review from UK:
http://www.simjunkies.org/Forum/index.php?topic=7887.0
Picture the scene…
The corner approaches fast, but he’s not worried. Smoothly, he applies the brakes, and the ferocious, snarling engine note of his classic race car dies away. The tyres squeal their dissent, but he’s not worried; it’s all under control. With a flick of his hand, the car changes gear; and again; and again. The car is protesting, trying to break free from his practised hands, desperate to show him just who is the boss out there; but he’s seen it all before, and the merest hint of a smile breaks across his face. Expertly balancing the car, he eases it to the apex of the corner, enjoying the sensations as the wheel clips the rumble strip. The power is applied with graceful ease, controlling the forces of inertia with barely perceptible movements of throttle, brake and steering. The beast has been tamed, and realising that resistance is futile, his mount accepts the majesty of the pilot, and dutifully drifts towards the exit of the bend, snarling in exaltation as it tears away from the corner, disappearing down the straight, expectantly looking for the next turn, and another virtuoso performance of man and machine in perfect harmony.
But enough about [SJ]Caspar, because he is not writing this review; rather, it has fallen to me to provide an appraisal of the Rinoseat Revolution G25 Edition racing seat, and as all of you are only too aware, none of the above applies to me.
When I recently registered over at GPCOS, I was asked to provide details of my driving style; you will not be surprised to hear that I ticked the “maximum risk” box; but this doesn’t tell the whole story. When the Rinoseat was first introduced to our esteemed membership, questions were raised by both Jarrko ([SJ]Drunken Predator) and myself regarding the Rinoseat’s ability to withstand punishment at the hands of a someone who does not drive with a silky smooth technique. I was minded to suggest that GPCOS include a further category of driving style; “mauler”; no finesse at all, just throw it into the corners, and man-handle it out the other side, because that is a more realistic appraisal of how I drive. One thing is for sure, under my girth, and with my driving “style”, the Rinoseat was certainly going to be put through its paces. However, before extolling the virtues or otherwise of the Rinoseat, I will first pay lip service to more mundane matters, such as instructions, materials, and assembly.
When Ted ([SJ]2shedz) and I tipped the contents from the box, we were surprised to find there were no assembly instructions. OK, we thought, is not a problem, because Marcus ([SJ]Animal) had forwarded on some pictorial guides which were provided by the manufacturers. Trouble was, the pictures showed certain features of the Rinoseat, but did not provide a comprehensive guide. Fortunately, the assembly follows a logical path, and once the parts had been identified, it was a relatively straightforward affair, even for me (I am a thinker, not a do’er!). Within an hour, the thing was bolted together, and we were ready to go, but before jumping aboard, Ted and I undertook a brief appraisal of the materials and overall quality of the package.
The tubing is excellent quality; I am reliably informed that it is hydraulic tubing, which has very high tensile strength, and can really take a pounding. The wheel and pedal holders are pressed steel, in a gloss-red powder coat (I think), and are well finished. The seat is in two parts; the squab consists of a foam pad, approximately 5cms in depth, which is supported by elastic straps attached to the base unit. The seat back encloses similar elastic straps, and is lightly foam-padded. The seat is covered in red and black vinyl, which looks pretty good, but does give concerns regarding longevity. To be entirely honest, I was somewhat under whelmed by the actual seat; it looked as if it would be uncomfortable if used for any length of time, and to my eye, was a little narrow.
Bearing in mind that this is the G25 version of the Rinoseat, it is supplied with two options for mounting the shifter; effectively, you are supplied with two mountings of different lengths, which give the option of mounting the shifter at roughly the same height as the wheel, or lower down, depending on personal preference. I do have a criticism of the shifter mounting; I use the shifter with my left hand (remember, while most of the world drives on the right side of the road, we in the UK drive on the correct side of the road, so left-handed shifting is normal for us). The mounting of choice was the taller of the two options, and it works very well from my point of view. Nevertheless, if right-handed shifting is your bag, it is not possible to mount the shifter quite as far forward, as the mounting post is not completely universal, and the shaping requires right-handed shifters to have their stick around 10cms closer to them. It is possible to order the seat with either left or right-handed shifting option, but I would like to see an entirely universal option.
I suspect that, as the test unit was a pre-production model, this issue will be ironed out come the full production run. Mounting of the shifter was a totally painless exercise; as is the case with all the various mounting points, the holes are in exactly the right place to enable easy mounting of your G25. In my experience, mounting holes for anything can be a hit-and-miss affair, and the manufacturer should be commended for such attention to detail. So having sorted out mounting of my G25, it was time to provide the Rinoseat with the ultimate test, namely having me sit in it!
I am around 6’1” tall (1.85m), and weigh in at a well managed 16st 12lbs (236lbs – 107kg). I have to say that, at a glance, the tubing used in construction of the Rinoseat looked mighty flimsy when confronted by my considerable girth, and despite Ted’s assurance that the tubing would easily cope with my bulk, it was with considerable trepidation that I lowered myself gingerly in to the Rinoseat for the first time. I shouldn’t have worried; the seat felt solid and secure, and within seconds, my fears had evaporated, to be replaced by a confidence that the seat was going to be able to handle anything I threw at it.
