Weaknesses: I eventually bent one rail while jumping a staircase and REALLY hurting my tailbone in the process... stupid all the way around. Availability...
Bottom Line:
I bought this saddle initially to replace the Velo saddle that came stock with my Trek 4300 in 2002. I wanted something firmer, more trim, that looked cool and fit me better than the generic fabric topped comfort saddle. This was $10 at the time from JensonUSA - whom I've always had a very positive experience with. The seat must have been like an OE saddle, it had kevlar sides, and tubular chro-moly rails with a perforated black vinyl top. I HATED climbing on the old seat that held water, this was great because you could just wipe it down with your hand and ride off.
As I mentioned earlier, I managed to land a stair jump very poorly, come down hard on the saddle and bend one of the rails. At some point I decided I didn't want to sit lopsided and decided to replace the seat.
I had a cheapo relpacement that now resides on a bike it looks better on, then came the ISCA Dakar - my first leather wrapped, titanium railed flite style wonder. It's very light, very beautiful, but has to be the stiffest seat known to man. After a 20 mile singletrack excursion, it was banished for a future project. The Selle Itaia Genuine Gel was practically a steal on ebay because it's bright red, which fits the color scheme. Then out of fond memories, I searched ebay for Koski recently and found this saddle again, only this time with a black and red leather cover with titanium rails. The Flite Genuine Gel found a new home on the torch red singlespeed road bike townie... just to make room for this saddle. It's not for everyone, and it's not a big brand name, but I love it, and it'll look/feel great on my Bianchi as soon as my broken collarbone has healed!
If I'd relocate a Selle Italia Flite Gel, you know this must be nice... and I clearly put some time in my saddles, someday I'll try a brooks.
Similar Products Used: Selle Italia Flite Genuine Gel, ISCA Dakar, OE Velo, and some cheap saddle that was as close to it as I could find.
Bike Setup: 2004 Bianchi Mutt hardtail, Deore 9 speed, disc brakes, Raceface crankset/bottom bracket, sette riser bar, kore stem,maxis tires,Alex-Formula wheelset, koski seatpost (also reccomend). Now has a new Koski contour coming in the mail...
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Submitted by
Konstantin Dark
a Cross Country Rider
from Moskow, RUSSIA
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2005
Strengths: Look nice, cool colour and logo
Weaknesses: Very hard, weak frame.
Bottom Line:
I have used this sadlle for 2 years. This is uncomfortable sadlle, but this is not turing one and I have got used to it. As this sadlle has titanium rails, it should be very durable but IT DOESN'T !!! After two years using frame has lost its geometry and look like screw now! Besides of this, leather cover is not durable too. After two sidefall sadlle has two holes on each sides. So, I will not advise to buy it.
Strengths: This saddle is very durable. I have had it for over 2 years and is still holding up even after all the falling from my first months of riding.
Weaknesses: The seat is very uncomfortable.
Bottom Line:
If you can afford to upgrade, Do it asap!. Get something that has the love channel for blod flow and titanium rails for durability and weight. It also depends on the rider style.
Bike Setup: Cannondale Jekyll 600 disc highly modified
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Submitted by
$p0t
a Downhiller
from Moscow, Russia
Date Reviewed: March 4, 2004
Strengths: Titanium rails, back slide, anatomic groove, small size and weight, comfortable
Weaknesses: A little bit siff.
Bottom Line:
I have no idea what people are thinking comparing an MTB saddle with a touring one. Well, I've bought Koski a few days ago because it has an anatomic groove had titanium rails, was relatively cheap and it looked technologically made (and my old saddle was a ruin). I knew Kosli was a cheap saddle but.. I decided to try it.
After I've bought the saddle I happened to read the reviews and I was really disappointed with my choice. I mounted the new saddle and went on some kind of a snowboard mountain nearby to test it's qualities. After making 4-5 meters flights during 1.5 hours I formed some opinion about it.
The saddle was good. It is a sport saddle not a touring one. It IS NOT designed for touring, though I never felt tired riding on it to the mountain and back so I guess it is not as bad for touring as well, but surely if I were a tourer I wouldn't install this saddle. Don't mix up different styles. When you're on FreeRide the saddle should have different qualities than a touring saddle, especially keeping in mind that most of the time a free rider or stunt rider has most of the weight on his legs. Especially it doesn't fit an amateur women who has no basic riding skills.
May be we're all talking about different saddles. Mine has a cevlar lining, titanium rails (it was checked after some reports suggested it was not a titanium alloy)
This saddle worths it's money. I can't say about durability (not much time was spent on it) but it is at least normal as far as comfort is concerned. But it surely doesn't suit for touring and people who has all their weight on the saddle during long tours.
My opinion is that it is an average saddle it is neither bad not particularly good and I marked it as four.
Bike Setup: I assembled it myself ATOM frame, custom rear suspension and swingarm. Alivio/Deore, Hayes hydraulic brakes, Mavic 321, 525(front) with SRAM9.0/Formula, DNM VTS95 fork, Panaracer Fire FR, FSA Orbit XTreme headset.
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Submitted by
Qniux Tan
a Cross Country Rider
from Johore, Malaysia
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2003
Strengths: Looks good and nothing else.
Weaknesses: Not soft enough. Heavy. Titanium railings ? It rust !
