Trend on Trial: The Zwift Alternative That Promises to Transform Your Fitness – for Free
John Castro Jump to:
A free alternative to Zwift, MyWhoosh’s app-powered, virtual cycling universe lets you ride, train and compete against other two-wheel warriors from around the world. Ride modes include weekly tune-up sessions, group socials and weekend long hauls. Or you can just cruise along spectacular routes through the United Arab Emirates, Australian outback, Colombia and even Belgium. Yes, Belgium.
The Kit
The MyWhoosh app plays nice with most phones, tablets and Windows laptops, and streams all your real-time session stats like most stationary smartbike set-ups, such as the Wahoo Kickr, the Tacx Neo and the exercise bikes at your local gym. You can also link heart rate monitors to unlock added insights.
What the Science Says
There are many potential health pay-offs from jumping on the saddle. It’s a brilliant low-impact tool for sharpening your cardio fitness, burns fat, improves strength and helps shed weight without losing muscle. Studies suggest that six months on the saddle – with a smart eye on nutrition – can reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol and blood lipids, and improve blood sugar regulation. Pedalling through game-like virtual worlds also makes us more likely to stick to a cycle streak and it’s among the best ways to positively shift your mental health up a gear.
How We Tested
Our tester spent a month powering along the virtual roads of MyWhoosh. We rode a Wattbike AtomX paired to an iPhone and iPad, linked in a Polar heart rate monitor for added insights and cranked our way through all of the different rides to sample the full experience.
Verdict
If you’re looking to transform your fixed-bike training, MyWhoosh covers the basics well. Set-up is fast, fuss-free and there are plenty of interesting routes. But the group rides and races aren’t as frequent as Zwift and you don’t get the motivational energy of a Peloton coached workout.
Free Rides
The stocked workout library, goal-orientated training plans and in-ride coaching are excellent. There are plenty of serious sessions but it caters nicely to beginners, too.
Reality Check
The graphics don’t make you feel like you’re actually riding down the streets of Sydney. But they’re roughly on par with other virtual cycling worlds, such as Zwift.
People Powder
With fewer riders on the new-ish platform, races and social rides can be a bit sparse and there aren’t as many live events compared with what you’ll find on Zwift.
