The new motor design of the NEO 2T also improves the ride feel during a climb or acceleration. We were able to give the motor of the NEO 2T more power, resulting in the ability to generate higher resistance levels under specific conditions, like in a sprint or at low speeds. So where does the Tacx Neo 2T outshine its rivals? There’s the ‘road feel’ that Robinson alluded to, and that will be important to some users who want that immersive, ‘gamification’ experience. But, for me, the main reasons to opt for the Neo 2T come down to two aspects. Speaking to one colleague from mechanical engineering he expects some tolerance issues so that one ball bearing isn’t fixed in his position and causes too much movement one the other, normally lightly floating bearing. There is a power discrepancy when racing. Erg mode is fine regardless of gearing but a difference in power readings arises in free ride on zwift especially when I start pushing the watts in races. I just use my power pedals for power now and I am fine.

In addition to the pedal stroke analysis, the Neo 2 Smart also brings ascent/descent simulation to every session, letting you push your workout to the limit and imitating inclines up to 25% to really get those thighs throbbing. “Real-Feel” technology gives the sensation of rattling over cobbles and rougher terrains, while “Dynamic Inertia” replicates what you would feel on a real ride. This adds further realness when linked to VR apps such as Tacx Films and Zwift, viewed on your iOS or Android compatible devices. Maxing out at 2200 watts when sprinting, this dazzling direct drive unit lets you push yourself to the max as you make your off season gains in near silence thanks to the super-quiet running of the machine. An excellent bit of kit for any garage or workout area, the Neo Smart 2 is an unbeatable trainer to make sure you are ready and raring to go once the roads become rideable. The Tacx Neo 2 transmits data on both ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart as well, allowing interactive resistance control across both ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart. By applying resistance control, apps can simulate climbs as well as set specific wattage targets. Finally, a lot of folks will ask about road-like feel, and I always say pretty much the same thing:So if for some reason you’ve got height limitations in your storage spot in a small apartment, this may not be the trainer for you. The SPECIAL EDITION of the Garmin Tacx® NEO 2 Smart premium bike trainer ranks between the NEO 2 Smart and its big brother NEO 2T in terms of performance and function. The trainer with direct drive also easily takes on thru axles (142mm/148mm) and has the trainer axle as well as the improved freewheel system of the more powerful NEO 2T! It can be used with and without power supply. I also put on three different bikes. Problem was the same. Also bought brand new cassette and chain. Again the problem stayed.

Beyond the aforementioned issues, setup is extremely easy, the connectivity is excellent, the accuracy is great, and the specs are excellent. With features such as Road-Feel, Dynamic Inertia and Descent Simulation working to make every stationary session as true-to-life as possible, the Neo 2 Smart comes with an enhanced Pedal Stroke Analysis system, measuring your power distribution and leg positioning via capacitive sensors on each pedal. The data compiled from the sensors allows you to see how you can improve or maintain your performance, keeping you in top condition all year long. Oh, with that out of the way let’s get into the details of setup and configuration…which won’t take too long. What’s in the box:To protect the bike frame and allow you to move naturally, the frame of this exercise bike allows a few degrees of freedom of movement to the right and left. This makes the bike easy to swivel in the saddle for an even better riding experience. There are a number of niggles with the Neo 2T, and while Tacx offers solutions to many of them using spacers and accessories, I feel that these problems shouldn’t exist in the first place, especially when you consider the price of the unit. The app isn’t perfect, but most users will probably choose to use a third party such as Zwift anyway. ANT+ FE-C Control: This is for controlling the trainer via ANT+ from apps and head units. Read tons about it here.

The app also allows you to test out the road file and ISOKINETIC/ISOTONIC options. I dig into road feel a bit later on. You can see below in the two side by side shows a handful of the many different road feel modes. The NEO 2 Smart has been equipped with an high-quality chipset that enables smoother and more responsive control of the NEO motor. This leads to a quieter indoor cycling experience and paves the way for new and immersive features. With the new pedal stroke analysis function, power distribution and driving performance can be improved. A capacitive left and right detection sensor has been added to allow the bike trainer to measure the exact position of both legs. The familiar features of the NEO Smart are still available. Like Road Feel, with which you can experience the vibrating feeling of driving on cobblestones, gravel and many other road surfaces (in Tacx Films and Zwift). And this exciting feeling of accelerating into a descent after reaching the top of a mountai Not being a racer I figured power accuracy +\- 1, 2, or 5 % was the least of my concerns as long as it was consistent. Tacx Neo 2 power is consistent with my Zwift rides for the past year and relatively close to the estimated power I get on Strava. I know this isn’t scientific but whether on tired ride days or on felt fantastic ride days my power comparisons were acceptable to me. After a year I am confident in my Tacx Neo 2 power readings. My question: has the improved ERG mode made the virtual flywheel heavier in ERG mode, or more specifically, as heavy in ERG mode as it is in non-ERG modes? Suitable axles - Width of rear fork: Race 130 mm, MTB 135 mm, 142 mm & 148 mm. Adapter for 135 x 10 mm available.Suitable cassettes: Shimano & SRAM: 8-/9-/10-/11-speed (Campagnolo, SRAM XD & XDR, Shimmano MicroSpline bodies sold separately) For me, in my testing, I used Zwift and TrainerRoad as my two main apps (which are the two main apps I use personally), with a side dish of SufferFest for this round of testing. In the case of Zwift, I used it in regular riding mode (non-workout mode), whereas in the case of TrainerRoad I used it in a structured workout mode. For SufferFest it was in ERG mode. I dig into the nuances of these both within the power accuracy section. Here you can see the NEO paired as an ANT+ FE-C trainer (and as a cadence sensor) with Windows: Skewer Compatibility: All the skewers and adapters you could ask for: Road 130mm, MTB 135mm, 142x12mm, 148x12mm It’s true that sometimes I manage to get units to all properly align and almost match, though, that’s more the exception than the rule unfortunately. Oh, and as for cadence on that last ride? Pretty clean across the board – nearly perfectly matching its power meter buddies (again, ignoring the SRM drops): Overall after 2 years saving for it I am very disappointed so far with it. Its my first trainer and maybe i need to give it more time but I find it hard to relate my experience in any way to the review here and elsewhere. Im starting to wonder if i need to return it which I really dont want to do after a couple ofyears looking forward to it. Has anyone else had the same experience?