Garmin unveils $2,000 smart trainer with multidirectional movement for ‘most realistic’ ride feel

Grinding along on gravel, zooming on descents, climbing 20% grades, and bumping over cattle guards – all within the confines of your home. With its most realistic ride feel yet, the new Garmin Tacx Neo 3M smart trainer promises to make you feel it all. 

Promising an ‘indoor ride like you’ve never experienced before,’ the newest member of Tacx Neo series is a feature-packed direct-drive smart trainer with built-in multidirectional motion, app-integration and its most accurate power data yet. 

“Our goal is to make indoor training as realistic to their outdoor rides as possible and we’re proud to do just that with the introduction of the Tacx NEO 3M—the only trainer to offer built-in multidirectional movement, a virtual flywheel and a magnet motor,” says Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Sale. 

“Now, cyclists can take advantage of features and technology they won’t be able to find anywhere else and, as a result, level-up their training like never before.”

The Tacx Neo 3M - Feature highlights:

More motion:

Adding motion to indoor riding is nothing new –remember the Kurt Kinetic Rock ‘n Roll from a decade ago? – but it does appear to be a staying trend in indoor trainers. Wahoo, Saris and Garmin all believe that adding motion to an indoor workout generates a more comfortable riding experience.

To that end, Garmin introduced its aftermarket Tacx Neo Motion Plates in 2022, designed to complement the built-in lateral movement of Tacx Neo turbo trainers with the addition of front-to-back movement.

The new Tacx Neo 3M comes with motion plates built-in, allowing for gentle side-to-side flexion and front-to-back movement. With the turn of a knob, these plates can be toggled off, but Garmin says that in testing, riders opted to keep the motion going.  

Garmin says motion makes the ride more comfortable and more natural, therefore resulting in a more effective training session. 

Better ride feel:

The Tacx NEO 3M builds on Garmin’s electromagnetic motor braking system to deliver a virtual flywheel that allows cyclists to experience the feeling of riding on different road surfaces and grades. 

Users can experience cobblestones, gravel, inclines up to 25%, zipping descents, and even cattle guards.  

If you’re riding the Garmin-sponsored Unbound Gravel event next year, for example, there’s a course in the Tacx Training App, that lets you experience the infamous flint rocks and bumpy terrain you may encounter. 

App Integration 

The Tacx NEO 3M is seamlessly integrated with the Tacx Training app, to which consumers receive a free three-month subscription when purchasing the trainer. 

The app offers a catalog of training videos, virtual group rides, ride-with-friends options, and opportunities to train alongside WorldTour professionals. 

And, as is standard in most trainers these days, the Neo 3M can connect with other popular training and virtual riding platforms, like TrainerRoad and Zwift. 

Power accuracy: 

The Tacx Neo 3M is said to feature Garmin’s most accurate performance measurements yet, including power, speed and cadence with an occurrence of 1% regardless of power output or pace. Additionally, the bike can handle powerful sprints up to 2,200 watts. 

User-friendly touches:

Other thoughtful features include a built-in LED indicator that changes colors to show how hard you’re pushing, plug-free operation allows you to use the trainer’s basic functions without a power source, and a new integrated handle makes for easier transportation. 

The Neo 3M ships ready to ride with a new preinstalled 11-speed cassette and a seamless in-app onboarding process via the Tacx Training app to get your riding within minutes of unboxing..  

Aftermarket feature:

Sadly only available for this new Tacx Neo 3M, Garmin has devised a network adapter said to generate a stronger, more stable internet connection for virtual racing.

The Tacx Neo 3M should be readily available at retailers worldwide in the coming months for a price of $1,999.99, £1749.99, €1999.99