The 7 Best Cycling Rocker Plates to Improve Your Comfort on an Indoor Trainer (2021)

If you spend a lot of time training indoors, you will appreciate this selection of the best cycling rocker plates.

A bike rocker plate will make your indoor training more comfortable. Thanks to the side-to-side and on some plates, even fore and aft movement, your bike will swing and reduce the saddle discomfort.

Furthermore, rocker plates make your riding more realistic and force you to balance and thus engage your core muscles.

In this article, you learn all benefits of rocker plates, how to choose a rocker plate, and much more.

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What Are the Best Cycling Rocker Plates?

The best cycling rocker plates are universal so that they can fit indoor trainers from various manufacturers. They should also provide side-to-side movement of at least 12° (6° on each side) and be durable enough to support even heavier riders.

Rocker plates with fore and aft movement add another dimension that makes riding out of the saddle more realistic. Keep in mind that this is a love-hate feature that may not suit everybody.

Skip to the comparison table…

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Rockr Pro Rocker Plate

Rockr Pro Rocker Plate is the best rocker plate overall because it provides an excellent price-value ratio. Owners also praise its high built quality.

The side-to-side motion range of 18° (9° on each side) is the biggest of all rocker plates on this list. Thanks to inflatable balls, it is also easily adjustable to fit your preferences.

Besides the side-to-side motion, Rocker Pro also features 0.59 in (15 mm) fore and aft travel, further improving the ride feel and comfort. However, is important to note that this is much less than other trainers with fore/aft travel.

This rocker plate is compatible with most trainers on the market, thanks to 12 attachment slots. You can choose the attachments when ordering the rocker plates.

The Rockr Pro also comes fully assembled, so you only need to inflate the balls. The packing includes one extra spare ball.

Rocker Pro is shipped internationally for an additional fee.

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The Realplate Stealth Rocker Plate

The Realplate React Stealth (2021) is the most advanced rocker plate from Turbo Rocks. They added the fore/aft movement of 8.27 in (21 cm) to improve your ride experience.

Additionally, you can adjust the 13.2° side-to-side motion by inflating the balls. Thanks to the in-build spirit level, it is super easy to make the plate level.

Although this rocker plate will fit the best bike trainers on the market, Turbo Rocks recommends contacting them if your trainer is not listed.

Owners of Realpalte Rocker Plate also praise the built quality, ease of set up, and helpful customer support.

This rocker plate can be shipped from the UK to Europe, the US, or Australia for an additional fee.

Use the discount code ‘Cyclistshub‘ at www.turborocks.com at the checkout page to get 3% off your purchase.

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TIP: Browse bike trainers from various price points if you don’t have a trainer yet.

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Saris MP1 Nfinity Cycling Rocker Plate

Saris MP1 Nfinity is one of the most popular mass-produced rocker plates on the market. So, is its high price justifiable? Well, if you spend many hours training indoors, it is. Let me explain why.

Except for the standard 12° side-to-side movement, it also features 9.5 inches (24 cm) fore and aft travel.

This extra travel makes your ride (especially out of the saddle) even more realistic than other rocker plates without this travel (like KOM, ZYING, or LifeLine).

With the more realistic ride, you will also engage your core and upper body muscles more, experience better riding comfort, and have fun.

There are a few downsides, though. You can’t adjust the side-to-side movement of this rocker plate. The spring tension is firm. Learn more about this topic below.

MP1 rocker plate is also pretty narrow in the front, so the sweat from your arms may fall on the floor. Use a trainer mat to protect it.

The plate is also not protected under the drivetrain, so if you lubricate your chain too much, the lube can contaminate the upper plate.

Also available at rei.com

ZYING, KOM, and LifeLine Rocker Plates

ZYING Rocker Plate, KOM Cycling Rocker Plate RPV1, and Lifeline Rocker Plate are all the same.

Except for a few differences like the color, brand, and price, they probably come from the same factory.

According to Chad McNeese, rocker plates expert, they are all copies of the RideNow rocker plate from Chinese online marketplaces.

All these plates will provide you with the same 13° side-to-side movement (6.5° on each side). This movement is adjustable by inflating the balls at lower or higher pressure.

The adjustable side-to-side movement is a big advantage because it will improve your riding experience.

These rocker plates will improve your riding comfort, so you can ride longer without experiencing saddle discomfort.

These plates lack fore and aft movement as on Saris MP1 Nfinity and other plates. But they are a perfect entry-level to the rocker plates world.

Keep in mind that the LifeLine Rocker Plate is only available in the UK.

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OmniRocker Turbo Rocker Plate

The UK-made OmniRocker Plate belongs to one of the most popular rocker plates. It is well-built, provides two-dimensional movement, and is relatively affordable.

Depending on your motion preference, you can adjust the side-to-side movement by inflating the balls to higher or lower pressure.

The fore/aft movement of 5.51 in (14 cm) is enough to improve your riding comfort and add another dimension.

Thanks to the in-build circular spirit level, the set-up is super easy. This plate also has strategically positioned handles for easier moving.

The OmniRocker Plate comes fully assembled. You just need to add your trainer and start riding. Unfortunately, it is available in the UK only.

