I measured the Neo BikeвЂ™s power against a set of Garmin Vector pedals that I have in turn tested against meters from Shimano, Stages and Quarq, and found the Neo Bike power reading be reliable. There isnвЂ™t much of a reason, but you can make the argument for pulling over to wait for someone, and, if you want to spike your power, you can brake while pedaling for a bit of a boost for your avatar. Why would you want to brake in Zwift? Great question. The brake levers are difficult to squeeze, but they do work. The levers are a bit chunky in form factor, but the shifting is programmable. The electronic brake offers an immediate change in cadence. Shift feel at the fingers is okay, not as crisp as an outdoor bike, or the Wahoo Kickr Bike, but shift feel in the drivetrain is great. The WattBike Atom, and StagesBike also have shifters, but they are mounted as buttons on the handlebar, not as road-like integrated shifters. The bike can be programmed, via the Tacx app, to replicate a variety of chainring and cassette configurations. The Neo Bike shift levers have two buttons on each, like a very rough approximation of a Shimano Di2 lever. The fans, while novel, donвЂ™t really do much. Impressively, you donвЂ™t even need to have the bike plugged into the wall for any of this to work. After it connects, it reduces to only show the gear indicator and heart rate. The integrated computer works in two modes: Before the bike connects to a device, it shows all the metrics shown here. Similarly, the USB ports are handy for charging your tablet and phone. The tablet holder works pretty well, with a rubber strap, and a plastic clip holding your device in place.

When the bike connects to a device, the computer shifts to show just the gear indicator, and heart rate. When the bike isnвЂ™t wirelessly connected to a device for use on Zwift or TrainerRoad, the computer displays power, cadence, heart rate, speed, gradient, and a visual gear indicator. The Tacx Neo Bike cockpit has a lot going on, but most of it works well. Other features, like the frame design, could use an overhaul.Д«olted onto the front of the bike, the Neo BikeвЂ™s cockpit has five key features: a tray for your smartphone or other small items, a computer screen for ride data, a tablet holder, two USB charge ports, and two, little, pedal-activated fans.Д¬ollectively, these features make for a unique cockpit compared to other smart bikes. Now, two years after the Neo BikeвЂ™s release, some features like the surface treatments hold up remarkably well. Launching in 2018 after WattbikeвЂ™s Atom, Tacx set the standard, before competitors like Wahoo and Stages released their smart bikes. Tacx was an early company to create a smart bike-a combination of a smart trainer that measures power and adjusts resistance to third-party software, integrated with a dedicated indoor bike. For starters, the former are power-based tools designed to interact with third-party software, like Zwift, or TrainerRoad, while the latter are largely closed ecosystems that work with their own software. Okay letвЂ™s get something clear: smart bikes designed for cyclists are not the same as indoor bikes, like those from Peloton or NordicTrack. Don't miss a moment from Paris-Roubaix and Unbound Gravel, to the Giro dвЂ™Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a EspaГ±a, and everything in between when you

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