TACX NEO SMART £1199.99

› Is this the future of turbo training?

FIRST THINGS FIRST, A CONFESSION: I hate – and I mean hate – turbo training. The whole process of setting the infernal machine up annoys me, then there’s the noise, tyre slip, choppy pedalling, burning through tyres and the sheer faff of actually using the thing.

At least, that’s how I felt before Tacx’s Neo Smart came along – a trainer that not only takes the hassle out of the set-up process, but offers smooth performance and has some clever tricks up its sleeve into the bargain.

Its direct-drive design means you remove your rear wheel and connect your bike to the Neo’s cassette, which is attached to a large steel disc. Electromagnetic resistance is built into the disc, so there’s no physical friction between parts – and almost no noise. In our smart trainer test in issue 309, anything around 80dB was considered tolerable; by contrast the Neo was so quiet all we could hear was the chain.

The Neo works off mains power, and when plugged in a motor brake helps create a close approximation of real-life speeds; when not plugged in the progressive resistance is based on the electromagnetic energy you generate. A builtin light illuminates the floor under the unit to give you a visual indicator of how hard you’re working based on the parameters you’ve set: ranging from blue (you’re not trying hard enough) through purple and into red (you’ve drifted into, well, the red). This is particularly useful if you’re putting in a big push and staring down at the pedals.

Power data requires no calibration, and is transmitted to your head unit, iPad, iPhone or Android device via Bluetooth Smart or ANT+. Measured against the Garmin Vector 2 power meters on our bike, the readout was consistently 2-5W lower, which is probably about right once you allow for drivetrain losses.

The Neo’s best trick, however, is its use of ANT+ FE-C, a standard that allows third-party software (such as from Zwift and Bkool, or Tacx’s own) to control the trainer. Run the GPX file of a

HIGHS

Natural ride feel, easy to use, clever

and consistent

LOWS

Its expensive, seriously expensive

Simply the best smart trainer available right

now

favourite ride and the Neo will accurately simulate gradients of up to 25 per cent uphill, so you can put in a big effort on a (virtual) climb and take a breather when you’ve crested the (virtual) top. The downhill isn’t perfect – it can only simulate a five per cent gradient, and you still have to pedal (so no coasting), but the way it can turn the resistance near-instantly is impressive.

The Neo looks good too, and the wings fold up to reduce the footprint to about 10 inches across for easy storage when you’re not using it – though there’s nothing you can do about the 21kg overall weight. We’re seriously impressed with the Neo – its simplicity of set-up, incredible quietness and clever design make it the best turbo trainer we’ve used to date. The downside – and it’s a big one – is the price, and that’s before the steering frame (£120), foldable training mat (£50), tablet stand (£60), handlebar mount (£30)...

Expensive business this indoor training.