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Saddles
Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox saddle Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox saddle Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox saddle Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox saddle Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox saddle Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox saddle
Prologo Dimension Tirox CPC 143

Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox saddle

9
by John Stevenson
Tue, May 19, 2020 15:45
1
£134.99

VERDICT:

9
10
Excellent short-nosed saddle with clever cover sections that keep you in place
Firm and comfortable
Well-positioned cutout
Plants you in one place and keeps you there
Short/wide saddles don't suit everyone
Plants you in one place and keeps you there
Weight: 
201g
Contact: 
www.chickencyclekit.co.uk
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox is a saddle for people who know exactly where they want to sit and want to be kept there. It's short, fairly wide and surprisingly comfortable, delivering an excellent, unobtrusive ride feel without fuss or gimmicks.

Before we go further, the usual caveat about saddle reviews applies. Your arse and my arse are different (yours is almost certainly smaller than mine for a start). What suits me might not suit you. But I'll try to give you an idea of the feel and fit of the Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox so you can tell whether it's likely to work for you.

> Find your nearest dealer here

At 245mm long, the Dimension 143 CPC Tirox is significantly shorter than your typical performance saddle, so it won't suit riders who like to slide backwards and forwards a lot; there's basically nowhere to slide to. That's standard for short saddles, though, and the good news is that the position that the Dimension provides is really very comfortable indeed.

> Buyer’s Guide: 8 of the best short saddles

As well as limiting your freedom to move around by its shape, this version of the Dimension saddle is topped with sections of Prologo's Connect Power Control (CPC) material. Prologo claims CPC provides 'vibration absorbing, grip and position stability' and a whole lot more, but it's obvious when you use a CPC saddle that the main thing it does is grab you by the Lycra and keep you in place.

Prologo Dimension Tirox CPC 143 - rear.jpg

That's a comfortable place to be thanks to the hull shape, which Prologo describes as 'semi-round'. That means, viewed from the front it's intermediate in shape between Prologo's, er, round saddles such as the Scratch 2 and flat saddles like the Zero II. Seen from the side, the Dimension 143 CPC has a very gentle dip.

The 143 in the name refers to the width of 143mm. On paper that's quite wide for a performance saddle, but in practice it felt just right for me.

Prologo Dimension Tirox CPC 143 - size.jpg

All the Dimension saddles sport a central cutaway to relieve pressure on the perineum and genital areas. Sometimes you can feel the edges of a saddle cutaway or pressure-relieving channel, but that's not the case here. It just does its job and helps keep you comfortable, which is very welcome on a saddle that keeps you in place as firmly as this one.

Prologo Dimension Tirox CPC 143 - rear 2.jpg

It helps that the padding of the Dimension 143 CPC Tirox is quite firm, so you don't sink very far into it.

Prologo Dimension Tirox CPC 143 - nose.jpg

There's more to the Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox than just keeping you planted. The CPC panels give you something to push against when making a hard effort which makes this a very suitable saddle for all sorts of high-intensity riding. Dig in hard on a climb and the Dimension gives a bit of resistance that really helps.

Prologo offers no fewer than eight different groups of Dimension saddles in various finishes and types, and with different amounts of padding, and you then have the choice of different rail materials in many models. If the claimed 190g of the Dimension 143 CPC Tirox (it's actually 201g) is too hefty for you, there's a version with Prologo's Nack carbon fibre rails that's 30g lighter. Want a bit more cushioning? Check out the Dimension NDR CPC with 3mm deeper padding. And so it goes on – it's a dizzyingly extensive range.

Prologo Dimension Tirox CPC 143 - underside.jpg

That range includes the Dimension Nack, which Stu really liked despite its £200 price tag, but there's an awful lot of competition out there in the stubby saddle field.

> Buyer’s Guide: 21 of the best saddles

The Fizik Tempo Argo R5 is quite a bit cheaper at £90 RRP but a little heavier at 245g, while the Selle San Marco ShortFit-C is a similar price and weight. Both those saddles lack the griptastic CPC patches, though, and that's a Prologo feature you should definitely take into account.

Verdict

Excellent short-nosed saddle with clever cover sections that keep you in place

road.cc test report

Make and model: Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox saddle

Size tested: 143mm width

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?

Prologo says:

Dimension is a new innovative saddle designed to combine comfort and performance.

