In a world full of Instagram influencers showing off their fresh snatch PRs or dudes ripping out strings of 20-plus muscle-ups, never forget what’s (almost) at the base of the Theoretical Hierarchy of Development (aka the “CrossFit Pyramid”)
Yeah…”Metabolic Conditioning”…
…and I think we all know what some of the most effective tools to improve our personal levels of conditioning are.
(If for some reason you don’t, they’re workouts with running, rowing, skiing, and biking)
For those of you who dread conditioning workouts, I know this can be a tough pill to swallow, but look on the bright side. If you have decent gear, these workouts can be at least somewhat tolerable. So, without further ado, let’s get to…
Table of Contents
The Best Cardio Machines for CrossFit
Rogue Echo Rower
92
Concept2 BikeErg
88
Rogue Echo Bike
91
Rogue Echo Ski
92
Assault Runner Cl.
80
The Best Cardio Machines for CrossFit
- Rogue Echo Rower
- Concept2 BikeErg
- Rogue Echo Bike
- Rogue Echo Ski
- Assault Fitness AssaultRunner Classic
Rogue Echo Rower
Echo Rower
The Echo Rower is one of Rogue’s most recent cardio machine offerings. It has already cemented its place in the CrossFit landscape as it is accepted for use in CrossFit Open workouts.
With calorie and distance tracking mechanisms that are perfectly aligned with commonly accepted CrossFit metrics, the Echo Rower is perfectly appropriate for every conceivable conditioning workout.
The Echo Rower retails for over $200 less than the comparable Concept2 Row Erg. It doesn’t have nearly as much history, but this price difference warrants serious consideration
Pros
“The Official Rower of CrossFit & the CrossFit Games”
Identical output metrics as the Concept2 RowErg
Less expensive than the Concept2 RowErg
Cons
Still not “inexpensive”
The Rogue Echo Rower won what essentially came down to a coin flip between it and the the Concept2 RowErg (the OG CrossFit cardio machine). Both make excellent arguments for nor only being the top rowers in the space, but the best cardio machine for CrossFit.
The Echo Rower is cheaper, though. Not by that much…but enough to put it over the top.
Its ~10 percent price saving (which is closer to ~15 percent when it’s bundled with the Rogue Echo Bike) frees up some money for some change plates or one-third of a barbell or something else you’ll ultimately need.
The Echo Rower was also pretty much immediately granted “compatible with all things CrossFit” status, being only one of two rowers (the other being the aforementioned Concept2 offering) to be sanctioned for use in CrossFit events and competition.
As a newer machine, it doesn’t have quite the array of reviews that many other cardio machines have, but with a solid 4.9 out of 5 collective review score on Rogue, the Echo Rower definitely has social proof.
Concept2 Bike Erg
Bike Erg
The Concept2 Bike Erg is currently the only machine in its class to be fully compatible with CrossFit-style workouts (specifically calorie and distance counting).
The Bike Erg’s easy-to-adjust damper setting allows for quick and precise changes to resistance, creating a more “lifelike” biking experience.
Outside of curved treadmill options, the Bike Erg is the most expensive CrossFit cardio machine option as well as one of the least commonly programmed machines.
Pros
Adjustable drag factor creates much better resistance variability than most bike options
Compatible with all Concept2 programming
Lightweight and very portable
Cons
Most expensive of the Concept2 options
The Concept2 Bike Erg is, ironically, the first Concept2 cardio machine to make our list. Renowned for its extremely high accessibility level (it is ideal for casual riders and Tour de France trainees, alike) it makes for a perfect training tool whether you have dedicated work programmed into the day’s metcon or you just want to get some simple tempo work in.
Compared to other Concept2 equipment, most notably the RowErg and the SkiErg, the BikeErg is significantly more expensive (although when you factor in the cost of the SkiErg’s Floor Stand, prices are pretty comparable) and doesn’t garner quite as favorable of reviews…but I don’t think most people are gonna complain about a machine that has garnered a 4.5-out-of-5 review score.
The BikeErg only recently made it into individual competition at the CrossFit Games (the 2025 edition, to be exact), and it has yet to be featured in the CrossFit Open. However, with so few comparable options, it is (by far) the most compatible with CrossFit workouts…even if it isn’t the most popular implement.
Rogue Echo Bike
Echo Bike
The Rogue Echo Bike has assumed the title of “The Official AIRBIKE of CrossFit & the CrossFit Games” ensuring that it is completely compatible with all CrossFit workouts.
