The official saddle of 4Time world champion Brian Lopes,The WTB Silverado's elongated shape allows ridersTo useThe nose ofThe saddle while climbing.The square profile ofThe saddle also puts more weight overThe sit bones for more comfort. Nicro rails 240 grams (claimed weight) Abr corners and dna padding FlexTuned shell
Strengths: Really confy (to me), light, good looking
Weaknesses: None so far, but I expect the white lettering on top will fade away with use
Bottom Line:
I had a Brooks B17 for some time, which I loved. The problem was maintenance and excessive width, so I moved away. I've tried a number of saddles after the B17, like the Spoon or the Gobi XM, with bad results. Then I bought a Silverado on a shop clearance for less than 20$, just to try it out. Well, to my surprise it is the most confortable saddle I ever sat on, next to the mighty B17. It makes some sense, since when viwed from above the Silverado has a similar shape to the B17, and is equally flat.
Saddles are a really personal component, but for all the B17 lovers who have a desire for something more off roadish you should try the Silverado, it may surprise you
Strengths: Comfortable especially as it's designed to flex quite substantially
Weaknesses: Once it pops out of the rails that's it
Bottom Line:
I had this saddle no longer than 1 month as standard fitment on my Zaskar Carbon Pro 29er and on one of my trail rides it popped off and could never get it back on.
I f you have one I would strongly suggest you have gaffer tape handy otherwise your ride will end quite quickly.
Not recommended
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Submitted by
ihaveagibsonsg
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA
This saddle came on my GT Sensor 9r expert. It is much more comfortable than the bontrager saddle that came on my trek and the specialized saddle that came on my 2006 FSR XC Comp. I did a 43 mile trail ride on it the other day and I had more left to give! I've only owned it for a few weeks, but I've put over 200 miles on it already so I'd say I'm pretty experienced with it. If it broke, the only reason why I'd purchase a different saddle is just to experiment with others since I'm newer to the sport. Otherwise I'd purchase this one. I am a lighter guy though at around 150 pounds. If you were a more heavy set person I'd imagine this saddle might get lost inside you. Highly recommended for the light weight guys.
Strengths: Super comfortable. fits my tail just right with numerous places to scoot my tush around while battling rock gardens and decents. long nose to balance on while climbing
Weaknesses: none, white gets dirty...
Bottom Line:
Ive ridden many saddles and this one seems to be perfect for me. hoping many of you think the same.
Long saddle gives me a few places to sit while traversing through single track. Nose is long and soft to sit on while climbing. rear provides a nice cushion for those flats.
I would recommend folks try riding on this saddle.
Submitted by
Earthpig
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2011
Strengths: Comfortable, narrow enough to easily get back off the saddle on the steeps, light
Weaknesses: fragile - tore the saddle of the rails on one mellow crash; rails are set too far back on the saddle
Bottom Line:
I used the Flite Genuine Gel for over 10 years on multiple bikes. I never could understand why I would get bad saddle sores every year. Well, when I started using the Silverado - and got no saddle sores - I understood! The Silverado has become my go-to saddle of choice. I've had both the Ti and Chromo railed versions. Honestly, I can't tell a weight difference between them, but I'm not a weight weenie. The Silverado is comfy for long rides - I've done an 18 hour endurance race (2-man) on one, and have ridden 100+ miles over a couple of days on it as well with no pain. I also like it's narrow shape - it makes it easy to get off the back of the saddle on the steeps.
My only complaint is fragility. I've done my share of crashing over 15 years of mountain biking and have NEVER broken a saddle - except for the Silverado. One slower speed UPHILL crash and the saddle popped off the rails. Once that happens, the saddle is toast. Given its relatively minimalist design, I'm not overly surprised that it's less than sturdy. Bottom line, I wouldn't use this saddle on a DH, dirt jump, FR or any other big air sort of bike. XC saddle only.
The only other nit I have with it is the positioning of the rails. They are set so far back on the saddle that it's hard to get the saddle back as far as you could with a saddle with rails that are positioned closer to the nose (ala the Flite.) I ended up having to get a setback post on one bike because the saddle wouldn't go far back enough.
