Submitted by
Guy
a Weekend Warrior
from UK Date Reviewed: March 13, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$120.00
Strengths:
Great Seat..very comfortable. Took a couple of months of minor adjustments to get it into the correct position. After that it was the best seat I have ever used. A Nice lightweight seat
Weaknesses:
I cant see anything wrong with this saddle. Works just fine...
Similar Products Used:
none like this
Bike Setup:
Alu road bike..
Bottom Line:
Great saddle for the price..lightweight, comfortable
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stu Morrison
a Weekend Warrior
from England Date Reviewed: May 26, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
e-bay
Strengths:
Amazing comfort considering the absolute no-give construction.When I opened the box I thought I may have shot myself in the foot but I persevered and I'm glad I did.The Aspide took a bit of getting used to which did NOT entail soreness,numbness or discomfort.More like a new concept of sitting.Despite the gloss finish I didn't slide about.My longest ride is,to date,60 miles on varied road surfaces at quite a brisk pace.I have described myself as a weekend warrior but I'm really an ex-racer who rides to keep in shape and because I enjoy it.The Aspide is as comfortable as most saddles I've ridden and more so than virtually all.It's a real good-looker too.On appearance alone it's worth an extra mile an hour.
Weaknesses:
I bought mine,new, at what was pretty much half price.The full price does seem a bit steep.Saddles are a very personal thing and if you buy an Aspide and it don't suit you then it could be a problem.I also get the feeling that if you dropped your bike and the saddle connected with the pavement then you might be left with some vey expensive shards.The edges,where the cantle would be,are sharp and you have to get used to them being there.Likewise the noe.Like I said,new concept.
Similar Products Used:
The hard Brook's saddles of the 1950's and '60's and the dreaded Unica-nitor,made of nylon-plastic which just didn't work for me.
Bike Setup:
Standard Carbon/Aluminium road racing frame and equipment.
Bottom Line:
A very good racing saddle that also fits the bill when it comes to brisk leisure riding.Not for anyone with pre-concieved ideas.Try it first if you can because I get the feeling that if it doesn't suit you then you will be in a world of hurt,physically and financially.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Orlando FL. Date Reviewed: December 12, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Razorback
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$59.00
Purchased At:
web
Strengths:
light weight very limited flex
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
wtb & other top makes
Bike Setup:
road & mtb
Bottom Line:
180 pound rider got my first one about 6 years ago. fell in love with it right away. if you have the right size sit bones for this saddle you can't go wrong. I found on sale on the web. I bought 6 of them that's how much I love it. I have one on my road bike, mtb, & my spinning bike. for me best you can buy!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dion
a Racer
from Melbourne, VIC, Australia Date Reviewed: December 10, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Wood Hill, Auckland NZ
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
lightweight, good looks
Weaknesses:
stiff, bloody uncomfortable!
Similar Products Used:
Flite Titanium, Fizik Arione, SDG
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic Comp
Bottom Line:
I'd avoid buying this seat, it's lightweight but awfully uncomfortable.. to the point of causing pain and bruising after I used it in a 24 hour race (more than 20 mins on this seat hurts), I'm not stranger to lightweight & low padding seats and you can have both lightweight and good comfort (Fizik Arione / Flite Titanium) but not with this seat, I think the problem is it's too stiff, maybe for a heavier rider (i'm 82kg) then it might flex more but I suspect it would still be uncomfortable. I'm runing a carbon seatpost also which usually dampens some shock. I swapped this over to my road bike thinking it might be okay but it's still uncomfortable.. I'm selling this one and buying another Fizik Arione!! nuff said!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Harold
a Cross Country Rider
from The Netherlands Date Reviewed: September 13, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Light weight, great looks, I've got the nighttrain edition, comfortable for me.
Weaknesses:
No kevlar or other protection on the side, be carefull with it when putting it against a wall.
Similar Products Used:
fi'zi:k Nisene, other San Marco's, Selle Italia Flite and some more Selle Italia cheap stuff
Bike Setup:
Be one killerbee (lightweight hardtail), full xtr, sid race, carbon handlebar and seatpost,
Bottom Line:
Very nice saddle for me. Very happy with it, good looks, light weight and comforable enough for me. I don't think I should place this saddle on my roadbike. But for my xc-racer it's great.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a
from USA Date Reviewed: June 17, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Used
Strengths:
Comfortable. Nice narrow nose. Firm, minimal padding, but with good shell flex.