Bottom Line:
Sad to say, it's not a good saddle. It's heavy (more than 300 gm) and quite hard. At the beginning, I just couldn't sit long enough on this saddle. My buttock ached and I had to stand on my bike every now and then. It tortured me on long distance ride. After some time, I finally got used to it. But on a friend's recommendation, I got rid of it and bought a Selle Italia's saddle. Now long distance ridings pose no problem to me.
Bike Setup: Haro Escape with all the components riders recommended at MtbREVIEW.com
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Submitted by
Shamrock Bosco
a Downhiller
from Mr Shenise's neighborhood
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2002
Strengths: Looked good, matched my bike, cheap...
Weaknesses: Bent almost instantly..............not from crashing, just from RIDING!!! Super thick padding doesn't FEEL like super thick padding and I've ridden thinner saddles that are much more comfy.
Bottom Line:
Stay away from the Contour and buy the Fastback. Koski stuff is basically OEM though.........you know, the kind of stuff that comes on your bike, so you deal with it. I mean who really BUYS Koski parts for their bike?
came stock on my Univega, replaced with a selle italia, and moved to my GT. i haven't gone any rides over 20 miles with it but i have had no soreness problems of which everyone claims. does it really have titanium rails?
Bike Setup: 2001 gt aggressor 1.0 frame, old judy xc fork, cantilever brakes, kore, alivio, stx.... a very wierd bike but it gets me to class
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Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Minnneapolis
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2002
Strengths: Nice colors, cool logo.
Weaknesses: Like riding on a birch log.
Bottom Line:
Came with the bike. Decided to try it out for a ride or two. Had to apologize to the boys downstairs for making them endure a 1 hour pain cruise on this log of a saddle.
Try out one of the Fizik saddles. Not perfect, but 10x more comfortable. Probably a nice weight savings as well.
Bike Setup: Giant NRS XTC2 stock...except for this stupid saddle
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Submitted by
Ben Bilsland
a Weekend Warrior
from Taunton, Somerset, UK
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2002
Strengths: Came with bike, matches my frame's colour scheme. Sorta comfy...
Weaknesses: Naff because it matches my bike, sorta painfull...
Bottom Line:
I hated it when i bought it. I liedk it again for a while. Hated it again after a short break from the bike, boguht some shorts and loved it... You need shorts. If it fits your ass then it is excellent. I think saddle tilt is integral. I pointed the nose up a little. But I want to it break so I can get an SDG.
I rode the saddle for over a year, it is hard but not too bad with a full suspension bike. What really pissed me off is when the stiching on the saddle wore holes in my $60 shorts!
Strengths: My saddle is a KOSKI CONTOUR NOT A KOSKI ENGINEERING CONTOUR! Light, looks great, feels good
Weaknesses: no kevlar bumpers
Bottom Line:
Looks great, feels great, worth the 25 bucks even if I will go through it in a year. Ordering a second one for back up. Once again MINE IS A KOSKI CONTOUR-NOT A KOSKI ENGINEEING CONTOUR!
Favorite Trail: Slick rock, sidewalks, singletracks
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At: Nashbar.com
Similar Products Used: Specialized, Selle, Cannondale plus a few others
Bike Setup: GT Full suspension, XTR through and through. Mongoose Deore XT hardtail Manitou Magnum Custom-Handbuilt 6061 aluminium, rockshox Psyhlo-XTR through and through.
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Submitted by
Air Bish
a Weekend Warrior
from Washington, DC
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2001
Strengths: Looks cool. Matches the Bike. Great...
Weaknesses: Everything else...
Bottom Line:
This thing is a brick. In fact, I think a brick would be more comfortable and only slightly heavier. My wife laughed herself silly when I told her (an hour into our first ride) that my d*ck was gone! I mean COMPLETELY numb! Needless to say this is not good. I will be replacing this week with a Terry Fly or WTB V Stealth. DEFINITELY have your shop get this thing off before you buy the bike. I wish I had. It should be illegal to sell this seat. (maybe I'll ride it for a few years and sue them for a couple million when my thing finally falls off.)
Similar Products Used: Old Crap...still better than this.
Bike Setup: 2001 Giant (Imagine that..) XTC
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Submitted by
Stuart
a Cross Country Rider
from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2001
Strengths: Looks ok.... otherwise none!
Weaknesses: Very, very uncomfortable - nuff said.
Bottom Line:
This saddle came with my Giant bike, as it seems most of the reviewers did too. If you are in this case (comes stock with you bike), do a deal to swap it before you take your new toy out the door. Don't put yourself through the pain, and have another bit of junk filling you closet.
1 weekend and that was enough! Now I know what it is like to spend a night in prison! Thankfully my bikeshop swapped it for a Selle Italia Saddle for free - and I was very happy, and so is my bum!
Submitted by
Steve A
a Racer
from Montreal Quebec Canada
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2001
Strengths: Looks pretty cool, and comfortable. Boy, that was decieving!
Weaknesses: I think the feeling the seat leaves you with, is probably worse than prison sex. Just plain Awful. Feels like a a 2X4.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is...*drum roll* This seat will wreck you arse. Avoid contact with anybody. If ridden on, please consult a physician immeditately. May cause erectile disfunction.
