Simracing Rigs – Product Overview and Recommendations

Simracing Rigs – Product Overview and Recommendations

Introduction

Simracing has many shapes and colors. From arcade racers like Trackmania to hardcore simulations like Assetto Corsa Competizione and IRacing. It’s a similar story with the matching equipment, from simple controllers to high-end direct drive wheelbases.

However, all sim racers have one thing in common: The hardware must be placed in such a way that it can be operated comfortably.

Sim Rig categories

The solutions currently on the market can be divided very roughly into various categories, some of which overlap or merge smoothly. The following is a classification, which will very likely be supplemented in the future.

• Desk: Most sim racers start out very simply and often mount their first wheelbase directly on an existing desk. With the mounting solutions included with inexpensive wheelbases, this is usually quick and easy. However, the pedals are usually a bigger problem, as they are often a challenge without a secure mount and in combination with an office chair on castors. DIY solutions (often involving a lot of tape and alternative feet for the office chair) are frequently the first choice here, until you decide to upgrade at some point.
• Wheel Stand: Wheel stands are probably the cheapest way to quickly mount wheel bases and pedals, and are also very quick to set up and take down. Even if they are used in a living room environment in combination with a TV, for example, the issue of a suitable seat often remains a problem. At the same time, Wheel Stands, which are usually available in the price range of 100€ to 200€, are often characterized by relatively low stability. In the long run, you will usually not be happy with a Wheel Stand, especially if you want to switch to a Direct Drive Wheelbase at a later point in time. If space and budget are available, it often makes much more sense to switch directly from a desk to a higher-quality rig.
• Entry-level rig / all-in-one rig: The next level is represented by the all-in-one rigs. Here there are probably the most diverse designs within the classes represented: from inexpensive folding solutions starting at 250€ to Direct Drive compatible rigs like the Playseat Trophy tested by us, almost everything is represented here. Nearly all rigs come with a built-in seat and can be set up in a few minutes to hours. On the other hand, you usually have to sacrifice flexibility here and are very limited in terms of an adapted seating position and later expansions.
• Aluminum rig: Aluminum rigs are by far the most popular rig category at the moment, combining high stability with almost unlimited flexibility and compactness, and depending on the design, they also look very good. Generally, rigs consist of aluminum profiles of different sizes. Starting with profiles with a size of 80×40, they are available in all conceivable variations up to massive designs with 160×40 aluminum profiles. In most cases, rigs with 80 mm profiles are already sufficient to mount Direct Drive systems on them without any problems, while in the high-end versions you sometimes find rigs with a considerably higher total weight without any flex worth mentioning. Further differences can be found in the solutions for pedal mounts and wheel bases as well as in the available accessories, which in many cases can also be combined across manufacturers without any problems. Seats usually have to be purchased separately and are rarely part of the rig.
  • DIY Rig: DIY aluminum rigs have long been the first choice when it comes to building aluminum rigs. Aluminum profile dealers such as Motedis began offering the S-Dream rig designed by Michael Herrmann a long time ago, and it continues to be a major influence on the rigs available from various manufacturers today. Based on this, you can find a large number of parts lists for a variety of rigs on the Internet today. Even if you can often save a little compared to a complete purchase, accessories such as caps and angles quickly add up and reduce the price advantage to a minimum. A DIY rig is still a great project today, but should probably only be tackled if you want to achieve a special, unique design or simply enjoy the project as such.
• Custom rig: In addition to the categories listed here, there are of course a large number of special solutions: Rigs for children, complete vehicle replicas or even rigs with actuators (motion rigs) are available in almost every shape and color imaginable. In terms of price, the fun rarely starts below €5000 and often goes up to the equivalent of a sports car.

Recommendations

The recommendations are divided into different price ranges and always refer to a complete rig including seat (except Wheel Stands). Monitor mounts are not included in each case. Rigs without a seat are given a flat rate surcharge of 300€, which roughly corresponds to an inexpensive standard seat including mounting hardware.

The recommendations are to be understood as orientation and do not always have to correspond to the individual needs. Especially not if you have special requirements for a sim rig for yourself.

<250€

Recommendations up to 250€ should be taken with a grain of salt. A solution like the FS3 STEERING WHEEL STAND from Trak Racer is undoubtedly an improvement over a wobbly desk, especially due to the aluminum profiles used. Nevertheless, one is relatively limited by the design and will usually have to work in combination with an office chair.

The situation is similar with the Next Level Racing GT Lite racing cockpit, which is available for about 250€. Especially in combination with e.g. a G29/G920/T300 Wheelbase and simple pedals, you can definitely have a lot of fun here. However, if you are tall and especially heavy, you should rather go for more expensive solutions in case of doubt.

