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Powerful air resistance meets comfort and stability in this review of the Bells of Steel Blitz Rowing Machine. This rower is perfect for rowers of all ability levels who want to improve their rowing skills and performance.
Updated: October 4, 2023
If you have researched the Concept2 RowERG and have now discovered the Bells of Steel Blitz Rowing Machine, it is impossible not to notice that the two rowers are quite similar. Yet, the Bells of Steel, the newcomer to the market, has made some changes and embellishments to this popular rowing design. In this review of the Bells of Steel Blitz Rowing Machine, I will cover those differences and more. The Blitz Air Rower is the product of a brand that has paid close attention to what rowers like most in their machines. The result is a comfortable and powerful rower with rugged features like a chain drive and a 10-level air resistance fan and damper.
The Bells of Steel Blitz Air Rower has a steel frame. There are two stabilizers, which provide plenty of lateral support to the machine. The machine has Bells of Steel Blitz yellow branding.
The Bells of Steel Blitz Air Rower has a comfortable handle that measures 5 ½” on either side. They are fixed handles and do not spin. The design feels basic, but there isn’t anything to complain about. The Blitz Air Rower’s handle attaches to a chain to provide tension, and it also uses a chain drive. This makes it a louder machine than belt drive rowers. This rower is best for rowers who do not have to worry about their noise production while working out.
The 46-inch monorail is aluminum. It feels pretty smooth beneath the seat, but it doesn’t feel quite as sturdy to move the rower around as a comparable steel construction does. The seat is very comfortable. It is large, measuring 9 ¾” x 12”. The padding is soft and molded. Together, the seat and rail measure 14 ½ to 15 ½ inches in height from front to back. This slope helps users return to the catch position more passively. The height is moderate in difficulty for users to lower themselves to. It isn’t akin to sitting in a chair, but it is much higher than a rower that sits directly on the ground.
The foot stretchers measure 11” x 4”, providing enough room for most users. The foot stretchers are spaced about 4 ½ inches apart. The straps are very wide and Velcro. These are some of the most secure straps and foot stretchers I have encountered on a rower. Be mindful that you can pull these straps too tight. I had to loosen them once while I was testing. The square metal ring may shift to fall on top of your foot. I recommend ensuring the rings are moved to the side for the most comfortable rowing position.
The Bells of Steel Blitz Air Rower can be stored horizontally. It can also be broken into two pieces for even more compact storage. The monorail and seat detach from the main frame. Bells of Steel recommends that two users work together to connect and disconnect the parts, but it is doable by one person. There are also transport wheels for rolling the rower into a new location. It is pretty lightweight, so most users should not have any problem storing and setting up the rower.
The fan is equipped with a ten-level damper for adjusting the airflow to the fan. The damper is not easy to adjust during a workout. It is more common for a rower to adjust their settings before starting a workout. The user can also vary the resistance by rowing faster or more forcefully. Level 7 to 10 are definitely more suitable for strength or power training. I prefer training around a 2 to 4 damper setting and varying my strokes per minute or force to create a more intense workout.
The air resistance is basically unlimited. The harder you pull, the harder the fan works against you. The fan is noisy, but if that’s no obstacle for you, air resistance certainly has its perks. It is very comparable to other air rowers. It would be best for users with their own home or gym space over a shared living space or apartment.
The Bells of Steel Blitz Air Rower is a relatively low-tech rower. It doesn’t have a bulky touchscreen or digital resistance. Yet, it is better for it. For many users, this type of no-frills cardio equipment is better than the high-tech alternative, which comes with cons like more breakable components, software malfunctions, requiring electricity, and becoming beholden to a monthly subscription service. The Bells of Steel Blitz Air Rower has all the necessary features for a great workout without many extras. This is the perfect rower for an athlete who just wants to row.
The Bells of Steel Blitz Air Rower has a three-button console. These buttons are ‘Set,’ ‘Mode,’ and ‘Reset.’ They are not intuitive to use, and I don’t find their names to be all that helpful. The manual can be tricky to decipher, as well, but you are going to want it nearby for your first workouts on the Blitz Air Rower. Of course, you can forgo the training programs and jump right into rowing. The console turns on when it detects the machine is being used. You don’t have to do anything extra to just row. All your metrics will display on screen. It is a little harder to read the metrics due to the screens small size, but it is sufficient for low-tech rowing.
The Bells of Steel Rower has a small device holder. The console acts as the entire support for this rack, so any phone you place in this rack will completely obscure the monitor. If you have a bulky phone case or a PopSocket attached to your phone, it will probably not work. The rack is really too small for a tablet.
The Blitz Air Rower is Bluetooth. The rower can pair to a heart rate monitor. My Garmin Forerunner 245 connected very easily. I did not have to push any buttons once my watch was broadcasting my heart rate.
Bluetooth also allows the rower to connect to a smart device for use with the premium Kinomap app. The process for this is described in the rower manual.
The Bells of Steel Blitz Air Rower performs well. The only issue I encountered with the rower was quite minor. The resistance feels strangely heavy when you first start rowing, but once you are in a rhythm, it feels pretty smooth. I’m not sure why this is, but it could be due to a heavier fan or chain compared to a rower like the Concept2 RowERG. The chain maintains its tension throughout the rowing stroke, so the recovery phase can be very passive. It feels similar to the AssaultRower in this regard.
The seat is very comfortable. It is very similar to the seat found on the AssaultRower, which is one of my all-time favorites. Bells of Steel certainly took notes on what rowers love from their machines in designing the Blitz Air Rower. My testing of this rower indicates it is great for endurance rowing or for short, powerful bouts. I was comfortable during both types of workouts.
The low-tech design of the Blitz Air Rower excludes most high-tech training options. The console itself only provides basic training programs like intervals, target workouts, and manual training. There are a few preprogrammed interval workouts, but users can also design their own. The console allows you to set the number of rounds and the length of the rest and work intervals. You can’t create a complex workout, so all the rests are the same, and all the work intervals are the same.
The Bells of Steel Blitz Air Rower does support use with Kinomap. This premium subscription service is a social and virtual training app. It provides workout routes from around the world, instructional training videos, and competition with other users. The rower’s Bluetooth capabilities allow you to pair the rower to the application and view your metrics on your phone screen.
The Bells of Steel Blitz Rowing Machine is a refreshment of a classic rowing design. It combines a trustworthy build with a comfortable seat to keep athletes rowing for longer. Bells of Steel keeps things simple with their training options, but the console could be more user-friendly. The rower performs well and presents plenty of challenge for newcomers and veterans of the sport alike. The Bells of Steel Blitz Rower is a strong new entry into the brand’s conditioning line of equipment.
