I usually have few indoor rides longer than 1:30. but even with an hour I’ll notice slight discomfort compared to outside. Not saddle pain or anything but just slight discomfort.
I wonder for those who use a rocker plate has it made a significant difference?
Biased source here, but I will not train without trainer motion unless I am traveling. It makes a real and noticeable improvement for many riders.
Not everyone sees the same benefit, but comfort improvements are the most common reason most people get and keep a rocker.
In case you missed it, we have a lengthy thread with plenty of comments from existing users.
Yes. 100% better. Highly recommended.
Thanks. I’ll likely upgrade the direto next year to a kickr so the insiderider e-flex which I know you e posted about seems nice. But I will see.
It’s a very individual thing I think. I’ve got a rocker plate with a Tacx Neo, for me the rocker is nice but I probably wouldn’t buy again. But bear in mind that the Neo gives some movement anyway
Do you feel the bit of flex with the Neo makes a difference?
As others have said, it’s very individual. I have friends that really don’t get on with rockers and find the motion, in an indoors setting, a bit of a distraction. I on the other hand love mine. I use an Omnirocker, which has both side to side rocking and fore/aft movement. For me I think it is actually the bit of fore and aft movement, more than the side to side rocking, that really makes a difference to my comfort and overall experience
Yep for sure, it’s not a completely static bike which makes all the difference
I used rubber mats before I built my rockit launcher. Anecdotally, I can get away with cheaper shorts for longer rides than I used to. I’m not sure I’d buy on one though, tbh.
interesting that the fore and aft movement would make more difference. I feel like I need just a little side to side. I had previously done a cheap solution for my direto with a pvc pipe as the pivot and some inflatables under each arm. I don’t remember why I removed them. I may give those a shot again for longer and see how that goes.
Love my saris mp1 I have had since March 2020. I used it with my N2T and figured out a way to use it with my Neo bike. Would not ride without one.
I just switched from a Kurt kinetic road machine to the Kurt kinetic rock and roll Road machine. It’s not a rocker plate but I can tell you that my indoor experience is feeling much better. Especially when you get into the 90 minute to 2 hour rides indoors. I don’t think I would ride without one now.
I just recently got a rocker plate (no fore-aft motion). Anytime I rode the trainer for more than 2 hours I would start to get some discomfort on the outside of my right knee, and basically by the time I hit 3 hours I was donzo.
Since getting the rocker I haven’t experienced the knee discomfort on longer rides, and I definitely feel more engaged when riding inside.
Another +1 here for a rocker plate. Last summer while on vacation I did one ride without motion and couldn’t take it - built a makeshift rocker plate from the DIY instructions using old tennis balls for springs. Worked great for vacation!
Yeah. I would love if the trainer manufacturers would add just a little side to side movement on their trainers.
Kurt kinetic road machines are great and affordable, plus they have a lifetime warranty.
As mentioned, the Tacx Neo series include some “flex” that is minimal when compared to most rocker plates, but is still better than the traditional rigid setups we had before that came around.
The Kickr V5 includes the Axis feet, which again are minimal in motion, but better than nothing.
Elite has also done a couple of trainers with different implementations of spring based motion. I have seen one in person, and they offered more outside of the US.
And from what I have seen, I fully expect Saris to release a complete trainer that includes motion with some or all elements they have in their MP1 rocker.
Part of the issue with trainer integrated motion is that Kinetic still holds a patent that covers most of that. It is coming very close to the time when that patent expires. Once that happens, I hope to see more active motion added by makers other than Kinetic.
Direct trainer integration of motion is the ideal. Rocker Plates and such are a solution meant to side-step the patent issue, and give people the ability to add motion to whatever trainer they already have on hand.
Yes I wouldn’t go back to static. Also (with no scientific research) I believe it takes a lot of stress out of the frame, even the little swaying it gives on normal pedaling …even more so when Zwift racing/sprinting, that can’t be a bad thing for your bike.
Yup, stress reduction is a feature that I firmly believe exists. I have some garage level methods I have considered to try and demonstrate it, but haven’t got around to them yet.
We have had a KOM rocker plate for close to a year. I tend to use it for longer (2h++) rides for some added comfort. Otherwise it leans against the wall in our training space. I have not found it to be my preferred setup for harder workouts or races. Maybe I just haven’t given it the commitment it requires. Also, my wife does not like it at all and we share the Kickr, so the default position for the rocker plate is…leaning against the wall. 