In-house brands smaller parts often go unnoticed, as their marketing focuses on their tour teams and race-winning bikes. However, this doesn’t mean these large bike companies lack dedicated engineers working tirelessly on these satellite products, just like specialist saddle or handlebar brands do.

I can almost picture the Acme Big Bike Brand saddle team at the Christmas party, chatting at the back, while the equivalent of the quarterbacks —the bike designers —bask in star-like attention, spraying champagne and drinking shots from the vodka luge carved, carved in ice, in the image of their race winning bike frames.

Today, the saddle team get their moment, as Trek Bicycle announced its all-new Aeolus saddles. We received a link and a screenshot—no fancy PDF, no stunning photos of the saddle racing across the Sierra Nevada in the evening sun.

But that doesn’t mean the saddles aren’t worthy of your attention. You’ll find the Aeolus saddle range at the very top of the sport. The un-sung boffins at Trek, have been tweaking this range for years, and it is used at the highest echelons of the sport by Lidl Trek and Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli XC teams. These shapes have been raced to countless victories over the years.

In this latest iteration, the Aeolus features lattice technology, part of a ‘comfort-driven performance’ package, available in various fit and construction options. That means noseless, flat, a selection of rail materials, ensuring there is a saddle shape, a cut-out if needed in a suitable size, and a price point for the many not just the few.

Like other brands, Trek employs what it calls AirLoom technology—a 3D-printed matrix claimed to offer greater flexibility for soft tissues and better support for sit bones. It also flexes and moves with the rider to reduce friction, relieve pressure, and eliminates the foam cover, which can contribute to saddle sores.

Trek Driftless athlete Haley Hunter Smith, who has ridden the saddle across 200 miles at Unbound Gravel and eight days of racing at Cape Epic, commented on the new technology, saying:

“No saddle sores, no more sit bone pain, and probably most importantly, no more soft tissue pain.”

Shapes have also been altered, with the new designs created using pressure-mapping technology. Trek made the nose narrower, removed material from the transition zone, and lengthened the sloped section at the top of the saddle to reduce thigh rub and support riders in an aerodynamic racing posture.

Specifications and prices

Aeolus RSL AirLoom features a full carbon rail and shell, weighing just 164g (145mm width). It's available in 135, 145, and 155mm widths.

Aeolus Pro AirLoom features full carbon rails and a carbon-composite shell, weighing just 170g (145mm width). It's available in 145 and 155mm widths.

Aeolus Elite AirLoom uses a nylon-composite shell with austenite rails and brings the lattice saddle price point down to a cost that's attractive to more riders. Riders can choose from a 135, 145, or 155mm width.

Riders seeking the updated Aeolus profile without AirLoom lattice can purchase the Aeolus Elite Foam, available in 145 mm and 155mm widths.

Prices range from £169.99 to £329.99, and each saddle comes with a 30 day guarantee so you can try one risk free.

Firstly, these are not road bike saddles. Prologo’s NDR range is actually a line-up of XC mountain bike saddles, but it shares the same chassis as the road equivalents – Dimension, Nago, and Scratch – so don’t go anywhere just yet.

Secondly, there’s a Prologo shape to suit you, so this launch covers all those, not just one shape upgrade. I’ve been riding the Nago, and while saddles are always hard to review because they often represent such a personal choice, the NDR treatment is applied across the range. So, if you get on with Prologo shapes, you should be able to find one that fits you.

The Nago is one such saddle that works for me. While the previous versions weren't perfect (more on that later), I’ve always got on very well with this one in previous incarnations. I’ve spent a lot of time sitting on it, so it seemed like the logical place to start, even though they sent me one of each.

NDR is MTB specific but there's nothing to stop you using it for gravel or road

The standout feature of this 'NDR' saddle range is the ‘upper’ or padding. The presence of it is unusual in a road saddle but less so in MTB, of course. Here, it’s finished in a dark grey, which is quite lovely- not too dark to be black, but not so light that it's hard to incorporate into your bike or kit. It just looks good and a little different from the normal black.

The padding is made of what Prologo calls “Next gen foam” and, apparently, it’s zoned. It’s very comfortable to use, and the additional padding doesn’t seem to add or detract from the comfort of the road version. It feels no softer or firmer than the 3d-printed road going version on the Nago which I'm also testing at the moment. It’s a comfort (literally) to know its there, but it doesn’t feel like a sofa.

The anatomical centre is marked on the saddle. Fitters rejoice. In a smart grey / silver keyline. The centre of the saddle is important, as this is where a multitude of fit dimensions can be measured from, regardless of how long the nose of the saddle you’re choosing might protrude or not. This doesn’t make much difference if you’re swapping out one saddle for a newer version of the same model as you can easily find the same set back, but it’s more critical for an accurate custom fit or when exchanging one saddle for another.

A saddle positioned more fore or aft than intended might not support your sit bones in the same way as the last one did, so it’s good to see the mark there to aid correct positioning.

Prologo saddles have used a ‘CPC’ material on some models. They were small black grippers resembling tiny brushes, perhaps reminiscent of a gecko's foot if it were more brush-like. These stuck to your bibshort material like aggressive velcro, and I spent all my time fidgeting trying to detach from them during the few rides I could endure with the CPC-equipped line.

The NDR range never had this, which was a good thing, but Prologo’s latest idea is to paint vertical lines just forward of the anatomical centre but behind the nose. This gives some effective extra security between your thighs while descending, where it’s beneficial to grip your saddle or at least feel it between your legs when hovering just out of the saddle, or fully out. It genuinely works, doing exactly what it aims to do without feeling like it’s going to rip your shorts or pull them around. Because the lines are vertical, fore and aft movement is slightly more controlled, while up and down movement remains freer. In practice, it’s subtle but effective.

Improvements over the old NDR range

There’s also a change to the way the saddle rails are bonded into the chassis, and this is welcome. The older saddles could tend to click at the rail. I haven’t experienced any clicks on this new design. The material they’re using to bond these rails in to the chassis floods up and around the aperture and rail, giving greater confidence that they’ll stay put, or at least if there is movement, there’s now seemingly a flexible material filling any available gaps and giving it a sealed and integrated look. I suspect this is a change to fix that issue.

Another change is to a slightly wider nose. If there were one reason I’d use a similar short ish saddle with a 145mm rear from another brand, over the Prologo versions, it was because the previous nose on the Nago and Nago NDR felt a little less refined between your legs, a little too edgy. That seems to be fixed now, with a slightly broader nose and less angular bits poking around in your bum or rubbing at your thighs.

Don’t overlook this saddle because you think it’s for a mountain bike. It is of course, but it’s extra padding seems to weigh less than a box of Swan Vestas, and its not much more than a few Rizlas thicker than the other models really.

Weight-wise at 152g, there’s nothing to the Nago NDR so it feels like you’ve got a bit of a freebie in the padding in that respect. I would especially recommend it if you’ve found you like this saddle shape in the past, but have wished for a tad more padding. This updated version of the Nago might be the answer to your prayers.

If you're a roadie or gravel rider, you can feel free to ignore the marketing, and you do you, babe. This would be an excellent choice for both gravel and road, if it fits your bum. The same principle will also apply to the other shapes and build quality and finishing seems just as considered.

A long term test will follow when we've spent more time with the range.

The new NDR saddles are available with Nack rails (nano carbon fiber) and Tirox rails (light alloy steel) via www.prologo.it and at authorised Prologo retailers.

Retail price: €229 (Nack rails) / €129 (Tirox rails)

Scratch NDR PAS
Size: 250 x 140 mm
Shape: Round
Nack Rail: 158 g; Ø 7x9.3 mm
Tirox Rail: 205 g; Ø 7 mm

Nago NDR PAS
Size: 245 x 137 mm
Shape: Semi-round
Nack Rail: 152 g; Ø 7x9.3 mm
Tirox Rail: 195 g; Ø 7 mm

Nago NDR
Size: 245 x 137 mm
Shape: Semi-round
Nack Rail: 158 g; Ø 7x9.3 mm
Tirox Rail: 202 g; Ø 7 mm

Dimension R2 NDR
Size: 245 x 143 mm
Shape: Flat
Nack Rail: 165 g; Ø 7x9.3 mm
Tirox Rail: 213 g; Ø 7 mm

Can the right saddle win you the Tour de France?

No, it cannot. But the wrong saddle could cause you to lose it. Laurent Fignon was reportedly suffering from a saddle sore in the waning stages of the 1989 Tour de France, which he ultimately lost to Greg LeMond by a margin of 8 seconds. If Fignon hadn’t had that saddle sore, might the outcome have been different? We’ll never know.

Fignon is hardly the only rider to have a major race affected by a saddle sore. Since professional riders are on their bikes for 4-6 hours a day, one small irritation can cause significant concerns. Having a saddle that works with you, as well as the right bike fit, is absolutely critical to avoid discomfort. For regular riders, saddle sores are typically less consequential, however they’re still best avoided, and a saddle that fits your anatomy correctly is a critical part of doing so.

Design and construction

Fizik launched its first 3D-printed saddle model in 2019. The company now offers several different options using this technology, and in 2024, it announced a new, 3D-printed saddle program that is made specifically for each rider called One-to-One.

These special saddles use the shapes of existing Fizik models, but customize the 3D-printed top to a rider based on a pressure-mapping fit session. For each One-to-One saddle, Fizik conducts an in-person fitting in which a customer brings their complete bicycle (and current saddle) for a consultation. The cost of this session is included in the price of the saddle. This experience is only available at a limited number of Fizik dealers (10 in North America; two in the UK, with more spread out over the rest of the world). The fit session lasts roughly 45 minutes and entails multiple periods of carefully conducted testing interspersed with standing around while the fitter fiddles with things.

After the first round of pressure-mapping, Fizik’s fitting algorithm spit out a recommended saddle shape and size for me. As I learned, there is some wiggle room here: I was given the option to choose which saddle width I preferred based on the recommendations provided. Following this decision, I then climbed back on the bike for a second round of pressure mapping with the saddle in question, in this case the Vento Antares. The finished product, with a saddle upper manufactured for me, arrived at my doorstep about two weeks later, directly from Italy.

The shape and appearance are more or less indistinguishable from Fizik’s off the rack Adaptive saddles, though the top has fewer seams and there is a small purple tag located on the back of the carbon rails.

Like most other 3D-printed saddles, the surface pattern of the Antares is a textured hexagonal grid. By adjusting the amount of material underneath, the design can change to be softer and firmer in different areas. Based on the pressure-mapping session I attended, this saddle should provide the optimal amount of support for the way I sit on a bicycle.

Specifications

• Name: Fizik Vento Antares R1 Adaptive One-to-One
• Weight: 184 grams
• Length: 268 mm
• Width: 150 mm
• Rails: carbon, 7 x 9 mm
• Price: $600 USD

The ride

During my first ride on the Adaptive saddle, it was hard to notice much else besides the texture of the saddle. This “grippy” feeling is a hallmark of 3D-printed saddles and it takes some getting used to, even if you’ve experienced it before. The upside is that you stay very “locked in” without any unwanted sliding about. The downside is wear-and-tear to bib shorts, which, again is common with 3D-printed designs.

Finding the sweet spot, that place where everything falls into harmony, with relaxed shoulders and back and perfectly smooth pedaling, took some time. I was able to locate the setback quite easily, but struggled to find the right saddle angle that worked for me. Instead of a level front half with an upwardly curving tail as found on my go-to saddle, the Antares shape has some undulation in the middle, which made it tricky to find exactly the right way to adjust it. When I did find it, after several stop and start rides making subtle adjustments, everything clicked.

I still found the grippiness somewhat distracting, but when I was locked in my pedal stroke felt exceptionally fluid and the slightly sprung saddle provided a very comfortable place to sit. I’m chalking the adjustment difficulties up to the specificity of the printed top. It’s made for how I sit on the bike, not made to work for everyone. If, for example, your bike fit isn’t quite right, then the saddle won’t do its job as well as it should. Or, if you happen to have alignment issues, a One-to-One saddle could either solve this, or simply reinforce the discrepancies or imbalances already present. Further, there’s no way to know this unless you make a purchase and undergo the entire fitting process. Basically, the output is only as good as the input.

Fizik cautions against using the same One-to-One saddle across different bikes, unless they have the same exact contact points. It may work, but it may not.

All this to say, my experience was quite positive, but there are a lot of what-ifs about this program. I went into the fit session with a bike fit I was very comfortable with and no saddle issues. The saddle I received works very well for me, but not everyone will necessarily have the same end result.

Value and conclusion

The Vento Antares Adaptive saddle I tested is derived from the original Antares shape Fizik introduced decades ago, and it’s nice to see how the company has improved its offerings over time. Finish quality is very good, and for those having trouble finding a saddle that agrees with them, the One-to-One program is worth a try.

But the fact of the matter is that, $600 is a lot of money for a saddle. It’s right there with the most expensive options on the market, and for a lot of riders, this will rule it out completely as an option for them.

With that said, saddles are one of the most fraught components of a bike, yet also one of the most critical for a rider’s comfort and, in turn, happiness. In my experience, the way most riders go about choosing a saddle is via trial and error. This is a time consuming, and often painful way to try to learn what works for you. Having the opportunity to test multiple saddle shapes, with a fitter on hand and real-time feedback via a visible pressure map is a really valuable thing that I think would benefit a lot of riders. Doing so could avoid the difficulty of testing ill-fitting saddles one at a time, suffering all the while. It would be fantastic if this service could be less expensive, and available more widely. Hopefully this will be the case in the future—comfort shouldn’t be exclusively available to the most well-heeled.

I’ve been riding the original CADEX Amp saddle since June 2023, and it quickly became my go-to. So much so that I’ve put the saddle on three of my bikes and travel with it when attending media launches. It’s the first unisex performance saddle I truly got along with, offering just the right blend of shape, support, aggressive positioning and all-day comfort. So when CADEX launched the new Amp 3D with a 3D-printed upper and a $100 increase, I was intrigued. Did CADEX make a good product even better? After two months of testing, my answer is: yes and no. Let’s dive in.

A Quick Recap: The Original Amp

CADEX is a premium sub-brand of Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd., the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer. Originally launched in the 1980s and reintroduced in 2019, CADEX focuses on high-performance carbon components, from wheels and cockpits to saddles and even, tyres.

The Amp saddle was first launched in 2023 as a follow-up to the popular Boost race saddle with the aim of creating a saddle that suited a wider range of riders. For a more universal fit, CADEX opted for a short-nosed, wide-winged design, not unlike the market-leading Specialized Power saddle. In fact, at 242mm in length, the Amp is just 3mm longer than the Power saddle, and comes in one width only: 145mm.

What made the Amp stand out for me was that it worked right away. No break-in required. No pressure points and no saddle sore issues. The shape and padding hit the sweet spot: just enough give to absorb vibrations while still feeling supported. The curved wings and generous central cutout help minimise friction and pressure. Importantly, the Amp allows freedom of movement. One can push backward on the slightly curved rear end to rotate into an aggressive or more aerodynamic position — something other short-nosed saddles tend to restrict.

AMP 3D - What’s new

The new Amp 3D retains the carbon base and integrated rails of the original Amp saddle but replaces the Particle Flow foam upper with a 3D-printed lattice structure.

CADEX is far from the first brand to incorporate 3D printing into its saddle line-up. Specialized, Fizik, Prologo and a growing list of others have already embraced the technology. And like CADEX, most of them have partnered with Silicon Valley-based printing specialists Carbon.

The key advantage of a 3D-printed upper is the ability to precisely tune the material’s density in ways that aren’t possible with traditional foam. Softer zones are placed beneath sensitive areas, while firmer sections support the sit bones for stable power transfer.

The distinct open lattice design not only improves airflow compared to closed-cell foam, it also enhances weight distribution and helps reduce undercarriage pressure on long rides. 3d uppers are also praised for their durability. Unlike foam, they don’t degrade over time.

While most 3D-printed saddles use a honeycomb or hexagonal for the saddle’s internal structure, CADEX stands out by using a gyroid structure. A gyroid is a complex three-dimensional shape with no flat surfaces or straight lines. It curves and twists continuously, forming an efficient, isotropic structure. In practical terms, this means the saddle can deform and distribute pressure not just vertically (like foam or honeycomb) but also laterally and diagonally. The AMP 3D sports this gyroid structure beneath key contact zones, while a denser hexagonal lattice reinforces the outer edges for added stability.

In real-world use, this means the saddle feels softer when riding upright, placing more weight on the centre. Roll forward into an aggressive position and the support firms up under your sit bones. This kind of precision zoning is where 3D-printed saddles really shine. While high-end foam saddles also offer zoned densities, the tuning is more limited. With 3D printing, manufacturers can adjust density at a micro level.

Weighing in at 147g, the Amp 3D is slightly heavier than its predecessor but it’s among the lightest 3D-printed saddles on the market.

The Cadex Amp 3D - Specs

• Weight: 147g
• Rail Size: 9.5mm
• Width: 145mm
• Length: 245mm
• Stack Height: 41mm
• Rail Material: Carbon
• Rail Shape: Oval
• Shell: Advanced Forged Composite Technology (AFCT)
• Padding: G3D Gyroid & Lattice Structure
• Price: $450 /  £369.99 / €400

Ride Impressions

The original Amp is a well-balanced performance saddle. This new Amp 3D keeps everything that worked in the original and adds more refinement. The shape is familiar, yes, but the ride feel is new.

There’s a noticeable increase in the saddle’s firmness to the point that it feels slightly taller than the original, and it even offers some damping effect. By that I mean that the road buzz is filtered out more effectively than with traditional foam.

The sit bones feel cradled at every angle. Not in a sink-in, memory-foam way but in a firmly supported manner.

For me, the only downside is the surface texture. Like most 3D-printed saddles, the highly textured material has some grippiness to it that, when paired with lycra, has an almost-velco effect. It gives it a very planted feel, which is great for riders who like to stay locked into position but less ideal for those, like me, who prefer to slide and shift throughout the ride. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it is a design feature worth considering depending on your riding style.

It also marks a slight departure from CADEX’s original aim of creating a saddle for a broader range of riders. On one hand, the 3D-printed upper offers a uniquely tailored, personalised ride feel that should accommodate many. On the other hand, it discourages movement, which somewhat limits its use for me.

Is it better than the original? Technically, yes. The Amp 3D is a fine example of how far saddle technology has come. It’s smartly engineered, impressively light and offers a dynamically supported ride feel. But despite the precision and polish, I still prefer the original Amp. On longer rides, I want the freedom to move around.

And, as with the original Amp, the integrated carbon rails help keep the weight down and eliminate pressure points, both big positives, but I do wish there were a titanium-railed version, if only to avoid the seatpost clamp compatibility issues that come with the oval rail shape.

Verdict

The CADEX Amp is a personal favourite. It’s my #1 go-to saddle for both road and gravel. The new Amp 3D brings a clear technical upgrade: it’s smartly engineered, impressively light, and offers firm, dynamic support with a more refined ride feel. But for me, the grippy surface and more planted sensation made it feel a little too locked-in on longer rides. That said, if you prefer a secure, stay-put position in the saddle, the 3D upper could well be worth the upgrade.

At $450 / €400, the Amp 3D is a premium investment, but one that’s priced in line with other high-end 3D-printed saddles.

The R2 Nack sits at the head of Prologo’s popular Dimension product line, a range of versatile, broad, short-nosed performance saddles that, whatever your gender, cater for pretty much every competitive cycling discipline.

Need a saddle for MTB? That would be the Dimension NDR. Gravel or Cross? The Dimension AGX. Something a bit wider? The Dimension Space. A saddle specifically for women? The Dimension EVA. For triathlons? Try the Dimension Tri. A premium perch at a more accessible price? Save up for a Dimension 143. A featherweight for fast riding? Enter the R2 Nack.

It's a big range, especially considering that I’ve missed the countless special editions and that many of the above saddles have counterparts that feature eye-catching zones of nano-structured 3D polymer padding. That’s CPC – Connected Power Control – in Prologo speak.

All of these saddles share a similar, but not identical, broad V-shaped outline that places them in direct competition with other short-nosed seats, such as variants of the Specialized Power, Selle Italia Novus and Fizik Argo, which are among the best saddles. If you’re looking for a more T-shaped short-nosed saddle, Prologo’s solution includes its Scratch and Nago lines.

Construction

For a flagship product, the Prologo Dimension R2 Nack looks suitably understated, if anything, perhaps a little too conservative. Other saddles in the Dimension line are embellished with loud graphics, splashed with colour or feature 3D-printed zones. There’s none of that here, just small, subtle logos on the nose, the stern and the right wing.

Its overall shape stays true to the aforementioned ‘V’, a product of its short nose and broad wings. Width is 143mm, which is wide but not ridiculously so, and the total length is 245mm, so it easily complies with the UCI’s 240mm minimum length rule. The nose is quite chunky at 40mm in width; at least a couple of millimetres wider than the entry-level Dimension 143 model.

The very end of the nose has a slight dip to it, but from here back to the midsection the Dimension R2’s profile is flatter than Florida. From the midsection, just forward of the wing tips, to the very rear of the saddle, there’s a consistently shallow 9° rise. All in all, the profile is pretty flat, with no curves or waves.