~500€

In the next higher price segment, you move somewhat between the categories and the budget is not yet enough for aluminum rigs with premium seats. One of the best alternatives is currently the PlaySeat Trophy, which was very convincing in our review (link). Even in combination with a Direct Drive Wheelbase, it combines stability and seating comfort for around 500€. The extremely lightweight rig is currently probably the best solution for a living room and can be stored in just a couple of minutes.

Other all-in-one rigs like the Next Level Racing F-GT are probably the most common alternative in this price range, but at the same time do not get a clear buy recommendation here.

~750€

Starting at a price of around €750, the real fun begins and you’re spoiled for choice. Meanwhile, countless manufacturers offer aluminum rigs in the price range below 500 €, which become an excellent overall package with a seat of your choice. The differences here are mostly in the area of detailed solutions or in the scope of delivery. Even if a total of at least 700 € is not a bargain, you probably get the best price-performance ratio here. If you want to save even more, you can use discarded car seats, for example. Below are three popular manufacturers of sim rigs in the price range below and around 500 €. A broader selection can be found below the recommendations.

~1000€

In the range around 1000 € (depending on the equipment often a little more or less) you can then enjoy rigs with solid profiles up to a size of 160mm x 40mm. These are thus not only extremely heavy, but also almost free of flex. Often, accessories like feet, trims and more complex mounts are already included here. Which rig you choose in this price range is often primarily a question of design and features. Frequently purchased options include the popular TR160 rig from Trak Racer and the P1-X rig from Sim Lab.

If you want something more individual

While most rigs are classically available in silver (unpainted) or black, some manufacturers also offer rigs in other colours. One of these is the German manufacturer TAILOREDRIG, which offers the colours turquoise blue, basalt, white, black, red and green. You can also order customised magnetic plates on which you can have your name or logo printed, for example. The rigs from TAILOREDRIG are available from around €700.

10% TAILOREDRIG Gutscheincode / Coupon code: SIMRACINGPC

Aluminum Sim Rigs Comparison

The list below provides an overview of many of the most common aluminum sim rigs currently available within the EU, and thus represents recommendations for the latter two price ranges. Additionally, here are a few notes:

• Price: Indicated incl. VAT plus shipping costs. Always refers to the cheapest configuration, discounts and price reductions are not included here.
• Dimensions: As far as apparent always referring to the standard configuration and excluding seat, but including side mounts.
• Mounts: Mounts that can be selected directly at purchase are listed here without special mounts for specific manufacturers.
• Profiles: Always refer to the base frame and base mounting. The size of any profiles used for pedals or a shifter mount, for example, is not listed separately here.
• Store: Possible source of supply within the EU. Some links are affiliate links. Simracing-PC may receive a small commission here.
• By default, the list is not sorted by recommendations, but by manufacturer name. It can be sorted (sensibly) by manufacturer name, price, profile type and length of the rig.

