Quick Overview
The Titan Fan Bike is a solid budget-friendly air bike that rides like the popular Assault Bike. This bike is made nearly entirely of steel and weighs 111lbs. It uses a chain drive and a 25″ fan diameter to create a challenging experience. Unlike more expensive options that charge extra, this bike comes with premium accessories like turf tires, a cell phone holder, and more.
Who It’s Right For
- Those looking for a quality budget option
- Someone who appreciates the add-on accessories
- Heavier riders needing a higher weight capacity
Things to Consider
- Chain drives are louder and may require more maintenance
- The monitor isn’t as user-friendly as others
The Titan Fitness Fan Bike is one of the better value air bikes currently on the market.
It’s built very similarly to the once most popular Assault AirBike. It uses a similar drive train, similar seat adjustment, similar dimensions, and an overall similar look and feel.
It also, however, includes a few features as standard that are either not included at all with the Assault Bike or which come at a premium.
In this review, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the Titan Fan Bike, including all of its features and how it compares to other popular air bikes.
Let’s dig in.
Titan Fitness Fan Bike
The Titan Fan Bike, in my opinion, is one of the best air bikes, especially for budget shoppers. Priced under $700 shipped, and with frequent sales bringing that price down to as low as $600 shipped, it’s hard to ignore its value.
With all-terrain turf tires, a rear handle, a wind guard, a water bottle holder, and a cell phone holder, it offers several features that commonly fetch additional money with other air bikes.
This bike does have a chain drive, which has some disadvantages compared to a belt drive on some other bikes. It also has a monitor that, while functional and easy to operate, lags behind some other monitors.
The Titan Air Bike was launched at the beginning of early 2021 and, in that time, it has become a solid contender in its class. It’s received solid user feedback and my personal experience with the bike has overall been positive.
Let’s take a look at the specs, and then we’ll jump into the review.
Specs
- Footprint: 50″ H x 20.375″ W x 50.25″ L
- Weight: 111lbs
- Seat Dimensions: 10.5″ w/ 11 Vertical Adjustments
- Drivetrain: Chain Drive
- Pedals: Metal w/ Grip Nodules
- Fan Diameter: 25″
- Display: LCD
- Stats: RPM, Speed, Distance, Intervals, Calories, Watts, & Heart Rate
- Extras: Removable Fan Guard, Water Bottle Holder, & Cell Phone Holder
- Weight Limit: 330lbs
- Warranty: 1 Year
Overall Build Quality
Like many air bikes at this price point, the Titan Fan Bike is primarily constructed with metal components, which creates a heavy-duty frame. I’ve actually noticed fewer plastic pieces on this bike compared to several bikes in this class. The bike weighs 111lbs and, while that isn’t the beefiest bike in the gym, it certainly holds its own. At this weight, it’s over 15lbs heavier than the Assault AirBike and it has a greater weight capacity by 30lbs (330lbs vs. 300lbs).
The support base on this bike measures 20″ long, which is a common dimension on air bikes. This creates a very stable bike that, while not as wide as some bikes like the Bells of Steel Blitz Bike, is fully capable of handling extreme training. Even while trying to actively tilt the bike with exaggerated side-to-side movements, it held strong.
On the bottom of the support bases are four threaded rubber caps that can be adjusted based on your floor. In many garages, mine included, there is a gradual slope from the back of the garage to the front. Depending on your bike’s orientation in the room, it could create some leveling issues. These rubber caps can very simply be twisted to raise or lower different areas to ensure a completely level bike.
In general, I’m impressed with the build quality of the Titan Fan Bike. Generally speaking, Titan has made big strides in quality control, welds, etc… and that is evident with this piece of equipment. Given how much of this bike is constructed with metal, I’m quite confident it will last a long time. That said, it may require some additional maintenance over time, which I’ll explain next.
Operation & Mechanics
Since Rogue launched the Echo Bike a few years ago, there seems to be a trend towards belt drives in air bikes. The Titan Fan Bike uses a chain drive, which is the other drivetrain you’ll find. Chain drives are a very suitable application, and they’ve seen good success as evidenced by the Assault AirBikes. There are, however, some potential downsides compared to a belt drive.
The first is that chain drives typically require more maintenance. That’s not to say that belt drives are maintenance-free because even they will need to be replaced and/or repositioned eventually. Being metal with moving parts, a chain drive is generally a more complex system. It’s important to keep the chain lubricated (Titan provides a starter lubrication syringe) to ensure it’s optimally spinning. In the same way that belts may fray and snap over time, chains may also break. When it comes time for replacement, chains can be a bit more challenging, but still very doable by a handy rider.
The second downside is that chains are generally louder than belts. Now, to be fair, these are air bikes we’re talking about, so they’re all going to produce some noise. Just know that you may get a little more system noise with a chain than you would with a belt. If you’re using this in your house, maybe early in the morning/late at night, this may be something to consider.
Overall, the bike has a smooth operation. It is louder than other bikes I’ve tried, and I do wish it had a belt drive in general, but I have positive impressions on the overall performance.
