Cycplus T3 Review: Why Pay For Tacx NEO?

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After the disappointing T2 trainer, Cycplus naturally wanted to repair its reputation. However, did they succeed? That’s what you’ll find out in this review of the Cycplus T3. This is the latest generation and Cycplus’s flagship smart interactive trainer, promising high-end features such as downhill and riding surfaces simulation, high accuracy and power, or electricity-free operation.

My T3 rating at a glance:
Resistance & Gradient 5/5 | Accuracy 5/5 | Noisiness 3/5 | Power Consumption 5/5 | Ride Feel 5/5 | ERG Mode 3/5 | Ease of Setup 5/5 | Portability 5/5 | OVERALL 4.5/5
More about this bike trainer scoring.

Main Features and Technical Specifications of the Cycplus T3

Here is the summary of the main features and the technical specifications of the Cycplus T3.

Unboxing

The T3 came in a well-packed box, the contents of which pleasantly surprised me. It also contained a Cycplus trainer mat, which is not the usual package content for smart trainers. The package also contained a USB ANT+ receiver, a USB cable for race mode, and an 11spd cassette.

Ease of Setup

The T3 setup was super easy. I only had to unfold the legs and choose the correct adaptors. Plugging it into electricity is not necessary unless you want the downhill simulation. This makes it similar to Tacx NEO trainers, which have the same feature.

I want to highlight a few details here. First, the drive-side adaptors have threads, preventing them from falling out. Second, the power cable has an on/off switch, so you don’t have to pull it out of electricity after each workout. I’ve never seen anything like this on a smart trainer, and I find these details helpful.

When folded, the trainer does not take up much space. It has the smallest footprint possible, and thanks to the large carry handle, it is easy to carry. Cycplus has really considered practicality.

Ride Impressions

The T3 reacts quickly to gradient changes in third-party apps. I tested this in the Zwift Jurassic Coast route. It includes descents and steep climbs, so it’s perfect for this test. 

Thanks to its huge resistance, riding steep gradients is as hard as it is supposed to be. I recommend halving the trainer’s power to keep your cadence high or if you don’t want to shift that often.

T3 changed resistance on time, and I didn’t feel like it was lagging behind or changing the resistance too soon. Additionally, it has the downhill simulation feature, which adds another dimension to the realisticness. Ride on it felt like on NEO 2T. Additionally, I have not noticed “virtual tire slip,” which occurred on NEO 2T on inclines when pedaling at a low cadence but high power and in ERG mode at the start of high power intervals when using easy gears.

The simulation of different driving surfaces is interesting, at the very least, but I personally find it annoying after a while and prefer to turn it off. I just want to concentrate on smooth pedaling.

T3 struggled a bit in the ERG mode when I changed cadence. I comment on this in depth below. I also measured a higher noisiness (~62.5 dB @ 200W) than trainers like Wahoo KICKR, Tacx NEO 2T, or Saris H3. I could also hear a weird mechanical noise when I started pedaling. I have tried to resolve this issue with Cycplus support, but they have concluded that this noise is normal. I don’t think so; it was coming from the flywheel. I stand by the fact that this noise should not be occurring at all. Fortunately, it was drowned out by the noise of the drive and the trainer.

Accuracy Tests

I double-checked the T3 power and cadence accuracy with my Favero Assioma DUO pedals. I use them as a benchmark for smart trainer and power meter tests.

I tested T3’s ERG mode, responsivity, and road feel in multiple indoor cycling apps. Of course, I updated its firmware using the smartphone app, properly warmed it up, and calibrated it before testing.

Test #1: ERG Mode

This ERG mode test is the benchmark test I use for all smart bike trainers. It has a short warm-up, ramp-up, multiple 30×30s high/low power intervals, and cool down. The following picture shows the results from TrainerRoad. Please keep in mind that I reduced the workout difficulty to 75% due to my health (and form). That’s why the actual power doesn’t reach the target power.

The following picture compares the Favero Assioma DUO data, considered one of the most accurate and reliable power meters, with T3. Notice how volatile the T3 power is. It also overread my maximum power by almost 6%, and when ending intervals, it under-read it pretty regularly. See the following chart.

The final deviation in accuracy was less than 1%, but while T3 was jumping up and down, the Favero Assioma pedals were more stable. While T3 didn’t reach Saris H3 or Wahoo KICKR level of power increase smoothness between intervals, it was pretty ok. However, it struggled a bit more when I changed the cadence. It took T3 longer to nail the right resistance.

The cadence accuracy was absolutely on point.

See the dataset.

Test #2: Freeride

The freeride on the Jurassic Coast road in Zwift allows me to test the trainer’s responsiveness, ride feel, and accuracy. T3 quickly and accurately changed the resistance based on the terrain. Climbs of 7% felt like 7% gradients, and I could feel small gradient changes.

Again, I noticed that the T3 was more volatile than the pedals. However, the resulting average power output was fairly accurate, but the variance in maximum power was over 10%, and that’s a lot.

Cadence was again almost on point, except for the end of the ride, where you can see T3 struggling to determine the correct cadence.

See the dataset.

Race

You would probably never guess it from the following power chart, but this was a race. It was flat, and I managed to ride steady power during the first half before a few guys started to increase the pace. Unsurprisingly, the power volatility I mentioned in previous tests remained (mainly in the second half of the race), and T3 again overread the maximum power by over 7%. The average overall power exceeded the claimed accuracy of ±1.

However, the cadence was again on point.

See the dataset.

Cycplus T3 Alternatives

My Verdict

Cycplus T3 is a practical trainer with decent power accuracy. However, it tends to over-read my maximum power by 5-10 % and has higher power volatility, meaning the power jumps more up and down around the average. It struggles a bit in ERG mode if you chance cadence. It takes T3 a while to find the right resistance.

It provides a good ride feel in apps like Zwift. But I have to admit that I could live without the different ride surface simulation. It makes the ride more realistic but starts to be a bit annoying after a while.

I like its practicality, mainly the carry handle for easier manipulations. I also appreciate details like the outlet switch, threaded adaptors, and side-to-side tilt for increased ride comfort. It also comes with accessories like a trainer mat, an ANT+ dongle, and an Ethernet adaptor.

For me, its biggest disadvantage is the above-average noisiness of around 62.5 dB, which is a lot for a smart trainer. This would be the only reason for me not to buy it because I expect to hear only the drivetrain, not the trainer.

I appreciate Cycplus’s progress (especially from the disastrous T2 trainer). After all, my scoring reflects it. Decide if it’s worth it to you, based on your preferences. For me, there are better trainers in this price range, such as the Wahoo KICKR v6.

Cycplus T3 FAQ