Update on my Saris MP1 I purchased 20% off from Rei at the end of March so 2 months in so far.
It is a great addition to my indoor setup (have H3 as well) and would not go back. Something about it just makes the ride much more comfortable for longer rides. Prior to having it I did not have problems riding 1:30 to 2 hours. Now those rides are more enjoyable. Anywhere over 3 hours is no problem and not sore at all. The forward and back motion is a game changer. It is slightly awkward sprinting but nothing too bad.
As far as pricing yes it is spendy but easier with the 20% off. It is built like a tank and look forward to getting my moneys worth as I do ride indoor 1/2 of the time during the year.
Realistically I know I spent a little more than building one myself (don’t think I could build one like this) but I did not want another project and the aggravation. Plus for me I know this is done right and no fuss which is money well spent. If I were to ever encounter any problems ever I am sure Saris will take care of me.
Any other questions let me know as I am more than happy to answer.
Not often honestly. Has a subtle front/back and side to side. Takes some trial and error while riding to get it aligned correctly on the back from my experience. Initially I followed the guide but found it needed more adjustment to really be level while riding.
Lets say I was doing 2 hours of Baxter. Pre MP1 I would get out of the saddle every 30-45 minutes or so. With the MP1 maybe once in the 2 hours.
Edit: just for some extra context I used it for a month and thought lets try riding for a couple of days w/o it just to make sure I really wanted to keep it. After 2 rides I promptly set it back up.
Not a ton of movement based on comments from Ray and Shane.
I don’t Ike the specific H2 solution, but something a bit more refined is totally workable. Biggest issue is that I recommend a rigid center fulcrum, and springs only at the side feet.
Stability is based on the height you end up with and the stiffness of your springs. Totally customizable and up to your part selection, but they are very save, IMHO.
Also, for clarity, I am not endorsing the rockers I shared above. I just grabbed some pics of minimalist hack setups to show how easy it is to add something to just about any trainer.
Depending on you goals, something like those may be great, or it could be an opening to seeing that you might like even more motion.
Cheers Chad. I nearly pulled the trigger on a Rockr pod lite a few months back, but blew my money on something else bike related😅. Winter is coming - need to start thinking of my setup again.
I guess all the trainer have topped out in terms of resistance and grade simulation - need new ways to differentiate themselves from the competition. I wonder what other gimmicks are coming down the line?
Has anyone tried the Lifeline Rocker Plate - LifeLine Rocker Plate | Turbo Trainers | Wiggle?
I don’t have the space / tools / time to really make a good quality rocker plate for myself - I would have to buy or rent the relevant tools which would end up making the whole exercise materially more expensive. At £225, the lifeline rocker seems like potentially a good option. The cost of materials and tools to build my own (ignoring the lack of an appropriate space to do so) would probably not be much less than buying this.
I don’t have any reviews to share, but the basic design looks very functional and I think it will work as needed. If the price suits you, I don’t see any reason not to try it.
If you are in the UK (my guess based on currency metioned), there are several more options that you can consider.
I was looking at the lifeline but settled on the R1 bespoke rocker plate in the end - very well made and happy to recommend it. Apparently selling a lot to zwift racing teams fwiw.
Ok, I’m ready to go down the rocker plate rabbit hole.
I’m on a 4iiii Fliiiight and it is super quiet and with the new firmware, pretty smooth. Would a rocker plate work with this type of trainer? Did/do people use rocker plates with the stac trainers? Any advice specific to this type of trainer?
I can’t say that I have seen a 4iiii (or the prior STAC) on a rocker, but it would work just fine. I started with a wheel-on Kinetic Road Machine, for my first rocker plate. Ton’s of people have the Wahoo Kickr SNAP, Tacx Vortex and other similar trainers.
I can grab some pics or you can skim the “Photos” section on our FB group to see many examples.
That’s what I figured - but I thought it made sense to ask the community. So basically, just treat it like another other 3 point trainer (legs, plus support for the unit).
Yup, just have to make sure you have deck support under the feet of the trainer, and a way to retain the trainer to the deck. not much more magic than that
We see lots of Direto models on rockers. I shared the specific on above as a “simple” example. If you join the FB Rocker Group, there are plenty of examples of the Direto on a “normal” rockers. I will add a few below if you don’t use FB.
As far as issues, there are not problems with adding a Direto to a rocker. Just use some form of strap or clamp to attach it firmly to the top deck and you are set.
Tennis balls or thick and squishy mats are a fine starting point. Some people even choose them for long term solutions. I say give it a shot so you can get a taste of motion vs rigid.
My main dislike is a “floating” trainer with pure “spring” support. The trainer will bounce along like a poorly designed full suspension bike. It does waste energy with each bounce vs a “proper” rocker plate with a controlled fulcrum pivot.
But you can even hack a tennis ball version with a more rigid center pivot on the Direto to get one step better than pure spring support. I’d say either of those are worth a test and just do whichever is easier for you to try.
Just keep in mind that the simple solution is not necessarily representative of a full fledged rocker, but it’s a great starting point.