The Fan
The fan on the Titan Fan Bike measures 25″ in diameter, which is a standard size for an air bike in this class. The blades, however, are slightly narrower than some others. By having narrower blades, you won’t get the same level of resistance as some bikes with wider blades.
Does this mean the Titan Fan Bike won’t provide as good of a workout? Not necessarily. If you’re looking for max intensity and max resistance via HITT or similar, you may find this bike lacking compared to other models. If you’re looking for more of a steady-state experience with still high-intensity capabilities, then you may prefer the Titan bike over others. To be clear, going all out on this bike will still gas you – just know the resistance isn’t quite the same.
On the outside of the right side of the cage, you’ll find a cord that runs into the cage – this is the speed sensor. On the inside of the cage, you’ll see a disc that includes a speed sensor magnet. This disc is held on by several metal clips. One complaint I’ve seen referenced from a couple of users is that these clips can come off during use, which can cause the magnet to misalign and create speed read-out issues on the monitor. While I haven’t experienced any of these issues after using this bike extensively, I cannot rule out that this can’t or won’t eventually happen. I’ll also add that, again, this is a very similar design implementation as the Assault Air Bike, which uses the same plastic hub and speed magnet setup.
One benefit of this bike is that it comes with a pre-installed fan guard that eliminates air blow-back into your face as you’re pedaling. In the winter, you’ll probably love this since it will go a long way to keeping you warm, especially in the garage. In the summer, you may actually want the air – good thing because Titan made this easily removable with a couple of screws.
Seat & Pedals
The Titan Fan Bike seat has a sleek aesthetic, headlined by red stitching and a textured top. It’s one of the best-looking seats that I’ve seen. It is, however, a bit firmer than others I’ve tried and the vinyl isn’t as supple. It still provides a solid grip, but for longer rides, I found it to be more uncomfortable than some others.
In terms of seat adjustment, the Titan bike is capable of sliding up and down across 11 holes spaced 1″ apart. In the bottom-most position, the seat measures approximately 33″ from the floor. Front-to-back, the seat can adjust across 5 holes, which will accommodate most riders. While these 5 selections are common among some other air bikes, the 11 vertical selections are more than several of those. In this way, the Titan Fan Bike is a very adjustable bike that virtually all users can ride.
The pedals on this bike, are not unlike many air bikes. Constructed with metal, these pedals have a textured surface measuring 4″ x 4.25″. This provides adequate surface area, but it unfortunately has the same possible drawback as many other pedal systems. These pedals are affixed to an L-bracket that can sometimes clip your heel in the bottom position. While this can be frustrating because it disturbs the cycle, it’s a fairly rare occurrence that only happens when your foot/heel slides too far inside.
In front of the pedals, you’ll find two knurled footrests that you can use when taking a break. These footrests are also how you attach the arms to the bike and, therefore, may need to be tightened from time to time.
Monitor
The monitor on the Titan Fan Bike reads out the essentials you’re looking for, including the following:
- Time
- Distance (Available in kilometers or miles)
- RPM (Rotations per Minute)
- Speed
- Calories
- Watts
- Intervals (Includes 20/10 and 20/20 as standard, but custom intervals are available)
- Heart Rate (requires Polar or similar heart rate monitor)
The monitor itself functions just fine, but I do feel that it lacks the polish that some other monitors offer. For example, the raised buttons on the Rogue Echo bike feel more premium. I’ve also found that the button layout isn’t as efficient as some of the stacked layouts on other air bikes, and the overall operation is a bit clunkier. For example, when setting a target time, the + arrow increases the time by the second instead of the minute.
On the face of the monitor is a sliding phone holder. When positioned near the top of the monitor, you can see the full display, but when pulled down, the display will be fully covered. The phone is generally more secure when it’s slid down, but the sacrifice is that you can’t see the display. To be clear, some phones will be fine in the top position – my iPhone 12 works just fine there – but then again, I’m not often using this feature.
Ultimately, the monitor covers the essentials, but I think it’s the most lacking feature of the bike overall when compared to some competitors.
Portability & Aesthetics
I think the Titan Fan Bike excels in both of these departments. For starters, the bike is very portable. It includes two turf tires and a rear handle that make it much easier to maneuver compared to a bike with small wheels and/or no handle (e.g. Assault Bike, BoS Blitz Bike, etc…). Considering that several bikes only have this as a premium offering, the fact that Titan offers it as standard is a nice feature. When you factor in that it weighs a little less than some other bikes, it just makes for an easier experience to move around the gym.
Aesthetically, I love the way the Titan bike looks. I prefer the neutral, almost all-black look. Even though I don’t have much red in my gym, it’s a subtle touch that looks very nice and is sure to complement many gyms. The turf tires, in addition to providing function, look MEAN! In my opinion, this is one of the best overall-looking air bikes on the market.
Assembling the Titan Fitness Fan Bike
The Titan Bike ships in a large box via ground parcel and the package was delivered in good condition. Assembly was generally very easy and straightforward. I was impressed with how organized everything was in the package, and the instructions were legible and easy-to-follow. Fortunately, much of the bike comes pre-assembled.
