One hundred calories for time is the air bike's threshold examination: 5-9 minutes of output where the machine's rising resistance converts every pacing sin into immediate, visible punishment. It sits in the same effort family as a 2k row - long enough that you must settle, short enough that settling feels wrong the entire time. Famous as a standalone test and as the engine of workouts, a strong 100-cal time certifies an athlete who can suffer at steady state.
| Level (Time) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 9:00+ | 12:00+ |
| intermediate | 7:00 | 9:30 |
| advanced | 5:30 | 7:45 |
| elite | sub 4:30 | sub 6:15 |
Assault Bike; Echo typically ~10-15% slower.
Find your forever-RPM within the first 15 calories and hold it with religious discipline until calorie 80 - the test is won by refusing to surge, not by surging. Calories 40-75 are the wasteland: segment them in tens and stay on your number. Posture matters over 7 minutes: tall chest, loose grip, active arms. From 85, climb 2-3 RPM; from 93, everything goes. If your second half is slower than your first by more than 15 seconds, the opener was fiction. Fan in front, towel nearby, dignity optional.
Beginner: 60 calories for time, or 100 at steady effort with the only goal being no stops - the pacing lesson comes before the racing.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.