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Saris H3 Plus Trainer adds 12-Speed Compatibility

saris h3 plus smart trainer with quiet 12-speed compatibility
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Saris’ smart trainer lineup has seen some fluctuating naming and specs of late, and the newest H3 Plus combines the best of the prior H3 and the now-defunct H4. It also gets a helluva lot cheaper.

The H3 Plus takes the perfectly flat driveside shell design of the H4, making it compatible with modern Shimano and SRAM 12-speed drivetrains, with cassettes up to 42-tooth. The prior H3 had a slight curve to the shell that could interfere with the derailleur hangers on 12-speed setups, but the flat profile makes space. More space, actually, as the H4 was rated to fit 32-tooth cassettes.

saris h3 plus smart trainer shown from the side

It does not, however, get the H4’s 2,300-watt max resistance. Instead, it keeps the H3’s 2,000-watt resistance (which is plenty, settle down) and whisper-quiet 59db noise rating. A 20-pound flywheel gives it excellent resistance and road feel, and the design is rock solid with adjustable feet and wide legs that keep it very stable.

Power accuracy is +/-2%, which is good enough for certified use with Zwift, BKOOL, and Rouvy (the latter gives you a free month trial with purchase of this trainer, too). It syncs with those programs and others via dual Bluetooth and ANT+ FE-C transmitters, and performs OTA updates via Bluetooth with their app.

saris h3 plus smart trainer shown from side and front

Don’t have any apps? Use it in “headless” mode and it’ll mimic their Fluid2 trainer’s resistance so you can still get a good workout. It comes with a 12-speed HG freehub body, XD/XRD sold separately. Micro Spline coming soon, cassette sold separately for all. Thru axles and QR compatibility for hub widths from 130mm to 148mm.

The best part, it’s just $699 now, down from $1,099 before.

Saris.com

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Patrick
Patrick
10 months ago

That’s so weird that the H4 just disappeared. Big Saris fan here with well over a thousand hours on an H2, just weird the H4 disappeared and now the H3 Plus is a thing. Not to be confused with the Hed H3 Plus!

Chader
Chader
10 months ago
Reply to  Patrick

Could have something to do with the reality the H4 was partly a nothing-burger coupled with the fact that the freehub body claimed to work with 12-s actually didn’t due to a manufacturing issue. This was caught and pointed out by GP Lama in his review and was an instant black eye on the H4.

Include the fact that even back then it was lacking compared to the Neo & Kickr’s at the time and the H4 was a poor release. I sort of think they went the H3+ route to have a different name and avoid search related issues to the H4. And the + aspect is actually a more accurate representation of the rather minor changes the trainer actually got from the H3.

Bklyn
Bklyn
10 months ago

I have the original CycleOps Hammer (H1?) and currently use SRAM 12 speed cassettes without issues.

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