Tacx Nēra: Built-In Motion and Wi-Fi for Half the Price of a NEO 3M

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Garmin launched a new Tacx smart trainer. The Tacx Nēra moves under you, forward, backward, and side to side, like the NEO 3M. It also has Wi-Fi built in. It launched at $999.99, half the NEO 3M’s launch price of $1,999.99.

There’s a catch, of course. On paper, the Nēra’s steepest simulated climb is lower (20% vs 25%), it has less torque, and it uses a real flywheel instead of the NEO’s virtual one. Garmin also doesn’t list descent simulation or riding unplugged for it.

NOTE: I haven’t tested the Tacx Nēra (yet). The test results I mention come from trainers I’ve tested myself.

So, where does the Nēra fit, and is it worth waiting for?

What Garmin Launched

The Nēra is a direct-drive smart trainer. You take off your rear wheel and mount your bike on it, so it’s not a smart bike. Here’s what Garmin highlights in its Tacx Nēra announcement and on the Tacx Nēra product page.

• Two versions: The standard Tacx Nēra comes with an 11-speed cassette preinstalled. The Tacx Nēra with Zwift Cog and Click (Garmin also calls it “Zwift Ready”) comes with a Zwift Cog instead. Both cost the same.
• Built-in motion: Garmin says built-in “motion pods” move the trainer forward, backward and side to side. In other words, the trainer itself moves under you, so you don’t need extra motion plates or a rocker plate.
• 2,200 W, 20% and within 1%: Garmin claims up to 2,200 W of resistance, climbs up to 20%, and power and cadence accurate to within 1%. No calibration is needed.
• A physical flywheel: The Nēra has a real spinning flywheel that weighs 6.13 kg (13.5 lb). Maximum torque is 55 Nm.
• Built-in Wi-Fi and race mode: Garmin says the built-in Wi-Fi gives a fast, stable connection in Zwift or ROUVY. Race mode gives a faster response to attacks in virtual races, in select apps. The trainer can also pass on (bridge) data from Bluetooth heart rate sensors, but not from other sensors.
• Zwift Cog and Click: Zwift Cog is a single cog that replaces your cassette. Zwift Click is a handlebar controller for virtual shifting, with 24 virtual gears. Garmin says the Cog fits “almost any 8–13 speed bike”. Virtual shifting works in Zwift or ROUVY and needs an active subscription. Garmin says the Cog still supports ERG workouts through compatible devices, including an Edge.
• Cassette options: The standard version takes Shimano and SRAM 9 to 11-speed cassettes. Shimano 12-speed Hyperglide+ fits too. Campagnolo and SRAM 12-speed XDR cassettes need a different freehub body.
• Foldable legs and a handle: The Nēra weighs 24.7 kg (54.5 lb). Garmin calls it “stable and quiet”, but its product page gives no noise figure.
• Apps and accessories: You set it up in the Tacx Training app, and a premium plan is free for 45 days. You can control it with a compatible Garmin Edge or watch. It also works with the Tacx Alpine. This is a separate gradient simulator that Garmin says mimics climbs up to 25% and descents down to -10%. Those are the Alpine’s figures, not the trainer’s.

Tacx Nēra Launch Price

According to Garmin, both versions launched at the same price.

Tacx Nēra vs NEO 3M vs NEO 2T

The Nēra doesn’t replace any Tacx trainer. Garmin still sells the NEO 3M, the NEO 2T, and the Flux 2. So the real question is how the Nēra compares with the two NEOs.

Garmin added race mode and Zwift Cog support to both NEOs in a June 2025 update. So race mode isn’t new to Tacx.

Here’s what the table means in practice.

You save $1,000, and you get Wi-Fi: The Nēra launched $1,000 below the NEO 3M. Like the NEO 3M, it has built-in motion. Unlike the NEO 2T and NEO 3M, it also has Wi-Fi built in.

Steep climbs stop at 20%: The NEOs go up to 25%. This matters if you often ride virtual climbs steeper than 20%.

Less torque and a different flywheel: The Nēra’s 55 Nm is 33 Nm less than the NEOs’ 88 Nm. It also uses a physical flywheel, which is a real spinning weight. The NEOs use a virtual flywheel, where the motor simulates the weight. Garmin says this lets the NEO 3M recreate different road surfaces and even riding downhill. How the Nēra feels compared with a NEO is something only a test can answer.

No descent simulation or unplugged riding listed: Descent simulation means the trainer recreates the feeling of rolling downhill. The NEOs also work without plugging them in. Garmin lists both for the NEO 3M and NEO 2T, but not for the Nēra. Its spec sheet lists a mains power requirement instead. For what it’s worth, when I tested the NEO 2T, I found its downhill simulation pretty cool, but not essential to me.

It’s heavier: The Nēra weighs 1.1 kg (2.4 lb) more than the NEO 3M and 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) more than the NEO 2T. Like the NEO 3M, it has a carry handle and folds for storage.

Where It Fits With the Trainers I’ve Tested

I tested a Tacx NEO 2T that was lent to me. I liked how it rides, but its side-to-side tilt is limited to about 3° on each side. In my review, I wrote: “It would be great if its future generation would offer better side-to-side tilt and maybe an in-built fore-and-aft movement.”

The Nēra adds built-in forward and backward movement, at least on paper. Garmin doesn’t say how far it moves. How that movement feels is still unknown.

Accuracy is another reason to wait for a test. Garmin claims within 1% for both the NEO 2T and the Nēra. The NEO 2T I tested measured ±2.1%. To be fair, I believe I just had a defective unit. Still, that’s NEO 2T data. It tells you nothing about the Nēra.

My benchmark is the Wahoo KICKR v5. I bought it, it measured ±0.4% in my test, and I still use it as my main smart trainer. It has no fore-and-aft movement. Its AXIS feet give some side-to-side tilt, which helps, but less than a rocker plate.

Motion is where I’m torn. I think trainers without movement are uncomfortable. They put too much pressure on your intimate parts. But I tested the NEO 2T with and without the Tacx NEO Motion Plates, and using them hasn’t convinced me to invest in them. I also wrote that the Wahoo KICKR Move’s extra price over the regular KICKR isn’t worth it to me.

So here’s the question the Nēra raises. Is built-in motion worth it when it doesn’t cost NEO 3M money? Yes. A standalone rockerplate can cost hundreds of dollars.

Who Should Care About the Tacx Nēra?

If you want built-in motion from Tacx, the Nēra launched at half the NEO 3M’s price. It also has built-in Wi-Fi, unlike the NEO 2T and NEO 3M, if you want it for virtual racing.

If you ride very steep virtual climbs, or you want descent simulation, the NEO 3M and NEO 2T have the better spec sheets. Garmin lists 25% and descent simulation for both.

If you already own a NEO 2T or NEO 3M, the spec sheet shows what you’d gain and lose. You’d gain built-in Wi-Fi, plus built-in motion if you have a NEO 2T. You’d lose 5 points of maximum incline, 33 Nm of torque, and listed descent simulation.

If you’re not in a hurry, wait for tests. Ride feel, accuracy, and noise are still unknown. I would love to test this trainer, and I’m negotiating it with a few parties. So, stay tuned.

If you have a question about the Tacx Nēra, or you’ve already ridden one, let me know in the comments.