I measured the pressure relief channel to be 20mm at its widest point, which is half the width of the cutouts on some saddles I’ve reviewed recently. If it’s up to the job and you don’t like that ‘toilet seat’ look, this could be the saddle for you.

If you’re wondering about the relevance of the Nack suffix, it refers to the 7mm x 9.3mm oval rails, which are made from ‘Nano Carbon Fibre’, Prologo’s proprietary blend of carbon fibre, Kevlar and aluminium filaments. Prologo says Nack is extremely resilient, easily up to the rough and tumble of mountain biking and gravel.

The chassis, which catches the light with a subtle sheen, is made from injected Long Fibre Carbon, a material that’s stronger, stiffer and more resistant to impact than components made from short fibres.

In keeping with many other Prologo saddles, the padding and cover don’t enclose the entire saddle top, only the flanks, leaving the chassis exposed along the centre line. This makes perfect sense – there seems to be little point in padding and wrapping areas that never make contact with the rider.

To save weight, Prologo has developed an EVA padding that it says boasts the same comfort levels as the rest of the range, despite being 20% thinner. Certainly, it is very svelte, with the total thickness, including the cover, down to just a couple of millimetres at the saddle edge.

The cover is faux leather microfibre, which is exceedingly smooth to the touch. To help reduce the glide, Prologo has applied faint, narrow ‘Slide Control’ grip lines, which wave their way across the left wing and right nose area.

The carbon fibre construction and innovative use of padding have reduced the weight of the Dimension R2 to a claimed 135g (139g measured), which is ridiculously light. Apparently, that’s about the same weight as half a baguette but infinitely more comfortable and considerably more robust.

The ride

What sets the R2 apart from the other saddles in Prologo’s Dimension range is its impressively low weight and flat, comparatively wide nose. It’s so light it almost levitates.

These characteristics scream high performance. The weight reduction provides a small but obvious benefit, while the level chunky nose enables riders to tuck into an aero stance with both comfort and control.

However, Prologo doesn’t consider the R2 to be exclusively for tarmac, saying it’s a ‘multi-disciplinary saddle perfect for road and XC/Marathon use’.

Having spun some long miles with the R2 on a variety of bikes and surfaces, riding an assortment of tyre widths and pressures, I think that’s a fair assessment. It’s ideal for anything that calls for lightweight performance, whether that be on road, off-road or, of course, gravel.

Now, I’m a big fan of short-nosed saddles, probably because I’m fairly tall with long legs (84cm saddle to BB), so, by default, my saddle-bar drop is quite pronounced – the equivalent of a mildly slammed stem. A short-nosed saddle with a relief channel, such as the R2, enables me to rotate my pelvis without causing discomfort to the soft tissues of the perineal area. However, I readily accept that they’re not for everyone.

Saddles of this type don’t allow for much fore-aft movement, much to the frustration of riders who enjoy the freedom of fine-tuning their riding positions for ascents and descents. Additionally, riders who like to ‘steer through the hips’ can feel more secure using the grip and leverage a longer-nosed saddle provides.

In my experience, the R2’s flat, broad nose not only makes forward rotation more comfortable, but it also reintroduces some of that security. The potential downside, which I didn’t experience but others may, is the increased risk of chafing, exacerbated by the R2’s already wide V shape.

Which conveniently brings me on to the topic of comfort. Prologo only makes this saddle in a 143mm width, which it claims is a good generic compromise that will fit most people. If you need to go wider, consider the broader, but heavier, Dimension Space.

For me, the relatively narrow pressure relief channel worked its magic. I didn’t notice it providing any distinct advantage or disadvantage over the much wider channels found on saddles such as the Vento Argo from Fizik, except that it prevents as much soggy road muck from soaking your chamois. In theory, having a smaller cutout should enable the chassis to remain stiffer for better power transfer, while, in the real world, the stiffness/compliance dichotomy depends on myriad factors. Regardless, the R2’s long fibre carbon shell is noticeably stiff.

The slim-looking EVA padding was a pre-ride concern that made me wonder whether Prologo was foolishly sacrificing comfort in order to boast headline-grabbing weight-saving stats. However, there’s a good amount of depth over the sit-bone area - perhaps 8mm - and, despite being quite firm, the padding does exhibit a fair bit of cushion. Sensibly, Prologo has only reduced the padding where it’s not needed, so rides of up to four hours on this stiff saddle never felt unduly harsh, even towards the finish.

The primary advantage of the Nack rails is their contribution to saving weight, which they achieve admirably. Carbon fibre rails are also said to be stiffer, yet absorb more road vibration, qualities that are difficult to quantify. Much depends on where your saddle is clamped on the rails, and whether it is truly possible to perceive such minor suspension benefits over components that have a more significant influence, such as your tyre and pressure choices.

Value and conclusions

It’s no surprise that the Prologo Dimension R2 Nack saddle ticks so many boxes. After all, that’s the raison d'être of the Dimension line - it’s Prologo’s most versatile saddle range. The R2 is light, slight, comfortable and well up for keeping your posterior happy whatever your chosen discipline. Provided, of course, you get along with short-nosed saddles.

However, its hallmark feature – its impressive ability to defy gravity – must be weighed against its hefty price. At £209/$249, it is more than twice the price of the entry-level steel-railed Dimension 143, yet the weight saving is only 84g. To be fair, the R2 probably benefits from better quality padding, and its carbon rails and chassis may provide a better ride feel. Only you can decide whether these benefits add £100/$100 of value.

The R2 fares better when compared to outside competition. Fizik’s full carbon Vento Argo 00 shares a similar spec to the R2 and matches it gramme for gramme, but it is considerably more expensive at £269.99/$299.99. Specialized’s S-Works Power, which boasts a carbon shell and rails, costs £240/$324 and weighs 25g heavier than the R2.

However, these saddles from Fizik and Specialized are both available in a variety of widths, whereas unless you have generic-sized sit bones you may come unstuck with the R2. The alternative, the 153mm Dimension Space, weighs a substantial 100g more.

Specs

• Weight: 135g claimed, 139g measured
• Size: 245x143mm
• Rails: Nack (Nano Carbon Fiber) composed of carbon fiber, Kevlar and aluminium filaments
• Chassis: Long Fiber Carbon

This special edition saddle is part of Fizik’s Les Classiques collection, the brand’s homage to the Spring Classics that also includes a pair of paint effect mud-splattered Tempo Overcurve R4 shoes and rolls of flecked Tempo Bondcush bar tape.

Curiously, Fizik has chosen to celebrate these harsh early races with one of its endurance models rather than a full-on race saddle. However, in the highly unlikely event that I was to ride a savage Monument, such as Paris-Roubaix, I’d want to lavish as much comfort on my derrière as humanly possible. So, it’s not an unwelcome surprise.

Construction

Fizik’s Tempo Argo R3 Les Classiques saddle is near-identical to a regular Tempo Argo R3, the only difference being the paint effect, which I rather like. Perhaps I’m being overly sappy, but I believe a dash of theatre enhances this perch by introducing a touch of much-needed fun.

Talking of touch, the Tempo Argo has more padding than its similar-looking stablemate, the Vento Argo. It’s easy to confuse the two, but the Vento is Fizik’s short-nosed, race-inspired saddle that features less padding, narrower width options – 140mm and 150mm vs the Tempo’s 150mm and 160mm – and a slightly narrower, more tapered nose with a subtle drop. Essentially, the Vento has been developed for riders wanting to assume a lower, more stretched-out aero stance on the bike, whereas the Tempo encourages a slightly more upright endurance position. However, both are performance saddles suitable for long, fast rides.

The Tempo Argo is available in three different versions: the premium carbon-railed R1, the Kium hollow-railed R3, which is the focus of this review, and the less expensive but hardly entry-level alloy-railed R5. They weigh a claimed 195g, 229g and 241g respectively, for a 150mm width.

This is a very contemporary-looking saddle that’s blessed with a somewhat brutal aesthetic that’s neither delicate nor pretty. Three features dominate: the relatively short 260mm length, the flexible, rubberised ‘wings’ and the wide diamond-shaped relief channel that Fizik says was developed using detailed pressure analysis and insights from medical experts. The conspicuously blunt nose tip is fairly chunky at approx. 38mm, which should provide more comfort, control and security when ‘on the rivet’.

To the casual eye, the Tempo Argo is predominately flat, but it actually exhibits a very subtle rise – about 10° – starting from the mid-section to the back. I’d guess this is to accommodate additional padding for the sit bones, and to arrest any backward slip when putting the power down.

Fizik says it’s used its proprietary Type 2 foam here, which is slightly softer and more progressive than the material used on its racing saddles. The thickness varies slightly, with more around the mid-section to support and secure the ischial sit bones.

It may be plusher than the Vento Argo, but the padding is still quite firm.

The foam is secured directly to a carbon-reinforced nylon shell that, in the case of the R3, rests on hollow 7 x 7mm Kium rails. Kium is a propriety alloy from Fizik that it says is lighter than titanium but shares similar dampening properties.

The Ride

I’m a big fan of the Tempo Argo because, put crudely, it has saved my arse in the past. A while ago, I attended a bike launch near Girona, where the host brand led the press on a six-hour ride into the local hills to showcase its new endurance bike. It was an epic day on an unfamiliar bike, made all the more remarkable because nobody complained of any discomfort. I was so impressed with the ride that the name of the saddle has stuck with me ever since – Fizik Tempo Argo R3.

The Tempo Argo’s comparatively wide stance – I’ve been testing the narrower 150mm version – is perfect for the kind of fast endurance rides that find me sitting up a little taller for the sake of long-term comfort. However, when descending or tucking out of the wind, the short front and vast cutout allow me to adopt an aggressive position without suffering.

A wide fit can, of course, lead to chafing, but fortunately, I haven’t found this to be the case with the Tempo Argo. This could be because the saddle really isn’t that wide, or perhaps Fizik’s Wingflex feature deserves some credit. The carbon-reinforced nylon shell has little rubber inserts at the tips that cushion the rider’s thighs on every pedal stroke, but not to the extent they rob watts. Truthfully, while it was easy to flex the shell wings with my hands, I couldn’t discern any movement during my rides. Not that it matters since I remained comfortable, but your mileage may differ.

As previously mentioned, the padding feels quite dense and unyielding but that’s the way I like it on an endurance saddle. There is noticeably more cushion to support the sit bones, which together with the subtle rearward tilt, help to lightly lock the riding position in place.

Unsurprisingly, there’s little scope to move around on a saddle as short as this, but when you do want to shift position, the faux leather cover won’t hold you back. Perhaps it’s just me, but I dislike the grippy, rubberised material that covers some contemporary saddles. Every time I want to move my weight back or forth, I seem to be forever snagging the seat of my riding shorts. I found the Tempo Argo smooth enough to get a glide on yet just about grippy enough not to be full-on slippery. Of course, this is a personal preference that’s entirely subjective, so you may prefer to be more securely held in place.

I tried this saddle on a variety of bikes, including a stiff, aluminium-framed Standert Kreissäge RS, a moderately stiff Ribble Allroad SL R endurance bike and a compliant Wilier Jena gravel bike. I’d be lying if I told you I could tell the difference between Kium rails and standard alloy rails. Carbon rails? Perhaps, but frankly the frame, wheel choice and, most notably, tyre choice influence ride quality so much more than the makeup of your saddle rails. Kium does, however, bring a moderate weight saving, which will be important to many.

Value and conclusions

Let’s start with a huge caveat. The best saddle for you is the one that fits, so even though I loved my time with the Fizik Tempo Argo R3, you may find it a complete pain in the proverbial. That’s the nature of saddles.

Short saddles with big cutouts are very popular right now, and I’m a devotee because they’re a great match for me and my riding. However, they’re not without their faults, the most significant being a lack of control – it’s harder to steer the bike through the hips – and they’re a very restrictive platform if you like to move around on the saddle.

That said, if you’ve got your heart set on a short-nosed saddle, the Tempo Argo R3, which retails for £149.99/$159.99 should make your shortlist. The obvious competitor is Specialized’s Power, which is shorter at 240mm and available in more width options: 143mm, 155mm and 168mm. The titanium-railed Power Arc Expert is slightly cheaper than the Fizik at £115/$159.99.

The Prologo Dimension 143 with Tirox (steel-alloy) rails is another comparable short-nosed saddle that is also slightly cheaper at £139/$139. I recommend experimenting with some samples before purchasing the one that fits you best.

Specs

• Length: 260 mm
• Width: 150 mm or 160mm
• Weight: 229g/235g claimed. My 150mm saddle weighed 240g.
• Height at 75mm width: 43 mm
• Length from nose to 75mm width: 103 mm
• Rail: 7x7 mm
• Shell: carbon-reinforced nylon with flexible rubberised wings
• Padding: Proprietary Type 2 foam
• Shape: Flat

The Nago R4 PAS 3DMSS is the first saddle from Prologo to feature an entirely 3D-printed upper. The saddle was designed using Pressure Map MyOwn tests, Prologo's proprietary system that looked at the various areas where pressure was applied across the saddle by both amateurs and professionals.

Construction

The saddle's 3D-printed top features a structure that's split into five distinct sectors that vary in the level of stiffness and support they provide.

Named MSS (Multi Sector System technology), each section has distinct geometric shapes, varying densities and differentiated elastic coefficients. The rear is high density and has a high elastic coefficient, to provide greater support to the ischial bones (sit bones). The three middle sections are low-density and have a medium elastic coefficient for soft tissue. The front is medium density and has a low elastic coefficient for ‘on the rivet’ riding. There is also a large central cut-out to help relieve pressure on the soft tissue of the perineum.

This 3D printed top is bonded to an injected long-fibre carbon base, with Nack (nano carbon fibre) rails to reduce weight. The resultant weight is a claimed 149g and a measured 153g. With a length of 245mm and a maximum width of 137mm, that makes it one of the lightest 3D-printed saddles available.

The ride

Riding the Prologo Nago R4 PAS 3DMSS saddle, it’s definitely firmer than a lot of 3D printed saddles that I’ve used before, while also featuring more of a curve than a flat top. It takes a little getting used to, especially coming from a more cushioned saddle, but it does have benefits.

For big seated efforts where maximal power transfer is required, the stiffer platform gives a great base for the transfer of watts from trunk to legs to pedals and feels planted. For this style of riding, I’m sitting further back on the saddle, with the wider support area and firmer 3D padding. It works well and still provides plenty of comfort. The 3D padding absorbed impacts from rough roads well and didn’t give me any pressure sore issues, even after consecutive long days in the saddle.

Moving forwards on the saddle the change in padding pressure is noticeable. Towards the centre, the lighter density does help stop soft tissue from suffering excessive pressure from the smaller surface area of the saddle. It’s not a position on the saddle I would adopt for long and I don’t see why many would, but is very useful for when you want to shift around a bit for comfort and change of position. Additionally, it works really well when tucking up into a more aggressive position on the bike, again alleviating pressure from the soft tissue.

I don’t often ride on the rivet, but doing so was potentially more comfortable than on a regular padded saddle or even the crop of stubby-nosed race saddles available now.

Another feature I like is that the front of the saddle is a bit narrower than the Specialized Romin I’m used to riding. I love the Romin, and have used one since 2014, but I do get thigh rubbing on the nose of the saddle, a problem that the narrower Prologo does not give.

Getting the fit just right did take quite a while though. The Prologo sits quite low and has nicely long rails. I found I had to boost the saddle up a fair bit and push it back as well to get the desired fit. Also, those lovely Nack carbon rails are very easy to scuff when clamping and adjusting the saddle. My only genuine gripe with the saddle, the same as for most 3D printed saddles, is that if you ride in filthy weather, the perforated padding is a dirt trap that is near impossible to clean.

Value & Conclusion

Value is an area where this saddle may struggle if bought directly from Prologo's website. I’d say its performance is similar to the S-Works Mirror Romin that I use regularly, but where the Romin is a bit better for longer days in the saddle, the Prologo is better for big power rides. However, the Romin is £350/£450 compared to the Prologo at £420/$420. Selle Italia’s SLR Boost 3D Kit Carbonio Superflow is £409.99/$479.90 and even the Fizik Antares Adaptive 00 is £399.99/$399.99. However, buy the same Prologo Nago R4 PAS 3DMSS saddle from a British retailer and the RRP is substantially lower at £349.99, making it the least expensive of the bunch.

For those who want one of the lightest 3D-printed saddles, the Nago R4 PAS 3DMSS is right up there. The comfort is great and the power transfer superb, thanks to its solid platform. If you shop around you can purchase it for a more reasonable price too.

SQ Lab’s 612 Ergowave R is a lightweight saddle that promises feather-cushioned levels of comfort, a combination that piques my interest. Are you sitting comfortably? Then, let me explain.

Some cyclists glide painlessly through two-wheeled life without giving saddle choice a second thought. Every conceivable type of perch that make up the majority of the best bike saddles – long, short, noseless, wide, narrow, flat, wavy, padded, hard – appears to cosset their posteriors like a plump, down-filled mattress. Whereas the rest of us – and here’s the rub – are saddled with a lifelong quest to find something (anything!) that’s acceptably comfortable on which to rest our battered butts.

Unfortunately, I fall into the latter camp, so I’m well aware of just how torturous undercarriage unpleasantness can play out. I’ve never suffered from numbness in the nether regions, but I’m very familiar with soft tissue discomfort and sit bone, well, agony isn’t too strong an adjective. Ever been forced to complete the last third of a ride out of the saddle, standing on the pedals with a contorted grimace on your face? Me too.

Fortunately, I rarely have to take a stand against saddle pain like I used to. I’ve found that for me at least, modern noseless saddles, such as ISM’s excellent, if pricey, PN 4.0 can alleviate soft tissue problems, albeit at the expense of sit-bone comfort on extremely long rides. Better still, contemporary short-nosed saddles with generous cut-outs, such as the Specialized Power and Fizik Argo, hit the sweaty sweet spot, enabling most of the pressure to be felt through the sit bones but with the nose still playing a supporting role.

Construction

So, have I discovered saddle nirvana? Am I sitting pretty on the straight and narrow? Not quite, which is why SQ Lab’s 612 Ergowave R tickled my fancy. It’s a short, narrow, unisex saddle that, in common with all seats from SQ Lab, features a subtle step at the rear and distinctive bowl-like depression from the mid-section back. There’s no cutout, and the foam padding is minimal, which worried me greatly at first.

However, this is not an aesthetic choice. SQ Lab pitches itself as a specialist component brand, developing products that aim to improve the ergonomic and health aspects of cycling. This is why its logo incorporates a snake-entwined staff, a widely recognised icon adopted by medical facilities and practitioners. It offers a bewildering range of saddles – I counted more than 40 on its website – all available in a comprehensive number of widths.

The raised step and central depression are SQ Lab signature features, designed to distribute pressure evenly across slightly raised sit bones, thereby relieving it from the soft tissue of the perineal area. These characteristics were arrived at following a German government-funded research project executed in collaboration with the University Hospital of Frankfurt and the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. Other research, namely a master’s thesis at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, revealed that this stepped profile oxygenates the penis better than flat saddles, wavy saddles or those with cutout channels, due to the reduction in perineal load. This may sound like an amusing study, but erectile dysfunction is no joke.

At 252mm long, which is about 10mm longer than a Specialized Power, this is the only short-nosed saddle in SQ Lab’s Ergowave lineup, intended for more aggressive positions on the bike. In fact, because the stepped profile alleviates pressure forward of the sit bones the brand doesn’t see much mileage in producing short-nosed designs. It also doesn’t favour padding, since its studies have shown that sit bones just sink into cushioned areas, thereby increasing contact and pressure on soft tissue.

At just 162g for my 12cm width sample, it’s also a true featherweight. It’s beautifully made, but there’s not much to it. A microfibre cover, that feels slightly rubberised to the touch, sits on a thin layer of ‘superlight’ foam that’s attached to a firm chassis made from carbon fibre-reinforced polyamide. The rails are hollow alloy but, for the weight weenies among you, SQ Lab produces a version with carbon rails that it claims weighs a full 15g lighter. Wow.

The Ride

SQ Lab is obsessive about fit, which is why the 612 Ergowave R is available in four different widths - 12cm, 13cm, 14cm and 15cm. It recommends that, before making a purchase, you either have your sit bone width measured by one of its retailers or do the job yourself at home with an SQ Lab sizing kit, which it will send to you for free.

I opted for the latter option and, sure enough, within a few days, a kit popped through my letter box. It’s little more than a large square of corrugated cardboard that, when sat on, will reveal two indentations that mark the position of your sit bones. Measure the distance from the centre of one indentation to the other and you’ll arrive at your sit bone width. SQ Lab recommends adding an additional 2cm to arrive at your optimal saddle width.

If you haven’t done a similar exercise before, it’s well worth doing. I’m fairly tall at 190cm, so it follows that I should have wide sit bones. But I don’t. Mine are just 10cm across, which means that the narrowest 612 Ergowave R is the pick of the bunch for me.

