Fifty calories for time is the air bike's painful middle distance: 2-4 minutes for most athletes, which lands it squarely in the same physiological furnace as a 400-800 m run. The fan's exponential resistance curve makes this test uniquely treacherous - ten watts too ambitious in the first minute and the calorie counter visibly slows while your effort doubles. It appears constantly inside WODs, so knowing your standalone 50-cal pace is workout intelligence, not trivia.
| Level (Time) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 4:00+ | 5:30+ |
| intermediate | 3:00 | 4:15 |
| advanced | 2:20 | 3:20 |
| elite | sub 1:50 | sub 2:40 |
Assault Bike; Echo typically ~10-15% slower.
Open at 90% for 10 calories, settle into the highest RPM you can genuinely hold, and go all-in from calorie 38. Watch RPM, not calories: pick your number (men often 62-70, women 55-62) and defend it - the calories accumulate on their own. Use the arms actively on every stroke; passengers pay double on an air bike. The final 12 calories reward whoever saved one gear. Breathe in rhythm with the pedal strokes to delay the redline.
Beginner: 30 calories for time, or 50 at a strong steady effort learning your sustainable RPM before racing it.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.