Weaknesses:
Not for everyone.
Similar Products Used:
San Marco Concor Supercorsa, Concor Light, Rolls, Selle Italia Turbo, Fizik Pave
Bike Setup:
Scott CR1 Team Issue and Trek 5000/Ultegra 10
Bottom Line:
Most comfortable saddle I've ridden. I bought this saddle after a century ride on my old Pave left me with ischial sores that wouldn't heal up until I took a week off of the bike. Since then they haven't returned. After 6 hours on this saddle my rear is not the sorest part of me by far. I actually have three of these saddles now - a plain Aspide, a Trek/Volvo team saddle, and an Aspide FX.
Note that I weigh under 140 lbs and I have relatively narrow hips. Other reviews seem to indicate that this isn't a good saddle if you're more heavily built.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Leonid Loiterstein
a Cross Country Rider
from St.Petersburg, Russia Date Reviewed: November 29, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$85.00
Purchased At:
www.performancebike.com
Strengths:
An ideal balance of weight and comfort.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Selle Trans-Am, KHS stock saddle, WTB Mongoose
Bike Setup:
A 24lbs F/S XC bike
Bottom Line:
A saddle can only be perfect for someone it fits, but some saddles are so lousy they don't fit anyone. Well, now you know this saddle perfectly fits at least one MTBiker: me. :)
My weight is 132lbs. This saddle was real tough on my butt for about 12 days, and after that my rear end stopped aching.
The saddle is light, it's flexy enough to absorb small vibrations like... like a carbon handlebar. I don't know if I would be the same happy if I had this saddle on a hardtail though. According to my kitchen scales, it's 185 gr.
I bought it at Performancebike in July 2004. I am very happy with that saddle.
However a much comfier (and heavier) Selle Trans AM was so painful I had to sell it... What I'm trying to say is, a saddle has to match your butt, and no review will tell you what's right for your rear end. But this saddle did fit at least one butt. It is worth every dollar I've paid. 5 Chilis for that.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
B
a Racer
from Fort Collins, CO, USA Date Reviewed: November 28, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Came on Bike
Strengths:
Light weight, good looks
Weaknesses:
Hard Long break-in time Embroidery is poorly located and extremely painful after prolonged use. EXTREMELY PAINFUL!!!
Similar Products Used:
SSM Era Pro Fizik Aliante Fizik Dolomiti
Bike Setup:
This saddle is now on my road bike, where it continues to be painful after prolonged use, and causes bruising even on rough roads.
Bottom Line:
This saddle took me 8 months of frequent use to break in. Until it was broken-in, it was very hard and very painful. On bumpy terrain, it caused perrenial bruising.
After break-in, the saddle is usable, but the raised embroidery which spans the entire length of the saddle is located in such a way that it causes painful rubbing on any ride lasting more than 45min to an hour. This results in saddle sores, despite the liberal use of Chamois Butt'r and high-end bike shorts.
The saddle is very light, so for crits, short track, uphill TT and the like, it would be fine. For training and prolonged use (or longer races), I'd rather sit on razor blades, since they'd be lighter and the wounds would heal faster.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rene Hoepelman
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Beach Date Reviewed: July 10, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Anything with Dirt
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Stiff
Weaknesses:
Hard
Similar Products Used:
selle itialia Gel
Bike Setup:
x country
Bottom Line:
I bought the USPS team version because I liked the blue color. Seems to goes nicely with my Trek Fuel 100. I really only bought the seat becasue at 160g it was more then half the weight of my Sele elite gel saddle and I needed to lose 1/4lbs to bring my bike under 27lbs and it worked.
The seat is very stiff great for getting up those tough short climbs but this is by no means a saddle meant for mountain biking. This seat belongs on a road bike. Consider yourself warned, because your Balls wont like you anymore and beg you to go back to gel.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stu
a Racer
from Charleston, SC, USA Date Reviewed: May 24, 2005
Favorite Trail:
It's all goos
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
light weight
Weaknesses:
serious pain and numbness on longer rides 1hr+
Similar Products Used:
many
Bike Setup:
Turner Burner
Bottom Line:
This is a follow up to my previous review. I don't know what I was thinking when I said this saddle doesn't cause pain. I rode it on a couple of shorter rides - 1 hr or less - and it seemed OK. So I gave it a good review. However, I was in a 26 mile 2hr race after that and it absolutely abused me. I couldn't wait to finish the race. My very important parts were numb for 4 days. Needless to say I won't ride it again. I wouldn't recommend this saddle to anyone that rides longer than an hour and plans on having a family. I wanted to mulch it and burn it after that race.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
troy young
a Weekend Warrior
from robinson, IL USA Date Reviewed: May 13, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$79.00
Purchased At:
online bike catalog
Strengths:
extremely lightweight. very cool looking.
