Revolutionary in performance, PROLINK is the new-age saddle. The very first to have a "Composite" frame, realized in carbon and titanium, to enhance strength and extreme lightness. Thanks to the innovatory design, PROLINK avails of a "total" cushioning system which enables the saddle to adapt to the shape of the rider and follow his movements during pedalling, thus guaranteeing maximum comfort. The Shock-Absorber system, placed between the frame and shell, eliminates vibrations coming from the road surface.
Submitted by
Mike Sweum
a Racer
from Sioux city,Iowa
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2007
Strengths: This review is for prolink genunine gel.I think the model is from a few years ago since it doesn't have a cutout.Extremely comfortable,good looking,wide at 147 mm.Elastomers between the shell and rails.
Weaknesses: The rails seem to be creaking,but maybe it doesn't match up well with my Salsa shaft seatpost.Either way,kind of annoying.Vanox rails are not that great from what I hear and Im starting to believe it.
Bottom Line:
Maybe it's just the seatpost and seat combination that is causing the creaking noise.Most comfortable seat I have used.Can ride for hours and still feel good.Bought off of ebay for pretty cheap.To me seats are all about comfort and this delivers in spades.If the rails were titanium I would have gave it five flamin turds without question.
Strengths: This review is for the “Prolink Light Gel Flow”
In a word “comfort”. Well to be more precise reduced soreness/numbness/pain/discomfort.
Weaknesses: Leather went shabby after the first good wet ride. Wore through a couple of rides later, and finally the seat rail broke after 9 months.
Bottom Line:
Seems I get a particular problem with restrictive blood flow to my legs. Here it’s the shape of the pro-link that helps the most. It has a unique way of contacting my body. Certainly out the way of my major blood vessels. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not talking about padding, or spreading the load – it just shaped right.
Of course, it does have padding, and it does have that flexi/springy suspension system – all of that was a bonus for me. It’s great, I can spend hours and hours in this saddle.
It’s quite a long saddle, and somewhat narrow between the legs; a good contrast between sitting forward, and moving back on to the wide rear section. That’s an extra way of keeping the blood flowing – sit forward, sit back, stand up. Climbing is of course good with a saddle that long, and nope it’s not too invasive.
Probably aught to spend a few words on the suspension system: Yea, you can feel it flex – well at first anyway. A similar feeling to a rear air shock locked out – you know that very slight bob – you sort of sense it, rather than feel the movement. It’s subtle – not a big sloppy suspension mush – more it just takes the sting out of the trail – in much the same way as carbon handlebar do. It certainly not a big effect, but rather just right.
If this thing were merely a contact point between body and bike I would recommend you just go out and buy one, I don’t think it can be beat……………but hold on…….there’s more to it than that.
DURABILITY – that’s its Achilles heal. The leather went sour after one good ride in the wet. The black outer speckled away, leaving a mottled grey appearance. Admittedly that would polish back up if there a couple a good dry rides strung together (not in this neck of the woods). The leather worn away at the sides in short order, first at the back, then at the front. That seems to be a bad design – the leather goes out to a point, then stops – it creates a natural area where my peddling action was drawing the leather around an edge – and that wore through in about a month.
All-in-all the saddle looked awfully – flaky mottled grey with worn out edges. Not a pretty sight. BUT very, very, very comfortable, and that for meant I didn’t care what it looked like.
It’s no longer on the bike – after 9 months of relatively hard riding (all mountain) – one of the rails broke. Judging by the comments of others, that appears to be a common fault. Mine broke just where the rail meets the clamp block. It’s a clear stress fracture. Luckily I caught it before it had spread all the way through the tube. Presumably all that movement eventually took its toll.
Shame, I really, really liked this saddle.
Just one last closing point. Many here refer to the rails as being part carbon. That’s not true, although it’s easy to see why people believe it. Take a look at the photo, and you will see what appears to be a rail of 3 halves – carbon at each end, and metal in the middle. The carbon effect is painted on! Yep, and as you would expect it wears off down the sides in a few short rides.
Similar Products Used: A couple of WTB saddles, and Specialized
Bike Setup: Marin Attack Trail (Quad TARA)
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Anthony
a Cross Country Rider
from GTA, Ontario
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2004
Strengths: Very very comfortable saddle.
