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Submitted by
willem3
a Cross Country Rider
from Bend, OR
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | North Fork | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | EBAY | | Strengths: | Strong, comfortable, light, great quality | | Weaknesses: | None yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Other WTB Seats, Selle Italia | | Bike Setup: | Ventana's with all the best parts, I have the Titanium Version of this seat on both my bikes | | Bottom Line: | Awesome! Although seats are a personal choice depending on riding style, body type, etc. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
No-air Bud
a Cross Country Rider
from Portage, IN
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Ft. Custer, MI. | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | local bike shop | | Strengths: | Good fit for a smaller rider, I'm 5'5" & 130#. Shorter seat platform for better movement during the ride. I did not have to run the seat all the way to the front of the rails for good pedal position for me.
| | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Sella Italia Flite | | Bike Setup: | Titus Racer X, 3" of travel for XC riding. Fox F-80/Fox R-L | | Bottom Line: | WTB Rocket V SLT Saddle:
I had been riding on a Sella Italia Flite for almost 5 seasons. The side covers and nose had a few tears starting in them so I decided it was time for a change. I had heard good things about the WTB seats. Mine is on my full suspension 2003 Titus Racer X. I had gotten comfortable on the old seat, but longer climbs were beginning to hurt a bit since you spend more time on the nose and there was not a great deal of padding on the Sella. The day I put the WTB on I noticed the shorter length and seemingly more narrow width. I liked both differences but had to do a few short around the track type adjustments to get my feet over the pedals a bit better and moved the seat more to the center of the rails. Being a smaller rider I usually just jam the seat pretty much forward and hope for the best. Even having a shorter length I did not have to put the rails all the way up so I got to enjoy the Ti rails to their potential. After a few full laps around our local 10 mile trail I noticed that I did not notice I was on a new saddle. THAT is a great compliment to this WTB seat. On vacation I put in nearly a 4 hour day over some nasty rocky, rooty downs and ½ mile switch back climbs. The best thing was I had no hot spots, tender bits or any annoying aspects at all. The cush was nice, the V channel seemed to fit and my sit bones did not cry out in pain. I really liked the WTB and may have to get one for my road ride. It had almost the same effect of putting on a new pair of running shoes, nice fit for me.
| Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
matt
a Cross Country Rider
from fairfax
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | wakefield | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | performance bike | | Strengths: | looks good | | Weaknesses: | Rails bend easy, Wale Tail design blows | | Similar Products Used: | lots | | Bike Setup: | tricked out Gary Fisher with heavy duty parts | | Bottom Line: | The saddle crumpled in 6 days. Rails bent to hell, and it was never comfortable anyway. If you ride up hills in spandex with your seat real high and clip into your pedals, then buy it. If you jump your bike at all or ride street even a little bit, or even think you might land on the seat after riding off a curb, then don't buy it. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of buying expensive light weight junky crap like this that breaks right away and has to be replaced. I swear to god, spandex has ruined mountain biking. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
chris
a Weekend Warrior
from modesto
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | pricepoint | | Strengths: | surprisingly comfortable and light | | Weaknesses: | none | | Bike Setup: | 06 heckler | | Bottom Line: | This is a great seat!! I thought it would be uncomfortable when I first received it, but after one ride I knew that this was the best seat I have ever owned. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nathan F.
a Weekend Warrior
from San Antonio, TEXAS USA
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere that has dirt! | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$48.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay.com | | Strengths: | Comfort, position and weight.
The Rocket V Progel with the Ti rails rocks and keeps it's shape and my butt ache free -- so far! | | Weaknesses: | Too early to tell. | | Similar Products Used: | What haven't I tried.... :) | | Bike Setup: | 1999 Litespeed Tsali-XT Group,Titec 118 Ti Handlebar,Frogs,Judy SID,KING Ti bottle cage,Salsa Brake Brace&Syncros Ti post. WT approx. 23 pounds ;) | | Bottom Line: | What a saddle, after many years with a Fizik, which is a really good racing saddle. It was time for a change and with all the talk about the WTB Rocket V, I figure I would try one. So after searching the websites, i placed a bid on eBay for a WTB Rocket V Progel with Ti rails.
THe indicator marks on the rails was a great help on making sure I installed my saddle's position almost the same as my old Fizik.
Well I took off on a 2 hr ride and I can say it has lived up to the raves. The seat was cushy, plenty of nose to help on balance. The cut & shape of the rear of the saddle was differnt from my past saddles, but not so different that I had any issues with it.
SO far I have not negitive remarks and I doubt I will have any for many years to come.
