Submitted by
TrekSquid
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix Date Reviewed: July 29, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Different Sizes. Sturdy Construction. Durable covering. Focus on "Sit Bones"
Weaknesses:
Even though it says "gel", it is still very firm
Similar Products Used:
Never purchased an "anatomical" seat. This is the first
Bike Setup:
Trek 6700. Factory installed Bontrigger saddle
Bottom Line:
This may be a little early to review, but I'll probably forget if I wait too long. I have always had issues with seats. I guess I'm just lucky that way. I have always figured paying more didn't necessarily mean it would work any better. My objective with this purchase was to actually be sitting on my "sit bones"...which has never happened to date.
Bottom Line. I can feel that I am sitting on those bones.
- Is the saddle a miracle cure? I don't think so. I still find there are times when I am not on those sit bones.
- Do I probably need to tweek with my seat adjustments a little? Yes, I think I can get a little better performance after I fine tune it a little.
- An improvement over my existing saddle? Yes, I think so.
- Best thing since sliced bread? No. If it turns out to be after I've ridden it a little longer I will come back and modify my post.
- Worth the money spent? I think so.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ctbarron
a Weekend Warrior
from Annandale, VA Date Reviewed: April 4, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$64.00
Strengths:
Good shape; like the cutout
Weaknesses:
Slippery; seat rails flex a lot over big bumps
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Rival, a couple by Serfas
Bike Setup:
2009 GF Cobia
Bottom Line:
Seats are a personal choice, and this one didn't work for me. I tried it for about a month. It is firm, even with the gel padding. It never seemed to get "broken in." It was not comfortable for me even with padded shorts, and brutal without them.
It was also slippery - my but slid all over it with a couple different pants/shorts. It also felt like the seat rails moved a lot when I want over bigger bumps, although it never broke or sustained any damages.
I did like the cutout and it seemed like a well-made saddle. Just not for me...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
schnee
a Weekend Warrior
from California Date Reviewed: March 22, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Laguna
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
Specialized.com
Strengths:
Perfect shape, comfortable, choice of widths, durable
Weaknesses:
Older versions developed creaking noises (ones with gray oval pads, silver stitching and pronounced 'pinstripe' grooves).
Newer ones don't have it anymore (ones with smooth shell with two small arc-shaped printed silver labels on the rear)
Similar Products Used:
WTB, Fizik, Ibis
Bike Setup:
Specialized Stumpjumper (old bike), Ibis Mojo (new bike), Giant OCR Composite, Haro Mary
Bottom Line:
I have big wide hips, and this is the first saddle I've found that really fits me. When I got measured using Specialized's 'sit bone' guide, I was barely on their chart.
Others made me feel like I was sitting on a hatchet; with the Specialized BG, I'm right on those sit bones and perfect from the start. I've gone on 50 mile, 5,000' climbing days on this saddle. I've also put on 180 miles in a single week on my road bike.
I have these saddles on every bike I own, from my carbon full-squish MTB and rigid single speed 29'er to my classic steel roadie. I see no need to try anything else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Foxtrot3p051
a Weekend Warrior
from Detroit, MI Date Reviewed: February 10, 2009
Favorite Trail:
NA
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
www.specialized.com
Strengths:
Very, and I mean very comfortable! What a world of difference this seat makes!
Weaknesses:
None at the moment, just recieved this seat. Been using it Only a couple days.
Look wise the 143 is sleek, similar to the stock seat. 155 is a bit bulkier. Not much but its noticeable. Not that its a big deal, Ill take comfort over style any day as long as I don't look too goofy heh.
I wouldn't consider this really a weakness, but it was something that caught my eye after putting it on the bike.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
GF Wahoo, stock everything
Bottom Line:
Wow, great purchase! Ive been using the seat that came with my bike for a little over a month now (just got the bike). My butt would get numb and Id have to switch sides constantly with the stock seat.
I have bike shorts, and while they helped a little they didn't totally relieve the pain over long rides.
