Tacx® Smart Trainer Comparison 2022 | Tacx NEO Bike vs NEO 2T vs FLUX 2 vs FLUX S

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When it comes to indoor cycling smart trainers, you have choices, which is why we created this 2021 Tacx smart trainer comparison. Tacx has been highly involved in cycling since 1957, first developing the NEO smart in 2015. Since the company was acquired by Garmin in 2019, the technology just keeps getting smarter! In this comparison article, we're looking at the Tacx NEO bike smart trainer and the Tacx NEO 2T, Tacx FLUX 2, and Tacx FLUX S smart trainers to help you decide how you want to continue training indoors while feeling like you're riding outdoors. You'll want to consider things like the weight of your smart trainer (the NEO smart bike is 100 lbs. heavy!) and how much power, accuracy, torque, and inertia you want to challenge yourself with. How much max incline do you want? Do you want simulation of descent? Take a look and compare these Tacx bike trainers that aren't just smart—we think they're brilliant!

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The Tacx NEO bike smart trainer makes riding indoors realistic and fun. Here are the features that'll make your indoor rides quiet, reliable, and most of all—accurate!

• DYNAMIC INERTIA controls mass inertia and compensates for weight, speed, and angle of inclination to make your ride feel more realistic for a realistic outdoor ride indoors.
• ROAD FEEL works with Tacx software or the Zwift app to make the trainer vibrate and simulate the feeling of riding on different road surfaces like cobblestone and gravel.
• ULTIMATE IMMERSION — While you ride, the gear feel mimics the sensation of your chain jumping into a different gear. When connected to an external power source, descent simulation accurately simulates a downhill drive.
• PEDAL STROKE IMMERSION — The NEO Bike Smart trainer measures the position of your left and right legs to analyze your pedaling technique and help you develop a more effective stroke.
• ACCURATE AND RELIABLE — Keep track of your performance and progress with reliable, consistent measurements — no calibration needed. That includes power, speed and cadence, measured accurately within 1%.
• READY TO SPRINT — The well-balanced design of NEO Bike Smart ensures maximum stability, even during the most explosive sprints, up to 2,200 watts.
• CLIMB HIGHER by training on realistically simulated inclines up to a 25% gradient.
• SMOOTH AND SILENT — The combination of NEO smart technology and the internal design of NEO Bike Smart results in one of the most silent indoor bike trainers available.
• FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE — Make this bike your own by adjusting the pedal, saddle, (tri) handlebar, bar tape and crank lengths. It can even be set according to the exact settings of your road or tri bike.
• HIGHLY COMPATIBLE — BLUETOOTH Smart technology and ANT+ FE-C protocol allow the NEO smart bike to work with a number of popular training apps such as TrainerRoad and Zwift.
• ABLE TO STAND ALONE — Use the trainer in stand-alone mode if you want. When not connected, it will simulate a flat road; the faster you ride, the higher the resistance.
• DEVICE COMPATIBILITY — Connect NEO Bike Smart to multiple devices simultaneously, so you can enjoy Tacx software and track your performance on your Garmin bike computer at the same time.
• TACX TRAINING SOFTWARE — Enjoy a library filled with more than 100 high-quality, real-life videos that let you experience the rush of riding the steep hills of the Alps or the cobblestone roads of Milan.
• TACX TRAINING PLANS are structured and designed for your fitness level to help you meet your goals. Race live opponents, upload GPS data, ride with 3-D maps and more.
• STAY SMART AND KEEP COOL —NEO Bike Smart features a 4.5” display and has USB chargers so you can power up your devices. Built-in interactive fans are automatically controlled by your power and heart rate.

The Tacx NEO 2T smart trainer makes riding indoors realistic and fun. Here are the features that'll give you a more immersive experience, measures total power and left/right balance, and more.

• Complete Stillness — Newly redesigned magnets make for a significant improvement in the stillness of NEO 2T Smart.
• Powerful Climbs and Sprints — The NEO 2T Smart trainer features a new motor design that delivers more power at low speeds, resulting in a highly improved ride feel during a climb or acceleration.
• Improved Pedal Stroke Analysis — NEO 2T Smart takes pedal stroke analysis to the next level. By adding cycling dynamics with standard ANT+ connectivity, you are now able to analyze your pedal stroke via third-party software, including the software on our Edge bike computers.
• A More Realistic Ride — NEO 2T Smart is designed to simulate an outdoor ride as realistically as possible. It also features dynamic inertia—which controls your mass inertia and compensates for weight, speed and angle of inclination—to make your ride feel as realistic as possible. Use the Tacx software or Zwift app, and experience the road feel feature. It lets the trainer vibrate and simulate the feeling of riding on different road surfaces, such as cobblestone and gravel. And when connected to an external power source, descent simulation accurately simulates a downhill ride.
• Powerfully Built — NEO 2T integrates 32 neodymium magnets that allow for a high brake force and high power levels. It can resist sprints up to 2,200 watts and simulate climbs up to a 25% incline.
• Accurate and Reliable — The NEO 2T Smart trainer is designed to provide a reliable, accurate and consistent measurement of your speed, cadence, and power. This smart trainer doesn’t require calibration, and it measures your data with a maximum deviation of 1%.
• Fully Connected, it communicates via BLUETOOTH Smart technology and ANT+ FE-C protocol, making it compatible with a number of popular training apps. Ride a famous cycling route in the Tacx software, take on the virtual worlds of Zwift, or use other platforms such as TrainerRoad. You can also use the trainer in stand-alone mode. When not connected, it will simulate a flat road; the faster you ride, the higher the resistance.
• Train Your Way with a library filled with more than 100 high-quality videos that let you experience the rush of riding the steep hills of the Alps or the cobblestone roads of Bologna. Race against live opponents, upload GPS data and ride on 3D maps, create your own workouts based on slope, power, heart rate or FTP, and show off on Strava.