Weaknesses:
NOT for people who don't have a racing physique. rips/scuffs very very easily.
Similar Products Used:
selle italia flight gel, specialized body geometry
Bottom Line:
I'm gonna review this for the bigger size people out there. I found this saddle on sale, and thought I'd try it out.
If you have the build of a pro racer (very thin) this saddle will probably work. if you have a couple extra pounds on you .. look elsewhere. I have a bit of extra padding on me (nothing crazy) , and this seat will NOT work for anyone like me. my rides are usually 1.5 - 2 hours, and this seat literally makes me want to climb off and push the bike home after about an hour on it. I lose performance, strength, etc. because i'm worrying about how much more butt pain I can take. I'd say if you're 190 + , don't go with this saddle.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stu
a Racer
from Charleston, SC, USA Date Reviewed: April 16, 2005
Favorite Trail:
They're all good
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA.com
Strengths:
weight, comfort, style, ergonomics
Weaknesses:
none yet
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Saddle
Bike Setup:
'04 Turner Burner w/ Manitou 3-way swinger, FSA wheels, Marzocchi Marathon SL fork, FSA K-force carbon seat post and flat handle bar, FSA stem, FSA Mega EXO crank, SRAM X0 grip shifters and front/ rear deraileur, IRC Mythos XC tires
Bottom Line:
I'm 190lbs and this seat is extremely comfortable for me. The Specialized seat that came stock on my '04 Stumpjumper can't compare in comfort with this seat. Dispite not having much padding, I experience very little discomfort on my tail bones. The Specialized seat, which had more padding, would get uncomforable in the crotch area on longer rides. And I experience no discomfort in my groin area since the seat is more narrow in the front section...prevents the rubbing. I'm sold on it so much I have ordered another one for my road bike which I use primarily for training and triathlons. It's not cheap but for a feel that's this good it's worth it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dennis Pedersen
a Racer
from Santa Ccruz, CA, USA Date Reviewed: March 1, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Soquel Demo Forest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Very light weight (160 grams), pretty comfortable, causes no numbness, decent price.
Weaknesses:
May be too firm for some riders' tastes.
Similar Products Used:
WTB SST 98, Vetta TT, various Specialized Body Geometry, various Terry,
Bike Setup:
1998 Specialized Stumpjumper hardtail (20,000 miles!), rebuilt with all-new LX.
Bottom Line:
I have two of these now, because they are the best saddles I've ever tried. One is the basic Aspide, the other is the special Aspide FX Pepperoncini version with flame graphics and hollow Ti rails (130 grams) and slightly more cushion.
I got the FX for my road bike, and I've ridden lots of long rides and races on it, including 100+ mile rides. Amazing comfort, though it sometimes causes a little numbness if I remain seated for a long time. Keep in mind that a saddle that feels good on short rides can often really pound your butt on a long ride, so this is testimony to how well these saddles are designed.
I got the regular Aspide for my MTB, and it is firmer than the FX, but is still comfortable on long rides and races, and is still the only saddle I've ever used that has caused absolutely *NO* numbness, ever. First time I sat on it I worried a little, but no need; it's a great saddle.
People think a bigger saddle is more comfy, but the saddle really needs to fit to your sit bones (so the points of the pelvic bone rest on the seat), and you don't want it chafing your inner thighs with too much material there either. Specialized has the right idea with their new multiple-width saddles, because saddles really should be like shoes. One size does *NOT* fit all. Following Specialized's sizing technique, the Aspide (at 130 mm wide) would fit riders with sit bones about 70-100 mm apart. If you're wider than that, I'd probably get one of the new Specialized saddles sized to fit you, instead of an Aspide.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steven Wright
a Cross Country Rider
from Melbourne, Vic, Australia Date Reviewed: September 28, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
a city bike shop
Strengths:
I purchased the Gelaround version of the Asipde, and it is a very sleek product. The gel padding has a nice feel to it and the saddle feels nice and light, but strong. It seemed to be the sort of saddle that cound be used for road and commuting along ashphalt bike paths.