I first ordered the 143. The moment I sat on it I realized how much better it felt. I decided to exchange it for the 155 though. The 143 was way better then stock, but the seat was a tad too small for my butt. The 155 turned out to be a better fit - It's ridiculously comfortable now! Great buy!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pakdoc
a Weekend Warrior
from Mountain Brook, AL USA Date Reviewed: August 18, 2008
Favorite Trail:
BUMP
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Bob's Bikes
Strengths:
Durable
Weaknesses:
Still waiting on the comfort. Weight.
Similar Products Used:
Alias, BG comp, WTB's Rocket V
Bike Setup:
Blt2, xo, ck isodisc on x 819, RF Next
Bottom Line:
An average saddle....still trying to break this thing in as the Alias was way more comfortable due to the weak flexing rails (which broke). Defininely no flex in these rails and seems pretty durable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
PedroC
a Cross Country Rider
from London, UK Date Reviewed: August 14, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
CyclesUK
Strengths:
Confort, does not rub on inner thighs, price
Weaknesses:
Weight
Similar Products Used:
WTB Silverado
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC C1, Time atac xs carbon pedals, RaceFace Next Carbon handlebar
Bottom Line:
Very confortable saddle for short furious riding or long XC days out. I have the 143 version and it fits perfectly! Only let down is the weight that made my very light bike not so light anymore but at this price it is an excellent saddle and at the end of the day the added 150g, when comparing to the Silverado I had before, is more than compensated by the extra confort it offers.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
allanz56
a Weekend Warrior
from New York, NY, USA Date Reviewed: July 25, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Central Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$84.00
Purchased At:
ABC Cycles Montreal
Strengths:
Does what it's supposed to do: gives you a comfortable yet firm ride without numbness
Weaknesses:
none yet
Similar Products Used:
Italian gel seat
Bike Setup:
Jamis Quest
Bottom Line:
I'm over 50 years old and large framed but like to ride a couple of hundred miles a week. I started noticing some mild numbness and decided it was time to switch to a new saddle. I found this one in an excellent bike store and the salesman spent alot of time with me and I used the butt meter. I bought the 143. I realized from day 1 that this was a great saddle. The pressure is off my prostate/pudendal nerve/artery and I'm thrilled. It's well designed and comfortable. What more could I ask for?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
oekizler
a Cross Country Rider
from Florida Date Reviewed: July 5, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Strengths:
Strong, durable. Looks pretty good. Comfortable compared to other XC saddles.
Weaknesses:
The tip and the end are really stiff compared to the middle. Better craftsmanship would be nice.
Bottom Line:
Don't go with the 130mm if you want comfort.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alan
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago Date Reviewed: April 15, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$85.00
Purchased At:
Kozy's
Strengths:
Comfortable. Stylish. Durable, I have owned it for 2 yeas and zero problems. grippy and slippy exactly where I like it.
Weaknesses:
Maybe a bit heavy for some, but whatever. Maybe a bit expensive, but it lasts so you get your moneys worth.
Similar Products Used:
All kinds of other seats, some good, some horrible torture devices.
Bike Setup:
I have a few, it really doesn't matter, I use this saddle on all of them.
Bottom Line:
I swap this saddle between all my bikes. I commute on it everyday and ride dirt whenever I can. No issues with it. It has only gotten more comfortable. One of the best puchases I've ever made. 2 years of hard use and still going.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
José Pinteiro
a Cross Country Rider
from Recife, PE, Brazil Date Reviewed: December 10, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
multibike
Strengths:
Looks awesome, really confortable (if the proper angle is set) , does let the blood flow "down under", the gel pads are just where you need them (right in the seat bones).
Weaknesses:
It's not the most lightweight saddle in the market, but I think if it where a lighter saddle it would also be less confortable, so it's a nice balance between weight and confort.
Similar Products Used:
Some generic saddles that I wouldn't care to name
Bike Setup:
Proshock xc frame with proshock ultra xc fork, deore xt group, specialized saddle and bar, truvativ team stem and seat tube, shimano PD-520 pedals.