I would recommend any one to go try a Rocket V, your butt will thank you! ;)
See you on the trails! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Russell
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise,Idaho
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Eastside | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay! | | Strengths: | Lightweight, Comfortable on climbs | | Weaknesses: | Not as comfortable when you are just on a flat. (Maybe this is because the raised section in the back?) | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized butt groove | | Bike Setup: | Specialized hardrock frame, bb7's, marzocchi exr pro, stylo cranks, x.9 drivetrain | | Bottom Line: | This is for the Team version. It felt hard and uncomfortable at first but once I rode for about 10 miles on it it, it softened up and was more comfortable. It's a bit expensive for what it is, but I guess thats how everything is. When you first sit on it, it doesn't feel that great, but once you have ridden a ways on it you start to appreciate how the shape of it makes it comfortable when riding, especially on climbs. I bought it because I bent the rails on my old saddle. I hope the rails hold out on this one! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Connor Cole
a Weekend Warrior
from Bound Brook, NJ
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Chimney Rock | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Garden State Bike Shop | | Strengths: | This seat looks pretty cool, and is really tough. | | Weaknesses: | The front starts to get torn from use after the first year or so. UNCOMFY. | | Bike Setup: | serfas kevlar | | Bottom Line: | This seat came stock with my bike, it looks really cool, its reasonably light, but very uncomfy if you go out riding all day be prepared to come home with a sore butt. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a Weekend Warrior
from Maryland
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Avalon | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bike | | Strengths: | Light, well made, great shape. Kevlar sides. WTB Warrenty and replacement policy | | Weaknesses: | Can't take that much abuse | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized body geometry | | Bike Setup: | Prpphet 600 set up for aggresive trail riding | | Bottom Line: | This saddle is candy for my ass. This is by far the best saddle I have ever used. It fits my sit bone perfectly. I am a heavy rider so I was a little uneasy about how narrow it is but the shape of this is great. After about two months I went of a jump and landed wrong and my ass hit the seat. This completely bent the seat rails. WTB has a 2 month unconditional guarrantee on their seats, so I emailed them and they promptly responed back and told me to ship them the saddle and they would replace the rails for no charge. I got the saddle back in two weeks and they upgraded the rails to Ti. This is the progel model with ni-cromo rails. WTB charges alot for their seats but since they stand behind them so much I will give it 5 flamers on value. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
GlowBoy
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland OR
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Waldo Lake | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | REI | | Strengths: | Shape fits me better than any other saddle I've tried. Team model is quite light (210g). Race and Team models both have weatherproof synthetic covers. Team model is seamless on top to minimize chafing and nerve damage. Other Rocket models come in leather if you're into leather. Wide variety of Rocket models to select the right firmness, weight and cover. | | Weaknesses: | Some models are expensive, a problem when you have multiple bikes. Race model is too soft for me, and also a bit heavy (320g). Race model has stitching along the edge of the V cutout: this not only causes chafing, but according to recent studies may also cause nerve damage that can lead to numbness and ED problems. Attention WTB: it would be wise to phase out this stitching on all your saddles NOW before you get sued by someone whose pee-pee stops working. | | Similar Products Used: | WTB Speed V (wrong shape), Forte Classic (too soft after a couple months), Profile O2 (too hard), Terry Fly Ti (just not quite right), SI Gel Lite Max Flow (expensive, too hard once you bottom out through the gel), Specialized Telluride '03 (loved it but it wore out, and the redesigned post-'03 models are too soft). | | Bike Setup: | Vulture custom singlespeed bouncy 29"er, Surly Karate Monkey rigid commuter 29"er w/ SRAM DualDrive Disc 3-speed hub, Bianchi Volpe 1x5 'crossser. | | Bottom Line: | I've tried an awful lot of saddles, and the WTB Rocket V series seem to have a shape that fits my butt the best. I'm Goldilocks though -- many are too hard, many are too soft, only a few are just right. Too hard is bad because I like to do long rides without being in pain. Too soft is bad because if your sit bones sink in too far you start putting pressure on various other parts that shouldn't have pressure on them. Never had problems because of pressure on the perineal area, but my "boys" do not like to be squished. Worse, a saddle that seems OK at first can soften after a few hundred miles and start putting the squeeze on my boys, making it even harder to get it just right.