Once you’ve purchased your saddle, installation is straightforward, but I did find the lack of a cutout slightly hampered my ability to adjust and tighten the bolts of my Ribble Allroad SL R’s seat post. I also had to adjust my saddle height by about 5mm to compensate for the raised position of the step. Talking of which, the idea is not to sit right up on the top of the step, but on the section just forward of it, where the saddle ramps up. The highest portion of the step then ‘locks’ you in position, stopping you from sliding back as you put the power down. Despite not sitting all the way back you may still have to adjust your saddle rails slightly further forward than you are used to. This is not a saddle with a nose that’s designed to be sat on, in fact the waist is very narrow to give your powerful, pumping thighs plenty of clearance.

To ensure I enjoyed the very best experience from the barely padded 612 Ergowave R SQ Lab generously sent me a pair of its SQ-Short One 12 shorts that, unintuitively and somewhat disappointingly, also boast a barely cushioned pad. The chamois is very firm, and just 5mm deep at its thickest point. When you think about it, it does make sense. It’s often troubled me that we’re continually told not to buy over-padded saddles, yet we’re sold shorts and bibs with ever more cushioned pads. The SQ-Short One 12 short is supportive, but it won’t let your sit bones sink so much that blood is restricted to your perineal area.

I’d love to tell you that riding the 612 Ergowave R is like wafting along on a cushion of air created by the beating wings of a thousand angels. It’s not. In fact, at first, it’s rather unpleasant. The ramp, the lack of cushion and the thin pad make for a very direct ride. Immediately, I was very much in touch with where my sit bones were making contact but, on a more positive note, they did feel planted securely against the step.

According to SQ Lab, this harsh sensation through the sit bones is entirely predictable because they’re now taking on their fair share of the work. A period of conditioning is required and, true enough, after a few rides over several weeks – this isn’t a process that can be rushed – the discomfort subsided.

A couple of months on, I’m now at a point where the ride still feels direct but there’s no discomfort and certainly no pain. There’s been no pressure on the perineal area from the first ride, so the combination of raised sit bones and the bowl-like depression is obviously doing the trick. Similarly, the narrow waist and slender nose provide excellent clearance for my thighs and hamstrings, which means I haven’t had to endure any chafing.

The shorts are noticeably consistent in feel during long rides. In my experience, over the course of an hour or two, softer pads can feel like they’ve ‘bottomed out’ – pun intended – but because the SQ-Short One 12 pad cannot compress it retains the same ride feel from the off. Furthermore, they don’t distort during a ride and remain highly breathable.

I did, of course, try other shorts, from the likes of Santini, Castelli, Gorewear and Giro, with the 612 Ergowave R and they all performed well enough. So, you’re under no obligation to buy a pair of SQ-Short One 12s to go with your new SQ Lab saddle. However, it does seem odd that few other brands have had the foresight to develop specific bib shorts and tights to interface with their saddles. So, well done SQ Lab.

Value and conclusion

My initial, slightly uncomfortable, experience with the SQ Lab 612 Ergowave R made me wonder if I’d signed up for a bum deal. However, once I’d given my sit bones a few weeks to warm to the fact that they were going to be called on to do the heavy lifting I’m finding this saddle to be as comfortable as my Specialized Power Comp, which I’ve grown rather fond of. The 612 Ergowave R has the advantage that it makes the bike feel more responsive and it’s considerably lighter by almost 100g.

On the flip side, at £134.99/$ 179.99 this isn’t a cheap saddle, though you can easily spend twice this much on a seat this light. What’s more, for some of us, a comfy saddle is a priceless rarity, so it will represent great value for many. Of course, saddle fit is extremely personal so what works for me may not work so well for you, but I think we can all take comfort in the fact that the SQ Lab 612 Ergowave R is the product of solid research.

Like the riding itself, the best gravel saddles combine features on and off-road riding. They need to combine comfort and support when riding in the the drops with durability to grit and enough flex to dampen the vibrations from the rough terrain. 

The Fizik Terra Argo X3 is designed to do all of this with added 'stability'. The rationale being the more stable you are in the saddle, the less shifting needed to do to get the power down.

Fizik Terra Argo X3: construction

The features of the of the Fizik Terra Argo X3 are all contained in its name: 'Terra' is the off-road gravel range and the 'Argo' is Fizik’s short nosed saddle. Finally, the X3 is the mid-point of the three-saddle range.

The headline stability results from the saddle's shape and outer material. The front/back wave shape gives a natural center point to the saddle which cradles your sit bones. On top of this, the surface of the saddle has a grippy finish which holds you in place and stops any sliding around.

In line with current trends, the stubby 270mm long saddle allows plenty of forward movement. There's a slight drop at the nose to allow you to sit forward without undue pressure on soft-tissues. Pressure relief is enhanced by the cut-out channel which has a 'mud-flap' to stop any gritty spray tracking through.

The nylon shell has carbon reinforcement for flex and strength in order to absorb the chatter of off-road riding. These properties are augmented by foam cushioning and a closed loop design of the hollow rail. 

The Terra Argo X3 is available in two widths available, 150 and 160mm. There’s a helpful measuring and saddle finder guide on Fizik’s website. Our 150mm saddle weighed 258g.

Fizik Terra Argo X3: the ride

The Terra Argo X3 is nicely comfortable to ride. It has a good balance of firmness and flex so neither feels to spongey nor too harsh regardless of whether I was riding several hours in the drops or hard and fast on rugged trails.

The shape of the saddle gives plenty of support in different riding positions; forward on the drops, up on the hoods or perched on the nose for steep climbs. It is noticeable wider than my usual (and most other manufacturers’) saddle but the flexed design of these wings mean that the width isn't noticeable when riding. 

There’s an incredibly planted feel to sitting on the Terra Argo. A little of this is from the waved saddle shape but most predominately the grippy surface. It’s a really notable feature and very different from other saddles I’ve ridden.

This grip meant quite a change in how I moved about the saddle and bike. Instead of subtle slides, I needed to consciously lift myself off the saddle to avoid my chamois pulling. This didn’t really suit my riding style as it restricted my ability to constantly load and off-load the bike across washboard gravel and rougher terrain. Conversely it will suit riders who find it hard to hold a stable position on the bike.

The closed-loop rail design gives the Argo quite a high stack (51mm) which is greater than most saddles. This meant I had to drop my seat post by about 10mm to accommodate. Most of the time this shouldn’t cause a problem but check if you run a dropper post, I didn't have quite enough room to run the Argo with mine. 

Fizik Terra Argo X3: value and conclusion

At $175 / £140 the Terra Argo X3 sits nicely in the price range of other gravel saddles we’ve reviewed recently. The Prologo Scratch M5 AGX is cheaper but doesn’t have a carbon fibre shell ($130.00 / £105.00). The titanium railed Selle Italia Flite Boost Gravel TI 316 is a fair bit more expensive at $258 / £211.

Within the Terra Argo range there’s also the carbon railed X1 for an additional $/£50 or the solid-alloy railed X5 for $/£40 less.

The Terra Argo X3 performs well, balancing comfort with support and there’s plenty of space to move on and off the saddle. Its shape and finish makes for an incredibly planted ride, something that is quite different from other gravel-specific saddles and a feature that is likely to attract as many riders as it puts off.

Fizik Terra Argo X3: specs

• Length: 270 mm
• Width: 150 mm or 160 mm
• Height at 75mm width: 51 mm
• Length from nose to 75mm width: 113 mm
• Rail: 7x7 mm

Fizik’s array of saddles is certainly comprehensive, covering road, gravel and mountain bike disciplines, with several models featured in our guide to the best bike saddles. 

The road offerings are divided further still, with long and short options, as well as adaptive designs and profiles suited to specific demands, from elite racing to hilly sportives - in fact, Jonas Vingegaard has just won his second Tour de France title aboard a Vento Argo saddle. 

The Vento Argo is a short-nosed racing saddle, with the ‘Vento’ designating the racing element and the ‘Argo’ its short-nose design. Like most Fizik saddles it’s offered in a number of ‘builds’, including 00 and R1 models featuring carbon rails, and the R3, reviewed here, which uses a Kium hollow rail.

Fizik Vento Argo R3: construction

Like all the Fizik saddles I’ve ridden, the Vento Argo R3 looks and feels well made. At 265mm in length, it’s noticeably shorter than my current saddle, the Antares Versus Evo. It matches the dropped nose with a higher seat, to create a profile that, front to back, is more sloped than the flatter Antares. 

To help relieve pressure it uses an ergonomic cutout positioned towards the front of the saddle rather than a full channel seen on some Fizik saddles, including the Versus Evo models.

The R1 foam used on the top of the saddle is, according to Fizik, designed to be both springy and reactive. It feels as such, firm but not unyielding. 

The Type 1 foam used on the top of the saddle is, according to Fizik, designed to be both springy and reactive. It feels as such, firm but not unyielding.

The R3 undercarriage comprises a 140mm wide carbon reinforced nylon shell and a Kium hollow 7x7mm rail - and it’s offered in a 150mm width too. There’s some obvious flex here, and my experience with other R3 models tells me it should translate to just the right amount of compliance without sacrificing strength. 

On my kitchen scales the Vento Argo R3 weighs 223g, which is 10g heavier than the claimed number. 

Fizik Vento Argo R3: the ride

Fizk describes its Argo saddle shape as its “most versatile”, although in this Vento edition it’s aimed at racing or for those who prefer a lower, more aggressive position on the bike. I neither race or am especially concerned with aerodynamics, but my preference has long been for ‘racier’ saddles. 

Having tried many perches in the past, the flatter profile and minimal padding of a ‘racing’ saddle allows me to better hold a position on the bike, reducing my movement, which I find leads to greater comfort whether I’m riding on road or off. 

To test my theory I fitted the Vento Argo to my gravel bike; increasingly it’s become my choice for all seasons, including road rides where the additional comfort from the wider tires and more relaxed geometry aid comfort and combat poor road surfaces.

Fizik says the Vento Argo has a “purposeful shape”. It struck me as an interesting way to describe a saddle but the words stayed with me during my first forays using the product. 

Certainly the shorter, sloped nose allowed me to remain comfortable whilst adopting a lower position on the bike. In my case, on a bike with a reasonable stack height, a 100mm stem and my not-so-flexible back, this is far from a low-slung racing position. All the same, on long stretches of road I could tuck in on the hoods, feeling solid and, well, purposeful.

In this position the pressure relief cut-out really does its job. As previously mentioned, it’s positioned more towards the nose of the saddle and to date I haven’t experienced any discomfort, especially when sitting further forward on the saddle.

When riding on the tops of the bars, which positioned me more upright and towards the back of the saddle, the cut out is less effective. However, it was never really an issue, rather just something that was detectable when compared to saddles that have relief channels running the full length. It also serves to highlight that Fizik, as stated, have designed the Vento Argo with racing in mind.

In fact, I found the saddle to be perfectly comfortable when riding in a more upright position. The shaping is clever. It’s raised towards the back, with an ever-so-slight concave across the width, before dropping off at the wings. The combination creates a dish of sorts for your rear end, resulting in a planted position that’s both easy to hold and supportive. 

The padding needs to take some credit here too. The Vento Argo’s ‘Type 1 foam formulation’ is as springy as claimed, but achieves this without any unnecessary bulk. It’s always difficult to assess just how much any single component is contributing to the reduction of road chatter when you’re riding on high-volume tires, but I didn’t experience any great amount of vibration through the saddle even on rougher road and gravel surfaces. It’s also worth mentioning that the foam is easy to clean too.

Several rides in and the Vento Argo’s shape has become both familiar and friendly. It’s a supremely comfortable saddle that strikes an optimum balance between comfort and support. As such, for me at least, this makes it applicable beyond its race-ready intentions. Yes, it aids an aggressive position on the bike but it’s perfectly adaptable too.

Fizik Vento Argo R3: value and conclusion

At $149.99 / £144.99 the Vento Argo R3 is far from cheap, but it does sit at the lower end of the product range - the R5 is the entry point for this model and costs $109.99 / £99.99. It uses an alloy rail and weighs around 20 grams more than the R3. 

Above the R3 sit the R1 and 00 models. The R1 features the same carbon-reinforced shell as the R3 but uses carbon. It brings the claimed weight below 200g - to 179g to be precise - but raises the price to $224.99 / £179.99. The 00 model is more expensive again, retailing at $299.99 / £259.99. For this you get a full carbon shell and rails and a claimed weight of just 134g. 

The Vento Argo is offered in two adaptive models as well, which start at $/£299.99.

Specs

• Length: 265 mm
• Width: 140 mm
• Weight: 220 g
• Height at 75mm width: 45 mm
• Length from nose to 75mm width: 114 mm
• Rail: 7x7 mm

Saddle reviews are always tricky because comfort is highly subjective. One person’s comfortable cradle is another person’s bed of agony. Plus, you might find your preferences change over time due to injury or a change in riding style.

For me, the review of this saddle was well-timed. The 352-mile Unbound XL in early June had done a number on my body, undercarriage included, and upon returning to the saddle, I needed a temporary break from my trusty seat — the Ergon SR Pro women’s saddle. 

Weeks on, however, I am still riding Cadex’s new featherweight performance saddle and I’m in no hurry to swap it out. 

Introducing: the Cadex Amp saddle

Cadex is Giant Bicycles’ in-house brand known for its stiff and speedy wheels, high-end carbon components and innovation. Giant originally introduced Cadex in the 1980s as a separate, standalone brand but it was later integrated into the Giant product line. Its products are often seen used by the Giant-sponsored WorldTour teams, Team Jayco-AlUla and Liv Racing TeqFind.

In fact, the subject of today’s review, the Cadex Amp, is already a Grand Tour stage winner, carrying Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla) to a stage victory at the 2023 Giro d’Italia.

But the Amp wasn’t made just for the world’s best racers. The brand’s Boost saddle serves that purpose and, while popular, its tendency to force riders into an aggressive position isn’t for everyone. So while the Amp borrows some core features like its full composite base, the integrated rail and the Particle Flow padding from the Boost, the Amp sports a design that’s more versatile and meant to serve a wider range of cyclists.

“The CADEX Boost saddle has been a popular choice for high-performance road riding and is a favorite for many of the pro racers we work with,” says Jeff Schneider, Global Head of Product for CADEX. “With the Amp, we wanted to build on those core features and make it a better fit for a wider range of riders.”

A more supportive shape and universal fit

To create this more universal fit, Cadex took a short-nosed, wide-winged approach with the Amp. At 242mm in length, the Amp is just 3mm longer than the popular Specialized Power saddle and comes in one width – 145mm— only. 

The saddle features an ergonomic rear curve that, Cadex says, offers improved pelvic support, and a side curve and flexible wings with a stark drop off for pedalling clearance. The truncated nose also plays a part in the friction- and interference-free fit.

The Amp sports a generous center cut-out to relieve pressure on soft tissue areas, and the overall crowned shape is meant to allow the rider to push back into the saddle for “a powerful and aerodynamic riding position.”

Comfort features

The saddle’s upper is a combination of Cadex’s high-elasticity “Particle Flow” padding, as seen on the Boost, and a lightweight, reactive foam. Together, these features are meant to distribute the rider’s weight evenly across a broad area while dampening the road’s vibrations.

The base’s integrated rails are attached to the upper in a position away from the rider’s sit bones to further dampen the ride and alleviate pressure points.

Featherweight

Built on a composite base with integrated carbon rails, the Amp is a true featherweight, weighing 131 grams on my kitchen scale — 2 grams above its claimed weight. 

The Cadex Amp in numbers:

Weight: 129g - claimed. Actual weight was 131 grams on my kitchen scale

Length: 245mm

Width: 145mm

Stack Height: 44mm

Price: $350

The Ride

Upon unboxing the Amp saddle, I was immediately drawn to A: its low weight and B: its clean, minimalist and classy aesthetics. No, one doesn’t choose a saddle for its looks but something about the Amp’s shape, the raw carbon and beautiful craftsmanship simply felt familiar.

But I was skeptical as well. In bygone times “unisex” wasn’t always so, well, inclusive, and sadly, I’ve never gotten on very well with short-nosed, wide-winged saddles like the Power saddle — I find that they tend to keep a rider planted in one riding position when I like to move around a bit more.

But my skepticism was quickly abated. The Amp was comfortable from the first ride onward — no break-in period required. Despite its low weight, the Amp offers heaps of comfort. The padding and shape cradle the sit bones well, and between the foam and rail placements, the rough road vibrations are kept at bay. I rode the Amp on tarmac, gravel and, even, a fair bit of singletrack. Not once did I regret my choice. 

Even after decades in the saddle, I still frequently suffer from saddle sores but the side curvature and the quick drop-off on the wings are effective in minimizing friction. I found that I tended to position myself on the wings but was free to move forward for a more aggressive position. The Amp is just 242mm in length —similar to the Power saddle— but in terms of being able to move around, it feels like a longer-nosed saddle. This is perhaps due to its long thigh section. The cutout is generous; a four-hour ride felt as comfortable as a 45-minute jaunt. For me and my sit bones, the Amp saddle simply works and may just be the most comfortable performance saddle I’ve ridden in years. It’s certainly the first “unisex” saddle that I’ve genuinely enjoyed. 

The saddle’s only downside, really, is the rails. Yes, I understand that the Amp’s composite base and integrated carbon rails allow for the minimal weight and flex and stiffness properties, but I do wonder about the durability in heavy use, especially on rough gravel roads. With a pricetag of $350 per saddle, a rail crack would be costly. 

Also, the oval shape of the rails does mean less compatibility with seat claps, and may limit the saddle’s use in endurance riding where seatpacks are desired. I’d happily take a weight penalty in exchange for a titanium, round-rail version of this saddle.

Verdict

Despite its minimal weight, the Cadex Amp offers great comfort across a variety of terrain and long and short distances alike. Truly unisex, the Amp is an excellent short-nosed performance saddle for those looking for a lightweight all-rounder — as long as your seat clamp accommodates oval, carbon rails. 

The $350 pricetag is expensive, yes, but in line with, or even cheaper than, top-end offerings from Fizik, Selle Italia or Specialized.

The Amp will be available from late August onward from www.cadex-cycling.com directly as well as its retailers across the globe.

There’s a huge array of Selle Italia Flite saddles (16 at my count), each with slightly different characteristics to meet a myriad of different price, style and riding choices.

Whilst members of the marketing cynics club may just roll their eyes at the latest ‘gravel’ branding, in the context of the pre-existing collection, the Flite Boost Gravel TI 316 Superflow is a natural addition to the range. With the Flites' shock absorbing tech and the Superflow cut out for greater comfort on the rough terrain, is this one of the best bike saddles for gravel riding?

Selle Italia Flite Boost Gravel TI 316 Superflow: construction

The Gravel Flite is designed to provide comfort and shock absorbency as well as allowing freedom of movement on and off the saddle. As all the Flites it has a flat profile and it measures 250mm long.

A padded gel layer, the interface between rails and shell, and the titanium rails themselves combine to provide a much higher level of shock absorbance than road versions of the saddle. The Flite Boost Gravel features the large Superflow cut out to reduce perineal-pressure for long periods in the drops and also on the roughest terrain.

The final feature of the Flite Gravel is the durable Fibra-Tek material. And, of course, its color. It’s available in the essential muted gravel hues of grey, brown and dusky blue. Personally I'd like to see a bog-standard black version too. 

As with many Selle Italia saddles the Flite Boost Gravel Ti 316 Superflow is available in two different widths (S3 135mm or L3 145mm) to better match different pelvic sizes.

Our L3 saddle weighed 232g, exactly as listed by Selle Italia.

Selle Italia Flite Boost Gravel TI 316 Superflow: the ride

The first noticeable thing about the Flite was its relatively firm feel; the gel padding certainly isn’t plush and there isn’t much apparent flex in the saddle. It wasn’t that this was uncomfortable, just not what I expected by the look of the Flite.

The firmness of the gel makes for good feedback that you have the saddle in the right place for your sit bones. After 20 minutes of riding and a couple of tweaks to positioning, I haven’t given the squish (or lack of) a second thought. A good reminder that there’s more to sitting comfort than a luscious first impression.  

The second part of the Flites’ comfort is the effectiveness of its shock absorbency; a combination of the gel, Ti rails and the interface between the shell and rails rather than the more obvious flex that I was expecting. Even on off-roads rides exceeding 4 hours I didn’t experience any discomfort from big bumps or the stony trail buzz. 

The pressure relief channel made an instant improvement to the comfort both on the drops and the hoods. Of course, this is as much about my previous saddle (a Fabric Scoop) as it is the Superflow channel of the Flite, but the large cut-out is definitely a huge plus point to relieve pressure from soft-tissues particularly when you’re in the drops. Unlike road-riding, this isn’t just when speeding along. I found the biggest comfort benefit was reducing the discomfort from when I was getting bucked riding in the drops on technical trails.

My MTB roots and local trails mean that I tend to move about the bike and saddle quite a bit. The short length of the Flite gave me plenty of room to do this and I didn’t have any occasions of getting hooked up on the saddle when I was off the back or over the front. On the downside, if you ride a lot of steep climbs by perching right on the nose of the saddle, you may find you can’t get as forward as you’d like on the Flite.

So far the Flite has held up well to the demands of gravel riding even in the wet and gritty British winter. I tend to wear baggie shorts which also add a fair amount of abrasion to my saddle compared to silky smooth lycra.

All in all I've been so impressed with the Flite that I've bought road and MTB versions to have a matching set across my bikes. 

Selle Italia Flite Boost Gravel TI 316 Superflow: value and conclusion

At $258.00 / £211.00 the Selle Italia Flite Boost Gravel TI 316 Superflow is a significant investment but not out of line with many other gravel specific saddles.

The Prologo Scratch M5 AGX is a chunk cheaper but doesn’t have Ti rails for shock absorbency or a carbon fibre shell and only comes in one width ($130.00 / £105.00). The Fizik Terra Argo X1 sits in-between at $199.99 / £180.00.

If you were going to get a gravel-specific saddle the Selle Italia Flite Boost Gravel TI 316 Superflow is likely to meet everything on your list of wants. It's designed for optimum shock absorbency, freedom of movement and to relieve unwanted pressure when you're in a forward position as well as coming in two different widths to better fit different bums.  

Specs

• Weight: S3 - 228 g / L3 - 232 g
• Dimensions: S3 -135 x 250 mm / L3 - 145 x 250 mm
• Rail: TI 316 Tube Ø7 mm

Historically, the general approach to bicycle saddles has been more foam = more comfort and less foam = more speed. Width was seen in much the same way: wider = slower and narrower = faster. This near-Manichean binary persisted for a long time. 

We now know that it’s not quite that simple: everybody is different and has different needs based on their unique anatomy. Germany’s Ergon Bikes has quietly been on the forefront of changing that mindset since the early 2000s, when they released their first product, an ergonomically-designed handlebar grip. Their first saddle came out in 2011, featuring a design that was based on scientific research and firmly grounded in anatomy and physiology. They have continued to innovate with ergonomically-forward designs ever since.

These days, it is common to see the best bike saddles from nearly all manufacturers offered in multiple widths and firmness levels, both for racing applications and recreational riding. 

As well, saddle materials have continued to develop, most notably with the refinement of additive manufacturing techniques. Specialized and Fizik both have a range of 3D printed saddles currently available, and they’re not the only ones doing so. Ergon’s new line of saddles doesn’t use 3D printing, but instead a closed cell foam material called Infinergy®, developed by the European multinational chemical company, BASF.

Ergon SR Allroad Core Comp - the construction

The Ergon SR Allroad Core Comp Men’s saddle sandwiches a layer of closed cell particle foam (the aforementioned Infinergy®; basically it’s a very rebound-y material) between a top layer of orthopedic foam and a nylon composite shell. This is then covered by a microfiber outer layer. The intent here is to reduce road shock and vibrations felt by the rider, particularly on rougher surfaces, i.e. gravel. 

The fit and design is based on Ergon’s other men’s saddles. It is available in two widths, S/M and M/L. The Comp model uses CroMo rails, while the other saddles in the line, the Pro and Carbon versions, save weight by replacing the nylon shell with a carbon one and using lighter rail materials.

Like other Ergon saddles, the Allroad Core has a recessed center channel, but here they’ve wisely (given its intended usage) decided to close up the hole in the shell to prevent any debris from making its way between chamois and saddle.

The Infinergy® material layer is visible on the side of the saddle—it looks like the sole of a running shoe, which makes sense since that’s one of its other usages. Infinergy® is also used in a variety of other applications: damping in tennis rackets, making treadmills quieter, sports floorings like running tracks and playgrounds, as well as puncture proof bike and wheelchair tires. It can also be recycled.

Ergon SR Allroad Core Comp - the ride

I’ve been using different models of Ergon saddles for several years now upon the recommendation of a bike fitter who encouraged me to give them a try. I find that they perform very well for me, even compared to expensive 3D printed models. Since they’re not completely flat, getting the angle and setback right can take some trial and error. 

I tend to be skeptical of suspension-type innovation in drop bar bikes (for the record, I am a fan of full-suspension mountain bikes) as it nearly always adds weight and complexity, not to mention cost. That said, if you do feel that suspension or at least comfort-enhancing means are necessary beyond optimizing your tires and pressure, then picking the simplest designs is best. Rigid seatposts with built in compliance, for example, can be very effective with little to no weight penalty.

This new Ergon saddle is in the same vein—it offers a simple alternative with a minimal weight penalty. The question is: does it work?

I had a hard time finding the answer. The shape, slightly different from Ergon’s SR series, is excellent. As for the shock-absorption, it exists, but is subtle. I first mounted it on my cyclocross bike, thinking I’d ride some bumpy stuff and see if I could feel it. I couldn’t. Fat tires at low pressure just make too big of a difference to notice the saddle’s damping characteristics.

I then switched it over to my road bike. Here, it was easier to isolate the saddle’s role in transmitting road vibration. While this is supposedly a “gravel” saddle, I think it might be better suited to skinny-tire riding. I run 30mm wide tires at 62 psi f/r on my road bike, which people seem to think is low. Despite this, I could feel a reduction in the amount of road buzz coming through the bike after switching saddles. It’s not massive though. 

If where you live tends to have bumpy, broken up pavement, the Ergon Allroad Core offers a good option for smoothing out your ride. Setting aside the impact of Infinergy®, it’s just a very comfortable saddle that should fit a lot of people well given the multiple size options.

Value

Ergon has made it easy in terms of value by offering several different price points. The Comp model starts at a quite reasonable $140 / £129.99, while the Pro model goes up to $160 / £144.99 and the Carbon version tops out at $200 / £179.99. 

I would be inclined to spend a little more to get the carbon shell and Ti rails of the Pro version versus the Comp, but the difference is indistinguishable while riding. It’s worth noting that the max weight limit of the Pro is slightly less at 100 kg vs 120 kg for the Comp. 

To my knowledge, the only other company making bicycle saddles with Infinergy® is SQLab, also based in Germany, but their saddles are considerably more expensive at $220.

At the moment, Ergon only offers this technology in its line of men’s saddles, though hopefully that will change going forward. 

To provide a comparison with a brand using 3D printed adaptive tech, Fizik's Antares Versus Evo model is offered with a range of rails, with the R3 model complete with Kium rails costing $/£259.99, while the non-adaptive R3 version retails at $149.99 / £144.99.

Specs

• Width: 139 mm (S/M) and 152 mm (M/L)
• Length: 262 mm
• Weight: 288 grams (M/L width)
• Rails: 7 x 7, round
• Price: $140
• Website: ergonbike.com

Fizik has been making some of the most popular saddles for some time. A fixture in the pro peloton, they’re also the choice of mere mortals too and have been my favoured seat for more than a dozen years.

More recently the Italian brand has been producing some of its most recognisable shapes in 'Adaptive' versions, achieved through the use of 3D printing technology that allows for varying degrees of cushioning among other things. It a technique that is likely to become more commonplace among the best bike saddles.

Naturally this technology comes at a price, so I was keen to see if a saddle made using this wizardry, in this case the Antares Versus Evo R3, was worth the additional pennies.

Fizik Antares Versus Evo R3: construction

The Antares is a tried-and-tested shape and has been present in Fizik’s range for a long while. It’s designed for road riding and sits somewhere between the longer and flatter Arione and shorter and wider Argo in the line-up.

In the adaptive guise it’s offered in two widths, 139 and 149mm. I tested the narrower width, which measures 274mm in length and has a claimed weight of 217 grams, which was backed up by my kitchen scales.

The ‘Versus Evo’ refers to the relief channel that runs the full length of the saddle. Combined with a degree of flex, it’s designed to ease pressure on your ‘soft tissue’ areas. As for the ‘R3’, that means a carbon reinforced nylon shell paired with 7x7 Kium hollow rails.

I’ve owned an Antares Versus Evo non-adaptive saddle for a couple of years now and have been impressed with the degree of comfort, both of the saddle’s shape and the relief channel, particularly over longer distances. 

But it’s the cushioning in this adaptive version that’s the headliner maker. Fizik employs what it calls its “revolutionary” Digital Light Synthesis technology. It’s a manufacturing process that uses a combination of digital ultraviolet light projection, oxygen permeable optics and programmable liquid resins to create the carbon padding that resembles black honeycomb.

This technology allows for the creation of what Fizik calls ‘zonal cushioning’. This translates to a saddle that’s softer in some areas and firmer in others, so it adapts to the individual rider's body, hence the name. It also apparently has the added benefit of far quicker production times and a material that’s easy to clean. So a win-win for both maker and rider.

Fizik Antares Versus Evo R3: the ride

The bicycle industry is wedded to change. It needs new products to replace old to keep the whole machine ticking over. Some of these changes are genuine advancements. A few might even be called revolutionary or ‘gamechangers’ in today’s parlance. But most are either subtle reworkings of existing technology or solutions to problems that never really existed.

If this makes me sound like I’m resistant to change, perhaps I am. However, I’d prefer to think that I just require some persuading. It’s happened before. I was wholly unconvinced that wider tyres on road bikes made much sense. I was pretty sure disc brakes belonged, and should stay, on mountain bikes. I’m now a believer in the merits of both, and happy that my dogmatism and ignorance was challenged. 

All of which is a long-winded way of saying that I was skeptical about the need for adaptive saddles. Or rather I was unsure of why I’d choose to pay roughly twice the price of the regular Antares saddle, given that I was perfectly happy with the ‘original’. 

And then I sat on it.

I’m loath to refer to the adaptive version as ‘instantly comfortable’ as it sounds a little ridiculous. Can anything, a pair of trousers, an armchair, or indeed a bike saddle, be immediately comfortable? Most objects designed to be so require a little wearing in, while irritations often remain undisclosed until later. But here I was, less than a mile into my first outing, feeling entirely at home. 

Some of this was undoubtedly down to my familiarity with the Antares shape. But the adaptive cushioning was more comfortable, and this comfort was apparent from the get go. As first impressions go, it was quite something.

Fortunately, they also turned out to be lasting. The Fizik Antares Versus Evo adaptive saddle has remained a pleasure to sit on. On each and every ride it’s provided just the right balance of comfort and support, neither too spongy nor too firm. As anticipated the pressure channel performs just as well as it does on my other Antares saddles. I've even tried the saddle on my gravel bike and found that it's adaptive qualities extend to rougher terrain as well.

The claims of an easy to clean saddle have also proved true. I’ve yet to get it truly mucky, but dirt has been removed with a quick spray of water. Here the holes in the design proves to be a positive. 

Finding the right saddle is a holy grail of sorts. After all it’s central to your position and comfort on the bike, and once found its best left in situ, with tinkering reserved for other components. But in this case I’m pleased I made the change, and happy to have been proved wrong once again.

Fizik Antares Versus Evo R3: Value

At $259.99 / £259.99 the Antares Adaptive saddle doesn’t come cheap. That said the R3 the most affordable in Fizik’s line up, with the R1 and R0 retailing at $299.99 / £299.99 and $399.99 / £399.99 respectively. For comparison the regular Antares R3 has a price tag of $149.99 / £144.99.

Specs

• Width: 139 mm
• Length: 274 mm
• Weight: 217 g
• Rail: 7x7 mm

Specialized might be best known for its bikes but the Californian brand also has a strong presence in pretty much all of the main product lines you could think of. There's Specialized bib shorts and clothing, multi-tools, tyres, shoes and helmets – plus much else besides.

But most relevant for us today is the brand's saddle division – an area which, since the launch of the iconic 'Power' saddle, it's fair to say Specialized ranks amongst the market leaders for the best bike saddles.

Specialized S-Works Romin Evo with Mirror: construction

The saddle uses pretty much the same foundation as the S-Works Romin Evo saddle, which doesn't include the mirror technology – the same oversized carbon rails and carbon base are there underneath. 

The shape of the Romin Evo is long-nosed, suited to riders who like to move around on the bike, sitting on the nose during efforts and placing their weight back on the climbs. 

It’s when you get to the top of the saddle that everything becomes very different. Here we have the varying density 'Mirror' struts and nodes that create different stiffness areas depending on the amount of support or pliability required. In total there are 22,200 struts and 10,700 nodes. 

The saddle also includes screw holes for attaching SWAT compatible storage solutions which Specialized offer.

Specialized S-Works Romin Evo with Mirror: the ride

Fitting was easy, as I’ve been using the regular Specialized Romin saddle on every road bike I’ve ridden since about 2015. I went for the 143mm version, the same as what I’ve been riding, and it came in at 192g compared to the claimed 190g – not a significant difference. 

Straight away, the saddle was noticeably different to the regular alloy railed and non-S-Works carbon versions of this saddle that I’m used to riding. The biggest difference between this saddle with Mirror and the regular Romin is that rather than feeling like you are sitting on the saddle, you feel like you are sitting in the saddle. 

It’s quite a different sensation, but one I got used to very quickly, and I really enjoyed the experience of feeling more planted and 'at one' with the bike. Cornering, efforts, and just cruising felt more connected and comfortable. 

There are several benefits of this. First, the saddle itself feels a lot gripper, so during high intensity efforts there is no sensation of moving around on the saddle. Another one is that when you start pushing harder and engaging the glutes more, sometimes the non-Mirror Romin saddles would result in more pressure on my glutes – but the Mirror tech seems adapt to accommodate the changing shape of your seating area due to glute engagement. 

Finally, the big one, this saddle is supremely comfortable! Quite often when riding, especially on Herefordshire roads/pothole dodging competition tracks, I find that I need to get out of the saddle to give myself some relief from pressure on the sit bones. 

With this model, so far I haven’t felt the need to get out of the saddle for comfort reasons at all. Potholes and bad road surfaces also feel buffered as the saddle absorbs a lot of the vibrations. The different density of the Mirror padding also means that the pressure feels a lot more evenly distributed across the seating area. Sometimes on the regular Romin, I find that my sit bones start to get a build-up of fatigue. 

I was worried about keeping the saddle clean, but so far I have found that hosing into the saddle directly gets any filth or dirt out of there without issue. An Ass Saver or one of the best bike fenders / mudguards will also eliminate the chance or dirt getting into the padding.

I will say that, as I know the Romin Evo shape and platform already works for me, this will have played a large part in me finding this saddle so comfortable. As with anything that is contact point related, choosing a bike saddle that's right for you can be tricky, as a lot of it depends on what fits you. 

Different widths are available for different sizes, and the way that this saddle distributes pressure makes it more accommodating for different shaped rears than other saddles I’ve tried. Also, if you go into a Specialized dealer, they will be able to measure your sitbones to ensure you select a saddle that will offer enough support.

Specialized S-Works Romin Evo with Mirror: value and conclusion

There’s no other way around it, this saddle is expensive! The regular S-Works Romin is $325 / £225 compared to the Mirror's $450 / £390 - the regular S-Works Romin is also a touch lighter. Fizik is another big saddle manufacturer doing 3D printed saddles and they are on average slightly lighter and more affordable.

Both the Fizik R1 Argo and the Antares Adaptive saddles come in at $299 / £299, but the top of the range 00 Adaptive saddles are a rather pricier at $399 / £399 and 40g lighter. However, personally for me, I’ve never gotten on with the Antares or Argo, so a 3D printed Romin is ideal for me.

What this comes down to is essentially asking what you value and how much you value it. 

Is this saddle insanely expensive? Yes. Is it the most comfortable saddle I’ve used, regardless of the shorts I’m wearing? Yes. Is long term comfort worth a hefty price and will this be better for you than a non-Mirror Romin Evo? I can’t say. 

For me, I have been contemplating this saddle since it was released, as during periods of when I've been putting in lots of longer rides I would end up getting pressure point saddle sores when using the Romin Evo. I can already feel this Mirror version is a lot more comfortable – and given that saddle sores have affected my training and racing as a result – I’d argue it’s worth the price, personally. 

Contact points are worth investing in. Given the cost of bike fits, well-padded shorts, custom insoles, and other fit/comfort aspects where contact points are concerned, this saddle may well be worth the money. Not only is it comfortable, but it also feels more planted for seated efforts and doesn’t transmit road vibrations. Both of these offer tangible performance gains, especially as a ride or race goes on and fatigue builds.

I would say that if the Specialized Romin Evo saddle platform works for you, you ride a lot, and you value comfort, then this is the perfect bike saddle and you will be happy with it. If the shape of saddle isn’t for you, then it is worth considering other options.

Alternatively, if the price is too much, there is the option of waiting for a non S-Works Romin Evo Mirror to come out, as has happened with the Power Pro Mirror saddle. It will be heavier, maybe a little less comfy due to lack of carbon elements, but likely around $100 / £100 cheaper. If you’re willing to wait.

The BiSaddle EXT Stealth is one of a range of pre-built saddles that the US brand offers, but you can equally build your own from its website. 

There’s no entry-level or top-spec model as such - just different lengths and pad shapes. 

The EXT Stealth is 243mm in length - which is comparable to a 'stubby' saddle (a full length saddle is around 275mm). It is, according to BiSaddle, “preferred by road, e-bike and time trial cyclists." The even shorter 198mm SRT is for “tri, gravel, mtb and XC.” 

There’s also a non-cutout version of the EXT which has the same dimensions as the EXT Stealth.

Describing the EXT Stealth, Bisaddle says: “The EXT Stealth has a center cutout … for those cyclists who want extra perineal relief, but still want the ability to ride on the nose. The nose width ranges from 45mm to 70mm. The rear width ranges from 120mm to 165mm. (Width may be limited when the front or rear are adjusted to a wide position.)  Helps relieve genital numbness, saddle sores, and sit bone pressure.”

I found the flex in the shell and substantial padding a little excessive for the road; the saddle was very well suited to time trialling, but the weight and aesthetic prevented me from fitting the perch to my race bike. 

BiSaddle EXT Stealth: construction

All the BiSaddle models use the same construction. There’s a base to which the rails are attached, with the two halves of the saddle pad sections bolting to the top of the base. The front and rear of the saddle both slide inwards and outwards on curved slots so that you choose between a ISM-style two-pronged TT saddle or a more regular shaped road saddle with a narrower nose and a wider rear - or anywhere in between.

I should say at this point that although this range of adjustment was enough for my sitbones, a female colleague who tried the BiSaddle EXT Stealth before me found that it couldn't extend to the 168mm that her sitbones required. This was disappointing as brands such as Specialized - a brand which makes unisex as opposed to women's specific saddles - go this wide as standard.

So even though BiSaddle promises its saddles are "for all cyclists including men, women and road, tri, mtb," it's still worth checking your sitbone measurements against what's on offer. BiSaddle does have other platforms, which can go wider at the rear; if you like the concept it's worth browsing to ensure you choose the right saddle for you.

Since the two sides adjust independently, you could theoretically get an absolutely precise fit if your sitbones aren’t 100 percent symmetrical or you don’t sit 100 percent straight on your saddle due to a leg length discrepancy or back issue, for example.

There are even more adjustability options in the box: the saddle comes with two wedges that can make the saddle flatter or more rounded. These add weight and stack height and BiSaddle recommends only using these if you can’t get comfortable with the no-wedge setup.

It all sounds fiendishly complicated and a massive faff, but it actually isn’t at all. The instructions are very clear and understandable and the quick-start guide is printed on the inside of the box so you don’t have to flick through a thick booklet with everything repeated in multiple languages except the instructions themselves.

If you’re starting from scratch, Bisaddle supplies a piece of corrugated cardboard that you sit on in order to find your sitbone measurements, plus a complimentary Crayola crayon that you use to create a rubbing on the cardboard once you have the imprint of your sitbones, making measurement more accurate.

Overall I was impressed not only with the idea of the adjustable saddle but also with the execution of it.

Setting up is easy too. Bisaddle supplies a short Allen key that easily reaches under the rails to make adjustments to the four bolts.

There are small strips of sandpaper stuck to the sliding surfaces so that once you’ve got the position right and tightened the bolts - or even if you’ve only semi tightened them to check - there’s no chance of movement.

The ride

Full disclosure - I am a big fan of the ISM PN 3.0, gave it full marks when I reviewed it three years ago and it's still my favourite TT saddle. I rather cheesily proclaimed it was "love at first sit." For time trialling it was a revelation for me. I didn’t particularly suffer from numbness or pain but sitting on the nose of a regular saddle is enough to induce both after a while, and the ISM two-pronged nose solves that at a stroke.

However, although I haven’t changed my mind about the ISM I have since noticed certain things about it I would change, and one of those is that I would like the nose prongs to be slightly closer together, perhaps tapering more towards the front. I’ve found a wide nose can chafe if you sit back in the saddle on a climb. To get around this, some riders have squeezed the prongs closer together and zip-tied the rails to reduce the width.

With the BiSaddle I was able to get the nose width and taper I wanted while keeping the perineum-friendly pronged nose.

I fitted it to my Wattbike Atom and tested this with a Zwift session that has five minute ramps on the tri-bars and upright high-cadence sprints in between and found I could tweak it so it was functioning exactly between the ISM shape and a more regular road saddle.

The level of padding is very similar to that of the ISM - which I personally find too much for road riding. I know there are some riders who like to ride ISMs on their road bikes but I'm not one of them, but it's perfect for an on-the-nose TT position.

Additionally, the prongs flex so that if you do change position slightly there's a bit of 'give' rather than guaranteed chafing, but at the same time I found them supportive enough when in the TT position.

Like the nose prongs, the shell of the standard nylon 'Flex Frame' (the clue is in the name) is very flexible and can rock from side to side on the rails under load. I asked BiSaddle about this and they said: "The frame is made from a high performing Nylon with flexible polymers. This allows the frame to flex with body movement and absorb road vibrations. We have found that most cyclists prefer some flexing in their saddle."

If you're more accustomed to a stiffer shell - as employed by most performance saddles - you can feel as if you're losing a little pedalling stability as well as a bit of ride feel, as I did. This isn't so noticeable when using it as a TT saddle and sitting further forward.

BiSaddle says the 'Carbon Fiber Solid Frame' option is stiffer for those who don't want the flex in the shell: "The carbon frame provides a lighter weight and a rigid ride for those who do not want any flex in their saddle (no rocking). The BiSaddle surfaces are interchangeable between the flex frame and the carbon frame."

However, speccing the carbon frame bumps up the price to $349.

I've stopped short of using the BiSaddle EXT Stealth for my actual time trialling because although I’m no weight weenie those extra grams would prey on my mind, even if in reality it wouldn't make much difference until I was going up a very steep hill; 400g for me is just a bit too much for a race bike saddle.

On the other hand, being comfortable could save more time than being lightweight.

Additionally, and this is also down to personal preference, the multiple bolts, empty holes (where the wedges attach) and patches of sandpaper don't work aesthetically for my TT bike, which I like to keep looking as sleek and minimal as possible.

As I see it the BiSaddle could work well as a jig that bike fitters could use to find the right saddle for a client. Just as frame jigs are commonly used to find a rider’s geometry, why not a saddle jig? Based on a template obtained from the BiSaddle, the fitter could go on to recommend a non-adjustable, lighter, more performance orientated and more attractive-looking saddle for the client. If such a saddle didn’t exist, then using the BiSaddle itself would still be an option.

It's also great for indoor riding where weight and aesthetics are not an issue - and it's still fitted to my Wattbike.

Value

In its basic build the BiSaddle EXT Stealth looks like reasonable value for what it is. The $249.98 is directly comparable to the ISM PN 3.0. However, the titanium-railed TI Flex frame - which ours has - puts it up to $299 and it’s still 400g.

Having said that, the BiSaddle, being the world’s only adjustable saddle, doesn’t have any direct competitors and there are certainly many non-adjustable saddles that are much more expensive.

The BiSaddle’s value ultimately has to be defined by how valuable it is to the user. If you struggle to find a saddle that’s comfortable for you, and the BiSaddle is the solution, then it will be invaluable. 

BiSaddle's prices are in USD and buying is done via its website but it ships overseas. The brand is currently working to get a distributor in the UK, and it does have a distributor in the Netherlands and Italy.

The company offers a 90-day money back guarantee - a full refund if you can't get comfortable on your BiSaddle.

If you want to find out more about choosing the right saddle for you, click the link for our guide.

Shimano's house brand PRO has launched a new curved version of its Stealth saddle, which is says is designed for riders who shift from left to right when they pedal. It has also redesigned the first generation of the PRO Stealth, which was one of the first 'shorty' saddles - with its short length and a wide nose - to find favour with road riders as well as time triallists due to the comfortable aero position it enabled; a tilt from the pelvis into a deep, pursuit-style position.

We were big fans of the original - you can read our review here.

The new PRO Stealth Curved, which comes in Team and Performance versions, brings a new shape to the range with a curved profile, extended sides and a weaved side profile to ensure that riders have more of a fixed position and do not shift around.

The PRO Stealth Curved has a slightly narrower nose than the original Stealth, and according to Shimano it also offers a broad and hollow anatomic recess area with a triple carbon-reinforced bridge structure to relieve pressure in the perineal region.

Mark Kikkert, PRO Product Development team manager said in Shimano's press release: “In our pressure mapping studies with bikefitting.com we saw a lot of professional and competitive riders who have a tendency to shift from left to right as they pedal. Whilst this is a fairly natural movement for some, it can also be less efficient for others. Our Griffon saddle is designed to compensate for that but we also wanted that stability from a saddle that offers a more aerodynamic position. 

“The curved profile gives riders more of a supported cradle to prevent excess side to side movement. The short nose of the Stealth saddles provides riders with increased comfort and fewer pressure points in a deep aerodynamic position.”

The PRO Stealth Curved Performance shares the flagship Team’s carbon-reinforced polymer base but has stainless-steel rails instead of carbon. This makes the Performance 43g heavier than the 161g Team but Shimano says the former has a more robust build quality.

Both the PRO Stealth Curved Team and Stealth Curved Performance come in 142mm and 152 mm widths, both of which feature the wide, stubby nose and a broad anatomic fit recess with the signature triple bridge design.

The PRO Stealth Curved Team will cost £179.99 while the Performance version will retail at £129.99, with both available from July.

Saddle choice is of course always a very personal thing, but we found the original PRO Stealth worked well for both men and women. We said: "It's a very good starting point for anyone looking for a bike seat which will reduce pressure and compression in an aggressive position."

If you want to read more saddle reviews, check out our guide to bike saddles, which includes our review of the original PRO Stealth.

Fizik proudly proclaims that the Luce saddle has been "specifically designed for women", something I find a little odd as it seems like an obvious prerequisite for a women's saddle.

The Luce was however designed following "extensive research" by Fizik, as it sought to create a comfortable but high-performance line of women's saddles. Whilst comfort in this area is very personal, I would suggest this is a model suited to a more upright endurance position rather than an aggressive racing stance.

Fizik Luce S-Alloy women's saddle: construction

The Luce is available featuring carbon or aluminum rails, the latter being the model on test, retailing at the more wallet friendly £89.99 vs £164.99 if you opt for carbon.

In order to create it, Fizik says it carried out research over the course of three years. This included focus groups and surveying via an online blog. I visited the Fizik factory at the launch of the saddle, back in 2016.

The brand was candid about the fact that it had decided to exclude professional women from this research, with the needs of amateur women the focus in this case.

Having collected experiences and data, the brand concluded that it should create a narrow shape at the nose to reduce friction at the thighs, with a wider sitting area at the rear. IschialFlex 'wings' made from a thermoplastic elastomer feature under the sit bones, and are deigned to flex with movement.

A central relief channel has been included, which the brand says has a "unique shape that provides a perfect profile for female cyclists and maintains structural stability over time", meaning it shouldn't cave in and create pressure points over long-term use.

The saddle comes in two widths: 144mm and 155mm.

Fizik Luce S-Alloy women's saddle: the ride

Fizik's Luce saddle was initially released in grey, with orange or pink lines adding a splash of colour. It now comes in black, and I would say that this represents a vast improvement. The saddle looks smart on any bike, and the gentle curve at the rear alongside the Fizik logo is a nice touch.

The rear of the saddle, with its IschialFlex wings, bends easily under pressure from my hands, suggesting high levels of comfort to come. The fabric cover feels soft, plush and relatively resilient. The narrow nose is a plus for me, I've worn abrasion marks into plenty of pairs of leg warmers as my thighs move against the saddle so I'm pleased Fizik has noted and addressed this.

Saddle comfort is a very personal thing, but I can only report my own experience, which is that out on the bike the narrow cutout does not provide enough space for me, creating a chafing when leaning into a more aggressive position.

I tested this saddle when riding the Basso Diamante I built up over summer. This is a bike known for its long reach and short stack, so it does put a rider into a more forward rotated position. I did try sitting back on the saddle a few times, resting my hands on the top of the bars as opposed to the hoods. This immediately relieved the pressure, with my body weight moved more to the rear of the saddle where I could benefit from the gentle flex of the rear wings.

My experience would testify to this being a saddle more suited to riders on endurance bikes, with a shorter reach and higher stack.

I would however point out that the widths available - 144mm and 155mm - are not particularly inclusive, and this could cause issues for those putting more weight through the back of the saddle. The difference between widths for the men's and women's saddles within Fizik's range is not that great: the Antares and Aliante max out at 153mm and 154mm, despite women typically having wider bone structures in this area. Other brands such as Specialized offer a 168mm width, which will provide support for those with wider sit bones.

Fizik Luce S-Alloy women's saddle: value

At £89.99 for an aluminum railed saddle, there are cheaper alternatives out there - the Liv Alacara SL for example weighed in at 225g for £69.99. However, the Liv is particularly competitively priced. Alternatives such as the Specialized Romin Evo Comp (we reviewed the carbon railed option) retail at £95, so you're not paying over the odds with Fizik.

Liv is not a brand whose saddle reputation precedes it. The Taiwanese sister brand to Giant has an own-brand version of pretty much everything required to ride – but it's better known for its bikes. This is a shame, really, as the saddles on offer here are actually rather good.

Join any women's-only ride and saddle discomfort is guaranteed to come up as a topic of conversation several times, which is perhaps why Liv has put so much energy into offering a comfortable solution: bad saddles put a lot of women off cycling before they have a chance to get hooked, so it's in the brand's interest to create bikes adorned with good saddles.

The Alacra is available in two guises: the SL and SLR. We have the former on test, which features a carbon composite shell and stainless steel rails, as opposed to the pure carbon of the 180g (claimed) SLR.

Liv Alacra: construction

The overall shape sits somewhere between the traditional, long-nosed saddle, and the 'noseless' designs that have become popular as of late, this particular perch measures 248mm. When putting an effort in, I felt very planted – exactly as you tend to when sitting optimally on a short-nosed saddle, but when moving around for climbs and descents I found the length meant I could always find support beneath me, something I have found lacking in the more time trial focused snub-nosed offerings.

The saddle curves slightly, waving from a high rear, to a dipped middle and slanting nose. Regardless if I was riding a road bike on tarmac or gravel bike off-road, this provided a comfortable level of support as I deposited my weight into the central groove.

The shape and size of the cut-out on a saddle is always extremely pivotal in my opinion of it, and I'm happy to report that in this case Liv got it just right (for me) – I experienced no unpleasant chafing or 'falling in' which can result from a relief channel which is either too small or too large. This is very much a case of personal preference though, if it helps I also get on well with the Specialized Romin Evo and Selle Italia SLR Lady Flow.

The brand says that the padding uses "high-elastic, free-flowing particles" which "reduce pelvic pressure by more than 20 per cent by distributing pressure across a broader contact area." This claim is a little empty without knowing what sort of saddle we're comparing to, to arrive at the 20 per cent reduction. However, it seemed to do its job alongside the Rebound foam inserts, as I didn't experience any pressure, even on four-hour rides.

Atop of the padding is a microfibre upper, which looks smart. The saddle comes in black only, which is a marked improvement from some of the white/purple/black models I've seen in the past from Liv, which may have blended well with certain bikes but weren't suited to paint jobs outside of the range.

Weight and price options

The carbon composite shell and stainless steel rails are a lower end option vs the SLR, but the 225g (claimed: 220g) weight means the price is lower at £69.99. For comparison's sake, the Specialized Power Expert retails at £110 and weighs 235g in the 155mm width. You could pay more to drop 40g in the SLR model, but this will be a minor performance enhancement. I've always maintained that when it comes to saddles, the most important element is finding a perch that supports you in creating a powerful, even pedal stroke. Low weight is just nice to have, and not worth breaking the bank over for most people.

My only criticism of this saddle is the limited run of widths. The test models measures in at 155mm, and there are no other options. My own sit bones come in at 169mm, which is why I typically ride a saddle at 168mm (it's best to ride a perch wider than your sit bones, but options are limited). Whilst I didn't experience any discomfort as a result, I think more options should be present here.

“This is really actually quite good” I think to myself as I ride along, “...but I’m going to get laughed at arent I?”. It’s around 10am and I’m contemplating the embarrassment of admitting to my peers that I’m pretty convinced by the Redshift Shockstop suspension seatpost that’s now whirring away on my bike beneath me. It doesn’t actually whir, but the mechanical efficiency it represents feels like more than just a spring in a tube. 

Construction

The Shockstop seatpost is like many others, it’s available to fit almost every frame size as a 27.2mm post with additional shim, and it fastens to your saddle just as any other would.

Saddle adjustment is a very normal affair also, there’s no complex system to navigate around and instead it’s two bolts as anyone would expect - meaning swapping this in for your existing post would be easy. It’s also predominantly made of aluminium, so with that said that just about wraps this review up.

Except we can go no further without talking about the suspension system that Redshift has cunningly engineered. The collection of hinges and internal spring provides up to 35mm of vertical compliance that reacts to every bump and imperfection in road surface that may come your way.

The clever bit here is the design of the system; many other compliance seatposts feature an elastomer of sorts that does little to palpably remove buzz or a combination of moving parts that would hardly fit into a shoebox should you disassemble them. The Redshift post neatly hides its main component - it’s infinitely adjustable stiffness spring - inside the post, and leaves just a minimal hinge setup on display, and that’s not all.

The saddle angle is retained throughout the cycle of travel, this is most certainly important given the amount of vertical compliance; should the front of your saddle suddenly gain 35mm more height than the rear you’d no doubt be looking discomfort in the face.

The Ride

Testing this on my gravel bike seemed appropriate given the amount of suspension proposed, and to say I was negligent to believe that it would make a difference would be fair. Needless to say I was immediately and pleasantly surprised. It’s pretty obvious why - the seatpost works as you’d want it to, riding instantly becomes more comfortable, and you find yourself carefree picking lines through neglected road surfaces you would not have considered previously.

With that said there are some important caveats that need to be addressed. 35mm - that’s a lot in terms of saddle height and if you’re one to be rather retentive on bike fit then this may not be the product for you. The constantly adjusting saddle height is most certainly detectable while riding. I found myself actually setting my saddle height about 10mm higher than normal to account for the sag (the amount the seatpost sits below its unsprung height with my weight on it).

As a result of testing this seatpost, I’ve also realised how much I rely on the stiffness of my seatpost to feel out the amount of traction I have when climbing off-road, with the Shockstop it becomes more difficult. It’s not that the traction isn’t there, just that you’ll have to feel it through your legs a little more than before.

Here’s where it gets interesting though. I’ve been suffering from some knee pain recently from a noncycling incident, and thus have been spending a little more time seated while pedalling than I may have liked.

I'm convinced that running this seat post has meant that I’ve been able to return to the bike quicker thanks to the reduced fatigue on my legs in exchange for more saddle time and this has me thinking about the benefits for all sorts of users. New cyclists, ultra-distance cyclists (....cyclists who still insist that 100psi and 23c is fast on British roads). 

What it comes down to is comfort. The Shockstop post isn’t necessarily necessary - it’s a luxury item at its core - but that’s not to say it’s without performance benefits. Riding with this post has left me fresher post ride, allowing for more riding; or in my current situation, ability to walk upstairs afterwards.

This is CaneCreek's 4th generation Thudbuster ST (Short Travel) suspension seat post. It's been met with plenty of glowing reports, so I was keen to understand what all the fuss was about.

Suspension seat posts aren’t a new concept, but when the opportunity to test the Thudbuster came up, I couldn't help but reminisce about the days I owned an original USE Shokpost some 12 years ago, and was keen to understand how far the tech has brought us and what the advantages of running a suspension seatpost might be in the current era of wider tyres and optimized comfort geometry.

The Thudbuster ST uses a simple linkage design with a centre damping elastomer that is interchangeable depending on rider weight (but also terrain) offering 50mm of travel. The linkage allows the post to move in a more natural motion down and backwards in direct reaction to the opposing force from the rear wheel when the saling over bumps, meaning for the rider it has the effect of taking away any noticeable saddle moment, and it really works! Compared to the suspension seatposts from the start of the decade which added some comfort but felt like a yo-yo.

The seat clamp is also a breeze to use. It’s a single bolt to torque down, and will happily work with saddles that have round or oval rails. This makes initial set up and adjustment really easy. It’s worth noting that the ST G4 has zero layback so I’d suggest taking some measurements of where your saddle is positioned in relation to your handlebars if you have an existing post with positive layback.

On arrival I was pleased to see that the Thudbuster comes in mostly plastic free packaging. In the box you’ll also find soft and firm replacement elastomer inserts, alongside the medium insert that is already installed on the post. These additional inserts can be replaced quickly and fairly easily without the need for any tools. Admittedly the hardest elastomer was more difficult to install and required a little more thumb strength! They’re offered in three different diameters, although if your size isn't listed you can purchase shims that will allow it to fit. 

In Use

First off I made sure to ride the Thudbuster on a couple of different bikes I had in my stable at the time, including road, gravel and a hardtail MTB.

As a rider who’s moved away from racing and into riding for enjoyment and bikepacking trips, I’m somewhat accustomed to the expected harshness that can come from long miles on differing terrain and the additional fatigue that brings. But with the Thudbuster, there was a noticeable difference in how much more fresh I felt after a long ride on familiar routes.

The movement of the suspension itself is really subtle, but alongside the improved comfort and reduction in fatigue felt over a long ride, I also noted the acute difference when putting the power down on rough surfaces; where normally I would be out of the saddle or hovering over the saddle to reduce the impact and jarring effect on my backside and pedal stroke, I was able to stay seated meaning my cadence and power output could remain much more consistent. 

At 580g, it’s not lightweight, but then this post isn't about performance, and it’s not designed to be attracting racers and weight weenies. Yes, it’s a sacrifice to add the additional grams, however, over the course of this test I can’t say I was never left thinking it was a noticeable weight I was dragging around, so much so, that almost every ride since it arrived for test has been on the Thudbuster, and I doubt I’ll be removing it any time soon!

On a recent bike packing trip on the Southdowns, I made sure to fit the Thudbuster and was very happy I did. With a fully packed bike and very undulating terrain, even the 50mm of travel was able to absorb a lot of the harshness without any noticeable uncontrolled bobbing or bouncing around. I did note however that (and luckily this didn’t impact my Restrap tail bag set up) given the nature and location of the suspension on the Thudbuster you might find that certain seat bags aren’t compatible, so could be a drawback for those looking to add some extra comfort for their adventures.

One very minor point was that my inner thighs rubbed very slightly on the lower linkages, not enough to cause discomfort in any way, but a note for those with a little more girth in the upper thigh.

Value

At an RRP of £169.99, it’s reasonably priced compared to other suspension offerings on the market. Given the type of rider or bike this kind of post would be great for, the simple design means little to no maintenance that CaneCreek suggests, which is perfect for those who would ride it all year round and in varying conditions. The only issue I see is that some might put some off given it’s a high price for a seat post. 

Fizik's latest saddle project 'Adaptive' incorporates an innovative new construction process and is aimed at being the pathway towards creating custom, fit-to-body saddles for all.

When Fizik unveiled this incredible looking saddle in 2019 it was the culmination of a research project that took the biomechanical data of a myriad of professional and recreational cyclists and set out to map and develop the most optimised saddle to date. The results of the research identified the areas of a saddle that needed more or less padding alongside the optimal shaping. However creating the perfect saddle was no simple task and Fizik had to look outside the traditional manufacturing methods in order to create the Antares Versus Evo 00 Adaptive ; enter Carbon. Carbon is a high-tech material manufacturer that specialises in Digital Light Synthesis, a leading-edge 3D printing technology.

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Combining with Carbon and 3D printing the polymer upper has enabled Fizik to completely zone the Antares Versus Evo 00 Adaptive saddle tuning each of the areas separately for specific mechanical properties, joined together progressively and seamlessly in the same padding. In reality, the upper looks uniform in its honeycomb construction but a quick squidge test with your thumb and the differing levels of cushioning become quite noticeable.

Fizik Tempo Argo R1 saddle review

The rest of the saddle looks almost basic in comparison to the 3D printed cushioning but it is anything but. Being based on the existing Antares Versus 00 it not only follows the basic shape with a deep central channel but also features a full carbon base and full carbon oval rail (9mm oval, so check your seatpost compatibility). This no-expense-spared construction not only goes someway to justify the sky-high £369 price but also the scant 160 gram weight measured for our regular width test version.

Setting up the saddle is no different from normal and the dimensions are similar to the 'normal' Antares in the front half and rail position. The rear portion is slightly truncated and the carbon shell extends quite a bit further back than the padding.

The ride feel of the Fizik Antares Versus Evo 00 Adaptive is quite curious. It almost feels like a normal saddle in the way in which it supports your weight but you are also aware that the padding moves a little differently. It provides a little more lateral give than a normal saddle but this is no bad thing as it helps isolate the body from road shocks and fatigue inducing vibrations and feels less like you are pressurising sensitive areas. It's kind of like the modern day equivalent of the very old hammock saddles, just way more comfortable.

In terms of comfort I cannot fault the Antares Versus Evo 00 Adaptive as it certainly provides excellent support. It is also available in a wider version to suit riders with a larger skeletal structure. Of course, with it only being available in the single shape it is worth trying before investing in such a saddle.

Like most people who see the Fizik Antares Versus Evo 00 Adaptive for the first time I was sceptical in terms of the open nature of the upper, and exclaimed that it would be a dirt and muck magnet. Whilst it does enable dirt to penetrate the upper, unless you have fitted it to a gravel bike and are riding in a complete quagmire this does nothing to affect the comfort. Fizik say you can just hose dirt out and whilst this is true it is difficult to completely eliminate all contamination.

The upper has proved to be very durable during testing and has not suffered any damage. You do have to be very careful of the carbon base though as this is quite thin and it can be easy to scratch.

As a final note; despite the colour of the upper I was more than a little disappointed to find it doesn't glow in the dark!

I first caught glimpse of the S-Works Power with Mirror technology back at the 2019 UCI World Championships. Huddled in a small room with the engineers and some top 3D printing boffins it was as if I'd stumbled into a Sci-Fi film that happened to be set in Yorkshire.

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I had my first ride on my saddle that weekend and since then I've been spent a few months and thousands of kilometres perched on top of it.

California dreaming

Specialized has called on some of its Silicon Valley friends to handle the physical construction of the saddle.

Carbon is a Californian company that's well known in the liquid polymer world, making soles for Adidas' shoes (as well as Fizik's 3D printed saddle) and it would actually describe the saddle's construction as Carbon Digital Light Synthesis, with ultraviolet light used to cure liquid plastic resin into shapes.

In the context of the Specialized Power with Mirror saddle those 'shapes' are in fact a complex lattice of 14,000 struts and 7799 nodes. I'd describe the look of the saddle as 'squishy' but it's actually firmer in different parts and more supportive where your sit bones are.

The saddle does squirm when riding. That sensation was hard to pinpoint at first - I thought I'd lost some pressure from my tyres before I realised it was the saddle surface moving underneath me, which is something a foam saddle has never done.

Body Geometry is still key

In all of the Specialized products which interact with the human body, there's a term that comes up time and again: Body Geometry. The science of fit and ergonomics underpins everything the American brand does.

In recent years this has been informed by Retül Technology, a vast database of fit metrics that has allowed Specialized to pin point common measurements and help improve fit and comfort for the majority of riders.

>>> How to choose the right saddle

It was this analysis of bike fit data that led to the brand's use of Mirror technology, which also informs the shape and design of this saddle. Specialized say that this has already been proven to increase blood flow and reduce soft tissue pressure.

The Mirror tech is only available currently in one shape (although a 143mm and a 155mm width are available) and it sits somewhere between the Power and the Power Arc; the former is my go to saddle of choice. The notable differences are that the 3D printed version is longer than the traditional Power, with a shorter cut out and more flare on the sides.

I have tested both saddles in 143mm guise, and I wouldn't say the Power with Mirror saddle is as immediately comfortable as its stablemate. I found I shifted forward and backwards far more on the 3D printed version than on the standard Power model and I wouldn't say that I've ever felt the fit was 'nailed'. However, a lot of saddle fit is personal preference, and what the Power with Mirror has proven is that I prefer a slightly stubbier shape with a longer cut out.

That said, I've ridden well over 1500kms on this saddle and haven't had any major comfort complaints. I've done multiple back-to-back 100km days and haven't once winced when climbing back on the saddle the following morning, and it hasn't caused any rubbing or irritations.

The base and the rails of the saddle are made completely of carbon, and the whole saddle weighs in at 193g. I did suffer from a creaking that I pinpointed to the saddle base that no amount of torquing or re-torquing was able to shake.

I have no doubt that the manufacturing process behind the Power with Mirror saddle is expensive, and the intellectual costs that go into such a process are steep, hence why it costs £350 – incidentally the Fizik Antares Versus Evo 00 Adaptive costs £369.99. However, if I had to pick, the foam Power would still be my first choice of saddle.

The Specialized Romin Evo Pro was selected for an Editor's Choice award in 2020. This year's list contains 78 items which scored a 9 or 10/10 with our tech team - this gear is the best of the best, and has received the Cycling Weekly stamp of approval. 

Name a (women's) saddle and the likelihood is that I've tried it. Whilst I've never had major surgery requiring issues, I've also never really been able to find a perch that ticks all the boxes. The result? Constant shuffling, which I'm sure has been almost as annoying for anyone on my wheel as it has been for me. Good news: the Specialized Romin Evo appears to have put an end to my shufflebum antics.

To begin with - the Specialized Romin Evo has historically fallen within the men's saddle range. For women, there's now a MIMIC version which replaced the highly popular Oura. However, the brand makes it clear that since saddle comfort is personal, riders of either gender may find comfort aboard either option. I've tried as much as possible to review this saddle from a 'unisex' perspective, in the hope of providing comments useful for both male and female shoppers.

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The Romin Evo is a long nosed saddle, therefore bucking the short and stubby trend that has become highly fashionable in recent years. However, it's a perch you still see aboard the bikes of many pro riders on Specialized sponsored teams. Unlike noseless designs, this approach doesn't anchor the rider into one set position, allowing easy movement between the 'on the rivet' pose during efforts and a more laid back stance when spinning out the legs on those all important recovery rides.

The Romin Evo has a very slight tilt towards the nose, but is much flatter than the outgoing Oura - swapping to this from the discontinued women's model I feel much more planted in the saddle and I much prefer this shape.

>>> How to choose the right saddle for you

Running through the middle is a Body Geometry pressure relief channel, aimed at maximising blood flow. All products that carry the title 'Body Geometry' have been ergonomically designed and scientifically tested to help riders perform, injury free. With its big bucks budget - plus hundreds of thousands of Retül bike fit data points - Specialized has worked with some of the most famous names in cycling. Which is perhaps why items such as its shoes and saddles are quite so prevalent and well respected in the market.

For me personally, the cut-out is the most essential component of a saddle - it needs to be long and wide enough or I'll very quickly find myself repressing urges to chuck it into a hedge somewhere. The channel provided by the Romin Evo was perfect for me.

Very occasionally on long rides I found the edges of the cut-out a little tough, and I'd like them to graduate a tiny bit more - however I imagine that this could interfere with longevity and my awareness of the ridge was minor.

Specialized has used Level 2 padding, a medium density foam, and I found this provided plenty of relief on rides over four hours. The cover uses the brand's tough and water-resistant Micromatrix material which is seen across the range, providing a lovely, plush and top end aesthetic. On the bike, I felt the saddle looked smart and keeping it all black is absolutely a good move in my understated loving opinion.

This saddle is available in three widths: 143mm, 155m and 168mm. Riding a saddle that provides adequate support can have a chain-reaction effect throughout the whole body.  Saddle pressure mapping teamed up with Retül data has, in the past, shown that riding a perch that's too narrow causes me to shift my hips, creating a leg length and knee angle discrepancy. On the 168mm model, I know that I'm properly supported and the difference this has made to my comfort on the bike has been revolutionary.

This Romin Evo Pro model comes in at £158, weighing 214g in the 168mm width on test. It features carbon rails. There is an S-Works model (though this is only available in 143 and 155mm widths) which is lighter, whilst you can get the same shape at 'Comp' level with Cr-Mo rails for £84 with a weigh penalty of 71g in the 168mm version.

Carbon rails are a 'nice to have' and drop the weight of the product, also reportedly adding to compliance. However, in my opinion it's saddle comfort - the ability to put the power down pain free and ramp up the miles in the knowledge that saddle sores are far away - that plays the biggest role in optimising performance. The Evo Pro model at £158 stands up well against competition and represents great value for money, but I wouldn't think twice about fitting the £85 Comp version either.

Of course, saddle comfort is personal - what suits one rider could be the equal to a bed of nails for another. However, if you're like me - a little bit hypermobile, like the option of moving around on the saddle and appreciate a good sized cut-out - I'd say this is a good model to try. My only criticism is that, being marketed for so long as a 'men's saddle', it took me years of trial and error before discovering this level of saddle Utopia.

The Supacaz Ti Ignite saddle was selected for an Editor's Choice award in 2020. This year's list contains 78 items which scored a 9 or 10/10 with our tech team - this gear is the best of the best, and has received the Cycling Weekly stamp of approval. 

When a company is founded because the owner is fed up of dull and boring cycling kit then you kind of have a good idea what to expect and this is definitely the case with Supacaz.

If you've heard of the brand, you might also know that it supplies quite a few World Tour teams with its products, predominantly with some of the best handlebar tapes. Supacaz is most definitely a brand to aim for if you want your bike to stand out from the crowd; which is why I jumped at the chance to test the Supacaz Ti Ignite saddle.

Okay, we'll come onto the looks of the saddle shortly but first let's look at the tech. The Ignite is Supacaz's take on the modern short and stubby saddle. It's not as truncated as other 'short' saddles and still has a fairly classic shape and proportions. There's a pronounced kick up towards the rear of the saddle and the side 'wings' wrap low around the body.

This model also has a pressure alleviating channel and large cut out. Supacaz claim the Ti Ignite is a unisex saddle and it is also available in 143mm and 155mm widths for added fit options. Finally as the name suggests the Ti Ignite has hollow titanium rails, a feature that reduces weight but should add a bit of welcome flex.

This perch has more padding than most race saddles and the thumb test reveals plenty of squidge but with a good level of support; I can attest to its effectiveness after completing plenty of hard miles on it so far.

Supacaz calls its foam padding Kush and I would concur with this name. The support is just about right for endurance riding and it doesn't suffer from foam compression as much as other equally soft saddles I have tried. It also remains comfortable when riding 'on the rivet' thanks to an equally well padded nose section.

The seamless and featureless PU top layer also has a hand in this comfort. Even though I was concerned that the slick surface would be slippery in wet conditions it has held me firmly in place without a squeak.

The only downside to all this comfort is the Ti Ignite isn't the lightest saddle on the market at 250 grams for the 143mm version on test.

How to choose the right saddle for you

Finally: appearance. This is the Oil Slick version and it features an iridescent top layer patterned with Supacaz's logo and colour flip round profile titanium rails. There are another twelve colour schemes to choose from, most of which feature bright or day-glo colours. The most understated option is a silver and black version but even that is unmissable in itsmetallic tones. If you want plain black look elsewhere.

The Oil Slick version is also a little more expensive at £160 rather than £148 for other colours.

Supacaz is quite a rare brand on these shores, especially with regards to its saddles. Fret not though, there are plenty of stockists that should be able to get you one if, like me, you love the looks and the comfort.

The 'beyond gender' message that Specialized delivered when it discontinued its women's bike models has seen a continuation, of sorts, into the saddle collection.

>>> Best women's bike saddles

The brand has chosen to put an end to production of some of its popular women's saddle shapes, replacing them with the men's - now unisex - versions. There is however a subtle difference - the new models with a female focus come with 'Mimic' tech.

Mimic is short for ‘Biomimicry’, and represents a design ethos centred around twinning with ‘biological entities’ - in this case, female soft tissue. The Mimic was first introduced to the Women's Power saddle, and received mixed reviews.

The new Romin Evo Mimic women's saddle is available in three widths - 143, 155 and 168mm. I tested the widest option, and the 'Pro' carbon rail creation comes in at £158.

Like the now discontinued Oura it replaces, the Romin Evo is a long nosed saddle, designed for riders who like to move around between efforts, balancing on the nose when pushing the pedals hard and shifting back a bit for more relaxed moments. It's a perch we see regularly on bikes belonging to riders on the brand's UCI pro sponsored teams.

The two saddles are alike in many ways. One of the notable differences is that the Oura featured a greater curve, with a downward swoop towards the tip of the saddle. Having used the Oura for over a year, I was quite a fan of the overall package - but this slight downward tilt was always its greatest flaw for me, and I frequently struggled to get the set up just right.

The Romin Evo is flatter - and personally I found that to be a huge advantage.

The rear of the saddle is wide, again receiving a big thumbs up; with sit bones measuring in at 169mm it's not always easy to find a high end perch that's truly suited.

However, the biggest deciding factor in any saddle for me is the cut out - and Specialized has removed this, replacing it with Mimic. This method has been well received among women who find they "fall into" a cut out, and I'll cheer for the technology alongside them because discomfort as a result of this (colloquial term: #flapmash) can become pretty serious, with some riders resorting to labiaplasty surgery.

This has never been a problem for me. Instead, my nemesis is a saddle with a firm centre. The Mimic tech does offer a great deal of relief - the centre is recessed and padded, so I wasn't in pain and I wouldn't have any qualms over using it again for shorter rides, but I did experience more pressure than I would when riding with empty air in the centre of the saddle.

>>> How to choose the right saddle for you

The perfect saddle for you really is dependant on your downstairs floorplan. Whilst I love the shape of the Romin Evo, Mimic tech - despite being revolutionary for many female riders - is not for me.

Anyone who has bought a Giant bike will be well aware that the brand already makes components, including wheels, tyres and saddles. So where does Cadex sit? Well, Cadex is Giant's new performance range of components, design to furnish the CCC team, and now us lucky consumers, with performance products.

Cadex represents the cutting edge of Giant's component know-how and that shows itself in the Cadex Boost saddle in many ways. For starters, it features an integrated rail design and a carbon composite frame and this two-piece frame is designed to be stiffer than a standard saddle build.

In its design, the Cadex Boost is on trend: stubby and featuring a cutout. There's also a slight upward curve on the rear of the saddle. It's quite noticeable when you compare it to a saddle like the Specialized Power, which is my preferred seat, and it took me some time to find the right position.

I found that upward tick that the Cadex Boost has locks you in place in a low, racing position. It almost pushes you forward on to the nose, the area which allows you to generate maximum power. It's also an area that can generate maximum pressure but the saddle's extended cutaway did a good job of relieving this.

Watch: February's Tech of the month

Still, it wouldn't be my first choice of seat for extended rides, not unless you're flexible enough to hold a low, attacking position. It's not that comfortable to sit upright on, and after a few rides outside, I swapped it onto my turbo bike instead, a bike where I do ride aggressively, albeit for no more than an hour at a time.

At 149mm, it's wider than my usual preferred width of 143mm, although I didn't notice much difference. The padding is designed to be firm but it's not uncomfortable - any discomfort you're likely to feel is going to be from the aggressive position it forces you into.

At 138g it's a featherweight on the scales, with its weight being drastically cut down thanks to the carbon composite rail and two-piece design.

With a price tag of £249.99, this perch is more expensive than the S-Works Power. If I were to invest in a top end saddle, the latter would be my preference - but of course, seats are very personal and those who want to be locked into this attacking stance might find the Cadex's provision spot on.

The Fizik Antares R3 was selected for an Editor's Choice award in 2020. This year's list contains 78 items which scored a 9 or 10/10 with our tech team - this gear is the best of the best, and has received the Cycling Weekly stamp of approval. 

When Fizik unveiled the first 3D printed saddle at Eurobike last year, the collaboration between Fizik and Silicon Valley-based digital manufacturing company, Carbon, understandably made cycling headlines.

But what was interesting that behind all the flashy technology, Fizik had chosen the Antares saddle to be the first for this futuristic technological partnership demonstrating that the range, despite being around for over 12 years now, still gets a lot of love.

Position in range

In terms of saddle pecking order, the Antares Versus Evo 00 Adaptive with its 3D printing technology (once it's actually available to buy) will be somewhat higher than that of the Antares R3 we have on test, which following the Fizik naming convention sits at the other end of the spectrum, the R indicating Road, and the number the position in range.

There are also fit options in the Antares range, with the Versus coming with a pressure-relieving central channel, and Open going one step further with a pressure-relieving central cut-out. The Antares R3 is more traditional in its make-up, in that it's a standard common-or-garden saddle with simply the positioning of padding doing all the relieving work.

Technically the Antares R3 falls in the men's side of the Fizik saddle range, and is available in two widths, 142mm and 152mm. I was testing the larger of the two, and even though I'm a lady, still found it perfectly comfortable on top of the BMC Alpenchallenge AMP Road e-bike.

Spine concept fit

The key to this Fizik Antares R3 saddle working so well for me is that clearly I 'fit' its 'fit' - which in this case means I'm what the brand calls a 'Chameleon'.

There seems to be less promotion of Fizik's spine fit concepts these days, with the least flexible of riders being named a Bull, most flexible Snakes and if you're somewhere in the middle, a Chameleon.

While the Fizik website saddle finder app doesn't seem to make animalistic references these days, those of you who have been around for a while will remember the animal pose adverts. The concept still very much holds value and makes it easier to filter down saddle choices, helping to lead you through the minefield of saddles to narrow down the best for you, so it's certainly worth giving it a whirl before committing headlong into a purchase after reading this review.

Back to the saddle in question.

The wide and slightly curved shape of the Antares saddle is a constant throughout the range, with just the construction materials changing. So even though you might consider your riding more sporting enthusiasts and less professional, you will in fact still find common ground with, according to the Fizik website, riders such as Chris Froome and Egan Bernal of Team Ineos.

Vital statistics wise, the Antares saddle is 275mm by either 142mm (regular) or 152mm (large). It's one of the longest saddles on the market, with the nearest comparable probably being around the Selle Italia X-LR Ti 316S in a size large, but even that is a good seven millimetres shorter and over 10mm narrower.

Lightweight and comfortable

The Antares R3 uses a composite glass co-injected Nylon shell which comes with the much revered Wing Flex system at the side. It gives a slight amount of flex to the sides of the saddle, not enough to concisely notice when riding, but combined with the Microtex thigh glides, means it's a constant comfort factor, especially on long rides.

The alloy Kium rails help keep the saddle to a lightweight 205g (for a size large). It's impressive for a saddle this price with similar weight saddles costing around £35 more, such as the Scion Elan Power Ergo Saddle or cheaper saddles weighing significantly more, such as the Specialized Oura Expert Gel Women's saddle which is £100, but weighs 277g.

The whole package works very well. The riding that I did on the aformentioned BMC was a real mix bag of terrain surface-wise, both paved and unpaved, and there wasn't one point where I questioned the Antares R3's comfort factor, with the sweetspot of padding versus freedom of movement. Add to this the low weight and price point means it's a great saddle, assuming you are a Chameleon and the fit works for you.

The Specialized Oura is a saddle that's favoured by riders who like to have space to move around on the bike. If you find yourself perching on the end during flat-out efforts then rolling backwards when relaxing - and want a perch to suit both needs - it's a good call.

The goal is to offer optimal power transfer sought by racers - allowing them to smash out the watts both on the flat and on an incline.

>>> Best women's saddles

Ease and comfort of movement is made possible by the use of a narrow nose, ticker gel inserts at the rear, and curved profile - with upward contours at the rear, a slight dip in the centre before a light wave and downward swoop at the nose.

At the centre, Specialized has provided a Body Geometry cut-out that's ergonomically designed to relive pressure. Being a slightly hypermobile time triallist turned road racer, I tend to rotate forwards, and if the cut-out isn't right I'll know all about it - but I've had no issues having used this perch for over a year's worth of training and competition. Saddle compatibility is quite personal - but if it's helpful, I've also got on well with ISM split nose designs, the Sella Italia SLR Flow and Pro Stealth.

At the back, lightweight padding sits in a butterfly shape. There's three width choices - 143mm, 155mm and 168mm. I opted for the latter following a very informative bike fit with former British Cycling physio, Phil Burt (philburtinnovation.co.uk).

>>> How to choose the right saddle for you

Since I typically rotate forwards, I had never taken saddle width very seriously. However, the Specialized measurement tool showed my sit bones at 169mm wide.

A pressure map of my former choice (152mm Pro Stealth, left), vs a 168mm Oura (right) showed that on a wider saddle my pelvis stayed straighter, reducing the tilt which has sent me to my friendly Osteopath on many occasions and evening up my knee angle from 38/44º to a healthier 34/38º.

So far, so good. Unfortunately - whilst I've used the Oura for over a year, and it's clearly up there on my list, it's not been perfect in every way (I'm still searching for that saddle soulmate).  The Oura's sloping nose tends to push me further down the saddle than I'd like, which means at times I've set it up in a position that looks almost like a slight upward tilt. I'd love to see a version of this saddle with a flatter profile, though perhaps that might skew its attributes elsewhere.

Aside from shape and comfort - at the expert level, costing £100, you're getting a stiff carbon-reinforced shell, with hollow titanium rails.

The cover is a tough and water resistant Micromatrix fabric. I'm not ashamed to say I've crashed whilst riding this saddle three times (twice not my fault at all, once completely my fault) - and it's still in great condition aside from a very small tear at the rear.

My 168mm model tipped the scales at 277g - the narrower 143mm has a claimed weight of 236g and the 155mm of 265g. This isn't particularly lightweight - a Selle Italia SLR Lady Flow Saddle comes 185g for £117.99 and the Pro Stealth with alloy rails weighs in at 210g for £129.99. However, in my opinion comfort and efficient power transfer are worth much more to a rider than saving a few grams - so if this shape works for you, then it's worth investing!

Scicon's Elan Power Ergo Saddle is the brand's first foray into the seating category. Launched soon after its X-Over bib shorts, the duo sees the Italians usually associated with travel bags move into contact points.

>>> Best men's bike saddles

>>> Best women's bike saddles

The lateral move from suitcases for bikes to saddles might not seem intuitive, at first glance. It all makes a lot more sense when considered alongside the fact that Scicon is owned by the ASG group, which also owns ASG Bike Science - with its sports science and biomechanics team.

The Elan Power Ergo, developed alongside ASG Bike Science's experts, was originally created for road racers. However, researchers soon discovered that mountain bikers aiming to scale steep climbs were also embracing a forward leaning stance - and so it was concluded that this should be a multi-use perch.

I tested this model on both road and mountain bikes, and found it comfortable in both cases, with one caveat.

Snub nosed and gender neutral

At 248mm long, the Scicon Elan Power Ergo definitely falls into the short nose family. These saddles are particularly ideal for riders who tend to roll their hips forward and adopt an agressive position, typically staying put for most of the ride rather than moving around as the terrain changes.

On of the earliest such designs - the Specialized Power - was created around the needs of Boels-Dolmans rider, Evelyn Stevens. It turned out that the shape suited men too, and ever since there's been an influx of snub nosed perches on the market. Since most models are unisex and feature a cut-out, their sudden rise to popularity has had the accidental bonus effect of dramatically increasing the availability of carbon railed, race ready saddles suited to female riders.

In this design however, Scicon didn't want only to address the 'on the rivet' position. No cyclist is racing all the time, and Scicon wanted riders to be comfortable when they came to sit back and relax. As a result, as well as the slight downwards wave, cut out with Compression Control and grippy material on the nose to suit the racing stance, there's padding at the rear and a little flex built in.

This dual design focus suited me well. The cut-out is a little narrower than I'd like, but once I'd found the right position I felt pretty dialled in. I tend to roll forwards during hard efforts, but like to have space to move around on long rides. As a result, I've found I get on with some snub nose models (such as the Pro Stealth) but not others (the Specialized Power Mimic). The Elan Power provided a sweetspot for me which suited both short, hard rides and long easy spins.

>>> How to choose the right saddle for you

This model comes in one width: 148mm. My sit bones measure in at 169mm - so this saddle didn't really offer more a lot of support at the rear. A lot of saddle manufacturers focus on the narrower end of the scale so I'm quite used to being the anomaly, and I'm often leaning forwards on the bike rather than placing my weight on my sit bones, so the narrow width didn't cause me pain.

However, I know from a bike fit with British Cycling's former physio Phil Burt that a wider saddle offers me much more support, so I'd like to try something measuring closer to my sit bone size.

Since the initial launch, Scicon has released a women's model which measures 158mm - and though this is still narrower than ideal, could represent an improvement.

Lightweight construction

As well as honing in on ergonomics to create a saddle that's comfortable when racing and relaxing - both on and off-road - Scicon also wanted to provide a perch that would satisfy those after a competitive edge.

The shell is made from a carbon fibre reinforced polymer, whilst the rails are carbon, and treated with a non-slip coating.

All in, the saddle tipped our scales at 205g, costing £170. Whilst of course there are lighter models out there (the carbon railed Specialized Power S-Works comes in at 159g, but costs £230), the Scicon blends its weight with the comfort of added padding and a slightly more reasonable price tag when compared with other performance models on the market.

I'm not a fan of Fizik saddles, there I said it. I know this is a bold opening statement for a review of a Fizik saddle but I've never fallen in love with any of their existing models even after spending years riding and racing on them in the past. This brand new Fizik Tempo Argo R1 saddle however has achieved the impossible and made me a convert.

So what is different about the Tempo?

The Tempo is part of Fizik's new Argo range of saddles that can be identified thanks to a short-nose, squat profile that is a bit of a departure from most of Fizik's range. It has been developed as part of a wider cross-disciplinary collaboration of leading industry experts and academics carrying out research and analysis on technology, design, physiology and bike-fitting shaping. The final shape is designed to stabilise the rider, provide minimum pressure around the 'soft tissue' area of a rider's anatomy and maximise ischeal tuberosity (sit-bone) support. The Tempo version tested is actually the more heavily padded version aimed at riders wanting more comfort on longer rides. It also has a few changes in the shape over the Vento R1, most obviously the squared off nose lacking any drop.

The best saddles for 2019: a buyers guide

The R1 version combines a flexible carbon composite base with 9mm oval carbon fibre rails to not only reduce weight over the lower R3 version but also add comfort and stiffness in equal measures to the right places. Padding is slightly thicker around the ischial sit bones area to support a more upright riding posture. It's also softer and more progressive than the type Fizik use on its racing saddles, providing more long-distance comfort.

Setup is pretty straightforward but as with many short nosed saddles you will need to measure from the rails rather than the nose to position it correctly if moving from a standard style saddle. Failure to do this will place it too far forward and drastically skew your bike position. It also comes in two different widths so it's important to get the correct width for your body shape. A task your Fizik dealer can do or a rougher estimate via Fizik's online guide. The only thing I could fault is the fact the 9mm carbon rails are incompatible with some seatpost clamps. This however is the case with any carbon railed saddle regardless of brand and so not aimed specifically at the Tempo Argo.

Jump on the Tempo Argo and it can feel a little strange if you are coming from a standard length saddle in so much as it really does lock you effectively into one position. I would say if you are a serial fidgeter on a saddle you might find it a bit of a battle at first as it tries to lock you down. Luckily I have ridden my share of similar saddles such as Specialized's Power and am also a bit of a static rider so felt immediately at home on the Tempo Argo.

Buy now: Fizik Tempo Argo R1 from Probikekit for £159.99 

Within a few minutes I had found my happy place and as is the case with a truly comfortable saddle it was cast out of my mind pretty quickly. The thicker padding also does a fantastic job and makes you feel like you are sitting enveloped in a nether-region protecting bubble. To further the comfort of the saddle the shape and large cut out also contribute significantly to the armchair-like ride quality.

The range of saddles on the market is mind blowing, but it's so vital to ensure a comfortable seat, that we're always pleased to see a fresh option on the market.

Buy now: Selle San Marco Short fit Supercomfort Racing saddle from Chain Reaction Cycles from £130.49

Shorter than average

Hailing from one of the oldest saddle makers in the world, Selle San Marco, the Short fit Supercomfort Racing saddle stands out from the crowd immediately due to, as it's name sake would allude too, it's short nose. Measuring just 250mm, it's about 30mm shorter than a standard saddle. This not only saves in the saddle's weight department, but also makes the saddle idea for anyone with quite an aggressive riding position, or a time trial position.

It's not just the diddy size of the Selle San Marco Short fit Supercomfort Racing saddle that keeps the weight low, the Xsilite, a magnesium alloy, rails also assist in keeping the weight low on the scales.

>>> 10 best bike saddles 2019: a buyer's guide

The Selle San Marco Short fit Supercomfort Racing saddle nylon carbon fibre reinforced shell is topped with padding that uses a two pronged technique; Biofoam and gel inserts that provide variable thickness, in order to optimise comfort in areas of the saddle that come into contact with the pelvic bones.

The Sweet spot

When actually on the bike, sitting in a casual riding position, so on the hoods for the most part, the saddle did well at it's job of providing support and relief. I found the extensive cut out relief channel in the Selle San Marco Short fit Supercomfort Racing saddle, measuring 30mm wide, was sufficient for comfort, while still providing enough support at the edges, while the padding found the sufficient sweet spot, which can be a tricky balancing act when it comes to women's specific saddles.

Pitched at all cyclists, from sub two hour bike riders to endurance adventure riders, it's a stark reminder that it's not about what sort of cycling you participate in, it's about what sort of saddle best matches your undercarriage. For me personally, I just found the Selle San Marco Short fit Supercomfort Racing saddle too wide at the saddle wings. While my pelvic bones feel pain free, the tops of my legs are still throbbing post ride after finding themselves interfered with due to the width.

My 'sit bones' (ischial tuberosities) measure around about 100mm apart, which does make me gravitate towards a narrow fit. While this may mean only a handful of extra millimetres on paper, it made a big difference in terms of comfort on every down stroke when the back of my legs were restricted by the wider girth.

Bike saddles are a hugely subjective review category. What feels like a dream for one person might represent the culmination of all evils for another.

When the Specialized Power MIMIC saddle arrived in the office, I absolutely wanted it to be my dream saddle.

After around 20 hours pedalling away on the perch, I have tried my upmost to make our relationship a lasting one. Sadly, I've concluded that it's just not for me. However, it is a hugely well researched saddle that could well be the answer to many women's (and men's) nether region struggles.

The Specialized Power MIMIC women's saddle: the technology and testing

The original Specialized Power saddle was developed alongside Evelyn Stevens, the now-retired pro rider who was a time trialling expert at Boels-Dolmans.

Originally made to be a women's specific model, it later transpired that men were comfortable on it too. Though the new iteration has been marketed as a women's saddle the expectation is that men will continue to like it in equal measure.

Still, with saddle discomfort being a major issue for women - one that sees some seeking surgery - it was an area where the big S felt female riders needed to be the focus.

The vast majority of women's saddles come with a 'cut-out' relief channel, and typically these have been the varieties I've got on best with myself. I usually favour a wide cut-out, like the one on the Sella Italia SLR Lady Flow, the ISM option which features no material in the centre and my current favourite, the Pro Stealth.

However, for many women, the hard edge of the cut-out can present a problem, with soft tissue chafing or even being 'sucked into' the hole. To add some graphic imagery, the popularised term among women's cycling circles for this is 'flapmash'. Nice.

After studying 200 pressure maps from 23 women, Specialized decided that the traditional cut-out was not doing the job - so it looked for a way to provide space for soft tissue, without crushing it.

Enter 'Biomimicry' (or, MIMIC), a design ethos which uses materials and structures that are moulded on 'biological entities'. In place of a hole in the centre is a collection of three different foams, plus a flexible TPU in the centre to prevent swelling and numbness.

Other alterations between this and the original Power include tapered wings, to remove rubbing felt by some riders.

Once the design was complete, Specialized had nine women not involved in the earlier process try the saddle out - and they found it more comfortable than other options available.

It's available in widths of 143, 155 and 168mm at Comp (£80, 220g) and Expert (£100, 200g) level and in 143 and 155mm on the Pro (£175, 219g, carbon shell) and S-Works (£220, 170g) rungs.

I tested the Expert version, with hollow titanium rails. The key benefit of spending more is the introduction of more carbon, for added compliance, and lower weight at the very top end.

The Specialized Power Mimic women's saddle: the ride

It was with great excitement that I fitted the new Power with MIMIC to my bike.

First setting myself down, I was indeed impressed by the comfort of the soft 'MIMIC' area in the middle.

However, problems arose soon after.

The Power gives a rider a very specific area to sit on - the idea being that you can rotate into a aggressive, low down position and stay there.

My problem in the first few rides was that I simply could not find the 'perfect' position. I'd set the saddle up so that it was comfortable, but as soon as I got to an interval or went to put a dig in, I'd roll forwards and find myself balancing on the end.

In response, I'd push the saddle forwards on the rails so that I could sit there during efforts - but then I'd feel there was too much pressure going through my patella. The 'sitting space' was not large enough for me to be comfortable in a range of riding circumstances.

Not only that, the downward swoop of the nose meant I kept slipping down it, so even if I was happy with the position, I could rarely stay in it.

After around two weeks of stunted rides and a slightly munched seat post clamp, I decided to drop into the UK Specialized headquarters, to have Retul Fit expert David 'D.A.' Alexander set me up. Both of us remained fully aware that some saddles just don't suit some riders, but I was keen to give the Power the very best chance.

After pushing the saddle back a few millimetres on the rails, he turned his attentions to the constant forward-shuffle I had going in - which using Retul motion sensors showed my knee angle was constantly changing as I moved around.

To counter this, he very slightly tilted the perch on its rails, so the nose was less downward pointing. The shape of the saddle means the nose still points down, just less so in this new position.

And away I went for more testing.

The upward tilt stopped me slipping, but unfortunately after 40 minutes I found the recess was not deep or soft enough in this new position - giving way to pressure, and ultimately numbness.

As is perhaps evident, I desperately wanted to like this saddle. It looks great, and the MIMIC technology feels like it would be an excellent development, if only it was the right shape for me. On the plus side, I'd hazard a guess that we'll see more MIMIC roll out across the Spesh range in future.

Setting up your own Power saddle

The Power's design means that set up is important. Specialized suggest you measure your reach from the tip of your existing saddle, to the bars, and then add 3cm as a "starting point".

"That's a good place to start," says Alexander, adding "for the majority of riders - not everyone - there will be a bit more playing around with it. The amount of adjustment you might need to do, to fore-aft, to saddle height  and to tilt on your first few stages of the ride might be considerable because they'll all interface slightly differently with your pelvis.

"Because it's noseless, it is worth persevering with fine tuning that tilt."

"On a saddle that's quite long, has lots of padding, and is fairly generic in its overall conturing, you've got loads of places to shift around. You don't have that with a noseless saddle, so it needs to be pretty much bang on."

"Hopefully for the right person, it places them exactly where they want to be - locked in, with consistent power production straight from the saddle down to the pedals," Alexander explained.

If adjustment yields no success? No worries - Specialized doesn't do test saddles, but it does offer 30-day money back guarantees at all dealers.

"As long as you keep the header card or packaging and receipt, you can take it back to the retailer, and they'll work with you to help you find a saddle that does suit you from within our range, which is pretty comprehensive," Alexander says - stressing the importance of leaning on the expertise of local bike shops and fitters.

Selle Italia makes a huge range of saddles. To make finding the right one a bit easier it now categorises them according to their profile and fit to different rider anatomy, as determined by its idmatch bike fit system. The Selle Italia X-LR fits into the S1 category.

When I had a demo fit with idmatch, my anatomy and riding position singled me out for an S1 category saddle, so the X-LR should be a good option. Nevertheless, it’s quite a narrow saddle and not massively padded. As well as the 125mm wide S version tested, there’s a 140mm wide L variant of the Selle Italia X-LR saddle.

There’s a shallow central channel while the nose has a slight downward tilt. The overall shape of the saddle and its nose are quite similar to the Prologo Scratch 2 saddle, which I really like and which was in our Editors Choice for 2017. Many of Selle Italia’s saddles have cut-outs, some quite extreme. It’s a feature that I don’t find that comfortable, so it was good to find that it was absent from the Selle Italia X-LR saddle, although there is a shallow central pressure relief channel.

>>> Ten best bike saddles: a buyer's guide

At 178g, the Selle Italia X-LR saddle is on the light side, particularly for a model sitting on metal rails. Selle Italia puts this down to its TI 316 stainless steel, which it says results in a 15% weight decrease relative to a traditional metal rail. Another £70 buys you the carbon rail version and brings the weight down to a claimed 152 grams.

Selle Italia uses two different padding densities in the Selle Italia X-LR saddle. The nose of the saddle is softer than the rear, to make riding a bit more comfortable. There are harder plastic edges at the far rear, to help avoid the scuffs and cuts that saddles can get in day to day use.

I’ve found the Selle Italia X-LR saddle comfortable for longer rides, both on road and off. Although there’s not much padding, what there is seems to be in the right places for me. It’s quite a flat saddle too, which is good for moving your weight around, although I found that I didn’t feel quite as securely perched as on a saddle with a more upward curved rear section, like the Fizik Aliante.

If you want a lightweight saddle then you should certainly take a good look at the Selle San Marco Mantra Superleggera Open. You'll struggle to find anything lighter with the same level of comfort.

At a very svelte 114g, it’ll certainly help keep the weight down on your steed. Each Selle San Marco Mantra Superleggera Open saddle is hand made, meaning that each will come out at a slightly different weight. Selle San Marco promises no saddle will weigh more than 117g but if you get lucky yours could be even lighter than ours at 114g.

The party piece of the Superleggera is the carbon rail, which Selle San Marco says will allow you to use all of it for fitting purposes: usually you have limits as to how far forward or back the saddle can go.

However, the joining cross section of the rails – located towards the front of the saddle – can limit saddle position (this was evident with the Pinarello Dogma F8 seat clamp), meaning it has a setback limit on certain designs.

It is a flat saddle and personally liking the Fizik Arione shape, I liked this too. It allows for a little bit of forward or backwards movement on top of the saddle for different riding positions.

Even with the relief channel (the cut-out) you’ll be able to find all kinds of riding positions, including a pretty aggressive on-the-nose style, without any obstruction or lack of comfort.

However, a small niggle for me is the size of the ‘wings’ at the rear, which can be fairly noticeable when sitting back in the saddle, especially on climbs.

It is a decent lightweight option – not totally perfect for me but with such a lightweight saddle you have to expect one or two shortcomings. The main thing is that it remains comfortable, even over long distances.

The Fizik Mistica is the latest time trial-specific saddle from the Italian saddle specialists and has replaced the Tritone model.

The Fizik Mistica's shape is very similar to that of the popular Arione model, the difference being that it features a relief channel and has the nose chopped off. The stubby design has become increasingly popular and is intended to increase comfort when in a TT position by reducing pressure on the perineum.

Stubby saddles are also popular with riders who need to conform to the UCI's 5cm rule, which stipulates that the tip of the saddle must be at least 5cm behind the bottom bracket. The vast majority of us (myself included) who ride British time trials under CTT rules and regulations don't need to worry about this though.

>>> Buyer's guide to road bike saddles

Having been updated from the Tritone, the Fizik Mistica has a new cover with a material that is much more grippy. This is useful as it helps keep you in place when riding on the rivet. Famously Tony Martin once attached sand paper to his saddle to try and keep him in place for the World Championship time trial.

This resulted in him ripping his shorts and some rather unpleasant chaffing. By contrast the tacky covering on the new Fizik Mistica works really well.

Video - buyer's guide to saddles

Previously I have used the Fizik Arione K1 saddle in time trials. The Arione K1 is a more padded version of a standard Arione and although I found it OK in short events, in longer events in the time trial position I was really suffering.

By contrast the Mistica has greatly relieved pressure on my perineum when in a TT position. In terms of positioning, I have fitted it in the same place as the long-nosed Arione K1. Saddle comfort is subjective, but if you are looking for a TT saddle and get on well with the Fizik Arione, this is well worth consideration.

There is also a removable, integrated carriage holder for the rear of the Fizik Mistica. This is intended for triathletes or those doing very long time trials (eg 100 mile+) as it can allow you to mount additional kit such as bottles.

Quality of construction is excellent and the Fizik Mistica also comes in two widths for different sized sit bones – my test sample pictured was a regular, but you can also opt for a large. The rail is 85mm long, meaning lots of potential fore-aft adjustment too.

As a premium saddle, the Fizik Mistica has a premium price, but also available is the slightly heavier Kium-railed (titanium alloy) model at £154.99. It's only 30 grams heavier than the carbon-railed version and has the same profile.

For more information, click here

Fizik categorises its saddles – and increasingly its other products like its bars and its newly introduced shorts – according to how flexible you are, calling this its Spine Concept. So if you can bend to touch your toes with straight legs, you are a Snake, if you can’t you are a Bull and if you’re somewhere in between you are a Chameleon.

The Aliante saddle is designed for those who are Bulls – and I definitely fit into this category. It’s got a wide profile to the rear of the saddle and a pronounced upward turn, whereas the Arione, which is designed for Snakes is much flatter and also narrower.

The Aliante comes in two widths too: 142mm or 152mm. The R1 is only surpassed by the £279.99 Aliante 00 in Fizik’s Aliante hierarchy, coming with a carbon composite base and braided carbon rails under its foam padding. This gives it a low weight of 183g.

>>> Saddle height: how to get it right (video)

Also in the base at the rear is a Fizik logo plate. This can be pushed out to mount one of Fizik’s clip-on saddle packs, which is a neat idea and saves having to use straps to fix a pack over your precious carbon rails, potentially scuffing them.

Watch: Buyer's guide to road saddles

The upward curve at the rear and the saddle’s curved profile make it a comfortable perch for longer rides and the lightweight construction appeals to my inner weight weenie. Unlike its other saddles, Fizik puts a lateral band of shiny covering across the back of the Aliante. The rest of the cover is matt black and holds you in place well, but I did find that I slipped around a bit on the shiny area in some shorts, making for a slightly less planted seating position that I would have liked.

But overall, the Aliante R1 is a nicely finished saddle and a comfortable place to sit for extended periods.

When I saw the Specialized S-Works Power saddle for the first time, I was immediately caught by its design, and its clean and simple lines will not pass unnoticed. At first touch there isn't much padding and you can immediately guess this saddle was conceived for a serious rider in search of low weight and performance.

>>> Is your saddle harming you?

What also struck my attention was its width, which is available in two different sizes: 143 mm or 155. The two measures are both very wide, meaning that the saddle resembles a time trial or triathlon saddle. In fact, the Specialized S-Works Power saddle is specifically conceived for riders who prefer a more aggressive and forward position, or who spend a lot of time on the drops or their aero extension.

>>> Dr Hutch: the sensitive subject of saddle sores

For this reason, if you ride in a more up-right position you might feel a bit of discomfort, and I personally felt the back part of it touching and clipping my back quad with each pedal stroke. Yet, as soon as I moved forward into a more racy position (or just moved into the aero extensions), that feeling disappeared and the saddle immediately felt very comfortable.

Watch: buyer's guide to road bike saddles

At first glance it might appear that the nose is rather thin compared to the back of the saddle. However, this is not really the case, and I think this appearance is due to the cut out middle of the saddle, which is there to increase blood flow and provide more comfort on long days out.

>>> What was the black stick below rider's saddle at Tour de France?

On both short and long rides, the Specialized S-Works Power saddle impresseda. Not only is this saddle very comfortable, but the grip the pad provides keeps you in position, meaning that you don't move or bounce when pedalling. This is perfect if you're more a race-minded kind of rider and you're searching for performance, but not so much if you prefer to move a bit in the saddle in order to stretch your legs and change position on long rides.

The Specialized S-Works Power saddle has an inner core of carbon fibre, and uses the same material for the ovals rails. The shape of the rails means that it is important to check if it will fit your seatpost before buying as you made need an adaptor to make it fit, as the oversized 7x9mm carbon rails are not compatible with seatposts equipped with side-load clamp for 7mm round rail (while the vertical-load clamp could actually be enough). The other downside of the one model I tested is the colour: white gets dirty pretty quickly, although of course it is also available in black.

For more details visit the Specialized website.

It's probably the ugliest saddle on the market, but after a bike fit and some very reliable suggestions, I decided to give the Cobb Plus a go. The other thing that was keeping me away from the saddle from the company founded by "Mr Wind Tunnel" (as John Cobb is known within the industry) was the £140 pricetag.

>>> Buyer's guide to road bike saddles (video)

However, it took me really five seconds to say "yes" to my bike fitter when he asked me if it felt good. The very first impression I have got was of a relief and comfort I have never tried on a saddle before. And even though I was on a time trial bike, the Cobb Plus is also suitable to aggressive road racers who spent a lot of times on the drops.

When I looked at my saddle while on the fitting bike, I noticed that when I sat down, the nose of the saddle widened, while when I was standing on the pedals it went back to its normal position. I tried a couple of times and it kept doing it, and the feeling of having that extra surface while pedalling in the saddle was really great. As said, something I never experienced before.

On a long ride, my opinion of the Cobb Plus saddle didn't change. Of course, after hours spent in the saddle (four in this case, and in a quite forward position) some soreness is inevitable, but in general I found it very comfortable.

The Cobb Plus saddle is specifically designed to eliminate the numbness in the perineum and its cut nose which is lower than the rest of the saddle is designed to dissipate heat and moisture. Its 40mm width is not as extreme as other time trial saddles on the market because Cobb believes that too wide saddles cause inner leg chafing. I was also impressed by the foam padding and the relief channel down the middle.

>>> 10 best way to make your bike more comfortable

"We know we don’t look like the cutest kid in the classroom," said Alex Bok, from the company's International Sales and Marketing, "but most bike fitters when asked about Cobb Cycling will refer to us as us real problem solvers."

"We are working our artwork," Bok adds. "While the designs remain pretty important for us as with the technologies we use, we’re one of the very few brands that truly can offer comfort to a wide range of riders. Our motto therefore is Comfort = Speed."

If you're not happy to spend £169 for a bad-looking saddle (particularly if you ride a nice bike with delicate finishings), the different colours available could make it look less ugly. Unfortuately the black saddle I had is probably the ugliest, followed by the white one and the pink.

>>> Is your saddle harming you?

If you're in London and keen to test different Cobb saddles (with a £100 deposit you can give a proper ride), you can find them at the Department of Endurance. Alternatively, you'll find more information on Cobb website.

The Fizik Aliante VS Kium saddle is for Bulls, not my words, Fizik’s. The Italian company names its saddle ranges after creatures renowned for varying degrees of flexibility, so we have the aforementioned Bull, the Chameleon and the Snake. So, if like me, you have a more limited range of flexibility in your spine and can’t remember the last time you could touch your toes – Fizik say you are like a bull and this is the saddle for you.

>>> Buyer's guide to road bike saddles

If in doubt as to which is your saddle’s spirit animal any good Fizik dealer should be able to help you choose the correct saddle. The VS in the name refers to those models in the range that have a 7mm deep central groove running along the length of the saddle. Developed to reduce pereneal pressure without impacting on the structure and strength of the carbon reinforced base.

The Fizik Aliante VS Kium version has Kium rails, a patented alloy material that Fizik claim is lighter than titanium but with similar dampening properties. Aimed at riders who tend to ride quite upright and with the majority of their body weight pushing through the saddle, the Aliante is not short of padding. The PU foam padding felt almost sofa like in its comfort on longer rides and compared to some, managed to maintain that support with little compression. A bonus of this level of comfort was the padding made the Fizik Aliante VS Kium great for riding hard in the drops.

>>> Saddle height: how to get it right, and why it's so important (video)

The VS channel seems to work well and I felt no perineal discomfort or numbness whilst riding. What I did feel however, was the rounded profile of the saddle caused the channel edges to feel a little more pronounced than some – fortunately the softer padding makes this less of an comfort issue, just that you are aware of your position.

Watch: buyer's guide to road bike saddles

The more rounded shape meant that, despite the claimed 142mm width (similar to most brands medium width saddles), my sitbones dropped to the outside on the downward pedal stroke causing a little hip rolling.

>>> Review: Fizik Aliante VSX Kium saddle

The Fizik Aliante VS Kium is quite a heavy saddle and might not appeal to the weight obsessed in this guise. The top end R1 Braided version takes the weight down to 185 grams but bumps the price up to £189.99.

The final thing to note is all Fizik saddles have a neat clip system on the back of the saddle compatible with an array of proprietary bags and lights designed to keep your bike neat.

For more details visit Extra UK.

The shape of the Selle Italia Novus Flow saddle will be familiar to riders of a certain age as it is a re-launch of one of Selle Italia’s iconic saddle designs of the 1990s. The distinctive, almost futuristic shape was the result of collaboration with Ferrari. As a consequence the shape has more than a nod to F1 car design, the oddly angles nose particularly reminiscent of a F1 nose cone.

Leap forward to the present and the Selle Italia Novus Flow saddle has been reintroduced, benefitting from over a decade of saddle refinements from the Italian company. The design remit of the Novus was to provide a saddle that allows easy body movement forward and back on the saddle according to riding style, enabling the rider to maximise comfort.

>>> Buyer's guide to road bike saddles (video)

The Selle Italia Novus Flow saddle is available in two sizes encompassing a broad range of sitbone widths, Selle Italia’s ID Match bespoke saddle fitting system should help to work out which would best suit. The Flow version has a large cut out to reduce perineal pressure and offers a carbon reinforced base and titanium 316 rails to reduce road buzz.

Selle Italia saddles are always well made and it’s hard to fault the construction of the Novus, in particular the smooth, perforated upper is fitted perfectly to the base. Weight is on par with other similarly priced and shaped saddles.

Watch: how to set your saddle height correctly

Initial setup of the Selle Italia Novus Flow saddle can take a while due to the curved profile; it took at least three attempts to get the angle feeling neutral and ‘right’. When the sweetspot is hit in terms of angle, the shape worked just as Selle Italia describes, providing a saddle that allowed easy body movement.

>>> Saddle height: how to get it right, and why it's so important (video)

Unfortunately I don’t tend to move around a huge amount on the saddle, tending to sit generally towards the nose and thus the Selle Italia Novus Flow saddle didn’t feel great. Its padding is on the firm side, especially at the nose and combined with the noticeable angled ‘droop’ of the nose it always ended up feeling like I was in a ‘transition’ position and never fully comfortable in one place.

It felt better when I pushed my sitbones further to the aft of the saddle and I can see that it would be comfortable for riders preferring a slightly more open hip angle, i.e. sitting more upright.

For more details visit Chicken Cycles.

Bontrager saddles have been improving year upon year and the new Bontrager Montrose Elite saddle is no exception. Primarily intended as a general purpose road saddle, suitable for everything from racing to long distance touring, it has a shape that looks comfortable even on the packaging.

Bontrager uses what they call inForm BioDynamics to design and create a saddle aimed at optimising your natural, on bike movement. This system hopes to provide a saddle that allows not only maximum comfort but to enable no restrictions on leg movement and thus power output.

>>> Buyer's guide to road bike saddles (video)

The Bontrager Montrose Elite saddle features hollow suspended titanium rails for vibration dampening plus a CRZ+ (Contour Relief Zone) cut out middle section to relieve soft tissue pressure. The base is made of a carbon composite that allows a certain amount of controlled flex.

Bontrager make the Montrose in several widths so it is important to get measured up before choosing, your local Trek dealer should be happy to help with choosing. Setup of the Montrose is relatively simple, with the flat middle section enabling you to set saddle angle quickly.

Watch: how to set your saddle height correctly

The Bontrager Montrose Elite saddle is one of those saddles that looks ‘right’ on the bike, racy but at the same time looking an invitingly comfortable perch. Initial rides concur with the first impression and it didn’t disappoint. Its firm padding strikes a good balance between support and comfort and will appeal to riders used to a race oriented shape.

>>> Saddle height: how to get it right, and why it's so important (video)

My chosen width gave a good level of support around the centre of the sit bones and certainly placed the main areas of padding in the correct location. The slightly raised tail helped to locate my position when I occasionally slid backwards or when putting down the power. The flatter nose could be felt a little when transitioning to the drops but it certainly didn’t feel too obtrusive once I got used to it.

From a fit perspective the Bontrager Montrose Elite saddle has very long rails, allowing more fore-aft adjustment of the saddle which is never a bad thing. It also worth noting that Bontrager offer a 30 day unconditional guarantee against the fit of the saddle, so if for any reason you don’t get on with it you can take it back and try another.

For more details visit the Bontrager website.

Developed with the aid of bike fit guru Dr Andy Pruitt and his years of experience, the Specialized Toupé Expert Gel saddle has a pronounced cut out and full length groove bisecting its flat profile. This oft-imitated Body Geometry groove is designed to relieve pain and numbness by reducing pressure on nerves, arteries and soft tissue ‘down below’, which can be felt when sitting on a saddle for hours on end.

>>> Buyer's guide to road bike saddles (video)

The saddle is available in three different widths to match your ischeal tuberosities, or as most people call them, the sit bones. Getting measured up for the correct size is a quick process involving sitting on a memory foam pad and then measuring the width of the impression left by your posterior.

Watch: buyer's guide to road bike saddles

The padding on the Specialized Toupé Expert Gel saddle is incredibly minimalist rated a one out of five according to Specialized’s own grading. Contrary to expectations the minimalist Expert is very comfortable in use.

Specialized has designed the carbon reinforced base to flex markedly and it seems to shape to your body and the movements of the bike on longer rides which felt great. The hollow titanium rails also do a sterling job of softening road vibrations before they reach you.

>>> Saddle height: how to get it right, and why it's so important (video)

The Specialized Toupé Expert Gel saddle remained comfortable in all three handlebar positions and the nose unobtrusive even when in the drops. The only downside I could really see was the cover material is very smooth and your body can slip around a little when pedalling. It’s also comforting to know that Specialized offers a 30 day fit guarantee allowing you to exchange for another saddle if it doesn’t suit.

For more details visit the Specialized website.

Fully handmade in Italy with a carbon reinforced nylon base and softer almost rubberised sections to kill vibration, the Astute Skyline Pilarga SR saddle is full of innovation. The padding underneath the waterproof and soft touch microfiber covering is a type of memory foam that supports the body incredibly well but retains its shape.

>>> Buyer's guide to bike saddles (video)

The rails are solid Tivan, an alloy of titanium and vanadium aimed at deadening vibration. Etched measurement grading on one rail is a clever feature with no chance of the marks being worn off. The understated, almost all black look of the saddle mates well with any colourscheme.

Watch: buyer's guide to road bike saddles

At 145mm wide the Pilarga version targeted my sit-bones far better than the standard Skyline’s 135mm width.

>>> 10 best ways to make your bike more comfortable

You can often tell within the first half hour of a ride whether a saddle is going to work, the best thing about the Astute Skyline Pilarga SR saddle is it took nearly an hour before I realised I was on a new saddle! The padding is firm but yielding, the only thing noticeable is a slight raised area near the nose but it was not uncomfortable, just ‘there’. The rubber base, where the rails enter the body does an amazing job of softening any road feedback.

For more details visit the Saddleback website.

There are an awful lot of saddles on the market, a lot of which are, if we're being honest, pretty similar. To stand out then, Morgaw had to come up with a little bit different, which is why the Morgaw Forsage saddle, the company's road perch, comes with an "active saddle platform".

>>> Buyer's guide to road bike saddles (video)

What that means is that the saddle comes with small shock absorbers which are built into the junction between the saddle rails and the shell which, in theory, help to nip road vibrations in the bud before they make their way to the rider, giving you a smoother more comfortable ride.

So, does it work? Well, the Morgaw Forsage saddle not going to change your life, but I did notice a slight difference compared to my normal saddle (a Fizik Aliante VSX Kium saddle). Don't go thinking that you're going to be able to turn your super-stiff race bike into a cushy, compliant endurance machine just by putting on this saddle, but the extra modicum of comfort is still welcomed.

Buyer's guide to road bike saddles

Even if the Morgaw Forsage saddle didn't blow me away with its USP, it is still fundamentally a rather good saddle. I'm not normally a big fan of flat saddles (and this is as flat as they come), but I didn't find myself sore after long weekend rides as I would if I tried to do the same on, for example, a Fizik Arione or a Fabric Scoop Flat Pro saddle.

>>> 10 best ways to make your bike more comfortable

It's pretty light too. The test model with aluminium rails that I've been using weighs 216g, while there is also a carbon rail version available that will add £20 to the pricetag but will also shave 20g off the weight.

However, one real annoyance with the Morgaw Forsage saddle is that, with some seatpost designs, it is a real faff to fit. There is only a centimetre or so of space between the rails and the shell, which mean it can be difficult to get your fingers around any nuts and bolts that need to be held in place to attach the saddle to the seatpost.

Brooks says that before its release the Cambium C13 was been tested by over 100 riders, of which I was one, and that David Millar gave it a thorough examination when he rode it across the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix.

The English company claims the C13 signals its return to performance cycling and comes with  the strap-line ‘comfort at its lightest.’

Saddle buyer's guide

The saddle's upper is made from vulcanised natural rubber. It is designed to provide a comfortable ride by flexing in response to your position on the saddle, as well as absorbing some of the vibrations from the road.

Reflecting the characteristics of a performance saddle Brooks have sought to keep the weight to a minimum by using a one-piece braided carbon frame.

A nod to the company's vintage look are the aluminium rivets which attach the top of the saddle to the base.

>>> Inside Brooks: the saddle making institution

Like other carbon railed saddles, the C13's oval rails won’t fit all seat clamps. Also, be mindful when installing the C13 that it sits higher than most race focused saddles meaning you may need to lower your seatpost.

>>> Selle Italia SLR Tekno Flow saddle review

I have used the C13 on many rides out on the road as well as more than a few turbo sessions.

The Brooks Cambium C13 provides a comfortable ride even after many hours on the saddle and is particularly impressive across fairly unforgiving surfaces.

However, for the price there are lighter carbon saddles available and you may prefer a saddle with less of a curved profile and a shorter nose.

Fabric is a UK based manufacturer of cycling components, with an increasing range of bar tape and grips, tools, water bottles and saddles. It’s a spin-off from the Charge bike brand and its saddles are developed from that brand’s original offerings.

Watch our guide to saddles

Fabric has an innovative construction system for its saddles: rather than fixing the cover over the base and padding, the padding and its waterproof microfibre covering are glued to the base. This makes construction much simpler and results in weight savings too. That simplicity has allowed Fabric to offer the Fabric Scoop Flat Pro saddle in a myriad of formats dependent on your riding style: for more racing riders there’s the Flat profile, for a more sportive position there’s the Shallow profile, while for very upright riders the Radius is recommended. The different profiles vary not only in the amount of curvature of the base but in the amount of padding offered too.

>>> Inside Brooks' saddle making factory

As well as the three different profiles, Fabric also offers the Scoop in different rail/base combinations. The bottom of the range has cro-mo alloy rails and a nylon base and retails for £39.99. Next up are saddles with titanium rails and a nylon base priced at £59.99. Move up a notch more and the saddle is offered with carbon fibre rails and a nylon base for £109.99, while the top spec saddle with carbon rails and a carbon fibre base comes in at £169.99.

>>> How to set your saddle height

As you’d expect, weight decreases as you go up the range: from a claimed 244g to 162g for the flat. There’s a wide choice of base colour options and white or black covers too.

We have tested the Flat Pro, the next-to-top model with carbon rails and a nylon base. It is very light for its price. Without much curvature to its profile or much padding, the saddle is quite firm but comfortable for more aggressive riders. The firm ride means that you feel properly planted on your saddle, but you may find it a bit tiring for longer outings. Fortunately, it’s easy to find a Scoop saddle with more padding if this is the case, and Fabric sells saddles with more suspension to them, ones with a pressure relief channel, a tri saddle and the super-light 140g ALM so there are plenty of options available.

The Fizik Aliante VSX Kium saddle sits towards the bottom of Fizik’s extensive range of road saddles, but that’s no reason to look down on it, as its one of the most comfortable saddles that I’ve used.

>>> Buyer's guide to road bike saddles (video)

The Italian company’s range is fairly easy to understand so you can tell where the Fizik Aliante VSX Kium saddle is designed to fit in. The Aliante in the name shows that is designed for the less flexible cyclists out there, the VSX means that it comes with an extra-deep central channel, and the Kium relates to the titanium rail.

Watch: Buyer's guide to road bike saddles

Of course, a saddle’s comfort is very personal, and a saddle that might be very comfortable for one person might make every ride a misery for another. However, Fizik’s Spine Concept, which recommends you a saddle based on your flexibility and riding style makes it easy to choose the best option for you.

>>> "Extremely comfortable" Infinity saddles now available to buy

The Fizik Aliante VSX Kium saddle is designed for inflexible riders (who can’t reach much beyond their knees when trying to touch their toes with straight legs) who are looking for a saddle that is, first and foremost comfortable. This ticks all my boxes, so I was happy to find that this was one of the most comfortable saddles that I’ve ever used.

The rounded profile and high back to the saddle is perfectly suited to a more upright riding position, making it a particularly good option if you’re riding a sportive bike with a short top tube and tall head tube. The 20mm deep central relief channel also did a great job of preventing pressure and discomfort on long days out.

>>> Inside Brooks: the saddle-making institution

As an added bonus the padding of the Fizik Aliante VSX Kium saddle has been softened for 2016 to give a more cushioned ride on rough roads. Yes this doesn’t especially help with power transfer, but if you’re after a racing saddle, then there are better options in the Fizik range.

The only real downsides with the Fizik Aliante VSX Kium saddle is that there is only one choice of colour (black with red accents), and, at 272g, there are much lighter options out there.

For more details visit the Extra UK website.

With a large cut out that runs almost the full length of the saddle the SLR Tekno Flow is definitely striking.

Unquestionably this saddle is definitely race focused. With its carbo-keramic oval shaped rails, carbon base and thin synthetic leather upper it is extremely light  — it came in our scales at a sprightly 102g.

I admit I was a little apprehensive about riding a saddle that looked like it could only give a harsh ride. However, after trying many saddles with various different contours, cut-outs and channels, I was keen to give this exclusive option a try.

>>> Buyer's guide to saddles

After over 300 hundres miles of riding on a variety of surfaces and in different scenarios, I can confirm I was pleasantly surprised. As with any new saddle there was an adjusting period, but it didn't take long for me get on well with the SLR Tekno Flow. I found that my sit bones were given ample support and the large cut-out worked for me in all but the most aggressive posiyion— I felt comfortable after several hours in the saddle.

It is worth noting that you'll need to check your seat clamp can fit oval shaped rails. As shown above the SLR Tekno Flow's carbon-keramic rails fit a seat clamp that tightens vertcially.

Save for the price tag my only real gripe is that the edges of the carbon base were a bit sharp. This could potentially damage your bib shorts or skin suit.

At £360, there's no doubt where the Astute Skycarb VT saddle is positioning itself in the market: this is an unashamedly premium performance saddle aimed at cyclists looking for the ultimate blend of lightweight and performance.

>>> Buyer's guide: cycling saddles

Apart from the padding on the top, the whole saddle is constructed from carbon-fibre, it's no surprise that the the Astute Skycarb VT hits the mark when it comes to weight. At 147g this isn't quite the lightest saddle on the market, but those extra 30 or 40g shouldn't cost you too much.

However I wasn't so convinced by the comfort on offer by this high-end saddle. Although the saddle features an impressive amount of padding given the low weight, which when combined with the carbon rails helps to edge off road buzz, neither myself, nor one of Cycling Weekly's other testers got on with the curved shape of the Astute Skycarb VT saddle.

>>> How to prevent saddle sores

Maybe I was just a poor match for the shape of the saddle, but I really found the saddle uncomfortable on rides of longer than a couple of hours, and certainly didn't enjoy the weekend where I put in two long rides on consecutive days.

Astute says that it will be adding more designs with different shapes later this year, so I'll be interested to try these once we have some in to test, but in the meantime this is definitely saddle to try before you buy.

Visit the Saddleback website for more details.