From the impossibly light, to custom-made to classic designs, we spotted some seriously smart seats at Eurobike, and even got a fitting courtesy of SQlabs.
Their procedure initially involves a fairly basic yet insightful measurement of the distance between your sit bones, then working out what type of riding you do to determine whether you need a more supportive or aggressive saddle. From a quick consultation I was recommended an Ergowave 612 carbon saddle in a 13cm width - check out the video above for more info.
Here are some of the highlights from the gallery above...
The Selle Italia SLR C59 is eyewatering in more than one way... first off the 63g weight, claimed to be the lightest in the world; and the astronomical price of £383.99. Selle Italia say they've put countless hours of research to arrive at the lightest, toughest saddle they could without sacrificing comfort, and that very obviously came at a big old cost.
It's hard to imagine this special edition saddle courtesy of Astute would come cheap either. It looks similarly super-light and made completely from carbon like Selle Italia's. Unless they decide to release a few separately you'll have to part with 15,000 Euros for a Bianchi for Scuderia Ferrari road bike to own one as things stand.
Brooks' latest offering looks like a great option for those who want classic styling on their road bike. The main USDP of the Cambium is its weather-protection, with a vulcanised natural rubber top for flexible performance. It's got a waterproof and weatherproof nylon cover and a fibreglass reinforced back plate for a saddle bag/other accessories, and looks like a promising all-rounder.
This is the latest version of Prologo's women-specific road saddle, the Dea. It comes in a specific width and makes use of Prologo's Active Density technology, giving variable levels of density at the rear, middle and front to reduce pressure points. It's got a wider surface area than male-specific saddles to suit a wider pelvis.
You can now add saddles to the ever-growing list of 'optional cycling accessories with some sort of glowing or reflective safety feature', as this Sportourer saddle from Selle Italia has a reflective back section (this photo was taken with flash to show the effects). In combination with reflective clothing, a reflective helmet, lights, reflective socks etc etc, you'll be positively glowing...
Yep, that is actually a bike saddle made out of wood. Courtesy of Selle Esse (no relation to Selle Italia) the saddle is laser-cut and has nylon padding underneath with metal rails. If you're in pursuit of pure vintage style then it might work for short trips, but on first impressions it made us wince a little.
Tioga make the infamous Spyder saddle, with no padding and a unique webbed design - the Undercover Boost borrows features from the Spyder and adds padding, with a central mesh cut-out for pressure relief. It comes with various different colour trims, has a hollow chromo rail and ArchFlex rail support, with Superlite Foam Bio-X padding for added comfort.
"Try taking the horn out of your mouth"- Miles Davis
The whole point should be to make it as simple as possible to use the tip, that way you get less fly tipping which costs a fortune to clear up in...
Rule 666...
Interesting to see the pro team bikes are sans integrated bars. I know people who have started to get replacement bars from trek after the recall....
Usually this would be the port of call but given the incline of the road and the tailback, along with the blinding sunlight and limited overtaking...
After you get banned this time, when you sneak back could your new username be Tinfoil Dave, please?
See Disney's Beauty and the Beast. All you need is a leader prepared to lie and cheat. There seem to be plenty of volunteers for the role.
Warning Signs, we don't need no stinking warning signs...
Funny, that...
The Triban seems indeed excellent value, but ideally I would prefer something with lazier upright geometry....