(energetic techno music)
- Hey, what's up guys?
This is Tariq here from smartbiketrainers.com.
And this is the Saris H3 Direct Drive Smart Trainer.
This the third update to the Hammer line from Saris.
The H3 feature the same solid Hammer design it's known for,
and made from cast and machine aluminum.
It is pretty solid, it can take a beating.
It's built to handle up to 2000 watts
and replicate a 20% gradients,
More than enough to handle the steepest inclines in Zwift.
encased inside this aluminum casing
is a big and heavy 20 pounds flywheel.
So, Saris did something no other trainer company has done,
and that is dropping the price of their high-end trainer.
The H3 retails for 1000 US dollars.
The H3 has been selling for $1000 or even less
for quite a while now.
But Saris or CycleOps at the time
always retailed it for $1200.
So at $1000, it's $200 cheaper than the high-end trainer.
Still feature high-end specs,
and it is considered a high-end trainer.
And by the way, anybody who wants this T-shirt,
I will leave a link in the description
where you can buy one for yourself
or your significant other.
Or your friend as a gift or something.
I'll have a link in the description, check it out.
And if you like this video, or find it useful,
I would appreciate it if you hit the like button.
It helps the channel that way.
And also remember to subscribe.
Okay, the H3 broadcasts speed, cadence and power
all through one channel,
so no issues using it with Apple TV.
It connects to cycling apps and Dual ANT+FE-C
and Bluetoorh FTMS.
No problem using it with Zwift, The Sufferfest,
Trainerroad, Rouvy, or any other cycling app
that supports these protocols.
So when you open the box, you'll find the trainer,
power supply, bag with end caps
for 130 quick release, 135,
142 spacers and end caps, all the way to Boost 148, axle.
And you will find a front wheel block right under here.
You can open the legs with this lever here.
And you will find the front wheel block.
And below the front wheel block,
you'll find this brake block for your disc brake,
if you have a disc break.
And once you install the cassette
and set up your bike on the trainer,
make sure to hook it up to the Saris app.
Make sure you have the latest firmware update.
And also run that spindown calibration.
And this is a direct drive trainer,
so you need to run the spindown calibration
once every few weeks, or if you move the trainer,
or move your bike around.
Otherwise this should be fine
to run that calibration once every couple of weeks.
So Saris wanted to address a few issues with the H3.
This trainer looks like a giant next to me,
and I look like I'm a little person next to it.
Hold on.
Okay, this is much better.
So Saris wanted to address a few issues with the H3.
The noise, overheating issue some experienced
with previous models and accuracy,
particularly during sprints.
Did they address all of them?
I think the H3 is very quiet,
and I will demo the noise later in this video.
As for heating issue,
I personally did not have the issue in the time I used it.
And according to Saris, the H3's internal cooling system
will keep the electromagnetic resistance system working
and accurate long after your legs have given out.
So here you go, take it from Saris.
As for accuracy, I use the H3 in SIM mode and ERG mode,
and here is a ride I did in
SIM mode in Zwift.
Overall it was very good adjusting to terrain in Zwift,
nothing to note here.
Power-wise it was very close to my other parameters,
about 30 watts high on the sprints, which isn't too bad.
But then you see these little separations
like in this section.
And here and a little bit high here.
Overall I would say it was okay.
However, my only concern here,
as it was measuring higher than my crack base
power meter, or Assioma pedals.
That should not be the case with a direct-drive trainer.
If anything, I would expect it
to measure a little bit lower, not higher.
But, let's take a look at this early morning workout
and you'll start to understand what is going on here.
Here's a three by 10 minute workout,
the same workout I usually do to test
a trainer's different flywheel speed.
First block, small gear, it was perfect.
Second block, bigger gear, still look good.
Third block, spinning that flywheel over 25 miles per hour,
and a big gear, not good at all;
actually look pretty bad.
In this case, both of my power meters,
the Assioma and my crack base were only off by three watts,
and the H3 was measuring 13 or 12 percent higher.
Going back to my SIM mode ride,
now this is from a different ride,
and I intentionally wanted to see how the trainer does
during descents, and here you go.
In this section, I was going down a climb,
spinning the power wheel and pushing down on the pedals.
As you see, there's a big separation
in that two-minute section.
The H3 average around 195-196,
and my Assioma average about 170 watts.
So, the H3 overmeasure power by over 10% or higher
at high flywheel speed than ERG mode or SIM mode.
So, in ERG mode, I know it is recommended to put the trainer
in a small gear; the trainer responds better that way,
and you get smoother lines.
But it also feels different.
Personally, I like to ride in the big gear,
that's what it feels more natural to me,
and if your a time trialist, a triathlete
training for a flat and fast course,
you wanna put in a big gear and get that flywheel spinning
fast to best simulate that course.
I expect to get an accurate power
regardless of flywheel speed
or gear selection and the trainer needs to take
flywheel acceleration into account.
At the end of the day, what's the point of having
big flywheel if you can't really use it?
Anyway, I hope Saris addresses issue hopefully soon
with a firmer update.
It feels like we're always waiting for that magical,
firmer update to fix problems
that should not have been there in the first place.
Sometimes we get a firmer that fixes these issues
pretty quickly, and sometimes we never see it fixed.
Either way, as for cadence, some drops here and there,
and mainly after sprints or when you go from
high cadence to low cadence,
you will have few seconds of bad cadence measurement.
Also it was constantly measuring two to three RPM lower;
this is kind of typical with trainers that estimate cadence
rather than measuring it with an actual sensor.
Not the best by depending upon how much you care
about super-accurate cadence.
You might wanna consider getting a cadence sensor.
As for noise, let's listen to the H3.
(flywheel spinning)
Very quiet, Saris did a good job winding it down
not louder than a Neo or a Kickr,
you will only hear your chain.
Okay, the H3 is a very well-designed trainer,
I love the look and how solid it feels.
It's very quiet, the price is very attractive,
but the accuracy issue is making me hesitant
to recommend this trainer at this point.
The majority of you might not notice is this problem,
but also there are other trainers out there
that don't have this.
I'll keep my eyes on updates for the trainer,
and I will keep you posted.
Okay, that's all I have.
Hope you find this review helpful,
and remember to always check out the price tracker
on smartbiketrainers.com for best prices
on the H3 or any other trainer.
And if you find this video helpful,
hit the like button, remember to subscribe,
thanks for watching, and I'll see you next time.