In the past I've raved about the Rocket V Race, but after using it for a while I've concluded it's still too soft for me. The Rocket V Team seems to be working better (and 100g lighter), though it's still pretty firm and quite a bit more expensive. I can't give it a 5 because I have yet to find the perfect saddle. But I'll give it a 4 because it's the best I've found yet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ramilcp
a Weekend Warrior
from Whittier, CA
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | Then Supergo (R.I.P.) | | Strengths: | Lightweight, great cushioning, durable. Drop nose prevents the shorts from snagging. | | Weaknesses: | Decals peel off too easily. Nose not as comfortable as the middle or back when climbing. | | Similar Products Used: | Serfas Dual Density, WTB Speed V, WTB Pure V, Selle Italia Flite, Selle Italia Octavia | | Bike Setup: | IRO Mia! rigid single speed, Iron Horse geared hardtail. | | Bottom Line: | Best saddle I've had so far. It's light and comfortable even for a Clyde like me. No pain on the sit bones even after long rides. The kevlar sides makes it easy to slide off the back on descents and prevents tearing when I crash. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam Henry
a Cross Country Rider
from Rochester Hills, MI USA
Date Reviewed: February 10, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$63.00 | | Purchased At: | Full Cycles Bike Shop, OR online | | Strengths: | Outstanding comfort for long, four hour, XC rides. No noticable pressure points! Not icy slippery like some other high end seats. | | Weaknesses: | Not seen yet though time will tell show whether this saddle is durable over a longer period of time. | | Similar Products Used: | Selle Italia Flite Ti, Specialized (from S works). | | Bike Setup: | One Specialized Stumpjumper hardtail currently w/XTR, Reba Team, v brake. One Cinelli Freedom Rider with Avid Carbon Juicy disc and SRAM gear system. | | Bottom Line: | Best saddle in 40 years of riding. I needed this during my competitive youth. I'd likely have more kids. Outstanding product. Bought another for my other bike. Considering another for a third bike with proven durability. The Lazy Boy of saddles. Incredible value at $63. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Corey Cassell
a Cross Country Rider
from Enumclaw
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Black Diamond | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$79.00 | | Purchased At: | Online | | Strengths: | High quality, good looks and a durable cover. | | Weaknesses: | Uncomfortable as hell for me. Severe pain! | | Similar Products Used: | WTB Pro V Gel | | Bike Setup: | Custom Built Trance1, XT throughout, Mavic 717, Thomson Post. | | Bottom Line: | I wish I could say I love this seat, because it's a damn good looking seat and it's very light. I just can't live with the way it hits my rump. It hits me right between the bones of my butt and by the time I climbed my first 1000 feet on the bike, I needed to ride side saddle because it hurt so badly. The padding is extremely firm. I've moved to the WTB Pro V Gel to get some better padding and a little different contact point. If you're a racer looking for a light seat, this is the one. I just hope you can mount the thing and give it a good fitting before you fork over the cash. I'll be posting this barely used seat on Ebay soon. Anyone in the market for one? I can't give this seat a poor rating because it's a good seat. It just didn't work for me. I can't give it a top rating thoug either because the padding in my opinion is way too hard. My mistake for not trying it out before I bought it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jesse VOZA
a Racer
from St-Martin, Caribbean
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Porcupine in Moab | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | TRISPORT St-Maarten | | Strengths: | + Light
+ Strong
+ Look
+ Different model
+ Comfort | | Weaknesses: | - None | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager, Gobi, Selle Italia | | Bike Setup: | Stock YETIs | | Bottom Line: | I tried this saddle at Interbike and it is right away the best saddle out there for MTB (maybe a bit wide for road). I think the trick is the curse in the middle of the saddle. You feel like sitting on a horse. Your legs can move left and right easily. The comfort comes from the shape. On Bontragers, it comes from the padding.
Buy it ! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Orange County, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Strengths: | Durable, Light, and MOST IMPORTANT COMFORTABLE! This is for the Rocket stealth, since it doesn't have its on catagory | | Weaknesses: | I really dont like the white part of the seat but thats all they make the stealth version in. | | Similar Products Used: | other Rocket seats, Bontrager, Selle Italia | | Bike Setup: | Hard tail, so you feel the bumps | | Bottom Line: | This is a good seat I recommend this to anyone wanting a light seat that is comfortable. A thousand times better than the Selle Italia seat I had. Worth the money on those long rides. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jack Jiang
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Came with my Mt Vision | | Strengths: | Good design, aethetically pleasing, simply comfy | | Weaknesses: | the bottom of the saddle, where there is that little bit of platic cover towards the nose of it, that bit keeps breaking. | | Similar Products Used: | Jamis saddles, cheap Avanti, Selle SLR | | Bike Setup: | 2005 Marin Mt Vision, mostly stock | | Bottom Line: | this is a very good saddle, loved it while it lasted. this is my 3rd Rocket-V, the one on my road bike seems fine, but the two i had for my XC bike kept breaking, and ones it breaks there was a dip in the saddle, and i was sitting on plastic from then. im waiting on my warrenty for another one at the moment, im willing to give it another try.
