Lifeline Turbo Rocker Plate ponder... Do they really improve comfort and allow longer rides?

N0bodyOfTheGoat

I keep looking at https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/lifeline-indoor-cycling-rocker-plate/rp-prod198574 in the CRC sale, it's ~£162 less a bit of TopCashBack, in the sale that ends in a few days.

I'm toying with buying this rocker plate, in the hope of improved comfort.

I turbo most days in the winter, 30-75mins typically. Since my ~3 hour bucket list ride up Debigh's "Road To Hell" in early Oct '21, I've only done one outdoor ride of ~1.75 hours! Come spring, I hope as usual to be doing a few 2-4 hour rides most weeks, but as I can only bare up to ~75mins turbo sessions before I'm severely saddle sore, those first few rides are going to be one hell of a shock to the system at this rate.

I bought a Selle SMP Extra saddle at Xmas, in the hope of improved comfort and longer turbo rides, but I'm still struggling to find a setup that works for longer than 75mins.

Are these rocker plates a massive gamechanger for comfort?

gethinceri

I have a TurboRocks rocker plate. It is a huge difference and worth every penny.
I can spend >2 hours with no problem, whereas without it I'm struggling at an hour. It really has been a game-changer for me.

daniel_b

I've never used one, but my Neo has a touch of left to right sway built into it, so maybe that is why I find it fine.

I rode for 3hrs 50 minutes on Sunday on a very varied workout, with zero discomfort - I did make sure I was getting up out of the saddle every 20 minutes or so though as a precaution.

I have tried as close as possible to copy the setup from my comfy road bike onto my turbo bike, and use exactly the same saddle.

Defblade

I did a redneck rocker plate. Chopped up a camping mat from Sports Direct (7 or 8 quid), stuck a few layers under the main unit of the trainer, and some rolled layers under each leg - took a bit of "fine tuning" (cough) to get it right as the weight isn't the same side to side, but not touched it in a year or more after getting it right. I already had a higher block for the front wheel.

I went from an-hour-is-time-to-get-off to two-hours-is-fine. I don't really ride longer than that in the garage anyway.

My plan was to buy a proper plate if I liked the redneck version, but it works so well I just haven't bothered... or even thought about it much!

Pictures not really taken for the rocker, and it's all been moved around now, but you should get the idea:

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Thanks for inputs so far, still dithering and delaying on the sale's final day, wondering if that ~£160 could be put to better cycling use on something like https://www.merlincycles.com/vision-team-35-disc-clincher-road-wheelset-179495.html (I dithered on that ~£400 Prime 50mm wheelset bundle I posted the other week and they went out of stock).

I do use my turbo a lot, but I used to be able to do ~2 hour rides and even managed one just over 3 hours, albeit I've put on ~6Kg since Feb '21.

Defblade

As I said, my £8 version works pretty well.... sales will always come around again. If, like me, your budget is there-but-not-unlimited and needs careful weighing... then I always look for ways to try before I buy - or at least the cheap version, or second hand... https://ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=turbo+trainer+rocker+plate&_sacat=0

In this case, the cheap version was enough and so that's a couple of hundred quid to spend on other cycling stuff (and boy, do I spend it )