Does Garmin’s new Tacx Neo 3M trainer really offer “the most realistic indoor ride yet”?

Garmin has announced a new Tacx Neo 3M smart trainer that offers multidirectional movement that’s designed to provide “the most realistic indoor ride yet”.

“The newest indoor smart trainer adds integrated motion plates to let cyclists enjoy a more comfortable and realistic ride,” says Garmin.

“[These] built-in motion plates complement the natural side-to-side flexion of the trainer by adding front-to-back movement, letting cyclists ride in a more natural position to train more effectively. The plates can even be toggled on and off as desired.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the new product, direct from Garmin…

We’ve yet to use the Tacx Neo 3M but the obvious comparison is with the Wahoo Kickr Move that was announced in September. Wahoo says that the Kickr Move offers “the closest real-world ride-feel” thanks to the addition of 23cm (8in) of fore-aft movement to the trainer's body. The Garmin system doesn’t offer anything like that amount.

> Wahoo introduces £1,400 Kickr Move indoor trainer with “the closest real-world ride-feel"

Garmin already offers Tacx Neo motion plates separately for the Neo, Neo 2, and Neo 2T smart trainers at a price of £259.99. These have a 50mm range of motion.

The Tacx Neo 3M smart trainer uses similar technology but the forward and back movement is built-in so you don’t have to use motion plates. Instead, you can just turn the motion on/off. The trainer already has side-to-side flex. Together, they’re designed to make indoor riding as similar as possible to outdoor riding, but without the bad bits – nasty weather, dark, traffic…

“The Tacx Neo 3M also builds on its innovative electromagnetic motor braking system to deliver a virtual flywheel that allows cyclists to experience the feeling of riding on different road types and even downhill,” says Garmin.

“Plus, it seamlessly integrates with the Tacx Training app so cyclists can complete training plan workouts synced over from their Garmin Connect calendar, participate in virtual GroupRides, take part in training rides with WorldTour pros and experience immersive videos from some of the most beautiful routes and locations around the world.”

The Tacx Neo 3M weighs a claimed 23.6kg and has a handle that’s intended to make it easier to move around. Garmin says that “performance measurements including power, speed and cadence are accurate to within 1% across a broader range of power outputs”.

It’s priced at £1,749.99 with a pre-installed Shimano/SRAM 11-speed cassette.

Find out more here.