MY 4th Gen Rocker Plate
Mike McGuire4th Gen Isolator rocker plate design.
(Wahoo Kicr and Tacx Neo versions)
What IS a rocker plate?
In simple terms it’s a platform that you put your trainer and bike on that pivots side-to-side as you ride.
Unlike riding outside on your bike, a stationary trainer does not allow the normal, dynamic movement of your body and bike when pedaling. If you train hard and have chronic injuries (like me) then this lack of movement can add strain on your joints and muscles. The rocker plate reduces this strain.
There are lots of plate designs and I'm sure many work well. Most pivot side-to-side and some also move fore-and-aft. When I designed and built mine, I test fore-and-aft movement and felt it was too unstable for my style on interval training. I decided that the added complexity and lack of stability of what I tested was not worth the money or effort to build. CycleOps makes a commercial plate that moves in all directions and looks great, and I’d love to try it, but it’s $1200.00USD. Starting from other similar design, my goal was to crate a plate design that was easy to build in a weekend for a few hundred bucks.
This design is what I have been using for 2 complete winter seasons and has helped me to manage hip strain and overall comfort. From October through April, I train 3-5 days a week on the Kickr. Primarily Trainer Road interval programs with 1 or 2 additional Zwift races or rides per week and the occasional Zwift ride of 100km. This design works for myself, my partner, and about 60 people (so far) have used the design off the Rocker Plate Group toy build their own. It works great. The only maintenance is to keep the balls inflated to,level the plate once a week and tighten the isolator bolts every 3 months.
DAA410 is designed for a Whoo Kickr, and the second DAA510 is a custom shape for 'Laura Nusen for his Tacx Neo with extended area for foot placement to help with getting on-off the bike. This design is intended to provide up to 1.5” of side-to-side travel (See images), but for most people 3/4” of movement will be plenty to relieve hip and shoulder strain.
You can run 2 or 4 balls, diameter 4” to 10” (with the spacers). 4 balls at 5psi is my preferred setting; firm but good motion. An 8-10lb counterweight is required on the right side opposite the Wahoo Kickr flywheel (I use 10lbs) in order to keep the dynamic forces balanced. (Otherwise the plate pivots left more easily than to the right and feels weird). To get the plate level, partially inflate the balls, add the counterweight then use a level to check the plate as you inflate the balls. Add a few psi in each ball, not one ball all at once. Rock the plate to make sure the level bubble registers correctly. If you’re picky, sit on the bike and get someone to check the level, add air, check again.
Please feel free to borrow / take / steal / adapt this however you like and do your own thing.
I will do my best to field questions; please allow 24 hours for response as I am working during the day.
Good Hunting.
M.
Shareable Drawings Links:
DAA410 Drawings:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0103/1362/9754/files/DAA410-Rocker-Plate-Assembly-Kickr-RevB.PDF?v=1589321200
DAA510 Drawings:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0103/1362/9754/files/DAA510-Rocker-Plate-Neo-Assembly-RevB.PDF?v=1589321217
General Design Notes:
1) Uses less than 1 sheet of 3/4” plywood (customize as you like, the size can be slightly reduced but test with cardboard first.)
2) Uses 5 strong isolators to provide fast, stable side to side movement. You can use any type you want, but you will need to adjust the fastener type and length. McMaster Carr is not necessarily cheap for isolators. But they usually have stock. Note that I have tried a few types and I prefer the stiffest version for my weight (220lbs) as this helps to keep the plate stable and return it to neutral when riding.
3) Includes round plywood spacer top and bottom of isolators to reinforce the plywood and to allow for better spacing and ball compression. You can use up to 10” playground balls (available at Wal-Mart) for more or less motions as desired. I run 5” balls at 5psi and 10” balls can be run at 3psi for a firm plate.
4) Includes Foam Rubber top sheet to reduce noise (trust me…)
5) Trainer will sit on platform without extra mounts. (But I like the security)
6) Front slots to secure wheel riser with velcro (Add knife slots in top foam)
7) No rear mounts are shown. (Kickr mounts use 2 of these on side legs: https://tinyurl.com/y9xk4o8v )
DAA410 vs DAA510 Differences:
1) Square back end to accommodate the Neo footprint
2) Extended side are towards front wheel for more standing area.
3) Rear 3 x isolator locations adjusted for the Neo
Part Sources:
1. Part #6 Vibration Mounts:
https://www.mcmaster.com/64885K33
2. Other Mounts from McMaster Carr:
https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/126/1547/
3. 5" Playground Balls: (may not be available, search for similar)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G1LIJY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
4. Online source for top vibration pad foam:
https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Tool-W88981-Anti-Fatigue-Square/dp/B01B4A93T8/ref=sr_1_13?crid=3TJJARFK2X4KC&dchild=1&keywords=anti+fatigue+mat+diamond&qid=1589318793&sprefix=diamond+anti+fatigue+mat%2Caps%2C184&sr=8-13&fbclid=IwAR1D0AB4flPXs1ahx_ogdFZNemDnwEDrKswG6gCuwMLXzxGJ_XB0zJ5_u_Y
5. Tube Clamps for Wahoo Kickr legs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RC44JZO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
(Wahoo Kicr and Tacx Neo versions)
What IS a rocker plate?
