The Assault Bike has gone on sale twice on Amazon and once on Rogue. Just last month it went on sale at Amazon for $700. I posted the sale on the Assault Bike thread. This is nearing a good price. I got it for $750. If I paid $1000, I'd have regrets, the kind I simply don't have for paying the same amount for the C2 Rower. The Rower is a better and more versatile piece of equipment. If I had to choose, I'd take the rower any day.
The bike is much better for the short HIIT that people around here do. 20 seconds on the bike is punishing in a way that 20 seconds on the rower just can't be. But if you ever want to do anything much longer, the bike would be absurd.
The Assault Bike is very sturdy. The only questionable thing is the seat assembly. Mine is not perfectly straight. I can't feel it, but I can see it and it makes me angry. I cannot break the bike. I weight 210. I've only gotten to 109 rpm on the damn thing. That required standing a bit. The bike didn't flinch.
If you have huge, > size 14 feet, I can see how your heal might hit the rear brace on the bike. I wear 11 1/2 to 12 and I'm fine.
I got the bike as a birthday present after I couldn't find a decent AD4 on CL for a reasonable price. I looked for a few months. I think there's too much crossfit around here to find these kinds of deals. . . . I didn't trust or want to look at the plastic on the AD2. And the AD6 has bad reviews. So there weren't many other options. In a year or two, I think the Assault Bikes will be selling for $600. That would be reasonable.