Wow, I'm pretty blown away with this trainer. First, the set-up was easier than I expected. I had read some reviews that said getting it set up could be a little tricky. However, I found it went pretty smoothly. There is a little bit of time investment to download the Tacx app (and whatever other cycling apps you use) and then input lots of various bits of info. But the trainer synced right up with Zwift. Ok, for the riding itself, the Tacx Neo Smart is awesome 1) it does a great job of simulating different road surfaces such as wooden bridges, cobblestone, dirt roads, etc , 2) ascents and descents are also really well-simulated, and when combined with a more realistic road surface, it really reduces the monotony of riding indoors (even with Zwift), 3) it is so quiet! And I love not having to shred a rear tire. My only complaint would be that the power info with Zwift is laggy and also lower than the the reading I get on my Garmin from the Quarq meter on my bike- I don't quite yet trust Zwift to get it right, so I have my Garmin on for a back-up. But this might be an issue more with Zwift than the trainer. I have not used the Tacx software to make any comparisons. Overall, if you are stuck inside for the winter and need to train and get prepped for early spring races, this is a great trainer to find some motivation to ride indoors.
This has transformed winter training for me. The direct drive with Zwift compatiblity actually makes working on the trainer an enjoyable experience. The flex in the trainer is nice, Unit feels stable. Was concerned about quality issues described shortly after release, but have ridden about 40 hours without problems. Only thing I would say is that the Tacx software is not the most user friendly and the unit is cumbersome to carry around
It is expensive, but well worth it. Let me first say that I was not a fan of trainers. I have had a few and tried others and found them to be unrealistic in the resistance and not smooth at all. Until I got these, I preferred rollers. Now I like both for different reasons. The Neo is smooth and really quiet. You bike makes more noise than this trainer does. The box and the styrofoam were badly damaged when I got mine, but the heavy unit was intact and is working well. I mounted a 10-spd Shimano cassette (with 11 teeth) using the provided lock-nut and a Shimano cassette tool. It pairs with my Garmin and provides speed, cadence, and power data.
This is my 3rd trainer over last 8 years or so. My first connected or smart trainer.
Paired with an app like Zwift, it actually makes riding a trainer not so miserable. Ive been averaging 5 hours a week on this one over last 3-4 weeks. I never sustained any near that amount of time on my previous trainers.
Im not sure if the spec, but it can put up incredibly large amounts of resistance. So much so that if you try to start out in the big ring up front and small cog in back...it feels exactly like it would on actual pavement and 2 wheels. The simulated pedal feedback when you ride over cobbles or dirt in your app is a pretty neat feature too.
I had an older Tacx smart trainer and decided to upgrade this year. I do lots of GPS rides of routes in the Texas Hill Country and this one is much more realistic than the old one. It's also much quieter, all around just a huge improvement. After using it for 2 months I'm going to upgrade my wife's trainer as well.
The reason I bought this was that it worked without electric. I really like it for you can ride for hours and not notice that you are on a stationary bike.
Very quite trainer. Using with Zwift. I like the simulated hills, and rough roads. The first time I went over coblestones, I was not paying attention and was shocked at how realistic it was. I went from basic rollers where it was tough to keep from going mad from boredom after 10min, to easily riding for an hour fully stimulated. Only issue is overheating, so I need to invest in a larger fan. Pretty expensive, but I figure it will keep me in shape through winter so hopefully it pays for itself in the long run based on my life expectancy .