Weaknesses: Rails are regular cro-mo with carbon paint where the seat is clamped. The rest of the rail support system is indeed carbon. A little soft and flexy in the center of the saddle between the nose and tail. A little heavy.
Bottom Line:
Excellent comfort. Really when it comes to a bike seat you should not compromise comfort for anything. This comfort does come at a cost though...weight. Selle italia should also think of a way to stiffen up the center of the saddle, it flexes a bit much. The gel system is ohh so good!
Similar Products Used: Brooks professional, ideale 90 (leaver), turbo, rolls, flite, SLR transam, TT trishock and a few others...
Bike Setup: Steel stumpy, Z2, HS 33, does it mather.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dark Star
a Downhiller
from Vamsterdam, BC
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2004
Strengths: This saddles rules in every functional catagory from the "I'm too sexy for my clothes" to the active/passive ergomic designs that are unique to this saddle. The carbon/Ti rails are strong and reduce vibration passage and the gel is tits for anatomical cushion without compression loss. Three drop dead colors to choose from to complement any bike color scheme and these saddles really look too sexy set up on the FSA Carbon Pro Team Issue crankset, seatpost, bar and stem components ... way too sexy. All the carbon components really isolates the vibrations coming through the metal frames, especially aluminium, without loosing input.
Weaknesses: Maybe having a yellow saddle on a bike that you go out and slay gravity on. Yellow gets way too dirty and dingy -stains- really easily but, I chose the black ones so why should I care.
Bottom Line:
The Pro Link is one of the top performers out there and is the best lookin' anatomical saddle around. I would even say, it is the most sexy saddle out there period. Set up with some fine carbon goodies, you will have the best technology will afford, besides the "I'm too sexy for my clothes" heart throb good looks. I rate this saddle with an entire acre of Flamin' Sensi Buds - ur, I mean Flamin' Chili Peppers- and will say anyone who gets on one is there to stay. In short, this is something worth having between your legs boys and girls ... ride it and feel the experience for yourself! Everyone up here in the True FREE North is stoked over them and we all have them now ... nutin' else will do for our rides!
Similar Products Used: All the high-end goodies from the Selle San Marco Race Day to Richy Vector Wing, RaceLite and the such. Man, the 1997 Race Day Ti rail saddle was like riding a raw 2x4 and I rode that saddle for nearly 25,000 miles around the world. Hard to believe we put up with trash like that and thought so well of it all at the time, in comparisons to what we have to chose from today. Hey, boys and girls, take good care of your "package" because we all here about how the "wrong" saddle will screw up the nerves down there and then we really will be in a mess. These saddles today can give all the comfort anyone could need if you take the time to by one that is anatomically correct -first- and then good lookin' secondly. Theses saddles offer both so go buy one and get rippin' on one!
Bike Setup: Too much to list and who cares anyway other than me ... honk, honk.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jake
a Cross Country Rider
from San Antonio
Date Reviewed: January 14, 2004
Strengths: My ass says "dude thanks"
Weaknesses: My wallet says "dude youre a dip$hit"
Bottom Line:
smooth like butta on the rump, wouldnt trust my a$$ to anything but the 'link. A little pricey but nothing like those little strips of carbon some guys with one nut like to use.
Strengths: Looks, comport, the price I paid, and most of all, their customer service is awesome.
Weaknesses: CARBON rail broke after using 6 months
Bottom Line:
Like the previous review, mine broke at the screw through the carbon. I contacted a Selle Italia distributor in Washinton State and was told to ship the saddle for warranty inspection. I thought it would take more than a month for me to get the saddle back, so I went out and bought a Selle Italia Flite. Well, I was wrong. Only five days later after I shipped, I got my repaired saddle back via USPS priority mail. I am not sure about carbon rails, but their customer service is just awesome.
Submitted by
Anastas Nenov
a Weekend Warrior
from Brookline, MA
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2003
Strengths: Shocks, padding, cut-out center channel.
Weaknesses: I owned the carbon version. The saddle broke at the screw through the carbon (at the underside of the nose.) Never been in an accident and used mostly on smooth surface.
Bottom Line:
I would be on it if it had not broken it two. Curved shape is plus or minus. If you have tough perineum and weak ischium it is perfect, if not - the design may work against you.
Similar Products Used: San Marco USPS Aspide Ti. Great for the suitable anatomy. Specialized - O.K. but not great.