At $60, it's relatively inexpensive and I've picked them up off Steep and Cheap for $35 - for the ti rail version! As long a WTB keeps making this saddle, I'll keep buying it.
Similar Products Used: Selle Italia Flite and Flite Genuine Gel
Bike Setup: I have this saddle on 3 different bikes
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Submitted by
joeinchi
a Weekend Warrior
from Highland Park, IL
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2010
Strengths: Anatomically-friendly, sleek good looks, scuff proof
Weaknesses: Not leather (oh well)
Bottom Line:
I ride on some pretty harsh roads in the Midwest and the Silverado has held up fine. I was looking for a flatter seat than the stock Marin Lite which had a bit too much duck tail to allow easy position shifts. And it always felt like I was pressing back against the "lip."
The Silverado has been a fantastic upgrade. Seat technology has come a long way and the design puts my seat bones exactly where they should be for efficient riding. I used a level to set it with zero slope (+ or -) and that ensures you get all the benefits those comfort zones and grooves offer.
It may produce some soreness after the initial ride but, once your butt is broken in, the Silverado is actually a very comfortable saddle. I just completed a 20-mile charity, up and down many hills, and the Silverado performed admirably: efficient and comfortable. I forgot it was there which is surprising given the minimal padding.
Comfort comes in many forms. For me, being able to stay in the saddle and crank at pretty decent cadence (80 rpm) without impediment is pure gold. If that's what you're looking for, too, then the Silverado is definitely a performance-oriented, well-made option worth considering.
Bike Setup: 1994 Marin Bear Valley running Continental ContiSport slicks at 80 psi and rigid chromoly fork. Used for fitness rides--not off roading.
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Submitted by
slim2none
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, IL
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2010
Strengths: Nice shape, flatter design that allows good position on saddle climbing and descending.
Weaknesses: This saddle is built like a cheap piece of garbage. Cannot believe this saddle retails for $90.
Bottom Line:
I sort of liked the overall shape and profile of this saddle and the low weight. The problem with it is it's a piece of junk. The rails popped out on me on a ride from the nose of the saddle. There is virtually no way of getting them back in. I called WTB and the best advice they could give me was to buy a new saddle from them at a discounted price - I thought fair enough. Come to find out they are out of stock and it would be a month before they could get me a new one. I have NEVER had a saddle rail just pop out of the nose of a saddle in over 20 years of riding. Complete garbage - stay away. WTB should be ashamed of this $90 piece of plastic garbage.
Submitted by
norcalruckus
a Weekend Warrior
from Sacramento
Date Reviewed: December 13, 2009
Strengths: Light weight, easy to get back behind the saddle
Weaknesses: Thin and feels like a board after a while....worst of all was the rails started to bend on me. I think I am too big (215+) to be using this saddle on anything technical while sitting
Bottom Line:
I think I liked the shape of this saddle, but not the firmness or the strength of the rails. I am going to try a pure v or a speed v as I have liked the rocket v's I have used in the past, and I just want something with a longer nose with more padding.
The saddle I had was a gold "Downieville Classic" Saddle with chromo rails.
I was experiencing lower back pain using the San Marco Aspide Ti, I have been using it for over a year and couldn't figure it out until it wore through my lycra - the saddle was too narrow and exposed the bolt clamp head from the seatpost to my shorts. I finally decided to give the WTB Silverado a try since I read that Nicolas Vouilloz runs it religiously on all his bikes. I bought one for my DH bike and then bought another for my XC bike and what a difference it had made! I am faster as a result of my toosh being much more comfortable. We'll see how this kit holds up in the long-run.
Bike Setup: Used in conjunction with a Thomson Masterpiece layback post.