Bottom Line:
Initialy, I felt a lot of pain in the a** using this saddle, until I tilted it a little bit so it stayed just paralel to the ground, since them, its been the most confortable saddle I ever used. Highly recommended.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pebble
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia Date Reviewed: November 7, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
Top Brand Cycles Townsville
Strengths:
BG sizing system works durability build & materials used
Weaknesses:
Fro a womens perspective the nose seems a bit long.
Alright this is an update on my earlier review for the Avatar gel 155, have had it for almost 2yrs now I think. I'm kind of in between bikes so riding my husbands Giant Alias at the moment, but still have my thomson seatpost & Avatar saddle. Since it started to come apart at the gel bits I decided to pull the cover off.
The build quality is great! It was a though job to get the synthetic leather cover off, heaps of staples used and this thing wasn't going to come apart by itself any time soon. The foam seemed to be of a nice density and it was also guued down to the seat shell really well. And under those round bits where your bum bones sit there is a piece of hardish clear plastic under the cloth top and then they are acutal gel patches under that! You know some saddles say gel and turn out to have just softer foram or something. The avatar had actual gel under those bits where it was supposed to go & it looked like no chance that it would ever have migrated anywhere else where it shouldn't be. I must admit the saddle would have held up a lot longer if I left it but I pulled it apart more out of curiosity than anything. The shell itself is nice and strong, lol if you don't need padding it's not too bad on it's own and it weighs just over 200g alone with the cromo rails(no padding etc) - no I'm not a weight weenie!
Compare this to a selle italia trans am X0 which I bought & the cover was not glued down properly even out of the box! Top value for the Avatar! Only 5 overall because the covers of the gel part should not have started becoming detatched just yet.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben Neesham
a
from London Date Reviewed: July 23, 2007
Favorite Trail:
many
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Evans
Strengths:
Great looks & styling, nice shape, Body Geometry design actaully works (for me anyway), lightweight, excellent comfort, strong & durable, foam/ gel lasted instead of compacting like other seats I have tried.
Weaknesses:
styling wears off easily and the thin leather/ plastic can rip easily
Similar Products Used:
Lookin, other Specialized seats, various others gel/ comfort xc brands
Bike Setup:
Custom built 9kg alu dual sus XC ATB frame, XTR 07 drivetrain with Bontrager 52/42/32 crank & SRAM chain, Hed carbon xc wheels, carbon bars & seatpost, Xpeedo Ti pedals, Look VTT carbon forks.
Bottom Line:
Great looking lightweight saddle. has lasted MANY loooong rides. I usually go on 6 - 10 day treks across various countries; trail, jungle, off road, road, xc and mountain. 12hours per day in the saddle and this little baby has been the most comfortable or all so far. No issues at all. Also used for commuting daily in city as well when not away cycling over mountain ranges or countries or racing. Good all rounder for decent price, maybe not light enough for some weight weenies, especially TT or roadies and some XC racers I have spoken to.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a
from Modesto, CA Date Reviewed: June 18, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$85.00
Purchased At:
Specialized online store
Bottom Line:
I was afraid this saddle wouldn't work. I thought it wouldn't hold up under my 220 lb. butt and that all the hype behind it would end up being false. But, after logging a lot of miles and a 24 hour race I have to say it is the best saddle I've ever owned (I have the new version without stitching around the gel inserts). It's a natural fit for me. It does such a good job, I don't even notice it's there (which is the best recommendation a saddle can get in my opinion). I'm sure I benefit from the gel inserts and being able to choose the 155 width for semi-customized fit. Seems to be a nice balance between reasonable weight and durability. The price wasn't too bad either.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Jarvis
a Cross Country Rider
from Fort Frances, Ontario Date Reviewed: May 19, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Comfort and versatility -- I have one on both my XC and road bike. The cut-out really doesn make a difference on longer road rides and the slick coating makes it easy to slide back and forth on gnarly single-track.
