I’ve been on some form of a rocker plate since my second season on Zwift, which means I’ve put in something like 45,000 rocking kilometers on Zwift. So you could say I’m no stranger to rockers. For me, riding on a “static” trainer feels very odd and unnatural. Rocking feels right. Yes, it doesn’t feel 100% like riding outdoors, but it’s much closer than a static setup could ever be.
For my first few rocking seasons I used a CoPlate from the Netherlands, which is a great product (and the first rocker plate ever put into production that I know of). I’ve also spent a lot of time on other rocker plates (see my reviews of the SBR Rockr as well as the Axxion Rocker Plate.)
Today, though, I’m excited to review the RPV1: a full-length rocker plate from our friends at KOM Cycling.
We’ve used various KOM products over the years in our Zwift setups – I still use their front wheel riser, and Monica uses their universal phone adapter to attach her iPhone to her Garmin mount. I’m impressed by KOM’s ability to deliver solid products at a great price. Nothing flashy or overpriced because of some hard-to-define “brand panache”. Just usable items for a good price.
And their rocker plate is no different. It’s a disrupter, in fact, at least in terms of what’s available here in the USA.
Key Details
- Retail price: $449.99 US on Amazon with free shipping
- Full-length plate measures 66″ (167.6cm) long and 34.5″ (87.6cm) wide
- Two inflatable balls are used as shocks
- Velcro straps are used to attach the trainer and front wheel to the plate
Unboxing and Setup
The KOM rocker plate arrives almost entirely assembled – and it’s a big box!
The box as it arrived Package contents Bottom of the rocker, with holes cut to save on weight Ready to rock!
The package includes:
- KOM Rocker Plate
- 4 red balls (2 spares just in case)
- Velcro straps
- Pump with needle for red balls
- Instruction manual
- Level
Setup is simple, and can literally be done in 5 minutes. All you have to do is:
- Insert and inflate the red balls
- Place your trainer/bike on the plate and strap it down
Being full-length and made from two sheets of thick plywood, the rocker plate is a decently heavy object! So if you have to move it up stairs and aren’t particularly strong (cyclist arms, amiright?), you might want to enlist the help of a friend.
All set up! 
Velcro strap closeup
Dialing It In
As with any rocker plate, getting your setup dialed in is key to a good experience. The most important thing is that you don’t feel like you’re leaning to either side when trying to be upright on your bike.
This can be accomplished by altering the air pressure in the red balls, but I prefer to use a counterweight with my Wahoo KICKR 5 setup, since the flywheel means the trainer’s weight isn’t centered. For me, I think it feels more natural to have even weight on both sides, and thus even air pressure in the red balls, than to simply use the red balls to even things out.
I have two ankle weight straps placed on the right-hand side of the rocker plate to offset the KICKR’s flywheel. The nice thing about these straps is they don’t shift around while riding, but I can move them easily to get the balance just right.
Demo Video
Here’s a quick demo video I made, showing the plate in action under normal seated riding as well as standing sprints and climbs:
How Does It Feel?
Having tested my fair share of rocker plates, I had two concerns going into this review:
- KOM says the rocker plate allows 13 degrees of side-to-side movement. The SBR ROCKR I had been using provides for 18 degrees. Would I notice the difference and “bottom out”?
- Would the velcro straps be sufficient for holding my KICKR in place?
After using the plate for a couple of months (around 2,500 virtual kilometers ridden), I can answer both questions:
- I didn’t notice the reduced degrees. The plate feels perfectly fine in full side-to-side movement.
- The velcro straps aren’t good enough. For me, at least. Let me explain…
Velcro Strap Shifting
Some trainers are easier to mount to a rocker plate than others, due to their size and/or leg design. The KICKR presents some challenges, and I’ve found in the past that, unless my KICKR is mounted very solidly to the plate, it will move around a bit under hard efforts.
This movement isn’t noticeable during the effort, but I’ll notice that my front wheel is no longer perfectly centered – and eventually, the whole bike may feel off-center, leaning to one side. Then I’ll have to re-adjust things to get them centered again.
The velcro straps used in the KOM Rocker Plate aren’t sufficient to keep my KICKR in place. Now, it may be different for you – if you use a different trainer, or don’t torque your bike and trainer as hard under power, you may never have any issues. But I know for me, and for some others, the velcro straps aren’t enough with this rocker plate.
