Tacx vs Wahoo indoor trainer

A light bike doesn't replace good fitness.

Moderator: Moderator Team

MrRolandos
Posts: 251
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 8:19 pm

by MrRolandos

Heey Guys!

This will be my first winter where I also will be training indoors, gonna participate in Zwift races and want the best indoor trainer. Good features, good power data and simple to setup etc. No calibration is also very nice.

I was looking at the Tacx Neo 2T (T2875) but all the reviews from the good reviewers (Dc rainmaker/gp lama etc) are from 2019 and the power results are not as good as you might hope. The difference between the trainer and an Power2Max or Favero were pretty big (4-7%) for being a top of the line model. Is there any changes or updates in the last 2 years that fixed that? Anyone has compared data in the last 3-6 months and can confirm the power data is now much closer to the promised 1%?

Another option is the older Tacx Neo 2 (T2850) which has way better power results, it always was really solid according to reviews but just certain features are not included and the 2T has been upgraded a bit.

Another option would be to go for the WAHOO KICKR POWER V5.0 TRAINER but I'm a fan of Garmin products.

Would love to hear your guys opinion, did you face the same choice and what made you made the decision? If anyone has recent power data comparison between a T2850 or T2875 and a solid source (Power2Max/Favero/Garmin pedals/Quarq etc) would love to see that aswell!

TiCass
Posts: 257
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2016 1:13 pm

by TiCass

I can confirm that my Neo T2 is simply off by 5% compared to 2 P2M NG and Vector Pedal…. which is kinda stupid for a product f that cost.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



mcfarton
Posts: 194
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:15 pm

by mcfarton

I like my kickr and customer support has been solid. If it ever broke I would get another wahoo. I use a single side stages and the numbers line up. I have never dug too deep into that though. My power is average and it shows on Zwift


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MrRolandos
Posts: 251
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 8:19 pm

by MrRolandos

Yeah if I look at some pictures :

Image

Image

Image

But something like this, is what you want :
Image

Anyone has more data or has it been fixed?

Dannnnn
Posts: 230
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:00 pm

by Dannnnn

Which bike are you using on the turbo?
Is it one with the powermeter fitted or will that be left off?

Fwiw I have a Neo 1 and it matches my Assioma duos to within 2%. Which is a handful of watts at threshold.

MrRolandos
Posts: 251
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 8:19 pm

by MrRolandos

Using my Sensa carbon disc roadbike, have a NGeco powermeter on it, which I will just leave but might just remove battery.

I did order a 2T, bad weather coming up and need a trainer. Gonna see how it does to my NGeco. If its within <2% I'm completely happy. If I get closer to 7-8%, I will be very unhappy.

AJS914
Posts: 5397
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

Just take all your power readings from your power meter. Wahoo Kickrs specifically support this. I'm not sure about Tacx.

User avatar
ms6073
Posts: 4290
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:24 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

by ms6073

Just to play devils advocate, but exactly how does one differentiate whether or not the Neo or the PM on the bike is the reason for the discrepancy? What if it is the Neo 2T that is actually more accurate than the PM on the bike? From what I have seen in articles about the Tacx factory, the company has an elaborate testing rig and process to which each and every Neo is tested before being boxed up.

Image
- Michael
"People should stop expecting normal from me... seriously, we all know it's never going to happen"

AJS914
Posts: 5397
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

I wish they had tested my piece of junk Vortex!

Could crank vs trainer power be explained by a dirty drivetrain or drivetrain losses?

User avatar
ms6073
Posts: 4290
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:24 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

by ms6073

My experience with Tacx wheel on trainers spans some 20-years and includes the orginal Fortius, legacy Bushido, and Genius Smart and in all cases, was a love/hate relationship - one which came to an abrupt end after the introduction of the Tacx Neo.
- Michael
"People should stop expecting normal from me... seriously, we all know it's never going to happen"

MrRolandos
Posts: 251
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 8:19 pm

by MrRolandos

Well yeah another option is to use my own powermeter, but if you spend this money on a premium top of the line product. You have expectations and just want to use the trainer without having to use garmin etc.

GPlama etc use Power2Max NGeco and Favero pedals as a baseline for a reason, he's tested so many powermeter and these are always the most accurate.
The problems shouldn't be there, but yet theres alot of cases from people online who complain about the data not being correct.

EdWiser
Posts: 188
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:50 pm

by EdWiser

If you are worried about power just get a Kickr bike it’s auto calibrates your power. I never worry about a power reading.

Atmungskette
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2021 11:40 am

by Atmungskette

AJS914 wrote:
Mon Sep 27, 2021 6:30 pm
Could crank vs trainer power be explained by a dirty drivetrain or drivetrain losses?
Yes, easily. Drivetrain efficiencies typically range between 90-98% (see for example Kyle and Berto 2001). Factoring in the measurement error of your trainer and your powermeter it is actually quite surprising that you see that difference.

TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12456
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

My KICKRv5 was off by a significant amount before I performed an advanced spindown without a prior warmup.

jasjas
Posts: 439
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2009 10:15 am

by jasjas

TobinHatesYou wrote:
Sun Oct 24, 2021 4:52 am
My KICKRv5 was off by a significant amount before I performed an advanced spindown without a prior warmup.
How? the kickr v5 doesn't allow calibration.....? and as it autocalibrates, even if you could, that calibration would be over written.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Post Reply