Tacx Neo 2T review

The most realistic samrt turbo trainer on test - but that's not always a good thing

Tacx neo 2t trainer side on
(Image credit: Future)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

The Tacx Neo 2T provided the most realistic feel, there is built-in sway to the unit and the electromagnetic flywheel simulates the road very well - really capturing the super high torque you need to get a sprint going from a low speed before spinning up. The cobble simulation actually feels really quite realistic too and speed at which climbs and descents are replicated is impressive. It’s also very handy that it can power itself. The power on our unit was accurate when compared with two other power meters, and and it doesn’t need calibrating/zero offset each ride. The cons are the price, how much of a pain it is to carry, and the fact that the inbuilt left/right motion creates a noodley feel during sprints, which takes some getting used to. This is a good to buy if you want maximum realism and good trainer control and aren’t so fussed about all-out sprints.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Inbuilt rocker feature

  • +

    Realistic sprint feel

  • +

    Cobble effect

  • +

    Good power accuracy

  • +

    Nice feeling erg mode

  • +

    One of the fastest to drop to zero watts

  • +

    No need to zero offset

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    A riser unit would double down on realism

  • -

    Foldaway isn’t so convenient

  • -

    The rocker feature really sapped my sprint

  • -

    The realistic sprint “spin-up” is a bit annoying for a turbo, requiring more shifting

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Indoor trainer brand Tacx came under the wing of Garmin in 2019. The hypothesised take-over of the indoor training space - facilitated by a huge cycling computer and software brand now owning a trainer hardware division - hasn’t happened yet. In fact, there hasn’t been a great deal of change to Tacx’s smart trainer range at all. However, the future remains a mystery for anyone outside of Garmin’s trust circle (eg: Garmin itself).

The Tacx Neo 2T is the most expensive of the brand’s smart turbo trainers, at £1199.99/$1399.99. It’s bested only by the Tacx Neo indoor bike, at £2299.99/$3199.99. The ability to replicate tougher climbs, a higher max power and improved accuracy set this unit apart from the Tacx Flux 2, at £699.99/$899.99.

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Turbo trainer comparisons
Row 0 - Cell 0 Tacx Neo 2TWahoo KickrSaris H3Elite Direto
Max climb25%20%20%24%
Max watts2200w2220w20003,600w
Resistance typeElectromagneticElectromagneticRow 3 - Cell 3 Row 3 - Cell 4
Claimed accuracy+/- under 1%+/-1%+/- 2%+/-1.5%
RRP£1199.99/$1399.99£999.99/$1,199.99£899.99/$1,099.99£829.99/$1,166.14
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10 minutes @ 250w
Tacx 2T246w
Shimano Dura-Ace crankset247w
Garmin Vector 3 pedals242w
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Row 0 - Cell 0 Effort 1Effort 2Effort 3Effort 4Effort 5
Tacx Neo 2T389w389w382w381w385w
Shimano Dura Ace crankset390w390w381w380w372w
Garmin Vector 3 pedals383w383w377w370w376w
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Row 0 - Cell 0 1s5s
Tacx1062w992w
Dura-Ace1077w1017w
Vector1090w1023w

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