Weaknesses:
When I initially set up the seat on the bike, I found the saddle became uncomfortable after 15 km of a 20 km commuter ride that I do 3 to 5 days per week. After putting up with the discomfort for about 10 days, I went back to the bike shop and we readusted the position, and the seat was OK. On 60km longer rides, my bottom (around the sitbones) became painful but nothing too bad. I then went on a 130 km ride and found that about 1/2 way through, I had serious pain in the sit bone region and this was limiting my performance, and when I got home, I found that the skin in that region had been broken and was very painful. I had my seating position checked, and everything looked fine, so it looks like this sadle doesn't suit me.
Similar Products Used:
Generic saddle supplied on my 2004 Giant Yukon
Bike Setup:
2004 Giant Yukon, modified for commuting with 2005 Shimano LX crankset and road cassette. Replaced the steel handlebars with Easton aluminium bars.
Bottom Line:
The seat was not cheap and was causing me discomfort way too early for long distance riding. It may be a very good seat for shorter sprint type rides.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Clay
a Racer
from Chicago Date Reviewed: September 27, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$68.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Light, All-day saddle.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Flite Ti, Specialized Body Geometry, Flite Carbon
Bike Setup:
Serotta Colorado, All Campy 10-Sp ultra Drive, Bontrager Race Lite Wheels, Veloflex tires.
Bottom Line:
Saddles are definitely a personal thing. This saddle is a degree or two more comfortable that the Flite saddles I have used over the years and three or four degrees better than the Specialized Body Geometry. I am only in the saddle at most two or three hours, works as advertised.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
HTail
a Cross Country Rider
from SF Bay Area Date Reviewed: September 2, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Performance online
Strengths:
Actually reviewing the Aspide Arrowhead Gelaround- MInimal size & shape, padding in the right places, slim where you don't need it.
Weaknesses:
A tad heavy.
Similar Products Used:
WTB Rocket Laser V, Terry Fly, Specialized
Bike Setup:
Truth/F100X/Romic/CrossmaxSL
Bottom Line:
I took a chance with this minimalist saddle, but I have to say, this is the most comfortable saddle I've owned so far. It's comfort is really evident when on the saddle for a long time or on a long climb.
The saddles I've owned previously seem to have a little too much where you don't want it. For instance the WTB Rocket is a bit square and big seams, or the Terry (very good by the way) is a tad wide.
The Aspide Arrowhead Gelaround adds the gel to soften the saddle up a bit more than the regular Aspide. Nice when climbing steep stuff and your sitting up on the front of the saddle.
Highly recommend, but maybe a little too minimal for a newbie's butt.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hans
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: June 13, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Mountains around San Diego
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$73.00
Purchased At:
SuperGo
Strengths:
Lightweight, good looks. I've been using this saddle now for the past 8 months. Typically rides are from 1.5 to 3 hrs. Overall, after the initial break-in period and some minor adjustments, I've found the saddle acceptably comfortable. It is particular good for climbing, with the long snout - allowing you to skoot up to the front of the saddle and really take control of a technical section during a good mtb climb. Haven't ever experienced any numbness, etc.
Weaknesses:
Takes a few rides to break-in. Slightly heavier than advertised. Mine weighed-in at 172 grams - not bad.
Similar Products Used:
Fizik Saddles
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blurr. XTR + Mavic CrossMax SL w/Stans No Tubes
Bottom Line:
If you're looking for a big, plush saddle, don't go here. If you're looking for a competitive, yet comfortable saddle - this one works very well. Just depends on how tough your tush is!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ivan M
a Weekend Warrior
from Spain Date Reviewed: December 15, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Looks very racing. Light weight
Weaknesses:
Finish lose color very easy. It makes lot of noise if you don't put body milk on it. It's unbelieveable painfull
Similar Products Used:
Selle Italia TriMatic, Vuelta, Selle Italia Max Flite TransAm
Bike Setup:
Kona Kula with Rock Shox Psylo XC, Magura Louise, DT HÜgi, ChrisKing, Thompson
Bottom Line:
For short rides it's not very bad, or if you ride once a month. But forget it if you have to ride more than 3 hours, because your ass will seem the japan flag. Even the blood circulation to your legs will be seriously reduced. Buy it if you want to have a very good looking bike, but forget it if you want to preserve your ass
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Indiana Date Reviewed: August 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Any and all
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$70.00
Strengths:
Lightweight and looks very racy.