	Name	Price	Dimmensions (L x W)	Mounts	Profiles	EU-Shop*	Coupon
	Aluxprofil 4080	424€	1350 mm x 680mm	Base: Plate Pedals:Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	80×40 (black)	Aluxprofil
	Aluxprofil 40160	710€	1350 mm x 680mm	Base: Plate Pedals:Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	160×40 + 120×40 (black)	Aluxprofil
	Effect GT Cockpit	449€	1315mm x 736mm	Base: Side/ Plate Pedals:Profile Monitor: Optional Other: –	80×40 (alu)	EFFECT Simulations
	EGT SR 80	440€	1200mm x 660mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	80×40 (black / alu / green)	ENDGAMETEC
	EGT ER 80	559€	1200mm x 580mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	80×40 (black / alu / green)	ENDGAMETEC
	EGT SR 120	714€	1200mm x 660mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	120×40 + 80×40 (black / alu / green)	ENDGAMETEC
	HE Sim Rig GT	1327€	– x -mm	Base: Front Pedals: Plate Monitor: Triple Other: Side (Custom)	160×40 + 120×40 (black)	Heusinkveld
	NLR GTELITE LITE	699€	1480mm x 825mm	Base: Plate / Side / Front Pedals: Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Side Optional	80×40 (black)	Next Level Racing
	NLR F-GT ELITE 160	1299€	1360mm x 842mm	Base: Plate / Side / Front Pedals: Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	160×40 + 120×40 (black)	Next Level Racing
	NLR-GT ELITE	1099€	1200mm x 700mm	Base: Plate / Side / Front Pedals: Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	120×40 + 80×40 (black)	Next Level Racing
	PRO SIMRIG PSR3	498€	1350mm x 650mm	Base: Plate Pedals: ProfileProfile Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	80×40 (black)	Simracer.at
	PRO SIMRIG PSR3	669€	1315mm x 660mm	Base: Plate Pedals: ProfileProfile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	160×40 + 120×40 (black)	Simracer.at
	Simetik X2 Cockpit	850€	1380mm x 560mm	Base: Plate / Profile Pedals: Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	120×40 + 80×40 (black)	Simetik
	Sim Lab GT1 Evo	449€	1350mm x 580 mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Plate Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	80×40 (black)	Sim Lab
	Sim Lab GT1 Pro	599€	1350mm x 680mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Plate Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	80×40 (black)	Sim Lab
	Sim Lab P1-X	829€	1350 mm x 680 mm	Base: Plate / Profile / Front / Side Pedals: Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	120×40 + 80×40 (black)	Sim Lab
	Sim Lab X1-Pro	1499€	1350mm x 1000mm	Base: Custom Pedals: Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	120×40 (black)	Sim Lab
	Sim-Motion Alu-Rig	499€	1200mm x 680mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Plate Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	80×40 (black)	Sim-Motion
	Sim-Motion Pro-Rig	699€	1360mm x 680mm	Base: Plate / Front Pedals: Plate Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	160×40 + 120×40 (black)	Sim-Motion
	SimXPro R80	483€	1250mm x 580mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Plate / Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	80×40 (black / alu)	SimXPro
	SimXPro X80	531€	1250mm x 600mm	Base: Plate / Front Pedals: Plate / Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	80×40 (black / alu)	SimXPro
	SimXPro R160	646€	1350mm x 660mm	Base: Plate / Front Pedals: Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	160×40 + 120×40 (black)	SimXPro
	SimXPro XT120	846€	1350mm x 660mm	Base: Plate / Front Pedals: Plate / Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	120×40 (black / alu)	SimXPro
	SimXPro XT160	1088€	1350mm x 660mm	Base: Plate / Front Pedals: Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	160×40 + 120×40 (black)	SimXPro
	Tailored Rig SRR X	799€	1400mm x 580 mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Plate Monitor: Single Other: Optional	90×45 + 45×45 (black/colour)	Tailored Rig	10% SIMRACINGPC
	Tailored Rig SRR1000	709€	1400mm x 580 mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Plate Monitor: – Other: Optional	90×45 + 45×45 (black/colour)	Tailored Rig	10% SIMRACINGPC
	Tailored Rig SRR2000	799€	1400mm x 580 mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Plate Monitor: Single Other: Optional	90×45 + 45×45 (black/colour)	Tailored Rig	10% SIMRACINGPC
	Tailored Rig SRR3000	799€	1400mm x 580 mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Plate Monitor: Single Other: Optional	90×45 + 45×45 (black/colour)	Tailored Rig	10% SIMRACINGPC
	Tailored Rig SRR4000	1045€	1400mm x 580 mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Plate Monitor: Triple Other: Optional	90×45 + 45×45 (black/colour)	Tailored Rig	10% SIMRACINGPC
	Trak Racer TR80 LITE	429€	1200mm x 756mm	Base: Plate Pedals: Plate Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	80×40 (black)	Trak Racer
	Trak Racer TR80	559€	1445mm x 756mm	Base: Plate / Side / Front Pedals: Plate Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	80×40 (black)	Trak Racer
	Trak Racer TR120	639€	1445mm x 660mm	Base: Plate / Side / Front Pedals: Plate / Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	120×40 (black)	Trak Racer
	Trak Racer TR160	769€	1445mm x 756mm	Base: Plate / Side / Front Pedals: Plate / Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Side (Profile)	160×40 + 120×40 (black)	Trak Racer
	TREQ ONE	418€	1190mm x 580mm	Base: Plate Pedals:Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	80×40 (black)	TREQ
	TREQ ACE	713€	1190mm x 660mm	Base: Plate Pedals:Profile Monitor: Optional Other: Optional	160×40 + 120×40 (black)	TREQ

Seats

Since aluminum rigs are usually delivered without a seat, you consequently need a seat to complete the cockpit. There are several possibilities:

• Simracing seats: Many manufacturers now offer seats that directly match their rigs. These are mostly replicas without safety-relevant certificates, which you can of course do without for the purpose of simracing. Qualitatively there is a very wide range from 100€ up to models with integrated cooling (O-Rouge Cold Fusion series) from 750€. For example, GT seats from 300€ by Sim-Lab, Trak Racer and other manufacturers, which are visually very similar, are recommended. In addition to the normal racing seats, there are also occasional Formula-style seats, but these should only be used for appropriately designed rigs.
• Car seats: As an alternative, commercially available car seats are also available. These are usually a bit more comfortable and often already offer integrated adjustment options. The disadvantages are the often inconsistent mountings (DIY work is often required here) and the high prices. A recommendation is therefore definitely a visit to the local junkyards, which often give very well preserved co-driver seats for little money.
• Sports seats / bucket seats: also very popular are the seats designed for use in racing and sports cars by Sparco, Momo and Co. In the price range between 200€ and 1000€ (isolated outliers also significantly more expensive) you get here very high quality seats, which are usually mounted from the side. Especially with bucket seats, you should pay even more attention to the right size and, if possible, test drive the seats in any case.