To be clear, though: this is a minor quibble. The velcro straps don’t add much hassle to my life, and recentering things takes only a minute. But a rock-solid trainer mount setup would mean no hassle at all!
Alternative Mounting Options
One Zwifter pointed me to these heavy duty stage lighting clamps, which do a wonderful job of solidly mounting a KICKR to any rocker plate. You’ll just need to drill three holes and bolt them in.
Another option would be to purchase the $50 KICKR mounting kit from Max over at Traxxion Dynamics. Again, it will require drilling holes in the plate – but this kit bolts your KICKR directly to the plate, giving you a rock-solid mount.
LifeLine Rocker Plate
Some of you may recognize the KOM Rocker Plate – it appears to be the same as the “LifeLine Rocker Plate” sold by Wiggle. Just a different color. And you know what? I bet they are! The KOM Plate was made in China, so my guess is both are made in the same factor, with different “finishes” depending on where they’re shipped.
So if you can’t get the KOM Rocker Plate wherever you’re at, the LifeLine Rocker Plate from Wiggle should do the trick quite nicely. But with shipping included, KOM’s plate is more affordable here in the US.
Other “Features”
The KOM Cycling Rocker Plate (RPV1) incudes lots of different slots cut into the top plate, to accommodate velcro mounting a wide variety of trainers. I tested it with the Tacx NEO, KICKR Core, KICKR Bike, and standard KICKR. It works with many others as well.
It also includes grip-tape in key spots, which is more important than you may realize the first time you step on a non-grippy part of the board while wearing cycling shoes! I actually wish the grip tape on the sides extended more toward the front of the board, because I find myself putting my feet on the non-grippy portions when mounting my Zwift steed.
Wrapping It Up
The KOM Cycling Rocker Plate (RPV1) is a solid product for the money, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a full-length rocker plate. It’s got a clean look, delivers natural out of the saddle side-to-side motion, and setup is a snap.
Well done, KOM Cycling. Rock on!
Questions or Comments?
Share below!
Eric, when you stomp on this for your sprints, max power efforts, do you feel like you’re loosing any top-end power?
I do not. But I’ve also been riding with a rocker for years. When I sprint on a static setup I feel like I’m losing a lot of power, for sure, because I’m used to being able to stand and torque my handlebars back and forth in typical sprint fashion.
From a physics standpoint, shouldn’t you be losing power, since some energy is being spent rocking the bike (and trainer), instead of just into the pedals?
But you can also be rocking the bike like you would outside, opposite the pedal stroke, so you’re bringing the pedal up as you’re pushing down.
I’m not convinced you’re losing any power on a rocker. But I’m no engineer or physicist.
As I see it, without a rocker, you’re putting a lot of torque into your frame, which is absorbing it. That’s why you see frames twisting under load on static setups. That gets translated to movement on a rocker.
Also, when you can rock, you can use your upper body to move the bike against your pedal stroke, like outdoors. That ADDS power.
There’s a reason why sprinters outdoors do it out of the saddle…
Any thoughts on using this or other rocker plates with a Kickr Climb?
Full-length rocker plates work fine with the KICKR Climb.
Hi Eric, can you give me a comment about this topic: KellerSprinter SprintBoard v.21 (https://kellersprinter.de/collections/sprintboard/products/diy-sprintboard-s-v-21-beschichtet?variant=32276000637030) is not a full-length rocker plate. I’ve directly asked them and they say it is working also with the KICKR Climb. What do you think about?
I’ve never tried a two-piece rocker plate like that… my guess is it wouldn’t feel great with a KICKR Climb.
The Climb can rock back and forth just fine without a plate – it’s rounded on the bottom. The problem for me was, with a rear-only plate and the Climb in front, my front end was just super wobbly feeling under high power. My board gave me a little bit of fore/aft movement, but that translates to awkward rocking with a Climb.
I think with a Climb you’d want a full-length board. My two (untested) cents.
My hang up with rocker plates is: When out of the saddle pressing with right foot, right side goes down, where in real life, the bike tilts left when pressing down with right foot…thoughts?
if you put very little pressure in the balls, you can ride out of the saddle properly, but it still feels weird. You just are not going to get IRL feel indoors.