3 for value because if you buy the Stealth seperate, it ll cost $200, (maybe its just here in NZ)
4 for overall because it was just so damn comfortable!!!! though it kept on breaking. Well as long as it breaks within a year i can get another warrenty on my new one >.< | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
shiny_car
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay + shipping | | Strengths: | very comfy for my bott; Stealth version very light | | Weaknesses: | Stealth version relatively expensive but such is what you pay for lightweight | | Bike Setup: | Aus-spec '05 Giant XTC2; Specialized S-works HT custom build | | Bottom Line: | my Giant HT came standard with the 'Race' version of this seat which I find very comfortable and good quality; as such, I purchased the lighter 'Stealth' version for the build-up of my other HT; really light for a MTB seat, retains the comfort and nicer trim (leather); if this width/design seat suits your bum then I highly recommend it; not sure it's worth the added expense for the lightweight Stealth version unless you're a weight-weenie or can buy it cheaply | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard
a Cross Country Rider
from Huntington Beach, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Chode saver. This review is for the 2005 WTB Rocket V Stealth. I put it here because there's no separate listing. | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | $10 generic seat, terry dragonfly | | Bike Setup: | custom access, full xt, right hand front break b/c it's how my moto is set up | | Bottom Line: | I thought that chode pain was part of biking until I swapped to this seat. Now the pressure is on my sitbones.
The dragonfly was way to narrow even though it had a cutaway down the middle. The Rocket's cutaway is wide enough and correctly spaced that even for someone with a ghetto booty it rides smoothly.
I was debating between getting a Koobi Au Enduro and this; however, considering that this is lighter (at 210 grams) and cheaper (if you can find an online deal) I was sold. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Scotia, NY
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$110.00 | | Strengths: | Very comfortable, light.
| | Weaknesses: | A little pricey (isn't everything?) | | Similar Products Used: | Stock BG from Specialized, and a Bonty Race Lite (both horrible) | | Bike Setup: | 04 Specialized Epic Marathon with SRAM XO rear and grip, Thomson stem, EC70 flat, Shimano PD-M959 pedals | | Bottom Line: | This review is for an 05 Rocket V Stealth..... This is hands down the most comfortable seat I have ever ridden. I have only used it for a short time but have absolutely no soreness, pressure points, or discomfort of any kind. If this is the general size/shape saddle you use give it a shot, it's just as light or lighter that a lot of other 'racing' saddles but waaaaay more comfortable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Christopher
a
from Rapid City, SD USA
Date Reviewed: July 16, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Came stock on bike | | Strengths: | Nice materials used.
Great looks. | | Weaknesses: | Pressure point on nose of seat.
Creak noises, rubs against rails. | | Bike Setup: | Cross country, mountain, wooded trails, etc... | | Bottom Line: | The seat is nicely made except for the rubbing against the rails which causes it to creak. No big deal though and I fixed it anyway. The only thing is that the front of the seat is something I really begin to notice pressing against - you know, after about 40 minutes of riding. I've tried various seat angles and heights and nothing corrects this problem. Oh well maybe it's just me cause other seats seam to do the same dang thing. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$67.00 | | Purchased At: | on-line | | Strengths: | Comfortable, light | | Weaknesses: | Poor quality control, and I think it's fugly. | | Similar Products Used: | Flite Transalp, Specialized Rival | | Bottom Line: | Bottom line is that is is comfortable, period. My precious jewels wern't numb at the end of a 1 1/2 hour ride, and my a$$ felt good. However, I am disappointed in the quality of the construction. The saddle sits uneven, higher on one side than the other, bad molding I guess? I haven't really noticed it on the trail, but just knowing the quality control is not there makes me a bit nervous in the overall quality of the product. Also, WAY to much stitching and heavy embroidery all over the place. The seams will wear out I am sure. Also, I think it's just ugly. Bottom line, my a$$ feels fine and no numbness whatsoever. Value is good cause I got it fairly cheap. I will buy it again, but wish it was made better. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Coram
a Weekend Warrior
from Lynnwood, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | The Rocket V is aesthetically pleasing. | | Weaknesses: | Bent rails...WTB won't replace under warranty. Instead of fixing this problem, WTB's costumer service reps tried to push more of their product down my throat. | | Similar Products Used: | OEM Specialized saddle. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Hard Rock Comp...replacing components as they break. | | Bottom Line: | I am a very big guy (6'11", 240+lbs.). Carrying this much weight, I can quickly realize if a product is up to the durability snuff after a few rides. I don't freeride or do any drops, but the saddle rails started to bend after about 15 miles of riding. I've straightened the rails three times and each time adjusted the saddle position on the rails to try and relieve some of the leverage place on them. Well, it's not working.
If you're a light guy into cross country riding, this would be a good saddle for you. I actually liked the seating position with the whale tail for the first few miles before the rails bent. | |
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