With how many possible setups there are in sim racing, we wanted to know: What does our community race on - desk, rig or something else?
There are many ways to go sim racing - luckily. From very simple DIY setups to ultra-expensive, state-of-the-art motion rigs and VR, the choices are nearly endless, but not everybody has the space or deep pockets to afford a full rig setup in their home. Still, a dedicated sim racing rig seems to be the goal for most sim racers, but how many within our community actually have one?
That's what we wanted to know. And the answers were surprisingly even-spread between "racing rig" at 35.2% - add in the 2.9% and 3.6% who race in a motion or pull-out rig (think folding solutions like a Playseat), and you end up with almost the very same number that race on their desks at 41.2%.
Everyone has to start somewhere, of course, so there are plenty of other solutions as well, such as @Jimlaad43's - they are racing on an ironing board. No, seriously! And here's why:
"Honestly it's one of the best things you can use as a cheap and effective stand. It is height adjustable, the legs give you space to fit pedals beneath and most importantly, it's really wide. Allowing me to have the mouse and keyboard accessible means I can navigate menus easily and do all the on-track strategy and stuff on the keyboard with the arrow keys and WASD. I'd say it's a good temporary solution, but I have been racing on an Ironing Board since 2014."
Many a Project CARS 2 battle was fought in this state-of-the-art racing simulator, circa 2017.
Others chose a slightly more intricate DIY route, such as @Michael Krone: "My rig is primairly 'framed' from wood, basically built into the corner of my front room. I should also add that my rig is also my work station, gaming area, browsing rig... It's my PC that does everything... perfectly."
@Johnny Speed went in a similar direction and has achieved remarkable longevity with it: "My rig is hom emade. Some plywood, copper tubing, and a seat from a junkyeard car. It has served me well for 10+ years."
Then, there are wheel stands for those who want to move on from their desk but cannot have a full rig, like @THK84 is running:
"Due to lack of space for a full rig:
- sturdy wheel stand
- seat on wheeled little rig
Not ideal, but I can roll the seat under my large desk and roll the stand out of the way into another room."
Although it has to be said, this setup could also be classified as a pull-out rig - it is not always easy to categorize these setups, as you can tell.
What is your dream sim racing setup? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our hardware forum!
There are many ways to go sim racing - luckily. From very simple DIY setups to ultra-expensive, state-of-the-art motion rigs and VR, the choices are nearly endless, but not everybody has the space or deep pockets to afford a full rig setup in their home. Still, a dedicated sim racing rig seems to be the goal for most sim racers, but how many within our community actually have one?
That's what we wanted to know. And the answers were surprisingly even-spread between "racing rig" at 35.2% - add in the 2.9% and 3.6% who race in a motion or pull-out rig (think folding solutions like a Playseat), and you end up with almost the very same number that race on their desks at 41.2%.
| Answer | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Racing rig | 528 | 35.2 |
| Motion rig | 42 | 2.9 |
| Pull-out rig | 54 | 3.6 |
| Wheel stand | 191 | 12.7 |
| My desktop | 618 | 41.2 |
| Something else | 66 | 4.4 |
Everyone has to start somewhere, of course, so there are plenty of other solutions as well, such as @Jimlaad43's - they are racing on an ironing board. No, seriously! And here's why:
"Honestly it's one of the best things you can use as a cheap and effective stand. It is height adjustable, the legs give you space to fit pedals beneath and most importantly, it's really wide. Allowing me to have the mouse and keyboard accessible means I can navigate menus easily and do all the on-track strategy and stuff on the keyboard with the arrow keys and WASD. I'd say it's a good temporary solution, but I have been racing on an Ironing Board since 2014."
It May Be Odd, But It Does The Job
Sometimes, even odd setups can let you enjoy sim racing very well. Need another example? Allow me to post my makeshift setup from my room when I was at university, including couch cushions, a yoga mat, and a toolbox weighing down an IKEA table - miles away from my TV, too.Many a Project CARS 2 battle was fought in this state-of-the-art racing simulator, circa 2017.
Others chose a slightly more intricate DIY route, such as @Michael Krone: "My rig is primairly 'framed' from wood, basically built into the corner of my front room. I should also add that my rig is also my work station, gaming area, browsing rig... It's my PC that does everything... perfectly."
@Johnny Speed went in a similar direction and has achieved remarkable longevity with it: "My rig is hom emade. Some plywood, copper tubing, and a seat from a junkyeard car. It has served me well for 10+ years."
Then, there are wheel stands for those who want to move on from their desk but cannot have a full rig, like @THK84 is running:
"Due to lack of space for a full rig:
- sturdy wheel stand
- seat on wheeled little rig
Not ideal, but I can roll the seat under my large desk and roll the stand out of the way into another room."
Although it has to be said, this setup could also be classified as a pull-out rig - it is not always easy to categorize these setups, as you can tell.
Desk Racers Galore
A large chunk is simply racing on their desks, though - and most of us probably started out on one. It is a rather logical place to put your wheel and pedals, after all: Instead of creating a dedicated space, you have a chair and mounting point already right where your PC is most likely located anyway. It may not be ideal, but it gets the job done for a lot of sim racers - and we think it's great that this can be all you need to get started in our favorite hobby.What is your dream sim racing setup? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our hardware forum!