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Submitted by
Farmer Ted
a Cross Country Rider
from Fort Collins, CO
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2009
Strengths: Light, fits me well, effective cutouts, channels, and pressure relief areas
Weaknesses: sticky cover
Bottom Line:
This saddle came on my 2009 Giant Anthem X2 and I have been pleasantly surprised. My all time benchmark for saddles is the original Selle Italia Flite which is the finest bicycle saddle ever made. I usually switch out stock saddles pretty quickly but I am growing fond of the Silverado. The center cutout "love channel" and various pressure relief points built into the shell are effective. The padding is firm and the saddle had a good shape that's easy to grip with the knees while descending and yet it's not so wide that it rubs on your thighs as you pedal.
The shape is flatter than a Flite and has less of a scooped out sweet spot that you settle into...you tend to feel the pressure on your "sit bones" after a while on a long ride but it's not too bad. The cover is a bit sticky and sometimes difficult to slide back and forth on when riding technical trails where you need to shift weight around a lot.
I tend to run saddles slightly nose up but this one fits me best near level...saddles are such personal things and adjustment is 90% of the result whether it's good or bad. This saddle works for me and is well made and thought out. Perhaps it will work for you.
Submitted by
Reid Hollister
a Cross Country Rider
from Towson md
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2009
Strengths: light, low profile, firm, looks badass, gives better control downhill because of it's length
Weaknesses: the firmness and length could bother some people, kind've expensive when you think about how often I dominate saddles
Bottom Line:
I love this seat because it is not squishy at all and my bones seem to fit just in the right place. One critical note is this seat HAS to be adjusted properly, with the angle at least even with the ground and possibly with the nose slightly downward. I have mine set up like this and regularly go for 12+ mi rides on rough terrain, hitting jumps and everyitng, with no chamois pads and I have 0 discomfort whatsoever. Also this seat makes the bike much better for sliding the back wheel accurately around corners and such as well as landing off of jumps it's easy to come over the back of.
Submitted by
tailwaters
a Weekend Warrior
from St Joseph,MI US
Date Reviewed: November 20, 2008
Strengths: Great quality, long nose for climbing
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
I’ve been search for the perfect saddle for a year now. Funny thing is about saddles is what’s great for someone is not necessarily good for someone else. Therefore a rating on saddles should be taken lightly. I went through several so called highly rated saddles and kept going back to the stock Bontrager Race Lite that came on the bike. Only this is the padding was just getting worn out. The WTB Silverado was a home run as soon as I sat on it. My sit bones were a perfect match for the relief areas. I also purchased a Shadow V which was also very nice but I preferred the firmer feel of the Silverado. As for me this saddle fantastic!!! A little on the expensive side but worth it!
Similar Products Used: Bontrager Race Lite, WTB Speed V, Devo
Bike Setup: Trek Top Fuel 8
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Submitted by
Johnny K.
a Cross Country Rider
from Vernon Hills, IL, U.S.
Date Reviewed: October 2, 2008
Strengths: Very light, looks awesome.
Weaknesses: Narrow.
Bottom Line:
I thought I should write a review to give a completely different opinion than those currently posted about this saddle. I think it's fantastic, for every reason. The stock Bontrager saddle that came on my bike was fine for three years, but I started to notice numbness as my rides got longer. The padding would squish too much, reaching unwanted places and cutting off circulation. The Silverado is much more firm, preventing that over-squishy problem. Plus, the "love channel" down the middle helps to further avoid numbness. It may be firm, but because you sit on your sit bones and not on soft tissue, it's much more comfortable than softer saddles I've tried. The only way I can think to describe it is that I feel perched on this saddle, and that it feels like I'm sitting very lightly on top of it, because I'm not mashed down on/in the padding. I absolutely love it. And, of course, it looks top-notch, which should be unimportant with such things, but is it?
I will mention, though, that if it was any narrower, I'd probably start to have trouble. I'm 6', 160 lbs, so being fairly light may help. I can imagine heavier people feel that the seat is too narrow. My brother bought the WTB Devo at the same time, which is simmilar in most ways, only slightly wider and shorter, and he prefers that width. Just part of the seat trouble, I guess. Everyone fits differently. But he agrees that the firm padding and love channel create an awesome ride on both saddles, on and off road.
