Joined in 2023 
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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. Experience the vibrating sensation of riding on cobblestones, gravel and many other road surfaces. This immersive feature is unique to the NEO and can be used with Tacx Films and Zwift. To illustrate the challenge of getting good 1-second matching between units, here’s another ride from a few days earlier. You can see on this ~800w sprint that the units are all separated like airplanes flying at different altitudes.
The Tacx Neo 2 Special Edition (SE) is a Smart trainer in a class of its own! With its sophisticated features and ultra-realistic ride feeling, even the longest winter loses its terror. Already the previous version could convince with its low noise level. Due to a new design of the neodymium magnets, the 2 SE version has once again become significantly quieter. Noise caused by internal air turbulence as well as vibrations at low pedaling frequencies could be reduced to a minimum. If you fail - or stop - midway through an interval, the Neo 2T will require a very hard standing start effort to get going again as you try to overcome erg mode. Wahoo and Elite, meanwhile, now both offer an 'easy ramp' feature on their top trainers that makes it easier to get going again.This simulation is largely down to the virtual flywheel and the signals the motor and resistance units send to it. It is nothing short of impressive and really adds to the ride experience, and certainly keeps you on your toes and holds interest as you train in your chosen software. The Tacx NEO 2 Smart measures your power with incredible precision, making sure you that your data is accurate and reliable. This Smart trainer is the only trainer that doesn’t require a calibration process. This Smart trainer measures your power accurately within 1%. The NEO 2 was already equipped with a capacitive left and right detection sensor that accurately measures the exact position of both your legs. By adding standard ANT+ Cycling dynamics, you can now analyse your pedal stroke via the software of third parties; for example on a Garmin Edge bike computer. The Tacx Neo 2T is physically shaped by a unique design that doesn't use a flywheel (Image credit: Josh Ross) At a high level, things look pretty darn close, there are a few cases where the SRM EXAKT pedals randomly lose connection/data. It’s unclear if this was a head unit issue or a power meter issue. It doesn’t much matter here as we can easily see those dropouts and mentally ignore them.
Beyond the aforementioned issues, setup is extremely easy, the connectivity is excellent, the accuracy is great, and the specs are excellent. The one area I have seen challenges with though is if the trainer is at a low speed (such as a low-speed climb), and then I apply a significant sprint-like force to the pedals, it’ll slip. By ‘slip’, I mean it feels like for a split second you out-power the trainer. As if you pulled too fast on the toilet paper roll and things went flying.
Tacx Neo 2T ride impressions
ANT+ FE-C Control: This is for controlling the trainer via ANT+ from apps and head units. Read tons about it here.
In some cases, keeping changes to a minimum might not be a bad thing for reliability though. And ultimately it follows Wahoo’s popular model of incremental changes to existing trainers – rather than massive shifts from model to model. He’s not kidding. The turbo unit itself makes hardly any noise at all, with most of the decibels coming from the chainset of the bike and wheezing of the rider. I happily conducted turbo sessions in my hallway while the rest of my family watched TV in the next room with no complaints. This is a huge advancement on older turbos that often sounded like a jumbo jet taking off. In real life when you descend there's inertia involved. It's a complicated dance that simulation software tries to replicate but the Tacx Neo 2T uses its direct connection to the freehub to accelerate the freehub during descending. In use, it's very subtle but it's a feature that no one else has at this price range. Matching it on the Wahoo side will require stepping up another level to the Wahoo bike. App Compatibility: Every app out there basically (Zwift, TrainerRoad, Rouvy, Road Grand Tours, SufferFest, Kinomap, etc…) 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.
In this case series of a few smaller surges, we see that things are very close, though the NEO 2 does spike slightly over the others for the peak 1-second power. This was a known issue on earlier firmware, and this unit should have been on the latest firmware at the time – so not sure why we see that. The first sprint is within acceptable limits for max 1-second sprint differences, but that later sprint at the right of the charge is a bit excessive. The Garmin Tacx® NEO 2T Smart roller trainer with direct drive is a further optimized version of the iconic NEO 2 Smart. It runs quieter and is at the same time more powerful than ever before! The completely redesigned motor provides the basis for perfect indoor cycling, which offers an even better riding feel especially during climbs and sprints. It’s got to be road feel,’ says Robinson. ‘You can feel when you’re on cobbles and gravel, or crossing a cattle grid. You can even simulate ice. When you pair it up to a third party app you’ll feel it when you get to that point in the game.’ Easily foldable for convenient portability and storage and compatible with 142x12mm and 148x12mm axles, straight out of the box, this smart trainer is compatible with most bike types, making the Tacx Neo 2 Smart Trainer the most versatile, intuitive and complete indoor training setup on the market. Compatible with the Tacx Neo Motion Plate Self-powering, the Neo 2 Smart offers super-realistic riding experiences thanks to a potent resistance unit capable of simulating incline gradients up to 25% and sprints up to 2200 Watt. Connecting wirelessly via ANT+ (FE-C) and Bluetooth, you can train with your favourite cycling applications, such as Tacx Films and Zwift, on your Android or iOS device to make the most of your time off the road. Foldable and Easy to Store
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