Schwinn AD6 Airdyne Exercise Bike Review
If you are one of those people that are looking to acquire an indoor air bike for that new home gym you’ve been building (or simply just want a way to stay fit without leaving the home), the market might seem a bit overwhelming. There are so many options available that it might seem appealing to roll the dice on any old bike and hope for the best. Fortunately, one of the companies that puts out pretty consistent high-quality bikes is Schwinn. We’ve examined these bikes before and we’re going to do so again here. The Schwinn AD6 Airdyne is the middle option of the Airdyne line of bikes that is on offer. In our review today, we’re going to see how it holds up in comparison to some of the other bikes in the Schwinn Airdyne series and other similar air resistance bikes at large.
First things first, we’re going to look at the pricing and warranties that come with the AD6 Airdyne. The retail price that you can generally expect to find for the AD6 sits right around the $600. As we mentioned above, this is right in the middle of the price range that the Airdyne series has. It’s also a pretty fair price for what is on offer, especially when you consider the warranties that it comes with. The AD6 comes with 10 years on the frame, 2 years on the parts (except for the electronic parts, which only have 1 year) and 6 months on the labour. The electronics warranty is a year shorter than those of the AD7 and AD Pro, which is disappointing. However, it also equals those two bikes in terms of the labour warranty, which is disappointing across the board. According to the official Schwinn site, you can expect the AD6 to ship within 4 weeks. Delivery is not available to U.S. territories, Canada and international destinations, which seems rather absurd for a product in the modern day. This is all based on the Schwinn official site, of course, and could vary depending on where you order from. Upon arrival, you can have it assembled by a technician or you can do so yourself. The manual is pretty clear on that process, but if you aren’t particularly experienced in the whole ordeal, it might be somewhat frustrating still.
One of the most important elements that people and companies stress on modern pieces of exercise equipment are the electrical monitors and consoles that come with them. The same is true of the AD6 Airdyne bike and it is why we’re going to be examining these features next. Both the AD7 and the AD Pro have more advanced monitors than the AD6 does. They both have preset workout programs that will allow you to go through interval programs and set other target rates, but these programs are lacking on the AD6. What the AD6 does offer is the ability to track a variety of statistics on screen. You can see your distance, calories, RPM, watts, pulse, speed and time. You get a convenient option to switch between metric and imperial measurements. There is also a scan mode that will allow you to track the different statistics on just a scrolling basis. All of these concepts are pretty straightforward and can be found on some of the most basic monitors out there. One of the only features that can’t be found on such basic monitors is the ability to connect to chest straps and pulse tracking. Perhaps the only other interesting concept that the AD6 monitor is the RPM “RevMeter” that is available at the top of the screen, which allows for you to track interval training more effectively and accurately. The console is powered by 2 AA batteries, meaning you won’t have to deal with any cords or outlet placement. The AD6 Airdyne has an acceptable monitor, but you would hope for more from a modern air bike.
When you get one of these air bikes, you generally would expect a fair amount of challenge, right? Some other bikes manage to disappoint in this regard, but that is fortunately not the case with the Schwinn AD6 Airdyne. Like many other air resistance bikes, it’s system of challenge comes from the dynamic nature of the fan. The harder you pedal, the more challenge you get from the fan of the AD6. This is actually quite a reliable system, as it means that you don’t have to fumble about with any sort of resistance levels beforehand or during the workout. You just hop on and start pedalling. This is also helpful for high intensity interval training (HIIT), since you can intensify and relax your training at will. Since it is a fan bike, it will make a decent amount of noise and create some cooling winds, so keep that in mind. This noise is reduced somewhat by the belt drivetrain. There is also a 1-piece crank on this bike, which isn’t what you want to see. You would much prefer a 3-piece crank. We don’t have any information about the Q-Factor of the AD6, which is fairly annoying. For those who don’t know, the Q-Factor is the distance between the pedals of the bike. If it is too narrow, you risk injury and discomfort. If it is too wide, you still can get that discomfort. Fortunately the large amount of reviews on this bike seem to have no issue with the Q-Factor of the AD6.
