Garmin just solved indoor cycling’s biggest problem: boring flat rides

The Drop: Garmin launched the Tacx Alpine, a gradient simulator that physically tilts your bike up and down during indoor rides to replicate actual climbs and descents.

The Details: Breaking down Garmin’s gradient simulator

The Tacx Alpine tilts your bike from 25% grade climbs all the way down to -10% descents, matching the exact terrain you’re riding virtually. That means when you’re grinding up Alpe d’Huez on the Tacx Training App, your bike actually tilts up at the same brutal angle.

Beyond just tilting, it features a built-in motion base that creates smooth, responsive movements throughout your ride. Its dynamic fork mount even enables virtual steering—just rotate your handlebars and you’ll navigate turns in real-time.

Tacx Alpine tilts your bike for realistic indoor climbs.

“This new gradient simulator helps bring real elevation changes to life and complements the motion of our powerful NEO 2T and 3M smart trainers to add a whole new level of immersion,” says Garmin’s Susan Lyman.

Despite all this movement, the system stays quiet and stable enough that you can actually come out of the saddle during climbs or settle in for long descents, just like you would outdoors.

Seamless integration with the Tacx Training App lets you tackle structured workouts, join virtual group rides, or experience immersive video routes from around the world. You can manually adjust the grade using the built-in control panel or let compatible apps automatically change the incline in real-time.

After your ride, all your performance data flows into the Garmin Connect app for detailed analysis of your training effectiveness and progress.

Where to buy

The Tacx Alpine is available now for $1,099.99. You’ll need a compatible Tacx NEO 2T or 3M smart trainer to use it, so factor that into your budget if you’re starting from scratch.