Weaknesses:
Also looks like it could produce a lot of pain in my ass.
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager FS2000
Bike Setup:
Trek 8000
Bottom Line:
Replaced my original saddle b/c I wanted something lightweight and straight. My old saddle was bent slightly out of position due to a wreck in my first week of ownership with the bike a couple years ago.
Anyhow, my first ride out allowed me the chance to appreciate a lightweight saddle - namely that it made my back end feel much lighter. Bunny hops were much easier and higher!
The fear I had the most was pain in my ass. My old Bontrager saddle caused numbness after about an hour, and PAIN after two hours. This saddle produced some minor pain after about an hour and a half, but no numbness. The pain wasn't bad, but pain nonetheless.
I imagine there will be a break in period, as well as me just getting used to the saddle, but I actually look forward to this. I was able to move around no problem, and it seemed to offer many more seating positions than my old saddle.
Value - 4 chilis b/c I found it on sale and any good racing saddle costs at least as much as I paid, if not more.
Overall - would like to give 4.5, but will round up to 5. I am very happy with this saddle!
Thing to remember, if comfort is your ultimate goal, THIS IS NOT THE SADDLE FOR YOU! This is racing saddle, meaning minimal padding and lightweight materials. If you want to pedal slowly on the local paved trail once a week with your wife and kids, get something more comfortable. If you want to race and understand that some pain is good, then this is the bees knees!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Coppock
a Racer
from Fort Collins, CO Date Reviewed: August 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
road: Buckhorn Canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike in Boulder
Strengths:
The shape is exactly right - this cutout delivers without discomfort
Weaknesses:
Some kevlar on the shoulders might be nice ... I fear trashing this pretty saddle the first time I tip over.
Similar Products Used:
This is my first cutout saddle. I've also ridden Selle Italia Turbo Matic, SanMarco Suspensioni Attive, WTB SST, and 15 other styles on various bikes
Bike Setup:
Custom Cyclops/Softride with mostly Ultegra. A great all-purpose roadie steed though a good bit heavier than state-of-the-art race equipment.
Bottom Line:
This is long, but you won't be wishing for more info at the end....
Context: I'm 6'3" 175, which makes for a narrow backside. I measured the distance between my sit bones at 3.5" or the long side of a business card. My bike is a custom Cyclops with a Softride beam, so I have no useful comments on the saddle's ability to dissipate road shock. I'm a roadie, and using this saddle exclusively on the road. I do race, though not often since the kiddos came along, and use a pretty race-standard position on the bike: fairly stretched out and with 3-4" of drop from the saddle to the bars. I've been off the bike the better part of the last 3 weeks, so my butt is not toughened up and I'm sitting a little heavier on the saddle right now than I normally would. Also, I modified my position slightly while installing the new saddle, to get a bit more behind the pedals. All these factors mean that if anything is incompatible between the Aspide Arrowhead and my tush, it should be painfully obvious, and in a big hurry. It also makes a legit apples/apples comparison with my old saddle pretty much impossible. I was previously using an 'old' Selle Italia Turbo Matic, which is comfy enough but I always get a numby unless I'm sitting up nice and tall. And it's heavy. I also checked out a Terry Dragonfly in the shop, but it has these seams all over the place, in the relief channel and also on the shoulders right about where I would sit. I sat on both in the shop, and opted for the Aspide Arrowhead. Let's see how it does...
Day 1 - Favorable first impression. This saddle is not soft ... but a soft squishy saddle is the last thing you want if you're planning on spending quantity time on the road. Plus, my booty _is_ soft right now, so let's see how it goes over time. No red flags during my first 1-hour stint with the new perch - no hot spots, no discomfort. The coolest thing of all ... I'm now able to tilt my hips forward and get that nice flat back without that old familiar *squashing* sensation ... and not a hint of numbness. I just may be getting a lot more use out of the drops now! I'm able to move around a bit on this seat and stay comfortable ... but you don't want to get very far forward on it.
