Cycling UK Forum

I've got a Tacx Neo 2T on order and am confused about gear changing on them.

Is there a simple answer to how and if there is a need to change gears?

Does the answer vary according to which software/training system is used?

My head says I shouldn't need to change gear as the Tacx is providing variable resistance but then why isn't the backend just a single speed?

I'm sure all will become obvious when I get it and start using it!?

I think it will become obvious when you use it.
If you have to change gear to get up a hill in the real world then you have to in the virtual world too.
I use Fulgaz and the experience is very realistic, apart from wind and rain I’ve turned that option off. There are many options to fine tune and I recently did a road in the Yorkshire Dales, for real, in a time within a minute of my virtual experience of that road.

Yes, it should feel pretty much like riding in the real world, which is part of the attraction. There are a couple of caveats depending on the options you select in whatever app you use. For example there's often something called "trainer difficulty" which sort of scales the resistance or smooths out hills if you want. 100% means it should be completely realistic, but you can set it to less. It's worth checking what the default is.

The other one is ERG mode where the trainer forces you to produce a certain power, for example by increasing the resistance if you slacken off and vice-versa. This takes some getting used to but is often the default on apps if you do a structured workout, and that caught me out at first but now I find it really useful. In ERG mode the idea is that you don't change gear at all because the trainer is basically in control. That's actually quite useful if you have an old bike with limited gears or a single speed.

Is it a Neo 2T bike or just the Neo 2T trainer? If it’s a trainer, then you just use your own bike and change gear in the normal way. The trainer will have a cassette which should match the one on your bike (you may need to order an appropriate cassette). If it’s the Neo2 bike, then the gear shift is electronic, there are buttons to press to change up or down.

If using Zwift or similar, it’s possible to ride along in the same gear, but you will feel the resistance kick in when going uphill. On a steep hill you may find you need to change down as your ending up grinding to a halt ( the resistance become so great that you can’t pedal).

JohnI wrote: ↑8 Sep 2023, 9:14am For example there's often something called "trainer difficulty" which sort of scales the resistance or smooths out hills if you want. 100% means it should be completely realistic, but you can set it to less. It's worth checking what the default is.

I use a Wahoo snap and after taking it out of the box and using the setup I did a ride over the Forth road bridge which I’ve ridden a number of times. Very soon on the ride I was in bottom gear standing on the pedals wondering if I’d get over and what the hell have I bought. This isn’t right I’ve settled at a setting of 82% for reality.
I imagine all systems will be different but I think it’s safe to say default 100% might not be right.

Yes, I have a Wahoo wheel-on trainer and I think one issue is that the back wheel can slip which limits the virtual gradient that you can try. I go for 50% trainer difficulty but in real life I enjoy climbing. The other thing is that the bike doesn't move side to side when you're out of the saddle (unless you spend hundreds of quid on a rocker plate) so it feels odd and from personal experience I think it's not good for your knees. So I stay seated on longer climbs and adjust the trainer difficulty to suit.

Thanks for the replies. As per usual you are the font of knowledge and make sense

@TrevA, yes it is the trainer 2T

Thanks again

Simon

Its makes sense as the app is simulating the road contours and incline, how you ride the bike up, gearing cadence is up to you, with the apps giving you the relavent performance feedback.

One thing i've wondered, is why can;t you ride a single speed bike, input into the computer the gear ratios your using, then have virtual gears so that the app changes the relavent resistance based on your prefered gearing, against the current incline. This would save some wear on more expenisve parts, and less set up faffing. especiallly if your swapping and can't get the cassettes lined up indentically.

Its a bit different from ERG mode, which is managing your workout,

TBaySimon wrote:I've got a Tacx Neo 2T on order and am confused about gear changing on them.

Is there a simple answer to how and if there is a need to change gears?

Does the answer vary according to which software/training system is used?

My head says I shouldn't need to change gear as the Tacx is providing variable resistance but then why isn't the backend just a single speed?

I'm sure all will become obvious when I get it and start using it!?

The real world provides variable resistance in the form of hills and wind, and you have to change gears for those, with the general aim of keeping to a sustainable, if not actually constant, level of effort. That's what the trainer is simulating with variable resistance.

By contrast, there's a good current thread here on using fixed and single-speed bikes on trainers. If you have no variable resistance on a basic trainer, you don't need variable gears either. That's where the two cancel out - you imagine a hill, and imagine that that is making riding harder, while Zwift, or whatever software you are using, slows down your imaginary rate of imaginary progress to reflect the imaginary obstacle. As my wife keeps reminding me, with trainers, it's all in the imagination.

Cheers... I'll try and find it.

ha ha... found it (I think)!