KOM Cycling RPV2 Full-Motion Rocker Plate Review

By Sheri Rosenbaum

Hot

• Provides additional comfort during indoor training rides
• Four directional movements improve balance and engages core muscles
• Rocker plate comes 99% assembled
• Compatible with most trainers
• Can use media desk even with the fore/aft movement
• Quality construction should provide years of use
• For RPV1 owners, upgrade kit available for $449.99

Not

• Pricey
• Unable to use Velcro strap with front-wheel riser
• Rocker plate movement initially made mounting and dismounting the bike very unnerving
• Wahoo KICKR offset flywheel design required additional counterweight

KOM Cycling

Price: $799.99 USD

Dimensions: 64” long x 6” high x 34.5” (widest) 11.5 (narrowest)

Movement: 13 degrees of side to side and a total of 9” front and back.

Trainer Compatibility: Wahoo, Saris, Tacx, Elite, and others

Color: Black with red accents

Weight: 66 lbs

Weight Limit: 425 lbs.

Availability: Online

Obtained By: Company Sample

RBR Advertiser: No

Add Comfort and Core Engagement To Your Indoor Cycling

If you dedicate a lot of time to indoor training, you might consider a rocker plate to add a more dynamic feel and comfort. In late April 2021, KOM Cycling released RPV2, their newest version rocker plate. The RPV2 has a third plate, attached by three roller bearing rails, allowing smooth fore/aft movement. 4.5” of fore movement and 4.5” of aft combine with 13 degrees of horizontal movement for a more realistic ride. A benefit of the motion is it engages the rider’s core muscles vital for any strong cyclist. Two inflatable rocker balls control the horizontal motion and adjust the rocking motion by adding or removing air.

Still not sure what a rocker plate is? Take a look at this short video.

What’s in the Box?

The RPV2 comes fully assembled except for the inflatable balls used to level the top plate. The box includes:

• Fully assembled rocker plate
• 4 inflatable balls (2 are extras)
• 5 velcro straps
• Hand pump to inflate balls
• Level tool
• Instructions (my unit came without, and I had to request)

Getting It All Set Up

My pain cave is in the basement, so maneuvering a 66 pound box down a flight of stairs was interesting, to say the least. I slid it down the carpeted basement steps using a yoga strap to prevent it from crashing to the bottom.

Once down in the basement, I unpacked everything, disassembled my current setup, and maneuvered the rocker plate into position. Since this was a media sample assembly instructions were not included, so I searched online for a video, only finding one for the previous model. A few emails back and forth with the KOM rep, and I received the instruction sheet, which an engineer must have written, and it took me a while to decipher before I was on my way. I highly suggest they update the setup instruction sheet to include photos or, better yet, produce a short video.

Using the supplied Velcro straps to secure the trainer to the rocker plate required more than two hands for the center strap. It was challenging to feed the strap back up through the slit, so one person fed it through, and the other person used a long screwdriver to feed it back up.

As you can see from the pictures above, my indoor setup uses a Wahoo KICKR with an offset flywheel. I inflated the two red balls and used the supplied bubble level to ensure the plate was level. The balls can only level the plates so much, and KOM suggests using a hand weight or plate to counterbalance the flywheel. As you can see in the picture, I only had a hand weight available and strapped it down securely to the rocker plate.

The trainer and front wheel are secured with Velcro straps to prevent movement except for the rocker plate itself. Unfortunately, to secure the front wheel, I had to remove the riser since the spacing of the slits was too narrow.

The RPV2 has rubberized grips to keep the rocker plate from sliding or damaging the floor. There’s also has a non-skid surface in certain areas of the top rocker plate panel. I’d recommend that version 3 incorporate the non-skid surface over the entire plate to provide better footing when mounting or dismounting as it’s easy to slip on slick surfaces while wearing cleats.

Conversion Kits for Earlier Model

If you happen to have the RPV1, KOM provides a conversion kit for $499, adding the third plate and full motion.

Bottom Line

If you are someone who spends a lot of training hours indoors, the KOM Cycling RPV2 Full-Motion Rocker Plate is worth a look. Adding side-to-side and fore/aft motion to your ride will increase comfort and work core muscles.

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Sheri Rosenbaum regularly contributes articles and reviews products for RBR. She’s an avid recreational roadie who lives in the Chicago area and a major advocate for women’s cycling, serving on the board of directors and volunteering with the Dare2tri Paratriathlon Club. Click to read Sheri’s full bio or visit her web site sunflowersandpedals.com.

See Also:

KOM Cycling Indoor Cycling Desk Review