'Pro Racer' device from www.gamesteer.com ....
PRO RACER Review by Steve Simpson
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
The Pro Racer is a pretty solid piece of metal obviously designed by an
engineer with a fair bit of common sense looking to solve the problem of how
to use a steering wheel in front of a TV or in a lounge room. I say this
because although it is targetted at PC users as well, there's not as much
benefit from using a system such as this compared to the trusty old PC desk.
Having said that, the ability to adjust the angle and height of the wheel to
your exact preference is something which can't always be achieved at a desk
Also, the ability to correctly distance and secure the pedals is another
added benefit for a PC sim'er.
The main concern with a relatively small structure such as this is how
sturdy and secure it feels while driving. Obviously you can push it over
fairly easily but does it move around while thrashing about it a rally game
or while muscling a NASCAR around? The short answer is no - providing
you're playing on a fairly solid floor. I found that while using the Pro
Racer on the thick(ish) carpet in my lounge room, the spongy nature of the
floor was transferred to the wheel. It's almost like you'd want to have
spikes in the bottom of the stand similar to many loudspeakers for use on
carpet. It's only a minor quibble though and something which a handyman
could fix in 10mins.
There's a few of these sorts of solutions popping up - mainly for the Gran
Turismo fans but the Pro Racer is by far the most solidly built wheel stand
that I've seen. Who knows - with simulations like RBR and Forza Motorsport
appearing on consoles maybe sim racing is starting to find a place in the
living room and if so then I can't imagine a more practical device for the
job. It's no substitute for a full blown racing***pit but the fact that
you can fold it up without removing the wheel and store it in a cupboard
means that it's probably a lot more spouse-friendly. I must admit that
having a solid bar between your legs while driving takes a bit of getting
used to though (ahem) The other notable feature is the velcro straps do a
good job of tidying up the cables.
In summary, if you're looking for highly adjustable, versatile and covenient
racing stand then this is about the best value one available. 8/10
Steve