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review

Prologo Zero C3 Nack saddle

8
£299.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Lightweight, shallow cushioned, beautifully finished saddle that sits towards the firmer end of the spectrum
Weight: 
164g

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The Prologo Zero C3 Nack is a light, thinly cushioned and beautifully finished saddle, although it's an expensive one.

Hot on the heels of the £314 Selle Italia Flite Tekno Flow saddle, the Prologo Zero C3 Nack is the second most pricey saddle that we've ever reviewed.

It's a beautifully made saddle featuring a carbon composite base and Prologo's Nack braided carbon rails. Kevlar and aluminium filaments are used to add strength in the clamping area.

The upper comprises light foam padding and a microfibre cover. Ours is black with red details, and a white/black/red model is available too. You have to be quite careful when leaning your bike up against a wall to avoid scratching the cover, although that's the case with the vast majority of saddles out there.

The build quality is second to none, as you've every right to expect on a saddle of this price. The underside looks as tidy as the top without a staple in sight. It really is a gorgeous saddle.

The saddle is 270mm long and 132mm across at the widest point. The nose is slim – 40mm across at the midpoint before tapering down considerably – so you're very unlikely to suffer any thigh-rub as you pedal. I certainly didn't experience anything like that, even on long day rides.

The shape is flat from front to rear with just a slight rise towards the back. It's flat across its width too.

A good way to find out whether this is right for you is to visit a Prologo dealer and go through their My Own saddle selection system.. It's a two minute process that involves measuring the width of your sit bones, your flexibility, and your body mass index. You end up with a saddle recommendation.

The fairly shallow cushioning means that the Zero C3 Nack is quite a firm saddle, although flex in the base – not loads, but some – helps smooth over road vibration and takes the edge off bigger hits. A quick squeeze test confirms what your body tells you: that the base doesn't bend as readily as many others out there. I didn't find that to be a problem, though. It was perfectly comfortable for both short and long rides, although it's safe to say that if you're after a soft, deeply cushioned saddle, this isn't the one for you.

Our test model weighs 164g. That's a touch higher than Prologo's official weight of 149g but it's still very light. If you're a racer looking to save the grams, this is one to consider.

The most important thing, though, is that you find the saddle comfortable. I got on really well with the narrow shape and the shallow padding but you don't want to take a chance on £300 so, if you're interested, get along to a Prologo dealer and do the My Own saddle selector process to make sure it's suitable for you.

Verdict

Lightweight, shallow cushioned, beautifully finished saddle that sits towards the firmer end of the spectrum

road.cc test report

Make and model: Prologo Zero C3 Nack

Size tested: Black

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

This is Prologo's top-level flat saddle. It's aimed at performance-type riders.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
10/10

The build quality is superb. It's the best finished saddle I've ever used.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

As usual, it's comfortable if it fits you well.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

As ever with top end products, you can get something that's nearly as good for a fraction of the price, so in that sense this doesn't offer the best value for money. You'd find it tough to argue that a £300 saddle, even a very good one with an excellent finish, offers better than average value.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It's a very good saddle that many people are going to love.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The shape and the excellent finish.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The price is a tough obstacle to get over.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? If I could afford it.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

This is an exceptional saddle with just the price that's the sticking point. That has to bring the overall score down. If money is no object and you want something special, this is certainly one to consider.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 190cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding,

 

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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5 comments

Avatar
ped | 9 years ago
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I know it's the same with all kinds of products, but I'd love to know the cost of producing and so the markup on something like this.

Avatar
johnaird123 replied to ped | 9 years ago
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I'd imagine there would be a tidy gross margin. But a lot of that will go into recouping R&D, testing, trialling, tooling costs. And for a low volume product like this that could be significant.

That said, there will most certainly be an element of prestige pricing going on also.

Avatar
StraelGuy | 9 years ago
0 likes

Which I guess makes this saddle a sprig of watercress all on it's lonesome in the middle of large empty white plate  21 .

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truffy | 9 years ago
0 likes

Rather like dinner at a Heston Blumenthal restaurant...the more you pay the less you get.

Avatar
Doper | 9 years ago
0 likes

£300 saddles  24

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