Weaknesses:
The rails could be a little longer. Weight is not an issue for me because I carry enough extra around my gut that 50 g on a saddle isn't going to make any difference. The trim around the butt pads wears off, but who looks at that when you're riding?
Similar Products Used:
Selle Italia Flite, Specialised BG Comp, OEM Bontrager
Bike Setup:
Salsa Caballero with Rockshox Recon, XT shifters/FD/RD, RaceFace Evolve XC X-type cranks, Shimano PD-M540 pedals, FSA bar & stem, Thomson seatpost, Velocity Aeroheats on XT hubs, Panarace FIre XC Pro 2.1s
Bottom Line:
I didn't go and get tested on the buttometer, but I did measure my other seats and decided a 143 would be the best for me. And it's been great! I bought both on eBay for about $60 USD and they're well worth the dough.
I'm not a hardcore rider -- my average road ride is 50-60 km and MTB ride is 20-30 km -- but since switching and getting used to the Avatar, all my rides are a lot more comfortable. So if you're like me and don't mind its funky look, get one!
And it looks awesome on my silver/black Caballero! :)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tamas Antal
a Weekend Warrior
from BP, BA, east-eu Date Reviewed: January 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
the Charpatians
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$79.00
Purchased At:
at little local retailer
Strengths:
looks good, there are much worse, assumed to be bg
Weaknesses:
heavy, i cant move, change position on the saddle on a longer trip, i cant take it as a soft comfortable saddle
Similar Products Used:
old vetta sl (the best), specialized rival (better), selle italia x2 (worse), san marco magura (the worst)
Bike Setup:
swiss alu road bike equiped with ultegra 2005
Bottom Line:
as i told above my problem with this saddle is that i cant change my position, i always feel as if i sit in a hole and i cant move forward or back to enlight the pressure and have a rest. it seems that everybody has different ass... i bought the 143 mm version.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pebble
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia Date Reviewed: October 12, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
Top Brand Cycles - Townsville
Strengths:
Looks Great Functions Well
Weaknesses:
A bit on the heavy side if you're a weight weenine (but consider mine is a 155mm width!)
Trance 3, with Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1 Tyres, Thomson post & stem, Race Face Deus Bar, Dice Oultaw Pro Pedals, Ruffian Grips, the rest is stock.
Bottom Line:
The stock WTB Rocket V saddle was great but not female friendly for much more than half an hour off road - I think mainly due to being to narrow for my sit bones.
The Specialized Bum-o-Meter fixed all that , and after my LBS kindly allowed me to take several saddles home & try turned out that less was more! Minimal padding on the Avatar 155 is more comfy than some of the more padded models, and it's not as expensive as it's higher tech brothers & sisters. Although a Mens saddle it works great for me - if I wanted something lighter I could invest my money in the Jett which is the womens version - basically has a shorter nose and ti rails I think. Thought about trying a Selle Italia Gel Flow but in the end there was no need, plus it looked so bulky in comparison.
Ps> I ride in normal day to day shorts & undies, not into lycra or baggies yet.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeep
a
from SiiconValley/S.Cruz, CA Date Reviewed: September 15, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Don't recall
Strengths:
foam is dense & v.Thick--good setup for big (200+lb) folks, particularly for rides with many in-saddle hours. It's relatively large for a racing/serious ride saddle--this is good if it fits you--otherwise, it's the wrong saddle for you. Oh, you can get smaller sizes that weigh a bit less as well.
Weaknesses:
I'm guessing the thick, dense foam w/b bouncy if you're closer to 100 than 200 lbs. It's flat--no flip on the back to push against on in-saddle climbs. Maybe the soft covering over the sit-bone pads would take on sweat over time--I have a QR cover over mine, which has lining that's essentially water-proof.
