can display several metrics at once, while in some models it is only one at a time.

Additionally, the AD6 features a little RPM meter at the top that provides a visual reading of your pedaling speed. It’s a small thing, but it could help you stay motivated while you do your interval exercises.

One of the improvements that the Airdyne AD6 has over the Airdyne AD2 is telemetry heart rate monitoring. But even though the AD6 is compatible with Polar chest strap monitors, the downside is that this exercise bike doesn’t come with a heart rate monitor; you need to buy it extra. Just to be clear, the console is powered by two AA batteries, which are not included.

A Vertically Adjustable Seat

When it comes to the seats of exercise bikes, people often comment on their comfort. To increase comfort, the Airdyne AD6 seat is made larger and has more cushioning compared to the smaller Airdyne AD2.

Despite these cosmetic changes, a number of cyclists still think that the comfort of the seat is one of its disadvantages. But this problem can be solved simply by buying another more suitable seat, which is not the case with the Schwinn Airdyne AD2.

Speaking of the seat, in addition to the complaints of discomfort, another major drawback is that the seat can only be adjusted vertically up and down, but not horizontally. The Schwinn Airdyne AD2 model in this lineup also has this drawback.

I think the lack of adjustment of the seat horizontally will be negatively reflected in the final decision when buying the Schwinn Airdyne AD6. This is really a bit strange for an indoor exercise bicycle in this price range.

Simply put, you are limited to adjusting to your ideal training position. This will be especially reflected in the shorter and taller users. Only the top model in this lineup, the Schwinn Airdyne AD7, has the ability to adjust the seat both vertically and horizontally.

Easy to Assemble

Assembling the Airdyne AD6 is pretty simple. Generally, you’re just adding the stabilizers, handlebars, seat, and console. In the experience of most customers, the assembly should not take more than an hour. In the experience of most homeowners, the assembly should not take more than an hour.

But, it would be nice to have someone by your side when you assemble the Airdyne AD6 because it is quite heavy. Otherwise, the bike comes with all the tools you need to put it together, like an Allen wrench and a small screwdriver.

Weight Capacity

When it comes to the user’s maximum weight that an exercise bike can withstand, the more the better. The Schwinn Airdyne AD6 can handle users up to 300 pounds (136 kg), which is 50 pounds more than the Airdyne AD2. This is acceptable for a bike in this price range.

Unlike these two models, the maximum weight capacity of the Airdyne AD7 is 350 pounds (158.7 kg). The Schwinn Airdyne AD6 itself weighs 112 pounds (about 51 kg).

Schwinn AD6 Airdyne: Features

• One of the main features of the Schwinn Airdyne AD6 is that it offers infinite resistance due to the flywheel blades that resist the air while pedaling. Also, another major benefit of this type of bike is that while pedaling, in addition to resistance, the flywheel blades also create a breeze that cools you down.
• The difference between a Schwinn Airdyne AD7 and a Schwinn Airdyne AD6 is that the Airdyne AD7 has a fan wheel cover.
• The seat is cushioned and vertically adjustable to accommodate riders of different heights.
• The handlebars have cushioned grips and they move in response to the pedals at the same time, or you can only move them while the feet rest on the footrests.
• Footrests are integrated into the frame of the bike.
• Also, there are foot straps and gripping surfaces on the pedals that help keep your feet in place when you do total-body workouts.
• The Airdyne AD6 is compatible with Polar chest straps, so you can wirelessly check your heart rate while you are exercising
• Plus, a water bottle holder is attached to the bike’s frame
• Two AA batteries are required for the console to operate.
• Convenient transportation on wheels

Schwinn AD6 Airdyne: Specifications

• Length: 47 inches
• Width: 26.5 inches
• Height: 14.75 inches
• Item weight: 112 pounds (51 Kg)
• User maximum weight: 300 pounds (136 Kg)
• Type of resistance: Air
• Color: Black
• Display: LCD
• Display info: Time, Distance, Calories, Watts, Pulse, RPM, and RevMeter
• Drive system: Dual-Stage Torque Belt
• Resistance levels: Infinite
• Seat: Extra Padded, Oversized
• Heart rate: Telemetry Enabled
• Water bottle holder: 1

Warranty

When buying a product, the warranty is very important. It makes sense for a higher quality product to come with a better warranty, but that is not always the case.

However, the Airdyne AD6 offers pretty good warranties, such as:

• Its frame is covered by a ten-year warranty.
• 1 year for electronics
• 2 years for mechanical parts
• 6 months of labor

Alternatives to the Schwinn AD6 Airdyne

If you do not like the style of fan bikes but still want to buy a top exercise bike from the brand Schwinn, then I would recommend you take a look at the high-quality Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike. Also, you can check out my selection of the best indoor exercise bikes here.

Final Thoughts

From this Schwinn AD6 Airdyne exercise bike review, you can easily conclude that the Schwinn Airdyne AD6 has a lot to offer. Due to the fact that it is an air bike, it can provide unlimited resistance, which is ideal for those who prefer HIIT-style training or any other form of interval training.

Additionally, it comes equipped with a functional console that is compatible with heart rate monitors. This is a good feature because it lets you keep track of how hard you work out. Because the Schwinn Airdyne AD6 is easy to assemble, this should not be a problem for every user who wants to have it.

Additionally, the Airdyne AD6 features a reasonable weight capacity and an excellent warranty. However, this bike is not without issues. One of the most obvious problems with this bike is that the seat can be adjusted only up and down, not back and forth.

Despite these problems, the Schwinn Airdyne AD6 is highly rated by its users. However, the Schwinn AD6 is a great fan bike that is a big improvement over the more affordable Schwinn AD2, and it is worth its price.