Ergon SR Comp Men’s saddle

The Ergon SR Comp saddle is part of its new SR Road series, which is all about reducing pressure and improving the comfort of the ride. I had my doubts on the first few journeys as it seemed very firm, but once I'd adapted, the SR Comp became a good friend, especially on longer treks.

• Pros: Very comfortable shape, rail flex adds to the comfort
• Cons: Not the neatest of finishes underneath

The model I tested is from the men's range and, as you can probably guess from that, there is also a women's option as well; Emma really liked the SR Sport Gel, and Sarah's been testing the Women's SR Pro Carbon and we'll have her full review very soon.

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The reason for separate designs is because we sit differently on the saddle, and, says Ergon, 'Due to their specific pelvic anatomy men are sitting more upright on the saddle.'

To relieve unwanted pressure on the perineal area Ergon has gone for a central channel. Nothing exactly groundbreaking here, we see it all the time, but the one you see here is notably wider than most and is quite a bit deeper at the rear than it is at the front. Coupled to this, the hatched seating area uses OrthoCell inlays which are apparently more durable and lighter than gel.

On the whole, I'm not a big sufferer of discomfort or numbness on the majority of saddles, but there are some I don't get on with. Thankfully, the Ergon isn't one of them. In fact I found it very comfortable, especially after I'd done a few rides to settle everything in.

Those inlays are a nice addition to the firmness of the rest of the saddle, with just a little bit more give for added comfort.

The firmness of the upper means the Ergon is very supportive and it stops the edges of the channel compressing and disappearing.

The width of the channel is noticeable – or unnoticeable, I suppose. After a few rides on the road I switched the SR Comp onto a gravel bike and took to the local tracks. Remaining seated for the fast descents (I normally rise out of the saddle a little to let the bike bounce and move about) and taking the full impacts from the rocks and potholes, the Ergon is noticeably shock absorbing.

Adding to the comfort is the nylon composite shell, which has a bit of flex – as do the TiNox rails.

I like a flat profile saddle as I tend to move about a fair bit from front to back depending on the terrain, so the shape of the Ergon also suited me. When crouched in a race position, the slight uplift of the tail gives you something to push back against when really getting the power down.

The SR Comp is available in two widths: small/medium for those with a measurement of 9-12cm between their sit bones, and the medium/large that we have here for those who measure 12-16cm. The latter is a stonking 160mm wide, with the smaller of the two coming in at a more normal 144mm in width.

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Overall quality looks to be good, and the microfibre upper certainly stands up well to scuffs. Underneath, a lot of saddles are using a separate layer to the shell with the upper sandwiched between the two as it is wrapped under, giving a neater finish. The Ergon doesn't have this, which is fine, but the cutting of the material as it runs around the base just looks a little bit untidy – not exactly the finish I'd expect on a 90-quid saddle.

Looking at value, it isn't too bad against some of the opposition. It's a tenner less than the Pro Griffon Gel saddle, which costs £99.99 and which fellow tester Steve felt underperformed for the money.

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If a central cutout is a must then the Specialized Power Arc Expert and Power Expert are well worth a look, although either of those will cost you an extra £15 over the Ergon.

Alongside the Comp, the SR is also available in two other versions: a Pro and a Pro Carbon, which Steve also tested, though he wasn't fully enamoured by the riding position he had to adopt to get fully comfortable – or the £170 price tag.

On the whole, I found the SR Comp to be very comfortable, especially when it came to gravel riding, the extra flex really coming into its own there.

Verdict

Well-designed saddle offering plenty of comfort and support on multiple terrains