Is the Saris MP1 still being produced?

is the Saris MP1 still on production?

I’ve just realized the side rollers on my MP1 are damaged, but the MP1 and its parts are all out of stock. Now, I’m wondering if they’ve discontinued the product, and how I can obtain replacement rollers. It was great while it lasted :frowning:

According to ChatGPT, the company is going under… :cry: :cry: :cry:

How are people getting replacement parts for Saris products?

ChatGPT is stupid and gives terrible information.

Saris was bought at a bankruptcy auction in 2022, and has stayed in operation, releasing new products in 23 and 24. Nothing in BicycleRetailer about any other troubles lately.

Something seems amiss. Several replacement parts and products are unavailable, and those that are in stock become unattainable once added to the cart, as their payment method is not functioning.

I’ve reached out to customer service, although I have low expectations due to a previously unsatisfactory experience with a new product under warranty. My MP1 is probably going to be trashed…

Dunno, I was able to add a freehub to my cart just now and get all the way up to hitting submit, no issues.

I’m not promising they aren’t going out of business. Just that Bicycle Retailer–the industry mag that covers those sort of things–doesn’t have any info about them having trouble since 2022.

ChatGPT just makes :poop: up, that is something that hasn’t changed.

I am not making this thing up… I have better thing to do:

I didn’t say you were making it up.

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This is why it pays to stick with more dominant companies like Wahoo/Garmin!
A $1k piece of equipment may become obsolete if I can’t find $5 bucks replacements parts.

Have you contacted Saris? It would not be a shock if parts are available via support. I have no idea if that’s the case but it seems worthwhile to ask.

Yes, Paul, I’ve reached out to them and am currently awaiting a reply, though my expectations are low given past experiences. It appears that these parts are out of stock on every site worldwide, as it’s the MP1.

As some background, I bought the MP1 in 2021 through Amazon, mainly because their free shipping return policy is hard to beat in the US. When the MP1 arrived, all the rollers were damaged. While I could’ve just returned it for a replacement, I knew the MP1 is heavy and that a return would likely mean a loss for Saris. Wanting to support them, I reached out and requested replacement parts. After a week of waiting, they told me it would take up to six months to get the parts to me. However, when I told them to cancel the warranty request because I was planning to send it back to Amazon, they shipped me the parts overnight, which honestly left me feeling pretty frustrated. In the end, I kept the MP1 mainly to avoid the hassle of lugging it to the post office!

After speaking with two different representatives at Saris, I’m thoroughly disappointed with their customer support. Critical parts have been out of stock for ages, and their only advice is to “just keep waiting.” When I asked if they could at least provide specs so I could source parts myself, they refused. It’s the same frustrating experience I had with them a few years back.

It’s incredible how some companies, like Wahoo, Favero, and Garmin, go out of their way to help customers, while others, like Saris, seem content to take your money and leave you hanging. Buyers of Saris products, beware—you may be in for an unpleasant surprise.

I just purchased MP1 replacement rollers and leaf spring (to stock up for the future) directly from Saris. Payment systems all seemed fine.

The MP1 seems to be out of stock everywhere. I suspect I may have bought the last one in the USA in the middle of last month. It’s probably out-of-production. There’s nothing to indicate if it’s done, or will/can be brought back into production later. I suspect it’s the former, as it represented an ambitious folly for the company that probably didn’t help its financial crisis in 2022. It Saris were to do a rocker mechanism again, I suspect it’ll be simpler and cheaper. That said, nothing about this affects what the MP1 is.

Aside…

ChatGPT is a LLM that basically predicts what is the most likely word to come after each word. It recycles the Internet, and is subject to GIGO. Asking ChatGPT for anything other than for mere shits-and-giggles is a bad look, mkay?

Thanks for the heads-up! I’ve been searching for them since last year—just placed an order (bought two sets, just in case LOL). By the way, Saris has been the worst customer experience I’ve ever dealt with for a so-called premium product, right from the start…

From your keyboard to the screens of everyone in every industry everywhere. Preach.

Curious if there has been any update here for any of you - I just exploded one of the side rollers on my MP1 platform and am pretty dependent on it - wondering what options there might be.

I’m also considering going to the Tacx Neo 3M for its integrated motion, but not sure if that will compare to the huge range on the MP1 platform.

@Mat_Gordon I am not sure if they are still available, but last year the replacement parts did become available at some point. I bought one and installed it after more than six months without the MP1. Gladly, I did not get rid of it (just a hassle to take it to the dumpster).
I cannot comment on the M3, but the MP1 feels really good. For someone with the know-how, upgrading those rollers to high quality ones would be incredible.

Thank you. Yeah, I hope that replacement is an option. I’m also going to try 3D printing some of my own; we’ll see how that works. I’ve been riding the MP1 a lot (~12hrs/week in the winter, less in the summer) for probably 7 or 8 years and really appreciate the comfort it allows.

@Mat_Gordon Just an FYI. I would closely inspect the condition of the rails, the two black metal plates where the rollers run. There appears to be a design flaw in how the rollers interface with the rails. Over time, the rollers dent the metal, and those dents then accelerate roller failure.

One temporary workaround is to swap the left and right plates. I did this and it noticeably improved smoothness.

Before the OEM replacement rollers became available, I was researching alternatives using rollers with proper bearings instead of bushings, along with a softer industrial rubber compound rather than the very hard OEM material that damages the rails. Funny enough, your post reminded me how much time I spent trying to engineer a fix back then.

@XavierC Thanks for mentioning it, I have definitely seen those small dents in the metal on mine. Good to know that swapping them can be an option. Honestly, I’m considering just buying a new one if I can’t figure out a replacement roller, even though it is quite pricey, with the amount of time I spend on the trainer.

I also have the small dents on my roller plates.

Despite regular cleaning and oiling.

I think it’s caused by the lack of forward and back motion during normal riding, ie not full pelt racing or sprint.

I’ll have see about changing the rollers as well. If anyone finds any suitable, can you post a link of where to get them. Ta. :+1: