“The MYXfitness MYX II Plus fitness bike is a worthy competitor to other models on the market, and it's also a pretty good deal.”
- Solid construction
- Two streaming workout service providers
- Includes additional equipment
- Requires a subscription
As the saying goes, it’s always a good time to start getting in shape. Well, at least that’s what the doctor says. With a huge variety of home gym equipment and streaming services available, it’s getting easier to do just that. Case in point is the MYX II bike. This sleek stationary bike is easy to adjust for height and resistance and offers a plethora of classes that you can do on and off the bike for a full-body workout experience.
First-rate bike deliveryÂ
Let’s face it, exercise bikes aren’t lightweight. Many new stationery models sport a display assembly, so it isn’t as easy as just picking it up and placing it in a home gym. The MYX II comes with a 21.5-inch touchscreen that can rotate 360 degrees. The monitor also sports 20-watt speakers. The bike weighs a whopping 134 pounds and the flywheel weighs 41 pounds. The entire unit measures 47 x 54 x 21 inches. Although there are wheels in the front for lifting the bike and moving it into place, we’re still happy we didn’t have to do that ourselves.
The bike comes with free white-glove delivery service. A third-party company (XPO Logistics for us) will deliver the bike, set it up, and cart away the packaging. That entire experience was definitely first-class. The company contacted us to set a delivery day and time and MYXfitness provided information about how to prepare the area. This definitely came in handy and made the whole process go that much faster. The company recommends clearing out a space that will accommodate the bike mat, which is about 4 x 6 feet.
Our two delivery guys, David and Henry, were professional and took the time to explain how to adjust the bike. They set up everything, including mounting the display and plugging in the power. They also delivered the yoga mat, a set of weights (you can pick the size), a kettlebell, foam roller, resistance bands, and a Polar heart rate monitor.
Lots of extras
The MYX II comes with a lot of extras and workout choices, plus all the gym equipment mentioned above. If you don’t need those extras, save $200 and get the MYX II — that’s the bike, the heart monitor, and the screen for all the classes.
The classes last from 10 minutes to 60 minutes, so there really is something for every fitness level.
When you initially set up the bike, you can select between Openfit and Beachbody’s BODi streaming services. Both offer a variety of exercise workouts, cycling classes, and nutritional content. Along with rides (for all fitness ranges), classe include barre, Pilates, cardio, strength training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), walking, kickboxing, yoga, meditation, and stretching. The classes last from 10 minutes to 60 minutes, so there really is something for every fitness level.
As mentioned above, the bike also comes with a Polar OH1 heart rate monitor that syncs with the workouts. You place the monitor in the arm band and wear it while you work out. You can see your heart rate levels on the screen whether you’re doing a workout or going for a ride. In our testing, it took about two weeks before we needed to recharge the unit.
Taking a ride and working out
We decided to go with the Openfit service, mostly because it had a better variety of live and on-demand classes, including Xtend Barre with Andrea Rogers. The subscription costs $39 a month (close to the cost of an average gym membership — depending on the gym). You can also set up multiple users in the Openfit app, so everyone in the family can have a personalized experience.
Before you really start to work out, you’re encouraged to take a zone ride, just so the bike can determine your fitness level. You’re encouraged to take the ride first thing in the morning before having a cup of coffee. The 20 -inute ride is brutal, with reason — the goal is to set your heart zone rates, so it definitely should push your limits.
Before you do this ride, you do need to sync the Polar monitor with the bike. There are also options to sync with an Apple Watch. There really are no instructions for syncing the monitor with the bike, so it took a little sleuthing (and a cup of coffee — yeah, yeah, that zone ride would just have to wait another day) to determine you need to download the Polar app. You don’t actually sync it with the Openfit app. Once you sync the monitor via Bluetooth with the Polar app, the device will sync with the bike immediately. The good news is that if the monitor isn’t synced during Openfit classes, it will let you know on the screen — so you can touch an option on the screen to sync it. The classes denote if they will work with the heart monitor.
The instructors overall are solid, they all seem to have their own style, and they’re all approachable. The music for classes range from ’90s hip-hop to country to top 40 and everything in-between. You can adjust how loud you want the music compared to the instructor’s voice.
Our take
We tested the bike and its accessories for about two months and really saw how it stepped up the home gym game. We won’t say the bike was comfortable to ride, but it was ergonomically correct. After all, that’s what those special bike shorts are for. You can clip your own bike shoes into it if you so desire.
Working out on the bike is definitely a solid workout, but also a fantastic warm-up to do before taking other classes. I did find myself stronger than when I started, and I’m almost ready to take that zone ride again to relish in my overall improvement.
We did end up having to download two apps to our phone (Openfit and Polar), which is fine because it gives you the whole experience. The Openfit app syncs with the streaming service on the bike so you can see all your stats in one place, which is a plus. There’s a lot to do on the app, like log weight, track your food, schedule workouts, see what workouts are live, and find some healthy recipes.
If you don’t like going to the gym, but like all the classes and want a complete system at home, this could be the perfect solution for you.
Is there a better alternative?
There are plenty of other exercise bikes on the market including models from Peloton, NordicTrack, and plenty of other exercise bike makers. One of the main features that set these models apart are the classes and the instructors. That’s going to be a personal choice. You might also just prefer to skip the bike and get a fitness mirror instead or sign-up to stream exercise classes.
How long will it last?
Exercise bikes can last up to 20 years, but maintenance is important. The touchscreen, gym accessories (purchased from MYXFitness), bike components and pedals, and labor come with a one-year warranty. The structural frame has a five-year warranty.
Should you buy it?
If you’re in the market for a stationary bike, this model will not disappoint. You can use your own bike shoes, and there is so much control over the intensity levels, it will work for those just starting a workout regime. as well as longtime fans of cycling classes.
It comes with a lot of solid extras that provide you with everything you need to participate in other classes offered by Beachbody or Openfit. Let’s not forget the Polar heart rate monitor that pairs with the bike. At the end of the day, it’s a pretty good deal when you think about all that you’re getting for $1,599.
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