Turbo Rocker Board

[CXRAndy]

@CXRAndy

I'm going to be making a start on building a rocker board with a friend soon.

I'm going full length with a Tacx Neo using the same shape as your Rocky 2.

A few questions:

1. Did you still use 6 tennis balls as you did with your first design and do you still recommend them. I've decided to start simple with tennis balls before considering any more elaborate form of suspension

2. I've got a Tacx Neo block for the front wheel. Current thought is to carry on using that but to build a small wooden 'fence' that the block slots into so that it doesn't slide around at the front. Don't know if you did this or something else?

3. I see you used a 20mm solid bright steel rod along the centre of the rocker. I thought I'd seen someone else using a tube, but may have been mistaken. You absolutely recommend using the rod?

Yes I like the simplicity of tennis balls. For me they feel natural with just enough resistance to the rocking motion.

I have the balls under pressure all the time. There is no free play in the rocking motion. I achieved this by placing a thin sheet of ply to take up the free space where the balls are placed

Good idea to hold the wheel chock in place. Be aware that to get the bike centred over the pivot will take a little patience. If you feel the bike is leaning one way or another whilst riding-a bit of adjustment will be required.

If you go for bearings, then its vital to have a round bar.

Most tubes are rolled and welded. They are not perfectly round. A bright steel solid bar is much much better and wont get jammed in the bearings.

If you need places to order materials, i will look them up for you

 

[Del C]

Yes I like the simplicity of tennis balls. For me they feel natural with just enough resistance to the rocking motion.

I have the balls under pressure all the time. There is no free play in the rocking motion. I achieved this by placing a thin sheet of ply to take up the free space where the balls are placed

Good idea to hold the wheel chock in place. Be aware that to get the bike centred over the pivot will take a little patience. If you feel the bike is leaning one way or another whilst riding-a bit of adjustment will be required.

If you go for bearings, then its vital to have a round bar.

Most tubes are rolled and welded. They are not perfectly round. A bright steel solid bar is much much better and wont get jammed in the bearings.

If you need places to order materials, i will look them up for you

Thanks Andy

 

[Del C]

I have the balls under pressure all the time. There is no free play in the rocking motion. I achieved this by placing a thin sheet of ply to take up the free space where the balls are placed

@CXRAndy I'm probably being a bit thick here but want to make sure I properly understand what you're saying here.

Does this mean you've got a thin sheet of ply above the balls? I can see you've got a strip of ply that keeps the balls in the correct place on the bottom plate.

One other thing I meant to check was how far in from the edges you've got the balls placed? Did you have to experiment with the placing?

 

[Freelanderuk]

@Del C if you are on Facebook there is a group dedicated to rocker boards with all the different designs and plans ,well worth a look

 

[Del C]

@Del C if you are on Facebook there is a group dedicated to rocker boards with all the different designs and plans ,well worth a look

I joined the group but sometimes there's almost too much information on there when you're just starting.

So, I ended up coming back here to read and ask a few questions to clear up the doubts in my mind.

 

[CXRAndy]

Does this mean you've got a thin sheet of ply above the balls?

Yes.

I placed them near the outside edge, but not at the edge. I had a thought that further apart was best. I cut 5 hole ball retaining hoops per side just incase I wanted more resistance.

I can measure the distance if you need it

 

[Del C]

Yes.

I placed them near the outside edge, but not at the edge. I had a thought that further apart was best. I cut 5 hole ball retaining hoops per side just incase I wanted more resistance.

I can measure the distance if you need it

Thanks Andy.

Yes if you could let me know the spacings that would be great

 

[theboxers]

I've always had an issue with the way the front of my bike has been dealt with by turbo trainers. The riser blocks holding the front wheel rigidly in place has always seemed, to me, to be a little off. Sitting on the bike with the headset bearings in one place is a, potential, problem in my view, especially if you weigh as much as I do.

I've looked at various ways to alleviate the problem but never seen or come up with a good enough, to me, way of to do it. That may have changed.

Elite have launched the Elite Sterzo. Mine has arrived and trying it out just statically seems to have removed many of the issues I have with the front end. Even with most of my weight on the bars the front ends turns fairly easily. I'm not on a rocker board, yet, but the act of pulling on the bars, on a climb for example, would probably give you a more realistic feel.

My view of the GPLAMA Elite Sterzo Video makes me think there may be a steering sensor equipped version coming out soon, if the concept proves popular enough and enough software platforms show an interest. It will be about the standard, as with all things, being the same from everyone.

Take a look, it may be the solution to the problem you don't have

 

[CXRAndy]

Good idea to have a little bit of movement in the steering. I will look at the sterzo

 

[newts]

Recent extra free time meant my long planned rockerplate was made this week. The #stayathome meant i had to work with what ever i coud scavenge in the garage. I'd bought 100mm inflatable balls months ago. 12mm ply bottom,18mm ply top, pivot is 15mm pipe insulation (43mm od) secured with 15mm pex pipe up the middle. I've temporarily attached the trainer with zip ties & all is good. You don't need much air in the balls. The setup gives a little for & aft movement too, durabilty of the insulation/pivot is an ogoing test. A couple of hour long rides have been great, ride comfort is much better. This was only meant to be a trial to see what all the fuss was about, it's a keeper. When the essential travel situation changes we'll get some paint on it.

 

[Del C]

Hi All

I could do with some advice.

My rocker board is being made up right now. I've got a friend doing the construction because he's just better at that than me, although we've been collaborating on the design.

The initial design was just a full length board, with left/right (side to side movement) and I've gone for tennis balls to provide the suspension on each side.

We had looked at some of the designs that offer fore/aft movement as well as side to side. My friend is now asking me if I want this built in. The short answer is I don't know as I've never ridden any form of rocker board before.

So, what are people's views? Anybody who uses a board with both side to side and fore/aft movement? Is it worth building in fore/aft movement? Do those who've used it recommend it or is it no good and I should avoid it?

 

[Aleman]

If I was building mine again, I'd use linear slide bearings to give fore and aft motion as well ... In fact I could retro fit it quite easily.

Have you also considered a small amount of steering movement, using a spring loaded Lazy Susan??

 

[Del C]

If I was building mine again, I'd use linear slide bearings to give fore and aft motion as well ... In fact I could retro fit it quite easily.

Have you also considered a small amount of steering movement, using a spring loaded Lazy Susan??

No hadn't thought of that.

I thought a Lazy Susan was something you used to rotate food in the centre of a table?

I did ask the same question in the FB Rocker Plate forum. I got directed to an earlier discussion. Not loads of replies but most in favour of fore/aft as well.

 

[CXRAndy]

Hi All

I could do with some advice.

My rocker board is being made up right now. I've got a friend doing the construction because he's just better at that than me, although we've been collaborating on the design.

The initial design was just a full length board, with left/right (side to side movement) and I've gone for tennis balls to provide the suspension on each side.

We had looked at some of the designs that offer fore/aft movement as well as side to side. My friend is now asking me if I want this built in. The short answer is I don't know as I've never ridden any form of rocker board before.

So, what are people's views? Anybody who uses a board with both side to side and fore/aft movement? Is it worth building in fore/aft movement? Do those who've used it recommend it or is it no good and I should avoid it?

With a design of tennis ball suspension, you would need to make the balls have the ability to move longitudinally or risk the balls being dislodged from their retaining cups.

Have another look at how these fore/aft rockers provide the left/right suspension.

I too haven't ridden one, probably add a small amount of realism. Its the left/right feel that gives a rocker its best simulation.

Says a bloke who has just completed 5 hour Zwift ride

 

[CXRAndy]

@Del C

How is your design/construction progressing?