Selle Royal Lookin Saddle

The Selle Royal Lookin saddle is a very unique and surprisingly well made perch for the money but one attempting to be all things to most riders, which risks an identity crisis.

In this age of gender specific design, I was surprised to discover it described as Unisex, especially given the long 278mm nose - and although 159mm width might appeal to some ladies, in my book it's one better suited to mountain biking/rough stuff touring males.

Handmade denotes that it's a prestige model and this is very apparent both in the materials/quality of construction, which by the way is a notch or two higher than is normal for the lower-mid range price brackets. Nestling beneath the tough, faux leather hide (reckoned to be 25% cooler than comparable coverings thanks to a mesh panel around the buttocks) lies a slab of royal gel, which they claim doesn't break, harden or age-there's even a clear window, presumably so you can glance down and admire it at work.

Flipping it over reveals laser-etched hollow manganese rails feeding into a composite base. Workmanship here is particularly sharp thanks to the use of screws, rather than staples. For the uninitiated, manganese is of the Cro-moly family found in Reynolds' iconic 531, suitably compliant thus offering some insulation against fatigue, coupled with excellent strength to weight ratio.

With its thirty-degree rise and big, flared drops, the Univega seemed an obvious candidate for testing and let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed. By the book, my sit bones and 143mm bases are soul mates but this more upright configuration calls for greater support, hence the Lookin's girth wasn't an issue. Hopping aboard it's very supportive, conducive to several hours mixed terrain riding at a decent 90 odd rpm, the cover slick enough to entertain minor adjustments but without irksome surfing in wet weather.

Scuff bumpers protect against premature wear and tear - brilliant when leaning up against rough masonry or shackling to street furniture but the nose is still vulnerable in a dirt road tumble, so I'd stop short of advocating aggressive cross country mountain biking, which is a shame since those rails offer excellent insulation from intrusive, low level vibration.

Verdict

Quirky but comfortable perch well suited to touring/mountain bike and other more upgright set ups.