Best rocker plates for smart trainers

If you have got a smart trainer for riding indoors and are interested in buying a rocker plate: you are in the right place.

A rocker plate is an accessory that gives your trainer the possibility to tilt on the sides as you would outdoors. It’s a great device to improve immersion but also your skills. Indeed, it’s way more natural to cycle with a rocker plate and will prevent you from developing a bad pedaling form that many indoor cyclists have. I wrote a separate article on rocker plates and everything you need to know about them which details each of these benefits. Feel free to have a look here!

Now let’s see what are the best rocker plates available in the market in 2021!

TOP 3 – BEST ROCKER PLATES

If you own a Wahoo Kickr have a look at the best rocker plates for Wahoo Kickr I mentioned in this article.

How to choose a rocker plate?

In terms of what makes a good rocker plate, you need to consider the following aspects:

• large amplitude of mouvement when tilting side to side (to improve out-of-saddle form and general feeling on the bike: reduce soreness, knee pain etc.)
• fore and aft motion (to reduce the stress on your body and make the out-of-saddle form more natural)
• strong materials
• good attachment of the trainer

Rocker Plates comparison table

USA based makers and retailers

UK based makers and retailers

Detailed review of the 3 best rocker plates

BEST FULL MOTION ROCKER PLATE
Turborocks Realplate React

SPECS

PROS

• Universal design that fits all turbo trainers, including stationary bikes (like Wahoo Kickr Bike) and front wheel accessories (like Wahoo Kickr Climb, Elite Sterzo…)
• Very strong material used (good quality and thick enough) -> durable!
• Allows side motion
• Allows fore/aft motion
• International shipping (around $140 for the USA)
• Spare ball, needle and pump included

CONS

• Just be careful not to pump the inflatable ball above 10psi or it will break.

COST: £449 (or $620.10)

Comments

The Realplate react full-motion rocker plate is definitely the best rocker plate available on the market. This model is made of very strong and good quality ply birch wood and coated with a protective non-slip coating which makes it easy to clean off the sweat after a tough training session.

I have been using this rocker plate for a few years now and I am very pleased with it. It’s very simple to keep it clean and in good condition. In terms of maintenance, you just need to put a bit of oil from time to time on the fore/aft mechanism.

With this rocker plate, you can adjust easily the pressure inside the inflatable balls. I initially pumped them too much but now with time, I find it more comfortable to use the full range of the side-to-side motion of the rocker. It’s very easy to adjust: the less you inflate the balls the more motion range you get side-to-side.

I would like to add that in my experience, Turborocks is a great company with good customer support. They ship their rocker plates internationally and I can assure you it works very well.

BEST SIDE-TO-SIDE ROCKER PLATE
Rockr Pro

SPECS

PROS

• Universal design that fits all turbo trainers, including stationary bikes (like Wahoo Kickr Bike) and front wheel accessories (like Wahoo Kickr Climb, Elite Sterzo…)
• Very strong material used (good quality and thick enough) -> durable!
• Allows side motion
• Spare ball and needle included

CONS

• Fore/aft motion is barely inexistant: only 15mm (0.6″) based on elastomeric supports
• High density foam on the top board is likely going to be damaged by the cleats from your cycling shoes
• International shipping (outside the US & Canada) is expensive (from $250)

COST: $499.00 – $549.00

Comments

The Rockr Pro rocker plate is a good rocker plate. This model is made of very strong and good quality ply birch wood. The boards are covered in high-density foam which prevents the need to add a mat underneath if you don’t want to scratch the surface of the floor.

This rocker plate is sold like a full-motion rocker plate but be careful here. It only provides 15mm (0.6″) of fore/aft motion. This will just make the motion of going out-of-the-saddle less rigid but won’t feel much different from a side-to-side only rocker plate. In comparison, the Realplate react full-motion rocker plate provides 240mm (9.45″) of fore/aft motion using a linear bearing. And I have reached the limit of this motion a few times when going out of the saddle quickly for a sprint.

If you care about having the fore/aft motion on your rocker plate, this rocker plate is not for you. Else it is a really good rocker plate, well designed and fit for purpose.

BEST CHEAP ROCKER PLATE
KOM Cycling

SPECS

PROS

• Universal design that fits most turbo trainers
• Durable and strong material: thick plywood
• Allows side motion
• Spare ball, pump and needle included

CONS

• No fore/aft motion
• No international shipping (US only)

COST: $420

Comments

The KOM Cycling rocker plate (also named: indoor rocker plate RPV1) is a good value for money rocker plate. It’s a basic design that can accommodate most turbo trainers. Even though not specified on the manufacturer’s website, this model is compatible with Kickr Climb and Kickr Bike.

If you care about having the fore/aft motion on your rocker plate, this rocker plate is not for you.
In comparison with Rocker Pro’s rocker plate, KOM cycling design is much cheaper. The design is a bit cheaper but definitely strong. It’s a good choice.

A good thing about this product is that it can be ordered directly on Amazon with the perks of free returns.