Bike Setup: Cannondale ms600, Shimano 105 Group with ultegra elements and Dura-Ace pedals (7750). The rest is stock.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2003
Strengths: Supports my sit bones perfectly. No break in period required.
Weaknesses: None.
Bottom Line:
This is a great saddle. My ass does not experience any soreness after 4 or 5 hour rides. As mentioned above this saddle supports my sit bones perfectly, it is similar to my Spongy Wonder saddle in terms of comfort.
Similar Products Used: stock Specialized saddle, Spongy Wonder.
Bike Setup: 2000 Specialized Stumpjumper Comp
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Seacoast, NH
Date Reviewed: June 24, 2003
Strengths: Comfort, looks, price
Weaknesses: Slightly heavy compared to other saddles of the same spec
Bottom Line:
Nice saddle, about the most comfortable one I could find and also the one used most by friends which says something. They is probably a more comfy one out there, but the Pro Link has a nice balance between comfort and functionality. Looks good in black and seems to hold up well to abuse, and being covered in New England mud. Five flaming turds all round for this.
Similar Products Used: Specialized Body Geometry (not sure who's Body they used but its uncomfortable) and WTB SST (nice but not as comfy as the Pro Link)
Bike Setup: Cross country/amateur racing - Specialized 01 Stumpy M4 hardtail, USE suspension seatpost, Truvativ cranks, Bontrager Mustang rims, Mars Super fork.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Eckley
a Weekend Warrior
from Avon Lake, OH, USA!!
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2003
Strengths: comfort,looks,trans am cutout
Weaknesses: carbon fibre portion of the rails can snap if you fall directly on it.
Bottom Line:
the seat is comfortable, I snapped the first one trying desperately to hang on to a branch while slowly falling sideways... finally let go of branch and landed right on the damn seat... bike on the ground me landing with all my weight onto the nose portion sideways to it... SNAP! Sent it back to Selle Italia... new saddle in less than one week! I'll see how this one holds up. I like it better than the flite trans am... more cushion... mounted it on a THOMPSON elite seat post.
Similar Products Used: Flite trans am, max flite trans am, specialized torture treatment saddle
Bike Setup: GT Zaskar Team issue-sid carbon,race face cranks,SACHS QUARZ shifters,ct-2 flat bar,avid ultimate levers & rim brakes
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Adam W.
a Weekend Warrior
from College Park, MD
Date Reviewed: April 13, 2003
Strengths: Carbon-lookin' rails, good color choices, wide and comfy like a tiny leather couch
Weaknesses: Carbon-lookin' rails, on the heavy side in this day and age of sub-100g saddles
Bottom Line:
Big and comfy. I like the extra width, and the gel feels firm enough to actually offer support, which most gels don't seem to do too well for me. Raised rear, relative to the rest of the thing, which does wonders for keeping pressure away from where it oughtn't be. Those carbon rails - they look good, sure, but they're kinda hokey, also. I haven't tested them for strength 'cuz I don't do drops beyond a curb on my road bike. Was gonna put one on my MTB but the Octavia was lighter, cheaper, and w/ normal-looking rails, it made me think it was stronger as well. This thing wins. (especially in bright yellow.)
Similar Products Used: Berserker, Octavia, Trimatic (stay AWAY), WTB
Bike Setup: Bianchi Veloce, Ultegra double kit, MaxM carbon post, ksyrium elites, blah blah
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
richard
a Cross Country Rider
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: April 13, 2003
Strengths: Very comfortable, light, durable and reasonably priced
Weaknesses: none so far
Bottom Line:
So far I had tried quite a good number of saddles but still end buying the prolink. Even recommended it to a few bikers and received the same comments. It's very comfortable especially for epic rides. If you are a heavy rider it may not suit you.
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 18, 2003
Strengths: Comfort, durability, looks!
Weaknesses: None, other than the carbon pealing from the seat rails!
Bottom Line:
These seats are the bom! I liked my first one so much I purchased a second. I have built and sold a couple of bikes now, I always install a Prolink but I will never part with it on the bike! I have used my first one for everything from downhill to cross country (2 YEARS). IF YOU WANT A COMF0RTABLE SADLE, PURCHASE A PROLINK GEL MODEL, A SHORT BREAK IN PERIOD AND THE FEW EXTRA GRAM'S ARE WORTH IT!
