Whether you’re climbing the volcano in Watopia or sweating through virtual intervals, we have the trainer for you. Tacx’s award-winning NEO and FLUX trainers have both been upgraded for 2019. The NEO 2, FLUX 2 and FLUX S offer an interactive and immersive indoor cycling experience. Super-silent and with automatic resistance, they bring virtual cycling to life. So which one is right for your ride?
So you’ve read the specs and checked the prices, but still can’t decide which type of trainer suits you best. Let us help. It all depends on your training goals, how often you train indoors, what you expect from an indoor trainer and which training app you use.
All three measure your speed, power and cadence accurately and offer automatic controlled resistance: so they adjust resistance automatically according to the input from your chosen workout, GPS course, Tacx Film or virtual world in Zwift. What this means is that when you start and interval or come to the start of a steep hill, the trainer will increase the resistance. Or when in the middle of a virtual peloton on Zwift it’s easier, but if you go to the front it gets a lot harder.
The major difference between these trainers is the level of simulation. With the most advanced trainer for example, when you ride across a wooden bridge or cobbles, you can actually feel the vibrations. Or the thrill of cresting a mountain and accelerating into the descent. While on the steepest climbs you get to suffer deeper. If you’re competing in eraces or riding regularly on Zwift, these effects become super satisfying.
TACX FLUX S
The Smart choice for performance
The FLUX S ticks all the boxes when you’re looking for a direct drive trainer. Reliable, accurate, silent, strong and with excellent ride feel, this bike trainer is the ideal indoor training companion for the hours of torture or pleasure.
The ride feel is super smooth and very responsive thanks the large 7kg flywheel ensures fantastic ride feel, replicating the sensation of riding on the road. Like all trainers it pairs seamlessly with the most popular training apps and software available.
Reliable, accurate and consistent power measurement is key to keeping track of your performance and progress. The FLUX S excels, accurately measuring watts to within 3%. It’s a strong trainer with a maximum sprint resistance of 1500 watts and can realistically simulate inclines up to 10% gradient. It’s a great direct drive trainer for the majority of the amateur riders and an ideal training companion.
TACX FLUX 2
Wider simulation range, better ride feel and more accurate power measurement
The FLUX 2 is midway between the FLUX S and the NEO 2. It doesn’t offer the 4D riding experience of the NEO, but you can still experience real climbs up to 16% even at slow speeds, so it has a bigger range of simulation.
Equipped with a bigger and stronger resistance unit together with a heavier flywheel, the FLUX 2 has a maximum resistance of 2000 Watts, which is enough for even the strongest riders. The bigger flywheel increases the mass inertia effect, which ensures an improvement in ride feel and makes every pedal stroke very smooth. Also, the internal structure has been redesigned completely, which enables power measurement that’s accurate to within 2.5%. Compared to the FLUX S, this trainer is for those who demand more from a bike trainer.
The FLUX S and the FLUX 2 have the same chassis design. Both are designed to bring vibrations and noise levels to the absolute minimum and are therefore among the most silent flywheel equipped direct drive trainers available. With improved axle and bike compatibility, they also have capacity for long cage derailleurs.
TACX NEO 2
World-beating cycling simulator
Probably the best smart turbo on the market, the Tacx Neo 2’s virtual flywheel is able to replicate just about any wattage, incline or road surface. If you’re ready to invest in your training and want the best substitute for road cycling, this trainer is unbeatable.
The NEO 2 is also an updated version of its predecessor the NEO, which was already voted the world’s No.1 turbo trainer by TitaniumGeek. It boasts the same immersive features like Road Feel so you can experience the vibrating sensation of riding on cobblestones, gravel or many other road surfaces when riding with Tacx Films or Zwift. As well as Dynamic Inertia, which compensates for weight, speed and angle of inclination, improving the cycling feeling significantly. It requires no calibration and no external power, unless you’re using the downhill feature.
As well as the Isokinetic and Isotonic training modes for improving your pedal stroke, the Neo 2 has a host of new features for analysing your efficiency on the bike. These include pedal stroke analysis, left/right balance and improved cadence accuracy. Plus improved ERG control thanks to a new microcontroller and additional memory. It is without question the most silent, realistic and accurate bike trainer available. It’s not for nothing the choice of the pro riders and made for those who want the best of the best.
Still can’t decide? Here are the stats at a glance.
| FLUX S | FLUX 2 | NEO 2 | |
| Flywheel | 7kg | 7.6kg | Virtual |
| Mass inertia | 22.8kg | 31.2kg | 125kg |
| Weight | 22.3kg | 23.6kg | 21.5kg |
| Max. incline | 10% | 16% | 25% |
| Max. power | 1500W | 2000W | 2200W |
| Accuracy | <3% | <2.5% | <1% |
| Calibration | Spin down | Spin down | Not required |
| Max. torque | 22.1 Nm | 41 Nm | 85 Nm |
| Max. brake force | 65 N | 120 N | 250 N |
| Foldable | No | No | Yes |