The Tacx FLUX 2 smart trainer makes riding indoors realistic and fun. Here are the features that make this direct-drive smart trainer everything you need for an enjoyable and efficient indoor training session.

• Train with Confidence with the internal mechanics of the FLUX Smart trainer that are redesigned in order to improve the ride feel and data measurement. It measures your power accurately within 2.5%.
• Conquer Extreme Climbs with maximum stability when cycling in even the most explosive sprints. It powers up to 2,000 watts, and you can train on realistically simulated inclines up to a 16% gradient, even at low speeds. So this smart trainer is very well-equipped to simulate an accurate hill climb. And no matter how intense your workout, this bike trainer is built to last. A large footprint and durable materials ensure maximum stability.
• Smooth and Silent — A stronger resistance unit in combination with a heavier 16.8 lb (7.6 kg) flywheel significantly improves the ride feel and responsiveness of FLUX 2 Smart. This direct drive trainer is designed to bring vibrations and noise levels to the absolute minimum, resulting in one of the most silent flywheel-equipped bike trainers available.
• Fully Connected with BLUETOOTH Smart technology and ANT+ FE-C protocol, making it compatible with a number of popular training apps. So whether you want to ride a famous cycling ride in the Tacx software, take on the virtual worlds of Zwift or utilize other platforms such as TrainerRoad, this bike trainer lets you ride smarter than ever before. You can also opt to use the trainer in stand-alone mode. When not connected, it will simulate a flat road; the faster you ride, the higher the resistance. And it can be connected to multiple devices simultaneously, so you can enjoy the software and track your performance on your Garmin bike computer at the same time.
• Improved Compatibility with additional axle adapters to significantly improve axle compatibility. This direct drive is compatible with 142x12 mm and 148x12 mm axles — right out of the box.
• Train Your Way — FLUX 2 Smart harnesses the innovative power of the Tacx indoor training software. Enjoy your time in the saddle with a library filled with more than 100 high-quality, real-life videos that let you experience the rush of riding the steep hills of the Alps or the cobblestone roads of Milan. Take advantage of efficiently structured training plans, designed for your fitness level to help you meet your unique goals. Race against live opponents, upload GPS data and ride on 3-D maps, create your own workouts based on slope, power, heart rate or FTP, and show off on Strava.

The Tacx FLUX S smart trainer is an ideal indoor training companion—made to help you sweat while cycling with your favorite apps.

• Train with Confidence with design that provides a reliable, accurate, and consistent measurement of your power, speed, and cadence, so you can keep track of your performance and progress. It measures your data accurately within 3%.
• Powerfully Built, the well-balanced design of FLUX S Smart ensures maximum stability when cycling in even the most explosive sprints. It powers up to 1,500 watts, and you can train on realistically simulated inclines up to a 10% gradient. No matter how intense your workout, this bike trainer is built to last. A large footprint and durable materials ensure maximum stability.
• Smooth and Silent — At 15.4 lbs (7.0 kg), a heavy flywheel ensures a realistic ride feel and good responsiveness of FLUX S Smart. This direct drive trainer is designed to bring vibrations and noise levels to the absolute minimum, resulting in one of the most silent flywheel-equipped bike trainers available.
• Fully Connected — The trainer communicates via BLUETOOTH Smart technology and ANT+ FE-C protocol, making it compatible with a number of popular training apps. So whether you want to ride a famous cycling ride in the Tacx software, take on the virtual worlds of Zwift or utilize other platforms such as TrainerRoad, this bike trainer lets you ride smarter than ever before. You can also opt to use the trainer in stand-alone mode. When not connected, it will simulate a flat road; the faster you ride, the higher the resistance. And it can be connected to multiple devices simultaneously, so you can enjoy the software and track your performance on your Garmin bike computer at the same time.
• Improved Compatibility — The FLUX S Smart trainer comes with additional axle adapters to significantly improve axle compatibility. This direct drive is compatible with 142x12 mm and 148x12 mm axles — right out of the box.
• Train Your Way — FLUX S Smart harnesses the innovative power of the Tacx indoor training software. Enjoy your time in the saddle with a library filled with more than 100 high-quality, real-life videos that let you experience the rush of riding the steep hills of the Alps or the cobblestone roads of Milan. Take advantage of efficiently structured training plans, designed for your fitness level to help you meet your unique goals. Race against live opponents, upload GPS data and ride on 3-D maps, create your own workouts based on slope, power, heart rate, or FTP, and show off on Strava.