New Saris H3 trainer (Hammer 3) and MP1 Nfinity trainer platform

I recommend using Rouvy via Apple mobile for FW updates, if you have the option.
Android and PC commonly have issues from what I have seen.

From your edit:

Yeah, the H2 is apparently gone. There are still units in the wild and I expect to see them sold at the roughly $800 range (maybe closer to $700 now?) from retailers until they are all gone.

On the name change, Saris was always the parent company of the Saris / CycleOps / PowerTap trifecta. They all existed under the same roof in Wisconsin since they were created.

They sold PowerTap earlier this summer. The current rebranding is an extension of what started even before the PowerTap sale. Itā€™s really more about naming than anything, at least from the surface.

Related but OT, I have seen signs of changes within the Saris organization. Prior contacts have changed and/or left the companies within the group, and I suspect there were larger things in play as shown by the PowerTap sale.

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For my Aussie Brethren, what do you think the Australian price will be for the H3?

Possible release date?

H2 was AU$1,699 here with a US$1199 tag in the US. Iā€™d take a punt at AU$1499. Not sure on release date. Value wise Iā€™d get a CORE right now at AU$1199 + cassette and pocket the left over.

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It is definitely pricey, but the MP1 certainly has me intrigued. Could definitely see the benefit of this during long rides on the trainer, if only for the increased comfort from not being locked in a static position. Iā€™d want to try it out first though to see if it would be worth the investment. Presumably you could buy this once and it would last through several generations of trainers, perhaps improving the value proposition.

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I am planning a series of new videos for rocker plates this season.

  • My first may be the ā€œhackā€ version with a minimum of cost, materials and effort.
  • My goal is to make something that people can replicate easily and cheaply to get the main feel of a rocker and the added movement when compared to rigid.
  • It could be an end for some rides, but may serve as validation for them to pursue a purchase or DIY option with more advanced design and function.
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For the cost of a Kickr you can get a rocker plate to set your bike on? Man thatā€™s super steepā€¦

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Very interested in the ā€œhackā€ version as Iā€™m not very handy, but would love to build a functional rocker plate with minimal effort on the cheap!

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MP1 looks like itā€™s listed on at least one site at $999 with a 10% coupon. At $899, I may be interested if itā€™s thte best available option.

And, I got to think you could use your own riser block if you want rather than their tied down version. Itā€™s just a platform isnā€™t it?

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Yes. Itā€™s just a wedge for the front tire that raises it about a half inch off the groundā€“mostly there to protect the ground. You can use whatever you want. You donā€™t need a riser and Wahoo doesnā€™t include one, but the one that comes with the Hammer is pretty unobtrusive and is great for protecting carpet, hardwood, etc.

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It changed just prior to announcement. Those who were informed pushed back on the idea. We tried! :slight_smile:

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Watched your YouTube review on the H3. Thanks, it was great - very thorough. I am somewhat new to all of this, but the big issue with the H3 seems to be the inexplicable bad cadence readings and some smaller power reading issues in sprints. Both of these problems would be fixed with an external cadence / power meter, correct? Since I have a Favero Assioma power meter on my bike, and can get both cadence and power from that, the H3 seems almost perfect to my novice eyes. For around $1K you get a good ride experience with a heavy flywheel, good ERG, and non of the historic quality issues of Wahoo. Am I missing something? I was waiting for Eurobike before investing in a smart training and this seems to tick off most, if not all, of the boxes.

Correct. Iā€™d still hold out a few days for Eurobike. Thereā€™s ALWAYS new things there.

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Yeah, and thanks for the advice. Definitely waiting for Eurobike. Just happy that the first product out of the gate is pretty much what I was hoping for (.i.e the equivalent to a dependable Kickr Core). Product releases are fun when you are in the market. Closest adults get to Christmas.

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The price of the MP1 Nfinity really makes me think Saris doesnā€™t see a large market for this. At a high level, you could break the price into these components (very simplified model):

  1. Unit Cost = Actual price to manufacture an incremental unit and get it into the distribution system (e.g., shipping to retailers / distributors) - for sake of argument, assume this is pretty much fixed across volume
  2. Sunk Cost = R&D + any new machines needed to manufacture the MP1. This is a variable cost based off of assumed sales volume
  3. Channel Margin = List Price - Price paid by the channel. Usually a % of the list price. So this would also be fixed across sales volume (roughly)
  4. Margin = % of Unit Cost + Sunk Cost or you can think of this as: List Price - Channel Margin - (Unit Cost + Sunk Cost). This is whatever Saris decides it needs and covers Profit to Saris + SG&A (Sales, General, and administrative costs - everything but R&D / manufacturing costs). So this would be fixed across sales volume (roughly)

So the net is that the two components of the List Price that Saris can play with are:

  1. Sunk Cost = (total put into R&D for this + any additional new equipment needed to manufacture the MP1) / expected sales volume
  2. Margin

Iā€™m guessing from the List Price that Saris is looking at the MP1 Nfinity as a ā€œHaloā€ product, and not expecting a large sales volume. So the Sunk Cost per expected sale is high.

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If an engineering company is asked to design and make a coffee mug/cup/tumbler which comes out to $100 each, theyā€™re not going to sell many compared to whatā€™s available nowadays. The first step shouldā€™ve been asking or researching ā€œwhat is the price consumers are willing to spend on this?ā€

Iā€™d say Saris missed the boat there.

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I watched your video and it looks like a rocker plate relieves the pressure. I usually stand for 10 seconds after the first 30 minutes and every 10 minutes after that, thatā€™s with the Neo 2. It was the same for the kickr 2018. If a rocker could increase the time between ā€œneedingā€ to stand or eliminating it all together to reduce saddle pressure/fatigue, it would be a well worth purchase. Iā€™m curious what the pressure relief difference between a ā€œhackā€, ā€œDIYā€, production such as the ā€œSBRā€ and the ā€œMP1ā€. Is one better than the other, how much of a difference between each? That would really shine a light on the price point.

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I have plans to do more pressure tests next month. I have several rockers and the Neo 2, and hope to see how they all compare.

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I am a dentist and still wouldnā€™t pay that. Ouch

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