Day 2 - Did a nasty climb today: Boulder's SuperFlagstaff. I was an idiot to go up there with this lack of fitness and a 39x23. But anyway, it made for lots of desperate seated thrashing around on the bike, which is good for identifying saddle problems! Guess what, no saddle problems. I was able to move around quite a bit and still be comfortable, unless I got way forward which ain't recommended anyway. Lots of time in the drops on the descent, and ..... no numbness in the netherworld. I'm liking this saddle!
Day 3 - 30ish miles on rolling flats, lots of time to stretch out and ride in the drops. My backside is sore, but that is only because I've ridden more in the last 3 days than in the previous 3 weeks. Here's what's cool ... this saddle gives me a whole set of new options for my riding position when I'm getting tired or sore. I can roll my hips forward and ride really low, and it totally changes the contact point for my sit bones. And of course, I'm getting all this without any squashing or numbness. In 2 days will be the acid test ... I'm going to put on my drop stem and do a 45 mile TT.
Day 5 - after some time off to eat Mex with extra guac and sour, today was the big TT. Actually it's my commute to work, but today I put the aero bars on and got serious. 45 miles in 1:56:45, with about 6 minutes out to dink with a flat tire. Gotta be happy about that! But the part you care about ... the saddle rocks. Plenty of discomfort, but none at the saddle. :) No hot spots, no numbness. My aero position is _very_ low and compact and I had not the slightest hint of saddle issues throughout the ride.
Eval period is over and I highly recommend this saddle. SanMarco got the shape right, the cutout is right where it should be, and the Lorica cover is seam-free and smooth. It's nice and firm like a serious saddle should be, pretty darn light, and the price is within reason. 5 flamin' nuggets o' love from me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Racer
from Arvada,CO Date Reviewed: July 29, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anything front range
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$78.00
Purchased At:
excel
Strengths:
very comfortable, lightweight,
Weaknesses:
none yet
Similar Products Used:
Selle Italia flite/slr, performance forte sl
Bike Setup:
iron horse frame, dura ace group, cane creek wheels
Bottom Line:
first ride out i tried the triple bypass and although my body suffered my butt was ready to go the next day! That was after 8.5 hrs. in the saddle. No other light weight saddle I've tried could do that.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hui
a Weekend Warrior
from LA, CA Date Reviewed: April 1, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$73.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Light, suprisingly comfortable and stylish. Easy to slide up front. Doesn't look blatantly roadie like the selle slr or evo, if you care about image.
Weaknesses:
Low profile may require higher seat post height (i'm running out of height). The seat cover dye is rubbing off in a few places after only 1 month. Not cheap.
Similar Products Used:
stock schwinn seat, specialized body geometry ti. Both were painful though they were adequately padded.
Bike Setup:
01' schwinn moab 2 with a few upgraded parts.
Bottom Line:
A comfy seat with reasonable weight and looks. There's no pain and it does what it's supposed to. It could be lighter if you're a true gram counter.
Like many, I was surprised at how comfortable it was, and now I wished I had gotten something lighter...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Racer
from San Luis Obispo, CA, USA Date Reviewed: February 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Star Wars
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$85.00
Purchased At:
Foothill Cyclery
Strengths:
Light, Stiff, Comfy. Had it on my hardtail race bike, and it was awsome.
Weaknesses:
I cracked it down the middle, perpendicular to the long way on the seat. It was right above the seatpost, and this is on my HARDTAIL RACE BIKE!! ZERO JUMPAGE!!. Good news is that its getting warratied, I just have to pay shipping.
Similar Products Used:
Flite, Era, Serfas Aria (on the road bike, its good too)
Bike Setup:
2000 Stumpjumper Comp.
Bottom Line:
Need a nice firm seat thats long, get this. Cool stripe colors too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Teo
a Cross Country Rider
from Pacoima Date Reviewed: January 28, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
light weight and looks good
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Flite Ti and Flite Gel Ti
Bike Setup:
03 Fuel 100, 03 XTR, SID world Cup and Crossmax
Bottom Line:
I really like this seat. It is not as uncomfortable as one would think by looking at it. I rode on a Flite Gel Ti saddle for two years and so far the Aspide feels more comfortable than the Flite. It has plenty of give whe you sit on it and the padding is more that suffient, this coming from a rider that does not use padded shorts. I do agree with the person below that there is a sweet spot on this saddle. As soon as you find it you can ride comfortably for hours.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Dutcher
a Cross Country Rider
from Lenexa, KS, USA Date Reviewed: September 8, 2002
This is a great seat. I haven't found any weaknesses yet. I have put about 10 hours of real riding into this product. I think that if there were to be any real weakness, it would have surfaced within that time frame. Yes, the seat weighs a little more than advertised (177 grams by my scale), but it is still a great saddle. I would recommend and have recommended this saddle to people I have encountered on the trail. So, bottom line...I love the saddle. I made a wise choice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jimm
a Cross Country Rider
from SoCal Date Reviewed: August 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Moab
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$59.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Light weight; good looks; comfort
Weaknesses:
Very small "sweet spot"; high cost
Similar Products Used:
SDG; Flite (several models); WTB
Bike Setup:
Trek Postal (ROAD bike)
Bottom Line:
My WTB/SST wore out...so, mounted the ASPide on the road machine and moved the Flite Gel to my MTB. The ASPide is NOT a good MTB saddle. It's too light and fragile. As far as I know, it was designed specifically for road use. After making one slight adjustment -- ahhhhhhh. This saddle works! It offers a VERY small "sweet spot"....if you move your butt just a tiny bit fore or aft, you're in painsville. But, once you find that one little area, you're in for a treat -- saddle? what saddle? Once I got my sitbones positioned JUST RIGHT, the comfort was amazing for such a minimalist saddle. I recommend this saddle for roadies and roadies only. It's not suited for MTB'ing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joseph La Cour
a Cross Country Rider
from Cedar Hill, TX Date Reviewed: April 15, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
jensonusa.com
Strengths:
It is not too expensive. It is light- 186g It has a pennal relief
Weaknesses:
hurt for a couple, dozen rides until I got use to it Does not weight as advertised
Similar Products Used:
WTB Laser V stealth ( a great product )
Bike Setup:
Sugar (with some nice goods) Carbon time peddles, xtr cranks, CT2 handlebars, brl wheelset (the only thing original worth leaving on.
Bottom Line:
I have gotten use to the saddle, but the best saddles I have tried are from WTB. For the weight weenies WTB do have saddles that are around 180, and they are honest about their wieghts.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jerry
a Cross Country Rider
from Ithaca, N.Y. Date Reviewed: April 8, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Strengths:
????
Weaknesses:
uncomfortable, but mainly, they lie terribly about the weight
Similar Products Used:
Flite, Flite TT, SLR, Bontrager
Bike Setup:
5" travel cross country
Bottom Line:
This seat is not as comfortable as the Flite, Flite TT, Bontrager, or any other light seat I have used over the last 9 years. However, this is not the main problem. San Marco advertises this seat as weighing 160g. What a blatant lie!!! Real weight is 189g, despite what San Marco website and ad brochures state!! If you're paying big bucks for a lightweight seat, look elsewhere. The Aspide sucks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Lancaster, Pa, USA Date Reviewed: April 3, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
shirk's bike shop
Strengths:
Light weight, and good looks
Weaknesses:
I'm still in pain
Similar Products Used:
Era, Flight
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakota XC
Bottom Line:
The seat sucks! I used it for one ride and took it back, thank goodness the guys at the LBS took it back cause i would have never ever used it again. the shape is good, I actually really liked that, but it needs padding in a major way, there is no give because the rails anchor right at you sit bones. I took it back and got a flite gel for my road bike and put the Era seat back on my MTB
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will
a Cross Country Rider
from Incline Vlg, NV, USA Date Reviewed: February 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Rim to Flume
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
excel
Strengths:
It weighed out as advertised at 185gm.
Weaknesses:
Comfort Comfort Comfort!
Similar Products Used:
Flite
Bottom Line:
All day comfort my arse! This thing is seriously uncomfortable. Rock hard and the logo stitching falls right under my sit bones. The carbon base just stiffens thing and there is so little padding I'm not sure it does any good. Avoid the Aspike and get a Flite. What bothers me most is how simple it is to make a great saddle. San Marco, if you are listening, copy the flite shape and flexible shell, remove a tiny(!) channel of foam down the middle, cut off the decrative nose, and add a decent amount of padding under the sit bones. I've modified my flite and it's tops.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
What's New
»
BEST OF MTBR - Check out the highest rated bikes, parts, & gear!
»
LED BIKE LIGHT SHOOTOUT 3 - We test all the newest products and latest light and battery technology in this comprehensive guide»
$
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
