MYX II review: Total body, connected fitness

Connected fitness has taken our post-pandemic world by storm. With more people staying at home and working remotely, the demand for an at-home boutique fitness experience has grown increasingly popular and necessary. I've researched, tried, and tested some of the best connected fitness equipment available; there are a ton of great options out there.

MYX Plus kept me sane and in shape all of 2020, well into 2021 — I'm a huge fan! So, I was thrilled to learn of the launch of MYX II, the newest connected bike from MYX Fitness. This bike hosts some notable upgrades from its predecessor, like a camera, cadence sensor, sleeker screen, improved processing power, and faster downloads. MYX Fitness has recently merged with OpenFit, and partnered with BODi (Beachbody on Demand), giving subscribers access to an ever-growing library of thousands of fitness classes and modalities at a competitive price point. When it comes to premium at-home fitness, MYX II does not fail to impress. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an at-home, total body fitness system.

MYX II: Price and availability

MYX II is available on the MYX Fitness site for $1399, or buyers have the option to finance it for $30 a month. It comes with a stationary Star Trac bike outfitted with a 21.5-inch sleek, interactive touchscreen tablet. You'll also get a Polar OH1 heart rate monitor, and a 12-month manufacturer's warranty.

MYX II: Touchscreen, cadence, camera

In the days before covid, I was an avid studio rat. I'm certified indoor cycling, barre, and yoga instructor and have worked in boutique fitness studios and gyms for over a decade. I love the boutique experience, and taking group classes at local studios was an occurrence that happened several times a week. Sadly, I had to kiss my beloved studios goodbye in 2020.

Now that I'm not teaching in-studio anymore and have been presented with numerous options to bring the boutique fitness experience home with me, I've jumped wholeheartedly into the world of connected fitness. It's convenient, efficient, and effective. With connected fitness, you can take classes anytime; you don't have to adhere to strict time frames of studio schedules. App subscriptions enable you to take classes anytime, anywhere — giving you the option of bringing your favorite workouts on the road.

I love MYX II because it's a total body fitness system at a great value. It functions as your own home gym. You'd be hard-pressed to find a system of this quality in a similar price range, and believe me, I've looked. MYX II is a Star Trac stationary bike outfitted with a 21.5-inch swiveling touchscreen for seamless transitions and workouts on and off the bike. The bike features four-way adjustments and a 41-pound flywheel, providing a smooth, comfortable riding experience for users of all sizes up to 350 pounds. An Openfit membership of $29 per month grants access to thousands of different classes, and new classes are added weekly.

MYX's recent merge with Openfit appeals to those looking for more of a boutique, one on one coaching experience. You can choose from personal training sessions, on-demand workouts, or structured fitness programs. You also have access to live walking and running classes with real-time feedback in the app. There's even a camera on MYX II so instructors can view your workout, form and provide personalized coaching.

For those that love Beachbody, MYX has recently partnered with BODi (Beachbody on Demand). This provides more of an interactive boutique fitness experience. Take note that BODi is a separate monthly subscription from Openfit. It costs $29 a month. BODi gives subscribers access to live group and on-demand classes. You can use MYX II's camera to join on-screen BODcasts or broadcast your workout on a jumbo screen, along with other BODi participants, for shout-outs, personalized corrections, and cues. BODi is great for those looking for an interactive community while they ride.

One of my favorite upgrades on MYX II is the addition of the cadence sensor, cadence monitoring, and cadence coaching. Cadence refers to the rhythm of a song. Cadence cueing is when an instructor gives you an RPM (revolutions per minute) range to hit. This gets riders to pedal on the beat. As someone who has taught rhythmic indoor cycling classes for over a decade, I find cadence cueing to be one of the most effective ways to coach. It's the easiest way to get everyone on the same page. As long as your cadence sensor is connected, you'll see your RPM displayed in real-time while you ride.

MYX Fitness focuses on heart-based training, and MYX II comes with a Polar OH1 heart rate monitor. You'll want to wear a heart rate monitor for every workout. MYX also easily pairs with Apple Watch if you'd prefer to track that way. When you hop on your bike for your first ride, the app will prompt you to take a MYX zone calibration ride. This ride uses a patented algorithm to determine your personal fitness level and target heart rate zones.

This helps riders start off on the right track and ensures the efficiency of every workout. MYX recommends testing first thing in the morning, following the trainer's directions, and completing the workout uninterrupted for best results. Your cardiovascular health should improve with regular exercise, so it's essential to take this calibration every six weeks so you can see your progress.