With a number of commonly used workouts programmed into the Echo Bike’s minimal, but sufficient interface, it is functional as a CrossFit cardio accessory and as a more general training machine.
The Echo Bike is more expensive than the Assault Fitness air bike options, but its belt-drive system likely makes it a longer-lasting option.
Pros
“The Official AIRBIKE of CrossFit & the CrossFit Games”
More resilient belt-drive
Intuitive, straight-forward assembly
Cons
More expensive than the most common Assault Fitness options
For years, the Assault Fitness – AssaultBike Classic (colloquially known simply as the “Assault Bike”) was the default fan bike for CrossFit workouts. These were a dime-a-dozen in boxes and were the bike of choice in competitions ranging from backyard comps to the CrossFit Games.
…until the Echo Bike supplanted it…and took its place as the fan bike for CrossFit.
Utilizing a belt-drive as opposed to the common, the Echo Bike is a more durable (belts require less maintaence and are less likely to break), albeit more challenging alternative to the Assault Bike (most estimates state the Echo Bike requires between 15 and 25 percent more effort per calorie). Because of its current status, it is the standard option, making it perfectly compatible.
The Echo Bike isn’t the most budget fan bike option, but it isn’t overly expensive either. Additionally, you can generally find it priced lower than any of the other items on this list. With a collective 4.9 (out of 5) rating from close to 5000 reviews, it’s safe to say that just about everyone is happy with their purchase (…although probably not when they’re dying on it!)
Rogue Echo Ski
Echo Ski
The Rogue Echo Ski is the company’s newest cardio machine option, making its initial debut at the 2025 Rogue Invitational.
With wall-mounted and rig-mounted options to supplement the more standard base-mounted option, the Echo Ski offers significant portability and use area upgrades to comparable machines
As a newer CrossFit cardio machine, the Echo Ski is largely untested. However, initial reviews are glowing and as of this article’s writing, it enjoys an almost flawless customer review score.
Pros
Wall or rack-mounted
Bluetooth / ANT+ Compatible
More affordable than the Concept2 Ski Erg
Cons
Very new; few data points
At this point, it doesn’t have the reviews, but from everything we’ve seen of the Rogue Echo Ski, it appears to be the best CrossFit cardio machine for “ski conditioning” efforts.
First debuted at the 2025 Rogue Invitational (and released to the public the next month), the Echo Ski appears to have a lot in common with the Echo Rower:
- A familiar look and feel
- A calorie/distance-counting system that perfectly mimics its Concept2 peer
- A lower price point
The Echo Ski takes it to another level by adding the rack-mount option (which, to us, is the more practical “non-stand” option compared to the Concept2 Ski Erg’s wall-mounted option). This allows users who don’t want to put out the extra ~$220 for a stand to use their machine in a manner that is a bit more portable.
Depending on what the masses say, we may end up revising this entry and replacing the Echo Ski with the Ski Erg. However, its similar functionality and exact compatibility combined with its superior price and non-stand portability give it the edge…for now.
Assault Fitness Assault Runner Classic
Assault Runner Classic
Assault Fitness curved treadmills have been incorporated in a number of high-level CrossFit competitions for years making its “Classic” prototype is a tried and tested option.
Between its 5 and 2-year warranties and 150,000-mile belt lifespan, the Assault Runner Classic is easily one of the most durable curved treadmills currently on the market.
The Assault Runner Classic is the company’s least expensive curved treadmill option, but it is still the most expensive CrossFit cardio machine on this list by a significant margin.
Pros
Proven quality from use in numerous high-level CrossFit events
150,000-mile belt lifespan
5-year “frame”; 2-year “moving parts” warranty
Cons
Despite being a less expensive curved treadmill option, not “inexpensive”
Assault Fitness missed out on securing the fan bike entry on this list (although it did win the title of “best air bike” on another one!). They make up for their miss with the best curved/non-electronic treadmill option for CrossFitters: the Assault Runner Classic.
Assault Runners have been prominently featured in CrossFit events like Wodapalooza and multiple sanctionals. Although “serious” gyms are more likely to have the “Pro” and even the “Elite” options on hand, the “Classic” is generally going to be the best option for home and garage gym CrossFit athletes.
The Assault Runner’s price point is significantly higher than any of the other items on this list, but is in the more affordable range relative to other manual treadmills. Bluetooth and ANT+ connection capabilities make it attractive as not solely a machine to use during metcons. Also, you have to figure that if CrossFit authorized it for comps, it is pretty good at tracking distance.
