PRO Griffon Gel Saddle

The PRO Griffon Gel is a well-made, dependable saddle that will please most riders most of the time, but it's relatively heavy and arguably no more comfortable than cheaper, lighter foam options. It's a strong choice for adventure bikes, though.

• Pros: Grippy cover, solidly made, fairly shock-absorbent
• Cons: Heavy, flat nose lacks effective channeling, only PRO 'ass savers' will fit

With its stainless steel rails, glassfibre-reinforced plastic hull and gel padding, this version of PRO's Griffon saddle was never going to be light, though at 284g it's no clunker either. On the other hand, its thick padding, rail attachment design (they fix into what amount to laterally-mounted leaf springs) and high mass mean it's good at filtering out vibration and softening small impacts.

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Combine this with a solid build that can survive a few knocks and a densely textured polyurethane cover, and it's a good option for gravel bikes and even mountain bikes. The almost flat shaping, with just a slight raise at the tail and dip on the nose, means it's as much a saddle for every rider as every bike.

On the road, the advantages are less obvious. Saddle comfort is personal, obviously, but while I found the Griffon instantly comfy in a very neutral way, it didn't stay that way any longer than many others. In fact, for me the long, flat nose – which only has a very shallow channel – encouraged numbness where thinner, harder but more deeply notched saddles don't. It also seemed as good but no better than basic saddles at less than half the price.

While the design of the rear rail mounting points encourage flex (not actual springiness, even if you sit right back), they also stop you fitting a clip-on 'ass saver' style mudguard. Your only options are to either cut yours down or buy PRO's dedicated, bolt-on rear guard. The saddle has threaded steel inserts to take one (or any other PRO accessories, such as camera mounts and CO2 brackets). The inserts don't help the weight either.

It's available in this 142mm or 152mm widths, both with steel rails. The price seems high given the spec. For instance, Fabric's gel-enhanced Scoop is slightly lighter and just £50, while the similar-looking B'Twin 900 Sport also offers gel, is also lighter and is £20. And if you're after a similar cutout and shape but firm padding, check out the Kinesis Elite at £40.

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Chances are you'd be perfectly happy with the PRO Griffon Gel on your bike, especially if your rides are casual, brief or bumpy, but the mudguard-unfriendly tail and high weight are disappointing – and there's just no reason to spend so much.

Verdict

A well-built saddle with decent comfort, but underperforms for the price