In simple terms it’s a platform that you put your trainer and bike on that pivots side-to-side as you ride.
Unlike riding outside on your bike, a stationary trainer does not allow the normal, dynamic movement of your body and bike when pedaling. If you train hard and have chronic injuries (like me) then this lack of movement can add strain on your joints and muscles. The rocker plate reduces this strain.
There are lots of plate designs and I'm sure many work well. Most pivot side-to-side and some also move fore-and-aft. When I designed and built mine, I test fore-and-aft movement and felt it was too unstable for my style on interval training. I decided that the added complexity and lack of stability of what I tested was not worth the money or effort to build. CycleOps makes a commercial plate that moves in all directions and looks great, and I’d love to try it, but it’s $1200.00USD. Starting from other similar design, my goal was to crate a plate design that was easy to build in a weekend for a few hundred bucks.
This design is what I have been using for 2 complete winter seasons and has helped me to manage hip strain and overall comfort. From October through April, I train 3-5 days a week on the Kickr. Primarily Trainer Road interval programs with 1 or 2 additional Zwift races or rides per week and the occasional Zwift ride of 100km. This design works for myself, my partner, and about 60 people (so far) have used the design off the Rocker Plate Group toy build their own. It works great. The only maintenance is to keep the balls inflated to,level the plate once a week and tighten the isolator bolts every 3 months.
DAA410 is designed for a Whoo Kickr, and the second DAA510 is a custom shape for 'Laura Nusen for his Tacx Neo with extended area for foot placement to help with getting on-off the bike. This design is intended to provide up to 1.5” of side-to-side travel (See images), but for most people 3/4” of movement will be plenty to relieve hip and shoulder strain.
You can run 2 or 4 balls, diameter 4” to 10” (with the spacers). 4 balls at 5psi is my preferred setting; firm but good motion. An 8-10lb counterweight is required on the right side opposite the Wahoo Kickr flywheel (I use 10lbs) in order to keep the dynamic forces balanced. (Otherwise the plate pivots left more easily than to the right and feels weird). To get the plate level, partially inflate the balls, add the counterweight then use a level to check the plate as you inflate the balls. Add a few psi in each ball, not one ball all at once. Rock the plate to make sure the level bubble registers correctly. If you’re picky, sit on the bike and get someone to check the level, add air, check again.
Please feel free to borrow / take / steal / adapt this however you like and do your own thing.
I will do my best to field questions; please allow 24 hours for response as I am working during the day.
Good Hunting.
M.
Shareable Drawings Links:
DAA410 Drawings:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0103/1362/9754/files/DAA410-Rocker-Plate-Assembly-Kickr-RevB.PDF?v=1589321200
DAA510 Drawings:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0103/1362/9754/files/DAA510-Rocker-Plate-Neo-Assembly-RevB.PDF?v=1589321217
General Design Notes:
1) Uses less than 1 sheet of 3/4” plywood (customize as you like, the size can be slightly reduced but test with cardboard first.)
2) Uses 5 strong isolators to provide fast, stable side to side movement. You can use any type you want, but you will need to adjust the fastener type and length. McMaster Carr is not necessarily cheap for isolators. But they usually have stock. Note that I have tried a few types and I prefer the stiffest version for my weight (220lbs) as this helps to keep the plate stable and return it to neutral when riding.
3) Includes round plywood spacer top and bottom of isolators to reinforce the plywood and to allow for better spacing and ball compression. You can use up to 10” playground balls (available at Wal-Mart) for more or less motions as desired. I run 5” balls at 5psi and 10” balls can be run at 3psi for a firm plate.
4) Includes Foam Rubber top sheet to reduce noise (trust me…)
5) Trainer will sit on platform without extra mounts. (But I like the security)
6) Front slots to secure wheel riser with velcro (Add knife slots in top foam)
7) No rear mounts are shown. (Kickr mounts use 2 of these on side legs: https://tinyurl.com/y9xk4o8v )
DAA410 vs DAA510 Differences:
1) Square back end to accommodate the Neo footprint
2) Extended side are towards front wheel for more standing area.
3) Rear 3 x isolator locations adjusted for the Neo
Part Sources:
1. Part #6 Vibration Mounts:
https://www.mcmaster.com/64885K33
2. Other Mounts from McMaster Carr:
https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/126/1547/
3. 5" Playground Balls: (may not be available, search for similar)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G1LIJY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
4. Online source for top vibration pad foam:
https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Tool-W88981-Anti-Fatigue-Square/dp/B01B4A93T8/ref=sr_1_13?crid=3TJJARFK2X4KC&dchild=1&keywords=anti+fatigue+mat+diamond&qid=1589318793&sprefix=diamond+anti+fatigue+mat%2Caps%2C184&sr=8-13&fbclid=IwAR1D0AB4flPXs1ahx_ogdFZNemDnwEDrKswG6gCuwMLXzxGJ_XB0zJ5_u_Y
5. Tube Clamps for Wahoo Kickr legs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RC44JZO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Nov 06, 2020 10:03:44pm