Unless you have a mega estate that has nearly infinite amount of space (in which case, feel free to skip this section), you probably want to at least have an idea of how big the AD6 Airdyne bike is. It measures out to be 49.7 inches (126 cm) long, 25.7 inches (65 cm) wide and 50.9 inches (129 cm) tall. Meanwhile, it weighs 112 lbs (51 kg) and can hold a maximum weight of 300 lbs (136 kg). Despite this weight, it feels fairly light.The AD6 comes in the middle of the pack in regards to size versus the rest of the Airdyne series. It is bigger than the Pro and the Schwinn AD2, but smaller than the AD7. Despite the size, the AD6 also happens to be fairly mobile thanks to the set of wheels that it comes with on the front of the bike. This makes it much easier to move around, and means that you can even put it away (if you have a big enough storage space) while you aren’t using it.
We’ll continue with the theme of physical elements to round out the review. The handlebars move back and forth with the movement of the pedals. Combine this fact with the foot rests on either side of the fan and you have another feature that will really help the longevity and variety that you can get from this bike. If you want to simply work out your arms and give your legs a break, simply put your feet on these rests and continue with the arms. The handlebars are not adjustable, but have padded grips which are comfortable enough. Speaking of unadjustable elements, let’s talk about the saddle. The saddle of the AD6 Airdyne bike has a couple of issues. First off, it isn’t adjustable horizontally. That means that it can only go up and down. This is poor for customization and comfort levels, as it limits who can use the bike most effectively. Second, the seat just isn’t that ergonomically designed. It isn’t the least comfortable seat you’ll ever be in, but it certainly isn’t the most comfortable either. This keeps with the theme of the seats being one of the more negative aspects of the Airdyne lineup, which is unfortunate. The pedals of the AD6 are identical to those of the AD2; that is, they don’t really do anything besides have a strap that keeps your feet in place during workouts. As for any additional little prizes that the AD6 offers, you don’t get that much. Just a water bottle holder that sits right behind the monitor, which is nice for some mid-workout rehydration.
Schwinn AirDyne AD6 Pros:
- Dynamic and challenging resistance
- Monitor tracks a good variety of statistics
- Cheap price for what is on offer
- Decent warranties for that price
- Wheels and a light frame gives it greater mobility
- Footrests and dual action handlebars allow for upper body workouts
- Belt drivetrain makes it a relatively quiet ride for an air bike
Schwinn AirDyne AD6 Cons:
- Seat is only adjustable vertically
- The seat is not particularly comfortable
- Electrical and labour warranties could be better
- No training programs on monitor
- The 1-piece crank disappoints and could be better
Conclusion
The Schwinn AD6 Airdyne exercise bike isn’t anything particularly special. Its monitor feels dated, the seat is not very adjustable and can also be rather uncomfortable. Yet, it still represents a fairly good value for the vast majority of users. If you aren’t too bothered by the lack of the more advanced features and are just willing to get a seat cover for cheap, you can get a pretty good piece of equipment for not a lot of money. The AD6 isn’t aiming to be the top air bike on the market. Heck, it isn’t even aiming to be the top bike in the Airdyne line. Yet, thanks to the combination of the build, resistance and low price, it offers one of the better deals that you’ll be able to get from Schwinn and the air bike market in general.
Hi there, I'm Sayed Hamed Hosseiny, the founder and one of the authors at yourexercisebike.com (YEB). I am a former indoor cycling instructor and personal trainer with nearly 20 years of experience. With a passion for indoor cycling, I have spent years designing cycling parts, repairing, and importing exercise bikes. All the articles, tips, guides, reviews, and comparisons on YourExerciseBike.com (YEB) reflect my personal opinion and expertise in the field. I'm excited to share my knowledge with fellow exercise bike enthusiasts and help people find reliable indoor cycling information and the best exercise bike for their needs.