Like the Echo Ski, the Assault Runner Classic does not currently boast any reviews. However, given its overall functionality, compatibility, and price, we’re comfortable crowing it as the best curved treadmill option cardio machine for CrossFit.
CrossFit Cardio Machines Assessment Criteria
You’ve made it this far and after being hit with our “champions” of each cardio machine type, you’re probably thinking…
“How did y’all come up with these specific picks?”
It’s a fair question and one we’ve definitely anticipated. We’ll give a brief rundown before going into each metric in greater detail:
Functionality: How much can you actually do with your machine? An inexpensive rower seems nice on paper, but if it only counts distance, can’t be programmed for intervals, and has not idea what a drag factor is…it ain’t all that functional.
Compatibility: This is a “Best CrossFit Cardio Machines” article…as opposed to a “Best Cardio Machines article”. Because of this, it’s really important that you can feel confident that your score is going to be valid when you write it on the leaderboard.
Price: Pretty obvious, right?
Customer Reviews: We’re not naive enough to think that you’re just like “hey! This guy said to buy the $3000 curved treadmill…we gotta do it now!” and know that there is definitely strength in numbers. As such, we include the collective customer review scores for all of the gear we review…because you don’t have to take my word for it…
Functionality
We know a lot of rowers have those “Let’s Race!” virtual rowing apps or options to virtually “row the Danube” or other popular rivers.
While these can certainly be fun little novelties, we have yet to meet even casual CrossFitters who use these apps, yet alone seek them out when they’re looking for gear.
At the same time, a ski erg isn’t a multifunctional Smith Machine that allows you to perform 97939532641 different exercises on it. Each of these items are pretty much single-modality items…and that’s okay.
How we really define functionality in this context is in things like “programmable workouts” (ex. intervals, “Tabata”) the ability to save extensive past-use data, for the resistance to actually adjust when you move the damper, and a pre-workout drag factor readout.
Ultimately, you’re still just running, biking, rowing, or skiing, but a more functional machine (at least per our definition) will allow you to do so more efficiently, will allow you to review past workouts, and in a manner that is most appropriate for your workouts.
Compatibility
If this article wasn’t so CrossFit-focused, this wouldn’t be nearly as much of a concern…
….but it is…so it matters…a lot…
If you’ve been doing CrossFit for any amount of time, you’re aware of that guy who has some knock-off rower that they can row 1000 meters on (heh) in under 3 minutes (I know about these…because I’ve used them before…many times!) Hell, even the Assault Bike is guilty of being the “easy” version of the Echo Bike (if you’ve done the 10-minute test on both of these…you know that one ain’t like the other.
So there is the matter of pride, but sometimes it’s about more than that…
If you want to do the CrossFit Open, you pretty much have to have access to a Concept2 RowErg or a Rogue Echo Rower. A few years back, some dudes were getting crazy scores/times using a Xebex rower…and they all had to resubmit their scores. Other competition qualifiers explicitly state that you gotta use a BikeErg or Echo Bike for workouts.
So in a lot of cases, it’s about more than pride…
Overall, it’s about consistency and fairness. If everyone is using the same machines, nobody is at an advantage or disadvantage based off of tracking differences. If you ever want to benchmark your scores, times, etc. on these machines against anyone else…well…the more “compatible” a machine is, the better.
Price
Other than your pull-up rig (probably) and some really, high-class, specialty barbells (maybe), your cardio machines are going to be your most expensive purchases (unless you really cheap out here). All of the items we’re looking at today hover around the $1000-mark with the curved treadmill doubling that.
Interestingly, some of this gear, particularly the bikes, aren’t really priced with as heavy of a “premium” as you might expect, considering that these are the “CrossFit-approved” bikes, afterall.
On the other hand, there is a bit more variety of rowers (to include the more specific ergometric “air rowers” that the Concepr2 RowErg falls into) with some on the market being seriously affordable. Curved treadmills can also be had for very little…but quality…well…this ain’t the category to talk about that…
We want to clarify that we’re comparing each of these to other options in their respective classes…i.e. movable arm fan bikes vs. other movable arm fan bikes as opposed to all “exercise bikes” which keeps the comparisons more honest.