Let's talk performance metrics. While riding MYX II, you see the following metrics displayed on-screen: calories, cadence, speed, distance, music playing, current heart rate, and your heart rate zones in line graph form. You also see the time passed and time left in your workout. If you're not riding and taking a floor class like Pilates, yoga, or barre, you'll see everything except cadence, speed, and distance. I love performance metrics. I always keep mine on display, but you do have the option of turning them off if you'd rather it be just you and the instructor.

A cool thing about taking a class on MYX II is that you can adjust the volume of the instructor and music separately, depending on your needs. If you need more cueing, you can turn the instructor up and tone the tunes down, but if you want to zone out and blast the music, you can make that happen too. MYX II is outfitted with 20W speakers which enable you to play your class out loud, or you can connect wirelessly with any Bluetooth headphones. MYX II pairs easily — I've never had issues.

When it comes to fitness modalities, your Openfit subscription offers tons of options — all accessible on MYX and MYX II. Subscribers can choose from strength training, barre, Pilates, cycling, walking, running, cardio, HIIT, yoga, weights, kickboxing, stretching, treadmill, relaxation, and meditation. These classes range anywhere from five to 65 minutes. You'll earn fun badges on your way to fitness to keep you inspired. Right now, I'm preparing for my wedding, so I've been working out on MYX II five times a week. I credit my results to MYX workouts and a clean diet.

MYX II: Loose clips, cadence connect, membership

MYX II has sneaker cages or SPD compatible toe clips on the pedals. I prefer to clip in as I feel I get more out of each pedal stroke. The clips on my MYX II feel looser than my original MYX bike. This makes it easier to clip in and out of them, but sometimes I slide around a bit while I'm riding. If you're not used to clipping in, this can be scary. It also puts the rider at risk of falling out, and that's never fun. Pro tip: always keep a little resistance on the bike, especially when pedaling at faster RPMs, to avoid falling out.

I love the addition of the cadence sensor, but mine has trouble connecting at times, and I'm not sure why. Like I mentioned above, I love riding on rhythm and cadence coaching, so it's annoying not to have my RPMs displayed. The sensor uses a removable battery. If I take the battery out and reinsert it, it usually fixes the issue.

Monthly subscriptions can be costly, but in connected fitness, they're expected. Both Openfit and BODi at $29 per month are less expensive than top competitors like Peloton and NordicTrack. Just be aware that if you want to access both Openfit and BODi, you must purchase both subscriptions separately. Unfortunately, there are no combo deals.

MYX II: Competition

Peloton

If you're into connected fitness, and even if you're not, chances are — you've heard of Peloton. Peloton is a connected fitness company that sells both connected bikes and treadmills. Like Openfit, subscribers get access to thousands of live and on-demand classes with world-class instructors. The app required for the bike or tread costs $39 a month, and the Peloton bike+ with a swiveling touchscreen starts at $2495. MYX is much less expensive for virtually the same experience, making it a better value and the winner in this contest for me.

NordicTrack

NordicTrack is another big name in the world of connected fitness. It sells all kinds of connected fitness experiences. The comparable bike, NordicTrack's S22i costs $1499 and the companion app, iFIT costs $39 a month. It's less expensive than Peloton, but MYX II still wins when it comes to price, value, and subscription cost.

MYX II: Should you buy it?

• You're looking for affordable total body fitness
• You want on-screen performance metrics and heart-based training
• You want lots of class options

• You don't want to pay for monthly fitness subscriptions

You should buy this if you're looking for an affordable, total body fitness system. At $1399, it's an excellent value. MYX II delivers on-screen performance metrics so you can measure your progress in class and over time, with a focus on heart-based training. Subscribing to Openfit and or BODi grants users access to thousands of classes and fitness modalities. You shouldn't buy this if you're not into paying for monthly fitness subscriptions.

If you're looking for an affordable, all-encompassing, total body, connected fitness system, look no further than MYX II. It's a commercial-grade indoor cycle outfitted with an interactive touchscreen for seamless transitions from the bike to the floor. Subscriptions to MYX II's companion app Openfit grants users access to thousands of live and on-demand classes, trainers, and programs in multiple exercise modalities. MYX II is easily adjustable and pairs seamlessly with Bluetooth headphones, the included Polar OH1 heart rate monitor and Apple Watch. It's the best of the best in connected fitness.