One thing I really appreciated about this assembly was that the bike was shipped with placeholder foot supports, which generally made it easier to work with. I found the trickiest part to be tightening the seat, but once in position, it was pretty simple. All-in, including unboxing, the bike was assembled solo in less than 45 minutes.
Titan Fan Bike vs. Assault AirBike
As mentioned earlier, the Titan Fan Bike is built very similarly to the Assault AirBike. I’m confident it was the main source of inspiration given its footprint, aesthetic, drive-train, etc…
That said, there are some differences that are worth noting. Firstly, the Titan Fan Bike is heavier by around 16lbs and it offers a larger weight capacity. This bike hasn’t been out nearly as long as the Assault Bike, but I believe durability will prove similar over time. If you’re a heavier rider, the Titan Bike may be a better choice.
Secondly, the Titan Fan Bike includes several features that the Assault Bike either doesn’t have or that cost extra. For example, the Titan Bike offers turf tires and a rear handle – the Assault Bike doesn’t offer this at all. You also don’t get a water bottle holder with the Assault Bike, and the fan guard is an up-charge of $40.
This brings me to pricing. The Titan Bike is sold for $699.99 shipped as of this review, and it’s often on sale for as low as $600. The Assault Bike is $749 shipped. If you want the wind guard, you’re looking at $789 and you don’t get the extra features mentioned above.
Make no mistake, the Assault Bike is a great option. It was the official CrossFit bike for a while for good reason before getting dethroned by the Rogue Echo Bike. It has a longstanding history of performance with hundreds of positive reviews. The Titan Bike, however, represents a very strong value option and, at the end of the day, may actually be the better buy for some people given the additional features.
Titan Fan Bike vs. Rogue Echo Bike
The Rogue Echo Bike is one of, if not the best fan bikes on the market. Its popularity and reputation have led to it becoming the official air bike for the CrossFit games. It is, by nearly all accounts, an excellent bike.
The main difference between these two bikes is that the Rogue Echo Bike has a belt drive as opposed to the chain drive on the Titan bike. As mentioned above, belt drives typically require less maintenance and they aren’t as loud as chain drives. I view this as a clear advantage of the Echo Bike.
I also prefer the monitor on the Echo Bike, which includes tactile buttons with an efficient layout. The Echo Bike isn’t as long as the Titan bike by approximately 6″, but it is wider by about 3 inches. Depending on how you plan to orient your air bike, you may prefer one over the other.
The Titan Bike includes more adjustments on the seat as compared to the Echo. Vertically, the Titan Bike offers 11 options compared to 8 on the Rogue Bike. Horizontally, however, they both offer 5. I find their respective seats to be similar in terms of comfort, feel, etc…
Where the Titan Bike shines in comparison is the price. Out of the box, the Titan Bike is ~$100 cheaper than the Echo Bike. With this bike often being on sale, however, it can be as much as $200 cheaper. Consider too that the Titan Bike includes several premium features as standard (wind guard, turf tires, phone holder, and water bottle holder). All of those are add-ons with the Echo Bike, which brings the total price from $795 to $906. This is now a more meaningful amount of money of up to $300.
Overall, I think the Echo Bike is the superior bike, but if you’re shopping on a budget, the Titan Bike is a very nice option.
User Reviews
The Titan Fan Bike receives overall good feedback at titan.fitness. With a 4.4 rating, there have been some reviewers who have complained. One user mentioned a clanking noise inside the fan enclosure and two others mentioned a misaligned sensor that caused RPM read-out issues on the monitor. The majority of reviews, however, have been very positive (either 5 or 4 stars).
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Very budget-friendly air bike with sales bringing it down to as low as $600 shipped
- Mostly metal construction creates a heavy-duty 111-lb bike
- Large turf tires and rear handle make for easy portability
- Seat adjusts across 11 vertical slots and 5 horizontal slots
- Includes a removable fan guard, cell phone holder, and water bottle holder
- One of the easiest air bikes to assemble
- Clean aesthetic with a neutral, mostly-black color scheme
Cons
- Chain drives are louder and generally require more maintenance over time compared to belt drives
- The monitor isn’t as refined as some other bikes
- Some users have complained about speed sensor issues stemming from a clipped center hub
Final Thoughts
In summary, I think the Titan Fan Bike is a solid contender in the budget air bike class. I don’t think it’s as nice as some other bikes that use belt drives and have better monitors, but it’s a nice overall fan bike
I like the adjustability of this bike, I love the look of it, and I really appreciate its standard features that are commonly premium add-ons with other bikes.
At the price, the Titan Bike represents very good value. If you can catch this bike on sale, which is often, it’s especially a good buy if you’re looking to save some money relative to more expensive bikes.
Titan Fan Bike Rating
Final Verdict
The Titan Fan Bike overall is a solid air bike at a great price point. It’s well made and it includes several standard features that many air bikes charge extra for. While the chain drive isn’t as user-friendly as a belt drive, this bike is a solid performer with a growing positive track record.