The Tacx Neo 2T was released in October of 2019, making it a relatively old trainer. However, it still remains one of the best. I’ve been riding on this trainer since August of 2020, so I have quite a bit of experience on it. In this article, I will be providing my thoughts on the trainer along with specs, accuracy, and tons more!

Prefer to Watch?

I’ve created a YouTube video version of this review on ZRace Central.

Overview

This direct drive smart trainer is very high priced at $1399, currently the most expensive direct drive smart trainer on the market. However, it is arguably one of the best. It is often compared to the Wahoo Kickr V6, Wahoo’s flagship smart trainer. The Neo 2T delivers some extremely good specs. These specs are highlighted below.

Power Accuracy: +-1%

Max Power: 2,200 Watts

Max Gradient: 25%

Connection: Bluetooth/Ant+

Power Required: None

Calibration: None

Special Features: Effort-Based LED’s, Tacx Neo Road Feel, Slight Side-to-Side Tilt, No Power Needed

Power Accuracy

One of the most important things about a smart trainer is having an accurate power reading. This is important because it determines how quick you are riding in the indoor cycling app(in my case, Zwift). The Neo 2T has a claimed accuracy of +- 1% — meaning the trainer should be at most 1% above or below the correct power. Here is the data.

The data above depicts that the Neo 2T is pretty much spot-on with the Powertap P1 Dual-Sided. However, the Powertap pedals are actually less accuracy, which explains the minor deviation between the two in certain parts.

Something to notice is that the Neo 2T is slightly slower to update when it comes down to power. In the dataset, you can see that the power pedals were able to register the sprints a lot quicker than the trainer. This is likely because of the virtual flywheel that Tacx utilizes.

In case you are wondering whether any other direct drive trainers have more accurate power accuracy claims, none do. Currently, +- 1% is the best power accuracy gets.

Audio Level

The Neo 2T is what most call “virtually silent”. Most of the noise is from the bike rather than the trainer itself. If you have a fan on, you won’t be able to hear the trainer. Without a fan, a slight hum is audible. An audio sample can be found below.

Bonus Features

In my reviews, I will have a “Bonus Features” section. This section will essentially just be a section to highlight the special features of the trainer. In the case of the Tacx Neo 2T, there are lots of bonus features.

Tacx Neo Road Feel: The Tacx Neo Road feel that is included with the Neo 2T is extremely helpful when creating a more immersive ride. This basically just simulates road surfaces such as gravel, dirt, ice, and more. Many of these surfaces are found in virtual cycling games such as Zwift.

Effort-based LED’s: Tacx have nicely placed LED lights at the bottom of the trainer. These lights change colors based off of your effort/power output. The feature does not really benefit the trainer in any way, it is just a cool addition.

No Power Needed: Another cool thing about the Neo 2T is that is does not require power to function. The trainer functions normally without power. However, downhill simulation will not be available without power. The trainer also needs to be awoken to pair to an app.

Side to Side Tilt: Something that many indoor trainer manufacturers have been including is the ability to tilt side to side. As indoor cycling becomes more and more advanced, innovations such as rocker plates have become popular. However, you do get some tilt with the Neo 2T, reducing the need for a rocker plate. The tilt is minor, but still very helpful as seen in the video review.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I still love this trainer and would not trade it for any other direct drive smart trainer. The Wahoo Kickr V6 just simply does not have anything to offer that the Neo 2T doesn’t. In terms of value, the Neo 2T may not be the best choice. Unless you are committed to indoor cycling and will likely train indoors year-round, a $1400 investment is likely not the best choice. Other options, such as the Zwift Hub should be sufficient for winter time riding.

Note: some of the links used above are affiliate links. These links help me maintain the site and continue to deliver this content. Purchasing any item through the links will help me out.

Thanks for reading, and ride on 🙂