The name Dimension contains the importance of the project itself: to create an innovative product in terms of size, design and ergonomic shape suitable for all disciplines and perfect for men and women. Dimension is comfort, performance and lightness. The combination of short nose (35mm less than a traditional saddle) and PAS system ensures blood flow and pressure relief, ensuring comfort even in aerodinamic position or maximum pushing phase. The wider seating area (width 143mm) allows a better distribution of body weight. The Dimension saddle has been tested and developed in collaboration with the best international professional teams to ensure a saddle suitable for all users.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Prologo also describes the Dimension as a unisex saddle with a "semi-round" shape, as viewed from the front.

It sits on 'Tirox' rails, which is Prologo code for steel, and about which Prologo says: "Tirox rail: Light-alloy steel rail that is highly resistant to traction and torsion, it is used in the aviation and aerospace industry because it's light and strong. Tirox gives a good balance between weight and strength and it doesn't fear the normal stress addresses a bicycle. It has 7mm rail clamp diameter"

Rather more interesting is the Connect Power Control (CPC) material used for sections of the cover.

Prologo says: "Connect Power Control: Used in 'F1' and in the military field CPC - connected Power Control is the system patented by Prologo that ensures performance and comfort providing vibration absorbing, grip and position stability. Thanks to its nano-structure, the special conical and hollow 3D polymer reduces muscle fatigue and facilitates air flow by reducing the temperature in the contact zone. CPC, moreover, positioned in strategic points, protects muscles, tendons and soft tissues from the stresses deriving 'from the road' guaranteeing its performance in every climatic condition. Today it is used by the best Top Teams and athletes in the world, in all disciplines; CPC is the ultimate expression of performance and comfort."

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Nicely made, but then for almost 150 quid it should be.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the Dimension turned out to be, and you can't fault the ability of the CPC sections to keep you in place.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10

200g is a decent weight for a performance saddle, but you wouldn't buy this saddle to shave weight off your bike. If that's your aim there are lighter saddles for the same or less money.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
9/10

No numbness or aggravation even on longer rides. The dense padding is very supportive, but may not suit everyone.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

It's a shade on the pricey side, but similar saddles lack the CPC fabric that does a really good job of keeping you in place, and if it happens to fit your bum then it's worth the money.

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

It's a comfy place to park your bum, and does an excellent job of keeping your bum in place once parked.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The combination of comfort, a firm platform for your effort and being almost glued in place by the CPC sections.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's definitely at the high end of the price range for conventional performance saddles (that is, ones that don't have exotic features like carbon fibre rails and naked carbon hulls).

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

A very good saddle in terms of fit and comfort, raised to 'exceptional' by the CPC fabric patches keeping you planted.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 53  Height: 5ft 11in  Weight: 100kg

I usually ride: Scapin Style  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, touring, club rides, general fitness riding, mtb,

Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox saddle 2020
Prologo Dimension 143 CPC Tirox saddle
Prologo 2020
Prologo
John Stevenson

John has been writing about bikes and cycling for over 30 years since discovering that people were mug enough to pay him for it rather than expecting him to do an honest day's work.

He was heavily involved in the mountain bike boom of the late 1980s as a racer, team manager and race promoter, and that led to writing for Mountain Biking UK magazine shortly after its inception. He got the gig by phoning up the editor and telling him the magazine was rubbish and he could do better. Rather than telling him to get lost, MBUK editor Tym Manley called John’s bluff and the rest is history.

Since then he has worked on MTB Pro magazine and was editor of Maximum Mountain Bike and Australian Mountain Bike magazines, before switching to the web in 2000 to work for CyclingNews.com. Along with road.cc founder Tony Farrelly, John was on the launch team for BikeRadar.com and subsequently became editor in chief of Future Publishing’s group of cycling magazines and websites, including Cycling Plus, MBUK, What Mountain Bike and Procycling.

John has also written for Cyclist magazine, edited the BikeMagic website and was founding editor of TotalWomensCycling.com before handing over to someone far more representative of the site's main audience.

He joined road.cc in 2013. He lives in Cambridge where the lack of hills is more than made up for by the headwinds.

Add new comment

1 comments

Avatar
zyghom | 3 years ago
2 likes

I was strugling with many saddles, finally I found my sweet spot - this saddle.

However not CPC - and that is good as I prefer to move sometimes to relax my butt.

One can find on ebay for 50-60 GBP which is really good price 3

Highly recommended.

Btw. my wife also moved to the same one after checking maybe 10 different ones 

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