I bought a Tacx Neo in mid 2017 and have been running the same shimano 11 speed cassette on it the entire time. I recently bought a new bike with Sram Force E1 12 speed and enve 3.4s with the enve thru axle. Obviously I need to update my trainer to be 1. enve thru axle compatible and 2. Force compatible.
I’m attracted to the Zwift cog because of the simplicity. I use TR in erg mode so i’ve never once actually or virtually shifted while riding on the trainer. I see the Zwift cog is compatible with the Neo 2T, but from a pure hardware perspective is there any reason it won’t be compatible with the older version of the Tacx? Any / all advice is welcome
There are two parts to the compatibility, only one matters to you.
As far as I’m aware the advertised compatible models has to do with there being control of that trainer for the virtual shifting. Since you don’t need that it is irrelevant to you.
But the second part is the physical cog. Some come with a freehub and you just swap the whole old cassette* and freehub together for the cog that comes with the freehub attached. They do also have an install video showing you installing it on any trainer that just uses your existing freehub, same as if you swapped the cassette on your current trainer. However they don’t seem to have a clear way to know that is what you are purchasing. So purchasing a freehub for one version of even your same brands trainer may mean that the freehub is not compatible physically. Basically you need to probably just figure out how to buy the one without the freehub.
their video shows removing the cassette with freehub attached which would make removing the freehub later more of a pain, don’t do this. Take the cassette off and then the freehub.
Yea it’s the original Tacx not the 2T. What worries me is the trainer has a standard Shimano/SRAM splined freehub that’s designed for traditional cassettes. The Zwift Cog uses a proprietary mounting system that only fits on specific freehub bodies (either Zwift-compatible or N3W freehubs), unless I don’t understand? So I’m starting to think that purchasing the cog without the freehub still won’t work
They have advertised and have an installation video for a version that works on a standard freehub. I just have no clue how you actually buy that version today. Even the current version shows splines for a cassette removal tool so they are likely just including a freehub since that is easier for most people to slap in than deal with a chain whip. So you can possibly even remove the frehub. highly unlikely they came up with their own pattern of the zwift hub to freehub.
I’m running the Zwift cog on an OG Neo and it works fine. I use it the same way as you, I’m always in erg mode in TR and it makes changing bikes easy.
It would have been really nice if Garmin updated the firmware for virtual shifting, but they haven’t. If you want to use Zwift you are out of luck. There is a thrid party app (qdomoszwift), it works, but it’s not seamless. I haven’t tried the latest update though.
I got the V2 when it first came out. I think they have a number of versions now with different teeth on the cog. I’m sure if you get the one for the Neo 2 it will be fine. That will fit on a Shimano HG freehub, which your Neo 1 has. It’s a bit of a pain to fit because the Neo 1 freehub is the weird shape as it is also compatible with other cassettes, but Shimano HG definitely works.
zwift said they don’t sell the cog without the freehub anymore. Is it possible to just remove the cog from the freehub and install it on the trainer’s existing freehub?
