Saris

H3 Direct Drive Smart Trainer Connected Kit

Stepping into the modern and heavily tech-based ecosystem of indoor cycling can understandably be daunting and intimidating. With the Saris H3 Direct Drive Smart Trainer Connected Kit, the transition towards becoming a fully-fledged indoor expert is as smooth as the trainer’s precision electromagnetic resistance. The good folks from Saris, out of Wisconsin, USA, strive for a plug-and-play style of set up with the H3 Kit. Unbox the smart trainer, which has the pre-installed 11-speed cassette loaded onto the freehub, set your end caps to match your bike, and connect the trainer to either the included Zwift or Rouvy training platform to ride.

The training on a smart trainer feels intuitive. Saris intends the H3 to replicate on-road riding characteristics like coasting, hills, and sprint efforts with impressive accuracy and responsiveness. Power is within +/-2% accuracy, measure to 2000 watts, and replicate 20% inclines. When connected to training platforms, such as Zwift, you virtually ride courses while the app and trainer communicate course details and your specific on-bike efforts over ANT+ and Bluetooth. The result is an exciting, life-like, and performance-forward training experience.

The H3 trainer is built to be a fully-enclosed system that needs no significant upkeep. Self-calibrating, self-cooled, and without the need for external devices to assist it, the trainer is always ready for the training session. Should you need to run the H3 without app connection, the “headless” feature allows the trainer to act like its older sibling the Fluid2, so you’ll be able to train on a progressive power curve as you move through the gears on the cassette. An integrated front-wheel block is integrated into the design, and the H3 is XD/XDR compatible with separately sold freehubs. And the included sweatband protects your bike’s paint from heavy sessions when puddles are the goal.