At the end of the day, our reasons for including this category should be pretty obvious; we all want to get the best bang for our buck with all things, fitness gear included. Just don’t be surprised that, largely due to previous category, certain items that don’t score particularly high in this category top our list, regardless…
Customer Reviews
I think it’s pretty safe to say that if you’re reading this right now, you put at least some stock in what other people have to say about fitness gear.
(Heck, actually typing out “best cardio machines for CrossFit” in search of reviews is about as much of a smoking gun as we have ever seen!)
As such, customer review scores always factor into our calculations. Specs are great (if you can decipher them) and price is definitely important, but, at the end of the day nobody wants to get catfished by a sleek rower ad.
When you got hundreds (or in the case of some of these items, thousands) of people vouching for something, it’s a pretty good bet that whatever you’re looking at is legit.
Ultimately, as with all of our reviews, we’re confident in our picks…
CrossFit Cardio Machine Buyers Guide
Now that we’ve covered the different criteria we use to assess each machine, let’s look at a few other “quasi-tangible” components that you might (should!) take into consideration when assessing which machine(s) are best for you.
Durability
Cheap CrossFit cardio machines aren’t necessarily less durable CrossFit cardio machines…but you gotta imagine that significantly lower prices have to be the result of cutting corners…somewhere.
(Yeah, I know I came out hot there, but I think you understand the significance of this)
With this in mind, be sure to closely scrutinize reviews to determine “real-world” build quality and user perceptions of machine durability and probable longevity. A ~$400 rower ain’t such a good deal if it breaks in Year 2 (whereas your Concept2 Row Erg can last 10 times as long!)
Something else to keep in mind is that the more “moving parts” a machine has, the more stuff there is that can potentially go wrong. For example, most curved treadmills generally have the large, curved tread, frame, and display screen. Kinda hard to mess these up with casual use.
On the other hand, ski ergs have multiple (usually thinly embroidered) handles, the grips on the handles, internal flywheel, and machine frame itself. Not saying these are prone to breaking, but more moving parts means more opportunity.
One last thing: don’t discount the importance of machine maintenance on longevity nor the need to implement it. Flywheels get dirty (and you’ll think your rower is screwed), pedals get really loose (and you’ll wonder why there is so much creaking and cranking), and handles get stiff (you’ll just think they’re stuck). Clean and tighten as necessary to improve durability.
Noise
To some people, especially if you are working out in your own home or garage gym, this isn’t that big of a deal. Your machine may be noisy, but what you do you care? Nobody else is around to complain…and you’ve got trainin’ to do!
With that being said, we’re going to assume that you have at least a semi-decent relationship with neighbors who live at least semi close by (and/or you want to actually be able to hear that YouTube video over the sound of frantic running, rowing, biking, or skiing).
The bad news is, most of even the best Cardio Machines for CrossFit are going to be at least somewhat noisy. Not really a way to get around that.
The good news is, there is some variance between machines (both within their specific machine types as well as across CrossFit cardio machines of all categories).
Bike Erg-esque machines are generally more quiet than rowers which are oftentimes on par with ski ergs and many curved treadmills. Fan bikes are usually the loudest, but chain-drive bikes (like Assault Fitness bikes) are usually a bit louder than belt-drive options (like the Echo Bike).
Something else to keep in mind is that proper assembly and maintenance go long ways in silencing your gear. I’ve experienced noisier-than-necessary become instantly more silent after tightening some screws and even cleaning them up a bit.
The Best Cardio Machines for CrossFit
In case you haven’t figured things out by now, our intention here isn’t/wasn’t to determine the single best cardio machine for CrossFit. If you know anything about CrossFit, you know that a compatible rower is going to be the most important (not necessarily, the “best”, but you get the idea) cardio machine due to how often rowing is programmed and its presence in the Open.
To emphasize this point, Taylor Self of Sentinel Training recently told me:
“If you are looking to retrofit your home gym and purchase cardio machines, our recommended order of importance is as follows… Concept2 rower or Rogue Echo Rower first. Rogue Echo Bike or Assault Fitness Assault Bike second. Concept2 Ski Erg third and a Concept2 Bike Erg last.”
(this was just before the introduction of the Echo Ski…so our picks may actually be perfectly in line with Taylor’s)
With that being said, we are confident in the combined quality and value of this “stack” (with the AssaultRunner Pro thrown it) as each of these machines represent your best bet for CrossFit cardio work.
The Best Cardio Machines for CrossFit
Rogue Echo Rower
92
Concept2 BikeErg
88
Rogue Echo Bike
91
Rogue Echo Ski
92
Assault Runner Cl.
80