Yeah, it’s not going to precisely replicate the outdoor feel. But I’d say it’s 90% there, which is a whole lot better than a static setup.
Jason – they only do that if you have your plate set up improperly (and aren’t concerned with getting your form right). See my demo video above, where the motion is correct, and not the incorrect “opposite” form you describe.
I actually wrote a whole post about this issue: https://zwiftinsider.com/rocker-plate-tightness/
Thanks so much!
The SBR Rockr has a little bit of fore aft movement….did you miss that, or does the KOM also provide that?
I’d say the KOM gives you the same amount. Very similar construction.
Could you throw Boone’s Kickr bike on there and give it a ride?
I have been considering this plate, but am concerned that the increased weight of the thing would make it feel sluggish to rock around. The company claims it works and will take the weight, but does it feel terrible?
Already tried it, actually! Works just fine. I forgot we had tried this – I’ll add the KICKR bike to the list of tested trainers above…
good stuff, thanks!
Now…need to justify another $450 into the trainer setup…
Totally unrelated, but did the pace partners switch routes or something? It is showing C. Cadence on Tick Tock, B. Brevet on Figure 8, D. Diesel on Volcano Flat, and A. Antequetil on Dust in the Wind. Is this only me or is this for anyone else?
Rotating on a weekly schedule now. ZI post about it tomorrow morning.
Thanks Eric. Any chance you could add the Pace Partner schedule on the Course Schedule page? Seems like that’d be a handy feature.
Not for now, since the schedule is sort of in flux. Hard to invest time into Zwift’s ever-changing “beta” features…
The LifeLine Rocker Plate from Wiggle/ChainReaction is $350 +45 shipping = $395, and this one is $445, so wouldn’t the LifeLine still be significantly cheaper in the US?
Shipping for the LifeLine version seems to vary quite a bit. I’ve seen it over $100 from Chain Reaction and ~$150ish from Wiggle. Ironically, even tho Chain Reaction has a US focus, it’s still shipping from the UK (mine was, at least), presumably from the same source as Wiggle would send it.
Wiggle quoted me $150 shipping…
Huh, interesting, gives me $45 shipping. Maybe cheaper for shipping to the east coast. If some bike shops got these in bulk, they could sell them quick, and save on shipping.
A question about rocker plates in general (thinking of family members and neighboors); is there any noticable extra sound production when on a rocker – either from the trainer itself or ‘low’ sound through walls/floors – and does this differ between rocker plate brands? I now use thick rubber tiles under the trainer which do a great job, and I suppose these would do the trick under a rocker plate as well but interested in hearing about this nevertheless.
I don’t notice a difference. My plate sits atop foam tiles, though.
Does the blue front wheel mount provide an elevated position or why this one instead of the tradition one, btw. Which brand is it?
That’s actually a KOM Cycling riser (https://amzn.to/3d3Sobh). I’ve used it for years, because I like how it locks my wheel in place, but can be rotated to change front wheel height. And it’s cheaper than the Saris version!
I am using the Leeze Boom Board, which works using metal springs instead of the balls. The advantage is that there is no maintenance. https://www.leezeboomboard.com/
Quite happy with it. They are even willing to sell you just a DIY kit if you want to make your own custom board.
“No maintenance” is always nice, although the red balls used in the KOM Rocker seem to be pretty maintenance-free. I haven’t added air since I first set it up.
Is the sprint tension adjustable? That would be my only concern.
That looks a bit like my DIY approach 🙂 I tried to get along without a base plate by using an air cushion as a center pivot point (a wooden hemisphere below the Kickr Climb in front). The air cushion feels a bit like a tire inflated to its minimum pressure, allowing a bit of moving in all directions. As dampers I’ve used inner tubes for wheelbarrows. Might switch to balls, too. They should be easier to fix in place. If anybody has a suggestion on which balls to use, I would appreciate it – all I found during planning… Read more »
To prevent the KICKR from moving, get some “caster cups” (furniture carpet savers) for the feet of the KICKR, and staple gun them to the top of the rocker board.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/SoftTouch-4-Pack-2-in-Walnut-Smooth-Caster-Cups/1000372635
Not a bad idea!