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My Verdict

The best rocker plate overall is the Rockr Pro Rocker Plate because of its excellent price-value ratio.

Thanks to its 18° adjustable side-to-side movement and up to 0.59″ fore and aft movement, you will also experience a whole new level of comfort.

The ride out of the saddle will also feel more natural. However, due to the nature of rocker plates, it is not comparable with riding outdoors. So, don’t expect an outside-like riding experience.

If you want to learn more about how to choose a rocker plate, read the guide below.

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4 Reasons to Use a Cycling Rocker Plate

Below, I explain why you should use a rocker plate and why they are a worthy bike training accessory.

1. You Will Enjoy Better Riding Comfort

One of the most annoying things about indoor cycling is the discomfort (saddle pain, numbness, etc.). Due to the fixed position of the bike on a trainer, there is almost no side-to-side movement (swing).

Your pelvis starts to roll side-to-side on your saddle, which causes pressure on your soft tissue and perineum.

All rocker plates on the market (or DIY-made) feature a side-to-side movement that eliminates this issue. By adding the swing, your indoor training sessions on a rocker plate will be more comfortable.

2. You Experience More Realistic and Engaging Rides

Pedaling on a bicycle outside causes side-to-side movement. As a result, you have to engage other muscles in your body to keep the balance and not fall.

When you fix your bike into a bike trainer, you don’t have to keep the balance, and the ride loses its realism.

A bike rocker plate will take your indoor training to a whole new level. Your bike will behave almost like when riding outside due to the side-to-side movement, eventually fore and aft travel.

NOTE: Sprints on a rocker plate are not like sprints outside. You don’t need to pull with your arms as much on a rocker plate as outside. It takes some practice to get used to it. Learn more below.

3. You Engage More Your Core Muscles

When your bike is fixed in a bike trainer, you can rely on its stability. This means you don’t need to engage core muscles as much.

The swing motion of rocker plates will force you to engage your core muscles to keep your balance.

According to Cycling Tips, more research is required to confirm whether or not there are some performance benefits of core training. However, strengthened core muscles can help prevent injuries.

4. You Reduce Bike Frame Stress

As Chad McNeese, an administrator of the Rocker Plate group on Facebook explains in his guide, rocker plates also reduce the bike frame stress.

It is logical. A rocker’s swing provides your bike with more freedom of movement that reduces the side forces and stress.

One Big Disadvantage of Rocker Plates

One of the biggest disadvantages of rocker plates is that riding out of the saddle takes practice and is not as realistic as outside.

When riding outside (out of the saddle), we use our arms to pull our bikes (handlebars) up and down. This synchronized movement feels different on a rocker plate.

When you try the same technique on a rocker plate, the physics doesn’t work. It then looks like this:

It takes practice to get used to riding out of the saddle on a rocker plate. Rocker plates with fore and aft movement add another dimension, providing a more realistic riding feel.

If you want to know more about this issue, I recommend reading this article on Zwift Insider.

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How to Choose a Cycling Rocker Plate?

Here are few tips that will help you choose a cycling rocker plate.

Side-to-side Movement

All rocker plates I came across feature a side-to-side movement. This movement is given in degrees (°) and varies around 12 degrees (6° on each side).

Keep in mind that more degrees ≠ better riding experience. If the rocker plate is poorly designed, you may roll over during sprints or climbs.

Side-to-Side Movement Adjustability

The ability to adjust the side-to-side movement of a rocker plate greatly affects the ride feel.

According to Zwift Insider, beginners may benefit from tighter springs* because the plate feels more stable. Their disadvantage is they require more focus on timing when riding out of the saddle.

*Springs or any other suspension mechanism like inflatable balls.

On the other hand, looser springs increase the range of motion and make your ride more realistic. Their disadvantage is they are less stable.

You can adjust the rocking motion on rocker plates that use inflatable balls as a suspension mechanism. Simply inflate it to lower or higher pressure.

Fore and Aft Movement

What some rocker plates set apart from each other is the fore and aft movement. It adds another dimension (axis) that makes the ride closer to reality.

Rocker plates with the fore and aft movement tend to be more expensive due to the more complicated mechanism.

But, it doesn’t mean they are better. One group of riders love it because it makes their ride more realistic and comfortable.

The other group hates it because the fore and aft travel may affect (e.g., decrease) their power output.

Universality

Before you order a rocker plate, make sure it is compatible with your bike trainer.

Luckily, rocker plates are often compatible with most indoor bike trainers on the market.

They come with Velcro straps (or other attachment mechanisms) and plenty of holes in different positions that allow you to attach your bike trainer.

Price

The price of cycling rocker plates varies a lot. There are rocker plates for lower hundreds of dollars or rocker plates that exceed the $1000 price tag.

During my market research, I noticed that some rocker plates are the same (except the color or brand), but their price differs by hundreds of dollars.

So, before you decide to order a rocker plate, check out whether or not there are cheaper alternatives.

Rocker plates with fore and aft movement are more expensive because their mechanism is more complicated.

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Cycling Rocker Plates FAQ

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Preview picture source: Saris