If you are outfitting a commercial gym in 2025, the answer is basically this: the Cybex VR3 Leg Press and the Cybex squat rack are the pieces I would order again without a second thought. Honestly, the rowers are solid, but not a no-brainer. And no leg press machine on the floor will fix a badly coached barbell row. As of January 2025, that is still the bottom line from someone who signs equipment purchase orders.
I handle procurement for a 420-member fitness facility. I have been in this seat since 2020, managing roughly $150,000 a year in equipment and maintenance orders across 15 vendors. I report to both operations and finance, so every equipment PO has to defend itself twice. In our 2024 vendor consolidation project, I compared five strength brands and three rower models. I am not a biomechanist. I am the person who reads maintenance logs, watches what members actually use, and explains why a large equipment order is worth it.
Why Cybex Strength Makes Sense in 2025
The fitness industry has changed a lot since 2020. Back then, a gym could get away with a few selectorized machines and a row of treadmills. In 2025, members expect a real strength zone and cardio that connects to their phones. What was best practice in 2020 may not apply in 2025. But the fundamentals haven't changed: steel quality, service support, and movement design still decide whether a machine lasts five years or dies in eighteen months.
Most buyers focus on the weight stack or the upholstery. What they miss is the frame, pivot points, and warranty response. Those are the parts that decide whether a machine still feels solid after a year of commercial abuse. Cybex's strength lineup covers both plate-loaded and selectorized pieces (think: a whole circuit room from one catalog). For an admin buyer, fewer vendors means fewer invoices, fewer delays, and fewer arguments about who is responsible for the sticky shoulder press.
Why I'd Buy the Cybex VR3 Leg Press Again
A leg press machine is one of those purchases that looks boring until you watch someone who doesn't know how to use it load 800 pounds and slam through a quarter-inch range of motion. The Cybex VR3 leg press gets the basics right: the seat adjusts easily, the foot plate feels natural, and the movement path is forgiving enough for a new member but smooth enough for a serious lifter.
I went back and forth between the VR3 and a cheaper plate-loaded leg press for almost a month. The cheaper model had a larger load capacity. The VR3 had a better seat and foot plate. I chose the Cybex because my members are not trying to set world records. They are trying to train legs without their hips screaming. From the outside, every leg press looks the same. The reality is the foot plate angle and range of motion decide who can actually use the machine.
Our dealer quotes in November 2024 varied by more than $1,800 for the same unit. Note to self: never accept the first quote. If you are buying a leg press machine, make the dealer compete on installed price and lead time, not just the sticker.
What People Mean by a Cybex Squat Rack
Here is a clue most buyers miss: what people search for as a Cybex squat rack is usually Cybex's plate-loaded squat machine, not a traditional power rack. That distinction matters. If your gym needs space for free barbell back squats, buy a proper rack from a rig company. If you need a guided squat pattern for people who struggle with balance or core control, the Cybex squat machine is a better fit.
In our 2024 project, I put a Cybex squat machine next to two power racks. It looked like overkill at first. It turned out to be one of the most-used corners in the gym. Experienced lifters use the racks for barbell work; members finishing a recovery program use the squat machine for controlled strength work. Both are needed. A Cybex squat rack setup can fill that supervised niche without eating up your free-weight space.
Rowing Machine Reviews: Cybex and the Alternatives
Now for the part where I am less enthusiastic. In our 2024 rowing machine reviews, the Cybex rower scored well for build quality and noise. It is on the quieter end of the rowers we tested and feels like it could survive a busy class schedule. But the monitor is not the reason you buy a Cybex rower. Some competitors offer deeper app support and online rankings, and the total cost of ownership was higher in our comparison.
The numbers actually pointed to a cheaper rower with a bigger screen and better app integration. My gut said the frame was too light for 200 classes a week. I went with the Cybex. A nearby gym bought the cheaper rower, and by month six the seat rail had developed a wobble. I don't have hard data on Cybex's national repair rates, but based on our maintenance logs, the Cybex rower has needed almost nothing.
Still, if you run a rowing-heavy class program, look beyond the brand. The ecosystem around the best-selling air rower can matter more than the machine itself. A rower is easy to judge on paper. The reality is the monitor, service options, and community features determine how often people use it.
How to Barbell Row: The Exercise That Makes the Strength Zone Work
You can buy the best Cybex strength line in the country, but if your staff cannot teach a simple barbell row, you are leaving a lot of value on the floor. The barbell row is the movement I see coached the worst. Most members turn it into an arm curl.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hinge your hips back until your torso is about 45 degrees. Keep your spine neutral.
- Grip the bar just outside your hips. Brace like you are about to be punched in the stomach.
- Pull the bar toward your lower ribs, driving your elbows behind you. Don't let the bar come to your chest.
- Lower the bar under control. Don't bounce it off the floor between reps.
The cue that has worked best in our gym: 'pretend your hands are hooks and drive your elbows back like you are trying to leave them behind.' Once that clicked, we started seeing fewer shrugged shoulders and a lot more back engagement. If you only remember one thing from this article, remember that a leg press machine and a squat rack are tools. The barbell row is a skill your trainers need to teach.
Where Cybex Fits, and Where It Does Not
So is Cybex the right call for your gym? Maybe. It depends on your budget, your members, and your service network.
If you are opening a bare-bones studio in 2025, you don't need a full VR3 line. Buy a few used pieces, spend money on good coaching, and expand later. Cybex equipment is an investment, not a magic fix. If your members are mostly group fitness users who will never touch a leg press machine, a strength machine from any brand won't save your business.
By 2025, the execution has improved: smoother movement paths, better app integration, and more service options. But the non-negotiable is still the same. Buy steel that stands up to abuse, and work with a dealer you can call on a Sunday. That trumps any logo.
Buy steel that stands up to abuse, and work with a dealer you can call on a Sunday. That trumps any logo.
One last caveat: I don't have hard data on Cybex resale values nationwide. What I can say anecdotally is that used Cybex strength machines hold their value better than their cardios. If you are choosing between a new fancy treadmill and an extra squat station, the squat station is probably the safer long-term bet.
