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On 16 November, Garmin presented the new Tacx NEO Bike Plus was invited. The new indoor bike was set up on the second floor of the Munich store, there was gingerbread - yes, Christmas is coming - and water and juice spritzers. But back to the topic. The Tacx NEO Bike plus was explained in detail and, of course, there was also a test ride.
The Tacx NEO Bike Plus is customisable
The new smart bike offers similar features to the Wahoo Kickr Bike Adjustment options in every nook and cranny. The saddle height and offset as well as the handlebar settings can be adjusted within seconds thanks to the quick-release fasteners, provided you know your measurements and can transfer them to the smart bike. Thanks to the quick adjustment of the seating position on the NEO Bike from one person to another, nothing stands in the way of joint, but not simultaneous, use. The crank length can also be adjusted, with a choice of 165, 167.5, 170, 175.5 and 175 millimetres.
Compared to its predecessor, the ergonomics of the shifters have been improved. The shifting logic of the shifters can be programmed analogue to the shifting logic of Shimano, Sram or Campagnolo, so that no rethinking or relearning is necessary when switching between outdoor and indoor.
Realistic indoor bike training
The built-in brake unit can withstand sprints of up to 2200 watts and simulate a gradient of up to 25 per cent. To achieve this, 32 neodymium magnets are used. Neodymium magnets consist of neodymium, iron and boron and are among the strongest magnets in the world. The high braking force is intended to ensure that the driving experience is as realistic as possible. A realistic driving experience is also achieved thanks to Dynamic Inertia. This means that the inertia is controlled depending on the weight of the rider, the speed and the incline. The Tacx NEO Bike Plus accurately measures your own performance with an accuracy of plus/minus one per cent.
For even more road feel, Road Feel is integrated into the bike. The magnets are also used for this, which, depending on the surface, cause the flywheel to rumble as if the bike were travelling over cobblestones or similar. Road Feel only works in conjunction with compatible apps.
If an external power source is connected to the Tacx NEO Bike, it can also simulate descents. Usually, indoor trainers require you to keep pedalling when going downhill in virtual worlds. In the downhill simulation, a motor drives the flywheel so that the rider can roll down the hill without pedalling.
Low noise
The manufacturer promises that the NEO Bike Plus is one of the quietest smart bikes on the market. The crank and brake unit are only connected with one belt, whereas other systems use more belts.
Connectivity
As is common on the market, the Tacx NEO Bike Plus can also be connected to other devices via Bluetooth or Ant+ so that it can be used with apps such as the Tacx training app or apps such as Zwift and others. The Tacx Training and Desktop App is designed to ensure an entertaining workout. If you use the premium version, you can experience cobbled streets in Flanders, Alpine passes and much more in over 250 real-life videos. If you want, you can take part in "Ride with the Pros" rides with exclusive team videos sponsored by Garmin. You can also follow a structured training programme and compete against live opponents. You can upload your own GPS data to track or familiarise yourself with their elevation profiles. After the ride, the important data can then be found in the Garmin Connect app. Conversely, the Tacx training app uses data such as height and weight from Garmin Connect.
Tacx Neo Bike Plus with integrated fan
The new Tacx Neo Bike Plus has an integrated fan that can automatically control the airflow based on power output or heart rate. If you want, you can also control the air flow individually using buttons on the brake levers.
Further features of the smart bike
An integrated 4.5-inch display shows the most important data and mobile phones or tablets can be charged via two USB charging sockets - provided the Smart Bike is connected to the power supply, because just like the downhill simulation, the charging sockets only work with a power connection. All other functions can also be used without a power source.
Test drive with the Smart Bike
Setting up the indoor bike was done in a few simple steps, the only thing that took a little longer was changing the crank length, as extra tools are needed for this. The pedals are screwed on and off as normal, just like on any other bike. Then it started, my first time on a smart bike. A Road Feel course was selected in the Tacx Trainer app, in which different surfaces are cut together: Cobblestones, wooden planks, gravel and an icy road.
The cobblestones were particularly noticeable in the feet and legs, but not in the seating area or on the hands. This means you can ride Flanders' cobbled streets without blisters on your hands. I found the feeling particularly realistic on the wooden planks and also on ice - pedalling hard on an icy road can quickly lead to a fall as well as spinning out of control. On the Smart bike, you suddenly pedal into the void as if the rear wheel couldn't find a grip on the ice. Of course, this doesn't lead to a fall, as the bike weighs an impressive 50 kilos and made me feel very safe as a rider. I briefly tried out the airflow control based on the pedalling power and found it to be good. At the same time, I asked about the adjustability of the fans: these can be set according to your own needs so that the cooling airflow reaches exactly where it is needed.
Tacx NEO Bike Plus and Tacx NEO 2T
Without further ado, a Tacx Neo 2T with motion plates was set up alongside the Tacx Neo Bike Plus so that the different riding sensations could be directly compared. The Tacx Neo offers a little more freedom of movement and thanks to the motion plates it can move a few centimetres forwards and backwards. In my opinion, the riding experience was even more realistic than on the NEO Bike Plus, the cobblestones rumbled more. In a household where several people want to do indoor cycling training, a smart bike is a good choice due to the quick adjustment options.
Not sure whether you want an indoor bike or a smart trainer? TOUR has Advantages and disadvantages of both systems summarised.
The Tacx NEO Bike Plus in detail
- Customisable smart bike
- 5 crank arm lengths between 165 and 175 mm
- Programmable shift handles
- Powerful brake unit for an outdoor driving experience
- Low noise thanks to belt drive
- Compatible with training apps
- Road Feel - Simulation of the road surface
- Downhill simulation
- Use without external power source
- Pedalling analysis in the Tacx desktop app
- 2 USB charging ports
- Price (RRP): 3,999.99 Euro >> available here
New freewheel body for Tacx direct drive trainers
There is also news in the area of direct drive trainers (type 2) FLUX S Smart, FLUX 2 Smart, NEO 2 Smart Special Edition and NEO 2T Smart: The new Tacx Campagnolo N3W freewheel body is now available. This enables trainers to mount bikes with Campagnolo 13-speed groupsets (currently Campagnolo EKAR) on their trainer.
TOUR has repeatedly tested smart and roller trainers in recent years. You can find all the details of the tests and the results here here.
Sandra Schuberth
Editor