Hi Eric. I, too, had the Coplate that I ordered and shipped from Europe to the US at quite an expense several years ago. One issue I noticed was that over time, the rubber balls inside the Coplate would lose air at different rates so the top plate is not perfectly horizontal (using Tacx Neo at the time). After getting tired of pumping up one of the balls to even out the plate and the bike, I ended up just turning the handlebar a bit to make the bike vertical, especially at 5 am in the morning when the last… Read more »
We had the same issue with the Coplate balls. I haven’t noticed it yet with the KOM red balls.
For those looking to go DIY without a big project, I built a rocker with the Great Bike North kit in January ($120 CAD for the hardware, another $70 for one sheet of 4’x8′ plywood) https://www.greatbikenorth.ca/collections/rocker-plates. Having ridden on the plate for two months now I’ll never go back to putting the trainer right on the floor – much, much more natural feeling for out of the saddle climbing and sprints.
I have the climd add on for my kicker. So the front end rises as I go up an incline, is there a rocker plate that will work with that ??
Yes, any full-length rocker plate (like this one from KOM) will work just fine with the Climb.
Where can you get the KOM front wheel mount? I am using three of the velcro straps to hold my front wheel to my KOM Rocker Plate.
My only other comment is that it works well with my Tacx Neo 2. However, I wish the the various slots would have been more uniform to afford a consistent strapping of the trainer to the boards. They could have also provided a few different lengths in straps. You can’t beat the price and quality though.
KOM wheel riser: https://amzn.to/3d3Sobh
I also have the KOM, my first rocker plate, and have the same “quibbles” as you. I have an Elite Direto X. I can assure you I have the same mounting issues you experienced. The Velcro straps are not sufficient, for either mounting the trainer or the front tire. I’ll try your suggestions. As for the experience – I do like it. It took some getting use to, but I believe (subjectively speaking) I feel less fatigue and discomfort after long training session with the rocking motion better distributing pressure points on my sit bones. A very cool experience. I… Read more »
Can it accommodate the full Kickr bike?
Yep! Tested it personally!
I made my own rocker plate (as you when in lockdown) and it immediately resolved a lower back ache that was occurring during rides – probably because I tend to be a pretty static seated pedaller. Whilst I can’t offer scientific proof, the little bit of extra movement the rocker invokes cured my ill. My Kickr isn’t strapped down in any way but I’ve never had a problem. That might be due to my seated riding style as said, but I think the layer of 1cm foam exercise floor mat glued to the top of the rocker helps. Its a… Read more »
Reading your reviews on these has convinced me that its something I want to invest in. My issue is I need to move my whole setup often. Assuming I can find a place to store it, is it feasible to take it all apart every week and put it back together in a reasonable amount of time? If so, do you think the clamps that come with the new SBR PRO would speedup the setup/alignment on a Kickr vs the Velcro on the KOM?
Hi Eric, I’ve never ridden a rocker board before, do they improve comfort? I have a Kickr V4 and the limiting factor in terms of time on it is down to saddle discomfort. I have used the same saddle as my road bike and a further 11 different types of saddles. Wide ones, narrow ones, thickly padded ones and none have been perfect. I find that turbo trainer are so ridged when they are mounted directly on the floor. Thanks for a fantastic web site.
Yes, they vastly improve comfort! Because the seat moves with you, instead of your bum rubbing against the seat in micro movements every pedal stroke.
Not to mention you can get out of the saddle and pedal semi-naturally, moving the entire bike side to side like you would outdoors (see my demo video above).
Hi Eric, thank you very much for your reply. Its encouraging to hear that they do in fact improve comfort. Would you happen to know which is better, the inflated rubber ball type or spring type rocker board. Also is there a specific one you would recommend?
Thanks again.
I prefer the inflatable balls, because they’re adjustable. Adjustability is key.
I’d recommend this KOM plate for sure – great price. SBR ROCKR is also a great plate – more expensive, but a more solid mounting system.
Hello again Eric, once again thank you for your reply. I understand the point you have made about adjustability and I will act upon it. I’ve checked out the SBR Rocker however I have read that they only ship in the USA. Therefore I’ll take you recommendation and buy the Wiggle version of the KOM Cycling RPV1 rocker plate. All the best to you, Steve.
Thanks for the helpful review. I just bought one of these and I’m waiting to receive it.
i just noticed they launched version 2 with for-aft movement by adding a third plate the bottom which appears to slide on longitudinal rails.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in general on what for-aft adds to the experience or if rocking is really the main benefit.