Mounting

Of course, the seats must also be attached to the rig. In many cases, this requires side mounting brackets, which can either be ordered directly in the store or purchased separately. In any case, you should pay attention to compatibility here. The only limitation on the part of the rig can actually be the maximum width, with a little skill and, in case of doubt, additional profiles and angles, you should be able to use almost any combination of seat and rig.

Also highly recommended are additional seat sliders, with which you can push the seat back and forth after mounting like a normal car seat:

• Sparco Seat Slider (~50€): Amazon*
• Trak Racer Seat Slider (~30€) Trak Racer*

Monitor stands

In addition to the proper installation of the seats, the monitors are another factor that should not be underestimated. Basically, a distinction is made between two options

• External mounts: By attaching one or more monitors to external mounts, you have a lot of flexibility in positioning. Likewise, you can simply move the mount or set it aside if necessary. Disadvantages are the often higher price in comparison and the increased space requirement.
• Integrated mounts: Almost all manufacturers now offer in-house solutions for mounting one to four monitors directly on the rig itself. While you can easily mount a single 49-inch ultrawide monitor to a rig with 80×40 millimeter profiles, you should be careful not to overload the rig, especially with large triple screens. This is because the heavy weight of the monitors usually makes the rigs more sensitive to movement and the monitors can start to move significantly during fast steering movements.

Mounts are available from many different manufacturers. The biggest differences lie in the way the monitors are positioned, which can be done more or less comfortably.

Simracing hardware compatibility

Wheel Base

Most rigs are inherently compatible with the three major manufacturers Fanatec, Logitech and Thrustmaster if they are equipped with a plate as a mounting solution for the wheel base. For other manufacturers, it is worth taking a look at the compatibility list of the respective rig manufacturer. If you can’t find your base there, in many cases there are ready-made adapters (e.g. Simucube frontmount to Fanatec hole size). Alternatively, if in doubt, you should have a metal drill at hand and simply ensure compatibility yourself. If you want to install ready-made mounting solutions that are screwed directly to the side mounts of the rig, you should in any case pay attention to the width of the rig beforehand, which is usually the important factor for compatibility here.

Pedals

For pedals is basically the same as for the wheel base. Often sold models are usually directly compatible, for exotic solutions holes must be drilled when in doubt or adapters must be used. Caution applies here to pedal sets, which are screwed from below. These can not be mounted directly on aluminum profiles, here you need, for example, angles or similar tools.

Accessories

Once you have finished assembling your cockpit and installed the appropriate simracing hardware, you are actually finished with your rig. But at some point the question arises for almost every sirmacer: What now? Fortunately, nowadays there are countless products and DIY projects to further expand the rig. If you browse a little on this page, you will come across many of them, here are three possible extensions of many.

Second-hand purchase

Rigs do not always have to be bought new. Every now and then you come across good offers on the relevant online portals, but also just as often you find bad offers. Therefore, here are a few tips for dealing with the second-hand purchase:

This should be avoided:

• Complete packages with overhauled components: Even though it may seem tempting to buy supposedly cheap packages, you should refrain from doing so if possible. Unnecessary hardware has to be resold awkwardly and the price is often only right at first glance.
• Old (all-in-one) rigs: Many simracing rigs from past days are simply not up to date today. Nobody wants to drive with a bar between the legs and also in terms of stability too much has happened in the meantime.
• Alu Rigs in exotic colors: Even if you should be the biggest fan of an exotic color: If you buy a rig e.g. in a fancy purple, you have several possible problems at once. For each extension, it becomes adventurous, because finding profiles of the same color can be either impossible or very expensive. In addition, exotic colors are often very susceptible to visible dust and/or scratches.
• Shipping: Actually self-explanatory: Due to the usually quite high weight and the often voluminous many individual parts, shipping should be avoided if possible.

Here, on the other hand, you can make a strike:

• Aluminum rigs: Here you can not actually do much wrong apart from the color. You should only pay attention to a common profile size and a complete scope of delivery. Everything else can be easily replaced in case of doubt.
• Local offers: Nothing beats testing on site. Unfortunately, you can only set up and try out the system on site. That’s one more reason to prefer these offers.
• (All-in-one) rigs from well-known manufacturers: If you want to be able to buy accessories later, you should prefer rigs from manufacturers that have been on the market for a long time. Here, the probability of running out in the future is low.

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