Anyone else make a "rocker plate" for the indoor trainer?
This idea has been around a long time but I have never had a permanent spot to set something up until this past summer. After thinking about doing something but never doing it, the real trigger was when I was rehabbing my shoulder in January and could only ride indoors for 2 weeks. Also not 100% sure I want to make something myself yet so for $7 for a pack of 2 I picked up these Yoga pads for under the feet of the trainer. The general idea is that the side to side motion helps the riding be more natural and also reduces strain on the bike.
My review after just 2-3 rides is that it is definitely making a difference while seated. The yoga pads are a bit dense by design but of course they dont adjust so the slight compression motion I can see/feel while I am seated helps a lot with the butt numbness and just general comfort.
The downside which is documented on the interweb discussions, is that the standing motion becomes incorrect due to the weight transfer. This means when the pedal goes down you lean to that side, as opposed to outside when you naturally throw/lean the bike the opposite way. I tried a few times to correct it by forcing the bars opposite of my pedal stroke but with this budget set up it doesnt seem possible. All the articles and videos I have seen indicate this is normal for a rocker plate "newbie" and having a slight more advanced type setup helps to pedal properly once the rocking and return motion is more adjustable.
Just thought to share this idea to make indoor riding a little more tolerable. Google Zwift rocker plates or there's also a FB group discussion on it with some really skilled people showing their creations and designs for free.