Getting my first cockpit ordered in the next few days - have a seat question

[FredBassett]

Hi there.

Still getting familiar with sim racing. For the last year, I've used a wheel stand from Next Level Racing, Logi G920 and pedals and my trusty office chair. I had planned to bolt the Ultimate seat on the wheel stand that was advertised by NLR a year ago but they discontinued it and none of their other seats fit so it's time to look at a cockpit.

I've thought that I'll pick the cockpit out of Trak Racer, Sim Labs and NLR (although I don't want their big new cockpit) - The problem that I have is the seat and figuring out which is best for use in a cockpit. I like a variety of offline racing, rally, open-wheel, GT, pretty much everything.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what seat style would be best for a mixture of racing?
GT or Rally style or something else. Also how important is it for a reclining seat? I figured as long as it went back and forth, it would be ok.

I've got an opportunity to move up a grade and I just want to get it right. The new wheel and pedals will have to wait for a year.

Any help is incredibly appreciated

 

[jchuillier]

The seat is much less important that the position of the seat, make sure your ass is barely higher than your feet, you want the line to be almost horizontal so that you brake with your legs and not by rotating your ankle.
Besides that if you have some racing teams close to you, go and visit them and ask for expired race seats....you could get a good deal....

 

[FredBassett]

The seat is much less important that the position of the seat, make sure your ass is barely higher than your feet, you want the line to be almost horizontal so that you brake with your legs and not by rotating your ankle.
Besides that if you have some racing teams close to you, go and visit them and ask for expired race seats....you could get a good deal....

I'm English but I live in The northeast US so no race teams near me,. Be a great idea to go see them. Are all styles of seats fully adjustable with a proper cockpit to get the position you need? My preference would be a GT style seat i think

 

[alexSchmurtz]

I have to agree that comfort and position are the most important. An F1 position is due to aerodynamic and weight distribution, so that is irrelevant for sim racing: for sure lying in front of your screen would be more immersive, but being able to stay in the rig for hours, or being able to get in and out easily are also great! I would agree that a GT style position seems more appropriate for GT and rally but I don't think you will be lost in open wheelers.
A fancy race seat looks great of course, but the needs are not the same on a rig: no lateral forces come into play so you don't need to be held from the sides. Consider a wider seat, and maybe not so deep seat bolsters that will make getting in and out easier. Many bought their seats from junk yard: real car seats are strong and comfortable. It might be cheaper than an aftermarket seat. Rather take a passenger seat as it usually got less use.
Seats are usually bolted to the rig by 4 points, in each corner. So make sure those 4 points are on the same plane to make it easier to attach to the rig. You can have a slider like in a real car, and an adjustable back angle. But those can age and give some play after some years of use. A slider can be useful if you have other people using the rig, but also if you have several rims with different depth. So far I have only one rim so I went for a fixed seat; I had to adjust a bit because I got a new rim a few week ago. It probably took a bit more time but unbolting, adjusting and fixing the seat took only a few minutes! And you can adjust to the millimeter. That's the nicest feature with 8020 rigs: you can adjust everything to your needs. But once you have found your position, you rarely touch it again, unless you add something new.
Rigidity seems very important to me: that way you feel properly the FFB from your wheel, you will feel like you have upgraded your G920!

 

[FredBassett]

Yeah, I don't plan on doing this again any time soon so I'll go for a 8020. Pair it with a GT seat and I should be somewhere near. I read what you said re the real car seat but something wouldn't go right with that knowing me.

 

[mrexcitement71]

I had a fixed back Trackracer seat on my Trackracer rig and hated it , very uncomfortable , I purchased a recliner https://www.shopsaas.com/saas-saas-kombat-seat-dual-recline-blue-e1003
It's heaps better , so much more comfortable , especially for long sessions , I really like it
For me comfort is number one
I have the Trackracer TR80 rig with the inverted pedal mount and it's nice and solid with no flex with my Fanatec DD1 and HE Pro Pedals.

 

[blekenbleu]

There is plenty of video online with e.g. real F1 drivers at racing sims.
Some are reclined, but some are not.
IMO comfort trumps position.

 

[FredBassett]

I had a fixed back Trackracer seat on my Trackracer rig and hated it , very uncomfortable , I purchased a recliner https://www.shopsaas.com/saas-saas-kombat-seat-dual-recline-blue-e1003
It's heaps better , so much more comfortable , especially for long sessions , I really like it
For me comfort is number one
I have the Trackracer TR80 rig with the inverted pedal mount and it's nice and solid with no flex with my Fanatec DD1 and HE Pro Pedals.

That's a fine-looking seat! Saving the link just in case. I'm going to stay with Next Level Racing and spend the money on one of their elite rigs. Worked out the costs from them, Trak Racer and Sim Labs and they were right in the middle on cost. Customer service is great. Already answered all my questions as it's Monday there.

 

[mrexcitement71]

Unless I'm missing something the Trackracer TR80 without seat is $869 and the Next Level Racing elite rig with no seat is $1299 but that's Australian pricing , might be different for your location.

 

[FredBassett]

I went with the Elite. Used NLR products before and it will set me up for a long time now. I did discover that things can be cheaper using their distributors rather than going direct mostly.