I took it home in my car; the modular construction makes it easy to partially disassemble the Rinoseat for transportation, and if LAN parties are your game, this is the seat for you. Having got the Rinoseat to my house, I set about installing it at my computer desk. I do not have the luxury of a study, and all of my racing takes place in a corner of the lounge. This presented a major stumbling block, as my wife is not keen on having her family room transformed into a games room. Fortunately, the Rinoseat is relatively easy to strip down, and can be safely stored away behind the sofa until required.
All set and ready to go; it was time to take it out for a road-test. The first thing I noticed on firing up GT Legends was the way in which the force-feedback generated by the wheel is transferred through the seat; this is a brilliant innovation, and again, we should commend the designer for his original approach to building a race seat. And so to the track, and after a few laps to get used to the revised driving position, I was entirely at home in the Rinoseat, and very much enjoying the ride.
Now, I remind you that, in my introduction, I alluded to the fact that I am something of a “mauler” behind the wheel, and the single tube which supports the wheel does have a tendency to flex when subjected to my abusive driving style. I cannot say how this will affect the components long-term, but I would not be overly concerned. The flexing is hardly noticeable, and does not suggest that, a few months down the line, the Rinoseat will be falling apart. If anything, I believe that the flexing will in fact prolong the life of the G25, as it transfers some of the considerable forces applied through my wheel, and dissipates these through the tube. The pedals, wheel and shifter have remained firmly fixed through out the test, and I have no reason to suspect that the Rinoseat will require constant maintenance to keep it tip-top.
The experience of driving has been nothing other than pleasurable. The sidebars keep you firmly in the seat, and although these apply a small amount of pressure around my hips, it has never become an uncomfortable ride. The driving position is first class; there are a large range of adjustments and with a bit of fiddling, I cannot envisage anyone not finding a comfortable set-up. The seat unit itself, although somewhat sparsely padded, has remained comfortable throughout some long driving stints; although the vinyl covers encourage you to sweat a little more than is the case with a leather-clad seat.
Perhaps the most significant impact of the Rinoseat from a personal perspective is in relation to comfort. I suffer with neck and shoulder discomfort, due to various injuries picked up over the years in accidents, on the sports field, and in bars. When driving from my standard computer chair (a high-backed leather item), I tend to move about a lot, and suffer a few aches and pains after a long stint “at the races.” This has all but disappeared since using the Rinoseat, due to its purpose-built design, and huge range of adjustments for reach, pedal height, wheel height, and so on. Without doubt, it is the most comfortable I have ever been in all the years I have raced simulators; to qualify that statement, it should be pointed out that this is the first purpose-built seat I have used, but even so, the achievement of the Rinoseat designer should not be underestimated. But before anyone thinks that I’ve completely taken leave of my senses; in the best traditions of a cynic, there are a couple of less-positive issues which should be pointed out.
The vinyl covering employed in construction underlines the fact that this has been produced on a budget; I do not see it lasting as long as the other components. In saying that, the seat-back cover is a zip-on affair, and it will be very easy to make a replacement; indeed, I would consider re-covering the seat-cushion and back with either leather, or perhaps even Alcantara, for that authentic race feel. It would certainly not be an expensive enterprise to achieve this, requiring only a couple of metres of material.
Another matter that should be addressed is the price; when the seat first appeared on our site, the price was quoted at €169. This fact notwithstanding, when the test unit arrived, the pro-forma invoice stated the price as €199; this was the unit price, and not inclusive of any carriage costs. Price is one of the key marketing strategies of the Rinoseat, and this is an issue that certainly requires clarification.
And that’s about it really; I am sure that those of you reading this will have ascertained that my impression is nothing other than positive. I am due to forward the Rinoseat to another tester in the next few days; to be honest, I have considered jacking in my membership at Sim Junkies, and doing a runner with the seat. It has a huge range of adjustment which should ensure that anyone who purchases a Rinoseat will be racing in comfort; the well thought out use of materials indicates that it will withstand the test of time relatively well. The utilisation of the wheel’s force-feedback to give a “rumble-seat” effect is a great innovation, and I am certain that other manufacturers will be looking closely at ways of employing this approach in their own cockpits.
Perhaps the greatest accolade I can give is in answering the question “would I buy one”. Abso-bloody-lutely! In fact, following prolonged negotiations, which included both bribery and foot-stamping, Mrs R1der has agreed to let me have one in exchange for finishing off decorating the bathroom; anyone who knows how much I despise undertaking any sort of DIY task will appreciate how high a price she has placed on allowing me to have a Rinoseat, but tomorrow will be spent finishing the tiling, fitting a bath panel, polishing the 1,300 tiles I have already put up, and laying a new floor. For the price, there is absolutely nothing to touch the Rinoseat.
Orange and Blue – Through and Through
[SJ]Sh1te R1der (aka Dave)
![](http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg250/SJ_Sh1te_R1der/HPIM0048.jpg)