Similar Products Used:
Several differen Fizik's, that $150 adjustable-width one with the yellow under-seat (want it?--good price to you!), Brooks leather (Loooooong time back), many others
Bike Setup:
road Trek OCLV Carbon 120, Shim groupo (Durace except brake cali's), Mavic CXP 33 hand-built by CO. Cyclist, Cane Creek HS, Mutant Stem, wide Ergo drops (something italian), Mich tyres
Bottom Line:
My butt and lots of what I've read says this is the best seat for "big boned," long-ride (50-90/ride) riders. It doesn't have any pretty colors on it, but, hey, your butt goes on it, alright!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeep
a
from SiiconValley/S.Cruz, CA Date Reviewed: September 15, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Don't recall
Strengths:
foam is dense & v.Thick--good setup for big (200+lb) folks, particularly for rides with many in-saddle hours. It's relatively large for a racing/serious ride saddle--this is good if it fits you--otherwise, it's the wrong saddle for you. Oh, you can get smaller sizes that weigh a bit less as well.
Weaknesses:
I'm guessing the thick, dense foam w/b bouncy if you're closer to 100 than 200 lbs. It's flat--no flip on the back to push against on in-saddle climbs. Maybe the soft covering over the sit-bone pads would take on sweat over time--I have a QR cover over mine, which has lining that's essentially water-proof.
Similar Products Used:
Several differen Fizik's, that $150 adjustable-width one with the yellow under-seat (want it?--good price to you!), Brooks leather (Loooooong time back), many others
Bike Setup:
road Trek OCLV Carbon 120, Shim groupo (Durace except brake cali's), Mavic CXP 33 hand-built by CO. Cyclist, Cane Creek HS, Mutant Stem, wide Ergo drops (something italian), Mich tyres
Bottom Line:
My butt and lots of what I've read says this is the best seat for "big boned," long-ride (50-90/ride) riders. It doesn't have any pretty colors on it, but, hey, your butt goes on it, alright!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ed W
a Cross Country Rider
from Helena, MT, USA Date Reviewed: July 31, 2006
Favorite Trail:
dirt
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
looks good, Body Geometry technology
Weaknesses:
looks like it will skuff up easily
Similar Products Used:
stock BG specialized saddle ('04), Specialized Alias
Bike Setup:
'04 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR
Bottom Line:
I've been having some issues with saddle numbness, so I wanted a new one with more of a design emphasis on fixing this. I do some XC racing, so I first went with the raciest/lightest one which was the Specialized Alias. The Alias fit my sit-bones well, but my crotch was way too sore after the pounding of XC riding on this hard saddle. I traded it in for the Avatar Gel which felt much better on the butt. It surprised me how much softer the Avatar felt on my crotch compared to the Alias because by pinching the saddles the Avatar felt only slightly softer. But the bottom line is that my crotch felt better! Fits my sit-bones very well and looks great.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Cross Country Rider
from Big Lake, MN Date Reviewed: May 3, 2006
Favorite Trail:
E.R.
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
Scheels
Strengths:
Light, looks good. Perfect shape.
Weaknesses:
Not very comfy for the 2-3 mile cruise to the trail, but once your going it works great.
Similar Products Used:
Old BG, Velo's, Fizik
Bottom Line:
This saddle is great unless your just sitting down and cruising.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy
a Cross Country Rider
from Montreal, Quebec, Canada Date Reviewed: April 3, 2006
An excellent performer. No pain at all after the first 50km ride of the season.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
colt collis
a
from nacogdoches tx US Date Reviewed: March 22, 2006
Favorite Trail:
street (commuting and whatnot)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
spcialized.com
Strengths:
i can ride my bike and still get it up afterward!
Weaknesses:
too fancy looking and expensive... i'm not going to count of for that... but this is for a beater... it needs to be ugly...
Similar Products Used:
wtb rocket v (too narrow... makes jimmy funny) planet bike ars (too wide... rubs crams in my ass) sette something or other (too narrow... makes jimmy numb)
Bike Setup:
i don't feel like listing it again
Bottom Line:
it work... i can feel my dick after riding my bike... what more could i want?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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